99 of 108 Gates of Dharma Illumination

[Shokai]

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

[99] Stillness is a gate of Dharma-illumination; for it realizes, and is replete with, the samadhi of the Tathagata.

Stillness, often termed Samatha (calm/tranquility), is a meditative practice focusing on creating a steady, focused mind to achieve peace and profound insight. It acts as a foundation for mindfulness, allowing practitioners to move beyond the chaotic, active mind to experience the true nature of reality, often called "Original Mind". True stillness is not just in a seated posture, but integrated into daily life, linking action and stillness. Stillness informs effective action, and right action deepens peace. It helps calm the mind for clarity and helps to reduce the suffering caused by constant mental striving and chatter.

Have you been able to achieve this state not only during Zazen? And for what percentage of your time?

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

[Ryūdō-Liúdào]

To bring it back to archery, it’s in that balanced state where this shows up most clearly for me. There’s a moment where I move from concentration (like breath counting in early zazen) to simply… being there. For just that moment, everything else falls away.

When it happens in daily life, I’m usually not aware of it so much as I notice when I’ve slipped out of it. So the practice stays simple: breath, focus, relax, move, flow. Less trying, more allowing. As Master Yoda put it, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”

As for a percentage… hahaha, not very high. But it does seem to show up more often, or at least I’m noticing it more. And that seems to be enough.

Gasshō,
流道-Ryūdō-Liúdào
Satlah

[Tenryu]

Stillness shows up here and there, not only in sitting. Sometimes while walking, or in the middle of a simple task, everything feels a bit more settled. Nothing needs to stop for that. Things keep moving, but there’s less noise around it. I wouldn’t put a number on it. It comes and goes on its own.

Gasshō,
Tenryū
sat&lah

[Tairin]

Thank you Shokai.

Stillness is something that comes to me both on and off the cushion. I am not sure I can quantify it in a percentage. Let’s just say I am frequently aware of it. That awareness of stillness is something I actively cultivate


Tairin
sat today and lah

[Choujou]

Yes, there are times when I am not on the zafu where suddenly, amongst all the hustle and bustle, noise and chaos, there is a stillness that shines through it all underlying everything. It’s almost like all the noise and chaos drops away and yet is still there at the same time… it is hard to put into words that convey it properly. Essentially for brief moments I feel there are glimpses through the illusion of the relative, chaotic world.

How often does this happen? Oh 100% of the time… I’m just distracted for about 99.9% of it! (Roughly? Give or take? Its hard to quantify…)

Gassho,
Choujou

sat/lah today

[dorgan]

In recent months, living in tranquillity has been the norm. It is less about percentages than types of stress. With most stress, I am calm and in the centre observing, a part of it in a beautifully mindful, watching way. Some types of stress break through, though, and I find myself surprised by my own reaction, being stressed rather than just observing phenomena. It is noteworthy that I am surprised, which means being reactive to stress is less common, therefore notable. Every day a little bit better. What I am to do now is notice what is breaking through and manifesting as anxiousness and feelings of overwhelmingness, giving me insight into myself and what still has the power to disturb me. The good thing is that I know how to return to calm - I sit - and in the centre of my feelings, gain new insight.

gassho, david
stlah

[Seikan]

Stillness has a way of finding its way into more of my daily life and often in ways and times when I least expect it. It can be cultivated through practice, but I find that it can rarely be forced. While I can readily create the conditions for stillness in my mind, that doesn't always mean that it will pay me a visit. But when it does, I am better able these days to recognize it more quickly and do what I can to make it feel at home so that it sticks around a while.

Gassho,
Seikan
stlah

[Chikyou]

Stillness is a work in progress for me. It grows, slowly, day by day. Stillness in my life ebbs and flows depending on what all is going on and how well I’m handling it.

Gassho,
SatLah,
Chikyō