eMirror Vol 22, No. 17 (2018-04-27)
Photograph by Jennifer Ryoshin Comeau
eMirror Vol 22, No. 17
Friday, April 27th, 2018
Edited by Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
Without source,
without merit,
it cannot be faced or defaced.
When called, it comes.
When it dies, it dies.
How miraculous, how sacred!
The golden body of the Buddha
sends it stink throughout
10,000 worlds.
HO!
Well, what is it?
-Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, Daijozan 1986, from the book "The Sky Itself".
Upcoming Events
https://wwzc.org/upcoming-events
Fusatsu: May 2nd, 16th and 30th
Hermitage
The Roshi will begin a period of hermitage on Wednesday, May 2nd, which will end at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 6th, when he leads monastics in Acalanatha Sadhana.
Introduction to Zen Workshop
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place at Dainen-ji on Saturday, May 5th. For more information please see:
https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
For information concerning our Long-distance Training Program, please visit this Web Page: https://wwzc.org/long-distance-training-program
Cancelled General Sitting
The Monday, May 14th, 7:30 p.m. general sitting is cancelled due to O-sesshin.
Cancelled Associate Sitting
The Thursday, May 18th, 7:30 p.m. associate sitting is cancelled due to O-sesshin.
Sogaku-ki O-sesshin
The Sogaku-ki O-sesshin will begin at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, May 11th, and will end on Friday, May 18th, at noon. Formal students are reminded to send their schedules to schedule at wwzc dot org as soon as is possible.
For associate and general students: On Saturday, May 12th, there will be a sitting in the Zendo which will begin at 9:15 a.m. (First Bell) and will end at 11:30 a.m. Please remain on the first floor. Please note that the Monday evening general sitting is cancelled, as is the Thursday evening associate sitting. The 9:30 a.m. general sitting will take place on Saturday, May 21st.
A Note to Preliminary and Public Students Concerning O-sesshin
During an O-sesshin the schedule is such that there is no time to meet face to face with preliminary students or to reply to email correspondence sent by public students. Public students are asked to send their weekly practice journals, as they will be reviewed. But unless there is something that needs an immediate reply, you will not receive an email reply until the week following the O-sesshin.
Sogaku-ki
May 18th is the memorial for the death of Sogaku Myoshin Hakukaze daiosho, the 80th Lineage Ancestor and, it is said, the author of “Scattered Notes On The Daruma-kata”. Sogaku Hakukaze daisho lived during the Tokugawa era. He received transmission from Manzan Dohaku daiosho and gave transmission to Anzan Daiko daiosho.
Fudo ennichi
May 26th is a day traditionally dedicated to Fudo Myo-o. Fuo Myo-o (J) Acala Vidyaraja (S) A manifestation of “Mahavairocana” or all pervading Awareness as a wrathful guardian figure; a symbol of boundless energy, determination and compassion. Used as a symbol of the Teacher’s mind in this Lineage. Fudo stands glaring and snarling like a demon; it holds the sword of insight in one hand and the cord of the Precepts in the other; it has chained itself to a rock in the midst of the raging flames of the deepest hell to work for the liberation of all beings there.
Hermitage
The Roshi will begin a period of hermitage on Wednesday, May 30th, which will end on Sunday, June 3rd, at 9:30 a.m., when he leads monastics in Acalanatha Sadhana.
What to do if you arrive late for a sitting
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
Sarah Goul sat a two-day retreat from the evening of Friday, April 20th to Sunday, April 22nd. Leonardo Nobrega sat a two-day retreat on Saturday, April 21st and Sunday, April 22nd. Louis Radakir sat a two-day retreat on Monday, April 23rd and Tuesday, April 24th.
To Schedule a Retreat
Please visit this Web page for information about scheduling a retreat and an explanation of the different kinds of retreat (duration and timing) you can sit: https://wwzc.org/retreats. Please note that retreats should be scheduled one week in advance.
Public students sitting retreats should send an email to schedule@wwzc.org to confirm they sat a retreat so that notice of it can be included in the eMirror. Please include the location of the retreat and the duration.
Teisho
Recorded Teachings Schedule
- Saturday, April 28th general sitting: “Without Difficulty”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on Jianzhi Sengcan's “Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness”: “It Wasn’t Sengcan” (2 of 26)
- Sunday, April 29th formal sitting: SAkN “Root Cycle Four” by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: “Motion” (teisho 1 of 5)
- Monday, May 1st general sitting: “Flowers and Clouds” by Ven. Anzan Hoshin: “Changing Changes” (8 of 12)
- Thursday, May 3rd associate sitting: “Freedom and Tyranny” by Ven. Shikai Zuiko o-sensei: “The Makeup of Coercion” (Dharma Talk 3 of 3)
- Saturday, May 5th general sitting: “Without Difficulty”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on Jianzhi Sengcan's “Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness”: “Faith in Mind, Trusting Awareness” (3 of 26)
Missed Sittings and Teisho
If associate students are unable to attend the Thursday evening associate sitting, they may attend one of the general sittings to make up for the sitting they missed. General sittings are held on Monday evenings at 7:30 p.m. (first Bell is at 7:15) and Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m. (first Bell at 9:15 a.m.). Please send an email to request permission to attend one of these sittings.
