When I first saw this bowl, I was stunned by the mysterious greyish color of an organic vegetation form, resembling a cabbage leaf. Instantly, I knew I was going to acquire this masterpiece. It’s a piece that is not known in the Japanese ceramic history. Although I have shown this bowl to many other experts, I received no definite information. Recently, however, I obtained a piece of constructive information from an expert that this bowl was closely related to Buddhism in Japan between the 16th and 17th centuries (a private Buddhist sect which is rarely known outside Japan). I was delighted with this information yet feel the desire to continue my search.

This bowl is accompanied by a hand-woven bamboo container from a tribe in Africa. When I first acquired this bowl about five years ago, I had hand-written a Buddhist sutra with sumi-ink in Kanji on a piece of rice-paper with burning edges and attached it inside the bamboo basket. The Buddhist sutra could be translated this way :

SHU JO MU HEN SEI GAN DO
BO NO MU JIN SEI GAN DAN
HO MON MU RYO SEI GAN GAKU
BUTSU DO MU JO SEI GAN JO

However innumerable all beings are
I vow to save them all
However inexhaustible delusions are
I vow to extinguish them all
However immeasurable Dharma Teachings are
I vow to master them all
However endless Buddha’s Way is
I vow to follow it