In order to understand ENSO, it’s first important to understand Zen Buddhism. This practice, now most commonly associated with Japan, was originally brought to China by an Indian monk. It is a lifestyle or philosophy, not a religion. Zen Buddhism in places heavy emphasis on meditation. The ultimate goal is satori, a Japanese word meaning enlightenment. Those truly enlightened are though to be above mortal coils such as culture or morality.
Achieving this state is achieved through, among others, meditation. The ENSO is a meditative tool, as well as a way to gauge one’s own enlightenment from day to day. The circle can be left open, indicating room to grow, or closed, symbolizing a state of pure enlightenment, whether current or something the practitioner aspires to achieve.
ENSO circles are first meditated upon, then drawn – traditionally with ink, brush and washi paper – in a single stroke. The imperfections are to be valued, and the way in which it is drawn is believed to reflect a practitioners’ own current state of enlightenment. For this reason, it’s believed that only a true Zen master who’s achieved satori can draw a perfect (not mathematically perfect) ENSO.