A Zen master was making a painting, and he had his chief disciple sit by his side to tell him when the painting was perfect. The disciple was worried and the master was also worried, because the disciple had never seen the master do anything imperfect. But that day things started going wrong. The master tried, and the more he tried, the more it was a mess….
In Japan or in China, the whole art of calligraphy is done on rice paper, on a certain paper, a very sensitive paper, very fragile. If you hesitate a little, for centuries it can be known where the calligrapher hesitated – because more ink spreads into the rice paper and makes it a mess. It is very difficult to deceive on rice paper. You have to go on flowing; you are not to hesitate. Even for a single moment. split moment, if you hesitate – what to do? – missed, already missed. And one who has a keen eye will immediately say, “It is not a Zen painting at all” – because a Zen painting has to be a spontaneous painting, flowing.
The Sun Chaser 