“Don’t let it drop—Nagamatsu! Nagamatsu!”¹

Hakuin made several versions of the juggling Hotei, indicating how useful, effective, and indeed charming the monk must have found the image, which toys with both traditional depictions of Hotei and supernatural Buddhist deities. One of Hakuin’s most effective strategies for translating Buddhism’s esoteric and at times frightening descriptions of deities and their otherworldly powers was to depict figures from the pantheon of Buddhism performing skillful acts of entertainment, such as juggling, a common sight on the streets of Edo-period Japan and therefore more comprehensible to laypersons. Instead of displaying flaming mandorlas, forked tongues, and ritual weapons, Hakuin’s deities perform feats of wonder, such as Hotei juggling four balls while spinning a plate on a reed held in his mouth and balancing atop his sack.

The inscription is similarly playful, implying that Hotei is perhaps in danger of dropping one of his balls. “Nagamatsu” could be a name and would thus reference a specific, as-yet-unidentified figure, though the word literally translates to “long pine tree,” a traditional symbol of longevity. Indeed, the character for longevity (kotobuki) is written on the ball in Hotei’s right hand, a small detail that supports this interpretation. In this context, Hakuin seems to imply that a long life—like juggling—is a combination of practice, skill, virtue, and chance. 

—Bradley Bailey