Fall of the Heike Is a Long

¶ … Fall of the Heike is a long tortuous, complex tale about the travails of the warrior house of the Taira.

The tale, typically Buddhist, features the Buddhist motifs of impermanence and retribution.

The motif of impermanence refers to the aspect of nirvana or change where phenomena is in flux and all is in a state of impermanence constantly changing and going through various forms until it perishes and metamorphoses in a different form. The concept of retribution, on the other hand, is the very simple cause -- and -- effect notion that all deeds have their consequence. One need have no external judge to dole out punishment or reward. The deeds themselves bring their own punishment or reward.

The theme of impermanence may well be the key motif of the book. Its entry is sounded in the first paragraph:

The sound of the Gion Sh-ja bells echoes the impermanence of all things; the color of the s-la flowers reveals the truth that the prosperous must decline. The proud do not endure, they are like a dream on a spring night; the mighty fall at last, they are as dust before the wind. -- Chapter 1.1, Helen Craig McCullough's translation

The story itself is the very epitome of change. The epic recounts the Genpei War (1180-1185)

that was the struggle between the Taira and Minamoto clans for possession of Japan. The Taira had been renowned for their might. Their fall not only celebrates the factor of impermanence but also points to the influence of retribution since this powerful Sumarai clan who had defeated the Minamato in 1161, actually sowed their own defeat with their acts of arrogance and pride. They had conquered the Minamato; now their deeds led to the Minamato defeating them. Both Buddhist motifs of retribution and impermanence are evident here.

The Minamato clan committed various evil deeds. Omens predicting their demise were palpable. One of the wicked deeds was that Kiyomori, avenging the messengers who were killed by the monks of the K-fukuji temple, plunders and destroys the city of Nara burning temples, books, and Buddhist scriptures. This sacrilegious deed was cited as key cause to Kiyomori's downfall. It was an act of retribution that Kiyomori brought on himself. The fact that this was retribution for what he had done can be seen by the manifestation of his death. His body was as hot as hell and invincible to water. His wife dreams that Kiyomori will be taken to Hell for burning Buddhist statues. His future is evidenced in the present where even water sprayed on his body turns into flames. His death (at age 64) is a powerful token of both impermanence and retribution. The powerful had fallen! And far! His fame tuned to smoke; he was cremated, and his retribution was torment in Hell. Kiyomori brought this onto himself; he had burnt the Buddhist icons and script. There is no relic of the famous Sumarai left. His successor failed to defeat Kiso no Yoshinaka, and the consequence was that Kiso no Yoshinaka wins.

Yoshinaka, however, is also arrogant. He insults the courtiers, lacks knowledge of the social norms, and insists on not fitting in. Cause-and-0effect, his arrogance not only distances him from possible supporters, but they make him more vulnerable to the Taira who defeat him. His excesses cause Minamoto no Yoritomo to send his general to put an end to them.

Chapter Ten relates various incidents that point to impermanence: Shigehira, formerly great general of the Taira, becomes a monk. Koremori (grandson of Kiyomori) becomes a monk too after resolutely sacrificing his love. She becomes a nun and dies. Koremori later throws himself into the sea and drowns. The Taira once weak, then powerful, and now in decline end off the chapter by retreating.

The worst of it is later when the once insignificant Minamato clan is in the rise and the once-powerful Taira clan largely commits suicide and is slaughtered at Dan-no-ura. Many of Kiyomori's family are killed, commit suicide, or become slaves.

The Taira, once the most powerful Sumarai kingdom has been punished for their arrogance and heinous deeds. One the rulers of a mighty empire, they are no conquered by those whom they defeated. Retribution has come to them and their powerful family has been almost totally wiped out and otherwise paraded as captives by the Minamato clan. It was their arrogance and evil deeds that resulted in their downfall for they lost the devotion and love of their citizens, became too cocksure of them, and created enemies via their deeds.