eMirror Vol 29, No. 32 (2025-08-08)

Dongshan Liangjie daiosho’s Five Degrees of Straight and Bent, the Wuwei or Go-i
eMirror Vol 29, No. 32
Friday, August 8th, 2025
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
As Yunyan’s realized practice matured, the interactions between himself and Yaoshan became more and more playful.
In the following mondo Yaoshan and Yunyan discuss the relationship between host and guest or ultimate and relative, which is a theme that runs throughout Chinese Chan. The ultimate in Chinese is referred to as cheng, and in Japanese sho, which means centre or principle, straight, space, context, host, or the ultimate. The relative is pian in Chinese, and hen in Japanese, which mean off-balance, phenomena, activity, or function, bent, content. In the Rhythm and Song series of teisho we considered Dongshan Liangjie daiosho’s Five Degrees of Straight and Bent, the Wuwei or Go-i. Basically, the ultimate is what is true for and about knowing in itself or the context and the relative is what is true about knowns or contents. This subject can often become dangerously distorting to what it attempts to describe. In some variations of Zen practice the ultimate and relative become more and more distant from each other so that instead of them being ways of understanding different aspects of something larger than both of them, they become the two sides of a coin such that only one side can be seen at a time; the presence of one involves the absence of the other. In some extreme examples of misunderstanding, the ultimate is the complete annihilation of the relative. I, together with Shitou, Dongshan, Dogen, Ejo, and Keizan and all the Ancestors of our Lineage and all of the great masters of not only Chan and Zen but also of Mahamudra and Dzog-chen and even of other traditions have always criticized these distortions. And yet even so, there are many instances in classical Chan in which even sincere monks and good Teachers make some errors. One of the characteristics of what would become called the Caodong or Soto Lineage after the time of Yunyan Tansheng’s own Dharma-heir Dongshan Liangjie is the practical manner in which the relationship between context and content, space and activity, or host and guest is practised and embodied.
Since many of the permutations of presentations on absolute and relative had yet to occur historically, Yaoshan and Yunyan do not actually use any of these terms in the following interaction; which is refreshing, although Yaoshan does use the often misleading term “true self”.
One day Yaoshan asked Yunyan, “What are you doing?”
Yunyan said, “I just eat and then bury my shit.”
Yaoshan asked, “Where is your true self?”
Yunyan said, “It’s right in front of you.”
Yaoshan asked, “For whom are you so busy?”
Yunyan said, “For this body, which eats and shits.”
Yaoshan asked, “Why not let the body and self fit together?”
Yunyan said, “Don’t get any false ideas about this body.”
Yaoshan asked, “Can’t I put it this way?”
Yunyan said, “It’s all right with me.”
Yaoshan asked, “Are you still just eating and shitting?”
-Beginning 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): August 6th and 20th.
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
August Sesshin:
The August two-day sesshin will begin on Friday, August 8th at 8:00 p.m. and will end on Sunday, August 10th, at 6:00 p.m.
General Sitting:
On August 9th, during the sesshin 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.
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.
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
Deshi Senbo sat a one and a half-day retreat from Tuesday, July 29th to Wednesday, July 30th at Dainen-ji. General student David Alexander sat a two-day retreat on Saturday, July 26th and Sunday, July 27th at Dainen-ji. General student Stacey Loyer sat a one-day retreat on Saturday, July 26th at Dainen-ji. General student Rana Annous sat a partial retreat on Saturday, July 26th at Dainen-ji. General student Ian Reynolds sat a one-day retreat on Thursday, July 31st at Dainen-ji.
Recorded Teachings Schedule
August 9th to August 16th, 2025
Listening to Recorded Teisho and Dharma Talks
General sitting Saturday, August 9th:
Without Difficulty: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on "Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness" by Jianzhi Sengcan: Teisho 11: Wuwei (19 minutes)
Associate sittings Monday, August 11th and Thursday, August 14th:
Sitting Up Straight: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Keizan Jokin zenji's "Zazen Yojinki": Teisho 11: Into This Step (17 minutes)
General sitting Saturday, August 16th: Without Difficulty:
Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on "Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness" by Jianzhi Sengcan: Teisho 12: Not Holding the Mind (19 minutes)
Recorded Teachings Played During the August Sesshin:
The Secret Life of Manjusri by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin
Saturday Afternoon: Teisho 8: Not a Muffin (36 minutes)
Saturday Evening: Teisho 9: The Sky of Radiance (34 minutes)
Sunday afternoon: Teisho 9: The Sky of Radiance (34 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 https://wwzc.org/dharma-position
Eyes See, Ears Hear https://wwzc.org/eyes-see-ears-hear
Embarrassment https://wwzc.org/embarrassment
Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi's reading of his translation of Eihei Dogen zenji's “Bendowa: A Talk on Exerting the Way”: https://wwzc.org/bendowa-talk-exerting-way
Translations and Texts

