Saturday, April 24, 2010

beautiful when read out aloud


看到被读出来,觉得很美丽的一段。


"祗园精舍の钟の声,诸行无常の响あり;
娑罗双树の花の色,盛者必衰のことわりをあらはす。
奢れる人も久しからず,只春の夜の梦の如し;
猛き者も遂には灭びぬ,偏に风の前の尘に同じ。

祗园精舍之钟声,奏诸行无常之响;
婆椤双树之花色,表盛者必衰之兆。
骄者难久,正如春宵一梦;
猛者遂灭,恰似风前之尘。 "


“The central theme of the story is the Buddhist law of impermanence. The theme of impermanence (mujō) is captured in the famous opening passage:
祇園精舎の鐘の声、諸行無常の響きあり。
娑羅双樹の花の色、盛者必衰の理をあらわす。
おごれる人も久しからず、唯春の夜の夢のごとし。
たけき者も遂にはほろびぬ、偏に風の前の塵に同じ。

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.
-- Chapter 1.1, Helen Craig McCullough's translation“