“… the gate of ease and joy …” ~ Dogen
Description: This teisho is the fifth talk from the 2017 Rohatsu sesshin. (The fourth talk was a “silent teisho.”) Henry recaps the guide to first two levels of “the museum called ‘me,’” presented in the first talk of this sesshin and discusses the subsequent levels. The third level is characterized by deep states of absorption or “the journey toward becoming one.” The fourth level is traditionally called awakening and the map is not quite so clear and articulatable hereafter. Henry shares a beautiful poem, as well as the words of Yamada Koun Roshi, Zenkei Shibayama Roshi and Mumon Zenji to express the essence of the fourth level. We start to touch the joy that Dogen referred to as “the gate of ease and joy,” and to experience unconditional happiness.
Note: Talk 4 of this series is a silent talk … so there is no podcast for that.
Post & Featured image: Doorway Gate by fshnextension, CCO Public Domain.