8/13/2023 0 Comments Enso japanese symbol![]() Nakagawa Soen (1907-1984), one of the fathers of Zen in the West, loved to brush enso. Another inscription, “Within the ever revolving circle of human passions, things come and go, come and go,” represents a wheel.Ĭertain inscriptions on an enso painting serve as koan: “This is your parents’ face before they were born.” Since humor is an important element of Zen, sometimes the inscriptions are more impish: “Is this the moon? A rice cake? The top of a bucket? Or maybe just the bald head of a monk!” A famous verse from the Chinese Zen poet Hanshan-“My heart is like the autumn moon’’-indicates that the enso symbolizes the moon-mind of enlightenment. Enso can represent zero, so the inscriptions Mu (nothing) or Honrai muichi motsu (Originally not one thing!) are common. “In heaven and on earth I am the Only Honored One!”- Shakyamuni’s bold declaration at his birth-is a popular inscription. Some enso paintings are naked and mysterious, but most have an accompanying inscription to serve as a “hint” as to the Zen meaning of the circle. Most begin in the left-hand corner of the paper, but others start at the top or bottom. ![]() Some are thick and massive others are thin and delicate. Some are done in one bold stroke others are composed with two half circles. Some Zen circles are perfectly symmetrical others are completely lopsided. Together with portraits of Bodhidharma, nearly every Zen master since the time of Hakuin has produced enso paintings as meditation aids for their students and patrons.Įach Zen master has his or her own style, and that individuality is clearly expressed in the ensos they brush. Thereafter, enso paintings became a primary teaching vehicle in East Asian Buddhism, especially in Japan. The earliest known example of an enso painting is by the Chinese Zen Master Kyozan (814-890) as recorded in the Keitokudento-roku. The first Zen painting was almost certainly an enso, brushed for a student who needed something concrete to contemplate, a visual expression of enlightenment. In the Shinjinmei, an early Zen text, the way of buddha is described as “a circle like vast space, lacking nothing, nothing in excess.” In short, an enso defines the Zen state of mind.Įnso can be written in the air, drawn in the dirt, or, most typically, brushed on paper. Right from the beginning of the Buddhist tradition, enlightenment was compared to the “bright full moon” and a “great round mirror.” In the biography of the Prajnaparamita master Nagarjuna, it states that whenever he taught in public, the master would appear as a luminous circle in order to reveal the true form of buddhanature: “Neither large nor small, neither wide nor narrow, neither good nor bad, neither transient nor eternal.” Bodhidharma, the grand patriarch of Zen, was called the “Great Teacher of Circle Enlightenment.” The Sixth Patriarch Huineng was said to have employed the use of ninety-six types of circles in his teachings. It’s also about being part of a universe that is imperfectly beautiful, our connection to each other and the strength of humanity.Ĭarrying this symbol with you can help remind you that you already have everything you need to move towards your goals in life and that there is great beauty in all that is imperfect.Enso, a Japanese word meaning “circular form” and usually translated into English as “Zen circle,” is the symbol supreme of Buddhist enlightenment. The imperfection of the Enso shows us that enlightenment is about embracing who we truly are and being satisfied rather than trying to create a character that is perfect. In Zen Buddhism, it is believed that a person fully exposes himself or herself when drawing an Enso. The Enso is also thought to symbolise our innermost and most authentic self. By balancing irregularity and asymmetry, one can create a composition that captures something truly unique and perfectly imperfect. There is a Japanese word that captures the denial of perfection Fukinsei. It’s the very imperfections that make the Enso so beautiful. Its beauty comes from the moment it was created and the imperfection that is inherent at that moment. Since the circle is drawn with only one stroke, there is no possibility to modify it. Drawing an Enso is part of Buddhist meditation practise that focuses on allowing the body to create by quieting the mind, hence also symbolising a moment when the body and spirit are free from the mind to simply create. ![]() Traditionally, the circle is drawn with only one brushstroke and is one of the most common subjects in Japanese calligraphy. The circle symbolises many things: strength, the circle of life, connection, letting go of expectations and the beauty in imperfection.ĭerived from Zen Buddhism, the Enso (Zen Circle) simply means a circle or circle of togetherness. ![]() In this post, we want to introduce you to the Enso (Zen Circle) and focus on the deeper meaning behind this sacred Buddhist symbol. ![]()
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