eMirror Vol 29, No. 31 (2025-08-01)

Eihei Dogen Kigen daiosho
eMirror Vol 29, No. 31
Friday, August 1st, 2025
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
On another occasion, Dogen said, “Yaoshan and Yunyan met each other like this. I, Eihei, am their distant descendant, so how can I avoid studying this?
After a pause Dogen said: “From ancient times to right now, deep snow fills [the Chinese capital] Chang’an. When [Dazu Huike] attained the marrow and [Bodhidharma] transmitted the robe, the cold pierced to the bone. The whole body is bright and shining. How could its preciousness be calculated? The kindly minds of old women are not deceived.”
The moment of Transmission, of attaining the marrow is present as this present moment if you know that which cannot be moved. While old women might be kind, they are deeply experienced and so undeceived. This is the mind of the old Masters such as Yaoshan, Yunyan, and Eihei Dogen.
Nothing can move from the motion of impermanence. And no experience can be removed from experiencing and still be experienced. The space of experience is always moving as experiences coming and going but it never moves from being experiencing.
Go ahead. Try to lift it. Whatever you can move is not it. And yet it moves as you.
Please, this evening, enjoy yourselves.
-Concluding 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): 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.
Congratulations
Congratulations and deep gassho to Nicolas Chalifoux of Gatineau, Quebec and to Jeremy Miller of Ottawa who have been accepted as associate students.
Retreats and Training Sessions
Information About Scheduling Retreats or Training Sessions
Deshi Senbo sat a one and a half-day retreat from Tuesday, July 29th to Wednesday, July 30th at Dainen-ji. General student David Alexander sat a two-day retreat on Saturday, July 26th and Sunday, July 27th at Dainen-ji. General student Stacey Loyer sat a one-day retreat on Saturday, July 26th at Dainen-ji. General student Rana Annous sat a partial retreat on Saturday, July 26th at Dainen-ji. General student Ian Reynolds sat a one-day retreat on Thursday, July 31st at Dainen-ji.
Recorded Teachings Schedule
August 2nd to August 9th, 2025
Listening to Recorded Teisho and Dharma Talks
General sitting Saturday, August 2nd:
Without Difficulty: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on "Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness" by Jianzhi Sengcan: Teisho 10: The One Way Is All Directions (24 minutes)
Formal sitting Sunday, August 3rd:
"The Secret Life of Manjusri" by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: Teisho 8: Not a Muffin (36 minutes)
Associate sittings Monday, August 4th and Thursday, August 7th:
Sitting Up Straight: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Keizan Jokin zenji's "Zazen Yojinki": Teisho 10: Penetrating Zen (26 minutes)
General sitting Saturday, August 9th:
Without Difficulty: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on "Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness" by Jianzhi Sengcan: Teisho 11: Wuwei (19 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.

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.
Monday Yakuseki (very hot day):
Macaroni salad served at room temperature (cooked macaroni, black olives, diced red onion, tomato spears, seared corn seasoned with Mexican chilli powder and cumin, diced celery, sliced radishes, mayonnaise, chilli, garlic and onion powder, Dijon mustard; Napa cabbage salad; cold mango and peach soup (peaches blended in mango juice, seasoned with turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder, lots of black pepper, salt, and lime juice.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Crusty buns with seared, sliced back bacon; dijon mustard; sliced tomatoes; romaine lettuce; creamy chickpea soup (chickpeas and sauteed Spanish onion blended with water, seasoned with vegan ‘chicken’ bouillon powder - nutritional yeast, onion powder, sea salt, turmeric, Italian seasoning, celery salt, dried thyme - with a generous spoonful of sour cream stirred into it, served at room temperature; Napa cabbage salad (thinly sliced Napa cabbage, daikon, white onion and carrot with optional dressing of white balsamic vinegar).
Thursday Yakuseki:
Hokkaido short grain rice served with gomashio (toasted sesame seeds and salt);
Medium firm tofu with seared thinly sliced eringi mushrooms seasoned with sesame oil, mushroom shoyu and white pepper; cold shoyu soup (low sodium soy sauce, water, white pepper, slivered ginger, chopped Chinese celery, scallions, tomato, red onion, white pepper and lime juice, served cold; salad of chopped romaine, iceberg lettuce, green leaf lettuce and radicchio with an optional carrot dressing (blended raw carrots, red onion, ginger, gala apple, rice vinegar, bran oil, low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, pinch of cane sugar).
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 Julien Jefferson:
Thank you to Roshi for presenting the teisho series Without Difficulty, Sitting Up Straight, and Round and Bright, teisho from which I heard during my recent retreats and stay and which invigorated my practice. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for teaching through example and for the very helpful Dharma Talks that I listened to during my retreats. Thank you to Saigyo ino and Mishin godo for extremely helpful practice interviews and instruction off the cushion. Thank you to the Tenzo and Tenzo-anja for tasty and surprising meals. Thank you to the Sangha; it was nice to see you and practice with you in person again.
From the Office of the Treasurer:
Thank you to David Alexander, Ian Reynolds, Peter Kwa and Adda Hernandez for donations.