eMirror Vol 26, No. 50 (2022-12-09)


San: Mountain, by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, 1986

San: Mountain, by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, 1986


eMirror Vol 26, No. 50

Friday, December 9th, 2022
Edited by the Practice Council

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



He [Siddhartha] walked around, people asked him questions and he answered them. He used to talk to people a lot. What he mainly told them was: just pay attention. One day, he and his merry band of monks wound up in his old home town. Somebody saw him and told his dad. His dad jumped up and went out to see his son who turned out to now be a bald, strange looking character wearing greasy robes. Despite being somewhat taken aback, his dad was still pleased to see him. And despite the fact that his son wasn’t exactly something to be proud of, still the boy seemed to have turned out all right. He had some interesting things to say.

The Buddha’s wife (because that’s what Siddhartha was called now, “Buddha,” which means “one who has Woken Up”) said to Rahula: “Hey boy! Here is your dad! Why don’t you go and see him. Why don’t you go and ask him about your inheritance, hmm? Go on!”

Like a good boy, Rahula went over to his dad, the bald guy in the greasy robes, and asked about his inheritance. The Buddha had never seen this boy until now, and said, “Well, if you want it, I can give it to you but you’ll have to follow me back to where all the other monks are. Here, carry my bowl.” So the boy did and the Buddha kidnapped his son, shaved his head, and made him into a monk.

Strange little story. Quite a strange pair these two, walking the road to Savatthi. I don’t think that Rahula ever quite knew what to make of his dad, because while he sometimes thought of him as his dad, when you looked in his eyes none of your names for him fit. And when he looked at you, if you were paying attention, you started to be a little bit scared sometimes because somehow you weren’t quite sure who you were. Somehow the whole thing about who you were and who he was seemed to become questionable.

Anyway, Rahula is trotting after his dad when, without turning around, his dad says, “All form, Rahula, whether past, future or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, low or high, far or near, is to be seen as it is, with great wisdom. Thus, ‘This is not mine, this is not me, this is not myself.”’

It seems that the Buddha knew that his son was looking forward to getting a nice meal; that Rahula wasn’t really walking to Savatthi; that in his imagination he was probably already in Savatthi, picking at the little morsels in his bowl. But his bowl was empty, and he was walking to Savatthi. The Buddha saw that his son’s mind was entrapped in form and so he said: “All form, whether past, future or present, inside or outside, is to be seen as it is, with great wisdom.”

-Ven Anzan Hoshin roshi, continuing Teisho Two: "The Elements of Bodymind" in the series "Flowers and Worms", Hanamatsuri sesshin, April 11th to 14th, 1991, Zazen-ji.
 


Upcoming Events



Fusatsu: December 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: 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

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.
 


Retreats



Thach Hoang sat a two-day retreat from Friday, December 2nd to Sunday, December 4th. at his home in Laval, Quebec. Tracey Parker sat a half-day retreat on Sunday, December 4th at her home in Perth, Ontario. Charlane Bishop sat a half-day retreat on Monday, December 5th at her home in Newtonville, Nova Scotia. 

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, December 10th to Saturday, December 17th

Saturday, December 10th: "Paramita" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "Prajna" (7 of 7, 33 minutes) 
Sunday, December 11th: SAkN: "Questioning the Enigma" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "The Flow of Reality" (teisho 1 of 4)
Monday, December 12th: "The Touchstone" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei: "The Touchstone 5, Washing Rice With Water" (teisho 5 of 22, 22 minutes)
Thursday, December 15th: "The Touchstone" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei: "The Touchstone 5, Washing Rice With Water" (teisho 5 of 22, 22 minutes)
Saturday, December 17th: "The Landscape of Reality" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "Here We Are" (1 of 12, 34 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 shuso following her death



scroll

Three Natures of Mind: Unobstructed, Luminous, Traceless.

Posted December 1st, 2022. New entries are posted every two weeks.

