Engakuji Temple: Bhadrapala

JAPAN, Kanagawa, Kamakura; Muromachi period

According to the Surangama Sutra, Bhadrapala attained enlightenment while in a bathhouse. Thus, paintings of Bhadrapala are often displayed in bathhouses at Zen Buddhist temples. The painter of this work, Josui Soen, was the caretaker of the Buddhist scriptures at Engakuji Temple in Kanagawa and a prominent artist in the field of ink and wash paintings during the Muromachi period (1392–1573), having studied under the renowned painter Sesshu Toyo. This picture was listed as an Important Cultural Property in 1913.
Bhadrapala, known as Kengo Bosatsu or Zenshu Bosatsu in Japan, is depicted as a well-built, elderly man with a slight hunch, carrying a staff with his right hand and holding on to his robe with his left hand. He has upturned eyes, an open mouth, and a wrinkled face. His hair, beard, and eyebrows are white. The outline of the figure and the folds of the robe are rendered with bold strokes, displaying the skill and experience of a master painter.