eMirror Vol 25, No. 18 (2021-04-30)

Photograph of visitor (rabbit) to Dainen-ji's grounds By Ven. Mishin Roloefs godo
Photograph of visitor to Dainen-ji's grounds
By Ven. Mishin Roloefs godo


eMirror Vol 25, No. 18

Friday, April 30th, 2021
Edited by Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho

The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.



Dogen zenji says,

    Furthermore, it may be the case that the old mind is practicing the Buddha, that the old mind is verifying the Buddha, that the old mind is making the Buddha, that "the Buddha Old" is forming the mind. 

    "Practising" or "gyo" and "verifying" or "sho" means to realize for ourselves through actual practice and also to have our practice and realization verified or authenticated by a Teacher. What is realized through practice and verified is being Buddha, becoming Awake. We can become awake because Awareness is our very natures. Self-image is an avoidance of who we are, a fundamental misunderstanding of the luminosity of Knowing and its radiance as knowns. The old mind, the mind that is older than the past, older than you and I, older than our great-grandparents, older than the human species makes it possible for us to Wake Up to it because without it, we could not be at all. The old mind "sabutsu", "makes Buddhas" in the sense of becoming Buddha.

    Now Dogen's play with the words "mind of the old Buddhas" brings up a very strange construction: "'the Buddha Old' is forming the mind." The primordial and timeless nature of Awareness is itself a Buddha, the Buddha Old. The lifespan of Sakyamuni Buddha according to the Lotus sutra is inconceivable in extent but the oldness of reality goes beyond all times because all times move within it and are its presencing. Time is the dimension of movement within the dimensions of vertical, horizontal, and depth. All dimensions of space arise within the space that experiences it. What forms our minds, our bodies, displays itself as fences, walls, tiles, stones is that kind of Old.

-Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, beginning the teisho "The Buddha Old", Wednesday, February 16th, 2005, at Dainen-ji, in the series "The Primordially Awakened Way: commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji's Kobutsushin: The Old Buddha Mind".
 


Upcoming Events



Fusatsu
May 12th and May 26th. 

Sogakuki O-sesshin
The Sogakuki seven-day O-sesshin will begin on Friday, May 14th, at 8:00 p.m. and will end on Friday, May 21st at noon. Students who will be participating and those who will align with the schedule of the O-sesshin while sitting at home are asked to send their schedules as soon as possible to facilitate the planning of dokusan and daisan as well as meal preparation.

Sogaku-ki
May 18th is the memorial for the death of Sogaku Myoshin Hakukaze daiosho.

Hermitage
The Roshi is currently in an extended period of "self-isolation" due to underlying health issues until the COVID-19 situation clarifies.

Beginning Instruction in Zen Practice
For information concerning our Long-distance Training Program, please visit this Web Page: https://wwzc.org/long-distance-training-program
 


Inka For Jinmyo Renge



On the evening of Thursday, May 20th, during the May Sogakuki O-sesshin, Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho-ajari will receive Inka, or the Seal of Authenticity, as a Zen Teacher from Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, to become his first Dharma-heir. As one who has received mind to mind transmission from the Roshi and holds the Lineage, she will thus be able to transmit this Lineage at all stages of practice, including transmitting monastic vows and passing on the transmission herself.

Jinmyo Renge received Shiho Transmission as a Dharma-successor from the Roshi on December 8th, 2001 after having practised as a student and then a monastic since 1990. She presented the monthly Introduction to Zen Workshops for 17 years. As well as bearing a vast range of responsibilities within the Sangha, she trained in the time-honoured post of Tenzo since 1991 and has trained students in oryoki practice since 1992. While serving in the training posts of Shuso, Ino and Godo and Osho, her responsibilities have included overseeing Great Matter Publications and White Wind Zen Community Archives, as well as the duplication, preservation and transcription of our extensive collection of recorded teisho, Dharma Talks, and classes. She has also assisted the Roshi in training other monastics in their training posts of Shuso, Ino and Godo, as well as practice advisors. She worked with Anzan Hoshin roshi on the translation of the Bonmokyo (Bramajala sutra), on the Ten Grave and 48 Supporting Precepts.  She has produced weekly issues of the Sangha electronic newsletter, "The eMirror" since 1998. 

In addition to providing instruction to Sangha members practising at the monastery in Ottawa, she provides training to her own probationary formal and formal students (deshi) and corresponds by email with a large number of students practising in other parts of the world. She is responsible for presenting and organizing many resources such as the Retreat Handbook and other materials.

As well as presenting the foundations of mindfulness and insight, for many years she has also received from the Roshi authorizations to give instruction in koan practice and study, various aspects of kaji and Mikkyo, and the monastic ritsu and shingi. While there are some areas yet to be realized, the Roshi has decided that now would be a good time to acknowledge Jinmyo Renge as Sensei so that our Sangha can ripen further as a result. 

