eMirror Vol 22, No. 49 (2018-12-07)
Anzan roshi's footstep in the snow,
Photograph by Ven. Fushin Comeau shramon
eMirror Vol 22, No. 49
Friday, December 7th, 2018
Edited by Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
Xuansha said, “The Three Paths and Twelve Divisions of the sutras are completely unnecessary.”
This saying is the Wheel of the Dharma. Where this Wheel turns we find the Buddha’s sutras. The point here is that the Three Paths and Twelve Divisions of the sutras are the Wheel of the Dharma of the Buddhas and Ancestors and it turns where the Buddhas exist and where they do not; it turns both before and after the Ancestors existed. Its great virtue is in turning the Buddhas and Ancestors. In the moment that the meaning of the First Ancestor’s coming from the west appears the Wheel of the Dharma becomes “completely unnecessary.”1
“Completely unnecessary” does not mean “not usable” or “broken.” This Wheel of the Dharma only turns as the Wheel of “completely unnecessary.” Do not say that the Three Paths or Twelve Divisions of the sutras do not exist, just look into the moment of “completely unnecessary.” Because they are “completely unnecessary” they are the Three Paths and Twelve Divisions of the sutras. Because they are the Three Paths and Twelve Divisions of the sutras they are not simply the Three Paths and Twelve Divisions of the sutras. And so we call them “the Three Paths and Twelve Divisions of the sutras.”
“’Completely unnecessary’ does not mean ‘not usable’ or ‘broken’.” Dogen takes Xuansha’s “completely unnecessary” and interprets it as “so-fuyo” 所不要 which means “beyond necessity” or “at ease.”
Whether the Dharma Wheel of the Teachings is turned or not, the Dharma Wheel of Reality is always turning and shining. In waking up as Reality the Buddhas and Ancestors are turned by the Dharma and shine forth the Way of realized-practice without the strategic intentions of self-image. Their intentions and actions are seamless with each other. The turning of the Dharma Wheel turns them this way and that and they say this here or do that there but this is all just the expression of their true nature and they are never turned away from the luminosity of Reality, what Koun Ejo zenji called the Komyozo 光明蔵, the Treasury or Matrix of Luminosity. So just as jewels naturally shine, the richness of Reality is unpacked for beings by the Buddha’s speaking the prajnaparamita on Vulture Peak Mountain, by Bodhidharma facing the wall at Shaolin for nine years, by Huineng pointing out that it is not the flag that moves or the wind that moves but the mind that moves.
1 So-fuyo 所不要. Which can also mean “being completely beyond necessity” or “at ease.”
-Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, continuing teisho 34 "Yes?" Monday, February 16, 2004 in the teisho series "The Thread of the Buddhas," commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji's Bukkyo.
Upcoming Events
Fusatsu: December 19th.
Rohatsu O-sesshin
The Rohatsu O-seshin began at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 1st, and will end on Saturday, December 8th following Jodo-e (commemorating the Buddha's Awakening).
Jodo-e: December 8th
Dainen-ki
December 12th is the anniversary of the day on which the Roshi’s Teacher, Ven. Yasuda Joshu Dainen roshi died.
Hermitage
The Roshi will begin a period of hermitage on Monday, December 12th, which will end at 12 a.m. on Saturday, December 15th.
Introduction to Zen Workshop
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place at Dainen-ji on Saturday, December 15th. For more information please see: http://www.wwzc.org/content/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
For information concerning our Long-distance Training Program, please visit this Web Page: http://www.wwzc.org/long-distance-training-program
Joya (New Year’s Celebration)
On Monday, December 31st at 10 p.m. until Tuesday, January 1st at 12:00 a.m., we will celebrate Joya or New Year's. Join Zen Master Anzan Hoshin, Ven. Shikai Sensei and Ven. Jinmyo osho and the monastics of the Northern Mountain Order in ringing in the New Year with 108 recitations of the Mahaprajnaparamita Hridaya sutra mantra. Following the sitting there will be an array of shojin-ryori (Zen vegetarian cuisine) dishes for an informal feast. All students are welcome to attend. There is no better way to begin the year. Dana is $25. Please register by sending an email to schedule at WWZC dot org, or telephone the Zen Centre office (613) 562-1568.
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.
Retreats
Ceri Behar, visiting Dainen-ji from his home in Istanbul, Turkey, sat a one and a half-day retreat on Friday, November 30th and Saturday, December 1st. Beth Buerkle sat a one-day retreat on Tuesday, December 4th 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
Recorded Teachings Schedule
- Saturday, December 8th: “Without Difficulty”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on Jianzhi Sengcan's “Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness”: “Wise Up Down and All Around" (19 of 26)
- Sunday, December 9th: SAkN "Questioning the Enigma" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "Questioning the Enigma" (3 of 4)
- Monday, December 10th: "Standing Clear" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge Osho-ajari
- Thursday, December 13th: "The Four Noble Truths" by Ven. Shikai Zuiko o-sensei: "Life is Suffering?" (Dharma Talk 1 of 4)
- Saturday, December 15th: “Without Difficulty”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on Jianzhi Sengcan's “Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness”: “The Importance of Earnestly Being" (20 of 26)
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.
