The Truth of haikai Author(s): William Ritchie Wilson Source: Monumenta Nipponica, Vol. 26, No.

1/2 (1971), pp. 49-53 Published by: Sophia University Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2383606 . Accessed: 30/03/2014 21:02
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The Truthofhaikai1
can alsobe as 'truth' I havetranslated which CHARACTER readmakoto as In itssense 'true-heartedness'. 'fidelity', as 'sincerity', in onerange translated great Basho,the first 'genuineness'. 'honesty', it can alsobe 'reality', 'truth', ofthesepoemshad thisquality, heldthattrueexamples ofthehaikai or haiku, master he meant thisin all itssenses. andit seems from histhirty-fifth master I644 to I694, andwas a haikai Bashalivedfrom year.His suchas his andinpoetic ofhispoems prose in thecollections is found mainly ownwork knownas in thegenre works certain hisdeath, however, After accounts. poetictravel inaccordance ofhaikai andaesthetics onthetheory, ortreatises practice, discussions bairon, compiled Thesewvere toappear. began inhiswords, andoften ofBash5 theteachings with to illustrate selections I havetaken these andit is from ofBasho'sschool, by disciples and I haveusedaretheSanzJsbi in baikai. The twoworks abouttruth Basha'sthinking as AkasJshi, and known Shirososhi, in three volumes respectively The first, KyoraishJ.2 in I776. Itscomin print in I703 andpublished was compiled orKurosjshi,3 Wasuremizu in baikai circles in ofBasha,one Hattori Doh5,4prominent pilerwas a contemporary wholivedfrom I65I to by MukaiKyorai5 I657 to I730. Kyoraisho, Iga, wholivedfrom It was and his written theMaster between disciples. on talkabouthaikai I704, centers in I775. aboutI704 andpublished
' NHE
THE

by WILLIAM

RITCHIE

WILSON

ofBashain his Literary andArt Theories in the De- discussion Professor AUTHOR is Assistant ofSouthern in 7apan, Western Reserve UniversityPress, University ofAsianStudies, partment Pound; Cleveland,i967, and Zeami, Basho, Teats, California. in 7apanese andEnglish poetics, Mouton,The 1 Haikai no makoto *tWO)S. I am indebted a study passagesto a section Hague, I965. ofthesefive theselection for 2 = fi v/and Hiwiththesametitlein Takeda Sukeyoshi 3 a term which may also be rendered Koto Soshi, E eds. A itt, Xt~ 3-, Sen'ichi samatsu fX, impliesa book made 3 A 4 * Wt 3, KadokawaShoten, simplyin kanaor as 4 koten gakk6 letters also it is a or paperstogether; is by binding however, i96i.The text used fortranslation, generictermforworksin kana such as poetic taikei1 *Wt koten bungaku vol. 66 of theNihon 2k 66). writings,old tales, diaries, and miscellanies. to as NKBJT referred (hereafter A, 4 k tk,WYhite meanRedSJshi Soshi and annotation Here thetitles This volume,with commentary f , Forgotten orBlack A WYater Soshi (last inkana). by Kida Saizo *A 4tZ A and Imoto Noichi *4 4 4AV-*L haironshg it A-, is titledRengaronshi 5 T63 is mine, The commentary I96I. Iwanami, N, by Makoto Ueda's but I have been stimulated MN: XXVI,I-2 D

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50

XXVI,I-2 Monumenta Nipponica,

theShirososhi: is from The first are thewayofpoetry. and haikai, together linked verse, poems, tanka, Chinese leave ofwhatthey and to theverylimits over, three leavesomething The first do notreach. 'the nightingale who Through is no pointthathaikai over,there 'on theverandah's in theflowers', dungon thericecakes', edgedrops with, sings the and again, through thisNew Year timestillmoreamusingly; we perceive it free in saying 'The soundofwater when wholivesin thewater, setting frog in thenoise goes we heara haikai whenthefrog pond,' hejumpsintotheancient midst ofgrass. It liesin seeing;it liesin hearing. As soon theshaggy in from it becomes a poem-thisis thetruth ofbaikai.6 as thepoetperceives something, ShirosJshi) (SanzJshi: of thelimits forms do notreach that earlier notes potentiality, poetic HereBash5 poetic to the from lifts on this he the do. In expanding Prologue Kokinshbi, buthaikai examples in theflowers, whosings we hearthenightingale 'When and first Anthology: Imperial in contexts them but unfettered in the water', perceives wholives thevoiceofthefrog is whatthepoetperceives The important ofearlier forms. with thing bytheconventions is it a him becomes a moves and ears-what no poem poem-and hisown, other's, eyes ofhaikai. Thisis thetruth immediately. and inspiration. on freshness it is a Moreover, The foregoing, then, puts premium tenor reinforces a paraphrase Itsgeneral senses. thephysical received through inspiration ofoldleft 'Don'ttry for themen what for what they behind; try usedelsewhere byBasho, to achieve.'7 wvere trying is from selection AkasJshi. The second learn from thepinetree;whatpertains to thepinetree, to the 'Whatpertains ofthese The tenor words oftheMaster thebamboo.' learn from is: free bamboo, from outlook. As to this of point from subjective interpretation, personal yourself as onepleases, ifoneinterprets onewillin theend theobject', from 'learn things oflooking at all.Saying 'Learn!'is a matter intothe notlearn deepandentering is revealed life andonefeels itsinner and as soonas its subtle it nature, object, one what from the externals of becomes a poetic spring Though passage. saysmay which from rises that theobject ifitis notthesentiment a thing, thing, naturally does not reach becometwo-they are split-and the sentiment and oneself
6

