色は匂へど 散りぬるを我が世誰ぞ 常ならむ有為の奥山 今日越えて浅き夢見じ 酔ひもせず
As flowers are brilliant but [inevitably] fall,
who could remain constant in our world? [No one could]
Today let us transcend the high mountain of transience,
and there will be no more shallow dreaming, no more drunkenness.
— Kūkai
A beautiful poem.
I thought of posting this and then writing something in addition, but haven’t managed to think of anything useful to supplement this. I am sure it does quite well on its own as well.
[Note: Source for this specific version.]
23-01-2011: Added the Hiragana version:
いろはにほへと
ちりぬるを
わかよたれそ
つねならむ
うゐのおくやま
けふこえて
あさきゆめみし
ゑひもせす
But I like my dreams-and drunkenness!
Hehe. Kukai based this off Buddhist principles, but I generally agree. At least, “shallow dreams”. Give me deeper ones. 🙂