Ink Drawing of Bodhidharma

Motsugai Fusen (1794 [1795] -1867) was a Sōtō Zen monk of the late Edo period, born in Iyo Province and also known as Dēbutsuan. He trained at Uji Kōshōji Temple, and in Bunka 11 (1814), he studied Buddhism in Sendanrin of Kichijōji Temple in Edo. At the age of 35, he took up residence at Bingo Saihōji Temple, where he remained until Genji 1 (1864).

Standing about 173 cm tall, he excelled in martial arts to the extent that he was called ‘Genkotsu (fist) Oshō.’ Numerous anecdotes exist about Motsugai’s extraordinary strength. Legend has it that the scar on the second pillar from the right of Eiheiji’s Chūjakumon Gate is from a slight slap Motsugai gave while practicing asceticism as a young man at Eiheiji. Another anecdote suggests he defeated Kondō Isamu of the Shinsengumi in Kyoto at the end of the Edo period. Saihōji Temple in Onomichi is known for its Zendō Swordsmanship, and many famous people competed with each other to learn from the master. He was the founder of the Fusenryū school of swordsmanship and established a school of his own. Known for his numerous anecdotes and eccentricities, he was accomplished in calligraphy, painting, and elegance, as well as Go, Shōgi, flower arrangement, and the tea ceremony. His painting style is described as light, witty, and unconstrained.

The inscription on this painting of Dharma reads: ‘達磨不会禅　夫子不知字.’ The term ‘不会’ is used similarly to ‘不会仏法,’ meaning to accept everything openly without intellectual or practical acquisition, expressing thorough understanding. The word ‘夫子’ refers to Confucius, and ‘不知字’ indicates that he is well versed in the written word.