Episode 6: What does impermanence mean?
classical original text
Jetavana TempleThe sound of the bells,
ImmoralityIt has a ring to it.
Sara SojuThe color of the flowers,
盛者必衰This explains the truth.
The pride of the man comes before a fall, like a dream on a spring night.
-"The Tale of the Heike"
Modern Japanese translation (for elementary school students)
Jetavana TempleThe sound of the bell conveys the idea that everything in this world is constantly changing.impermanence" has a ring to it.
Sara SojuThe whiteness of the flowers shows that no matter how prosperous something is, it will eventually perish.
Arrogant people do not last long, and their pride is as fleeting as a dream seen on a spring night.
Commentary for children
"平家物語" is a story from about 800 years ago.Kamakura PeriodIt is a story that is said to have been written in
This is a story about the battle between the two great warrior clans, the Taira and the Minamoto clan, that took place at the end of the Heian period. The Taira clan won the battle once, took control of the country, and lived a luxurious life, but later lost to the Taira clan.Minamoto no YoritomoThe story depicts the group's destruction by the Genji clan, led by the leader.
The Taira clan initially won and took control of the country, but were later defeated by the Minamoto clan led by Minamoto no Yoritomo.
This opening sentence contains several difficult four-character idioms.
"Jetavana TempleIsName of a temple in Indiaso,"Sara SojuIsThe tree that was nearby when Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, passed away.
"Immorality” means “Everything changes and nothing stays the same forever"is what it means.
Also"盛者必衰” means “No matter how strong and prosperous a person is, they will eventually lose their power."is what it means.
These two phrases, "impermanence of all things" and "all that prospers must decline," are important ideas that run throughout The Tale of the Heike.
The Taira clan was so strong that they took control of the country, but their power did not last forever and they eventually fell apart.
Through this story, people were able to understand that "nothing lasts forever" and "life is fleeting."
Explanation for parents and grandparents
The Tale of the Heike is a military tale that is said to have been written in the mid-Kamakura period.The story unfolds from Kiyomori's glory as he rises to the pinnacle of political power to his downfall in battle with the Minamoto clan led by Minamoto no Yoritomo and Yoshitsune. The story is told with a focus on compassion for the Taira clan, who are on the downfall, rather than for the victorious Genji. The author is unknown, but the story spread to many people when a biwa hoshi (biwa player) recited the story while playing the biwa. The opening sentence of the story expresses the idea of impermanence. Impermanence is a Buddhist concept that means that all things (all things) do not last forever and are subject to change (impermanence).
The book also features difficult phrases such as "impermanence of all things" and "all that prospers must decline," but when you read it out loud, it's surprisingly easy to read aloud, and the phrases have a pleasant rhythm.This is probably because The Tale of the Heike was passed down orally to people as a recital performed by biwa hoshi (biwa priests). We can see that four-character idioms are used not only in the preface to The Tale of the Heike, but also in the main text. Four-character idioms not only have meanings, but some are easy to recite and have a cool sound when spoken aloud.
It would be interesting to discuss which four-character idioms have meanings that you like or think are cool. It would also be good to discuss impermanence, whether there are things around you or experiences you have had that make you think, "Nothing lasts forever."
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Article Author
Kazuki Nagao (Kazuki Nagao)
Accompany LLC Representative
He has been teaching Japanese to elementary, middle and high school students for over 15 years. He believes that reading comprehension is the foundation of all subjects, and practices a variety of teaching methods from group classes to individual tutoring, providing instruction according to the student's level of comprehension. He is well-known for his instruction that fosters the habit of "thinking things through and deriving answers on one's own" by asking questions and repeating dialogue that incorporates knowledge of neuroscience.
