Composed on the conception of the essential nature of things.
神といひ仏といふも世中の人の心のほかのものかは
kami to ii
hotoke to iu mo
yo no naka no
hito no kokoro no
hoka no mono ka wa | What we call God, and
What we call Buddha, too—
In this mundane world
‘Tis in the human heart that
They are and nowhere else, aren’t they? |
654
His Majesty composed this as a poem on Shintō, when he ordered the production of a hundred poem sequence.
みちのべのちりに光をやはらげて神もほとけのなのるなりけり
michi no e no
chiri ni hikari o
yawaragete
kami mo hotoke no
nanoru narikeri | Among the roadside
Dust His light
A’dimming,
As a God, the Buddha
Gives His name. |
Emperor Sutoku
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.
Old Folk 老人
朝露をひさしき物とおもふ世にほとけの兄にいかでなりけん
asatsuyu o
hisashiki mono to
omou yo ni
hotoke no ani ni
ikade nariken | My morning dew is
A thing of times long gone
I feel, but in this world
The Buddha’s four-score years and one
How might I attain? |
Nakazane
The Names of the Buddhas
かひなくて月日はふれど年くれて仏の御名を聞くぞうれしき
kainakute
tsukihi wa furedo
toshi kurete
hotoke no mina o
kiku zo ureshiki | Pointlessly
The days and months go by, yet
At year’s twilight
The Buddhas’ names
I hear with joy! |
Daishin
The Names of the Buddhas
人わたす三世の仏のなをきけばむかしのつみもいまや消ゆらん
hito watasu
miyo no hotoke no
na o kikeba
mukashi no tsumi mo
ima ya kiyuran | All folk
The three worlds’ Buddhas’
Names hear, and
Even sins from days long gone
Have now vanished all away. |
Higo, from the Residence of the Kyōgoku Regent
京極関白家肥後
The Names of the Buddhas
そこばくの仏の御なをみなきけばのこれる罪もあらじとそ思ふ
sokobaku no
hotoke no mina o
mina kikeba
nokoreru tsumi mo
araji to zo omou | Numberless
The Buddhas’ names:
On hearing them all
Our remaining sins
Seem to be gone, I feel! |
Tadafusa
The Names of the Buddhas
としのうちにつもれるつみもきえぬらんみよの仏の御なをとなへて
toshi no uchi ni
tsumoreru tsumi mo
kienuramu
miyo no hotoke no
mina o tonaete | Within the year
Our accumulated sins, too,
Seem to disappear
At the three worlds’ Buddhas’
Names recitation! |
Minamoto no Nakazane
源仲実
The Names of the Buddhas
ことの葉に三世の仏の名をかけてつくれるつみは露もとまらじ
koto no ha ni
miyo no hotoke no
na o kakete
tsukureru tsumi wa
tsuyu mo tomaraji | Aloud
All three worlds’ Buddhas’
Names we do recite, that
Our committed sins
Shall not linger as the dew… |
Minamoto no Akinaka
源顕仲
The Names of the Buddhas
Round 10
Left
年のうちにつもれる罪を残さじと三世の仏の名をぞ唱ふる
toshi no uchi ni
tsumoreru tsumi o
nokosaji to
miyo no hotoke no
na o zo tonauru | Within this year
I have accumulated sins, that
I would not have linger at
The three worlds’ Buddhas’
Names recitation! |
Seji 宣旨
19
Right
君が代を三世の仏に年を経て返す返すも祈るべき哉
kimi ga yo o
miyo no hotoke ni
toshi o hete
kaesugaesu mo
inorubeki kana | That Your Highness reign
The three worlds’ Buddhas’
Years shall pass through
Again and yet again
Shall be my only prayer! |
Hyōe 兵衛
20
'Simply moving and elegant'
