time beings

In the book ‘Tale for the Time Being’ [link], a 100-year-old Zen master says:

    “For the time being
       ...words scatter
     are they fallen leaves?”

In the Shōbōgenzō [link], Dōgen Zenji says:

   “We are all time beings
     existing as passing moments in time .”

So, I guess to answer the Zen masters question: Yes, words are like fallen leaves because once spoken, they quickly pass and exist only as prior moments of time. ..transient as falling leaves. Another way to answer, I suppose, is by not answering at all ..in observance of the insubstantial nature of words.