山田維史の遊卵画廊

【Haiku】

   Sodé no ka no sugiyuku kágè ya Umewaka-ki*

     The passing shadow
     Of incense on the sleeves
     The anniversary of Umewaka's death

   Mokuboji è to Shirahigè wataru Umewaka-ki

     Cross the Shirahigè Bridge
     To Mokuboji Temple
     The anniversary of Umewaka's death
 
   Mizukagè ya Sumida nana hashi Umewaka-ki

     Shadows on the water
     Seven bridges over the Sumida River**
     The anniversary of Umewaka's death


【*Note】
Umewaka-ki (The anniversary of Umewaka's death:
   Mokuboji Temple on the bank of the Sumida River
is said to have originated from the small temple for
Buddhist invocation which was built in 977 in the
middle of Heian period by Acharya Chūèn to memo-
rialize Umewakamaru. 
   The legend of Umewakamaru was created by 
Motomasa Kanze (1394/1409 - 1432) in the Noh
play "Sumidagawa (Sumida River)" during the
Muromachi period, and is still a popular Noh play
today.
   In the story, a mother, who kidnapped by her little
son Umewakamaru, wanders from Kyo to Musashi
Province in search of the whereabout of her beloved
child. The mother goes crazy and eventually she
reaches the banks of the Sumida River in Musashi
Province. But the mother learned there that her
beloved son had died.
   The memorial service for Umewakamaru was once
held on March 15th of Yin calendar at Mokuboji
Temple, but is now held on April 15th. It is a
seasonal word for haiku as "Umewaka-ki" or
"Mokuboji Dainenbutsu". 

【**Note】
Seven bridges over the Sumida River:
   Ryogoku Bridge, Kuramae Bridge, Umayabashi
Bridge, Komagata Bridge, Azuma Bridge, Kototoi
Bridge, Shirahigè Brige.



   Shikantaza tada nenbutsu yo Hōnen-ki*

     Shikantaza** meditation
     But only Buddhist invocation 
     The anniversary of Hōnen's death

   Korona-ka wa shikantaza to na Honen-ki

     Lockdown of COVID-19 influence
     Not only meditation, but Buddhist invocation, 
     Does it? The anniversary Honen's death 

   Tsuzuraori yuku hito mo nashi Hōnen-ki

     There is no one 
     Those who go on a zigzag slope
     The anniversary Honen's death
     

   Monzen ni tsuki miru hito ya Gyoki-mōdè***

     Seeing the moon 
     At in front of gate of the temple
     Honen's memorial service to visit 

   Gyoki-mōdè shizukani ayumu Zōjōji****

      The Honen's memorial service
      To walk quietly 
     Zōjōji Temple


【*Note】
Hōnen-ki (The anniversary of Honen's death:
   Hōnen (1133 - 1212) was the founder of the
Jōdo sect. He promoted Hinayana Buddhism, which
is easy for illiterate people to accept, rather than
the esoteric Mahayana Buddhism based on rigorous
training. He was not so-called "self-help application"
but the teaching of "other power application". He
just said that you would become a Buddha just by
chanting the Nenbutsu (Buddhist invocation).

【**Note】
Shikantaza is a meditation method taught by Dōgen 
(1200-1253) of the Sōtō sect. It is a teaching that
enlightment can be achieved by simply continuing to
sit down. It is a so-called "self-help application"
because it awakens by self-training. Therefore,
although it is the opposite of Hōnen's "other power
application". But, I, Yamada think that they are
saying the same thing after all.

【***Note】
Gyoki-mōdè is "To visit the temple on Hōnen's
memorial service on April 15th". It is the same
meaning of "Hōnen-ki," also known as "Gyoki".

【****Note】
Zōjōi Temple is a famous old temple in Shiba,
Tokyo. It has the history of 600 years. Every
year Hōnen-ki is held on April 15th at Zōjōji
Temple.

Tadami Yamada