“Externally, cut of all relationships; internally, do not stir the mind. When your mind resembles a solid wall, you can enter The Way.”¹

 

Takujū Kosen was a disciple of Gasan Jitō (1727–1348), who was a student of Hakuin. Heavily influenced by this lineage, Takujū is credited with systematizing Hakuin’s koan practice within Rinzai Zen Buddhism and was known to be a tough and exacting teacher, traits that are perhaps visible in the harsh realism of his portrayal of Daruma and the severity of his inscription. Takujū’s mention of a “solid wall” is a reference to descriptions of Daruma’s appearance and his fearsome impenetrability, implying that only by cultivating the unmoving calm and deep contempla­tion of the Zen patriarch can one finally begin the path to enlightenment.

 

—Bradley Bailey