Poetry Stones #7–9
#7
The seventh monument is located on the north side of the street, just before it curves to the south:
tazune iru
miyama no oku no
sato zo moto
wa ga sumi nareshi
miyako narikeri
Upon arriving
in this small mountain village
what did I find but
the same home that I had known
and lived in for many years
Explanation:
When Zen Master Dōgen (1200–1253) moved to Echizen Province (now Fukui Prefecture) with his community of monks in 1243, he left behind the bustling capital of Kyoto. While this might have been a difficult transition, this poem expresses how Dōgen found the area around Eiheiji Temple to be oddly familiar, as if he had already been living there. It is also thought that this poem may have been composed in response to repeated offers to return to the capital.
#8
The eighth monument, placed at the entrance of Eiheiji Temple, is inscribed with one of Dōgen’s most well-known poems:
haru wa hana
natsu hototogisu
aki wa tsuki
fuyu yuki saete
suzushi kari keri
Spring—cherry blossoms
summer—the lesser cuckoo
in autumn—the moon
in winter, a chill descends;
the snow freezes crisp and clear
Explanation:
As we enjoy the charms of each season, the year passes before our very eyes. Accepting the changing nature of all things and learning to live within that cycle is a key step on the path to awakening.
#9
The ninth and final monument is located just outside the entrance to Hakujukan.
asahi matsu
kusaba no tsuyu no
hodo naki ni
isogi na tachi so
nobe no akikaze
Mournful autumn wind
please sit for just a moment
over the meadow
let stay the morning dew that
soon will vanish in the sun
Explanation:
Like the dew that evaporates in the morning, existence is impermanent. For Dōgen, this was not a bleak thought, but rather an opportunity to reflect on the beautiful ephemerality of life.