Teisho presented at general and associate sittings which are part of a series need to be listened to in the correct order and with none missed out. If you miss a sitting please borrow a copy of the missed teisho from the library or download it from the WWZC Media Site as soon as possible, so that the continuity of what is being presented is not disrupted. The weekly list of recorded teisho played at sittings is posted on the web site at:
https://wwzc.org/recorded-teachings-schedule
Online Access to Recorded Teachings
Students can access the password-protected online Recorded Teachings library on the WWZC website at https://wwzc.org/recorded-teachings or through the streaming site at http://app.wwzc.org. The custom-built media streaming site allows students to live stream recordings from the WWZC Recorded Teachings collection. It is optimized for use on smartphones and tablets, and works with most modern browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. It can also be used on desktops.
WWZC Website www.wwzc.org
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
- Yaza 2007: Sit Through the Night, the Night is Bright Right Through https://wwzc.org/yaza-2007
- 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 on Sundays
Each Sunday afternoon (except during O-sesshin and Sesshin), Caretaking Council (Saigyo tando, Fushin shramon and Endai shramon) do samu from 1:30p.m to 4:30p.m. on the various small projects required around the monastery. There are always a great many tasks that need to be done and so any students are welcome and encouraged to come to Dainen-ji to join the monastics in caretaking practice. If you would like to partake in the samu practice on Sundays please write to Saigyo tando at saigyo.cross@gmail.com.
Painted Cakes
(do not satisfy hunger)
by Ven. Shikai Zuiko sensei
Continuing on with “Painted Cakes: A Zen Dictionary” a limited edition text written by Anzan Hoshin roshi in 1994.
Osho (J); A senior monk.
Questions can be sent to me, Shikai sensei, at shikai.sensei@gmail.com.
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 ino and Saigyo tando offer assistance as tenzo-anja.
Monday Yakuseki:
Saag paneer (turmeric, cayenne, monastery-made paneer, chopped spinach, white onion, minced ginger and garlic, minced hot chili pepper, garam masala, freshly ground coriander, ground cumin and yogurt; rice with lentils (basmati rice with caramelized onions and green lentils with turmeric, coriander, cumin, cayenne, butter); salad of chopped tomato and cucumbers in almond/cashew yogurt with lime juice, black pepper, salt and fresh coriander.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Noodle soup: Chinese noodles with Shanghai bok choy, shitake, daikon, and slices of deep fried age tofu served in a broth seasoned with ginger, garlic, white pepper, chili oil, shoyu, lime juice); white Napa kimchi.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Mixed grain (Arborio, Calrose and Basmati rice); deep-fried tofu braised in chili sauce with garlic and sauteed crimini mushrooms; corn soup (pureed corn, whole kernel corn, white onion, ginger, garlic, shaoshing, shoyu, chopped daikon and potato; white kimchi.
Additional supplies made during the week:
Non-dairy almond/cashew yogurt
Non-dairy naan
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 Shikai sensei:
Thank you: Fushin shramon for the many Sensei-ryo samu tasks he completes (often unasked); Ryoshin for driving (a van loaned by her friends -thank you friends) to and from Bath Institution; Padre Sue and Rev. Heather for their ongoing help with the comings and goings and changes at the Bath Institution Centre for Spiritual Development; to the Bath practitioners for planning to paint and renew the chapel; from the Bath Sangha to all the monks, Mishin ino in particular, for the wealth of text and playback material provided by WWZC.
From Mishin ino:
Thank you to Jinmyo osho for delicious handmade paneer and even more delicious saag paneer prepared for Monday yakuseki. Thank you to Jinmyo osho and Endai shramon for meeting with plumbers to deal with plumbing issues in the monastery.
From Endai shramon:
Thank you to Shikai sensei for providing monthly instruction to our sangha members at the Bath Institution. Thank you to Jinmyo osho for leading the morning formal sittings and for preparing delicious yakuseki meals in her function as Tenzo. Thank you to Mishin ino for conducting preliminary practice interviews with students who have attended Introductory Workshops.
From Leonardo Nobrega:
Thank you Roshi for residential training opportunities. Thank you Osho for daisan on “not finishing the sentence”, and for meals. Thank you Ino for a practice interview and for breakfast. Thank you Endai shramon for lemon-almond cake.
Ongoing Project: "All is Change"
Dainen-ji, being a 140-year-old building, is continuously in need of maintenance and the costs associated with this can be astronomical when such things as porch repairs or exterior painting are needed. This is something that we cannot afford to do, yet must do and so the "All is Change" project has been created. The "All is Change" project is very simple. Most of us have a bowl or a jar or some other kind of container that we keep somewhere at home and fill up with loose change because it's too heavy to carry around. Several hundred dollars has been collected so far both in loose change and Canadian tire money which has been put towards the building maintenance fund. If anyone would like to contribute to this fund, each penny will be appreciated. The “All is Change” container is on the wooden wall shelf under the Sangha Board in the cloak room.