Photograph of Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Daijozan, mid-1980s,
by Ven. Shikai Zuiko sensei
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 -
https://en.parkopedia.ca/parking/parkade/loblaws/k1n/ottawa/?arriving=202503101130&leaving=202503101330
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.
Monday Yakuseki
Linguini with garlic-butter sauce (butter, bran oil, minced garlic, diced Spanish onion, lime juice, pinch of sugar, red chilli flakes, chiffonade of fresh basil; fresh peas with haricot verts (donated by Shigemi) lightly cooked and seasoned with butter, salt and pepper; Caesar salad with croutons, with a salad dressing made from Bran oil, vinegar, egg Yolk, Parmesan cheese, romano cheese, garlic and lemon juice.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Crostini (baguettes sliced on the bias, drizzled with bran oil and seasoned with salt and Mexican chilli powder; corn chowder with chicken and chorizo sausage (diced potatoes, carrots and celery, whole kernel corn, blended corn, thinly sliced chicken seared, sliced chorizo sausages, ancho chilli powder, chopped, broiled poblano peppers, skin removed and seeded, lots of black pepper, apple cider vinegar, basil, oregano, cumin and bay leaves; coleslaw of thinly sliced green cabbage, white onion, and carrot dressed with mayonnaise, dijon mustard, horseradish, lime juice, salt, and black pepper; chopped watermelon.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Naan; Lentil kofte (cooked lentils and fine bulgur mixed with chopped caramelised onions, hot red pepper paste, tomato paste, finely chopped scallions, finely chopped parsley, olive oil, ground cumin, rolled into a large ball coated with lime juice and served chilled, with Romaine lettuce leaves from our rooftop garden; chickpea soup (blended sauteed onion, carrot, chickpeas, vegetable stock, seasoned with yogurt, lots of black pepper, cumin, smoked paprika).

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 Saigyo ino:
Thank you to the Roshi for adapting the oryoki forms for table use so that all the participants of Sesshin and O-sesshin are able to partake in this wonderful practice. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for leading Fusatsu and for taking such good care of the monastery cats, Shindo and Kiden. Thank you to Mishin godo for making sure the food staples used in monastery meals are always restocked. Thank you to Fushin shuso for preparing candles for the sittings and for making coffee for residents each morning and to Yujin for obtaining the necessary recycling and garbage bins for the monastery's needs. Thank you to Stacey Loyer and Rana Annous for work to build a retaining wall for a new border at the side porch, for donating and planting new plants for this area and for keeping them watered regularly. Thank you to David Alexander, Tarik Kaya, Ian Reynolds, Kaleb Shumway, Sam MacFarlane, George Donovan, An Nguyen and Daniel Roach for regularly offering samu to work on a variety of tasks in the monastery and grounds.
From Stephanie Houle:
Thank you to Saigyo ino for overseeing my recent retreat at Dainen-ji. Thank you to Mishin godo for an always helpful practice interview. Thank you to the Office of the Tenzo for delicious meals served throughout the day. Thank you to Tarik for being a helpful guiding presence during my retreat. Thank you to the Roshi for making the monastery and retreats available to all students.