eMirror Vol 29, No. 35 (2025-08-29)

Shindo, a lion
eMirror Vol 29, No. 35
Friday, August 29th 2025
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
There is a passage in the Wudeng Huiyuan or “Five Lamps Merged in the Source” in the section on Yunyan Tansheng that continues the story. Yunyan has gone to visit with Guishan Lingyou, now a Dharma-heir of his old Master Baizhang and an old friend.
Later, Yunyan was at Mt. Gui.
Guishan asked, “I have heard it said that when you were at Yaoshan you tamed lions. Is that so?”
Yunyan said, “Yes.”
Guishan asked, “Were they always controlled or only some of the time?”
Yunyan said, “When I wanted them under control, they were. When I wanted them set loose, they ran loose.”
Guishan asked, “When they ran loose, where were they?”
Yunyan said, “They’re loose! They’re loose!”
The last passage we will consider this evening is also about embodiment.
Yaoshan and Yunyan were walking on a mountain. Yaoshan’s knife made a rattling noise at his side.
Yunyan asked, “What is making that noise?”
Yaoshan drew his knife and sliced the air with it.
Later, Dongshan said, “Look at Yaoshan. He bent the body over to deal with this matter. If people of today want to clarify the Great Matter, they need to use this attitude.”
Yaoshan’s simple and direct response to the question is a much admired example. You will note that while he draws the knife and slices the air to show the source of the sound he does not stab Yunyan or gouge out his eyes or go screaming around waving his knife like a lunatic. His exertion is just simple and direct.
Tomorrow we will see how Yaoshan also taught Yunyan’s brother Daowu Yuanzhi.
Please, this evening, enjoy yourselves.
-Concluding teisho 4: Shit, Bowls, Lions and a Knife, Tuesday, May 17, 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): September 10th and 24th.
August Samu Weekend
We shall be holding our late summer Samu Weekend on Saturday, August 30th and Sunday, August 31st. Saigyo ino has written to local students with the details of this weekend of caretaking practice. Please pencil these dates into your diary so that you will be able to attend some or all of the Samu Weekend and assist the monastic in the maintenance and improvement of the practice environment of Dainen-ji. Thank you.
September Two-day Sesshin:
The September two-day sesshin will begin on Friday, September 12th at 8:00 p.m. and will end on Sunday, September 14th, at 6:00 p.m. Students attending are reminded to send in their schedules as soon as possible.
General Sitting:
On Saturday, September 13th 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.
Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa:
The next two Introduction to Zen Workshops will take place on Saturday, September 6th at 1:45 p.m. and November 1st at 1:45 p.m. (There is no workshop in October due to the 7-day Daruma-ki O-sesshin).
To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca ; for more information please see https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
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.
Change in Forms for Associate Sittings on Mondays and Thursday Evenings
To simplify seating arrangements we have made some changes.
Students without mobility issues:
Students who do not have mobility issues, but may want to use a seiza bench or a higher or lower zafu, please arrive by Second Bell (7:20 p.m.) so that you have time to go to the storage area to find what you need and place it in the Zendo. Please be sure to join the kinhin line by Third Bell (7:25 p.m.) at the latest.
Students with mobility issues:
If you need to use a stool and can carry one from the storage area, please do so before Third Bell. Place the stool along the back wall of the Zendo (or along the wall near the back window and, if you are not able to do kinhin, sit down on the stool facing into the room. Your hands should be in the mudra, eyes lowered and peripheral vision open, so that you are not ‘watching’ other students walking in kinhin.
If you need to use a stool and are not able to carry one from the storage room into the Zendo, please let the jikido know before Third Bell and he or she will do this for you.
At Third Bell:
The jikido will strike the kaishaku to end kinhin and will ask all of the students in the room to stand in front of their seats so that we can be sure that everyone has a seat. If there are not enough seats, extra zafu and zabuton can be brought from the storage room. Doing this will ensure that any questions regarding seating are resolved before the sitting begins with Fourth Bell.
All depending on how much time there is before the sitting is to begin, the jikido will instruct students to either resume kinhin or take their places to wait for the doshi (monastic leading the sitting) to come into the room.
The door to the Zendo will remain open until all questions concerning seating are sorted out. Closing it will indicate to the doshi that they can begin.
At the End of the Sitting:
If you brought a stool/zafu/seiza bench/ zabuton into the Zendo that was not there when you arrived, please return it to the storage room. If you had removed items from the Zendo, please return them so that the room is as it was prior to the sitting.
If you have mobility issues and cannot carry a stool back to the storage room, just leave it in place and it will be returned for you.
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
Probationary deshi David Alexander sat a two-day retreat on Wednesday, August 27th and Thursday, August 28th at Dainen-ji. Beth Buerkle sat a one-day retreat on Saturday, August 23rd at her home in Chamcook, New Brunswick. General student George Donovan sat a half-day retreat on Wednesday, August 27th at Dainen-ji.
Recorded Teachings Schedule
Listening to Recorded Teisho and Dharma Talks
August 30th to September 7th:
Associate sittings Monday, September 1st and Thursday, September 4th: Sitting Up Straight: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Keizan Jokin zenji's "Zazen Yojinki": Teisho 14: Incomparable (26 minutes)
General sitting Saturday, September 7th: Without Difficulty: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on "Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness" by Jianzhi Sengcan: Teisho 14: A Single Suchness (16 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 http://wwzc.org/dharma-position
Eyes See, Ears Hear http://wwzc.org/eyes-see-ears-hear
Embarrassment http://wwzc.org/embarrassment
Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi's reading of his translation of Eihei Dogen zenji's “Bendowa: A Talk on Exerting the Way”: http://wwzc.org/bendowa-talk-exerting-way
Translations and Texts

Photograph of Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Daijozan, mid-1980s, by Ven. Shikai Zuiko osho
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 - Parking - Loblaws.
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.

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:
Fusilli in cherry tomato sauce (Tumbling Tom and Fred’s Tie Dye tomatoes from the roof garden sauteed with olive oil, lots of minced garlic, salt, and black pepper) garnished with fresh basil; “greens and beans” (chopped gailan and Shanghai bok choy sauteed on the griddle with thick slices of yellow onion, red kidney beans, balsamic vinegar, salt and black pepper; cubed friulano cheese mixed with sliced gherkins and lemon zest.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Rice cakes made from mixed grain (calrose and arborio rice) and fried on the griddle; Thai chicken curry (seared pieces of chicken thigh, coconut oil, Thai red curry paste, fish sauce, lime juice, fresh coriander, chopped celery, daikon, scallions and carrots; salad of chopped green leaf and romaine lettuce, radicchio, cucumbers cut on the bias, sliced radishes with an optional dressing of equal parts mayonnaise, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar with black pepper and honey.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Fettuccine with rose sauce (finely chopped red onion, minced garlic, passata, pinch of sugar, cream, milk, grated mozzarella cheese, oregano, red chilli flakes, lots of black pepper; salad of chopped romaine, radicchio, and green leaf lettuce, thinly sliced celery, cucumber, radishes, feta cheese, and toasted pumpkin seeds with optional dressing of white balsamic vinegar; black olives mixed with artichoke hearts.

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 Krys Pasut:
Thank you to the Roshi for accepting me as an associate student, the Teachings I have received thus far, and establishing Dainen-ji in Ottawa. Thank you to Mishin godo for guidance on forms and attending to the bodymind. Thank you to Saigyo ino for relating to my experience with practice and providing encouragement.
From George Donovan:
I would like to thank Mishin godo and Saigyo ino for their help in my retreat on Wednesday and for their recent practice interviews with me.