< Mu > = Vanity
—–calligraphy by Ippiki-Danuki ,
picture and composition by Ahomaru—–
Recently, Japanese has reconsidered “Hannya-shingyo ” sutra, past beliefs were this writing was simply Buddhist dogma, now, however, the country has seen wisdom of life. The philosophy which “Avalokitesvara =Kanzeon, Bodhisattva=Kannon Bosatsu ” initiates to “Suriputra ”, is quite close to that of Heidegger and Sartre modern existentialism. As an picture of this, “Hannya-shingyo ” sutra pronounces the visible and invisible world exists equally. That is to say, nothing exists. This paradoxical description formed the essential core of “Hannya-shingyo ” sutra. This forms the famous proverb “all is vanity”.
Ahomaru was concerned with the paradox of this sutra. As inspiration, the one Chinese character=kangi , meaning vanity =“Mu ”, was placed in the center of the piece by Ippiki-Danuki , with two sutra scripts were composed in the opposite position and direction, forming the background.