Tag Archives: Koubou

Kuukai Revisited

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Confanity

弘法筆を選ばす (Koubou fude wo erabazu; “Kuukai doesn’t choose his brush.”) Definition: A master produces masterpieces regardless of what they are given to work with. Quality comes from skill, not merely from good tools. If you find yourself unwilling to start … Continue reading →

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There’s many a slip ‘twixt the dress and the hip

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Confanity

This week’s selection is one of my favorites: 弘法にも筆の誤り (Koubou ni mo fude no ayamari; “Even Kuukai’s brush slips”) Definition: It means, essentially, “everyone makes mistakes” or “we’re all only human.” The translation given above may seem odd, since I … Continue reading →

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