50-7/16 x 11-1/8 in.
Signed: Obaku Dokuryu Rectangular relief seal, upper right corner Square intaglio seal, below signature Square relief seal, below signature
Roger G. Wolcott Fund
Asian Art (Japanese and Korean)
Purchased by the Indianapolis Museum of Art in 1986.
書
Because of his profound understanding, Zhao Zhou could use the word “mu.”
The word mu 無 (nothing) refers to the fundamental Buddhist teaching that “all is nothingness.” Zen practitioners seek to realize this experientially rather than conceptually. Questions, or koan, posed by a master play a vital role in the process.
The calligraphy here refers to the first of the koan compiled in China by Wumen Huikai (1183–1260) in a collection called the Gateless Gate. A monk asked the Zen master Zhao Zhou (8th century) if a dog possesses Buddha-nature. Zhao Zhou answered, “Mu.”
Metadata about the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection comes from Newfields’ records and research. In some cases, information may be incomplete and research is ongoing. Newfields’ goal is to have as up-to-date metadata as possible, therefore, this information is subject to change. Newfields collections’ metadata is available under a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) waiver, which allows for re-use without legal restrictions.
Artworks that appear in the image file(s) above may be in copyright or have other legal and/or cultural restrictions to their use. For clarity, Newfields does not claim copyright to the image files created by Newfields of artworks in the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection. Newfields makes every effort to ascertain the copyright status of artworks in the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection. Please refer to the RightsStatements.org statement above for information about the current copyright status of the artwork. Additionally, some artworks may include Local Context’s Notices or Labels that attribute cultural authority of the artwork’s heritage and data.
Additional information about Newfields’ reproduction guidelines can be found in the Licensing Resources.
4000 Michigan Road, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA 46208-3326 | 317-923-1331
Copyright © 2024 Newfields. All rights reserved.
This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services [MA-251861-OMS-22].