Daruma
Artist/Culture
Unkoku Togan
(1547-1618)
DateEarly 17th Century
Mediumink on paper
Dimensions84 x 39.4 cm (33 1/16 x 15 1/2 in.)
ClassificationsPaintings
Credit LineAlexander H. Bullock Fund
Object number2003.136
DescriptionSeven character, four-line poem inscribed by the Zen monk Nangen Kyokun (1565-1622) of Myoshin-ji, a temple under the patronage of the Imperial court. The sea of Wei (in the north) and the river of Liang (in the south), Bodhidharma easily crossed over
The spread of his teaching brought wind and waves (a storm sensation) to level lands.
If one tries to divide Buddha’s skin and the essence of his bones with your descendants, they (fight and) become weary.
Wild foxes (not fully enlightened Zen masters) can be transformed to spirit and such transformations may be numerous. (Trans. By Dr. Ohki)
North’s Wei Sea, South’s Liang River: he simply swept across.
The current of transmission: flat land raises winds and waves
Dividing the skin and sharing the marrow: descendants exhausted with squabbling
Wild fox spirits in disguise: their forms are legion. (Interpreted by A. Niskovskis)
Philosophical underlay (Professor Horikawa):
Bodhidharma crossed all oceans and rivers to transport the essence of Zen. One should heed all this at all times.
To try to spread Buddha’s bones or relics (i.e. the physical rather than the metaphysical essence of his being) will bring only troubles, causing human beings to fight and become weary.
Furthermore inauthentic teaching will deceive others and prevail in many forms (if one does not pay attention).
The children and grandchildren (descendants/disciples/those who received Daruma’s teaching) with whom he shared his flesh and blood (skin and bones) would seem would seem to be wild foxes, i.e. half-baked Zen master, and there is no true follower.”
ProvenanceBaron Asano Nagatake and Ohki Nobutomi collection
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