The Eighty-first of 108 Gates Of Dharma Illumination

[Shokai]

The Eighty-first Gate: Right Mindfulness

Right mindfulness is a gate of Dharma illumination; for [with it] we do not consider all dharmas intellectually (Nishijima/Cross)
Right mindfulness is a gate of realizing dharma; it leads to freedom from thoughts on all things. (Tanahashi)

Gate Gatha:

May we, together with all buddhas;
Practice Right Mindfulness,
That we may clearly understand all Dharmas.

Reflection Prompts:
1. How does Right Mindfulness change our perception of dharmas?
2. Are dharmas and things synonymous?
3. Write a new Gate Gatha.

Capping Verse:

Perceive emptiness
Before form
Puts it in a box

stlah
合掌,生開
gassho, Shokai
stlah
仁道 生開 / Jindo Shokai

[Furyu]

Seeing the lack of solidity in all things, thoughts cannot hold on to the emptiness.
"All dharmas" and "things" are synonymous unless we want to be nitpicky.

The Great Way is not difficult
for those who have no preferences.
When love and hate are both absent
everything becomes clear and undisguised.
Make the smallest distinction, however,
and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart.
(Faith Mind Poem - Sheng Yen)

I love the capping verse!

May we, along with all dharmas
Be the mindfulness that cuts two in one
That we may clearly understand


Fūryū
satlah

[Choujou]

Reflection Prompts:
1. How does Right Mindfulness change our perception of dharmas?
2. Are dharmas and things synonymous?
3. Write a new Gate Gatha.

1. We experience things/teachings as they are, in truth, without the filter of the mind tainting the experience. No placing of dualities and expectations out onto all things or teachings. All as it is.

2. Yes, all manifested beings/things, however it can also mean teachings of the Buddha. I feel that either meaning can be applied at this gate.

3. May we, together with all buddhas;
Allow our small minds to fall away,
And fully know all Dharmas in truth

Gassho,
Choujou

sat/lah today

[Tairin]

1. How does Right Mindfulness change our perception of dharmas?

Right Mindfulness means seeing things as they are, not as we might wish them to be

2. Are dharmas and things synonymous?

Not quite. I think Dharma encompasses more than just “things”. Hard to provide an example without limiting the Dharma. The Dharma includes knowing the clear blue sky even on a cloudy day, which is greater than the things “clear blue sky”, “clouds”, “day”. Make sense?


Tairin
sat today and lah