The Fourth of the 108 Gates Of Dharma Illumination

[Shokai]

Gate Four
This time around we are reviewing the Gates by reading the following, placing it in our heart and sleeping on it. Then, tomorrow, live and practice it until evening when we leave a brief comment on what insights or revelations we may have received during the process.

Love and cheerfulness are a gate of Dharma-illumination; for they make the mind pure.


Blue Cliff Record, #74:
At each meal, Master Jinniu himself would bring the rice bucket to the front of the Zen hall, dance there and laugh loudly, saying, "Dear Bodhisattvas, come and eat rice!"

Tenkei's [1648-1735] comment: "... Jinniu had no choice but to dance and laugh for twenty years and tell people not to eat rice through their noses, showing them what they already knew. It's a celebration to let you know the way to eat with your mouth."

When we are happy and loving, we can meet life with open arms. We are all aware of the power of love. We've all received the nuturing of our mother's love and if you've been fortunate enough, you have experienced the transmission of energy, both sending and reciving during our Metta practice. What you are to do now is research into laughter and cheerfulness and report back tomorrow with a reference to a koan or Zen story which collaborates with this Dharma gate.

One poetic response to this question was:

Love and cheerfulness
Shine brightly
Loosening shackles of self


p.s. a big Happy Christmas to all

stlah

[Jishin]

Gassho, Jishin, ST, LAH

[Shokai]

Lovely !!

[Kaitan]

Some days I get the feeling that in the background of all reality there's such an immesurable laughter that our little minds can't comprehend.

Gasshō

stlah, Bernal

[Risho]

Everyday is a good day - Yunmen

gassho

risho
-stlah

[Tom A.]

It can often be courageous to let cheerfulness and love shine in this often painful samsaric world.

Gassho,
Tom

Satlah


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[Shokai]

It can often be courageous to let cheerfulness and love shine in this often painful samsaric world.

[Nengei]

If we can find love and cheerfulness to give to others, and ourselves, we are going a great distance in fulfilling our vows.

Gassho,
Nengei
Sat today. LAH.

[Tai Do]

Laugh and joyful dance like that of Master Jinniu are the expression of the Dharma Gate of Joyful Ease that master Dōgen teaches. How easy it is for us to forget this aspect of practice: I noticed today in me a tendency towards seriousness and even a bit of melancholy in practice; remembering master Jinniu worked as a remedy for this. After all, joy is also à Brahmavihara together with metta and compassion.
Gassho,
Tai Do
Satlah

[Tairin]

When I am feeling a little down or lost in the story of Me i often find I am just head down (literally) looking at the ground. If I can catch myself all I need to do is look up and look out and see the wonder of this world.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Seikan]

no room for frown lines
to take root
on a smiling face


Gassho,
Seikan

-stlah-

[Koriki]

This reminds me of something I discovered quite by accident. I liked to joke around a bit as a helping person and found that after a patient and I and were laughing that the very next moment I ask could the most difficult, awkward, and most personal questions I had. Defenses seemed to have dropped, we were present, and we could be real. It was remarkable and somewhat paradoxical. Not sure it relates, but it came to mind.

Gassho,
Koriki

s@lah

[Risho]

no room for frown lines
to take root
on a smiling face


Gassho,
Seikan

-stlah-

I love it!



rish
-stlah

[Doshin]

A couple of sayings I have heard. “When you smile the whole world smiles with you” and “when you look for joy you will find it”. When I went to a talk by the Dalai Lama his laughter was infectious and cleared my mind of burdens for a short joyous time.

Doshin
stlah