Rinzai Zenga
Natsu chawan, summer tea bowl - Kihô, Pleased with rulesSigned: Kaô (Mumon)
Seals: Tairaku
Technique: Wheel-turned kyôyaki decorated with Kindei, callgraphy in gold. Ø 15,6 x 4,8
Date: May 16, 1976
Box: Signed by both priest and potter with original chakin
Condition: fine
Mumon (Taishitsu) was born into a wealthy family. His father wanted him to become a lawyer, and it was in law school that was converted to the Buddhist life by a Confucian saying: “Rather than being a lawyer, create a world where there is no need for courts”. After taking the tonsure, he initially studied under Kawaguchi Ekai (1866-1945), the first Japanese Zen priest to visit Tibet. Mumon entered the Tenryû-ji monastery in 1929 and practiced Zen under Seisetsu Genjô (1877-1945) for many years. However after several years in isolation battling tuberculosis, he emerged to receive his certificate of enlightenment from Seisetsu. In 1949, he became the abbot of Reiun-in, which is one of the four main sub-temples of Myôshin-ji. He subsequently became the president of Hanazono College and established the Institute of Zen Culture. He was invited to be the Zen master of Shofuku-ji monastery in Kobe in 1953 and was the chief abbot of Myôshin-ji from 1978 until 1981. During the 1960 he travelled to several Southeast Asian countries to apologise for Japanese behaviour during the Second World War.
Reference:
Moog p. 318
Dujin p. 55-61, 88-89
Price: ON REQUEST
