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In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, terma is the term applied to hidden jewels of the Dharma that are uncovered, when the time is right, by devoted treasure hunters of enlightened truth. The treasures are then restored and propagated. In the Zen Buddhist tradition, masters used the medium of paper, brush, and ink to create "images to liberate sentient beings" (this was one of the seals that Hakuin stamped on his brushwork). Over the centuries, Zen painting and calligraphy—brushstrokes of enlightenment—were widely dispersed over Japan, and now many wonderful pieces—Zen terma—are coming to the West to work their magic—to inspire, delight, and instruct.
The first Zen artists to attract attention in the West were the great masters Hakuin, Sengai, and Ryokan, but now there is growing appreciation of works by Rengetsu, Tesshu, Nantembo, and many other later masters. Although I have spent many years studying and translating Zen texts, it has been my involvement with Zen art that has been the most enlightening. Far more than in a printed text, the master is really present in the brushstrokes of his (or her) art, speaking to the viewer directly, in the here and now, face to face. While some masterpieces of Zen art have been locked away in museums, many of them are still waiting to be discovered, and I am constantly amazed that it is possible to acquire outstanding pieces, even works by giants like Hakuin, Sengai, and Tesshu.
Such Zen terma turn up in all kinds of places—in elegant metropolitan galleries, in local curio shops, at flea markets, in the homes of friends and acquaintances, or even—I am sad to say—in junk piles. Sometimes pieces hundreds of years old appear as if they were brushed yesterday; in that case, they can be presented to the world in their pristine splendor. Sometimes they are blackened with the soot of centuries, and are torn and tattered; then they have to be lovingly cleaned and restored.
It has been my experience that there is a definite "karmic affinity" between a work of Zen art and the home it finds. I often go to antique shops with fellow enthusiasts. When we ask the dealer what's new, countless times there is this reply: "Well, this just came in." It usually turns out to be an "it has your name on it" piece of Zen art, and it leaves the store almost as soon as it comes in. In other cases, someone will make a request to me for a piece by particular artist or theme. Almost invariably said piece materializes. As Hakuin wrote, "Zen art will make your abode a better place," and it is our hope that pieces from the Shambhala Zen Art Gallery will grace as many homes as possible.
John Stevens
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Enso
by Kasumi Bunsho (1905-1998)
Wondrous Mind!
(signed) Kancho (Abbot) Jishunken
ID: 17
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