The Fourth of the 108 Gates Of Dharma Illumination

[Shokai]

Gate Four
This time around we are reviewing the Gates by reading the following, placing it in our heart and sleeping on it. Then, tomorrow, live and practice it until evening when we leave a brief comment on what insights or revelations we may have received during the process.

Love and cheerfulness are a gate of Dharma-illumination; for they make the mind pure.

By “Dharma Gate”, we mean a teaching or practice we can study to gain insights that deepen our practice. It's a way to integrate our understanding of approaching reality.

When we are happy and loving, we can meet life with open arms. We are all aware of the power of love. We've all received the nuturing of our mother's love and if you've been fortunate enough, you have experienced the transmission of energy, both sending and reciving during our Metta practice. What you are to do now is research into laughter and cheerfulness and report back tomorrow with a reference to a koan or Zen story which collaborates with this Dharma gate.

One poetic response to this question was:

Love and cheerfulness

Shine brightly

Loosening shackles of self

gassho, Shokai
stlah

[Nengyoku]

[aprapti]

[Dogukan]

https://5.api.artsmia.org/full/123821.jpg

Blue Cliff Record, #74:
At each meal, Master Jinniu himself would bring the rice bucket to the front of the Zen hall, dance there and laugh loudly, saying, "Dear Bodhisattvas, come and eat rice!"

Tenkei's [1648-1735] comment: "... Jinniu had no choice but to dance and laugh for twenty years and tell people not to eat rice through their noses, showing them what they already knew. It's a celebration to let you know the way to eat with your mouth."

Gassho,
Doğukan.
Sat.

[Tairin]

Lovely. Thank you.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Tomás ESP]

Gassho, Tomás
Sat

[Nengyoku]

If we are always reciting the suchness sutra in millions of volumes, endeavor to make your actions feel full of love so as to fill the sutra with love when others hear it.

Gassho,
William
SatLah

[Shokai]

If we are always reciting the suchness sutra in millions of volumes, endeavor to make your actions feel full of love so as to fill the sutra with love when others hear it.

Ditto
gassho, Shokai
stlah

[Nengyoku]

Ditto
gassho, Shokai
stlah

Thank you for this practice. I find it very insightful.

Gassho,
William
SatLah

[Shokai]