俳句…と聞けば、松尾芭蕉が有名ですね。彼は俳句の基礎を作り、旅をしながら自分の感動を芸術的に表現しようと探究を重ねました。多くの代表句の中から『奥の細道』に収録されている夏の作品を一つ紹介しましょう。
閑（しづ）かさや岩にしみ入（い）る蝉の声 松尾芭蕉
「しずか」とは音のしない状態を表わし、一般的には「静」の漢字を使います。ただ「静」の文字は「音や動きがなく、しずまりかえった様子」を意味するのに対し、この句に使われている「閑」には「のんびり、ゆったりとしてしずかに落ち着いている様子」という意味があります。ちなみに当時は、現代とは異なる仮名遣いをしていたため「閑」のフリガナは「づ」と書きますが、発音は「ず」で構いません。
さて、蝉が鳴いています。その声は、まるで周囲の岩にしみ込んでいくようだった、と表現されています。
この句は山形県にある立石寺（りゅうしゃくじ）という山寺で作られました。ここは多くの人が仏教の修行のために訪れる寺で、山道は険しく岩はごつごつしていたとか。芭蕉もそんな険しい道を汗を拭きながら登ったのでしょう。道中、聞こえてくるのは蝉の鳴き声だけ。ふと足を止め、ゆったりした時間の中で蝉の声に耳を傾けたのかもしれません。
名句と言われるこの作品も、実は三回も書き直されたそうです。1689年、彼が四十六歳の頃の作品です。
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In the world of haiku, Matsuo Basho is very famous figure. He created the foundations of haiku, and researched this form of expression by artistically recording his impressions from his travels. This haiku from the representative collection “The Narrow Road to the Interior” is a work about summertime:
How still it is here – stinging into the stones, the locusts’ trill
By Matsuo Basho
The word “Shizuka” in Japanese expresses a state without sound which in most cases is written using the kanji character “静.” But, while this character expresses “a quieted state without sound or motion,” the character used in this haiku “閑” (also read Shizuka) expresses “a languid, relaxed state of quiet calm.” And by the way, since kana was used in a different way during the period when this haiku was written, the reading of “閑” is written as “shidzuka” (しづか) but can be pronounced “shizuka” (しずか.)
Then, there is mention of ‘the locusts’ trill.’ Basho says that it is as if the insects’ voices seep into the stones all round them.
This haiku was created at Ryushakuji Temple in Yamagata prefecture. It is said that many have traversed the rugged and rocky mountain trails of the temple to study the teachings of Buddha there. Basho probably climbed the same treacherous paths himself, wiping the sweat from his brow as he walked. Along these paths the cries of locusts are the only thing one hears. He may have stopped for a moment of calm and listened to them.
But even this famous haiku is said to have been re-written 3 times. The work was written in 1689, when the author was about 46 years old.
