Washi no yama tsuki o irinu to miru hito wa kuraki ni mayou kokoro narikeri - Senzai Wakashu(English Translation & Meaning)

鷲の山月を入りぬと見る人は
暗きに迷ふ心なりけり

Roma-ji: Washi no yama tsuki o irinu to miru hito wa kuraki ni mayou kokoro narikeri
English Translation: On Vulture Peak
those who see the moon and think
that it has set,
theirs, I see, are hearts that go
wandering lost in the dark
Meaning: Those who look at Vulture Peak and think the moon has set, I see now, are hearts that wander lost in the dark.
Commentary: Book Nineteen Buddhist Poems 1231

Headnote: "Composed on the Lifespan chapter"
This poem was composed on the chapter on the Lifespan of the Tathāgata in the Lotus Sutra. Those who see the moon on Vulture Peak as having set are hearts lost in the dark, he says. The Lifespan chapter teaches that the Buddha shows his passing only as a skillful means, while in truth he dwells ever on Vulture Peak preaching the Law. To see the moon of Vulture Peak, that is, the Buddha, as having set comes of a heart lost in the darkness of delusion, for the Buddha is always shining there.
The author, "En'i Hōshi," is Saigyō. His lay name was Satō Norikiyo, and he served as a guard of the north quarters of Retired Emperor Toba before taking the tonsure and traveling the provinces. His personal collection is the Sankashū.
1207 in this book also treats the Lifespan chapter, and both liken the ever-present Buddha to the moon over the mountains. That poem sings of the moon screened by clouds and this one of the moon seen as having set, and both hold that the Buddha is unseen only because of the delusion of beings. 1249 in this book, by contrast, grieves over the Buddha's passing, likening it to the full moon hidden by clouds.

First line, "Washi no yama": Vulture Peak, where the Buddha preached the Lotus Sutra. It is the same name as "Washi no yama" in the third line of 1246 in this book.
Second line, "tsuki o irinu to": the moon stands for the Buddha, and "irinu," the moon setting behind the mountain, means the Buddha's passing, with "nu" perfective.
Third line, "miru hito wa": "those who see it so."
Fourth line, "kuraki ni mayou": "wandering in the dark," beings lost in the darkness of the passions.
Fifth line, "kokoro narikeri": "keri" is an exclamatory auxiliary of realization, "theirs, I see, are hearts that wander."
Author: Saigyō
Source: Senzai Wakashu
Prev Poem: Nagaki yo mo munashiki mono to shirinureba hayaku akenuru kokochi koso sure
Next Poem: Isagiyoki ike ni kage koso ukabinure shizumi ya sen to omou waga mi o