Oct 10, 2009

05_Taizôkai

composed and performed by Christopher Yohmei

The Taizôkai is one of two seminal mandalas used in the esoteric (mikkyô) sect of Shingon Buddhism. A central figure (Dainichi Nyorai) is surrounded by 12 radiating sections, each filled with various Buddhist deities. When Yohmei first saw this mandala, as a young man, he experienced the repeated images as tones; each one a reflection of the other and the total mandala as a composition reflecting the self. This piece is performed on a modern ji-nashi shakuhachi.


at "Chihan'an", Izu-Oohito, Shizuoka, Japan on 3/October/2009
© IWASA Eiichiro, Chihan Art Project