With Shiho ceremonies, as with Shukke-tokudo, these have always been open to all students who have registered to attend. However, given these times of the Covid-19 virus and isolation, the ceremony will be conducted privately in the Hojo. This will then be followed by a Dharma talk by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei in the Hatto.

All students are welcome to sit in their home or personal practice rooms on the evening of Thursday, May 20th, during the May Sogakuki O-sesshin, to align with this important event.
 


Retreats



Rev. Chiso anagarika sat her weekly semi-retreat on Tuesday, April 27th at her home in the Berkshires. Probationary deshi Leonardo Nobrega sat a two-day retreat on Saturday, April 24th and Sunday, April 25th. Alex Bourne sat a half-day retreat on Saturday, April 24th at his home in Ottawa, Ontario. Tracey Parker sat a half-day retreat on Saturday, April 24th at her home in Perth, Ontario. Tarik Kaya sat a half-day retreat on Saturday, April 24th at his home in Ottawa, Ontario. 

Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, it is not possible at this time to schedule retreats in the monastery. If you would like to sit a retreat at home please follow the schedule outlined in this page:  https://wwzc.org/retreat-schedule-public-students. We can arrange for a telephone interview or daisan providing this does not conflict with the sesshin or O-sesshin schedule listed above, under “Upcoming Events”.
 


Recorded Teachings Schedule



Saturday, May 1st to Saturday, May 8th

Saturday, May 1st: “Turning the Wheel of the Way” by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: “Linji's Pine Trees” (teisho 23 of 44) 
Sunday, May 2nd: SAkN: Dimensions of Space by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "Speaking of Sapce" (2 of 8)
Monday, May 3rd: “Every Breath You Take” by Ven. Shikai Zuiko o-sensei: “When UNcrossing the Legs" (Dharma Talk 33)
Thursday, May 6th: Reading of "Scattered Poems", Part 2 by Ven. Shikai Zuiko o-sensei 
Saturday, May 8th: “Turning the Wheel of the Way” by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: “Emperor Xuan and Huangbo's Slap” (teisho 24 of 44) 
 


Listening to Teisho and Dharma Talks



​Associate and general students should continue to follow the recorded Teachings schedule for the sitting you were attending at the monastery, and listen to that during your home practice.

You can access the online Recorded Teachings Library at wwzc.org/recorded-teachings-schedule. 

You can also use the streaming site at app.wwzc.org to live stream recordings from the online Library. If you have forgotten your password or need assistance with accessing the recorded Teachings, please email schedule@wwzc.org.

Please note that teisho should be listened to in the correct order and with none missed out as themes, metaphors, questions raised and answered evolve in spirals throughout the series.

 

Photograph of Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Daijozan, mid-1980s, by Ven. Shikai Zuiko sensei
Photograph of Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Daijozan, mid-1980s,
by Ven. Shikai Zuiko sensei


Translations



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 Baike: Plum Blossoms, Ryugin: Howling Dragon, and Udonge: The Udumbara Blossoming and many others are nearing completion. Many of these will be posted on our website over the next few months.
 


Newly-Presented Teachings



During the January 2020 Sesshin, Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi presented the following teisho as part of the ongoing series, "The Lineage of Luminosity: Part Two: The Lineage in China”:
          January 11th: “Rujing's Broken Broom of Mu”.
During the December 2019 Rohatsu O-sesshin, Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi presented the following teisho as part of the ongoing series, "The Lineage of Luminosity, Part Two: The Lineage in China”:
          December 2nd: Rujing’s Plum Blossoms Again
          December 3rd: Rujing’s Flower for Pindola
          December 4th: Rujing’s Painting Plum Blossoms
          December 5th: Rujing’s Frogs and Worms
Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi presented the following teisho during the November Sesshin, as part of the ongoing series, "The Lineage of Luminosity: Part Two: The Lineage in China”:
          November 9th: Rujing and the Old Plum Tree
 


Newly Posted Transcript on the WWZC Website



"Zen is Not Kidding" by Shikai Zuiko sensei https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/zen-not-kidding
 


Recorded Teachings for Public Access



While most of the online Recorded Teachings library is password-protected and only accessible to students of Zen Master Anzan Hoshin, a small selection of MP3 recordings of teisho are accessible to the public at https://wwzc.org/recorded-teachings. Additional recordings will be uploaded periodically.

