Portrait of Bodhidharma
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.
Artwork Details
- 白隠慧鶴筆 達磨像
- Title: Portrait of Bodhidharma
- Artist: Hakuin Ekaku (Japanese, 1686–1769)
- Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
- Date: mid-18th century
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Hanging scroll; ink on paper
- Dimensions: Image: 46 1/4 × 21 1/4 in. (117.5 × 54 cm)
Overall with mounting: 74 × 27 1/2 in. (188 × 69.9 cm)
Overall with knobs: 74 × 30 in. (188 × 76.2 cm) - Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015
- Object Number: 2015.500.9.3
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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mid-18th century
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