What is the “neutral position”? To understand that, we have to talk about the meaning of this room.
At the back of this room is a Butsu-ma, or a Buddhist altar, which represents the world where the Buddha resides. Before that is the Shichū-noma, the room where ceremonies are performed before the Buddha. In other words, this room borders on the world of the Buddha. In this important space, a tiger and a dragon are painted across six panels each, stretching away from the Butsu-ma and along the Shichū-noma. It’s as if they are leaping or flying in from the east and the west, while at the same time appearing to burst from the back of the room.
The tiger is stretching in a rainbow-like arch from the shadow of a rock near the Butsu-ma, and so is the dragon. They leap from the altar, and as they look back they rip the clouds apart with their front claws. Both feel alive with motion. Rather than painting a moment frozen in time, it’s as if he painted the movement of a single, fixed moment. The tiger and the dragon are very different from the paintings in the other rooms. They almost have expressions like you might see in a manga, but when compared to ink paintings from the time and even from today, there are no other expressions like it. Perhaps in this rough place on the very southernmost tip of Honshu, Rosetsu felt he could paint as he liked without being discovered by his master, and so he challenged himself to paint in his own style.
So, here is the big question.
Why are the tiger and the dragon springing towards us? That might be for your sake, or for the sake of the monks who pray here. Try to imagine entering this room with the intention to perform a ceremony. The moment you enter, a tiger leaps forth, and a dragon strikes out. Three parties enter at the same time.
Usually, monks stand at the edge of the second tatami mat in what is called the “neutral position.” From there, they step forward, worship the Buddha, and then return to the neutral position. After that, they take another step forward and kneel down before the altar. Above this spot on the ceiling, there is a canopy to protect the head of the person who prays there. After all, when one prays with all of one’s heart, it is necessary to protect one’s head.
Take a moment and stand in the neutral position, at the edge of the second tatami mat. On the left is the face of the tiger, and on the right, the face of the dragon. You’ll notice that they are perfectly aligned. What do you think this means? Think of a monk who enters the room and stands in the neutral position. At that moment, the dragon and the tiger appear and line up exactly with him. The air in the room becomes tense, and the space is purified. Isn’t it possible that these paintings were made to supply extra protection to those who pray here? The head priest believes that the monks here feel that intention from Rosetsu.
“The tiger and the dragon live outside of our field of vision,” he says, “So we can’t see them. But even if we can’t see them, when we put our hands together in prayer in front of the Buddha, we can feel that they are there. I think that these paintings were meant to be seen like this. That’s why I’d like visitors to stand here.”
What is the tiger attacking?
The answer lies on the other side of the fusuma. Just behind that tiger is the cat on the riverbed trying to catch the fish. This could mean that, from the eyes of Rosetsu the fish, the cat has the same impressive presence as the tiger. Now that you know the secret behind the door, you have caught a glimpse into Rosetsu’s playful side.
※You may take as many pictures as you like in this room, but the use of flash photography is prohibited. Please do not touch the fusuma. As long as you follow these rules, feel free to post your photos on Instagram.