If there are mountains, I look at the mountains; On rainy days I listen to the rain. Santōka Taneda
One has all one needs
£100.00
Artwork Details
Medium:
Sumi ink
Ships from:
UK
Framing:
Custom
Worldwide delivery available
Here I am putting my bold, high-contrast pieces consisting mainly of single characters or phrases. In traditional East Asian philosophy, ki (or qi in Chinese) is the invisible energy that flows through all living things. In Japanese calligraphy, ki is the invisible bridge between the artist's internal state and the external physical stroke. Ultimately, mastering Japanese calligraphy is not just about mastering the brush; it is about cultivating, controlling, and expressing the power of ki.
The phrase "one has all one needs" is a common English interpretation or translation of a Japanese phrase, "吾唯足知" (or in modern characters, 吾唯具足知), which is a Zen teaching found on the famous tsukubai (stone water basin) at the Ryōan-ji Temple in Kyoto. The specific tsukubai at Ryōan-ji was donated in the 17th century by the feudal lord Tokugawa Mitsukuni.
The four characters, when read alone (go, tada, taru, shiru), have no meaning. However, when each is read in combination with the square opening in the center of the basin (which represents the character 口, kuchi, meaning "mouth" or "opening"), they form four new characters and a meaningful phrase.
It can also be translated as "I only know contentment" or "One already has all one needs." The wandering Zen monk Santōka Taneda (1882–1940) captured this "enough-ness" in this minimalist haiku: