In the Seventh Month, Kenrayku 1 [August 1211], there were very heavy rains and, thinking that this would cause suffering to the common folk, I prayed to an image of the Buddha and, shortly after, spoke this poem.
時によりすぐれば民のなげきなり八大竜王雨やめたまへ
toki ni yori sugureba tami no nageki nari hachi dairyūō ame yametamae
At this time, Passing, the common folk Suffer; O, Eight Great Dragon Kings,[i] Cease your rains!
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[i] The eight Great Dragon Kings (hachi dairyūō 八大龍王) are referenced in the Lotus Sutra. They are: Ānanda 難陀 (Jp. Nanda); Upananda 跋難陀 (Jp. Batsunanda); Shāgara 娑伽羅 (Jp.Shagara); Vasuki 和修吉 (jp. Washikitsu); Takshaka 德叉迦 (Jp. Tokushaka); Anavatapta 阿那婆達多 (Jp. Anabadatta); Manasvin 摩那斯 (Jp. Manashi); and Utpalaka 優鉢羅 (Jp. Uhatsura). As can be seen from Sanetomo’s poem here, they were seen to have dominion over water—rains, rivers and the ocean—and were often invoked to either request rain or to ameliorate storms.
Shunzei say, ‘The style and construction of both poems is superb, though the Left’s is particularly archaic in tone, and thus using mama ni in the central section is somewhat weak, is it not? Surely, “Whilst reaping” (karu nae ni) would have been a better fit! The Right’s simple conclusion of “showery skies” (murasame no sora) is particularly effective. However, the Left, too, with “even the peasants’ sleeves” (tami no sode sae) shows a fine spirit. The two poems are a match and tie.’
