Dogen’s poems were collected by Toun Kishun, 8th abbot of Hokyoji Temple in Oh’ei
27 (1420 C.E.), 168 years after Dogen’s parinirvana, passing away, and later added.
The first one is on his journey from Eiheiji to Kyoto for his medical care. Koun Ejo,
his successor, and Tettsu Gikai, the Ejo’s successor, accompanied him, but the latter
had to bid final farewell to Dogen to take care of Eiheiji at Mt. Kinome Pass, about
thirty miles from Eiheiji and about forty miles to Kyoto. Dogen passed away twenty
three days later (August 28, 1253 C.E.). The poem and the note on it is as follows:
The founder of the mountain monastery went up to Kyoto on the fifth of August in
Kencho 5 (1253 C.E) and made the following poem:
The one who renounced
At the gate of grass blades
Feels like being in the cloud –
Path at Mount Kinome
Kusanohani
kadodeserumino
Kinomeyama
Kumoni okaaru
Kokochikososure
草の葉に
かどでせる身の
木部山
雲におかある
心地こそすれ
Kinome-toge, Kinome Pass, Tree-bud Pass, beyond which is the Remote Places or Deep Provinces
Kinome-toge separating Kyoto-Yamato area culture and beyond (remote provinces)
Tomb stones of Dogen (center), Ejo (left), and Gikai (right)
and the description of the parting of the master and his
disciple at Kinome Pass
The translated poems are from the Limitless Life – Dogen’s World by
Rosan Osamu Yoshida, published by Missouri Zen Center in 1999 C.E.
The remaining poems will be posted successively in this blog site.