<p>Aṣṭasāhasrikā: asta (8) sahasara (1000)<br>
Prajñāpāramitā: prajna(wisdom) paramita(perfection)<br>
Sutra: thread/verse</p>

<p>PDF: <a href="https://huntingtonarchive.org/resources/downloads/sutras/02Prajnaparamita/Astasahasrika.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">THE PERFECTION OF WISDOM IN EIGHT THOUSAND LINES &amp; ITS
VERSE SUMMARY</a><br>
- The Huntington Archive</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-27T18:21:41.563Z
2019-10-27T18:50:01.867Z
2019-10-27T18:50:01.867Z
Twinkle Sheen
<p><em>Aṣṭasāhasrikā</em> translates to "eight thousand":</p>

<ul>
<li><em>aṣṭá</em> -- eight</li>
<li><em>sahasra</em> -- thousand</li>
</ul>

<p><a href="http://veda.wikidot.com/sanskrit-numbers/comments/show" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Sanskrit Numbers</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-26T08:50:50.200Z
2019-10-26T08:50:50.200Z
ChrisW
<p>What is the literal meaning of Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra. Everywhere I read it says "The Perfection of Wisdom in 8000 Lines", but that is not a <em>literal</em> translation as far as I can tell. What is the literal translation or etymology?</p>

<p>For example, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutra" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Sutra</a> means "thread", but that is no where in that perfection of wisdom phrase. I read elsewhere, too, that:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The word Prajñāpāramitā combines the Sanskrit words prajñā "wisdom" with pāramitā "perfection".</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So we have the "wisdom perfecting thread" sort of thing. But what is the other word?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-26T12:30:32.550Z
8000 is the literal translation -- not knowing that sutra though, I don't know whether it's intended literally or metaphorically, perhaps for example as a metaphor for "many", "long", "detailed".
ChrisW
<sutras><translation>
Literal translation of Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra
# Literal translation of Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-10-26)

What is the literal meaning of Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra. Everywhere I read it says "The Perfection of Wisdom in 8000 Lines", but that is not a *literal* translation as far as I can tell. What is the literal translation or etymology?

For example, [Sutra](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutra) means "thread", but that is no where in that perfection of wisdom phrase. I read elsewhere, too, that:

> The word Prajñāpāramitā combines the Sanskrit words prajñā "wisdom" with pāramitā "perfection".

So we have the "wisdom perfecting thread" sort of thing. But what is the other word?

**Tags:** sutras, translation

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 8000 is the literal translation -- not knowing that sutra though, I don't know whether it's intended literally or metaphorically, perhaps for example as a metaphor for "many", "long", "detailed".  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-10-26. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

*Aṣṭasāhasrikā* translates to "eight thousand":

* *aṣṭá* -- eight
* *sahasra* -- thousand

[Sanskrit Numbers](http://veda.wikidot.com/sanskrit-numbers/comments/show)


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### Answer by username_2 on 2019-10-27. Score: 1

Aṣṭasāhasrikā: asta (8) sahasara (1000)  
Prajñāpāramitā: prajna(wisdom) paramita(perfection)  
Sutra: thread/verse

PDF: [THE PERFECTION OF WISDOM IN EIGHT THOUSAND LINES & ITS
VERSE SUMMARY](https://huntingtonarchive.org/resources/downloads/sutras/02Prajnaparamita/Astasahasrika.pdf)  
- The Huntington Archive


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