eMirror Vol 23, No. 33 (2019-08-16)

 

Tree fungus in the monastery grounds, Photograph by Ven. Shikai Zuiko sensei
Tree fungus in the monastery grounds,
Photograph by Ven. Shikai Zuiko sensei

eMirror Vol 23, No. 33

Friday, August 16th, 2019
Edited by Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho

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



In the Mahayana sutras however “samadhi” often began to mean something else. Many different samadhis were described, which represented aspects of vaster and deeper realizations. In the various sutras the Buddhas sometimes present Teachings from within a particular samadhi. For example the Avatamsaka sutra is taught as the Buddha is within Ocean Seal samadhi and he reveals the Dharmadhatu or Total Field of All Possible Experiences as a constellation of spaces and worlds and beings and times which all interpenetrate each other. And so samadhi became a term that could imply an engagement with and opening to experiencing and experiences instead of a withdrawal.

In Zen, ”zanmai” can still sometimes be used to describe states of fixated attention; and unfortunately some teachers regard these favourably although they make it clear that these states are not kensho or openings. In these traditions of Zen, a kensho can sometimes follow upon a period of concentration because of the simple contrast between the state of narrowing and the vividness of sensory experience allows a few moments of astonished openness. Instead of tightening attention until there is the relief of a release, in Dogen’s practice and our own we simply learn how to open to openness, to release fixation. Our practice is one of learning how to always release any and every structure of attention that arises into the whole moment of present experiencing.

-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 28th.

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.
 


Congratulations



Congratulations and deep gassho to Ian Richard of Ottawa, on being accepted as a general student by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi.
 


Retreats



Beth Buerkle sat a one-day retreat on Thursday, August 8th at her home in Chamcook, New Brunswick.

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

On Saturday, August 10th during the August sesshin, Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi presented the teisho “Zhijian's Concealed and Unconcealed” as part of the ongoing series, "The Lineage of Luminosity: Part Two: The Lineage in China.”

During Yaza on Saturday, July 13th, Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi presented the teisho “Yaza: The Buddha and the Lies”.

Recorded Teachings Schedule

  • Saturday, August 17th: “Flowers and Clouds” by Ven. Anzan Hoshin: "Not a Background" (7 of 12)
  • Monday, August 19th: "Rhythm and Song": Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Dongshan Liangjie's "Hokyo Zanmai": "True Centre" (8 of 15)
  • Thursday, August 22nd: “Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice” by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: “The Rabbit-Killing Tree" (14 of 71)

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

Newly Added Recorded Teachings for Associate and General Students

MP3 of “Yaza: The Buddha and the Lies”: Yaza: The Buddha and the Lies

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:


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.
 

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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.
 

Oryoki set drawing


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:
Sundubu jjigae - Korean stew made with silken tofu (vegetable stock, mushroom stock, doenjang (Korean miso), gojuchang (Korean chili paste), garlic, shitake mushrooms, Napa cabbage, ginger, cubed silken tofu); boribap (mixed grain of calrose and barley); baechu kimchi. 

Tuesday Yakuseki:
Sliced grilled peameal bacon, coleslaw (green cabbage, white onion, Dijon mustard, horseradish, lime juice, salt, pepper, mayonnaise; fresh buns; sliced tomatoes. 

Thursday Yakuseki:
potato/Spanish onion/walking onion frittata topped with havarti and friulano cheese, baked to a golden brown, served with “Dom’s Hot Sauce”; tomato bisque (tomato juice, garlic, onion powder, thyme, a little cumin, Parmesan cheese; black olives and artichoke hearts. 

Baking by Shikai sensei:
Peach crisp; brown sugar cookies.

 

Begging monks


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 Mishin ino:
Thank you to the Roshi for presenting the teisho “Zhijian's Concealed and Unconcealed” during the August sesshin, the 124th presentation in the series “The Lineage of Luminosity, part 2: The Lineage in China.” Thank you to Shikai sensei for sesshin refreshments including perfectly toasted oat cakes. Thank you to Jinmyo osho for leading the sesshin and preparing a delicious tamarind curry for Saturday supper.

From Endai shramon:
Thank you to the Roshi for presenting the next teisho in the series "The Lineage of Luminosity, Part II: The Lineage in China", this time on our Lineage Ancestor Xuedou Zhijian daiosho. Thank you to Shikai sensei for a delicious peach crisp and for preparing refreshments during sesshin. Thank you to Jinmyo osho for leading sesshin this past weekend and for instruction in daisan. 

From Ian Richard:
Thank you to the Roshi for accepting my enrolment as a general student. Thank you to Shikai sensei for insightful daisan last week, and for the tasty ginger cookies the week before. Thank you to Jinmyo osho and the tenzo-anja for the delicious meals on Samu Weekend. Thank you to Saigyo tando, Fushin shramon, and Endai shramon for guidance and instruction in samu.

From Hannah Kent:
Thank you to Anzan Hoshin roshi for practicing Chuu-jo for my aunt Cindy Lou Patterson; to Shikai sensei for daisan and informal conversations ; to Jinmyo osho for providing helpful information about Chuu-jo; to Mishin ino for many practice interviews and in particular some guidance on scheduling work; to Saigyo tando for helpful practice interviews; and to all the monastics participating in the daily chanting of the Komyo Shingon.  

From the Office of the Treasurer:
Thank you to Jean-Francois St. Louis, Marc Valade, and Eric Cyr for donations towards the recent samu weekend.
 


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.

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