If you're sitting in a Zen sesshin, this is the last thing you'll hear at night. Someone, usually the Ino or Jikido yells it from outside the zendo.

Harken to me everyone!
life and death are serious matters.
all things pass quickly away.
Each of you must be completely alert;
never indulgent, never neglectful.

The Daiji no ge (Verse of the Great Matter of Birth and Death) chanted at Zen sesshin can more closely to the original be translated as:

The Great Matter is Birth and Death.
Life slips past
and time is gone.
Right now:
Wake up! Wake up!
Do not waste time.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.