The Prajnaparamita sutras are fundamental early Mahayana texts dating from the first few centuries of the common era. These writings propound a Madhyamaka philosophical view, which sees reality as impermanent and empty of true nature. Prajnaparamita texts continued to be important in the early Vajrayana tradition, in which Prajnaparamita was personified as a goddess seen to embody wisdom. She is usually depicted a goddess of yellow color usually with four arms, one of which holds a book representing this sutra.