Sanuki no Suke’s Daiary (18)

 

     In the meantime, I received word from my sister, Fujiwara Kensi.  She heard that the Emperor had fallen critically ill.  She sent a maid to inquire about the details.

     "Even if you thought it's ominous for me to visit the Imperial Palace while I'm ill, I would like to come to the Imperial Palace and inquire about his condition even in my office.  I'd be worried if I stayed outside the palace."

     Then, Fujiwara Ieko sent me a message, "The Emperor is in great pain.  Please come back to his bedroom."

     So, I went in with the messenger.

     I saw that Ieko took the Emperor's back, and that Fujiwara Shishi was still groveling beside him, as before.  I knelt at his feet, and Ieko said,

"I called you here because the Emperor is in great pain.  Please hold his legs."

So I held them firmly.  She wiped the sweat from his face.

     Shishi said,

"You're here and the Emperor’s condition is stabilized like this.  I have something I would like to take care of.  I will go and do it."

     "Please, stay by his side," she said, and I groveled down beside him.

     After a while, as usual, the Emperor called Acharya Jokai over to the side of the folding screen and asked him to "recite Lotus Sutra Chapter 25: The Universal Gateway Or The Universal Door of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva for me," and Jokai recited with great dignity.  I wondered what the Emperor meant, but

"Recite the verse at the end of the chapter again," he ordered.  I thought he must have had some idea in mind, but I didn’t know what it was like.