Daruma crossing the sea on a leaf, no. 7 from a series of 12 prints c. 1708

This Japanese woodblock print by Okumura Masanobu depicts Daruma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, crossing the sea on a leaf. Daruma, shown here as a pale, almost spectral figure, is not merely travelling; he is embodying a profound spiritual journey. The leaf, a fragile vessel, becomes a symbol of faith and the triumph of mind over matter. Consider the ancient Greek myth of Europa, who crossed the sea on the back of a bull. While separated by geography and culture, both narratives tap into a shared psychological current: the perilous journey, the transformative crossing from one state to another. In Masanobu’s print, the water is rendered with stylized simplicity, yet it evokes the vastness and unpredictability of the ocean. It is a reminder that the path to enlightenment is fraught with challenges. The image is not static; it resonates with a primal understanding of struggle, resilience, and the enduring human quest for meaning. These symbols persist and reappear across cultures, each time carrying the weight of past and present.