Sutra
Contemporary Design for Ancient Wisdom
When Bodhi Förlaget approached me about designing a three-volume series of Sangharakshita's sutra commentaries, they wanted something bold: a visual approach that would break from traditional Buddhist book design whilst maintaining reverence for these sacred teachings. The challenge was making contemporary Buddhist scholarship feel immediate and relevant to Swedish practitioners without compromising the texts' spiritual authority.
These particular texts presented a unique opportunity: Sangharakshita's commentaries bridge ancient wisdom with contemporary understanding, written specifically for Western practitioners. This required a visual treatment that could mirror this accessibility whilst honouring the profound depth of the source material.
Client
Bodhi förlaget
Product
Books series
Scope
Design, layout and typesetting
Illustrations
Marcus Lagerqvist
Buddhist sutras present unique illustration challenges—how do you visually represent abstract concepts like interdependence, impermanence, or the nature of consciousness? Working closely with editor and illustrator Marcus Lagerkvist, all of us well-versed in Buddhist philosophy, we engaged in extensive discussions to identify the right passages and visual approaches for each volume.
Our breakthrough was choosing passages that could support contemporary illustration techniques whilst deliberately incorporating modern themes that would appeal to both the book titles and potential readers. Each illustration needed to capture an essential aspect of the text whilst feeling accessible to newcomers to Buddhist thought.
The typography balances ancient wisdom with contemporary readability. Wolpe Pegasus was chosen for its strength and timeless quality, a typeface that suggests wisdom transcending ages. Combined with Minion Pro for body text, this creates a reading experience that feels both scholarly and approachable.
The layout includes specially designed section dividers that provide spaciousness and contemplative rhythm, essential for texts meant to be studied slowly rather than consumed quickly. The placement of cover illustrations opposite title pages creates an unusual full-spread opening that reinforces each illustration's significance whilst making the books feel special upon opening.
The series successfully bridges traditional Buddhist publishing with contemporary Swedish design sensibilities. For the growing Swedish Buddhist community and those exploring Buddhist philosophy, these books are immediately recognisable as Buddhist content whilst feeling thoroughly modern and engaging.