The Twenty-eighth of 108 Gates Of Dharma Illumination

[Shokai]

8) The Twenty-eighth Gate: Recognition of kindness.

Recognition of kindness is a gate of Dharma illumination; for [with it] we do not throw away good roots.(Nishijima/Cross)

Knowing another person’s kindness is a gate of realizing Dharma; it keeps the wholesome roots from being abandoned. ( Tanahashi)

Gate Gatha:

May we, together with all buddhas;
Be mindful in the presence of kindness,
That we may preserve the good roots that have been nurtured until now.

Reflection Prompts:

1. How does the recognition of kindness ensure the retention of good roots?

2. What are good roots? (didn't I ask this before?)

3. Write a new verse.

Capping Verse:

Embrace the kindness
Of others
So they may grow too

gassho, Shokai
stlah

[Veronica]

As a family example...
With my son, when I notice and recognize his kindness, he sees that the kindness made a difference somehow. It worked. This grows his roots of kindness. Even with adults our roots can be nourished or can be damaged.

Let us each
Water the roots of kindness
In each other.

Veronica
Stlah

[Tai Do]

Thank you, Shokai, for the Twenty-Eight Gate!

1. How does the recognition of kindness ensure the retention of good roots?

Recognizing kindness in others is an inspiration for our own kindness and also a way to bring us non-egoistic joy, empathetic joy, one of the divine abodes (brahmaviharas). In this way, it ensures in us the retention of the good roots and the realization that practice is not about our own freedom from suffering, but the freedom of all sentient beings.

2. What are good roots? (didn't I ask this before?)

I think of the good roots as the roots of wholesome and skillful acts, words and thoughts that can lead us to follow the Precepts and the Bodhissatva Vows.

3. Write a new verse.

Recognizing the kindness of others
Realizing that practice is not about us
Empathetic Joy is a divine abode


Gassho,
Tai Do (Mateus)
Satlah

[aprapti]

giving water to
seeds of my kindness..
others will follow




sat

[Shokai]

[Tairin]

Thank you Shokai

1. How does the recognition of kindness ensure the retention of good roots?

My wife is one of the kindest people I know. It is really sweet and humbling how she treats other people. She is a model to which I aspire and I do my best to not tamper down her instinctive nature.

Embrace the kindness
Of others
So they may grow too

I really like this


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Shokai]