Composed when he was on a pilgrimage to worship Kannon at thirty-three places, and saw oil emerging at Tanigumi, in Mino.[1]
よをてらすほとけのしるしありければまだともし火もきえぬなりけり
| yo wo terasu Fotoke no sirusi arikereba mada tomosibi mo kienu narikeri | Shining light upon the world, This Buddha, a sign Does give: As yet, the lanterns Never have gone out! |
Former Archbishop Kakuchū
前大僧正覚忠
[1] This poem was composed at the Kegonji 華厳寺 temple on Mount Tagumi (Tagumisan 谷汲山) in the middle of what is now Gifu 岐阜 prefecture.
はまちどりあきとしなればあさぎりにかたまどはしてなかぬ日ぞなき
| hamachidori aki to shinareba asagiri ni kata madowashite nakanu hi zo naki | The plovers on the beach: When the autumn comes, In the morning mists Do lose their way; No day dawns without their cries… |
3
あきくればみやまざとこそわびしけれよるはほたるをともしびにして[1]
| aki kureba miyamazato koso wabishikere yoru wa hotaru o tomoshibi ni shite | When the autumn comes My hut deep in the mountains Is lonelier by far; At night with fireflies For my lantern. |
4
[1] This poem also appears as Fubokushō 5545 where is it is listed as by Ōe no Chisato
Left.
あまたたび竹の灯し火かゝげてぞ三世の佛の名をば唱る
| amata tabi take no tomoshibi kakagete zo miyo no hotoke no na oba tonaeru |
Many times The torches of bamboo Are flourished, and The three worlds’ Buddhas’ Names proclaimed. |
595
Right.
明やらぬ夜の間の雪は積もるとも氷れる罪や空に消らん
| akeyaranu yo no ma no yuki wa tsumoru tomo kōreru tsumi ya sora ni kiyuran |
There’s no light Within this night of snowfall Drifting, yet My frozen sins Do vanish into the skies… |
596
The Gentlemen of the Right state: we must say that the Left’s poem has no faults. The Gentlemen of the Left state: we wonder about the expression ‘frozen sins’ (kōreru tsumi).
Shunzei’s judgement: saying ‘torches of bamboo’ (take no tomoshibi) in order to refer to the ‘three worlds’ Buddhas’, is a somewhat unusual expression. The Right’s ‘my frozen sins do vanish into the skies’ (kōreru tsumi ya sora ni kiyuran) seems elegant [yū ni miehaberu], but refers only to the sins vanishing, and the conception of the Buddhas’ names seems somewhat lacking. Comparing the two poems, they must tie.
Left (Win).
星合の空の光となる物は雲井の庭に照らす灯し火
| hoshiai no sora no hikari to naru mono wa kumoi no niwa ni terasu tomoshibi |
The stars meeting in The sky is lit By The Palace gardens’ Shining torches. |
321
Right.
七夕は雲の上より雲の上に心を分けて嬉しかるらん
| tanabata wa kumo no ue yori kumo no ue ni kokoro o wakete ureshikaruran |
At Tanabata Above the heavens’ clouds, and Above the clouds on earth Between them is the heart divided In joy, no doubt! |
322
The Right state that the Left’s poem has no faults. The Left, on the other hand, say, ‘The Right’s poem seems to have very little of celebration about it. In addition, the expression “Above the heavens’ clouds, and above the clouds on earth” (kumo no ue yori kumo no ue ni) seems to have reversed the proper sense.’ (‘Above the clouds’ was a standard euphemism for the palace, and by association, the Emperor. Putting him in a secondary position here was perceived as a fault.)
Shunzei’s judgement: ‘“Above the heavens’ clouds, and above the clouds on earth” can be criticised, I think, for repeating the same phrase twice. And, what might one make of it having “reversed the proper sense”? The Left’s poem is faultless. The Right’s does, indeed, lack a conception of celebration, so the Left, again, win this round.’
Left (Win).
秋ごとに絶えぬ星合のさ夜更て光傡ぶる庭の灯し火
| akigoto ni taenu hoshiai no sayo fukete hikari naraburu niwa no tomoshibi |
Each and every autumn, For the eternal meeting of the stars Night falls, and Lights align with The palace garden lanterns. |
319
Right.
露深き庭の灯し火數消ぬ夜や更ぬらん星合の空
| tsuyu fukai niwa no tomoshibi kazu kienu yo ya fukenuran hoshiai no sora |
Deep dewfall Upon the garden lanterns Extinguished a number; Has night fallen, I wonder, Upon the sky wherein stars meet? |
320
The Right have no comments to make about the Left’s poem this round, while the Left simply say the Right’s poem has ‘major faults’. (Criticising the use of the completive marker nu twice in quick succession: kienu, fukenuran.)
Shunzei ignores this point, simply saying, ‘The expression “Has night fallen, I wonder, upon the sky wherein stars meet?” (yo ya fukenuran hoshiai no sora) is splendid, but there is no reason for beginning the poem with “deep dewfall” (tsuyu fukaki). The Lefts’ poem has no faults – thus, it must win.’