Foreign Article
The Diary of Lady Sarashina
A Jungian Approach to Japanese Classic Literature
2016 Volume 29 Issue 2 Pages 87-95
Details
2016 Volume 29 Issue 2 Pages 87-95
Lady Sarashina is a Japanese lady who lived 1000 years ago in the Heian Period. Her diary, called the Sarashina Nikki (Sarashina Diary or Diary of Lady Sarashina), contains a series of dreams which, when viewed from Jungian psychology, give an interesting account of the author’s individuation process. In the last dream recorded in the diary, which she had at the age of 47, Amitahba Buddha visits Lady Sarashina and assures that He shall return to fetch her to the Pure Land. This is exactly as prophesied in her initial dream she had at the age of 14. Psychologically speaking, the diary shows the importance of paying attention to one’s dreams as message from the unconscious. It is also important for us to respond actively to dream messages.
