eMirror Vol 23, No. 16 (2019-04-19)
Section of the Lotus Sutra
eMirror Vol 23, No. 16
Friday, April 19th, 2019
Edited by Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
Now Dogen plays with a passage from the Skillful Means or Hoben chapter of the Lotus Discourse. In particular he intertwines the words “this” part (shibu), and “I” or “my” part (gabu).
Sakyamuni Buddha said,
“This my Dharma of nine parts,
taught according to the ability of sentient beings,
is the basis of entering the Vast Path
and that is the purpose those sutras were proclaimed.”1
We must know that the “I” which is “this” is the Tathagata. This is the emergence of his face and eye and body and mind. This “I” which is “this” is the “Dharma of nine parts” and the “Dharma of nine parts” is “I” as “this”. One phrase or verse right now is the “Dharma of nine parts.” The “I” which is “this” thus teaches “according to the ability of sentient beings.” Thus, the life lived by all sentient beings appears and “those sutras were proclaimed”, and the death which is died by all sentient beings appears and “those sutras were proclaimed.” Each movement and deportment is just “those sutras proclaimed.” “Teaching all sentient beings, causing them to enter the Buddha’s Way” is “why those sutras were proclaimed.” Sentient beings “accord to” “this, my Dharma of nine parts.” “According to” means “just going with” others, “just going with” oneself, “just going with” sentient beings, “just going with” life, “just going with” this “I,” and “just going with” “this.” Sentient beings are always an “I” which is “this” and so are each part of the nine parts.
The “going with” or “zuitako” that Dogen refers to comes from Hekiganroku case 29. This is a very famous koan and it appears as Shobogenzo Sanbyakusoku 24. Dogen refers to it in the Shobogenzo Zuimonki 1, in the Eihei Koroku 9:83 and in the Shobogenzo texts Daigo, and Den’e as well as Bukkyo.
1 From the Skillful Means (Hoben) chapter of the Lotus Discourse. Dogen refers to the verse with “this” part (shibu), “my” (gabu).
-Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, continuing teisho 8: "The Purpose of the Sutras", Saturday, March 20th, 2004 in the teisho series "The Thread of the Buddhas," commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji's Bukkyo.
Upcoming Events
Fusatsu: April 17th, May 1st and 15th.
Hermitage
The Roshi will begin a period of hermitage at midnight on Wednesday, May 1st, which will end at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 5th, when he leads monastics in Acalanatha Sadhana.
Introduction to Zen Workshop
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place on Saturday, May 4th, at 1:45 p.m. For more information please see:
https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
For information concerning our Long-distance Training Program, please visit this Web Page: https://wwzc.org/long-distance-training-program
Sogaku-ki O-sesshin
The Sogaku-ki O-sesshin begins at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 12th and ends at noon on Sunday, May 19th. Monastics and formal students are reminded to send their schedules to schedule at wwzc dot org as soon as is possible.
Cancelled General Sitting
The Monday, May 13th, 7:30 p.m. general sitting is cancelled due to O-sesshin.
Cancelled Associate Sitting
The Thursday, May 16th, 7:30 p.m. associate sitting is cancelled due to O-sesshin.
Associate and General Sitting During O-sesshin
During the O-sesshin there will be a sitting in the Zendo on Saturday, May 18th for associate and general students which will begin at 9:15 a.m. (First Bell) and will end at 11:30 a.m. Please remain on the first floor.
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.
Sogaku-ki
May 18th is the memorial for the death of Sogaku Myoshin Hakukaze daiosho, the 80th Lineage Ancestor and, it is said, the author of “Scattered Notes On The Daruma-kata”. Sogaku Hakukaze daisho lived during the Tokugawa era. He received transmission from Manzan Dohaku daiosho and gave transmission to Anzan Daiko daiosho.
Fudo en-nichi
May 26th is a day traditionally dedicated to Fudo Myo-o. Fudo Myo-o (J) Acala Vidyaraja (S) A manifestation of “Mahavairocana” or all pervading Awareness as a wrathful guardian figure; a symbol of boundless energy, determination and compassion. Traditionally used as a symbol of the Teacher’s mind in this Lineage. Fudo stands glaring and snarling like a demon; it holds the sword of insight in one hand and the cord of the Precepts in the other; it has chained itself to a rock in the midst of the raging flames of the deepest hell to work for the liberation of all beings there.
