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Tuan Ngo
Linda Wallinder
ARH 206
4 December 2013

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Master Hakuin
For the past five hundred years, Hakuin Ekakus legacy of Zen expanded throughout
Japan, geographically and socially. He is one of the most important and influential Zen masters
of the Rinzai School in Japan. Born in the small village call Hara, near Mt. Fuji, Hakuin
followed his beliefs and revived a religion that was dying out during his time. He was well
known for his calligraphy, art, and literature.
During the time of Hakuins koan and eighty-three years of his life, he produced several
pieces with the use of calligraphy, zen texts, and painting. A couple of his famous works are the
enso and Stone Mortar and an Ant. In the paintings enso and Stone Montar and an Ant,
Hakuin illustrates simple subjects to allow observers to find their own interpretation from within
themselves that can pertain to their own personal life. His art can be seen as a reflection of
peoples daily inner thoughts.

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In Zen Buddhism, Enso is a circle. This circle is hand drawn in one motion with a
paintbrush by Zen monks and nuns who have spent countless hours throughout their whole lives
in meditation. Most discovered Enso pieces include beautiful calligraphy to further explain the
circle. The calligraphy is based on the monk or nuns experiences with enlightenment. Hakuin
inscribed his enso with this phrase No space in the ten directions, not one inch of great earth.
Hakuins enso is more oval and is not a perfect circle. It is lopsided and the brushstroke to create
the enso is thick. Looking at the painting of enso, for some people, their eyes are drawn within
the circle at the center. It seems simple, but can have many interpretations depending on a
persons perspective. One own interpretation of the enso is more helpful than listening to another
persons interpretation. Only you can find your problems. The circle can represent possibly a
pond or mirror where a person can see his own inner reflections. Maybe the simplicity of the
circle indicates that life is indeed simple and pleasant once you look within yourself and find out
what you truly want. I feel as though the circle pertains to life. The start of the brush stroke is the
beginning of life; the end of the brush stroke represents the end. The brushstroke has a beginning
and an ending, but yet a circle continues, this could be pertained to nirvana.

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A different work from Hakuin is called Stone Mortar and an Ant. This painting depicts
an ant walking around on top of a stone mortar. The calligraphy says An ant, that runs in a circle
on a mortar. Could this clean the ears of the world! An ant has one major duty to carry out as an
ant, and that is to work for the queen ant. This ant is alone, maybe lost. Perhaps he is on a
journey and cannot find his way back and is about to get crushed by the stone mortar. Maybe
Hakuin wanted to depict a solid strong item versus a very tiny fragile ant. Hakuin has the ant on
top of the mortar. This could possibly symbolize the ants ability to climb to the top despite its
fragile appearance. It reflects how one person makes a journey, searching without realizing that
they have already accomplished so much. Also, it should be noted that when one person is at the
top, they should remain humble and not become too greedy or they can be crushed by
consequences, which can be illustrated by the mortar.
Hakuin spent his life searching for ways to escape the fires of hell. As he came to his
realization of his life, he shared it through his calligraphy, paintings, literature, and oral lectures.
He used his works to spread the meaning of Zen in life.

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