# Buddha Heart

- By: Nakano Eiken (1933–2002)
- Date: 1933 - 2002
- Medium: paper, ink
- Classification: hanging scroll
- Dimensions: height 133.7 cm x width 34.1 cm
- Credit line: On loan from the Royal Asian Art Society in The Netherlands (gift F. Hess, 2018)
- Museum: [Rijksmuseum](https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/object/AK-MAK-1789--e9a34ce35ae67cdfbfd0621134639fb8)
- Rights: [Public Domain Mark](http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/)
- Picture: https://invisiblenetwork.ai/thumbs/web/0435e81c68c0ebd3c01329142dec68a6.jpg
- Who can see it: Tweens profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

The monk Eiken here calligraphed the concept of the ‘Buddha heart’ or ‘Buddha mind’ in clear, open manner. The concept refers to the Buddha nature within all of us; the idea that enlightenment is potentially present in all beings. Form and content work together to convey the message as directly as possible. After all, Zen paintings are first and foremost teaching aids.