D X "Like vanishing dew, a passing apparition or the flash of lightning — thus should one look upon the world."X Ikkyu Sojun.

 A

"Like vanishing dew, a passing apparition or the flash of lightning — thus should one look upon the world."

A

The quote you are thinking of is a beautiful, classic Zen death poem (jisei) attributed to the iconoclastic 15th-century Japanese Zen master, Ikkyu Sojun.

Here is the full poem:

"Like vanishing dew, a passing apparition or the flash of lightning — thus should one look upon the world."

The Meaning Behind the Words

Ikkyu was known for his raw, unconventional, and fiercely honest approach to Zen. This poem, written as he neared the end of his life, echoes the core Buddhist teachings on impermanence (Anicca).

• The Dew: In Japanese poetry, morning dew is the ultimate symbol of fragility and fleeting life—it appears beautiful for a moment and then evaporates without a trace.

• The Root: This imagery heavily draws from the famous conclusion of the Diamond Sutra, which reminds us that everything in our conditioned reality is fleeting and ultimately empty of a permanent self:

"So shall you think of all this fleeting world: A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream; a flash of lightning in a summer cloud, a flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream."

It’s a gentle but direct reminder from Ikkyu to not cling too tightly to the world, to accept the transience of life, and to find peace in the present moment exactly as it is.