eMirror Vol 26, No. 46 (2022-11-11)

Rahula statue, Edo period
Rahula statue, Edo period


eMirror Vol 26, No. 46

Friday, November 11th, 2022
Edited by the Practice Council

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



[The Roshi continues reading his translation of “Big Advice to Rahula,” or the Maha Rahulovada Sutta.]

Then the Venerable Rahula thought, “How can I go into town for alms after receiving, face to face, teachings from the Generous One?” Turning back, he sat at the root of a tree, crossed his legs and set the body erect, and kept mindfulness present.

The Venerable Sariputta saw Rahula sitting cross-legged at the root of a tree with the body erect, keeping mindfulness present. He addressed Rahula, “You should practise being mindful of the in-breath and out-breath, Rahula. If mindfulness of breath is cultivated with continuous practice,1 then there is a vast harvest,2 there is great richness. ”3

At evening time the Venerable Rahula arose from solitude and approached the Generous One, sitting down to one side. Seated, Rahula asked the Generous One, “How is mindfulness of breath to be practised? How is it that continuous practice will bring a vast harvest and great richness?”

“Whatever is internal to the individual4 which is solid, has become solid, or which is derived from solidity such as the hair on the head, body hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, bowels, stomach, feces and whatever else is internal to an individual and experienced as hard or solid is said to be the internal earth element. Rahula, the internal earth element together with the external earth element are the earth element. Becoming wearied of identifying5 with the earth element, one sees it as it is with complete and perfect knowing and the mind is freed from the earth element. Thus: ‘This is not mine, this is not me, this not my self.’

“And what is the element of water, Rahula? The water element may be internal and it may be external. What is the water element internally? Whatever is internal to the individual and is liquid, has become liquid, or is derived from liquid such as bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, mucous, synovial fluid, urine and anything else internal to an individual which is liquid is the internal water element. The internal water element together with the external water element are the water element. Becoming wearied of identifying with the water element, one sees it as it is with complete and perfect knowing and the mind is freed from the water element. Thus: ‘This is not mine, this is not me, this not my self.’

“And what, Rahula, is the fire element? The fire element may be internal and it may be external. What is the fire element internally? Whatever is internal to the individual and is fiery, has become fiery or is derived from fire such as whatever consumes or burns up, whatever causes digestion of what is eaten and drunk, chewed and tasted, and anything else which is internal to an individual which is fiery is the internal fire element. The internal fire element together with the external fire element are the fire element. Becoming wearied of identifying with the fire element, one sees it as it is with complete and perfect knowing and the mind is freed from the fire element. Thus: ‘This is not mine, this is not me, this not my self.’

“And what, Rahula, is the air element? The air element may be internal and it may be external. What is the air element internally? Whatever is internal to the individual and is windy, has become windy or is derived from wind such as the upward moving wind,6 the downward moving wind,7 the wind in the bowels and outside the bowels, and the winds which move throughout the body, the in-breath and out-breath, and anything else which is internal to an individual which is windy is the internal air element. The internal air element together with the external air element are the air element. Becoming wearied of identifying with the air element, one sees it as it is with complete and perfect knowing and the mind is freed from the air element. Thus: ‘This is not mine, this is not me, this not my self.’

“And what, Rahula, is the space element? The space element may be internal and it may be external. What is the space element internally? Whatever is internal to the individual and is spacious, has become spacious or is derived from space such as openings of the ears, the nose, the mouth, the space in which is swallowed the food we have eaten, the space where the food is held, and the space it passes through to be excreted through the lower part of the body, and anything else which is internal to an individual which is spacious is the internal space element. The internal space element together with the external space element are the space element. Becoming wearied of identifying with the space element, one sees it as it is with complete and perfect knowing and the mind is freed from the space element. Thus: ‘This is not mine, this is not me, this not myself.’

    1 Bahulikata.
    2 Mahaphala.
    3 Maha ni samsa.
    4 Paccatta.
    5 Nibbindati.
    6 Associated with vomiting, coughing or hiccoughs.
    7 Which expels excrement.
  
