Hōjōki: Visions of a Torn World

Chōmei’s “Hōjōki” is a reflective essay that emphasizes the inevitability of impermanence through chronicling a series of tragedies and celebrates isolation in accordance with Buddhist teachings of detachment.

Chōmei organizes “Hōjōki” chronologically with an emphasis on the contrast between city life and seclusion. The first half of “Hōjōki” introduces the theme Perceptions of Suffering as Chōmei lists tragedy after tragedy, which he then uses to show his Appreciation of Impermanence. In Buddhism, “dukkha”—often translated as “suffering”—is a quintessential aspect of existence. In other words, suffering is a fact of life: It is one of the fundamental truths of the world and understanding that it will inevitably occur is vital to enlightenment. To prove this point, Chōmei details the fires, typhoons, earthquakes, and civil clashes that occurred one after another throughout his early life. In the wake of these disasters, many people died or lost their homes, which, according to Chōmei, speaks to the necessity of detachment. It is better to understand that nothing will last, he argues, because lingering attachments to transient things will only further the suffering that is already inevitable. Chōmei writes that these disasters taught him to better appreciate the impermanence of all things, which has allowed him to find peace in his sparse, secluded lifestyle.