Heart Sutra Project
Untitled #5 by Kongtrul Jigme Namgyel
In essence, the fundamental purpose of Buddhism, is to recognize the natural creative expression of life, and to learn to navigate it with respect, insight, and compassion. Once, while talking on the subject of art and creative expression, according to Buddhist wisdom, my teacher, Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche said:
“We usually think of creativity as belonging to the artist. But in a larger sense, creativity is innate and spontaneously present, not fabricated by hammer and nail.”
These words struck me deeply. So true! The world of appearances and possibilities we encounter each moment, arise without our efforts. We are not in total command! We are part of an infinite system of interdependent relationships. Navigating the nature of relationship with humility, respect, and insight is the job of the artist…and the art of being human.
The Heart Sutra tells a story. In it, the bodhisattva, Chenrezig, in the presence of the Buddha, describes to a gathering of disciples, the way that all things are by its very nature. When we open up this sutra, we begin to recognize how the natural creative expression of interdependence, yields to the world of appearances and possibilities, and we begin to see how stunning life really is.
It has long been my desire to present teachings in the context of creativity and the first program of the series and will take place through Paz e Mente Institute, Brazil. The program THE ART SUTRA: exploring the nature of creativity through the Heart Sutra took place in November 2020. In this program, Buddhist teacher and author Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel guided us through a deep exploration of the sutra. Chime Mattis introduced his haunting musical composition of the Heart Sutra, which was chanted in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and artist Tatjana Krizmanic introduced us to the magical world of visual dharma expression.
Relevant Links:
Natural Vitality, Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche
Vivid Realizations: A Journey Through Buddhist Art by Cynthia Moku