白隠慧鶴筆　達磨像|Portrait of Bodhidharma

Hakuin Ekaku

mid-18th century · Hanging scroll; ink on paper · Asian Art

An influential monk and prolific painter, Hakuin Ekaku made striking and sometimes humorous pictures that played an important role in his teaching. Dozens of half-length portraits of Bodhidharma (Japanese: Daruma), the Indian monk credited with transmitting Zen Buddhist teachings to China in the sixth century, can be dated to the last few decades of the artist’s life. He brushed a variety of different messages on these pictures, the most common being four Chinese characters conveying a clear lesson: “Look inside yourself to become a buddha.” The inscription on this work communicates the same essential message but is more open-ended: “No matter how you see...” (どふ見ても). With this and a similar message found on other images of Bodhidharma--"No matter when you see..." (いつ見ても)--Hakuin encourages Zen adherents to awaken to the true nature of things, to perceive one's inherent buddhahood, no matter what it takes.

Artist

Hakuin Ekaku

Date

mid-18th century

Medium

Hanging scroll; ink on paper

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015