HATISU and the artist — a devotion to the lotus
The name HATISU comes from hachisu, an old Japanese word for lotus. Rooted in muddy water, the lotus eventually opens a pure and beautiful flower above the surface.
For around ten years, I worked as a mental advisor, listening closely to the hearts of many people. Through encounters with the constraints of society, desire, attachment, and realities beyond our control, I came to feel that life is both a joy and a practice of refining oneself.
The true delight found after accepting and overcoming difficulty is joy. In the lotus blooming beautifully from the mud, I see a way of living that resonates deeply with me.
The Lotus Sutra and mandalas — study and encounter
At the unwavering centre of my life is the Lotus Sutra. I have studied it for many years and met its teachings through daily recitation. I also visited the head temple many times to study the letters of Nichiren Daishonin and to speak with priests.
Through this study, I encountered Akira Masaki, a leading scholar of mandalas. His lectures and books opened the mandala world to me, and drew me further toward the vast, beautiful vision of the Lotus Sutra.
Buddhist sculpture was another path that led me to mandalas. Looking at beautiful Buddhist figures is a time for settling my mind. I have often visited the Kannonji Temple Treasure Hall in Fukuoka, where I have been moved by its quiet presence and beauty.
Study of the Lotus Sutra, an encounter with mandalas, and an admiration for Buddhist sculpture came together to create a wish: to paint the world of the Lotus Sutra as I have felt it.
Complete fulfilment — the world of lotus mandalas
Nichiren Daishonin described mandalas as complete fulfilment: a world in which nothing is lacking and everything is whole.
Each day, we can find ourselves seeking what is missing — wanting more, or wanting to feel more complete. But when we notice what is already within us, the world may begin to look different.
I painted the boundless beauty portrayed in the Lotus Sutra as a lotus mandala with eleven Buddhist figures: a world of prayer, compassion, joy, and complete fulfilment.
Please take your time and encounter HATISU’s lotus mandalas in your own way.
