Patriarchs Taming Their Minds

CHINA; Five Dynasties

The inscription and signature on these two pictures state that they were painted in 963 by Shi Ke. However, the signature appears to be a later addition, as the reign year of the emperor was improperly written. Thus, although the painting style resembles that of Shi, some scholars believe these works are copies of the original. They were listed as Important Cultural Properties of Japan in 1908.
The first painting is believed to depict Huike, the Second Patriarch of the Chan school. According to the Transmission of the Lamp, Huike traveled to Shaolin Temple and sought to become a disciple of Bodhidharma. When his request was denied, Huike cut off one of his arms to demonstrate his determination to learn the Dharma. Later, when Huike asked Bodhidharma for a way to tame his mind, Bodhidharma replied “bring me your mind.” Huike realized he could not, and thus his mind was tamed. In the painting, a bearded monk sits in lotus position with his chin resting on his right hand. He appears to be deep in thought, taming his mind.
In the other painting, an elderly monk lies on top of a tiger, both sleeping peacefully with their eyes closed. This is a depiction of the monk Fenggan, who, according to the Transmission of the Lamp, lived at Guoqing Temple on Tiantaishan and would ride a tiger along the mountain trails. Both pictures are painted using a minimum of brushstrokes. The facial features of the figures are depicted using a thin brush and watered ink, while the outlines of the robes are painted with vigorous “flying white” dark ink strokes. This skillful use of ink creates a dynamic contrast and gives the paintings a certain liveliness.