noun
prajna; wisdom for enlightenment
Buddhist term for the transcendent wisdom needed to attain enlightenment. Often appears in sutras and Buddhist philosophy.
般若心経は、般若の智慧を説いた経典です。
The Heart Sutra is a scripture that expounds the wisdom of prajna.
noun
hannya mask; grinning horned demoness mask
A Noh mask depicting a jealous woman transformed into a demon. Represents intense female rage and jealousy.
See also: 般若面
能楽で使われる般若の面は、女性の嫉妬と怒りを表している。
The hannya mask used in Noh theater represents a woman's jealousy and rage.
noun
terrifying face; dreadful expression
Abbreviation of 般若面. Describes a woman's face twisted by jealousy or rage, often in everyday or literary contexts.
See also: 般若面
彼女は嫉妬で般若のような顔になった。
Her face became like a hannya mask out of jealousy.
般若面 is the full term for the hannya mask, while 般若 alone can be an abbreviation for the mask or the terrifying expression.
From Sanskrit prajñā (प्रज्ञा), meaning 'wisdom' or 'insight'. The Noh mask sense derives from the Buddhist term, later extended to describe a jealous woman's face.