NKBT 66, p. 384.

Saimon Fromhaibun ,47Vtitled noji 9 rl X X (WVords by a Brush Gate), givenbyBashoto hisdisfor ciple KyorokuS -' on the latter'sdeparture no his nativeplace in I693. The words are Kojin womotonomotometaru tokoro atowomotomezu, kojin
7

He attributes themto Kiikai, the founder meyo. of Shingon Buddhism inJapan, referring to calligraphy (the Way oftheBrush).NKBT 46, Basho bunshb ; t, haibun62, p. 206. See also Tsunoda, De Bary,Keene, Sources of 7apanese Tradition I, Columbia, 1966, p. 450.

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ofhaikai' W I L SO N, 'Truth produces.8 interpretation truth.Such is the skewed designwhichpersonal CSanzishi: Akas5sbi) for requirement the pointof the first-the of thispassagereinforces The burden a for expressing The capacity and objectivity. for sincerity in perception, genuineness himself identify thepoetmust Butfirst insight. oftrue inwords is a measure perception in one's ofself-inself-effacement one'spoems withhismaterials. Truthliesin freeing approach. for as SbugyJkyJ (Precepts ofKyoraisbh known The third selection is from thevolume is thewriter. Kyorai Poetic Practice).9 on hiswords he taught when setnolimitations Master said:OurFormer Kyorai it need not putso to me, was,'One Whenhe expounded ofhisschool. disciples not write eachpoemconcretely, Again, oneshould poem. intoevery much effort was, to Bonch510 it clearly.' Again, element out thehaikai andbring abstractly, One mustnotplaceevenone characters. kana seventeen 'One poemhas merely One must areoneform poetry. After ofJapanese duecare. all,evenhaikai without in expression.' All thiswas acis pliancy so thatin eachpoemthere makethem of eachpoet.For the and of the mind capacity expressive to thenature cording wellstray. In itwasa pathfrom which they might those poorly, whounderstood about it The Former Master were many. those whowerebewildered ourschool comespoken downsmoothly from those which bokku,l" oneconsiders said,'As for Former The said, Shad6,12 to be of the teaching Master, thehead highest quality.' items as onesimply twoorthree inwhich together gathers 'Hokku arenotthings leaf.' The Former Mastersaid, outgoldinto youdo. Theyhavetobe likebeating Onecallsskilful those one'smaterials. onecomposes into come being when 'Hokku 'Hokku at it.' who are bad are unskilful those said, Kyoroku whocompose well; Mastersaid,"Peopledon't realizethat Aboutthisthe Former compositions. is involved." ' Kyorai talent much this said, in which literary are they things is glib.Beversesare manyand their reciting composing, through 'Creating ofbecoming thepoint butwhenonereaches bearall thisin mind, must ginners is nolonger theproblem.'13 ornotcomposing ofcomposing thequestion anadept, Shugy&kyj9 CKyoraishb: to create baikai. To different out thatonehas to learn students, This passagepoints to perceive-one It is notenough have to be emphasized. simply different principles
8 NKBT 66,

9 ol ITa
10 A t

p. 398.

in seventeen syllables. Note the flexibility to thisform. reference

12 ,i
13

11 Hokku kuoflinkedverse, *, are the first are haikuof which, when existingseparately,

NKBT 66, p. 364.

