Internet gallery of calligraphy in the Institute collection
The Institute for Zen Studies has over 350 scrolls in its collection. A periodically renewed selection of especially outstanding works will be displayed on this site.
A White Horse Amidst [White] Reed Flowers
| Date | 2011/9/16 |
|---|---|
| Author | Inzan Ien (1754-1818) |
| Details | Chōshōdō 011 A White Horse Amongst [White] Reed Flowers Size: hansetsu Paper: 27.0 x 130.cm Mounting: 41.5 x 193.0cm The saying “A white horse amongst [white] reed flowers,” indicating unity among discrimination, can be found in case 13 of the Blue Cliff Record. Inzan Ien 隱山惟琰 (1751–1814) was a native of Echizen, present-day Fukui Prefecture. When he was nine years old he received ordination from Rōzan Bengu at Kōtoku-ji in present-day Gifu Prefecture. At sixteen began his study of Zen under the Bankei-line master Bankoku 萬國 (n.d.). After three years he went to Gessen Zen’e 月船禪慧 (1702–1781), under whom he studied for seven years. He subsequently left on pilgrimage to practice under eminent masters in the Kansai region, later returning to his original teacher, Rōzan Bengu, then living at Baisen-ji in present-day Gifu Prefecture. In 1789 he went for further study under Gasan Jito 峨山慈棹 (1727–1797), Gessen’s former student and an eminent successor of Hakuin Ekaku. At the age of thirty-eight he received recognition from Gasan, and went on to teach in various temples. At the age of forty-seven he left temple life and lived as a hermit monk for eight years. He then returned to priestly duties, serving as abbot of several important temples, such as Zuiryō-ji in present-day Gifu and Myōshin-ji in Kyoto. His vigorous, dynamic style of Zen became one of the two streams of Hakuin Zen, along with that of Takuju Kosen. |
