Gionshōja no kane no koe, Shogyōmujō no hibiki ari. Sarasōju no hana no iro, Jōshahissui no kotowari wo arawasu. Ogoreru mono mo hisashikarazu, tada haru no yo no yume no gotoshi. Takeki mono mo tsui ni wa horobin(u), hitoeni kaze no mae no chiri ni onaji.
The sound of the Gion Shōja bells echoes the impermanence of all things; the color of the sāla 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.
The Tale of Heike Chapter 1.1, Helen Craig McCullough’s translation
The Tale of Heike, also known as the Heike Monogatari, is a remarkable Japanese literary work that vividly recounts the rise and fall of the Taira clan during the late 12th century, offering a glimpse into one of the most crucial periods in Japanese history that resulted in the first-ever bushi-led ruling of the country.
The tale is still widely known and taught at schools because of its message- impermanence of worldly achievements and the cycles of life and death.The story serves as a poignant reminder that nothing stays the same and that all beginnings inevitably (and must) lead to endings.
I believe that the concept of impermanence explored in the Tale of Heike holds significant relevance in our modern times. Change is inevitable and often times beyond our control. There is, therefore, little point in discussing how not to change- instead, our question should always be: how can we change for the better?
