Title
Instruments of Good Fortune
Medium
pencil, gouache, ink, gold leaf, and
gold powder on vellum with collage
Dimensions
8 ¾ x 11 ¼ in.
(22.2 x 28.6 cm)
framed:
15 ¼ x 17 ½ in.
(38.7 x 44.5 cm)
Year
2013
Assorted ornaments and jewels of all shapes and forms float in various states of existence in this work. The Avatamsaka Sutra refers to ornaments or adornments as “virtues, teachings, and also qualities of the world as perceived by a clear mind.” The variety of jewels “represent the multitude of doctrines expounded by enlightening beings and Buddhas in adapting to different situations and audiences.”
To gain the clarity of mind to comprehend the Buddha’s teachings and doctrines, one must habitually practice meditation. The reference to instruments in the title alludes to the Buddhist belief that the body, although void of self-nature, is the instrument through which the mind can gain understanding; or a vehicle, so to speak, for practicing meditation.
Other recurring themes include the grid (the net of delusion that pervades our existence), and the flower (the mind and the attainment of wisdom).