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
Recent Dharma Talk
On Saturday, September 22nd, Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho-ajari presented "The Whole World is Already Ready", Dharma Talk 2 in the series "All Around, All At Once".
Direct link to transcript of Dharma Talk: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/all-around-all-once-part-2-whole-world-already-ready
Direct link to MP3 recording (accessible to students): https://wwzc.org/recorded-teachings/all-around-all-once
On Saturday, November 17th, 2018, Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho-ajari presented the Dharma Talk "Unfabricated", Dharma Talk 3 in the series "All Around, All At Once.
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.
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.
Samsara (S) The continual round of Birth and Death. The circular closed patterns of self-image struggling to become real.
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.
Sunday:
Breakfast: Chow mein noodles (garlic, ginger, yellow onions, red bell and orange peppers, shoyu, scallion sauce, bulgogi); scrambled eggs.
Lunch: Calrose and arborio rice with toasted sesame seeds; miso shiru with shitake mushrooms, bok choy and silken tofu; takuan and gari.
Supper: Cavatappi pasta with a butter-garlic sauce (diced Spanish onion sauteed with lots of garlic, in butter and olive oil, seasoned with Parmesan cheese, lime juice, salt, lots of black pepper and chili flakes, with a small amount of cream); friulano cheese with tomato spears, salt, lots of black pepper, olive oil.
Monday:
Breakfast: Fried rice (leftover calrose and arborio rice, cubes of deep fried tofu, ginger, yellow onion, scallions, red bell and poblano pepper, shoyu, hoisin, oyster sauce)
Lunch: Mixed white and brown Thai jasmine rice, seaweed soup (leftover broth from miso shiru, wakame, ginger, shoyu, black pepper, hot chili oil), baichu kimchi.
Supper: Roasted Yukon gold potatoes; mushroom soup with deep-fried puffed tofu (white onion, crimini and shitake mushrooms, garlic, red wine, smoked paprika, shoyu, thyme, rosemary, lots of black pepper; artichoke hearts and pitted black olives drizzled with olive oil and dusted with black pepper.
Tuesday:
Breakfast: Fried pasta (leftover cavatappi pasta with butter-garlic sauce); scrambled eggs.
Lunch: Calrose and arborio rice with gomashio (toasted sesame seeds and salt); miso shiru (kombu broth, slivered ginger, shiro miso, shoyu, mirin, rice vinegar, silken tofu); takuan and gari.
Supper: Mixed grain (white and brown Thai rice, basmati rice, sona masoori rice and barley, cooked with coconut milk); tamarind curry (Spanish onions, chopped red and green bell peppers, dai gai choy, red onion, galangal, tamarind, chili, salt, turmeric, deep fried tofu); blanched green beans seared with bran oil and minced garlic.
Wednesday:
Breakfast: Fried rice (leftover Thai jasmine with coconut, calrose, and arborio, leftover tamarind curry deep fried tofu and vegetables, green beans, ginger).
Lunch: Seaweed soup (strained miso shiru broth, wakame, ginger, shoyu, hot chile oil, black pepper, silken tofu); mixed white and brown Thai rice with furikake; baechu kimchi.
Supper: Lundberg Farms short-grain brown rice with peas and butter; butternut squash soup (blended cooked butternut squash and white onion, with added cooked potato slices and sauteed onion, thyme, black pepper, small amount of cream); fresh pineapple slices.
Thursday:
Breakfast: Chow mein noodles (red and green bell pepper, jalapeno, ginger, garlic, shoyu, chile oil, white pepper) with scrambled eggs.
Lunch: Calrose and arborio rice, miso shiru (kombu broth, ginger, shiro miso, shoyu, mirin, rice vinegar, silken tofu), takuan and ginger.
Supper: Farfalle pasta with mushroom sauce and goat cheese (crimini mushrooms, white onion, garlic, oregano, white wine, Parmesan cheese, goat cheese, small amount of cream); greens with beans (rappini, gai lan and strips of Spanish onion sauteed with Romano beans, garlic, red balsamic vinegar, lots of black pepper); friulano cheese cubes with gherkins.
Friday:
Breakfast: Fried pasta (leftover farfalle pasta with mushroom sauce and goat cheese), scrambled eggs.
Lunch: Thai white and brown rice, seaweed soup (leftover strained miso shiru broth, ginger, wakame, black pepper, chile oil), kimchi.
Baking by Shikai sensei:
Toasty oat cakes; sesame lace 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 Jinmyo osho:
Thank you to Mishin ino for preparing breakfast and lunch each day, throughout the O-sesshin so that I could meet with students.
From Mishin ino:
Thank you to the Roshi for the recorded teisho and readings we listened to during the O-sesshin from the series "The Lineage of Luminosity, Part One: The Lineage in India", especially the teisho "Haklenyashas and Dragons and Cranes" in which we also heard teisho from Joshu Dainen zenji. Thank you to the Sensei for baking O-sesshin afternoon refreshment. Thank you to Jinmyo osho for leading the O-sesshin, for excellent suppers (especially the butternut squash soup with onion and potatoes), and for instruction in cooking and forms.
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.
