eMirror Vol 29, No. 6 (2025-02-07)

Jinen's kuti (zazen hut) near Knowlan Mountain Zendo,  Wolfville Zazenkai, Nova Scotia

Jinen's kuti (zazen hut) near Knowlan Mountain Zendo, 
Wolfville Zazenkai, Nova Scotia


eMirror Vol 29, No. 6

Friday, February 7th, 2025
Edited by the Practice Council

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



[Student]: Perhaps, Roshi, you can define for us what wisdom is. I think a lot of people have a lot of different ideas about what wisdom is.

[Roshi]: Yes.
    
Well, usually we do think that wisdom means knowing something about something. This is knowledge, this is not wisdom in the sense of prajna.
    
We say the whole point of practice is Waking Up, it is wisdom. So if we believe that wisdom is a kind of knowledge, then we think that through penetrating some deep structure of mind, getting to some underlying strata of mind, you get fundamental information about the universe, you get the “Master Plan”. You know, you get the little moral at the end of the story before you get to the end of the story so you have it all figured out.
    
But information is only a description. Wisdom is not gathering information as we are mentioning. It is mindfulness developing into attention and then attentiveness and then radical insight. This term “radical insight” is a way of translating the term prajna. “Pra” means higher; “Jna” means “knowing”. So it is a higher knowing, a knowing which has a very open vantage which can see everything clearly. It can see all of the details but fixates on none of them because it sees the details arising in their context. This is what we mean by wisdom. It is knowing what the body is, what the mind is, what experience is, where dreams come from, where they go, how it is that we see a wall, and what the wall is.

- Continuing the Mondo "Confusion is the Mother of Wisdom", from a Dharma Assembly presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, May 1991
 

 

The Hatto (for formal sittings)

The Hatto (for formal sittings)
 

Zen with renovated floors and new Butsudan (August 2024)

The Zendo (for associate and general sittings)

 


Practice Schedule and Upcoming Events



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.
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.

Fusatsu (Renewal of Vows): February 12th and 26th.

Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa: The next two Introduction to Zen Workshops will take place on Saturday, March 1st at 1:45 p.m. and Saturday, April 5th at 1:45 p.m. To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca; for more information please see https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa 

Nehan O-sesshin:
The Nehan O-sesshin begins at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 9th and ends on Sunday, February 16th at noon. Students attending are reminded to send their schedules as soon as possible. 

Nehan:
Commemoration of the Buddha’s Death (Nehan-e) February 15th.

A Sitting for Associate and General Students During the Nehan O-sesshin:
A combined sitting for associate and general students will take place in the Zendo on Saturday, February 15th. Arrival time is 9:15 a.m. (in time for First Bell). The sitting ends at 11:30 a.m. Students attending are reminded to remain on the first floor. Seating is limited and registration is required. Register for the Combined Sitting

Cancelled Associate Sitting:
The Monday February 10th associate sitting that would normally take place at 7:30 p.m. is cancelled due to the O-sesshin.

Cancelled Associate Sitting:
The Thursday February 13th associate sitting that would normally take place at 7:30 p.m. is cancelled due to the O-sesshin.

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.

Dharma Assembly
A Dharma Assembly (a day of retreat that all formal, general and associate students may attend) will take place on Saturday, February 22nd from 9:30 am to 9 pm, (please arrive in time for First Bell at 9:15 a.m.) led by Jinmyo sensei. A Dharma Talk will be presented. For those attending the full day, three vegetarian meals will be provided along with instruction for informal oryoki; there will be instruction in the Daruma Kata-aiki, and students will meet with monastics for daisan (meeting with Jinmyo sensei) and practice interview (meeting with Mishin godo and Saigyo ino). 

Registration for the Dharma Assembly is now full. Students who wish to be added to the waitlist should email schedule at wwzc dot org.

Cancelled general sitting: 
The Saturday February 22nd general sitting that would normally take place at 9:30 a.m. is cancelled due to the Dharma Assembly.

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

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



Rev. Chiso anagarika sat her weekly semi-retreat on Tuesday, February 4th in Cambridge, Massachusetts. General student David Alexander sat a two-day retreat on Friday, January 31st and Saturday, February 1st at Dainen-ji. 

If you are a student of Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi and  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 are a public student and 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.

If you would like to engage in a training session either at the monastery or at home by aligning with the schedule of the monastery, please read the information on this page: 
https://wwzc.org/training-sessions 
 


Recorded Teachings Schedule


February 8th to February 15th

General sitting Saturday, February 8th: Five Fingers, Ten Directions: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Dogen zenji's "Jippo": Teisho 1: Opening comments (7 minutes)
Formal sitting Sunday, February 9th: SAkN Oceans of Realms: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on the Vow of Samantabhadra: Teisho 13: Inconceivable Magic (17 minutes)
Combined sitting Saturday, February 15th: “The Touchstone" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei: Dharma Talk 11: Entering the Space of Maitri (17 minutes)

Recorded Teachings During the Nehan O-sesshin:

Series: Koan: The Real Question
Monday, February 10th: Teisho 1: The Real Question (40 minutes)
Tuesday, February 11th: Teisho 2: Gnashing Its Teeth (30 minutes)
Wednesday, February 12th: Teisho 3: A Little Story (42 minutes)
Thursday, February 13th: Teisho 4: Not Raising a Finger (47 minutes)
Friday, February 14th: Teisho 5: Please Don't Miss This (36 minutes)
Saturday, February 15th: Teisho 6: Embarrassing (33 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. Teisho and Dharma Talks are presented during sittings and so should be listened to while you are sitting.

