Selections - Senjyusho

A collection of Buddhist tales from the Kamakura period. Nine volumes. Author unknown. Probably written around the middle of the 13th century. The preface states that it was written in 1183 at Zentsuji Temple in Sanuki Province, and there are also scenes in the work where the narrator introduces himself as Saigyo, so it has long been thought to be the work of Saigyo himself, but it is clear that it is an imitation. The contents are written in the form of a record of the images of the ideal "purified-hearted" recluses that Saigyo saw and heard on his pilgrimage around the country, with his impressions, criticism, lessons, etc. The characters who appear as ideal hermits include famous figures such as Genpin and Masuga, as well as famous and unknown monks such as Gyoga, Shinyo, Eigen, Shinhan, and Kakuei, government officials, samurai, and courtesans from various classes, but most of them seem to be fictional tales that have been expanded on some kind of traditional tradition. Along with "Kankyo no tomo" (possibly written by the monk Keisei Shonin), which had a major influence on this book, it not only provides a clue to the state of the hermitage ideology of the mid-Kamakura period, but also had a major influence on later generations in shaping the image of the wandering poet Saigyo.

[Takayuki Kojima]

"Senshu-sho, edited by Koichi Nishio (Iwanami Bunko)" ▽ "Senshu-sho, edited by Takako Yasuda et al., revised edition (1979, Kasama Shoin)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鎌倉時代の仏教説話集。九巻。著者未詳。13世紀なかばころの成立か。序文には、寿永(じゅえい)2年（1183）讃岐(さぬき)国善通寺で記したと書いてあり、作中に語り手が自ら西行(さいぎょう)と名のる場面などもあって、古くから西行の自作と考えられてきたが、仮託であることは明らか。内容は、西行が諸国行脚(あんぎゃ)の途上に見聞した「心澄む」理想の遁世(とんせい)者たちのおもかげを書き留め、感想、批評、教訓などを付したという体裁をとる。理想の遁世者として登場する人物は、玄賓(げんぴん)、増賀をはじめとする著名な人物や、行賀(ぎょうが)、真誉、永玄、真範、覚英などといった有名無名の僧侶(そうりょ)や官人、武士、遊女などで、種々の階層にわたるが、大部分は、なんらかの伝承を核にして話を膨らませた創作説話であると思われる。本書に大きな影響を与えた『閑居友(かんきょのとも)』（慶政上人(けいせいしょうにん)著か）とともに、鎌倉中期遁世思想のあり方を知る手掛りとなるほか、漂泊の歌人西行のイメージを形成するうえで後代に与えた影響は大きい。

［小島孝之］

『西尾光一校注『撰集抄』（岩波文庫）』▽『安田孝子他編『撰集抄　校本篇』（1979・笠間書院）』

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