The Ninety-first of 108 Gates Of Dharma Illumination

[Shokai]

The Ninety-first Gate; The dhyāna pāramitā

The dhyāna pāramitā is a gate of Dharma illumination; for [with it] we accomplish all balanced states of dhyāna and mystical powers, and we teach and guide distracted living beings. (Nishijima/Cross)
The realization of meditation is a gate of realizing dharma; it attains all types of meditation and miraculous actions, and guides sentient beings whose minds are scattered. (Tanahashi)

Gate Gatha:

May we, together with all buddhas;
Practice the Meditation Paramita
That we may be a light unto all beings

Reflection Prompts
1. What is meant by balanced states of dhyāna and mystical powers?
2. How does the realization of meditation help us guide distracted living beings?
3. Write a new Gate Gatha.

Capping Verse:

Scattered light distracts
But lasers
Penetrate all things.

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

[Tairin]

I personally don’t care for the references to “mystical powers” or “miraculous actions” in either translation. I think they may mislead people into trying to achieve some transcendent state. The miracle is that we are here at all. Sit Zazen and the Dharma will become evident. Or more specifically sit Zazen and you’ll quickly see all the junk (aka monkey mind) that gets in the way of realizing the Dharma.


Tairin
sat today and lah

[Choujou]

Reflection Prompts
1. What is meant by balanced states of dhyāna and mystical powers?
2. How does the realization of meditation help us guide distracted living beings?
3. Write a new Gate Gatha.

1. Balanced states of Dhyana is essentially Zazen realized. When one is in that perfect awareness of Zazen, the “mystical powers” we perform are the right actions at the right times for the right reasons. From the balanced state of Zazen, those right actions that we take are based on wisdom. To the unwise, it is miraculous.

2. Because we realize the delusion and can help others to turn from delusion and suffering and walk the Buddha’s Way.

3. May we, together with all buddhas;
Through perfect meditation
Make the ordinary, extraordinary

Gassho,
Choujou

sat/lah today