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

Please note that recorded teisho should be listened to in the correct order and with none missed out as themes, metaphors, questions are raised and answered from different angles throughout each 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.
 


White Wind Zen Community Website Update



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

Dharma Assembly: Freefall
Dharma Talk presented by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei on January 7th, 2007: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/dharma-assembly-freefall

Before Thinking (Dharma Talk 68): A Jewel in Bright Light
Dharma Talk by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi presented at Zazen-ji on September 14, 1991: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/jewel-bright-light

Kwannon
Teisho by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, transcript of a teisho presented on May 6, 1986, at River Road Zendo: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/kwannon

Cultivation of the Ground of Mind
Transcript of a teisho Presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, on June 4, 1989: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/cultivation-ground-mind

The Practice of Boards and Stones
Teisho presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, on June 18, 1989: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/practice-boards-and-stones

Difficulty, Strangeness, Beauty
Transcript of a Dharma Talk presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, December 13, 1988: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/difficulty-strangeness-beauty

Standing in the Rain (Tangaryo)
Transcript of Dharma Talk presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, December 15th, 1988: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/standing-rain-tangaryo

Snow
Transcript of Dharma Talk presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, November 18, 1989: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/snow

 


Bargeboard Restoration



We received a first detailed quotation for this work of $22,700 plus HST and after receiving other quotations hope to be able to move forward with this project in the spring of 2025. The amount raised to date is $9,800.

From the “Heritage Conservation Glossary”: Bargeboard (bordure de pignon): Boards or other decorative woodwork fixed to the edges or projecting rafters of a gabled roof, sometimes called “gingerbread”.

Being subjected to the extreme fluctuation of Ottawa’s freezing, dry winters and the heat and humidity of summers for 150 years have taken their toll on the monastery’s elaborate gingerbread. Some of it is so old and damaged that it was necessary to take it down before it fell down. Other areas are badly cracked and all of it needs restoration, sanding and repainting.

Gingerbread

As all of the gingerbread is four floors up and difficult to access because of the steep pitch of our roofs, this is not work we can do ourselves. It is going to require someone skilled in the use of a “cherry picker” and scaffolding, and will also require excellent carpentry skills as some of the gingerbread will need to be recreated. And so we are beginning the process of finding a company that we can hire to do the work.

Because Dainen-ji is a heritage building, these repairs must be done or we could lose our heritage status. 

We will post the estimated cost of the repairs as soon as we have received that information from contractors we are negotiating with. Any amount you can contribute would be gratefully received.
 


Request for help with upkeep of the monastery grounds



If you would like to help with the upkeep and improvements to the monastery grounds through the summer months your help would be much appreciated. A regular commitment of an hour or two each week would go a long way to keeping the gardens looking good for the sangha and visitors we have at Dainen-ji. Saigyo ino will provide all of the instruction so even if you don't know much about gardening this is no problem. Please write to Saigyo ino at saigyo.cross@gmail.com if you would like to get involved. Thank you.

asian chives

Office of the Tenzo



Dogen zenji taught in the Tenzo Kyokun: Instructions for the Tenzo (Tenzo kyokun: Instructions for the Tenzo | White Wind Zen Community) 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 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 prepared on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings:

Monday Yakuseki:
Short grain brown rice mixed with chopped scallions and peanuts, served with optional Szechuan chilli paste; mushroom broth (made from pressure cooked oyster mushroom stems, shoyu, white pepper, shaoxing cooking wine) with sauteed tofu and monastery grown fresh shitake mushrooms; salad of chopped romaine, leaf lettuce, radicchio, grated carrots, thinly sliced celery, and white onion with an optional Asian carrot dressing (blended raw carrots, red onion, ginger, gala apple, rice vinegar, bran oil, low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, pinch of cane sugar). 

Tuesday Yakuseki:
Crusty rolls with butter; pea soup (dried peas, diced carrots, celery, onion, minced garlic, diced potato, vegetable stock, thyme, basil, lots of black pepper, apple cider vinegar); roasted sliced peameal bacon; sliced fresh tomatoes and romaine lettuce; oyster mushrooms in chile sauce.

Thursday Yakuseki:
Farfalle pasta in garlic butter sauce (chopped white onion, minced garlic, chile flakes, lime juice, salt, pepper, touch of cream); vegetable soup made with stock made from vegetable trimmings, with added chopped celery, leek, carrots, poblano peppers, red pepper, red kidney beans, thyme, basil, red balsamic vinegar; roasted tomatoes mixed with monastery grown speckled pea sprouts. 

 

Mishin godo 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 sensei at rengezo@gmail dot com, but be sure to type "eMirror” in the subject line.

​From Mishin godo:
Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for corresponding with all of the preliminary public students who begin to receive instruction and practise through the Long Distance Training Program. Thank you to Fushin shuso and Yujin for snow shovelling on various days to keep the monastery pathways safe and clear.

From Yujin:
Thank you to Senbo for assistance with the Drupal 7 content manager this week and for offering to design a custom WordPress template for a new beta version of the WWZC website.

From Stephanie Houle:
I would like to thank Mishin godo and Saigyo ino for their instruction and guidance during my retreat on Saturday. Thank you to Saigyo ino for showing me the mushroom tents and teaching me about the process.

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