Shimizu Kosho | Plate

Shimizu Kosho (1911-1999) and Mori Tadashi (1940-)
Ceramic plate, partly glazed
 
The inscription literally means "to explain a dream within a dream." In Zen Buddhism this popular phrase is used to express the idea that all phenomena - everything we experience in the world - are ultimately impermanent, insubstantial, and illusory, like dreams. Trying to explain or fully understand such phenomena is like trying to explain a dream while still dreaming: the explanation is embedded in the same unreality as the thing itself.
The inscription is a poetic metaphor for the limits of human understanding and the elusive nature of reality. It reminds us that what we take to be real and stable may, on a deeper level, be as fleeting and unfixed as a dream. 
It can also be seen as a comment on language and thought: any attempt to capture truth through words is itself part of the illusion. Rather than grasping for certainty, Muchu setsumu encourages acceptance of ambiguity and transience—core themes in Zen.
 
L: 50.5 cm  (19¾ in.)
D: 29.0 cm (11½ in.)
H: 16.4 cm (6½ in.)