Letter from Master Yinguang to Mao Sanpu

CHINA

This letter was written by Master Yinguang for the devotee Mao Sanpu. It begins with Yinguang stating that no matter how late one starts learning the teachings of the Buddha, one should earnestly believe in them. He believed that one should also be determined in their personal cultivation, further denoting that practicing the teachings will not only benefit the individual, but also their family. The letter explains how Yinguang gave Mao the Dharma name of Zhixi, and it expresses how he is hopeful that Mao will take on the Buddha as his teacher.
The formation of each character is clear and simple, and the strokes seen in running script are profound and stately. The caring and sincere demeanor of the advice in this note is akin to that which a senior family member would bestow on his younger, an aspect that is part of the appeal and beauty of this work of calligraphy.