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36.3 Yamada Mumon (1900-1988)
Rinzai Zenga
Keibutsu aijin, Respect the Buddha, love people
Signed: -
Seals: Byôshin tôshu, Tentendô dôsha, Hohoe (smile)(top)
Technique: sumi on paper 26,8 x 23,8
Mounting: luxureous decorated orange silk and grey silk 118,5 x 41,5
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