-Ven Anzan Hoshin roshi, continuing teisho One: "Flowers Falling" in the series "Flowers and Worms", Hanamatsuri sesshin, April 11th to 14th, 1991, Zazen-ji.
 


Upcoming Events



Fusatsu: November 23rd, December 7th and 21st. 

Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place on Saturday, December 10th, at 1:45 p.m. To register for the next workshop: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca
For more information please see:
Introduction to Zen Workshop (Ottawa) 
For information concerning our Long-distance Training Program (for students living an hour or more commuting distance from the monastery in Ottawa), please visit this Web Page: Long Distance Training Program | White Wind Zen Community

November Two-day Sesshin
The November two-day sesshin began at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, November 11th and ends on Sunday, November 13th at 6:00 p.m.

Daiko-ki
November 18th is the Memorial for the death of Anzan Daiko zenji.

Rohatsu O-sesshin
The seven-day Rohatsu O-sesshin begins at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 1st and ends on December 8th, following Jodo-e (commemorating the Buddha's Awakening).

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.

Jodo-e: December 8th. 

Dainen-ki
December 12th is the anniversary of the day on which the Roshi’s Teacher, Ven. Yasuda Joshu Dainen roshi died.

Joya (New Year’s Celebration)
On Saturday, December 31st at 10 p.m. until Sunday, January 1st at 12:00 a.m., we will celebrate Joya or New Year with 108 recitations of the Mahaprajnaparamita Hridaya sutra mantra at midnight.

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


White Wind Zen Community Website Update



Teisho presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, on March 21st, 1991: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/river-memory
 


Retreats



Rev. Chiso anagarika sat her weekly semi-retreat on Tuesday, November 8th at her home in the Berkshires. Deshi Chantal Maheu sat a one-day retreat on Monday, November 7th at Dainen-ji. Julien Jefferson began a nine-day period of residential training at Dainen-ji on Wednesday, November 3rd which began with a three and a half-day retreat. Following the Samu Day on November 6th, he completed a four-day retreat which concluded on the evening of Thursday, November 10th. Gillian Hearn sat a retreat at Dainen-ji from the afternoon of Saturday, October 29th to the morning of Monday, October 31st. Tracey Parker sat a partial retreat on Saturday, October 29th and half-day retreat on Saturday, November 5th at her home in Perth, Ontario. Mario Delilse sat a half-day retreat on Tuesday, November 1st at Dainen-ji. 

If you would like to sit a retreat at Dainen-ji, please email schedule@wwzc.org to register a week in advance. For further information please visit this page: https://wwzc.org/retreats

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.  After your retreat, please send an email to schedule@wwzc.org to confirm that you sat a retreat and include the duration and location.
 


Recorded Teachings Schedule


Saturday, November 12th to Saturday, November 19th

Saturday, November 12th: "Paramita" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "Sila: Discipline" (3 of 7, 32 minutes) 
Monday, November 14th: “Mula Paryiya Sutta” by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi  (22 minutes)
Thursday, November 17th: “Mula Paryiya Sutta” by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi (22 minutes)
Saturday, November 19th: "Paramita" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "Ksanti: Flexibility" (4 of 7, 22 minutes) 
 


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.
 


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
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 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 ongoing.

Roshi is also finishing 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. 
 


Painted Cakes
(do not satisfy hunger)

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



scroll

Theravada (P): “Way of the Elders”. The form of Buddhism found in Ceylon, Burma and Thailand, the Sravakavada. Within the past two hundred years monks and now laypeople in the Theravada have taken up meditation practice once more, the most flourishing style of which is Vipassana (in Sanskrit Vipasyana), a practice similar to beginning stages of Hakukaze Soto Zen mindfulness practice.

Posted November 4th, 2022. New entries are posted every two weeks.

