Buddha calligraphy

The Enlightened One

Buddha in
cursive script

Private collection

27" x 39"
69 x 100 cm

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This single kanji: butsu, Japanese for Buddha, is written in cursive script. This calligraphy was done having Buddha Sakyamuni in mind.The kanji butsu is a very fine example of human creativity.It has two parts, the left one jin means: men, somebody, human being; the right one futsu means: not...

The image for Buddha could thus mean: the one who is not human -the one gone to "thatness"- or somebody who is not longer bound by ignorance, the Awakened One.

The kanji is still more beautiful when you know the meaning of futsu, Chinese fu, in archaic script. Futsu meant: arrows bundled up to avoid deforming, with a string that tied them together. This is a source of inspiration at the moment of writing, imagining Buddha's teaching as a tie you wrap around yourself that helps you to avoid the distortion of your human nature.