Ink Drawing of Bodhidharma

Mugaku Guzen (1733-1829) was a Sōtō Zen monk during the late Edo period. He was born in Musashi Province. He was also known as Goshū. In Kansei 1 (1789), he became the 43rd resident priest of Daijōji Temple in Kaga Province. He devoted himself to the restoration of the temple. For his achievements, he was even referred to as the quasi-founder of the Daijōji Temple’s revival in the “Guzen Oshō Gyōjōki” by Kakkai Shinzen, the 50th resident priest of Daijōji Temple. In Kansei 10 (1798), he moved to Hakusen’an Temple in Saigawa, but in Kyōwa 1 (1801), he resumed his residence at Daijōji Temple and soon retired to Hakusen’an Temple. He wrote “Guzen Oshō Guroku,” and also continued to write and draw well into his later years, leaving many paintings and Bokuseki (calligraphy) works.

This painting of Dharma was made in Bunsei 9 (1812), when he was 80 years old.