The Ninth of 108 Gates Of Dharma Illumination

[Shokai]

9) The Ninth Gate: Mindfulness of Dharma

Mindfulness of dharma is a gate of Dharma illumination; for (with it) reflection of the dharma is pure. (Nishijima/Cross)

Mindfulness of dharma is a gate of realizing dharma; it visualizes the dharma in purity. (Tanahashi)

Gate Gatha:

May we, together with all buddhas
Actualize the skill of mindfulness
That our reflection on the Dharma may be
Complete, sincere and without defilement. (Pure)

Reflection Prompts:

1. In what way does purity make our reflection on Dharma complete?

2. How do you suppose mindfulness makes Dharma pure?

3. Why is it necessary to visualize Dharma to obtain pure reflection?

Capping Verse:

Like the air we breathe
Truth is found
Within and without

gasho, Shokai
stlah

[aprapti]

Like the air we breathe
Truth is found
Within and without

aprapti


sat

[Tai Do]

Thank you, Shokai, for bringing us the Ninth Gate.

1. In what way does purity make our reflection on Dharma complete?

Without dualistic thinking, without the defilements, we express the teachings of the Dharma in our life and realize that all dharmas are one complete Reality.

2. How do you suppose mindfulness makes Dharma pure?

I think that by being mindful of all dharmas and of the teachings of the buddha-dharma, our relation to Reality becomes pure. By remembering Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, we purify our life making it one with reality.

3. Why is it necessary to visualize Dharma to obtain pure reflection?

Without being aware of the budha-dharma and all phenomena, our mind mirror cannot reflect Reality.

Gassho,
Mateus
Satlah

[Tairin]

Thank you Shokai.

Like the air we breathe
Truth is found
Within and without

That Dharma is everywhere, in everything, and in every moment was a revelation to me. I find great solace in the fact that with reflection Dharma can be found throughout.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Guest]

1. In what way does purity make our reflection on Dharma complete?

2. How do you suppose mindfulness makes Dharma pure?

3. Why is it necessary to visualize Dharma to obtain pure reflection?

As is chanted in the Three Refuge Verse, "...I take refuge in Dharma. May all beings deeply enter the sutras, wisdom like an ocean." The teachings are boundless and vast like an ocean, it includes everything. When we reify something, although that may be necessary in order to function, we often times miss the whole of the Dharma and so the fullness of Dharma can be missed and thus be not purely or fully as it is. Mindfulness makes Dharma pure, because we become fully aware of the entirety of each thing and each moment. When we visualize Dharma, we see everything as it is. The mind is like a mirror, when red appears in the mirror, only red, when white in the mirror, only white. In this way we allow for there to be pure reflection of what is. This is our awakened nature, or Buddha Nature.

Gassho,

Bill (Daiman)

Sat Today/LAH