The two large characters are JO NEN. Jo means "always" and nen is "think of," "keep in mind," or "always in one's thoughts." In Zen calligraphy the phrasing is "Always think of Kannon Bosatsu," but here Soan brushed this calligraphy for a Pure Land Buddhist. It means, "Always keep your thoughts in the Pure Land of Amida Buddha."
Soan Jiro (20th century) was 621st Head Abbot of the Myoshin-ji Rinzai Zen Sect. Before that he served as abbot of Zentoku-ji in Tochigi Prefecture.
