Ink Drawing of Bodhidharma

Kakugan Jitsumyō (1793-1857) was a Sōtō Zen monk of the late Edo period, born in Kyoto, who was ordained at the age of 9. Afterward, he studied at Seiryōji Temple in Ōmi Province under Kansan Dōitsu and others. He lived in various places, including Saikyōji Temple in Harima, Shōjuan Temple in the same province, Myōjuji Temple in Osaka, and Chōkokuji Temple in Shinano. In Tenpō 10 (1839), he secluded himself at Kaifukuji Temple in Harima Province and established Hannyarin.
He was a skilled writer and was known for his many pictures of Dharma, especially the upper body Dharma shown in this painting.

The inscription ‘松風蘿月’ depicts the wind blowing through the pine trees and the moon seen through ivy and kudzu leaves, symbolizing the tranquility of the world. “心印” signifies the unity of the master’s and disciple’s hearts. It represents the core of enlightenment that has been handed down through generations by the Buddha’s ancestors.