有り難き法にあふぎの風ならば
心の塵を払へとぞ思ふ
心の塵を払へとぞ思ふ
- Roma-ji
-
Arigataki nori ni ōgi no kaze naraba kokoro no chiri o harae to zo omou
- English Translation
-
If this is the breeze
of a fan that meets the Law,
so rarely met with,
then let it sweep away
the dust within the heart.
- Meaning
- If this is the breeze of a fan that meets with the precious Law, so rarely encountered, I would have it sweep away the dust of the heart.
- Commentary
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Miscellaneous Poems 864
Headnote: "Having a certain wish, I offered a fan to the Buddha, and it was bestowed upon me by the Retired Emperor; a lady-in-waiting, on his command, wrote this on the wrapping paper"
Having a certain wish, Saigyō offered a fan to the Buddha, and the fan was bestowed on him by the Retired Emperor; at the emperor's command a lady-in-waiting wrote this on the wrapping paper. There is no settled view as to which retired emperor is meant; in, the term used, is the title of an emperor who has abdicated. If this is the breeze of a fan that meets with the precious Law, let it sweep away the dust of the heart.
First line, “arigataki”: rare and precious.
Second line, “nori ni ōgi no”: ōgi is a pivot word joining meeting the Law and a fan.
Third line, “kaze naraba”: if it is the breeze of the fan.
Fourth line, “kokoro no chiri o”: the dust of the heart, delusion and passion, linked to the breeze.
Fifth line, “harae to zo omou”: zo is answered by the attributive omou; I would have it swept away.
- Author
- The Retired Emperor
- Source
- Sankashu
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Chiri bakari utagau kokoro nakaranan nori o aogite tanomu to naraba