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| E Thirteen Bodhisatvas |
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| F The terrifying one: ham |
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IMAGE E, F Sitting in front of this letter and meditating, in the
process of enlightenment the distinction between worshipper and worshipped is
effaced for the meditator. Many bodhisatvas have been grouped together
and represented through the depiction of seed syllables including ham -
a Buddha with a terrifying appearance called Fudo Myoo. Mandalas (of geometric
shapes) made out of seed-syllables as well as mantras with seed-syllables
arranged in a vertical manner to form a stupa shape, are further extensions of
monosyllabic mantras to serve a definite meditative purpose in esoteric
Buddhism.
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G Ichi by Jiun
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IMAGE G First, a seeker of the way must know himself -
JIUN.
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H Enso by Hakuin
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IMAGE H The ritual practice of ichi (a line) and enso (a circle)
is part of Zen philosophy. For Zen calligraphers, the single stroke ichi
is equivalent to the `a' of Siddham. Concentration of this stroke
is of paramount importance since the first touch of the brush to the paper
reveals the state of the mind of the calligrapher. The ichi has to be
drawn from left to right with full strength at the beginning as well as at the
end. Enso, the circle of infinity practised by Zen monks for years, is a
symbol of simplicity with profundity, emptiness with fullness, the visible and
the nonvisible.
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I Ichi by Hakuin
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IMAGE I All things return to the one -
HAKUIN.
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J An initiation: Book of Kells
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IMAGE J Geometric in essence, logical in structure, the Roman calligraphy
encouraged by monarchs and monasteries, and advocated by able writing masters,
is seen as a culmination of well proportioned, simple letterforms; an aesthetic
base coupled with utilitarian vision that contributed to the horizontal spread
of written culture. At times a single calligraphic style was even declared as a
`national hand' (e.g. half uncial in Ireland). Yet the most exquisite and
elaborately decorated initial letters, such as those found in the Books of Kells,
are a rich tribute to the religious faith manifested within.
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K Thuluth Basmalah
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IMAGE K Islam, by contrast, saw all letters as holy expressions.
In the process, their holy scripture Koran (Quran) became a
symbol of holy calligraphy. Not just beautiful, but holy. In the name of God,
the Compassionate, the Merciful, the invocation Bism Allah al-Rahman al
Rahim known as the Basmalah, is used before chapter openings
throughout the Quran, and in many styles developed by the great
calligraphers such as Yakut and Wabbab. Since no idol worship was permissible
in this faith, letterforms and their elaborate compositions (tughras)
were used in manuscripts as well as architecture, not just as letters but as
images of the highest holy order.
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