Here’s the second video on the topics and images used in waka on the season of winter. This one covers: Topography (winter mountains, ice and icicles); Life(style) (being sealed in winter, blankets and bedding); and Events (the ceremony for the Recitation of the Buddhas’ Names (butsumyōe 仏名会)).
Tag Archives: The Names of the Buddhas
Eikyū hyakushu 409
Winter II: 30
Left.
一年のはかなき夢は覺めぬらん三世の佛の鐘の響きに
| hito tose no hakanaki yume wa oboenuran miyo no hotoke no kane no hibiki ni |
A year is but A fleeting dream I feel, while The three worlds’ Buddhas’ Bells yet sound… |
599
Right.
唱へつる佛の御名は朝日にてやがて消えゆく一年の露
| tonaetsuru hotoke no mina wa asahi nite yagate kieyuku hito tose no tsuyu |
The proclaimed Buddhas’ Honoured names are As the morning sun, Finally dispelling The year’s dewfall. |
600
The Gentlemen of both Left and Right state: we find no faults with the other team’s poem.
Shunzei’s judgement: the Left’s poem, saying, ‘A fleeting dream I feel’ (hakanaki yume wa oboenuran) leading to ‘The three worlds’ Buddhas’ bells yet sound’ (miyo no hotoke no kane no hibiki) is particularly fine in configuration and conception [sugatakotoba kotoni yoroshiku koso]. The Right’s poem, too, starting ‘Buddhas’ Honoured names are as the morning sun’ (hotoke no mina wa asahi nite) and then having ‘Finally dispelling the year’s dewfall’ (yagate kieyuku hito tose no tsuyu) is reminiscent of the passage from the Samantabhadra Contemplation Sutra ‘many sins are like frost or dew – one can avoid and extinguish them with the sun of the Buddha’s blessings’; both poems move the heart and so I cannot say which is better or worse. Thus, the round ties.
Winter II: 29
Left (Win).
これやこの三世の佛も諸人も名をあらはして明るしのゝめ
| kore ya kono miyo no hotoke mo morobito mo na o arawashite akuru shinonome |
Is it now that with The three worlds’ Buddhas’ and The many folks’ Names announced Dawn touches the eastern sky? |
597
Right.
冬深き在明の月の明け方に名乘りて出づる雲の上人
| fuyu fukaki ariake no tsuki no akekata ni nanorite izuru kumo no uebito |
In the depths of winter When the moon to dawn Brings brightness They give their names and depart – Those folk above the clouds… |
598
The Gentlemen of the Right state: we find no faults in the Left’s poem. The Gentlemen of the Left state: the Buddhas’ names are recited at other times than the Ceremony of Reciting the Buddhas’ Names. In response: recitation of the names at around the twentieth day of the Twelfth Month is the Buddhas’ Names ceremony.
Shunzei’s judgement: that the Left’s poem has no faults, the Right have already said. Is the courtiers giving their names and leaving with the dawn reminiscent of the Buddhas’ names ceremony? It seems to be drawing on that old song, ‘when the dawntime moon brings brightness, announcing his name on leaving, is the cuckoo!’ The faultless poem wins.
Winter II: 28
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.
Winter II: 27
Left.
諸人の名さへ聞つる今夜かな是も來ん世の佛ならずや
| morobito no na sae kikitsuru koyoi kana kore mo kon yo no hotoke narazu ya |
Many folks’ Names have I heard This night; In the world to come Won’t they become Buddhas too? |
593
Right.
唱へつる三世の佛も聞くやとて大宮人は名乘る成けり
| tonaetsuru miyo no hotoke mo kiku ya tote ōmiyabito wa nanorunarikeri |
The proclaimed Three worlds’ Buddhas, too, May be listening, so The courtiers Announce themselves! |
The Provisional Master of the Empress’ Household Office.
594
The Gentlemen of the Right state: the Left’s poem is extremely august. The Gentlemen of the Left state: with regard to the Right’s poem – the reason one gives ones name at the ceremony is not for the sake of the Buddhas, is it?
Shunzei’s judgement: the final section of the Left’s poem recollects the strict spiritual practice of Siddhārtha. The Right have raised some questions over the purpose or announcing one’s name, but I do not find the reference problematic here. In addition, while the Left’s ‘Names have I heard’ (na sae kikitsuru) lacks profundity [koto asakeredo], the final section is in accordance with correct understanding. There is no winner or loser this round.
Winter II: 26
Left (Win).
河竹のなびく葉風も年暮れて三世の佛の御名を聞くかな
| kawatake no nabiku hakaze mo toshi kurete miyo no hotoke no mina o kiku kana |
Bamboo by the river, Leaves streaming in the breeze, and The ending of the year, with The three worlds’ Buddhas Honoured names – I hear them both… |
591
Right.
嬉しくも罪は夜の間に消えぬ也暮行く年や身に積るらむ
| ureshiku mo tsumi wa yo no ma ni kienu nari kureyuku toshi ya mi ni tsumoruramu |
How pleasant that One’s sins in the space of a night Do disappear, and The year fading into dusk Seems to lie upon me! |
592
The Gentlemen of the Right state: the Left’s poem has no faults. The Gentlemen of the Left state: the Right’s poem is pedestrian [tsune no koto nari].
Shunzei’s judgement: the sound of ‘Bamboo by the river, leaves streaming’ (kawatake no nabiku), leading to ‘the three worlds’ Buddhas’ (miyo no hotoke) is not a particularly good expression. In the Right’s poem, if it was changed to ‘the disappearance of one’s sins is pleasant, but’ (tsumi no kiyuru koto wa ureshiki o), this would be more in line with the conception of the final section of the poem. By beginning ‘how pleasant that’ (ureshiku mo) it sounds as if the poet is pleased to bear another year, too. I wonder, is ‘bamboo by the river’ a recollection of the Palace Gardens? The Left should win.
Winter II: 25
Left.
唱へつる三世の佛の中の夜になぞ栢梨を勧め置きけん
| tonaetsuru miyo no hotoke no naka no yo ni nazo kaenashi o susume’okiken |
Reciting the names Of all three world’s Buddhas; In the midst of that night Why is Kaenashi’s sake Proffered? |
589
Right.
唱へつる三世の佛のよそに又大宮人の名乘るべしやは
| tonaetsuru miyo no hotoke no yoso ni mata ōmiyabito no nanorubeshi ya wa |
Reciting the names Of all three world’s Buddhas; On departing, once more Do the palace folk Announce their names? |
590
The Gentlemen of the Left and Right state jointly: why be bothered about proffering Kaenashi sake, or courtiers giving their names?
Shunzei’s judgement: the poems of both Left and Right merely recall the order of events at the ceremony of reciting the Buddhas’ names. In conception and quality [kokoro mo uta hodo mo] they are equal.