CHAPTER 17
Now the three realms of existence—past., present, and future—depend on the soul only. If the soul is ill at ease, of what profit are cattle and horses and the seven treasures ? Palaces and mansions and stately towers give no pleasure. On the other hand, in this solitary cabin I know the fullest joy. When I chance to go to City-Royal I may feel some shame on account of my beggarly appearance, yet when I come back to my hut I feel nothing but pity for the men who squirm amid the dusts of the common world. If anyone doubt me, I beg him to consider how birds and fishes do pass their lives. Do fish ever tire of the simple water they dwell in ? As we are not fish we cannot say. Do not the birds always long for their woods and copses ? Again, as we are not birds we cannot tell. So it is with
those who choose the life of a recluse—only those who do choose it can know its joys.
To resume. My life is now like the declining moon approaching the edge of the hill which is to hide it. Ere long I must face the three realms of darkness. What deeds in the past shall I have to plead for there ? What the Buddha has taught to men is this-—Thou shalt not cleave to any of the things of this world. So 'tis a sin even to grow fond of this straw-thatched cabin, and to find happiness in this life of peace is a hindrance to salvation. Why, then, should I let the days be filled with the vanity of exultation in an empty joy ?
In the peace of daybreak I once meditated upon this doctrine, and this is the question I asked myself—" You have fled from the world to live the life of a recluse amid the wild woods and hills, thus to bring peace to your soul and walk in the way of the Buddha. You have the appearance of a saint, but your soul is full of turbidities. Your cabin is a slur on the memory of the habitation of Jomyo Koji; in virtue you are below even Shuri Handoku. Is your degradation the result of your poverty and mean condition, your inheritance from a previous existence, or have your trains of thought destroyed your mind ? " What answer could my soul give ? None. I could but move my tongue as it were mechanically, and twice or thrice repeat involuntarily the Buddha's holy name. I could do no more.
Written on the last day of the yayoi month of 2 Kenryaku [May lst, 1185] by the Somon Ren-in in his cabin on Toyama.
Alas ! the moonlight
Behind the hill is hidden
In gloom and darkness.
Oh, would her radiance ever
My longing eyes rejoiced !
それ三界は、たゞ心一つなり。心もし安からずば、牛馬七珍もよしなく、宮殿樓閣も望なし。今さびしきすまひ、ひとまの庵、みづからこれを愛す。おのづから都に出でゝは、乞食となれることをはづといへども、かへりてこゝに居る時は、他の俗塵に着することをあはれぶ。もし人このいへることをうたがはゞ、魚と鳥との分野を見よ。魚は水に飽かず、魚にあらざればその心をいかでか知らむ。鳥は林をねがふ、鳥にあらざればその心をしらず。閑居の氣味もまたかくの如し。住まずしてたれかさとらむ。
そもそも一期の月影かたぶきて餘算山のはに近し。忽に三途のやみにむかはむ時、何のわざをかかこたむとする。佛の人を教へ給ふおもむきは、ことにふれて執心なかれとなり。今草の庵を愛するもとがとす、閑寂に着するもさはりなるべし。いかゞ用なきたのしみをのべて、むなしくあたら時を過さむ。
しづかなる曉、このことわりを思ひつゞけて、みづから心に問ひていはく、世をのがれて山林にまじはるは、心ををさめて道を行はむがためなり。然るを汝が姿はひじりに似て、心はにごりにしめり。すみかは則ち淨名居士のあとをけがせりといへども、たもつ所はわづかに周梨槃特が行にだも及ばず。もしこれ貧賤の報のみづからなやますか、はた亦妄心のいたりてくるはせるか、その時こゝろ更に答ふることなし。たゝかたはらに舌根をやとひて不請の念佛、兩三返を申してやみぬ。時に建暦の二とせ、彌生の晦日比、桑門蓮胤、外山の庵にしてこれをしるす。
』に所収。