What is Joyful Mind?

Zen Master Eihei Dogen, one of our founders, 12th Century Japan, wrote an essay about the Three Minds in his “Instructions to the Cook. “ He was speaking about the attitude or spirit of practice of a Cook, a Tenzo, he met in China while traveling to understand true Zen practice. He was so impressed with the Tenzo’s spirit of practice, he wrote an essay on it.

Joyful Mind Zendo appreciates this teaching.

“When interacting with others, maintain three minds of practice: joyful mind, caring mind, great mind. “

Joyful Mind is an attitude; it is the Zen spirit of practice. It is an attitude of resilience and opportunity, keeping our eyes and minds and hearts open, no fear, cultivating helpfulness, a sense of harmony and community.

Dogen: “We cannot practice just for ourselves, or it will not benefit others. “Allow all things to come into and reside in this heart-mind, and let them function as a whole…Keep your eyes open. You should think of the best way to serve the community, having no fear of limitations, and not to grumble about the quality of the ingredients, but to cultivate a temper which sees and respects them fully for what they are.”

“How do we apply these Three Minds?

Joyful Mind: “A joyful spirit is one of gratefulness and buoyancy. Being born as a human, you have the opportunity to practice and help others, and living in community you become unfettered in social pettiness. Rejoice in your birth into this world where you are capable of using your bodies freely to help others, with innumerable opportunities, and with all of your strength and efforts in all times of life, to practice in this way.”

Caring Mind: We take care of things around us. We pay careful attention. The inner attitude of a caregiver is different from one who expects to be cared for. This attitude determines the quality of a Community, and this small shift in our attitude has large effects on the world around us.

Magnanimous or Big Mind: It is the mind of a great mountain or ocean, vast and accepting, not self-serving but life-serving. This mind accepts all things without separating ourselves from them. We accept all things as one reality and one Body, and keep an attitude of cooperation and harmony. A spirit of No fear of limitations. We create a community with Magnanimous Mind.