Dew Drops

This short poem was written by Honen Shonin in responding to the short message verse from his great supporter, Kujo Kanezane when Honen Shonin was exiled to the island of Shikoku in 1207.

 

Kujo Kanezane was a former regent and chief minister in Japan but lost his position due to the hegemony dispute with Emperor Gotoba. Then he became a disciple of Honen Shonin and was ordained as a priest in 1202, receiving his Dharma name Ensho.

 

Kujo Kanezane felt sorry for his master’s exile and regretted he couldn’t stop this separation. Then he wrote a short poem to Honen Shonin, “Your departure to Shikoku was a beginning of sad separation but by writing at least a letter to you, I’d like to make a bridge on which you can come back to Kyoto.　

 

”ふりすてて　ゆくはわかれの　はしなれど　ふみわたすべき【＊踏みわたす・文渡す】ことを　しそとおもふ(Furi sutete, Yuku wa wakare no Hashi nare do, Fumi watasu beki koto wo shiso to omou)

 

Upon receiving this short verse, Honen Shonin wrote this well-known short verse;

露の身は　ここかしこにて　消えぬとも　こころは同じ　花のうてなぞ（Tsuyu no mi wa, Koko kashiko ni te , Kiyuru tomo, Kokoro wa onaji, Hana no utena zo)

 

Dew drops
Here, there and everywhere,
Evaporate,
Yet together our spirits
Will meet on the Lotus Pedestal.

 

Death is so unpredictable. It happens here and there, always just like dew drops disappear here and there. However, our reunion is possible through the birth in the Pure land at the Lotus Pedestal.

 

Within one month after this separation, Kujo Kanezane passed away at the age 59 in 1207 when Honen Shonin was 75yrs old.  How mutable is the life！

 

Needless to say, Kujo Kanezane played a significant role in the history of Jodo Shu. Thanks to Kujo Kanezane's request, Honen Shonin with his disciples was able to write/compile "Senchakushu" in 1198 when Honen Shonin was 66 years old.