榊葉に心をかけん木綿四手て
思へば神も仏なりけり
思へば神も仏なりけり
- Roma-ji
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Sakakiba ni kokoro o kaken yūshidete omoeba kami mo hotoke narikeri
- English Translation
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On the sakaki leaves
I shall hang my heart in prayer,
like streamers of bark cloth—
for when I think of it now,
the gods too are Buddhas still.
- Meaning
- I will hang my heart upon the sakaki leaves like streamers of bark cloth; for, when I think of it, the gods too are Buddhas.
- Commentary
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Miscellaneous Poems 1223
Headnote: "Going to Ise, I visited the Grand Shrine and composed this"
Visiting the Grand Shrine of Ise, Saigyō composed this. I will hang my heart on the sakaki leaves like bark-cloth streamers, he says, for, when I think of it, the gods too are Buddhas.
Based on the doctrine that the gods are provisional manifestations of Buddhas, he affirms the meaning of a monk's worship at the Grand Shrine. Monks were discouraged from worshipping at Ise, but realizing that the gods are Buddhas, he can revere them freely.
First line, “sakakiba ni”: on the sakaki leaves used in Shinto rites.
Second line, “kokoro o kaken”: n is volitional, "I will hang my heart," overlaid with hanging streamers.
Third line, “yūshidete”: hanging bark-cloth streamers; the text reads yūshidete; the poem breaks here.
Fourth line, “omoeba kami mo”: when I think of it, the gods too.
Fifth line, “hotoke narikeri”: keri marks realization, "are Buddhas," expressing the doctrine of manifestation.
- Author
- Saigyō
- Source
- Sankashu
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