Tadeusz Skorupski

Prajñāvarman, a Buddhist writer from the 8th century, was active during the reigns of Pala king Gopala I and Tibetan emperor Trisong Detsen. His work brought him to Tibet under the patronage of these rulers. He was a contemporary of Jinamitra.

Prajñāvarman played a significant role in the transmission of Buddhist literature by translating 77 works from Sanskrit into Tibetan. Three of his commentaries are preserved in the Tengyur: the Devātiśāyastotraṭīkā, the Udānavargavivara, and the Viśeṣastavaṭikā. The latter is a commentary on Udbhaṭasiddhasvāmin's Viśeṣastava and was translated into Tibetan by Rin-chen-bzang-po and Janārdhana. The original Sanskrit text of the Viśeṣastavaṭikā is no longer extant. Among his translated works is the Abhayapradā-nāma-aparājita, which he co-translated with Ye shes sde.

Prajñāvarman was a prolific translator and commentator within early medieval Buddhist literature. He is credited with translating 77 Buddhist texts from Sanskrit into Tibetan, significantly contributing to the dissemination of Buddhist philosophy and practice in Tibet. His efforts ensured that important Sanskrit scriptures were made accessible in the Tibetan language. His work facilitated a deeper study and understanding of Buddhist teachings for Tibetan scholars and practitioners.

Three of Prajñāvarman's commentaries are extant and preserved within the Tengyur collection. These include the Devātiśāyastotraṭīkā, the Udānavargavivara, and the Viśeṣastavaṭikā. The Viśeṣastavaṭikā is a detailed explanation of Udbhaṭasiddhasvāmin's work, the Viśeṣastava. The Tibetan translation of the Viśeṣastavaṭikā was undertaken by the renowned translators Rin-chen-bzang-po and Janārdhana. Unfortunately, the original Sanskrit text of this commentary has been lost to time, making the Tibetan version invaluable.