The Seventeenth of 108 Gates Of Dharma Illumination

[Shokai]

17) The Seventeenth Gate: Abandonment

Abandonment is a gate of Dharma illumination; for [with it] we turn away from the five desires*.(Nishijima/Cross)

Letting go is a gate of realizing Dharma; it frees you from the five types of desire*.(Tanahashi)

Gate Gatha:

May we, together with all buddhas;
Renounce any and all attachments,
That we may turn away from the five desires.*

* 1. Sensory desire, the particular type of wanting that seeks for happiness through the five senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and physical feeling.
*2. Ill-will, all kinds of thought related to wanting to reject; feelings of hostility, resentment, hatred and bitterness.
*3. Sloth-and-torpor, heaviness of body and dullness of mind which drag one down into disabling inertia and thick depression.
*4. Restlessness-and-worry, the inability to calm the mind.
*5. Doubt, lack of conviction or trust.

Reflection Prompts:

1. Do you feel Abandoment on Letting go are synonymous?

2. Is turning away from the five desires the onlyresult of letting go?

3. Is it fair to limit the types of desires to just five.

Capping Verse:

Drop all attachments
And the self
May just drop the self

gasho, Shokai
stlah

[aprapti]

aprapti


sat

[Tai Do]

Thank you, Shokai, for the Seventeenth Gate.

1. Do you feel Abandoment and Letting go are synonymous?

I feel they are synonymous, the former is just more formal then the other, I think (could be wrong because of my poor English skills).

2. Is turning away from the five desires the only result of letting go?

3. Is it fair to limit the types of desires to just five.

I see the five desires list here as just a list of exemples of hindrances to our practice, not a complete list of all harmful and unskillful desires that can come from attachment.


Gassho,
Mateus
Satlah

[Tokan]

3. Is it fair to limit the types of desires to just five.

I see five mountains that can be conquered,
a lifetime's work, true,
but the view from the top is the same for each of them.

I chop the five into a thousand, now I heap misery onto misery.
A thousand mountains.....where shall I start?

If I can just look within, there is only one.

Gassho, Tokan (satlah)

[Tairin]

Thank you Shokai.

I don’t believe that Abandonment and Letting go are synonymous. Example, there have been relationships in my life that for one reason or another I have needed to let go of. It can be heart breaking but necessary. Abandonment to me removes some of that emotional attachment. I would have equated “discard” as being closer to abandonment.

One, five, 10 thousand? As Token said, this is just taking a concept and slicing it up.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Chikyou]

To me, "abandonment" brings up painful imagery of hurt and loss while "letting go" brings up healing imagery of liberation.

As others have already said, 5 types of desire is really just a matter of division.

Gassho,
SatLah
Kelly

[Meian]

Abandonment vs letting go really caught me.

I have experienced Abandonment as pain, loss, being left behind or left out, and have perceived sudden death as Abandonment as well.

However, more recently (past couple years), I have learned to view Abandonment more as the opportunity to "let go" of that which is not good for me - but not just me. Letting go of harmful behaviors, thoughts, and speech allows me to put energy and effort into Bodhisattva service, better relationships, learning to build up rather than tear down. It also has helped me to realize how limited my time and energy truly are.

As others have said, this is work for a lifetime. But abandoning and letting go can be healing to wounds that must be cleaned out before they can close up.

I have a long ways to go, but this Gate has clarified the process, thank you.

[emoji120][emoji120][emoji120]
stlh

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