The Forty-ninth of 108 Gates Of Dharma Illumination

[Shokai]

The Forty-ninth Gate: Equality of all elements.

Equality of all elements is a gate of Dharma illumination; for it obviates all rules for harmonious association.(Nishijima/Cross)
A great sense of equality is a gate of realizing Dharma; it leads to freedom from all things that are composed, (Tanahashi)

Gate Gatha:
May we, together with all buddhas;
Treat all dharmas as empty and equal,
That there be no need for rules for harmonious association.

Reflection Prompts:
1. Does all things being equal really remove the need for rules/boundaries?
2. In what way does it do that?
3. how well does the Capping Verse capture the essence of this Gate?

Capping Verse:
Sitting as we sit
The precepts
Happen on their own

AND, this is yesterday's posting

gassho,Shokai
stlah

[Tairin]

1. Does all things being equal really remove the need for rules/boundaries?
2. In what way does it do that?

I wish i could say yes and perhaps this is true in thr Absolute but in the Relative world there is definitely a need for rules and boundaries.

In the Absolute, there are no boundaries and so no boundaries to be removed


Tairin
sat today and lah

[Choujou]

Reflection Prompts:
1. Does all things being equal really remove the need for rules/boundaries?
2. In what way does it do that?
3. how well does the Capping Verse capture the essence of this Gate?

1. Only when all things agree and see it from that perspective… in other words, to live the enlightened way together. However, since this is not the current circumstances, rules/boundaries are necessary. So yes and no

2. in the absolute, all is one beyond oneness, no boundaries, no distinctions… so no rules necessary. In the relative, there are distinctions, likes and dislikes, this or that…

3. Times think it does capture the essence of it since as we sit, we sit in the absolute, where the precepts are embodied.

Gassho,
Choujou

sat/lah today