Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in A Tale for the Time Being, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Time, Impermanence, and the Present
The Difficulty of Communication
Life vs. Death
Coincidences and Connections
Sexual Perversion and Violence
Summary
Analysis
Ruth writes that the name of Jiko’s temple was Jigenji, and the name of the mountain it was on was Hiyuzan. Long ago, ancient Zen masters would retreat to meditate atop uninhabited mountains, away from the distractions of towns and cities. After word of their accomplishments spread, disciples would climb these mountains and seek out the masters, and slowly, temples and communities were built around them. This is why ancient temples always include the name of the mountain they are built on. Temples that are built in cities like Tokyo also adopted mountain names, even though they aren’t really built on a mountain.
Ruth explains the ancient tradition of how Zen temples came to be named after mountains, a quaint tradition connects Buddhist practitioners to ancient times. By keeping this tradition alive, Zen masters pay respect to the passage of time and memorialize the ways of the past.
Themes
