The Great Bodhisattva Pass, Book 23: Another Life

Beneath a sky full of stars, Shigetarō sings while Benshin hears sorrow in the voices of insects. Lady Ogin’s arrival brings a different disturbance: jealous questions, a remembered sword, and a name that changes Utsugi Hyōma’s plans. The two set out together, united in their destination but divided in desire.

Komai’s sea journey leads to an unexpected meeting with a wandering painter. Discussions of art, faith, nature, education, and the changing world unfold amid encounters both comic and dangerous. Travelers seek shelter and knowledge, while attachment continues to shape their choices.

This complete English translation preserves all thirty-three sections of the twenty-third book of Nakazato Kaizan’s epic. Its full songs and poems, extended philosophical dialogue, historical digressions, and intimate scenes remain intact. Another Life carries the Buddhist resonance of another existence, alongside the possibilities and burdens brought by each new meeting.