MP3 recordings of five teisho 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

 


Samu Weekend report by Saigyo ino



Over Saturday, April 17th and Sunday April 18th we held a Samu Weekend for the residents of Dainen-ji. Although during this lock-down period in Ottawa during the pandemic, we were not able to request the attendance of the many local students, we decided to hold a samu weekend to do spring maintenance in the grounds and other tasks needed in the monastery.  In the grounds the water garden was cleaned and testing done to locate the source of a leak which was discovered at the end of last year. Lots of spring tidying was also done in the grounds including dismantling the snow blower shed, tidying the garden shed and picking up leaves. The squirrel proofing was added to the roof garden where we expect to be growing herbs and some vegetables again this year. Inside the building, repairs were made to the second floor washroom ceiling after a leak had damaged it and a repair was made to a broken window screen. Mishin godo completed lots of administration and David Gallant completed upgrades and improvements to the buildings LAN and internet infrastructure. Thank you to Mishin godo, Fushin shramon, David Gallant and Leonardo Nobrega for their samu over the two days. Thank you to Jinmyo osho for designing and preparing the delicious midday meals over the Samu Weekend.

 

Ma Ka Hannya Ha Ra Mitta Shin Gyo, Japanese characters


Painted Cakes
(do not satisfy hunger)

Begun by Ven. Shikai Zuiko sensei
Finished by Rev. Fushin Comeau shramon following her death



Continuing on with “Painted Cakes: A Zen Dictionary” a limited edition text written by Anzan Hoshin roshi in the 1980s and last revised in 1994.

Shõbõgenzõ (J) "True Eye of Reality", the Transmission of Reality. Also used by Dogen zenji as the title for a collection of his major essays and teisho transcripts.

Posted April 16th, 2021. New entries are posted every two weeks.

 

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Office of the Tenzo



Dogen zenji taught in the Tenzokyokun 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 osho serves as tenzo and Mishin godo and Saigyo ino offer assistance as tenzo-anja. The following meals were prepared for residents on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings this week:

Monday Yakuseki:
Mixed grain (Calrose rice, Arborio rice, Thai sticky rice, barley); cauliflower-chickpea curry (cauliflower cut into florets, diced russet potatoes, chopped Spanish onions, minced garlic and ginger, cumin and mustard seeds, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, curry leaves, minced chilies); greek yogurt served with the curry; toasted naan with butter; Asian pear cut into chunks, lime juice and chili flakes.

Tuesday Yakuseki:
Scallion pancakes; yakitori chicken and pork; yakitori dipping sauce (sake, mirin, shoyu); grilled bok choy with a sauce made from vegetarian oyster sauce, garlic, ginger, chopped chilies, sesame oil, chopped scallions.

Thursday Yakuseki:
Mixed grain (Lundberg Farms short-grain brown rice, Chinese rice, Thai Jasmine rice, basmati rice; ganmodoki (tofu balls made from mashed silken tofu, chopped medium-firm tofu, minced shiseido, seeded red chilies, jalapeno peppers, minced scallions and ginger, egg whites, salt, rice flour) formed into balls, rolled in potato flour and deep-fried); dipping sauce made from sliced reconstituted shitake mushrooms, soaking liquid from the mushrooms, minced ginger and red chilies, sake, shoyu, mirin; sauteed green beans and small shiseido chilies with leftover sauce from Tuesday (vegetarian oyster sauce, garlic, ginger, chopped chilies, sesame oil, chopped scallions); miso broth made from kombu, shoyu, miso, finely chopped ginger. 

 

Saigyo Ino bowing


Thank You



If you would like to thank someone for a contribution they have made, please feel free to send an email to Jinmyo osho at rengezo at Gmail dot com, but be sure to type "eMirror" in the subject line.

From Jinmyo osho
Thank you to the Roshi for the gift of a Kobo Forma eBook Reader. 

From Sarah Goul
I am thankful to all those in the Lineage who maintain(ed) the Dharma and so we have it living today and this opportunity to wake up right now. Thank you to Roshi for various subtle and direct instructions and examples over the years, most recently instruction on Knowing. Also for many translations and texts that make the teachings accessible, in particular “Paramita: the Pathless Path”. I am thankful to the late Shikai O-sensei for having told me straight that my life is my responsibility, and for having suggested that I get a cat which is why I have Komox in my life. Thank you to Osho for much instruction and time over the years that has benefited my practice esp. through daisan, Dharma Talks, correcting posture and Kata in the Hatto, the Retreatant Handbook, the Kata video, instruction in Maitri, responding to my journals, delicious meals, editing the eMirror, and countless other instructions and examples during various interactions. Also, congratulations and deep gassho to Osho for commitment and realization resulting in Inka. Thank you to Godo and Ino for routine tele-Practice Interviews which I look forward to and that keep me on track. There are many practice interview specifics for which I am grateful, but for brevity's sake: in particular, thank you Godo for suggesting several relevant teisho and Dharma Talks and thank you to Ino for coaching me off the bench, back into the game.

 

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