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52

XXVI, I-2 Monumenta Nipponica,

must inwords. puttheperception ForKyorai, theMaster's emphasis is on content: the notfall poemmust intointellectualizing; it must havethegenuine elements characteristicofthehaikai. For Boncho theemphasis is on structure: pliancy implies flexibility, is notonly itsfirst which butalsotheideaofseveral meaning, levels ofmeaning achieved ofwording. Thereis alsoa matter byambiguity ofcontent here, orperhaps diction, for thewordfor'pliancy'-shiori-also sadness. suggests Finally, the pointis madethat areturned outquickly hokku while when bytheskilful infact, inspired, they are, composed in accordance withprinciples. Suchcomposition, is it suggested, is essential to their truth. is alsofrom The nextselection thevolume as Criticisms Kyorai, known bythe Former Master14 (thatis, Basho). ni When onelies 7idaraku Nereba suzushiki Sloppy, clothes loosened, kana. Cool evening! Lube wasbeing tohaveoneofhispoems When Saruminol5 compiled, Soji,asking putin, cameand recited several but nonecouldbe accepted. poems, One evening the make Master Former comfortable. I'll liedown, too.'On said,'Wellnow, yourself thisSoji said,'Pleaseallowme.WhenI relax withclothes loose,I'm cool.' The Former Master andhaving madethepoemabove,he said, said,'This is a bokku,' 'Putit in thecollection.'6 CKyoraisbJ: Sensbibyo) is illustrative oftheideaoftruth This little or genuineness in hokku. We may episode which that wouldnotaccept wereobviously guess Soji'spoems Basho he had contrived; ofperception northetalent to transform thegift it intowords. neither Butsuddenly, a perception, he reveals a fewsyllabic for is a by accident, which, except adjustments, Bash6immediately hokku. elseis known, recognizes it,and S6ji,17aboutwhom nothing Another is memorialized. aspectof haikai pointed up againhereis thevalue givento offeeling, ofexpression without tothetraditional genuineness conventions regard poetic the'serious' ofearlier ofdiction which regulated periods. poetry is from thesamesource as theprevious selection The final one. therock-heads Iwabanaya Among nimo bitori Herealsoa lonechanter Koko nokyaku Guestofthemoon[Kyorai]. Tsuki Master wentto thecapital, WhentheFormer saidto him, 'Shadaspoke Kyorai beneath themoon", thispoemas "monkey butI said"guest"was better. How did I do?' The Former Master is it to say"monkey?" said,'Whatsortofthing
and Boncho,is dated I69I. Senshiby5 7X$G 16 NKBT 66, p. 38. in six M , a collectionof haiku Sarumino 17 ,--; volumes and two books compiled by Kyorai
14 15

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W I L SO N,

'Truthofhaikai'

53

said,'As I was ofwhenyoumadethispoem?'Kyorai Whatwereyou thinking I saw a bright under moon, reciting poetry wilderness abouta mountain walking Master The Former said,'When and also a lonepoetchanting.' therock-heads is this how graceful guestofthemoon," one putsit "Here also a lonechanter, poem.I toovalue One couldonlymakeit a self-revealing ofoneself! revelation Oi no Kobumi.'18 My poetic it intomycollection andwillwrite poemhighly, this at it withthe I looked levels. When bytwoorthree to this wasinferior intention ofa crazed flavor some it also in was there perhaps Master, idea oftheFormer at it as a selfI looked I left, when aboutit after note:on thinking poet.Separate in it,andI up floated delirium a poetic in person ofa a vision poem, disclosing thepoetdid In all truth, design. thanmyfirst better thistentimes considered SenshibyJ9 CKyoraishb: notknowhisownheart.19 ofanimaginary areinterms Allthree inhaikai. totruth approaches Herewe havethree and among rock-pillars, towering ofSunginkpainting: ofpoeticthemes typical scene, Perofa monkey. is that ForShada,thefigure loneinthemoonlight. a tiny figure, them is a saysthefigure a poet.Kyorai represents is a satire:themonkey hapsthepicture moon, a bright under poeticizing inthemountains about waswalking as Kyorai sjkaku;20 in thisword The characters by them. thenthisloneromantic he saw therock-heads, onewho designates thecompound although or noisyguest', mean'boisterous literally of however, overtones, a poet.It hasadditional and graceful, to theelegant is addicted verses. outhis singing at a party, as a guest intoxicated intheactofpoetry, sucha person perceives heinstantly is host. themoon Bashahasaninsight: Hereheis theonlyguest, ofthe ofthegenuineness He valuesthepoembecause himself is describing that Kyorai himself a picture-he describing objectively than more doing wasactually vision. Kyorai Bashohad to Although withpoetry. delirious in thedream-landscape, was thefigure withthe identification layin Kyorai's oftheperception thetruth thisoutto him, point ofthemoon. madinpraise poet, ofabstracin terms mind aboutthehuman is a system ofgeneralizations Philosophy philosophic a into generalized beintellectually cannot intheuniverse Yetman's life tions. as himself oftheuniverse, areman'sperceptions Haikai changing. is always system-it concrete one presents Each perception ofthisrelationship. partofit, and all aspects ofimage interms generalization, an unknowable is concrete-within possibility-reality ambiguous. is also butlife be ambiguous, it,itmay exist within Others may ormetaphor. and hisplacein it,he can aboutnature truth knowtheultimate Thoughmancannot in haikai. these andembody ofit in tranquillity, aspects perceive

, evidently a collection ofsuperior 19 NKBT 66, p. )j X>A poemsplanned,but never completed;differentOp. Cit. p. 455. 20O ofthe same title. a travelhaibun from 18

3 I4.

See also Tsunoda etal.,

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