61/108 Gates of Dharma Illumination

[Shokai]

The Sixty-first Gate

The faculty of balance is a gate of Dharma illumination; for [with it] the mind is pure..

Balance :
mental steadiness or emotional stability; habit of calm behavior, judgment

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gassho, Shokai
stlah

[Tairin]

Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Nengei]

Such a beautiful following of yesterday's gate.

I swim in the ocean of sameness
Mindful of all directions
And thus find myself balanced.

Gassho,
Nengei
Sat today. LAH.

[Seikan]

Steady and stable
A clear mind
Stays out the mud


Gassho,
Seikan

-stlah-

[Shokai]

Steady and stable
A clear mind
Stays out the mud


Gassho,
Seikan

-stlah-

No Mud; no Lotus ??

[Seikan]

No Mud; no Lotus ??

Ha! Good point!

Even the lotus, once bloomed, balances deftly upon the water's surface, staying clear of the mud from which it came (yet it does remain rooted in the mud at the same time, right?).

Gassho,
Seikan

-stlah-

[Inshin]

All my life I thought that to have balance I need to be in control. Nowadays I let go a little bit more and more and my mantra is "let it be".

Gassho
Sat

[Tai Shi]

Hi Shokai,
I am just beginning to find balance in my life, and I am 69. For one thing, it has taken me more things to do than siting. It is only now that I am approaching Shikantaza as nothing, just nothing to do.
Gassho
sat/lah
Tai Shi

[Shokai]

Ha! Good point!

Even the lotus, once bloomed, balances deftly upon the water's surface, staying clear of the mud from which it came (yet it does remain rooted in the mud at the same time, right?).

Gassho,
Seikan

-stlah-

[Shokai]

Hi Shokai,
I am just beginning to find balance in my life, and I am 69. For one thing, it has taken me more things to do than siting. It is only now that I am approaching Shikantaza as nothing, just nothing to do.
Gassho
sat/lah
Tai Shi

Taishi;
This is so good to hear. Our practice is Zazen and being able to accept is gold. Next month I'll be 84 and still doing Zazen with slightly modified posture. Life is golden as well .

gassho, Shokai

p.s. Good to see you here.

[Tai Shi]

Shokai you make me happy that I might make 84 and still be sitting Zazen! I know you have troubles with sitting position like me, but I don't worry as much about it as I once did. I know you are a priest, and priests are suppose to be a certain way, but continue to be creative like me. Perhaps return to your writing! You have produced one book, now slowly write another. My father is 90, and last summer he married for the 3rd time. He divorced my mother who died younger than me, then 2nd wife died about 9 years ago and he was heart broken, and now he's found another. I admire him. So a book seems like a good thing.
Gassho
sat/ lah
Tai Shi