Tathāgata - a word in in Pali and Sanskrit (Chin.: 如来) is the name Buddha used when referring to himself. Literally, it means Tathā-gata (one who has gone) and Tathā-āgata (one who has come). So, the Tathagata is beyond all coming and going. i.e. one who has transcended the human endless cycle of rebirth, beyond all death and dying, and beyond all suffering.
The Diamond Sutra (Sanskrit: Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra; Chin.: 金剛般若波羅蜜多經, or 金剛經) was presented as a conversation between Buddha and his disciple, teaching him to unlearn his preconceived, limited notions of reality, in order to reach enlightenment.
This is supposed to be one of the shorter sutras, and simpler to understand. For someone more enlightened than I, it seems. Because of the nature of the materials used, I basically have to think about every stroke I put down because nothing is correctable. (Graphite doesn't erase well on rough water color paper, the thin layers of acrylic dry almost instantly.) Kind of like life / choices... The process, however, does lend itself to "emptying" and "centering" of thoughts and heart in a way.
The paper used in this series is Arches 300lb Cold Press 12x16 Block. Matte, glossy, and combination acrylic medium / gel are used as binders for the pigments.
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