Symbols & Motifs
Pond
The old pond symbolizes ancient knowledge and reverence. Most scholars interpret the old pond as a symbol for the mind. The interpretation of the pond as a hallowed vessel aligns with the influence of Zen Buddhism and nature in Bashō’s work, where motifs like stillness and movement and meditation offer deeper meanings to the surface text.
Frog
The frog symbolizes the energy and newness of spring. When it makes a splashing sound, both the frog and the accompanying splash represent a thought causing ripples in the mind—an action mirroring the frog’s body causing ripples in the pond. The frog’s splash also symbolizes perception; Bashō differently perceived the frog when choosing to focus on its splash instead of its croak, and the frog itself allows Bashō to perceive nature in a whole new light.
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