This haiku by Kobayashi Issa is a profound reflection on the contradiction between the speaker's spiritual devotion and their mundane actions. Here's a breakdown of the analysis:
Spiritual Devotion: The speaker expresses their continuous prayers to Buddha, indicating a deep spiritual connection or religious practice. This line sets the tone for the poem, highlighting a sense of reverence or piety.
Contradiction: Despite their devout prayers, the speaker acknowledges the simultaneous act of killing mosquitoes. This presents a stark contrast between their spiritual aspirations and the mundane, even violent, actions they perform in daily life.
Irony: The juxtaposition of praying to Buddha and killing mosquitoes creates irony. Mosquitoes are commonly seen as pests or nuisances, yet the act of killing them conflicts with the principles of compassion and non-violence often associated with Buddhist teachings.
Human Imperfection: The haiku captures the human condition of imperfection and the struggle to reconcile conflicting aspects of oneself. It suggests that even in moments of devotion or prayer, individuals may still engage in actions that contradict their beliefs or values.
Overall, this haiku invites reflection on the complexities of human nature, the tension between spirituality and practicality, and the constant struggle to align one's actions with their beliefs.
[all the time I pray to Buddha]
by Kobayashi Issa
Translated by Robert Hass
All the time I pray to Buddha
I keep on
killing mosquitoes.
Source: The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho Buson and Issa (The Ecco Press, 1994)
About the author
Kobayashi Issa | Poetry Foundation
About Haiku
Haiku (or hokku) | Poetry Foundation
10 Vivid Haikus to Leave you Breathless - Read Poetry
Haiku | Academy of American Poets
The History and Artistry of Haiku | FSI (stanford.edu)
【活动说明】
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Let's get some learning from the fun and get some fun from the learning!
更多我的博客文章>>> 《游子的云 Wanderer's Clouds》 【Poem Reading Tuesday】all the time I pray to Buddha by Kobayashi 《Dragon 龙》 【Poem Reading Tuesday】I look at the world by Langston Hughes 《Valentine's Day without a Valentine》《没有情人的情人节》
being. However, the author still kills mosquitoes while he is praying. What kind of meaning does the author convey by saying this?
Some people
Do bad things from Monday to Saturday
Go to church to confess on Sunday
有些人
周一到周六做坏事
周日到教堂忏悔
He might pray for the way leads all the killed mosquitoes to heaven :D
ChatGPT Poem Analysis:
This haiku by Kobayashi Issa is a profound reflection on the contradiction between the speaker's spiritual devotion and their mundane actions. Here's a breakdown of the analysis:
Spiritual Devotion: The speaker expresses their continuous prayers to Buddha, indicating a deep spiritual connection or religious practice. This line sets the tone for the poem, highlighting a sense of reverence or piety.
Contradiction: Despite their devout prayers, the speaker acknowledges the simultaneous act of killing mosquitoes. This presents a stark contrast between their spiritual aspirations and the mundane, even violent, actions they perform in daily life.
Irony: The juxtaposition of praying to Buddha and killing mosquitoes creates irony. Mosquitoes are commonly seen as pests or nuisances, yet the act of killing them conflicts with the principles of compassion and non-violence often associated with Buddhist teachings.
Human Imperfection: The haiku captures the human condition of imperfection and the struggle to reconcile conflicting aspects of oneself. It suggests that even in moments of devotion or prayer, individuals may still engage in actions that contradict their beliefs or values.
Overall, this haiku invites reflection on the complexities of human nature, the tension between spirituality and practicality, and the constant struggle to align one's actions with their beliefs.
This is my new Haiku. 读过一个日本养老院发起的Haiku活动。 一个97岁的老头写得一首： 我喜欢比我年龄大的女孩， 但如今， 再也找不到了。