The blossom that opens in the morning

is scattered by the evening breeze,

and the dew, condensed in hours of darkness

before dawn, is dispelled by the rays of the morning sun.

Heedless or willfully ignorant of this

procession of changes, we dream of prosperity

all through life and, without understanding

the nature of transcience, hope for longevity.

All the while, across the face of the earth

moves the restless wind of impermanence,

dissolving all that it touches.

Honen (  May 13, 1133 - February 29, 1212 )