eMirror Vol 29, No. 28 (2025-07-11)
Baizhang
eMirror Vol 29, No. 28
Friday, July 11th, 2025
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
The Great Master Baizhang Huaihai lived from 720-814 and was a Dharma-heir of Great Master Mazu Daoyi. We will see some examples of his teaching style in the first passage we will consider. Baizhang is regarded as the founder of the qinggui or shingi, the standards of deportment, for Zen monastic training. He had many Dharma-heirs, among them Huangbo Xiyun whose Dharma-heir in turn was Linji Yixuan from whom the Linji or Rinzai Lineage flowed. Guishan Da’an and the incomparable Guishan Lingyou were among his other Dharma-heirs. Yunyan Tansheng was not amongst them. For twenty years Yunyan studied with the Great Master Baizhang but he was still contained and constrained by self-image.
Master Yunyan Tansheng(1) was of the Wang(2) family of Jianzheng(3) in Zhongling(4). Yunyan was ordained a monastic at Zhihmen(5) when still quite young and studied with Baizhang(6) for twenty years without any fruit. After this he went to see Yaoshan.
Yaoshan asked him, “Where have you come from?”
Yunyan said, “I’ve come from Baizhang.”
Yaoshan asked, “What is Baizhang telling his students?”
Yunyan answered, “He often said, ‘I have a phrase that contains all flavours.’”
Yaoshan said, “Salt tastes salty, water tastes plain. Something neither salty nor plain is the true flavour. What can you say that contains all flavours?”
Yunyan had no answer.
Yaoshan said, “Birth and death is right here before your eyes. What will you do about it?”
Yunyan said, “There is no birth and death before my eyes.”
Yaoshan asked, “How long were you with Baizhang?”
Yunyan answered, “Twenty years.”
Yaoshan said, “Twenty years with Baizhang and still you are so mediocre.”
Oh my. At this point Yunyan felt like a mosquito sat upon by an iron bull. After twenty years of practice under a great Chan Master like Baizhang he had come to see Yaoshan, who had studied with Mazu along with his own master Baizhang, on the advice of his younger familial brother and Dharma-brother Daowu Yuanzhi. And he was not able to respond to Yaoshan’s question with any phrase at all let alone one that contains all flavours. When Yaoshan points out that birth and death is right here before his very eyes Yunyan tries out the old prajna paramita negation trick but it comes out more less like, “Uh, no there’s not.” Tumbling in birth and death, Yunyan is captured by thoughts, obstructed by words, unable to move freely. Yaoshan’s medicine tastes bitter. Right now it has the flavour of Yunyan’s own mediocrity. Although he had exerted himself for twenty years under Baizhang he had always held himself back. When Baizhang spoke he would insert words in between the words his ears were hearing so that all he was left with was the jumble of his own interpretations. Standing before Yaoshan, Yunyan feels exposed but will not expose himself, will not release himself.
______________________________ 1. Yunyan Tansheng (Yun-yen T’an-sheng, Ungo Doyo), 781?-841. He is sometimes considered to be the reincarnation of Shanavasa. He became a monk when he was sixteen and began his twenty years of study with Baizhang soon after. He received Transmission from Yaoshan Weiyan. His Dharma-heir was Dongshan Liangjie. He appears in Sayings and Doings of Dongshan (Dongshan yulu) sections 3-14, 48, 110-114. He appears in Blue Cliff Records 70, 72, 89and in Records of Serenity 49, 54. See Denkoroku Chapter 38. 2. Wang, O. 3. Chien-cheng, Kensho. 4. Chung-ling, Shoryo. 5. Chih-men, Sekimon. 6. Baizhang Huaihai (Pai-chang Huai-hai, Hyakujo Ekai), 720-814. A Dharma-heir of Mazu. Baizhang is credited with having created the basis for the shingi or rules of deportment used today in Zen monasteries. Baizhang appears in Gateless Gate 2 and 40 and Blue Cliff Records 26, 53, 70, 71, and 72, Records of Serenity 8. His Teachings and sayings have been translated in The Zen Teaching of Huai-Hai on Sudden Illumination by John Blofeld, Rider and Co., 1962 and Sayings and Doings of Pai-Chang by Thomas Cleary, Center Publications, 1978. Yunyen left to go and study with Yaoshan after Baizhhang’s death on the advice of Daowu.
-Beginning teisho 3: Try To Lift It, Sunday, May 16, 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): July 23rd, August 6th and 20th.
Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa:
The next two Introduction to Zen Workshops will take place on Saturday, August 2nd at 1:45 p.m. and Saturday, September 6th at 1:45 p.m. 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. Formal students are reminded to send their schedules as soon as possible.
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
General student Tarik Kaya sat a two-day retreat on Saturday, July 5th and Sunday, July 6th at Dainen-ji. General public student Beth Beurkle sat a one-day retreat on Saturday, July 5th at her home in Chamcook, New Brunswick. Associate student Kaleb Shumway sat a partial retreat on Saturday, July 5th at Dainen-ji. Associate student Rana Annous sat a partial retreat on Saturday, July 5th at Dainen-ji. General public student Julien Jefferson sat a four-day retreat from Monday, July 7th to Thursday, July 10th at Dainen-ji.
Congratulations
Congratulations and deep gassho to Rana Annous of Gatineau, Quebec who has been accepted as a general student.
Recorded Teachings Schedule
July 12th to July 19th, 2025
Listening to Recorded Teisho and Dharma Talks
General sitting Saturday, July 12th:
Without Difficulty: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on "Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness" by Jianzhi Sengcan: Teisho 7: Opinions and Opening (20 minutes)
Associate sittings Monday, July 14th and Thursday, July 17th:
Sitting Up Straight: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Keizan Jokin zenji's "Zazen Yojinki": Teisho 7: Enter Here (27 minutes)
General sitting Saturday, July 19th:
ithout Difficulty: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on "Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness" by Jianzhi Sengcan: Teisho 8: Vast Intimacy Is All That Is (23 minutes)
Recorded teisho playback for Yaza 2025, Saturday, July 12th:
"Yaza 2015: Siddhartha's Night Like This One" by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin (12 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.
Bowl and Spoon enso by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi
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. The following meals were made on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
Monday Yakuseki:
Lundberg brown rice with butter, green peas and chopped scallions; salt and pepper tofu (cubed and air-fried medium-firm tofu tossed with a mix of salt, white pepper and garlic powder; sauteed oyster and shitake mushrooms with a sauce made from sake, shoyu, finely sliced ginger, minced garlic, and tomato paste; baechu kimchi
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Mashed yukon gold potatoes; seared beef braised in chicken stock seasoned with miso, tomato paste, sake, minced chillies, minced garlic, chopped scallions; peas, corn, and diced carrots with butter, salt and pepper.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Farfalle pasta with a shitake mushroom sauce (sauteed monastery-grown shitake mushrooms with minced garlic, tomato paste, oregano, basil, black pepper, served with Parmesan cheese;
tomato and goat cheese salad (chopped tomatoes, goat cheese, fresh basil, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar); crostini (sliced baguette brushed with bran oil, sprinkled with basil, garlic powder and black pepper, toasted in the oven.
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 Yujin for the use of his car.
From Mishin godo:
Thank you to Myocho for bookkeeping samu and for looking after mailing Great Matter books when book orders come in through the website.
