Summary
Once upon a time, there was a painter man in a certain place. He was especially skilled at painting Buddhist images, particularly the Fudō Myōō (the God of Fire).
One day, as usual, he sat in front of his painting, moving his brush tirelessly. The Buddhist painting he was working on was almost complete, but something felt lacking. He sat in front of the painting all day, adding one stroke, two strokes, then looking again and adding yet another stroke, over and over.
That evening, the wind was blowing fiercely. Suddenly, a fire broke out at the neighboring house.
"Fire! Fire!" his wife shouted in panic.
The painter scowled, crossed his arms, and simply stared intently at the painting. Soon, the fire was approaching their house. As the flames roared, smoke began to fill the room. There was no time to waste. His wife desperately pulled at her husband’s sleeve, nearly losing her mind as she shouted,
"Run away! You'll burn to death!"
The husband quietly replied,
"Just a bit longer! I want to finish this." The painter swatted his wife's hand away and continued to focus on the painting. At that moment, a loud crash echoed as part of the roof collapsed into flames.
"Ah!" his wife exclaimed as she hurriedly leaped out of the room.
The painting caught fire as well. Finally coming to his senses, the painter ran out from his burning home. He stood across the street, watching his house burn down to ashes.
"Oh, how unfortunate," the neighbors consoled the painter for his misfortune.
"..." The painter said nothing, just staring at the ruins.
People came in turns to offer their condolences for the fire, but the painter remained silent. He looked as if he were meditating. Concerned, his wife hesitantly asked,
"What’s wrong? Are you okay?"
The husband mumbled something unintelligible and then smiled. Those who watched thought he had lost his mind after losing his house.
His wife asked again,
"Are you okay?"
Then the husband spoke clearly this time,
"I have been painting all this time, but I have never felt truly satisfied with my work. From this fire, I realized something important. It was a precious experience."
For some reason, the painter looked happy. The people around him listened intently.
"I have been painting Fudō Myōō, but my previous depictions of flames were incorrect. For the first time in my life, I finally understood how to depict flames. It was a wonderful discovery. I want to paint a new Fudō Myōō immediately. This experience will add a new aspect to my paintings.”
Fudō Myōō—his appearance is dignified, and his face, filled with anger, terrifies those who see it—but the Buddha's heart is filled with love for those who suffer and struggle. Fudō Myōō holds a sword in his right hand and a rope in his left, reaching out to save people. The flames of his halo burn away the one hundred and eight delusions of people.
Later, the painting of Fudō Myōō that this painter created became extremely popular. It looked as if the Buddha was sitting in the blazing fire, vigorously saving people. People wanted his paintings. They wanted to feel relief by looking at them.
Soon, the painter earned enough money to build an even bigger house than before. The Buddhist painter Ryōshū was considered a top painter by the people of the time.
