97 of 108 Gates of Dharma Illumination

[Shokai]

gate 40.jpg
一百八法明門
IPPYAKUHACHI-HOMYOMON
One Hundred and Eight Gates of Dharma-Illumination

[97] Accretion of happiness is a gate of Dharma-illumination; for it benefits all living beings.

Accretion of happiness refers to the accumulation of merit, a "heap" of positive karmic consequences generated by virtuous actions, generous deeds, and compassion. It is the intentional cultivation of a healthy mind, which yields both immediate joy and future well-being, ultimately aiming for liberation. Happiness is not random; it is "spiritual wealth" built by virtuous actions, which can be dedicated to the happiness of others. Ultimately, the Buddhist approach is to move from seeking temporary pleasure to cultivating profound contentment by understanding the true nature of reality.

How's this working for you?

合掌,生開
gassho, Shokai
stlah
仁道 生開 / Jindo Shokai
"Open to life in a benevolent way"

[Seikan]

To be honest, I've never been terribly fond of the idea of accumulating merit through my actions. It feels too transactional to me, but I do understand what it's getting at.

On the surface, the idea of trading the "big happinesses" of sense pleasures and the like for a simple sense of "contentment" may seem like a poor deal. However, once we get a taste of the profound depth of the joyful contentment that can grow out of our practice, it becomes easier and easier to stop chasing sense pleasures as we begin to see just how thin their attractive lustre truly is.

Gassho,
Seikan
stlah

[Tairin]

Thank you Shokai

i agree with Seikan I don’t approach this Practice in a transactional mindset. I try to do good for the sake of doing good for others. I know I benefit from the good other’s do for me but I don’t connect the two.


Tairin
sat today and lah

[Tenryu]

For me „intentional cultivation of a healthy mind“ hits the mark. It feels a bit like a clearing in the woods with a little pond. Things come and go on their own, nothing to hold onto. But if it’s left unattended, it slowly closes over. So there’s a quiet responsibility in preserving that openness.

From there, a gentle lightness may unfold, even in the midst of everything. In that lightness, the tender flowers of contentment can grow, with strong, steady roots.

Gasshō,
Tenryū
sat•LaH

[Choujou]

I agree with Tairin, and I just do good for others as it is what Bodhisattvas do! This makes me happy though, so it seems to be going well! (Although I do admit that it does take effort and wholesome choices to move towards a state of happiness, of which I am currently in progress! Jukai really changes things…)

Gassho,
Choujou

sat/lah today

[Ryūdō-Liúdào]

When I’m acting with a bit more awareness, simply by being patient, kind, or not feeding unnecessary reactions, there’s a natural sense of ease that follows. Not something I have to chase, just something that shows up on its own.

I find that happiness comes naturally as more of the “clutter” falls away and I focus on where I can actually have an effect. At that point, it’s just cause and effect: what we put out tends to come back, like ripples in a pond.

There can be a slightly transactional feeling in that, but I don’t worry about it too much. In nature, everything works this way: energy moving, changing, supporting what comes next. Whether someone does good for a reason or for no reason at all, it still seems to move things in a better direction. Why they do what they do isn’t really my place to worry about.

Gasshō,
流道-Ryūdō-Liúdào
Satlah

[Chikyou]

Accumulating good Karma benefits all beings because all beings are interconnected. What contributes to the liberation of one being, contributes to the liberation of all beings.

Gassho,
SatLah,
Chikyō

[dorgan]

Today, I am grateful to have rejoined this journey of 108 Gates, and I am silently catching up on my own. Doing the right thing regardless of attention or the ability to share insights teaches me that it is never too late to grow, and that growing together in community is lovely, but when it is private growth, the hope is that it will one day serve all beings. Most of the gates I missed are closed online now, but they are open to my heart and mind. The closed gates teach me that choices matter, that opportunities can close and not come again, and that it is okay, because new gates come, new adventures begin, and, in the end, life is about service, not acquisition, helping as much when you are seen or noticed as when you are invisible but have served another with love. Serve one, serve all.

gassho, david
stlah