いかで我心の月をあらはして
闇に惑へる人を照らさむ
闇に惑へる人を照らさむ
- Roma-ji
-
Ikade ware kokoro no tsuki o arawashite yami ni madoeru hito o terasamu
- English Translation
-
Somehow, if only
I could bring to light the moon
within my heart,
and shine it on all those
who wander lost in darkness
- Meaning
- If only I could somehow bring forth the moon within my heart and shine its light on those who wander lost in darkness.
- Commentary
-
Book Ten Miscellaneous Poems II 414
The poet wishes to bring forth the moon of enlightenment within his heart and shine it on those lost in the darkness of delusion. "Kokoro no tsuki" (moon of the heart) is a Buddhist expression likening an enlightened, pure mind to the clear moon, and the poem expresses a wish to save others through one's own awakening.
Where poem 360 of this book feared what darkness it would wander in after death, this poem wishes to light those lost in darkness, turning from a self astray in the dark to a heart that illuminates others. It also follows from the preceding poem, 413, which seeks the way within the heart.
The first line, "ikade ware," uses the adverb "ikade" to express a wish: somehow, I.
The second line, "kokoro no tsuki o," likens the enlightened heart to a clear moon.
The third line, "arawashite," means bringing it forth.
The fourth line, "yami ni madoeru," uses the attributive continuative "ri": lost in the darkness of delusion. It answers "yami ni madowamu" in poem 360 of this book.
The final line, "hito o terasamu," uses the volitional "mu": I would shine on them.
- Author
- Fujiwara no Akisuke
- Source
- Shika Wakashu
- Prev Poem
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Yoso ni nado hotoke no michi o tazunuramu waga kokoro koso shirube narikere
- Next Poem
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Yo no naka no hito no kokoro no ukigumo ni soragakure suru ariake no tsuki