Experience: Sutra Calligraphy

Calligraphy is a versatile art in and of itself - by its very nature, it communicates and expresses itself in such a way that both emotion and beauty are carried along with a specific message. These key elements known to me as a person whose first language is English, which has its own long and still persisting history in calligraphy. However the sutra calligraphy experience in Kunisaki added still more elements to the art. Not only are the tools of calligraphy different, but also the attitude towards it.

The belief held here is that in writing out the sutra - the scriptures of the Buddha - care and reflection are of utmost importance. It is said that writing by hand, as their ancestors did, brings first and foremost tranquility of mind, and a connection to the Buddha as well, as writing his words makes you absorb the power of the Buddha. Thus, it is often used as a stress reliever, and as such the more worries that weigh on your mind, the more you must write to cleanse it.

I was told this before we bagan, but it was only in actually writing the sutra that I began to understand these words - the brush was large and unfamiliar and my hands clumsy, which meant that my mind simply could not be busy if I wished to write well. So, I found myself re-training my mind to hold onto a single thought at a time and slow itself down and consider that thought more deeply than I would usually in everyday life. This type of reflection brings with it a wash of peace, and if while writing you are holding in your mind the problems that bother you in life, they are not immune to this, which makes this activity far more than a writing experience, though it has the added benefit of creating a beautiful art piece which you can take home with you.