Upcoming Review of the Dharma Gates

Once again for the seventh year, I invite you all to join me at my Blog Space to review the 108 Gates of Dharma Illumination as presented in appendix #3 of the Nishijima-Cross translation of Dogen's Shobogenzo. We'll do this review by developing a Gatha for each gate and reciting it 3 or 4 times that day to reinforce our understanding and perhaps gain some new insights.
The review will start on the Winter Solstice this coming Saturday, December 21st and continue for108 days; taking us to April 8, the day which all of western Asia celebrates the birth of the baby Buddha. That celebration day is known as Vesak. Don't forget, I hope to see you on my Blog Space on Saturday

gassho, Shokai

stlah

Lovely! gassho2

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

Thank you Shokai. I look forward to following along again this year.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

gassho2

Doshin
St

_()_

gassho
doyu sat today

Thank you Shokai [emoji120]

Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

gassho2

Gassho
Washin
st

Very looking forawrd to this.

I mat not interact with every post, but i definatly benefited from it, and have you in my thoughts.

Thankyou!

geoff.

hi Shokai,

where do i find your Blog Space on the 21first ?

gassho2
aprapti

std

I think it was your blog I found last season. I had wondered if it would be continued. [emoji120][emoji4]

Gassho2
Kim
St lh

Sent from my SM-G930U using Tapatalk

I have waited for the right time to start. Now is perfect - looking forward to this!
Thank you, Shokai!


@aprapti
Below Shokai's picture you see a number next to "Blog Entries". You can click on it and get to his blog.


Gassho,

Daitetsu

#sat2day

I am looking forward to this. Thank you, Shokai.

Gassho,
Nengei
Sat. LAH.

I would like to join this.
Still cannot find the blogspot via my phone? Could you possibly provide a link.
Gassho
Richard
SAT/lah

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

Try here? There will be a subscription link on the page, I think.

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/blog.php?12289

_()_
gassho
doyu sat/lah today

Looking forward to it! Are there 108 gates for the same reason there are 108 mala beads? I never found a definite meaning to the significance of 108.

Gassho,
Tyler

SatToday

Hi Folks,

In case anyone is interested I set up a twitter feed that will post the daily Gate. The twitter feed is @108Gates

https://twitter.com/108gates

It is technically a twitter Bot - I am running some code daily. If something looks wrong it is because my code broke. :)

Gassho, Shinshi

SaT-LaH

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TyZa

Looking forward to it! Are there 108 gates for the same reason there are 108 mala beads? I never found a definite meaning to the significance of 108.

Gassho,
Tyler

SatToday

---

Ah, about the 108 ... it is a number that has had significance in Indian numerology far beyond Buddhism, and which, a mathematician once explained to me, is itself a rather unusual number mathematically (but I forget why :))

For just some of the many meanings of '108'. have a gander at this. It is wonderful:

Quote:

---

The Indian Subcontinent rosary or set of mantra counting has 108 beads. 108 has been a sacred number in the Indian Subcontinent for a very long time. This number is explained in many different ways.

The ancient Indians were excellent mathematicians and 108 may be the product of a precise mathematical operation (e.g. 1 power 1 x 2 power 2 x 3 power 3 = 108) which was thought to have special numerological significance.

Powers of 1, 2, and 3 in math: 1 to 1st power=1; 2 to 2nd power=4 (2x2); 3 to 3rd power=27 (3x3x3). 1x4x27=108

Sanskrit alphabet: There are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet. Each has masculine and feminine, shiva and shakti. 54 times 2 is 108.

Sri Yantra: On the Sri Yantra there are marmas where three lines intersect, and there are 54 such intersections. Each intersections has masculine and feminine, shiva and shakti qualities. 54 x 2 equals 108. Thus, there are 108 points that define the Sri Yantra as well as the human body.

9 times 12: Both of these numbers have been said to have spiritual significance in many traditions. 9 times 12 is 108. Also, 1 plus 8 equals 9. That 9 times 12 equals 108.

Heart Chakra: The chakras are the intersections of energy lines, and there are said to be a total of 108 energy lines converging to form the heart chakra. One of them, sushumna leads to the crown chakra, and is said to be the path to Self-realization.

Marmas: Marmas or marmastanas are like energy intersections called chakras, except have fewer energy lines converging to form them. There are said to be 108 marmas in the subtle body.

Time: Some say there are 108 feelings, with 36 related to the past, 36 related to the present, and 36 related to the future.

Astrology: There are 12 constellations, and 9 arc segments called namshas or chandrakalas. 9 times 12 equals 108. Chandra is moon, and kalas are the divisions within a whole.

---

Much much more here ...

http://www.salagram.net/108meaning.html

Gassho, J

STLah

Thank you Jundo!

gassho2
Tyler

SatToday

Thank you Doyu for posting the LInk that is at the bottom of the "Forum" page. To find it click on the "forum" tab above and scroll down to Treleaf Statistics. Each day it shows the last Blog entry. You can also access my blog by clicking on my avatar and scroll down on my profile to access my Blog.

