Sudhana Cycle
During 1984 and guided by I’m not sure what, I emerged from TIBET HOUSE, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, India, after having spent an hour or so browsing. I'd been moved in a way I’d never before experienced and had in my hand a very small volume entitled Atisha and Buddhism in Tibet. Shortly thereafter I found myself, though I don't recall how, with a copy of Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey’s Tibetan Tradition of Mental Development. Thus began my very modest, slowly trodden path into Buddhism. A couple of years ago and quite unexpectedly the idea occurred to me to undertake a large-scale composition project. I was studying the Avatamsaka Sutra at the time, a study which needless to say continues. The thirty-ninth and last book of this gigantic scripture, a sutra in its own right, the Gandavyuha, depicts the journey taken by the pilgrim, Sudhana. He visits fifty-three spiritual benefactors, each of whom gives him guidance towards his goal of enlightenment. The Sudhana Cycle then, is a musical account of Sudhana’s journey. When completed it will comprise fifty-three stand-alone pieces which, nonetheless, might one day be performed in chronological order. The pieces are named after each of Sudhana’s spiritual benefactors.
00 | Introduction | 10 | Maitrayani |
24 | Sinhavijurmbhita | 27 | Avalokiteshvara |
33 | Pramuditanayanajagadvirocana | 34 | Samantasattvatranojahshri |
35 | Prashantarutasagaravati | 49 | Shivaragra |