Sutra Copying Experience

A prayer held at the tip of the brush—
a quiet moment to face oneself.

Sutra copying is a practice of transcribing Buddhist scriptures with a calm and focused mind.

Its origins trace back to ancient times, when sutras were copied to spread the Buddha’s teachings.
Over the centuries, it came to be practiced as an expression of prayer—
for the peace of the nation, for ancestral offerings, and for the fulfillment of personal wishes.
Today, you will copy the Heart Sutra, one of the most widely recited texts in Buddhism.

Within its mere 262 characters lies the teaching of “emptiness,”
the insight that all things lack a fixed, inherent nature,
and that liberation comes from releasing attachment.

The tradition of sutra copying also lives on at Miidera Temple,
where a Sutra Copying Pagoda stands within the temple grounds.

At the end of the session, your completed sutra
will be offered for a blessing in the main hall of the Kannondo Hall.