Baoche fanning himself

April 13, 2012 7:02 AM

I am hoping to find a Japanese calligraphic drawing of a specific Zen story/koan.

I'm wondering if there are any representations of Master Baoche fanning himself, as in this story from the end of Dogen's Genjokoan:

Zen master Baoche of Mt. Mayu was fanning himself. A monk approached and said, "Master, the nature of wind is permanent and there is no place it does not reach. Why, then, do you fan yourself?"

"Although you understand that the nature of the wind is permanent," Baoche replied, "you do not understand the meaning of its reaching everywhere."

"What is the meaning of its reaching everywhere?" asked the monk again.

The master just kept fanning himself. The monk bowed deeply.

I'm hoping that since Genjokoan is so famous that this has been drawn once or twice, but my online searches are coming up empty. Even just a depiction of Master Baoche could probably work. Thanks!

posted by 2or3whiskeysodas to Media & Arts (2 answers total)

You could try searching for 現成公案. From what I gather, Master Baoche is usually treated as a manifestation of the Buddha, but what do I know?
posted by KokuRyu at 7:20 AM on April 13, 2012

I've come up empty too, but some other names to search for: Pao-ch'ih, Pao-ch'e, Hotetsu.
posted by mendel at 7:05 PM on April 13, 2012