I have brushed the Heart Sutra mantra in the cursive style of Japanese calligraphy. With a clear and lively brush stroke the calligraphy flows rhythmically and steadily toward its end, like a rolling wave that reaches the other shore.
Those of you who are familiar with my art work know that I have paid homage to the Heart Sutra mantra in several pages of my website. I have captured “Gate Gate, Paragate, Parasangate, Bodhi Svaha” in different styles of Japanese calligraphy, in standard script and semi-cursive, and in a soft undulating cursive. Now I add a new calligraphy of the Gate mantra to my homage, this time in a more Zen-like style, firm and unshakable.
The calligraphy is mounted on a matte silken scroll in light yellow color that gives it a gentle finish. Natural wooden rollers at the bottom.
Cursive script
Size h x w : 80″ x 22 ” ; 203 x 56 cm
Private Collection
In the Heart Sutra itself the mantra is called maha-mantro, maha-vidya mantro, anuttara mantro, asama-sama mantrah, the great mantra, the mantra of great wisdom, the unexcelled mantra, the mantra equal to the unequaled. The Gate Mantra represents the truth of enlightenment and can thus be equaled to the buddha itself, the awakened mind.
Gone Gone, Gone Beyond, Gone Completely Beyond, Enlightenment At Last!
The Japanese rendering of the mantra is :
揭 帝 gya-tei
揭 帝 gya-tei
波 羅 揭 帝 ha-ra-gya-tei
波 羅 僧 揭 帝 ha-ra-sô-gya-tei
菩 提 薩 槃 訶 bo-ji so-wa-ka
Buy an Original Gate Gate Paragate Mantra Calligraphy or a Heart Sutra Mantra Print
If the Heart Sutra mantra inspires you, you will find below some original Gate Gate Paragate calligraphies. Please click on the links to see more details.
Gate gate paragate in regular script or kaisho |
Gate gate paragate in semi-cursive or gyosho |
Gate gate paragate in cursive or sosho |
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Buy the Original Buy a Print |
Buy the Original Buy a Print |
Buy the Original Buy a Print |
Related pages featuring Zen Calligraphy and Painting
| The Dance of the Zen Brush, Zen Art Book |
| Diamond Sutra Verse Scroll | Heart Sutra Scroll |
| Zen Calligraphy Becoming Buddha | Zen Enso Circle |
| Zen Calligraphy Scroll Mushin | Namu Dai Bosa Scroll |
| Zen Skull Paintng | A Glass Of Wine? |
| Koan Calligraphy | Seeing Into One’s Nature |
| Theartofcalligraphy Home | Shodo Art Gallery | Buddhist Art Scrolls |
| Brush Painting Gallery | Kanji Art Gallery | Sutra Copying |
| About the Artist |