 

Dinning Hall Table


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. 

We chose not to practise oryoki during this O-sesshin. We are all wearing masks in the Hatto because of Covid. And so instead participants served themselves in the Dining Hall, put their bowls on trays and ate at a distance from each other or in separate rooms.

The Following Meals Were Served During the Week of the Rohatsu O-sesshin:

Friday 
Breakfast: Lo mein noodles tossed with sauteed strips of onion, poblano, red bell peppers, finely sliced carrots and chopped scallions seasoned with minced garlic and ginger, low-sodium shoyu, vegetarian oyster sauce and sambal oelek. 
Lunch: mixed grain (calrose, arborio and pearled barley), miso shiru (kombu, reconstituted shitake mushrooms and their soaking liquid, shitake mushroom powder, shoyu, mirin, rice vinegar, baby bok choy and silken tofu; takuan and gari.
Supper: Thai white and brown rice cooked in coconut milk; Punjabi chana dal (black chickpeas, onion, minced green chilis, minced ginger and garlic, chopped tomatoes, coriander leaves and stems, black cardamom, cinnamon, cumin seeds, turmeric, coriander, Kashmiri red chilli powder, garam masala, amchur (dried mango powder); raita (chopped cucumber and tomatoes, yogurt, lime juice, coriander, cumin, chilli flakes, chopped mint and chopped fresh coriander). 

Saturday
Breakfast: congee made with caramelised cabbage, chopped daikon and ginger, some strained, leftover miso shiru and shitake powder, garnished with chopped scallions and roasted peanuts.
Lunch: White and brown Thai rice served with a topping of cubed daikon, sauteed and then braised in chilli sauce; wakame seaweed soup (strained miso shiru, wakame, slivered ginger, shoyu, roasted chilli paste, sesame oil and silken tofu; baechu kimchi with a drop of lime juice and chopped tomatoes. 
Supper: roasted Yukon gold potatoes; green beans and carrot batonnets, peas and corn with butter, salt and pepper; mushroom gravy with deep-fried tofu (gravy made from a roux, mushroom stock, sauteed mushrooms, chopped onion, minced garlic, thyme, smoked paprika, shoyu, lots of black pepper; cubed friulano cheese with sweet gherkins.

Sunday
Breakfast: Fried rice: leftover coconut rice from friday mixed with lots of sauteed vegetables (red bell peppers, poblano peppers, diced carrots, poblano peppers, red bell peppers, minced garlic and ginger, seasoned with Thai red curry paste and lime juice)  garnished with fresh coriander. Served with scrambled eggs.
Lunch: mixed grain (calrose, arborio and pearled barley), miso shiru (kombu, reconstituted shitake mushrooms and their soaking liquid, shitake mushroom powder, shoyu, mirin, rice vinegar, baby bok choy and silken tofu; takuan and gari.
Supper: Legume and vegetable soup (red lentils, green and yellow split peas, pearled barley, diced carrots and celery, chopped onion, diced potato, minced garlic, tomato paste, thyme, basil, apple cider vinegar, lots of black pepper, served with optional grated cheese; toasted garlic naan; coleslaw made from thinly sliced green cabbage, carrots, daikon, red onion, mayonnaise, horseradish, lime juice, lots of black pepper.

Monday:
Breakfast: Fried rice (chopped onion, scallions, poblano peppers, red bell peppers, diced carrots and daikon, minced ginger and garlic, vegetarian oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, shoyu; served with scrambled eggs.
Lunch:  White and brown Thai rice served with a topping of cubed daikon, sauteed and then braised in chilli sauce; wakame seaweed soup (strained miso shiru, wakame, slivered ginger, shoyu, roasted chilli paste, sesame oil and silken tofu; baechu kimchi.
Supper: Cavatappi pasta with a Vegan mushroom sauce (soaked cashews blended with mushroom stock, dried porcini mushrooms and a little olive oil, sauteed cremini mushrooms, shitake mushroom powder, thyme, smoked paprika, shoyu, lots of black pepper, served with a choice of vegan “Parmesan” and dairy Parmesan cheese) tomato bisque (blended cooked carrots, onion, celery, minced garlic, San Marzano tomatoes and tomato juice, red wine, thyme, basil, oregano, black pepper); black olives and artichoke hearts with lemon zest.

