Kore ya sawa toshi tsumoru made koritsumeshi nori ni ōgo no takigi narikeru

これやさは年積もるまで樵りつめし
法にあふごの薪なりける

Roma-ji: Kore ya sawa toshi tsumoru made koritsumeshi nori ni ōgo no takigi narikeru
English Translation: So this, then, is it,
cut and gathered as the years
piled up one by one,
the firewood borne on a pole
to meet with the Law at last.
Meaning: So this is it, then, the firewood cut and gathered as the years piled up, carried on a pole to meet with the Law.
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 884

Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "The Devadatta chapter"
Again on the Devadatta chapter, which tells how the Buddha, as a king in a former life, served a hermit for many years to hear the Lotus Sutra, gathering firewood, picking fruit and drawing water. So this is it, the firewood cut and gathered as the years piled up and carried on a pole to meet the Law, the poet says, recalling the Buddha's austerities to obtain the Lotus Sutra.

First line, “kore ya sawa”: so this is it; ya is answered by keru in the fifth line.
Second line, “toshi tsumoru made”: until the years piled up.
Third line, “koritsumeshi”: cut and gathered.
Fourth line, “nori ni ōgo no”: ōgo is a pivot word joining meeting the Law and the carrying pole.
Fifth line, “takigi narikeru”: is it the firewood? closing ya in the attributive.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
Prev Poem: Isagiyoki tama o kokoro ni migakiidete iwakenaki mi ni satori o zo eshi
Next Poem: Ika ni shite kiku koto no kaku yasukaran ada ni omoite ekeru nori ka wa