eMirror Vol 23, No. 31 (2019-08-02)
July 2019 Samu Weekend, photograph by Ven. Mishin Roelofs ino
eMirror Vol 23, No. 31
Friday, August 2nd, 2019
Edited by Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
The term dharmata then can mean realityness, the essential reality, or what is essentially real. As well as being empty or open, everything that can be experienced is presencing as an experience. It is not a thing out there somewhere, it arises alive within experiencing. It is not solid, it is impermanent and is in motion. So the essential reality of every thing is that it is deeply intimate beyond the fractures of subject and object, self and other. Every thing and everything is essentially real and reality presents itself as each thing and everything, all together stainless and seamless.
Dharmata or hossho also became used as a synonym for Buddhata or Bussho, Buddha-nature. That something has Buddha-nature means how that something is as it appears to a Buddha. But it also means that thing or being’s capacity to awaken as a Buddha. Sometimes it is said that insentient beings like stones have Dharma-nature while sentient beings have Buddha-nature. I’m not sure that a stone would agree with this kind of distinction. Perhaps if one really wants to make that distinction one should first ask the stone’s view on the matter. One has to listen closely because stones speak veeeeerrrryyy slooooowwwwlly.
-Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, continuing teisho 2: "What is the Samadhi of Dharmata," Saturday, December 4, 2004 in the teisho series "Essentially Real: Commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji’s 'Hossho: Dharmata'."
Upcoming Events
Fusatsu:
August 14th and August 28th.
Hermitage:
The Roshi will begin a period of hermitage on Wednesday, July 31st, which will end at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, August 4th, when he leads monastics in Acalanatha Sadhana.
Introduction to Zen Workshop
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place on Saturday, August 3rd, at 1:45 p.m. For more information please see: Introduction to Zen workshop details
For information concerning our Long Distance Training Program, please visit this web page: Long-distance training program
August Two-day Sesshin:
The August two-day sesshin will begin at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, August 9th, and will end at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 11th. On Saturday, August 10th, there will be a sitting for associate and general students in the Zendo. First Bell is at 9:15. The Sitting will end at 11:30 a.m. Students are reminded to remain on the first floor.
Dharma Assembly
On Saturday, August 24th, Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho will lead a Dharma Assembly, which will begin at 9:30 a.m. (please arrive by 9:15, in time for first Bell) and will end at 9:00 p.m. Dana is $40.00, which includes two meals: lunch and supper. Participants are asked to bring clothing and shoes appropriate for samu practice. To register, please send an email to schedule at wwzc dot org or leave a message on the office answering machine at 613-562-1568. Dharma Assemblies are open to all students.
Note: The 9:30 a.m. general sitting that would ordinarily take place on August 24th is cancelled owing to the Dharma Assembly.
Dogen-ki
August 28th is Dogen-ki, the memorial of Eihei Dogen zenji's death.
July Samu Weekend Report
by Ven. Saigyo tando
23 students attended our summer Samu Weekend on Saturday, July 27th and Sunday, July 28th, working through one of the hottest weekends of the year to complete a great deal of samu, improving and maintaining the practice environment of Dainen-ji. Here are some of the "highlights" of the many tasks that took place over the two days:
In the grounds, the front veranda and front steps were cleaned, sanded, prepared and then painted. This included replacing a rotten tread on the front steps and painting several other areas. The steps on the side porch were also repainted.
The front path was cleaned and polymeric sand laid between the pavers which locks the pavers in place and discourages weeds.
At the side porch area a new platform decking was built which will be the new location for the garbage bin, freeing up valuable space in the basement and making garbage management simpler.
Lots of work was done in the gardens including the yearly clipping of the cedar hedge, plenty of watering during this dry period, weeding and replanting and adding manure to keep the plants healthy.
Inside the monastery, work continued to facilitate relocating the monastery laundry room from the pantry (currently somewhat awkwardly located through the men's change rooms) to its new location near the Undo. Drywall mudding was completed, trim installation done and the floor prepared for fresh paint. We hope to complete this project soon.
A great deal of thorough cleaning was completed in the public areas of the building which included scrubbing walls and trim and the staircases.
The attic archiving space was completely rearranged and now is a much improved and more spacious area. The attic storage area was tidied. Mishin ino was able to complete a lot of administration over the two days and the paper copies of the weekly eMirror from the last year were filed and sorted.