Tuesday 
Breakfast: Fried leftover mushroom pasta (already a complete protein owing to the combination of nuts and pasta) with added sauteed chopped poblano and red bell peppers.
Lunch:  mixed grain (calrose, arborio and pearled barley), miso shiru (kombu, reconstituted shitake mushrooms and their soaking liquid, shitake mushroom powder, shoyu, mirin, rice vinegar, baby bok choy and silken tofu; takuan and gari.
Supper: biryani (basmati rice combined with sauteed onions, diced potato and carrots, brown lentils, garam masala and curry powder, mixed with currants); fruit soup (mango juice, thinly sliced potato, onion, turmeric, cayenne, chickpeas, a small amount of cream); chopped pineapple. 

Wednesday
Breakfast: Leftover biryani from the previous evening, served with scrambled eggs.
Lunch: White and brown Thai rice served with a topping of cubed daikon, sauteed and then braised in chilli sauce; wakame seaweed soup (strained miso shiru, wakame, slivered ginger, shoyu, roasted chilli paste, sesame oil and silken tofu; baechu kimchi.
Supper: Brown rice with peas, corn, butter, salt and pepper; lightly curried butternut squash soup (blended butternut squash, chopped onion, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, Fenugreek seeds, black mustard seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, Kashmiri chilies, peppercorns, curry leaves, ground turmeric; Asian pear with lime juice and chili flakes.


The Following Meal was Prepared for Thursday evening, Prior to the Evening Sitting:

Mixed grain (brown and white calrose rice, arborio rice, brown and white basmati rice, pearled barley); a soup made with mushroom stock, minced garlic, slivered ginger, shoyu, shiro miso, white pepper, strips of deep-fried tofu and chopped gai lan); Asian pear with lime juice and chili flakes.
 

Little monks bowing, Japanese drawing


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 the Roshi for the "Sitting Up Straight" series of teisho commenting on Keizan Joken zenji's "Zazen Yojinki'' and "Sankon Zazensettsu" that we have been listening to during the sesshin and O-sesshin. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for leading the Rohatsu O-sesshin and Jodo-e, and for the O-sesshin meals. Thank you to Saigyo ino for repairing the sign on the front gate that had been vandalized.

From Fushin shuso:
Thank you to the Roshi for the Rohatsu O-sesshin. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for leading the Rohatsu O-sesshin and for exceptional meals prepared three times a day for seven days during the O-sesshin. Thank you to Mishin godo for ongoing and never ending treasurer work. Thank you to Saigyo ino for daily organization of all of the samu assignments for all of the students attending the O-sesshin.

From Senbo: 
Thank you to Roshi for the teisho series "Sitting Up Straight," and in particular for the teisho entitled, "A Single Bright Point."  Thank you to Roshi and Sensei for a wonderful Rohatsu o-sesshin, and for a clear and detailed clarification of koan practice and study. Thank you to Mishin godo and Saigyo ino for wearing multiple hats, taking on so many essential responsibilities at once. Your contribution to the Sangha has no price. Thank you to Fushin shuso for being an example of sincerity and commitment. Thank you to Leonardo and David for maintenance in many areas of the monastery, from IT to laundry to many other tasks that I am probably unaware of.

From David Gallant:
Thank you to Roshi for designing the O-sesshin schedule, which is most excellent. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for extensive dokusan during this Rohatsu O-sesshin, and for preparing 3 meals each day for O-sesshin participants. Thank you to Mishin godo and Saigyo ino for leading kata during the O-sesshin.
 

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