Hermitage
The Roshi will begin a period of hermitage at midnight on Wednesday, May 29th, which will end at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 2nd, when he leads monastics in Acalanatha Sadhana.
Roof Repair Fund
The amount raised to date is now $35,710. Through the generosity of the Sangha we have now surpassed the amount needed to repair three most urgent roofs and so we can make arrangements to schedule the work. The overage will be set aside for the next roof which we already know is in need of repair, the roof over the Hojo (where the huge icicle grows as moisture escapes over the winter). Thank you to everyone who has contributed.
Repairing the Dining Hall ceiling
Congratulations
Congratulations and deep gassho to Alison Burke of Ottawa who has been accepted as an associate student by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi.
Retreats
Mohamed Zakzouk began a seven-day retreat on Monday, April 15th which concludes on the evening of Sunday, April 21st.
To Schedule a Retreat
Please visit this Web page for information about scheduling a retreat and an explanation of the different kinds of retreat (duration and timing) you can sit: https://wwzc.org/retreats. Please note that retreats should be scheduled one week in advance.
Public students sitting retreats should send an email to schedule@wwzc.org to confirm they sat a retreat so that notice of it can be included in the eMirror. Please include the location of the retreat and the duration.
Teisho
Recorded Teachings Schedule
- Saturday, April 20th: “Bodhidharma’s Eyes” by Ven. Anzan Hoshin: “Outside the Sutras" (7 of 13)
- Monday, April 22nd: “Every Breath You Take” by Ven. Shikai Zuiko o-sensei: “When Receiving Novice Precepts" (Dharma Talk 23)
- Thursday, April 25th: “Birth, Old Age, Sickness, and Death” by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin
- Saturday, April 27th: “Bodhidharma’s Eyes” by Ven. Anzan Hoshin: “Robe and Bowl" (8 of 13)
Missed Sittings and Teisho
If associate students are unable to attend the Thursday evening associate sitting, they may attend one of the general sittings to make up for the sitting they missed. General sittings are held on Monday evenings at 7:30 p.m. (first Bell is at 7:15) and Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m. (first Bell at 9:15 a.m.). Please send an email to request permission to attend one of these sittings.
Teisho presented at general and associate sittings which are part of a series need to be listened to in the correct order and with none missed out. If you miss a sitting please borrow a copy of the missed teisho from the library or download it from the WWZC Media Site as soon as possible, so that the continuity of what is being presented is not disrupted. The weekly list of recorded teisho played at sittings is posted on the web site at:
https://wwzc.org/recorded-teachings-schedule
Online Access to Recorded Teachings
Students can access the password-protected online Recorded Teachings library on the WWZC website at https://wwzc.org/recorded-teachings or through the streaming site at http://app.wwzc.org. The custom-built media streaming site allows students to live stream recordings from the WWZC Recorded Teachings collection. It is optimized for use on smartphones and tablets, and works with most modern browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. It can also be used on desktops.
Help Required with Archiving Project
We would like assistance from students to work on an archiving project which has been underway for a number of years. Approximately 100 recordings of teisho and Dharma Talks presented by the Roshi in the late 1980's and early 1990's are still not available to students on our web-site. These were recordings were made on audio cassette. The process for preserving these cassette recordings and making them available to students is as follows:
- Transfer the cassette recording to a digital format
- Edit the single digital files from each cassette side to separate the presentations.
- Clean up the quality of the recording as much as possible using computer software and in the cases of a recording being of very poor playback quality, using the services of a professional audio restoration company.
- Rename, digitally tag each presentation and add the recording information to the database.
- Create archive quality master CD copies of the recordings for long term storage including printing all of the CD case inserts and graphics.
- Upload completed audio files to the WWZC sound-site so that they are available to students to listen to.
This process is extensive and time consuming, requiring at least 4-5 hours of work for each individual recording. The amount of work required for the monastic sangha to complete this project expediently is not possible, so we are asking for help from the rest of the sangha.
A student would be required to offer regular commitment of time, a block two to three hours weekly is ideal but also a commitment every two weeks would work well. Students would be trained in the work they would be doing and so no specific skill set is needed.
