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Accept your sentence with gratitude!

      Seishin (humbly): I was told that when an only son takes the tonsure, nine generations of his family are born in heaven. I shaved off my hair in order to pray for the repose of the souls of my parents, and under the tutelage of my master Kyōzen, prayed diligently day and night for the past twenty-five years. But I was still unable to free myself from the wheel of transmigration in this world, strayed into carnal ways, and now receive sentence from on high. From this moment on I will revert to my original pure heart, for my heart has awakened to the truth for the first time. For the mercy by which a heavy sentence has been commuted to an order of exile, I am extremely grateful.

      He bows.

      TŌjŪrŌ: Untie him.

      Policemen: Aye!

      They free Seishin.

      TŌjŪrŌ (gently): Now, then, that completes my official business. I received instructions from old Kyōzen at Paradise Temple in reading Buddhist texts by rote. I am therefore as good as a fellow disciple of yours, and I do not consider you a stranger. But the facts are that a thief entered Paradise Temple a while back, stole the 3000 gold pieces offered to the temple by Lord Yoritomo, and we do not know the whereabouts of this thief. Suspicion fell upon you, and we once interrogated you. But your protestations of innocence held up, and you are being exiled specifically on the crime of having broken your vow of chastity. Your old master always praised you for your talents and intelligence. His teachings of twenty-five years have come to nothing. He must be sorely disappointed. Since you are still young, mend your ways, train yourself further, and wipe away this disgrace to your old teacher. Unless you do this, you will not be called a true priest.

      Seishin (touched): I am grateful to you for your kind advice. For the present I will quit this locality. To regain my status as priest I will cheerfully reside in any rude temple and undergo training. Then I will see you again.

      TŌjŪrŌ: Then I will petition on high for the commutation of your sentence of exile from Kamakura, and we will happily meet again.

      Seishin: Until then, may you be in good health.

      TŌjŪrŌ: I hope you will concentrate on your training.

      Seishin: Thank you.

      TŌjŪrŌ: As my official duties are now done with, I will report to my superiors about this matter.

      He rises.

      Seishin: Goodbye, Terasawa.

      TŌjŪrŌ: Seishin, you must not linger.

      Seishin: Aye!

      He bows.

      TŌjŪrŌ: Attendants, come!

      The hour-drum tattoo is played, and TŌjŪrŌ leads his entourage down the runway. There is a commotion, and Sagobei and KyŌgetsu run in from stage right.

      Sagobei (joyfully): Seishin, you are alive and well!

      Sagobei and KyŌgetsu: Our felicitations!

      They embrace Seishin.

      Seishin: Oh! You surprised me. You are Izayoi's father and KyŌgetsu the acolyte. I am grateful to you for coming to see me.

      Melancholy music is played offstage. Seishin looks at the two with a happy expression. Sagobei, looking at Seishin's haggard form, weeps, wiping away the tears with a towel.

      Sagobei (weeping): Ah! You have become so thin in the short time that you were away in prison. They have reason to call prison a hell on earth. The more I think about it the more pity I feel for you. It is my daughter who is wholly responsible for your present situation. I know very well that love is beyond our control, but the reason for your exile is Izayoi. This I cannot atone for. Please forgive me.

      He presses his hands together in supplication.

      Seishin (embarrassed): Ah! When you tell me that, I am out of countenance before you. What blame is there on Izayoi? I suffered the humiliation of arrest only because I gave in to passions forbidden to a priest. I have nobody to blame. This was all due to the inclinations of this stupid priest. Truly, this is the punishment of the Buddha. On no account must you trouble your heart about it.

      Sagobei: But to become like this—a shadow of your former self. . . .

      Seishin: Ah, don't bring up the past. Nothing will undo that now.

      He pats KyŌgetsu on the head.

      Seishin (touched): I am glad you came to see me.

      KyŌgetsu: I learned today that you were going to be exiled to a distant place. I was not sure whether I would ever see you again. As this may be the last time, I came to thank you for having taught me the sutras.

      Seishin: That was very commendable of you. I am grateful that you came to see me. You were under my tutelage barely a year. There are those whom I taught longer. But how fickle people are. When one falls on evil days no one comes near you. Only you have come. I am very happy.

      Sagobei: Oh, KyŌgetsu is wiser than his years. Since yesterday he has been after me with, "Sagobei, if you are going, take me with you." From early this morning he kept saying, "Come, let us go! Aren't you ready yet?" He dragged me after him.

      KyŌgetsu then takes the paper-wrapped offerings from under his collar.

      KyŌgetsu: This is not much, but I saved it from the offerings given to me at funerals and memorial services. I would like to give it to you for spending money. Please use it.

      He holds the packet out. Seishin is touched.

      Seishin: My heart is full of gratitude. You are barely eleven years old. Yet you would give me those offerings because in your tender heart you thought I would have a difficult time of it in exile. I am grateful to you.

      He reverently lifts the packet to his forehead.

      Seishin: I will accept your word for the deed. There are a number of senior disciples who are now heads of temples. If I seek them out along the way and travel on their charity, I will not need your offerings. Take them home with you.

      KyŌgetsu: No, no. I saved them expressly for you. Please take them.

      Seishin: Your words are sufficient. Take these home with you and buy yourself the books you like or something else.

      KyŌgetsu: No, no. You cannot make me take them back.

      Seishin: But I am unworthy of these offerings.

      The two push the offerings back and forth. Sagobei breaks in.

      Sagobei: Oh, come, come, Seishin. He does this out of concern for your welfare. Why don't you condescend to accept his kindness? After all, no matter how much you insist, he will not take them back.

      Seishin: Then I will accept your kindness.

      KyŌgetsu (pleased) You will?

      Seishin: With gratitude.

      KyŌgetsu: Ah, thank you!

      Seishin slips the packet under his collar.

      Seishin: Sagobei, look at KyŌgetsu. He is mature for one so young. The boy makes me think of my own youth. I was born the son of a fisherman in the outskirts of Funabashi in Shimōfusa. My only brother was kidnaped when he was ten and we never found him. Worried sick over him, both my parents died miserably. I was without anyone to look after me. To pray for the repose of their souls I became a disciple at Paradise Temple. My master there used to say I would make a fine priest. Look at me now. KyŌgetsu, you were born with a fine mind. When you grow up, devote yourself wholeheartedly to the way of the Buddha, and do not stray into evil ways. Don't compound evil deeds by thinking that the first time no one will know, and the second time will not matter. They will not be overlooked by the Buddha or the bodhisattvas. Sentence from above awaits you in the end. You will heap disgrace upon the teacher to whom you owe a debt of obligation, and your punishment will be exile. All the diligent training will come to nothing in a twinkling. One error will undo the careful work of years. I am a good example

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