 

Onion section looking like Bodhidharma's face


Office of the Tenzo



Dogen zenji taught in the 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 following meals were prepared on 
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings:

Monday Yakuseki: 
Brown and white Thai Jasmine rice with chopped scallions; deep fried monastery-made tempeh with tofu in a batter made from all purpose flour, corn starch, finely minced garlic, finely chopped scallions, coriander powder, and salt, served with a dipping sauce made from Kecap Manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce) mixed with rice vinegar, shoyu, minced garlic, minced Thai red chilis; salad of Romaine lettuce, chopped vine ripened tomatoes, radishes, celery and thinly sliced red onion with a dressing made from coconut milk, Thai yellow curry paste, a spoonful of peanut butter, salt, white pepper. Roasted peanuts were served to add to the salad.

Tuesday Yakuseki: 
Split pea soup (split peas, diced potato, carrots and onion, minced garlic, tomato paste, thyme, lots of black pepper, a small amount of chipotle adobo, served with grated cheese, crusty rolls and butter, and a coleslaw made from thinly sliced green cabbage, carrots, daikon, red onion, mayonnaise, horseradish, lime juice, lots of black pepper.
For those who wished to supplement their diet with meat, cubed cooked ham was served separately.

Thursday Yakuseki: 
Roasted chunks of Yukon gold potatoes, carrots, parsnips, rutabaga, daikon and kohlrabi; diced carrots mixed with baby peas and corn; medium-firm tofu cooked with butter and Dom’s Hot Sauce; cheese sauce made from a roux with friulano and extra-old cheddar cheese, milk, Keen’s mustard powder, garlic and onion powder, black pepper.

 

Gassho sign (hands in gassho in in a circle)

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 Jinmyo sensei:
Thank you to Mishin godo for placing an order for incense from Shoyeido.

From Mishin godo:
Thank you to Chantal Maheu for regular bookkeeping samu. Thank you to Chantal Maheu and Elizabeth Eve for transcribing Dharma Talks from the Before Thinking series.

From Saigyo ino:
Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for the excellent midday meal designed and prepared for those students who work through the day at our Samu Day on Sunday 6th. Thank you to the following students who attended this Samu Day to work on various projects in the grounds and inside the monastery: Mishin godo, Fushin shuso, Senbo, Leonardo Nobrega, David Gallant, Chantal Maheu, Greg Parker, Sam MacFarlane, Shigemi Ichino, Julien Jefferson and Don Charette.    

From Chiso anagarika:
Thank you to Roshi for dokusan and for the continuing effort to support my practice during this pandemic which prevented me from travelling to the Monastery. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei and Mishin godo for including me as much as possible in the life of the monastery. Thank you to Senbo for editing the eMirror which gives a glimpse into life there. Thank you to Saigyo ino and Fushin shuso for all the work on the new library and on the grounds, and to the residents and local students who helped them.
 
From Julien Jefferson:
Thank you to Anzan Hoshin roshi for establishing this place and these forms of practice, through which what is extra can be seen clearly. Thank you also for the teisho I listened to during my retreats, and for the sho and ikebana placed throughout the monastery. Thank you to Jinmyo Renge sensei for meeting me both in, and out of daisan. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei and Mishin godo for truly tasty meals during my retreat, all of which were new to me. Thank you to Mishin godo for patient instruction in and explanation for the foundations of whole-bodily mindfulness, and for presenting the Introduction to Zen Workshop. Thank you to Saigyo ino for instruction in many forms outside of formal practice, and for a Thursday morning practice interview. Thank you to Fushin shuso for answering my many questions and for introducing me to Kuro. Thank you to the Sangha: it was so nice to see you in person and practise with you again.
 
From the Office of the Treasurer:
Thank you to Gillian Hern for donations to the monastery and to the Hojo library in memory of Ven. Shikai Zuiko O-sensei. Thank you to Ian Richard for a donation towards the November 6th Samu Day. Thank you to Adda Hernandez and Alain Beland for donations.

 

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