The arising of presence from absence—an insight of J. W. T. Mason’s about the connection between Henri Bergson’s philosophy, Shinto and Buddhism

Mount Fuji, Miho no Matsubara, and Seiken-ji Temple
Attributed to Sesshū Tōyō, inscription by Zhan Zhonghe
Eisei Bunko Museum, Tokyo (Source)

The following passage is from an (as yet) unpublished complete translation of an essay by Imaoka Shin’ichirō called “Reconsidering Mason’s Shinto” printed in 1966 in “Creation” magazine [創造 Sōzō]. Imaoka Shin’ichirō was Mason’s interpreter and collaborator (see photo at the end of this post), accompanying him on his trips to Shinto and Buddhist shrines and temples, including the trip recounted below.

According to [J. W. T.] Mason, Shinto represents the intuitive truth (直観的真理) of the Japanese people in ancient times and embodies the great achievement of self-creative activity (自己創造的活動) that pervades Japanese history. He claims that self-creation (自己創造) is akin to the élan vital (エラン・ヴィタル) in Bergson’s philosophy, which, put simply, is about the arising of presence from absence (無から有を生ずること).

In September of Showa 11 (1936), I spent a night at Seiken-ji Temple (清見寺) in Okutsu (奥津) with Mason, following an invitation from the chief priest, Daiko Furukawa (古川大航師). That night, we engaged in various intellectual discussions, but one story by the elderly Furukawa particularly piqued Mason’s interest: Sesshū (雪舟) travelled to China (支那) to train in the ways of Buddhism and to study the art of painting. After several years of study and finding no one left from whom to learn, he decided to return to Japan. As a memento, he painted a landscape that included Mount Fuji (富士山), the pine groves of Miho (三保の松原), and Kiyomi Lagoon (清見潟). It was such a masterpiece that it earned the praise of the locals, and a monk named Sōchū (僧仲和), a renowned scholar and master of calligraphy of that time, even wrote an inscription on the painting. Consequently, Sesshū painted another piece, had Sōchū inscribe it again, left one in China, and brought the other back to Japan.

However, during the voyage home, there was one matter weighing on Sesshū’s mind. In the painting, outside the main hall of Seiken-ji Temple (清見寺) he had added a pagoda (塔) in ink-wash. But he was uncertain whether such a pagoda actually existed at Seiken-ji. Therefore, as soon as Sesshū returned to Japan, when he came to Okutsu (奥津) and visited the actual Seiken-ji Temple, it turned out there was no pagoda at all. Sesshū was disappointed. However, he resolved, “I shall make the pagoda present” (塔を在らしめよう). Thus, Sesshū, mainly through his own painting brush, painstakingly raised the necessary funds and eventually succeeded in bringing the pagoda of his painting into actual existence (画の通りの塔を実在せしめることに). Unfortunately, today, that tower has burned down, but its foundation stones still exist firmly in place. Mason listened very intently to the old and venerable teacher’s (老師) story. Sesshū brought about the arising of presence from absence (無から有を生じたのである). He brought the pagoda into presence (塔を創造したのである). Sesshū was at once a Buddhist (仏教家) and a Shintō practitioner (神道家).

J. W. T. Mason at the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, on October 25, 1933

Visit to Meiji Shrine, October 25th 1933
L. to. r.: J. W. T. Mason, Chief Priest Arima, Mrs. Mason, Imaoka Shin’ichiro