The name hannya (般若) is a Sino-Japanese word for prajna or wisdom. One tradition states that this name was given to this mask because it was the name of an artist monk Hannya-bō (般若坊) who is said to have perfected its creation. Another explanation is that Perfection of Wisdom sutras and their variations were considered to be particularly effective against female demons. An alternate explanation is that the artist would need a great deal of wisdom in order to create this mask
