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Sunday, July 24, 2005

Your GranMa bullied me too

swatting a fly


David English
swatting a fly but hitting the Buddha

-Issa, 1808
46 years old, Last year end, he returned to home village for father's asset negotiation. On June he has been in Kashihabara again, attended to Grand mother's 33 th Buddha ceremony.
On November he settled the negotiation with his half brother. On December, he returned to Edo.

sakuo Japanese
蝿叩く しかし叩いた 仏かな
haetataki sikasi tataita hotoke kana

Issa Original
蠅打に敲かれ玉ふ仏哉 一茶
hae uchi ni tatakare tamau hotoke kana.

sakuo remark
This happened at the night of grand mother’s Buddha celemony
There attended Issa, his mother in law, half brothers and others.
They were in the struggle of father’s asset.
His mother in law cried to Issa.
You said I always bullied you, but Your Grandma always was
cruel to me!
And she hit a fly just like hitting Grandma, who has become Buddha

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