eMirror Vol 29, No. 34 (2025-08-22)

eMirror Vol 29, No. 34
Friday, August 22nd 2025
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
The next passage continues this theme, although I do not know if it occurred before or after the previous one chronologically.
The head monastic said, “The bell is ringing now, so please come to the Monastics’ Hall.”
Yaoshan said to him, “Please bring my eating bowls.”
Yunyan said to Yaoshan, “Master Yaoshan doesn’t use his own hands and feet. How long have you been here?”
Yaoshan said to Yunyan, “It’s a mistake for you to be wearing a monastic’s robe.”
Yunyan said, “I agree, but what about you?”
Yaoshan said, “I haven’t anything attached.”
Then he told Yunyan to call the attendant for him. Yunyan asked why. Yaoshan said, “I’ve got a pot with one leg broken, so I want him to hold up the leg for me.”
Yunyan said, “I’ll give you just my one hand; you don’t need a whole hand and body for this purpose.”
Yaoshan gave the whole thing up.
Yunyan uses the opportunity of Yaoshan asking the head monk to carry his bowls to Monastics’ Hall to raise this same kind of theme. Who and what Master Yaoshan is doesn’t use hands and feet because it never moves. He teases Yaoshan, “How long have you been here?” which means “Don’t you know that by now?” Yaoshan teases back that Yunyan is such a fiend that he shouldn’t even be wearing monk’s robes. Yunyan says, “I agree, but what about you?” Yaoshan plays along and says that he hasn’t got anything attached, meaning that there is no attachment to the bodymind and also that there is no thing for it to be attached onto. He then says that he would like some help with a pot, probably with tripod legs, that is broken. Yunyan says that this is a simple task so Yaoshan can just have one of his hands since the rest of the body isn’t needed. This means that the bodymind should be used in a way that is appropriate to the circumstance. However, it’s all getting a bit silly at this point what with detaching hands and whatnot and so Yaoshan puts a stop to the game, probably with waving his hands and a sigh.
-Continuing teisho 4: Shit, Bowls, Lions and a Knife, Tuesday, May 17, 2005, in the series "Wandering on Medicine Mountain" presented by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin at Dainen-ji

The Hatto (for formal sittings)

