Circle of Buddhist enlightenment (enso), inscribed Mitetsuzai (Not yet fully there, Not yet fully enlightened)

Shimizu Kosho was the 207th chief abbot of Todaiji temple (the temple of the Great Buddha) in Nara, and the head of the Kegon School of Buddhism. After his retirement, he committed himself to the life of an artist, becoming a prolific and eccentric painter, calligrapher, and potter.

This ink painting exemplifies Kosho’s spontaneous, freeform style. Resembling at once a deformed enso, or circle of Buddhist enlightenment, and a mountain, it is inscribed with the seemingly contradictory phrase mitetsuzai, meaning “Not yet fully there” or “Not yet fully enlightened.” These works were most famously uttered by Muhon Kakushin (Hoto Kokushi, 1207–1298), an eminent Zen master who was originally trained at the Kegon temple of Todaiji. Perhaps Shimizu Kosho, who also trained at Todaiji and then at the Zen temple of Tenryuji early in his career, was reminded of the biographical connection when choosing this phrase.