Washi no yama tare ka wa tsuki o mizaru beki kokoro ni kakaru kumo shi harenaba

鷲の山誰かは月を見ざるべき
心にかかる雲し晴れなば

Roma-ji: Washi no yama tare ka wa tsuki o mizaru beki kokoro ni kakaru kumo shi harenaba
English Translation: The Vulture Peak's moon,
who among us would not see it,
if only the clouds
that hang upon the heart
were once to clear away?
Meaning: The moon of the Vulture Peak, who could fail to see it, if only the clouds that hang over the heart were to clear?
Commentary: Miscellaneous Poems 891

Headnote: "When people composed on the passage 'single-mindedly wishing to see the Buddha'"
The topic is the phrase from the chapter on the Life Span, 'single-mindedly wishing to see the Buddha,' on which people composed poems. If only the clouds of delusion over the heart would clear, who would fail to see the moon of the Vulture Peak, the Buddha? the poet asks. Following the three poems on the Life Span chapter, he speaks of the importance of wishing with all one's heart to see the Buddha.

First line, “washi no yama”: the Vulture Peak.
Second line, “tare ka wa tsuki o”: ka wa is a rhetorical binding particle answered by beki in the third line.
Third line, “mizaru beki”: would not see it? Everyone would; the poem breaks here.
Fourth line, “kokoro ni kakaru”: hanging over the heart.
Fifth line, “kumo shi harenaba”: shi is emphatic; if only the clouds would clear, inverted to follow the third line.
Author: Saigyō
Source: Sankashu
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