The Zendo (for associate and general sittings)
Practice Schedule and Upcoming Events
Fusatsu (Renewal of Vows): September 10th and 24th.
September Two-day Sesshin:
The September two-day sesshin will begin on Friday, September 12th at 8:00 p.m. and will end on Sunday, September 14th, at 6:00 p.m. Students attending are reminded to send in their schedules as soon as possible.
General Sitting:
On Saturday, September 13th there will be a general sitting in the Zendo. The sitting will begin at 9:30 a.m. (please arrive by 9:15, in time for First Bell) and will end at 11:30 a.m. Students attending are reminded to remain on the first floor.
Dogen-ki (August 28th)
The memorial of Eihei Dogen Kigen zenji's death.
August Samu Weekend
We shall be holding our late summer Samu Weekend on Saturday, August 30th and Sunday, August 31st. Saigyo ino has written to local students with the details of this weekend of caretaking practice. Please pencil these dates into your diary so that you will be able to attend some or all of the Samu Weekend and assist the monastic in the maintenance and improvement of the practice environment of Dainen-ji. Thank you.
Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa:
The next two Introduction to Zen Workshops will take place on Saturday, September 6th at 1:45 p.m. and November 1st at 1:45 p.m. (There is no workshop in October due to the 7-day Daruma-ki O-sesshin).
To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca ; for more information please see https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
Hermitage:
The Roshi is continuing an extended period of hermitage due to underlying health issues.
Weekly Practice Schedule
Formal Sittings for WWZC Students: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday Mornings. The formal sittings begin at 6:00 a.m. You would need to arrive by 5:45 in time for First Bell. The sitting ends at 7:25 with the Chants. Following that there is a Daruma-kata Aiki review which ends at about 7:50. If you need to leave before the kata, please let us know that in advance by sending an email to schedule@wwzc.org.
Saturday Morning General Sitting for WWZC Students: The general sitting begins at 9:30 a.m. You would need to arrive by 9:15 a.m., in time for First Bell. The sitting ends at 11:45 a.m. Some general students attend the 6:00 a.m. Saturday morning formal sitting, stay for breakfast and then attend the general sitting. If you stay for breakfast, there is a $5 contribution which can be made through Eventbrite: Register for Saturday Breakfast Proceeds from meals go to White Wind Zen Community.
Monday and Thursday Evening Associate Sittings for WWZC Students: The associate sitting begins at 7:30 p.m. You would need to arrive by 7:15 p.m., in time for First Bell. The sitting ends at 9:10 p.m.
Friday (Hosan): There are no formal sittings scheduled at the monastery on Fridays, but you are expected to sit at home if you have committed to sitting zazen daily. Retreats may be scheduled on Fridays.
Sunday Formal Sitting: The Sunday morning formal sittings are reserved for monastics, formal students, and probationary formal students. It starts at 7:00 a.m. and ends at 10:10 a.m. with the chants. Following that there is a Daruma-kata Aiki which ends at about 10:30 a.m.
Change in Forms for Associate Sittings on Mondays and Thursday Evenings
To simplify seating arrangements we have made some changes.
Students without mobility issues:
Students who do not have mobility issues, but may want to use a seiza bench or a higher or lower zafu, please arrive by Second Bell (7:20 p.m.) so that you have time to go to the storage area to find what you need and place it in the Zendo. Please be sure to join the kinhin line by Third Bell (7:25 p.m.) at the latest.
Students with mobility issues:
If you need to use a stool and can carry one from the storage area, please do so before Third Bell. Place the stool along the back wall of the Zendo (or along the wall near the back window and, if you are not able to do kinhin, sit down on the stool facing into the room. Your hands should be in the mudra, eyes lowered and peripheral vision open, so that you are not ‘watching’ other students walking in kinhin.
If you need to use a stool and are not able to carry one from the storage room into the Zendo, please let the jikido know before Third Bell and he or she will do this for you.
At Third Bell:
The jikido will strike the kaishaku to end kinhin and will ask all of the students in the room to stand in front of their seats so that we can be sure that everyone has a seat. If there are not enough seats, extra zafu and zabuton can be brought from the storage room. Doing this will ensure that any questions regarding seating are resolved before the sitting begins with Fourth Bell.
All depending on how much time there is before the sitting is to begin, the jikido will instruct students to either resume kinhin or take their places to wait for the doshi (monastic leading the sitting) to come into the room.
The door to the Zendo will remain open until all questions concerning seating are sorted out. Closing it will indicate to the doshi that they can begin.
At the End of the Sitting:
If you brought a stool/zafu/seiza bench/ zabuton into the Zendo that was not there when you arrived, please return it to the storage room. If you had removed items from the Zendo, please return them so that the room is as it was prior to the sitting.
If you have mobility issues and cannot carry a stool back to the storage room, just leave it in place and it will be returned for you.
Long Distance Training Program
For students living an hour or more commuting distance from the monastery in Ottawa, please visit this Web Page: https://wwzc.org/long-distance-training-program
What to do if you Arrive After the Sitting Begins
If you arrive after the sitting starts and the door is locked, you don't need to turn around and go home. Ring the bell once and then sit on the bench on the front porch. If possible, we will come and unlock the door for you right away. If we are in the middle of the chants or listening to a teisho, we will come to let you in as soon as the teisho finishes.
Retreats and Training Sessions
Information About Scheduling Retreats or Training Sessions
General public student Aaron Ford sat a two-day retreat on Saturday, August 16th and Sunday, August 17th at his home in Calgary, Alberta.
Congratulations
Congratulations and deep gassho to David Alexander on being accepted as a probationary formal student by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei, during the morning formal sitting on Thursday, August 21st. David was accepted as an associate student on June 13th, 2023; and as a general student in May of 2024. Congratulations and deep gassho to Krystina Pasut of Ottawa who has been accepted as an associate student.
Recorded Teachings Schedule
Listening to Recorded Teisho and Dharma Talks
August 23rd to August 30th:
General sitting Saturday, August 23rd:
Without Difficulty: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on "Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness" by Jianzhi Sengcan: Teisho 13: Satori and Fleurs du Mal (19 minutes)
Formal sitting Sunday, August 24th:
SAkN "Transcending Sleep, Dreams, Death, and Everything Else" by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: Teisho 1: Introduction (28 minutes)
Associate sittings Monday, August 25th and Thursday, August 28th:
Sitting Up Straight: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Keizan Jokin zenji's "Zazen Yojinki": Teisho 13: A Single Bright Point (28 minutes)
Troubleshooting Access to the Recorded Teachings Library
Some students are having issues accessing the Recorded Teachings library. Recent scheduled maintenance by our web hosting company resulted in everyone being logged out of their account. If you can no longer see the "Recorded Teachings" link in the left-hand menu bar, this means that you have been logged out and you will need to log back in again. You will find the log-in link under "Account" at the bottom of the left-hand menu bar.
Recorded Teachings for Public Access
While most of the online Recorded Teachings library is password-protected and only accessible to students of the Lineage of Zen Master Anzan Hoshin, a small selection of MP3 recordings of teisho are accessible to the public at wwzc.org/recorded-teachings Additional recordings will be uploaded periodically. MP3 recordings of four recorded teisho by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi are currently available:
Dharma Position http://wwzc.org/dharma-position
Eyes See, Ears Hear http://wwzc.org/eyes-see-ears-hear
Embarrassment http://wwzc.org/embarrassment
Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi's reading of his translation of Eihei Dogen zenji's “Bendowa: A Talk on Exerting the Way”: http://wwzc.org/bendowa-talk-exerting-way
Translations and Texts

