Illuminated Iconographic Tibetan Calligraphy

Title:
Like a shadow

illuminated in acrylic colours on a tea stained water-colour paper, 76x57 cm, 2009.

The main body of calligraphy is the first two verses from The Dhammapada, written in the Tibetan Tsugring script style, this reads:

“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world.  If the mind is clear, what ever we do or say the mind will bring happiness that will follow you like your shadow.
We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world.  If the mind is polluted, what ever we do or say leads to suffering which will follow you as a cart trails a horse.”

The small text in red reads “spoken at Sravasti concerning the monk Caksuspala”

The Tibetan robed monk with his shadow holds the heading character of the first verse.
The second verse ends tumbling off the back of a cart pulled by the panic fleeing horse.