K081 Magic Jewel by Seki Yūhō 関雄峰
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Polish and polish anything and it will sparkle:
Your spirit or even the roughest stone! (signed) The old fellow Ryoten** of Yogen[-ji] |
磨いただけに光るなり
性根玉でも何んの玉でも
(磨いて)*
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*(磨いて) Yūhō omitted the first three characters of this well know Zen verse.
**One of Seki’s monastic names. A hoju 宝珠 is a magic wish granting jewel, a favorite theme of Japanese artists. From the Zen perspective, the greatest treasure of all is enlightenment. Furthermore, anything that is constantly polished and refined will eventually shine; if we continually forge our spirit through Zen practice we will manifest our inner light, and we can also turn even the basest objects into gold. |
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K081 hanging scroll, sumi on paper 115.3 cm × 29.2 cm.