Photograph of Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Daijozan, mid-1980s, by Ven. Shikai Zuiko osho
Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi has recently completed translation work on some shorter texts by Eihei Dogen zenji from the Shobogenzo. The work on these particular texts is based upon the literal translations that he worked on with Joshu Dainen roshi at Hakukaze-ji around 1977-78 followed by many years of putting them down, picking them up, and polishing. Naturally, more essential texts such as Uji, Genjokoan, Shinjin Gakudo and some 40 others were completed first and have been given extensive commentaries by the Roshi. This batch of texts includes Keisei Sanshoku: Sounds of Streams, Forms of Mountains, Baike: Plum Blossoms, Ryugin: Howling Dragon, and Udonge: The Udumbara Blossoming and many others are nearing completion. Annotation details and successfully conveying them across various document formats are the issue at this point.
Work on Bussho: Buddha Nature, a very long and nuanced text by Dogen zenji, is still ongoing.
Roshi also finished an update to the “Saijo Shingi: The Deportment of Radiance”, our manual of monastic training standards which is a supplement to the ancient Eihei Shingi and Keizan Shingi.
White Wind Zen Community Website Update
Dharma Talk: “Embarrassment”
Dharma Talk presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi on August 25th, 1990.
https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/embarrassment
Teisho: “Practising Without an Edge”
Teisho presented by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei on February 19th, 2025
https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/practising-without-edge
Teisho: “I Know Who You Are!”
Teisho presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, presented at Dainen-ji on March 13th, 1999
https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/teisho-i-know-who-you-are
Dharma Assembly: On Karma
Mondo by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, Presented in April of 1986, River Road Zendo.
https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/dharma-assembly-karma
Request for Help to Maintain the Grounds
If you would like to offer time to help with maintenance in the grounds your help will be appreciated. You can offer a regular period of samu or make arrangements with the shissui to come for a single period of caretaking practice. Please write to info@wwzc.org or directly to Saigyo ino at saigyo.cross@gmail.com if you can assist with this work. Thank you.
Wooden Practice Materials for Sale in Myomaku

Saigyo ino has made a selection of wooden practice materials which are now for sale in Myomaku. These include boxes for storing incense, incense bowls, kneeling benches and kaishaku. He is donating a portion of the proceeds to WWZC. You are welcome to go into myomaku before or after sittings to see what’s available.
Alternate parking for sittings near Dainen-ji
If you need alternate parking near the monastery due to snow parking bans or lack of parking spots you can use the Loblaws car park located at 363 Rideau Street - Parking - Loblaws.
The car park is open until 10:00 p.m and charges $4 per hour. A full day 6:00a.m. to 6:00 p.m. is $10.

