The Sixty-fifth Gate:
Read the following, place it in your heart and sleep on it. Then, tomorrow, live it until evening when you can leave a brief comment on what you may have received during the process.
The power of mindfulness is a gate of Dharma illumination; for [with it] we do not [blindly] go along with others.
A “Dharma Gate” is a teaching or practice that can lead to spiritual growth: some kind of positive outcome in terms of our practice. A way to approach the truth.
Koan:
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness*, as taught by the historical Buddha and ever since, are key things that we should practice being mindful of.
In Soto Zen Buddhism we don't sit with koans as is done in Rinzai tradition. However, it can be very enlightening to sit with a koan once in a while (pun intended)
Eight steps for practicing Zen koans
There’s a tradition of koan study to transform your heart and the way you move in the world. The path is about learning to love this life, the one you have. Then it’s easy to love others, which is the other thing a practice is about.
1. First of all. Don’t try too hard.
2. Show up.
3. Trust what you don’t know.
4. Experiment.
5. The koan can be your friend.
6. Any part of the koan is all of the koan.
7. You don’t need a special state of mind.
8. Have confidence in yourself.
Most note worthy replies:
I am the only one who can sit on my cushion
Not blinded by either
light or darkness,
The Middle Way is clear
When the world grows dark
We follow
The light from within
Notes:
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness are:
gassho, Shokai
stlah
Read the following, place it in your heart and sleep on it. Then, tomorrow, live it until evening when you can leave a brief comment on what you may have received during the process.
The power of mindfulness is a gate of Dharma illumination; for [with it] we do not [blindly] go along with others.
A “Dharma Gate” is a teaching or practice that can lead to spiritual growth: some kind of positive outcome in terms of our practice. A way to approach the truth.
Koan:
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness*, as taught by the historical Buddha and ever since, are key things that we should practice being mindful of.
In Soto Zen Buddhism we don't sit with koans as is done in Rinzai tradition. However, it can be very enlightening to sit with a koan once in a while (pun intended)
Eight steps for practicing Zen koans
There’s a tradition of koan study to transform your heart and the way you move in the world. The path is about learning to love this life, the one you have. Then it’s easy to love others, which is the other thing a practice is about.
1. First of all. Don’t try too hard.
2. Show up.
3. Trust what you don’t know.
4. Experiment.
5. The koan can be your friend.
6. Any part of the koan is all of the koan.
7. You don’t need a special state of mind.
8. Have confidence in yourself.
Most note worthy replies:
I am the only one who can sit on my cushion
Not blinded by either
light or darkness,
The Middle Way is clear
When the world grows dark
We follow
The light from within
Notes:
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness are:
- [our bodies
our feelings
our minds themselves
and phenomena / the world around us]
gassho, Shokai
stlah
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