If you are able to assist with this vital project to preserve the Teachings please write to Mishin ino or Saigyo tando or send a message to WWZC.org. Thank you very much.
WWZC Website
wwzc.org
Recorded Teachings for Public Access
While most of the online Recorded Teachings library is password-protected and only accessible to students of Zen Master Anzan Hoshin, a small selection of MP3 recordings of teisho are accessible to the public at https://wwzc.org/recorded-teachings. Additional recordings will be uploaded periodically.
MP3 recordings of five teisho 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
- Yaza 2007: Sit Through the Night, the Night is Bright Right Through https://wwzc.org/yaza-2007
- 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
Samu on Sundays
Each Sunday afternoon (except during O-sesshin and Sesshin), Caretaking Council (Saigyo tando, Fushin shramon and Endai shramon) do samu from 1:30p.m to 4:30p.m. on the various small projects required around the monastery. There are always a great many tasks that need to be done and so any students are welcome and encouraged to come to Dainen-ji to join the monastics in caretaking practice. If you would like to partake in the samu practice on Sundays please write to Saigyo tando at saigyo.cross@gmail.com.
What to do if you arrive late for a sitting
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.
Painted Cakes
(do not satisfy hunger)
by Ven. Shikai Zuiko sensei
Continuing on with “Painted Cakes: A Zen Dictionary” a limited edition text written by Anzan Hoshin roshi in the 1980s and last revised in 1994.
Satori (J) Enlightenment. This term is rarely used in the Zen Community.
Questions can be sent to me, Shikai sensei, at shikai.sensei@gmail.
Office of the Tenzo
Dogen zenji taught in the Tenzokyokun 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 osho serves as tenzo and Mishin ino and Saigyo tando offer assistance as tenzo-anja.
Meals Made This Week by Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho:
Monday
Lunch: Roasted Yukon gold potatoes; deep-fried triangle tofu with chipotle barbeque sauce mixed with garlic and onion powder, salt and black pepper; sauteed chopped carrots and onions mixed with peas and corn; mushroom gravy (mushroom stock, sauteed diced onion and sliced mushrooms, roux for thickening, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, minced garlic, smoked paprika, shoyu, lots of black pepper).
Supper: Cavatappi pasta in garlic/butter sauce (butter, olive oil, lots of garlic, lime juice, diced white onion, red chili flakes); sauteed bok choy and dai gai choy (mustard greens) with red kidney beans, seasoned with lime red balsamic vinegar, garlic, and black pepper; friulano cheese cubes with sliced gherkins seasoned with lemon zest.
Tuesday
Lunch: 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, Kashmir red chili powder, garam masala, amchur (dried mango powder);
mixed grain (basmati, Jasmine and Chinese); carrot soup (chopped onions, minced ginger and garlic, turmeric, toasted and ground coriander, cayenne, carrots and white onion cooked and blended, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chilis, garnished with fresh coriander); tomato salad with lime pickle, lime juice, salt, pepper and fresh coriander leaves.
Supper: Lo mein noodles, garlic, shoyu, sliced poblano, cubanelle, and yellow shepherd bell peppers; crimini mushrooms and tofu in chili sauce; baechu kimchi
Wednesday
Lunch: Tamarind curry (chopped leftover roasted potatoes, chopped tofu, mushrooms, peppers, coconut milk, red onion, galangal, tamarind, chili, salt, turmeric); Thai Jasmine rice; chunks of Asian pear seasoned with lime juice and chili flakes.
Supper: Cavatappi frittata (leftover pasta from Monday, mixed with beaten egg, topped with friulano cheese); minestrone (diced carrots, celery, Spanish onion, crimini mushrooms, green cabbage, porcini mushrooms, tomato juice, Parmesan cheese, garlic, thyme, oregano, lots of black pepper, red balsamic vinegar; baguettes with butter.
Thursday:
Lunch: Gogumabap - Sweet potato rice (made with sauteed Japanese yams rather than sweet potatoes, Jasmine white and brown rice, chopped onion, lots of garlic); medium-firm tofu sauteed until ‘pockmarked’ and then seasoned with a sauce made from shoyu, gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), dark brown sugar, sesame oil, lime juice, finely chopped scallions; fresh spinach with garlic, lime juice, mirin, black pepper.
