ART | Heart Sutra - 心經 - Nirvana

"What's your religion?"

It's funny that I've always been called by religious missionaries in the metro station, knocked on my door, or walk in the park...  "Oh, you're Chinese, are you Buddhist ?"

"Narcissism." I replied.

三人行 必有我師

If three of us are walking together, at least one of the other two is good enough to be my teacher.

Means : There is always someone to learn from.

⎯ Confucian Analects

I'm not a religious, but I think we could always learn something from each religion without being religious. I consider them as different art mediums, just like we paint with watercolours, oil painting, acrylics or Chinese ink, they're artistic ways / perspectives to see the universe, point. When I replied Narcissism, I wanted to say : no matter what our faiths are, in the end, we have to rely on ourselves: practise, search from our inner awareness, Nirvana and growth, doing good things, then replay from zero. That's how I see the religions, simply as tools, reference book, dictionary or anything you can make an metaphor.

Recently, I practice Chinese calligraphy by copying the Heart Sutra, as I'm studying it by curiousity. Mixed with some subcoscious doodlings when I was listening to the Heart Sutra Chant.

Heart Sutra - Chinese ink and painting on paper, 8.5 x 12 ''

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远离颠倒梦想

Leaving distorted illusions far behind.

究竟涅盘
Ultimately Nirvana!

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 I just made a "Heart Sutra" Face Filter for Instagram, 

You could try it, may Peace & Love be with you !

HOW TO use it ?

On my Instagram page @BendaBenLiu, 
click (1) → (2) → "Try It" bottom

 

ENJOY !

art direction + illustration ⎮ benliubenda.com