Long before people like Basho or Yosa Buson, in Japan there lived a man named Saigyō Hōshi (西行法師, 1118 – 1190), who lived a privileged life in the Heian period Court, but then threw it aside to become a prolific poet while living an ascetic life as a Buddhist monk.
| Japanese | Romanization | Translation |
| しほりせで | Shiori sede | Leaving no trace |
| なを山ふかく | Nao yama fukaku | Once again into the mountains’ depths |
| わけいらん | Wake iran | I’ll make my way; |
| うきこときかぬ | Uki koto kikanu | Not to hear the world’s pains– |
| 所ありやと | Tokoro ari to ya | I wonder, is there such a place? |
Saigyo began his life as Satō Norikyo (佐藤義清), serving Emperor Toba as part of the elite palace guard called the hokumen no bushi (北面の武士, lit. “Northern-facing samurai”). Further, he earned a reputation for both horseback archery (流鏑馬, yabusamé) and Heian-style kickball (蹴鞠, kemari), and had a wife and kids among the Heian aristocracy.
However, Norikiyo lived during a time when the upper levels of the Imperial Court were embroiled in nasty power struggles, and everyone serving under them was being dragged into it. Seeing that court was a kind of golden sham, Norikiyo abruptly threw away his life in the court, left his family, and took up the life as a wandering ascetic. Eventually he made his way to Mount Koya, home of the esoteric Shingon sect, and underwent training, with the ordination name Saigyō.
Not long after Saigyo had left the Imperial Court, his worst fears came true as members of the Imperial family engaged in a short-lived war amongst factions known as the Hōgen Rebellion in 1156. Emperor Sutoku was on the losing side of this rebellion and was later exiled, and died soon after. The samurai factions who supported the winning side ascended in power, spelling the rapid demise of the Heian Period. Saigyo, while at Mount Koya, grieved for the fallen Emperor Sutoku:
| Japanese | Romanization | Rough Translation1 |
| よしや君 | Yoshiya kimi | Is this not a good thing, my lord? |
| 昔の玉の | Mukashi no tama no | Once you were seated |
| 床とても | Yuka totemu | upon a jeweled dais, |
| かからんのちは | Kakaran no chi wa | yet now you there’s no |
| 何にかはせん | Nani ni kahasen | limit to what you can be [e.g. a Buddha]. |
Of the ongoing battles between factions, Saigyō lamented:
| Japanese | Romanization | Rough Translation1 |
| 死出の山 | Shide no yama | People are crossing |
| 越ゆるたえまは | Koeru taema wa | Over the Mountain of Death |
| あらじかし | Arajikashi | Without end |
| なくなるひとの | Naku naru hito no | But I fear that this |
| かずつづきつつ | Kazu tsuzukitsutsu | Will only continue… |
Saigyō went on several pilgrimages across Japan throughout his life, reconnecting with old friends at the Court, making new friends, and leaving quite a bit of poetry. He had a very affable manner, and made many dear friends over time:
| Japanese | Romanization | Translation |
| 君いなば | Kimi inaba | If you should go, |
| 月まつとても | Tsuki matsu tote mo | I’ll say I’m waiting for the moon, |
| ながめやらん | Nagameyaran | Turning my gaze |
| あづまのかたの | Azuma no kata no | Toward the eastern, |
| ゆふぐれの空 | Yūgure no sora | Evening sky. |
His wanderings were an inspiration to haiku-master Basho centuries later. He was a passionate poet, convinced that poetry was the one enduring thing in life:
| Japanese | Romanization | Translation |
| すゑのよも | Sue no yo mo | At the world’s end |
| このなさけのみ | Kono nasake nomi | This gentle art alone |
| かはらずと | Kawarazu to | Will stand imperishable – |
| 見し夢なくは | Mishi yume naku wa | Had I not had this dream… |
| よそにきかまし | Yoso ni kikamashi | I would have you hear of it. |
Later, when the Minamoto (Genji) Clan finally prevailed and ruled Japan in the new Kamakura Shogunate, Saigyo got to know the new Shogun, Minamoto no Yoritomo, but rather than ingratiating himself with the new government, he gradually settled down in the modern day city of Osaka, and built a hut for himself near the grounds of Hirokawa-dera Temple. With respect to aging, he wrote:
| Japanese | Romanization | Translation |
| ふけにける | Fukenikeru | While my aged |
| わが身のかげを | Wa ga mi no kage o | Body |
| おもふまに | Omou ma ni | Is on my mind |
| はるかに月の | Haruka ni tsuki no | Far away, the moon |
| かたぶきにける | Katabukinikeru | Is setting. |
Finally, at some point in his life, he hope that he would pass away similar to the Buddha: under a flowering tree on the full moon of the second month.
| Japanese | Romanization | Translation |
| 願はくは | Negawaku wa | Let me die in spring |
| 花の下にて | Hana no moto nite | under the blossoming trees, |
| 春死なむ | Haru shinan | let it be around |
| その如月の | Sono kisaragi no | that full moon of |
| 望月のころ | Mochizuki no koro | Kisaragi month.2 |
It is said that Saigyo eventually accomplished his wish, and died peacefully in the year 1190 at the age of 73, beneath a blossoming sakura cherry tree during the sixteenth day of second month of the lunar calendar. Saigyo lives on of course both in his poetry, but also his association with the Hyakunin Isshu anthology, as well as the related card game.
Gleanings in Buddha-Fields 