michael lambe's scrapbook

Just time for one last post before the end of the year methinks. There’s a fresh post up on Deep Kyoto of my favorite Irish pub in Kyoto: Gnome. Now for the last message of the year from Hozouji Temple:

It reads: 反省と感謝でおくる除夜の鐘

反省　- hansei = self-reflection
感謝 – kansha = thanks
おくる – okuru = send or give?
除夜 – jyoya = the watch night on New Year’s Eve
鐘 – kane = bell

As the old year gives way to the new in Japan, temple bells throughout the country are rung exactly 108 times. In Buddhist tradition this is the number of earthly desires. As the bell peals we are released from the regrets of the old year so as to greet the new year afresh. I wonder if the lack of a kanji for the verb おくる is so as to deliberately blur the meaning between sending and bestowing. The night-watch bell sends out the old year and bestows on us the new? Here is a rough idea of what this poem means:

In reflection
and in thanks
send out the old year
with the night-watch bell

That’s all from me in 2008. I had a good year. Lots of nice students and friends and good experiences to give thanks for. Especially I would like to thank Udo Bartsch and Fumi Hirai for giving me the trip of a lifetime in South Africa and I would like to thank M.T. for being my rock. A Happy New Year and see you again in 2009!

Update January 4th: Here’s a note from Masaya on the above:

Happy New Year, Mike.
I just looked at the poem. おくる is tricky.
I think it’s like おくる in 見送る(see somebody off).
When you 見送る, you are there to see other people leaving.
So, おくる is like let someone/something leave/go/pass while you are there to see that happen.
In the poem, it is more like “listening to”.
The poet listened to the bell and thought about the year that was about to end, and his mind was filled with self-reflection and thanks.
除夜の鐘 signifies the end of the year, so it can be that おくる has the idea of seeing off the year.
Does it make sense?
Take care,
Masaya

Actually, I looked a little closer at my dictionary entry for おくる today and lo and behold, when I scrolled down just a little bit further I found that very meaning and an example sentence too: 旧年を送り新年を迎える　～　See the old year out and the new one in!
However, my translation seems to hit the mark anyway, so I think I’ll leave it as it is. Thanks Masaya!