Dao No. 2｜2021

Dao No. 2 is like a fortress of energy density, reflecting the myriad forms of humanity and the countless phenomena of the world: three vertically aligned spheres symbolizing the triad of Heaven, Earth, and humanity, flanked on either side by color bands that resemble the pulsating energy waves of the cosmos. Together, they form a continuous, circulating cosmic flame. Lao Ba’s wisdom expands the idea of "one life giving rise to two, two to three, and three to myriad creatures" into the Yijing system: from yin and yang to the eight trigrams, then the 64 hexagrams, and ultimately the 384 lines, perfectly capturing the diverse facets of humanity and the endless phenomena of the universe.

The bottom layer of the painting is entirely engraved with the full text of the Heart Sutra, embedding the scripture within the artwork. This creates an invisible realm of wisdom, symbolically inviting people into it through space, time, and interpersonal interactions, as they continuously learn to observe, respond, and find balance. This also embodies the profound wisdom of the Heart Sutra reflected in the principles of “form is empty, emptiness is form” and “color is no different from emptiness; emptiness is no different from color.” When light and shadow pass over the painting, the scripture emerges hidden within the refractions of light, referencing the clarity of human consciousness and revealing the radiant wisdom underlying everything.