Thank you to Jinmyo osho for designing and preparing the excellent midday meals for those students who stayed through the day and to Shikai sensei for the wonderful afternoon refreshments.
Thank you to the following students who offered their time to assist with the tasks completed over the Samu Weekend: Mishin ino, Fushin shramon, Endai shramon, Isshin, Senbo, David Gallant, Leonardo Nobrega, Ian Richard, Alison Burke, Tarik Kaya, Jean-Francois St. Louis, George Donovan, Marc Valade, Breno Freitas, Kathleen Johnson, Hannah Kent, Pierre Trahan, Chantal Maheu, Erik Cyr, Paula Negraes, Chantal Maheu, and Alex Groarke.
Washroom protocol
At Dainen-ji, we do not lock the doors of washroom when they are in use. If the door is closed, that means it is in use. Do not open the door of a washroom if it is closed. When you have finished using a washroom, leave the door open so it is clearly ready for the next person.
As the Roshi wrote in Four Gates, published in the 1980s:
“Keep the bathroom as you found it and leave it neat for the next person. Leave the toilet seat and lid down after use. Wash and dry your hands carefully. If you are feeling sleepy or dull, wash your face and eyes in cold water. Clean up the water around the sink. Replace the towel neatly. Stop staring at yourself in the mirror to check to see if you're still there, or to complain to yourself about your practice. Do not bang doors open or closed. After you have finished, leave the bathroom door open to indicate that it is no longer in use. Going to the washroom is not an opportunity to loosen mindfulness and lose your practice. Dogen zenji wrote an entire chapter of the Shobogenzo solely on the mindful use of washing and using the toilet facilities.”
Retreats
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
Newly presented teisho
During Yaza on Saturday, July 13th, Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi presented the teisho “Yaza: The Buddha and the Lies”.
Recorded Teachings Schedule
- Saturday, August 3rd: “Flowers and Clouds” by Ven. Anzan Hoshin: "Welcome to the World" (6 of 12)
- Sunday, August 4th: SAkN “Root Cycle Two" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: “Locatedness and Framing” (teisho 2 of 3)
- Monday, August 5th: "Rhythm and Song": Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Dongshan Liangjie's "Hokyo Zanmai": "Radiance In Between" (6 of 15)
- Thursday, August 8th: “Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice” by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: “Simplicity" (12 of 71)
- Saturday, August 10th: “Flowers and Clouds” by Ven. Anzan Hoshin: "Not a Background" (7 of 12)
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.
Sennin (J) Mountain ascetic practicing outside of the institutional
structures of of the state-supervised monastic system of medieval Japan.
Questions can be sent to me, Shikai sensei, at shikai.sensei@gmail.
Baechu kimchi
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.
Monday Yakuseki:
Mixed grain (white and brown basmati rice, Chinese white rice, Thai white rice, barley) with chopped scallions; sauteed strips of medium-firm tofu, sliced Spanish onions and red bell peppers in a sauce made from minced garlic, chopped green onions, Korean hot pepper flakes, shoyu, lime juice, a pinch of brown sugar; green beans sauteed in sesame oil and minced garlic.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Thick-cut pork chops seasoned with barbeque sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, salt, and black pepper; red potato buffalo fries; green cabbage coleslaw (cabbage, white onion, horseradish, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lime juice, salt and black pepper).
Thursday Yakuseki:
Mixed grain (white and brown jasmine rice) with daikon cubes sauteed with sweet chile sauce and chopped scallions; seaweed soup (wakame, shoyu, mirin, ginger, black pepper, hot chile oil) with silken tofu; baechu and dongchimi (radish water) kimchi.
Baking by Shikai sensei:
Strawberry cream cheese cookies; Open face strawberry raspberry tart with balsamic honey dressing; Salted oatmeal white chocolate 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: My thanks and deep gassho to all who exerted themselves in the recent Samu Weekend.
From Mishin ino: Thank you to Endai shramon for installing a mail organizer on the wall in my room so that I can keep incoming and outgoing WWZC paperwork organized.
From Endai shramon: Thank you to the Roshi, Shikai sensei, Jinmyo osho, and the many monks and students who, since the initial purchase in 1996, have transformed the building at 240 Daly Ave into Dainen-ji, and who continue to update the facilities so that they can be of use in teaching the Dharma. Thank you to Saigyo tando for organizing the Samu Weekend last weekend at which the practice environment was improved and clarified by all the students who attended.
From the Office of the Treasurer: Thank you to David Turner for a donation.
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.
