Bodhisattva Series - Bodhidharma

Pain and trauma may indeed be universal to the human experience, but allowing that pain to control our lives is not. My work is about exploring the universal human potential for transcendence and evolution, our capacity to grow beyond the myriad difficulties of our lives and become our highest selves. My Bodhisattva series is an attempt to translate and distill this truth from Vajrayāna Buddhism into a form more accessible to the western mind. In this practice, Bodhisattva are not gods, angels, or saints, but symbolic representations of the inner wisdom dwelling within each and every individual human being. With this goal in mind I have deliberately chosen to utilize generic three dimensional models instead of actual persons as the Bodhisattva to remind the viewer that these are not specific persons or people, but potential people – anyone and everyone. I have included mandalas created on the principles of sacred geometry to symbolize a higher truth that is inclusive rather than exclusive – a visual representation of our inherent connection to not only each other and all living things, but also to the cosmos as a whole.

Bodhidharma is known as the father of Chan (you may know it as Zen... Chan is what it was/is called in China) Buddhism. Bodhidharma was a monk in the 5th and 6th centuries in China. No-one knows where he came from for certain. Some authors name various places in India, others name Persia (which is rather like saying someone is from the United States or the Roman Empire). He is said to have blue eyes, and was often described as being a large, hairy man who was known to be disagreeable. He is credited with the origins of Shaolin monks learning martial arts and was known for teaching exercises to develop the minds and bodies of monks he thought were too weak. Because of this, he has a legendary status somewhat similar to that of Bruce Lee. He is also known as somewhat of a trickster, stopping at nothing to convey the truth. There are many stories illustrating this. One says that when asked by Emperor Xiāo Yǎn of the Liang Dynasty who stood before him, Bodhidharma said he did not know. Those who are fans of Fight Club will appreciate Bodhidharma. I believe that Tyler Durden is his modern avatar. Just sayin'. (And yes, he does usually have a beard. None of my Bodhisattvas have hair (except for eyebrows and eyelashes - because hair is a symbol of identity - and they are meant to be perceived as symbols and personifications, not individuals. This is particularly true for Bodhidharma, whose name even indicates a lack of identity).

This series was largely inspired by the works of Alex Grey and Cameron Gray. Many thanks to both of them for their influence upon my work.
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Materials/Programs:
Photoshop, Illustrator, Apophysis, DAZ 3D, Canon Rebel DSLR, Silk interactive

Stock Used:
Kalpa, India by Motohiro Sunouchi of Flickr
Chinese Mountains by Julia Mason of Flickr
Iranian Sand by Kivavesh of Flickr
Flames from Image*After

All other resources were created by myself using materials listed above.

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