teapot no. 23

Teapot no. 23 is another left-hand experiment: sketched and painted with my non dominant writing/drawing hand. The line of mountains represent the San Francisco Peaks in Northern Arizona, my favorite mountains.

Watercolor on Arches cold pressed paper.

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Here's an excerpt from Dogen Zenji's Mountains and Waters Sutra.
Dogen (1200-1253) founded the Soto sect of Zen in Japan. Mountains and Waters Sutra is part of his major work, Treasury of the Eye of the True Dharma. This translation is by Arnold Kotler and Kazuaki Tanahashi.

There are mountains hidden in treasures. There are mountains hidden in swamps. There are mountains hidden in the sky. There are mountains hidden in mountains. There are mountains hidden in hiddenness. This is complete understanding.
An ancient buddha said, "Mountains are mountains, waters are waters." These words do not mean mountains are mountains; they mean mountains are mountains.
Therefore investigate mountains thoroughly. When you investigate mountains thoroughly, this is the work of the mountains.
Such mountains and waters of themselves become wise persons and sages.

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