The correct option is 1 and 3 only.
Explanation
The Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita ("The Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines") is a foundational Mahayana Buddhist text. Illustrated manuscripts of this text are the primary examples of the Pala School of Miniature Painting, which flourished in Eastern India (Bengal and Bihar) during the Pala period (8th to 12th century CE).
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Correct. The Pala School was closely linked to major Buddhist monastic universities (Mahaviharas). Many surviving manuscripts of the Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita were executed at the monastery of Nalanda, as well as at Vikramshila and Kurkihar. These centers were hubs of artistic and intellectual activity under Pala patronage.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect. The Pala School of painting dates from the 10th to the 12th century CE. The Mughal Emperor Akbar reigned much later, in the 16th century (1556-1605 CE). Therefore, these manuscripts predate the Mughal era by several centuries and belong to the early medieval period.
- Statement 3 is Correct. The illustrations in these palm-leaf manuscripts are strictly religious. They depict scenes from the life of the Buddha and various Buddhist deities associated with the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions, such as Prajnaparamita, Tara, Maitreya, and Avalokiteshvara.
Key Takeaway: The Pala School represents the earliest examples of miniature painting in India, executed on palm leaves with Buddhist themes, distinct from the later paper-based traditions of the Mughal or Rajasthani schools.