Atsumori Commentary

Ian Decker
Ms. Peifer
10 IB/ Per. 5
5/2/09

Lines used: 101- 116

Chorus: "Oh, reject me not!

One cry suffices for salvation,

Yet day and night

Your prayers will rise for me.

Happy am I , for though you know not my name,

Yet for my soul's deliverance

At dawn and dusk hence forward I know that you will pray"

So he spoke. Then vanished and was seen no more.

Priest: Since this is so, I will perform all night the rites of
prayer for the dead, and calling upon Amida's

name will pray again for the salvation of Atsumori.

Atsumori: Would you know who I am

That like the watchmen at Suma Pass

Have wakened at the cry of sea birds roaming

Upon Awaji shore?

Listen, Rensei. I am Atsumori.

The point of Seami Motokiyo's Atsumori is to show that through the peace of Buddhism, even the greatest of enemies can come to terms of peace. Key aspects that Motokiyo uses to show his point are introduced in lines 101 through 116. In this passage, Rensei promises to pray for the salvation of a wandering Shade who is of Atsumori's bloodline. The shade, in turn is thankful towards Rensei for this merciful deed, and in the end, reveals his identity as Atsumori in order to let Rensei know the extent to which his desire to save Atsumori is fulfilled.
The beginning of the passage starts with The Shade's response to Rensei praying the Namu Amidabu, the Japanese branch of Buddhism's prayer of salvation. Towards the end of this response, The Shade makes it a point to thank Rensei, "Happy am I... [that] for my soul's deliverance... you will pray" (Motokiyo. Trans. Arthur Waley. Atsumori, lines 105-107). This is significant because, as the reader discovers towards the beginning of the story, it was Rensei (the monk) himself who slew Atsumori. The Shade (Atsumori) knows this and still is thankful towards the man who put him into his current state.
Once again, the reason that the Shade is thankful is because Rensei prayed for him the prayer of salvation, "[I] will pray again for the salvation of Atsumori" (Motokiyo. Trans. Arthur Waley. Atsumori, line 111). The fact that he is praying the prayer of salvation is significant because it shows that Rensei is remorseful about what he did. This willingness to try and ease his enemy's pain shows that he is trying to make up for what he's done and is trying to establish a peace between himself and his enemy.
Lastly, in this passage, The Shade reveals his true identity to be Atsumori himself, "Listen Rensei. I am Atsumori" (Motokiyo. Trans. Arthur Waley. Atsumori, line 116). This is significant because it not only shows Rensei that his wish to honor his fallen adversary has been granted, but it also shows that Atsumori has gained enough respect for Rensei that he feels that he needs to reveal his identity to Rensei when he could have stayed anonymous. Mutual feelings of respect is another step towards peace with one's enemies that Motokiyo gladly shows.
The play Atsumori by Seami Motokiyo is a Noh play with a purpose. It uses the story of two soldiers, one living and the other dead, to prove to its reader that through embracing the teachings of the Buddhism faith, even the greatest quarrels can be resolved peacefully. The Lines 101-116 play a key role in getting this point across. They show 3 critical steps that the characters take towards a peaceful resolution. They have the living soldier praying for the redemption of his fallen brother-in-arms and how the fallen soldier reacts with thanks and an act of respect towards his living comrade. These elements help to pave the way for a peaceful resolution for all the characters involved.