Opening lines of Heike Monogatari (The tale of the Heike (the Taira clan)), 'The sound of the bell of Gion-shoja, rings with the transience of all things, the color of the flowers of paired sal trees, shows the truth that all glories must fade.'
「祇園精舎の鐘の声、諸行無常の響きあり、沙羅双樹の花の色，盛者必衰の理をあらわす」平家物語冒頭