夢幻泡影むげんほうよう

noun

transience of life; ephemeral nature of all things

A yojijukugo from the Diamond Sutra, using the metaphors of dream, illusion, bubble, and shadow to express the fleeting, insubstantial nature of existence. Used in literary, philosophical, or Buddhist contexts.

• 人じん生せいは夢む幻げん泡影ほうようのようなものだと、彼かれは悟さとった。

  He realized that life is like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, and a shadow.