Book of Impermanence

Anicca is the doctrine of impermanence. Buddhism tells us that everything is in a constant state of flux, that all phenomena – whether physical or mental – are transient. A tree in full bloom today will shed its leaves tomorrow, a bubbling river changes its course over centuries, the mighty mountain slowly erodes into a plain. Similarly, in this sketchbook, the drawings also reflect this ebb and flow of life. Today’s intricate sketch will yield to tomorrow’s minimalist design. Yesterday’s vivid hues mellow into the soft palette of age.

The drawings are not immune to the passing of time either. The ravages of age etch their mark on the once pristine pages, the corners begin to fray or burn, the once bold lines and hues fade away, and the sketches – once crisp and vibrant – become softer, blurred, even deteriorating. They are reminiscent of human life, bodies that grow, mature, and eventually decay.

Yet, there is beauty in this seemingly melancholic process. The teachings of Anicca encourage us not to despair over this inevitable decay but to find wisdom in it. The deterioration of the sketches does not diminish their value. On the contrary, they enhance it, infusing them with the raw, authentic beauty of existence.

Just as the fiery hues of an autumn leaf are no less beautiful than the verdant greens of spring, the aged, softened sketches radiate a charm of their own. They reflect the artist’s journey, the temporal voyage etched in lines and colors. Each fading detail is a reminder of a moment lived, an emotion experienced, a thought pondered, all bound together by the thread of impermanence.

The Buddhist sketchbook, thus, becomes a silent teacher. Each sketch, each page, beckons the viewer (usually me or my grandson) to lose oneself in the quiet contemplation of life’s impermanence. The drawings serve not as an end in themselves, aiming to capture beauty or value but act as a pathway to mindfulness, urging the viewer to embrace and appreciate the ceaseless transformation of life.

The sketchbook, then, is not merely a collection of drawings. It is a living, breathing embodiment of the Buddhist principle of Anicca. It whispers the universal truth of transience in the viewer’s ear, quietly nudging us towards a deeper understanding of existence, to see beauty in imperfection, to find calm in the chaos of change, and to realize the timeless wisdom in the art of letting go.