The Fifteenth of 108 Gates Of Dharma Illumination

[Shokai]

15) The Fifteenth Gate: Compassion

Compassion is a gate of Dharma illumination; for [with it] we do not kill or harm living beings.(Nishijima/Cross)

Grieving is a gate of realizing Dharma; it keeps you from harming sentient beings. (Tanahashi)

Gate Gatha:

May we, together with all beings
Explore the dimensions of compassion
That we may appreciate the impermanence of life.

Reflection Prompts:

1. Can you explain how these two translations are so far apart and yet, not?

2. Is there a connection between Compassion and Grieving?

3. Comment on How either of these emotions/traits effect not harming living beings.

Capping Verse:

Embrace compassion
Our first step
To embrace the world

gassho,Shokai
stlah

[aprapti]

aprapti


sat

[Tai Do]

Thank you, Shokai, for bringing the Fifteenth Gate.

1. Can you explain how these two translations are so far apart and yet, not?

I think compassion and grieving are very different things, but they both can bring is to stop harming sentient beings.

2. Is there a connection between Compassion and Grieving?

I think compassion directs us to end the suffering of sentient beings; while grieving is the pain we feel in our mind because of causing suffering to sentient beings.

3. Comment on How either of these emotions/traits effect not harming living beings.

Compassion directs us to end the suffering of others and, by doing so, prevents us from being the cause of this suffering; grieving, on the other hand, prevents us from the same because of the painful feeling it brings, so, when we remind ourselves of the pain of grieving, we stop our harmful ways of acting.


Gassho,
Mateus
Satlah

[Tairin]

Thank you Shokai

I admit to be a bit stumped by this one. I wouldn’t have thought that compassion and grieving would both be translated from the same text. I like Mateus’s answers.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Shokai]

grieving is the pain we feel in our mind

Is the pain of grieving in the mind or the body (specifically the Heart)? The brain is in our head; where is the Mind? The main problem is that our experience through education and life gets us up into our heads. Isn't one of the effects of Zazen to integrate body and mind.

gassho, Shokai
stlah

[Tai Do]

Is the pain of grieving in the mind or the body (specifically the Heart)? The brain is in our head; where is the Mind? The main problem is that our experience through education and life gets us up into our heads. Isn't one of the effects of Zazen to integrate body and mind.

gassho, Shokai
stlah

Mateus
Satlah