Office of the Tenzo
Dogen zenji taught in the Tenzo Kyokun: Instructions for the Tenzo (Tenzo kyokun: Instructions for the Tenzo https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/tenzo-kyokun-instructions-tenzo) that the work of preparing and serving meals is "a matter for realized monks who have the mind of the Way“, or by senior disciples who have roused the Way-seeking mind." In alignment with this, part of Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's samu for the Community involves personally overseeing the activities of the ancient Office of Tenzo. Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei serves as Tenzo and Mishin godo and Saigyo ino offer assistance as tenzo-anja.
The WWZC does not advocate any particular diet. However all meals prepared during practice events, such as Dharma Assemblies, sesshin, or retreats are vegetarian or vegan as most people can eat this. On Tuesday evenings there is an optional meat dish, as some people find that a purely vegetarian diet, especially as they get older, is not sufficient for their health. If you are adhering to a strictly vegan diet, you can write to the tenzo, Jinmyo Renge sensei, at jinmyo.renge@wwzc.org a week prior to attending an event to request vegan foods. If you are lactose intolerant or have allergies to foods, you should write to the tenzo about dietary restrictions a week before attending events.
The following meals were made on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings:
Monday Yakuseki
Naan baked with grated cheddar cheese; mushroom soup (a LOT of sauteed cremini mushrooms blended with mushroom stock, seasoned with salt and pepper); salad of chopped romaine, green leaf lettuce, radicchio, thinly sliced celery, radishes, grated carrots, and chopped tomatoes.
Tuesday Yakuseki
Mashed Yukon gold potatoes; meatloaf (ground beef, chicken and pork, finely chopped carrots, onions, celery, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, chilli powder, cayenne, thyme, basil, oregano, parsley, lots of black pepper, egg and breadcrumbs, glazed with a mixture of tomato sauce, Frank’s hot chilli sauce, pinch of brown sugar and cumin; diced carrots with peas and corn, butter, salt and pepper; mashed rutabaga with butter, salt and pepper; onion gravy (caramelised onions, all purpose flour, non-dairy butter, chicken stock, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, thyme and finely chopped fresh sage.
Thursday Yakuseki
Pasta salad (farfalle pasta with chopped monastery-grown tomatoes, chopped olives, thinly sliced red onion, mozzarella cheese, and a basil dressing made from lemon juice, fresh basil, olive oil, a pinch of sugar, garlic and oregano); bean salad (chickpeas, pinto beans and white kidney beans with chopped artichoke hearts, capers, minced red onion, fresh corn niblets, diced sour pickles, tossed with seared diced zucchini and red bell pepper cooked in an air fryer, seasoned with oil, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese); honey dew melon with Tajin.

Thank You
If you would like to thank someone for a contribution they have made, please feel free to send an email to Jinmyo sensei at rengezo@gmail dot com, but be sure to type "eMirror” in the subject line.
From Mishin godo:
Thank you to Senbo for 2 loaves of hand baked sourdough bread and thank you to Rana Annous for freshly picked yellow and blue plums, all gifts to the Office of the Tenzo.
From Chiso anagarika:
Thank you to Roshi for making the Dharma available, for his generosity and for dokusan. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for a warm welcome. Thank you to Mishin godo for showing me the mushroom farm, thank you to Saigyo ino for making sure we have all we need, thank you to Fushin shuso for bringing the chair where I needed it. Thank you to Alexander Tzelnic for driving 1400 km to Dainen-ji and back to Cambridge. Ma. "Thank you to the students who maintain Dainen-ji as an exemplary practice environment by participating in samu (caretaking practice) and soji (maintaining practice rooms).
From David Alexander:
Thank you to the Roshi for making Dainen-ji and this practice available to the Sangha. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for the priceless gift of accepting me as a probationary formal student. Thank you to Mishin godo and Saigyo ino for recent practice interviews; and to Fushin shuso for replying to schedule emails.
From Alex Tzelnic:
Thank you to the Roshi for providing the opportunity to meaningfully engage with the teachings through retreats as well as the long-distance training program; to the monastics, residents, and sangha for contributing to the care and climate of Dainen-ji; to Mishin godo and Saigyo ino for immensely clarifying practice interviews and assisting with retreat logistics; to Fushin shuso and Yujin for help navigating the monastery; to the office of the Tenzo for bright and energizing meals; and to Chiso anagarika for sharing the drive and the practice.