Supper: Seared sliced daikon and shitake mushrooms in black bean sauce (black bean paste, cooked black beans, cooking wine, vegetable stock; mixed grain (white and brown Jasmine rice and Chinese rice); seared haricots verts with garlic.
Friday
Lunch: Biryani (leftover Thai white and brown rice, mixed with Chinese rice, sauteed cubed Yukon gold potatoes, diced carrots, caramelized onion, ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, ginger, dry mustard, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cayenne; tofu paneer (leftover tofu seasoned with turmeric, cayenne and salt, and then added to the saag (caramelized onion, minced ginger and garlic, minced green chilis and jalapeno, ground coriander and cumin, chopped fresh spinach leaves and stems; raita (cucumber, tomato, yogurt, cumin, cardamom, black pepper and salt).
Baking by Shikai sensei:
Salted maple syrup pie; plantain date cookies; oat date cookies.
Thank You
If you would like to thank someone for a contribution they have made, please feel free to send an email to Jinmyo osho at rengezo at Gmail dot com, but be sure to type "eMirror" in the subject line.
From Anzan Hoshin roshi:
Deep gassho and appreciation to all for all of their efforts in practice and caretaking of the monastery. At the recent Samu Weekend it was discovered that there was serious and dangerous damage to the actual structure of the Dining Hall ceiling that had been hidden above the drop ceiling. (This had been installed by previous owners of the building before we purchased it in 1996). Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho-ajari and Ven. Saigyo Cross tando immediately coordinated a plan for repair. This last week, the Tando has been joined by Ven. Fushin Comeau shramon and Ven. Endai Mayeda shramon and many formal, general, and associate students to repair and renew the ceiling. Jinmyo osho has prepared, mostly on her own, lunch and supper for all participating throughout this week-long effort.
From Mishin ino:
Thank you to Jinmyo osho for leading the Hanamatsuri sesshin and for preparing so many excellent meals for those working on the Dining Hall renovation this week. Thank you to Saigyo tando and Fushin shramon for taking the week off their jobs in order to work on the renovation.
From Fushin shramon:
Thank you to Jinmyo osho for preparing thoughtful and beautiful meals this week for practitioners working on urgent Dining Hall ceiling repairs. Thank you to Saigyo tando for planning, designing and leading the Dining Hall ceiling repair.
From Chiso anagarika (from Concord, Ma, USA):
Thank you to Roshi for establishing Dainen-ji and made it available to people everywhere to study; to Shikai sensei for a warm and welcoming talk in the kitchen; to Jinmyo osho for a very meaningful daisan, where some of my misunderstandings were clarified; to Mishin ino for all her work, even when she is not feeling well and for leading oryoki; to Saigyo tando for preparing the room for my stay and for leading oryoki; to Fushin shramon for helping me with my luggage; to Endai shramon for a warm welcoming; to Isshin for being there. I would like to thank all residents and students who work very hard to maintain this practice environment. Without them none of this would be possible.
From Rodney Gallant:
Thank you to the Roshi for Dianen-ji and to all the residents for helping make my retreat a great experience; to the tenzo and tenzo-anja for the delicious meals during my stay; to Shikai sensei for the delicious refreshments after samu practice; to Jimnyo osho for the Dharma Talk “All Around at Once Part 2: The World is Already Ready “ for it reminds me what happens time and time again when I practice zazen. Thank you to Saigyo tando for practice interviews and for guidance during my stay and at home; to Mishin ino for practice interviews and showing me what sitting up straight means.
From the Office of the Treasurer:
Thank you to Chiso anagarika for a donation. Thank you to Rodney Gallant and George Donovan for donations to the roof repair fund.
Ongoing Project:
"All is Change"
Dainen-ji, being a 140-year-old building, is continuously in need of maintenance and the costs associated with this can be astronomical when such things as porch repairs or exterior painting are needed. This is something that we cannot afford to do, yet must do and so the "All is Change" project has been created. The "All is Change" project is very simple. Most of us have a bowl or a jar or some other kind of container that we keep somewhere at home and fill up with loose change because it's too heavy to carry around. Several hundred dollars has been collected so far both in loose change and Canadian tire money which has been put towards the building maintenance fund. If anyone would like to contribute to this fund, each penny will be appreciated. The “All is Change” container is on the wooden wall shelf under the Sangha Board in the cloak room.
