Sanuki no Suke’s Diary (20)

 

     A messenger was sent to Priest Zoyo, and the 12 long-time ascetics were summoned.  Nothing could be heard but the sounds of prayers.  Fujiwara Shishi wetted her hand and placed water on the Emperor's mouth to offer water to him.  The sight of the Emperor chanting the Nembutsu single-mindedly was truly pitiful.  He occasionally pleaded,

"Amaterasu Omikami, please help me,"

but to no avail, the expression on his face suddenly changed.

     Sojo did not arrive immediately.  He finally arrived after some time.  I usually sat apart when he came, but now, in what sanity could I have felt embarrassed?  We were all gathered in one place: Sojo, Shishi, Fujiwara Ieko, the Emperor, and myself.

     Zoyo raised his voice at the top of his lungs, so that as if black smoke was rising from his head, and without even opening his eyes, he concentrated on his prayers, resenting and begging the Buddha.  It was truly reassuring to see him pray.  Even a humble monk could be reassuring when we are ill.  Especially when such a virtuous person pours his heart and soul into them!

     "I have served the Buddha for over sixty years, and Buddhism has not yet perished.  Please heal the Emperor's eyes as soon as possible."

     "Hurry, hurry," he urged, as if to say to someone, but it was no use.  The Emperor continued chanting the Nembutsu as long as he could move his mouth, but eventually he stopped moving.  The Chancellor realized this and said, "Well then, I will now report this to the Cloistered Emperor Shirakawa," and called the Minister of Civil Affairs, Minamoto Toshiaki (1044-1114), over.  The Chancellor pushed aside the blinds and whispered to the minister what his orders would be, at which point the minister stood up from his seat.  Minamoto Masazane came to the Emperor's side and said,

"There is nothing we can do now," and turned the Emperor's head to face north, picked him up, and laid him down.

     The ministers all stood up.  Zoyo still sat near the Emperor’s body and quietly made prayers to the Emperor’s spirit, who was leaving his body.