See you all there tomorrow
gassho, Shokai 🙏🙏🙏

stlah

Quote:

---

The Indian Subcontinent rosary or set of mantra counting has 108 beads. 108 has been a sacred number in the Indian Subcontinent for a very long time. This number is explained in many different ways.

The ancient Indians were excellent mathematicians and 108 may be the product of a precise mathematical operation (e.g. 1 power 1 x 2 power 2 x 3 power 3 = 108) which was thought to have special numerological significance.

Powers of 1, 2, and 3 in math: 1 to 1st power=1; 2 to 2nd power=4 (2x2); 3 to 3rd power=27 (3x3x3). 1x4x27=108

Sanskrit alphabet: There are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet. Each has masculine and feminine, shiva and shakti. 54 times 2 is 108.

Sri Yantra: On the Sri Yantra there are marmas where three lines intersect, and there are 54 such intersections. Each intersections has masculine and feminine, shiva and shakti qualities. 54 x 2 equals 108. Thus, there are 108 points that define the Sri Yantra as well as the human body.

9 times 12: Both of these numbers have been said to have spiritual significance in many traditions. 9 times 12 is 108. Also, 1 plus 8 equals 9. That 9 times 12 equals 108.

Heart Chakra: The chakras are the intersections of energy lines, and there are said to be a total of 108 energy lines converging to form the heart chakra. One of them, sushumna leads to the crown chakra, and is said to be the path to Self-realization.

Marmas: Marmas or marmastanas are like energy intersections called chakras, except have fewer energy lines converging to form them. There are said to be 108 marmas in the subtle body.

Time: Some say there are 108 feelings, with 36 related to the past, 36 related to the present, and 36 related to the future.

Astrology: There are 12 constellations, and 9 arc segments called namshas or chandrakalas. 9 times 12 equals 108. Chandra is moon, and kalas are the divisions within a whole.

---

Thank you Jundo gassho2

Gassho
Washin
st

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jundo

Ah, about the 108 ... it is a number that has had significance in Indian numerology far beyond Buddhism, and which, a mathematician once explained to me, is itself a rather unusual number mathematically (but I forget why :))

For just some of the many meanings of '108'. have a gander at this. It is wonderful:



Much much more here ...

http://www.salagram.net/108meaning.html

Gassho, J

STLah

---

Love stuff like this. Thank you for this information, the number patterns and the details. I will save this, and the links.

Love mala beads .... I tend to collect them. I still have rosaries around also, I just haven't used them in years. I even have several tasbih, including a few gifted from friends, and one set from Makkah.

Well, I'm off on a tangent, but this topic really does fascinate me.

Gassho2
Kim
St. Lh

Sent from my SM-G930U using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shokai

Thank you Doyu for posting the LInk that is at the bottom of the "Forum" page. To find it click on the "forum" tab above and scroll down to Treleaf Statistics. Each day it shows the last Blog entry. You can also access my blog by clicking on my avatar and scroll down on my profile to access my Blog.

See you all there tomorrow
gassho, Shokai [emoji120][emoji120][emoji120]

stlah

---

So I can find it again. [emoji4][emoji120]

Gassho
Kim
St. lh

Sent from my SM-G930U using Tapatalk

If you subscribe to Shokai’s blog you have the option of how you want to receive the notification. I have set up notification at “email me”which means that each day Shokai’s new blog posting is delivered to my mailbox. Easy!

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

As always I'm loving receiving these as emails every morning. This year I'm writing them as headings in my new one line a day, 5 year diary.
Thank you Shokai
Gassho
Meitou
Satwithyoualltoday lah

In the NSW bushfires, yesterdays reading;

"May we, together with all buddhas;
explore our skills in controlling actions;
That the three poisons* may be eliminated.



Im doing what i can with people, everything else is up to them.

On one hand - im not ever doing enough.

On the other hand - im not actually there own hand!.


Thankyou.
LaH
SatToday (and every day)..

I am embarrassed to reveal my ignorance, but Treeleaf is nothing if not compassionate. Please, what is a dharma gate? I have seen Shokai's posts, which are lovely, but being so new to Buddhism, I'm not sure how to integrate them into my practice.

Gassho,
Kate

satlah

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kate

I am embarrassed to reveal my ignorance, but Treeleaf is nothing if not compassionate. Please, what is a dharma gate? I have seen Shokai's posts, which are lovely, but being so new to Buddhism, I'm not sure how to integrate them into my practice.

Gassho,
Kate

satlah

---

It is, so I have heard, a "way into" dharma, a teaching or set of teachings about reality, or the word "dharma" may also refer to reality itself. For example, the realization that we are all both ignorant and not ignorant can be a Dharma gate.

_()_
gassho
doyu sat today and lah

Kate;
No such thing as embarrassment. We are all beginners and there are no stupid questions. I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner but Doyu stepped up and not to cause any confusion, I'm going with her words.

Doyu;
Thank you for answering the question. btw, I've read your book twice now ( have the kindle version and the hard copy arrived today.) and truly love it. You have done so well. Thank you for your practice.

Getchi;
On the other hand are four fingers and a thumb. You can never do enough but don't let that stop you from trying. That's sure one big mess you have down there. Metta to you all.

gassho, Shokai
stlah