eMirror Vol 22, No. 43 (2018-10-26)
Digital image by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi
eMirror Vol 22, No. 43
Friday, October 26th, 2018
Edited by Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
Dogen's own deep feeling for the profound qualities of the Lineage that he received could sometimes go beyond mere school spirit and cheering for “our team”. It was sometimes disputatious and hard-headed. I used to read passages like that and hit my head and think, "Oh my, you shouldn't have said that." Now, I tend to just to laugh a little bit. The fact is that when you are most intimate with the Lineage it is no more something to have deep or any other feelings about than you would have about the hand or nose. You do not have a feeling about it; you feel with it; you sneeze with it. It is just who one is. This is the problem that can happen when one is trying to speak of something so intimate in order to explain it to others: one can fall into distortion and heavy-handedness.
However, Dogen never went so far as to say, as did his later contemporary Nichiren, that all other forms of Dharma other than the school that Nichiren himself founded were the heresies of demons. And the fact is that within the community of his own monastics there were some that refused to move past the stances that they had developed before while still practising in Nonin's Daruma-shu or other Buddhist schools and Dogen's strongest statements of this kind need to be understood in that context. In recognizing and putting aside any extremes there might be in Dogen's regard for the Chan Transmission of Rujing, he still has much to say that is important and worthwhile.
He says, "Even if only a single verse is authentically Transmitted, still the Dharma is authentically Transmitted. If one verse is authentically Transmitted, mountains and rivers are authentically Transmitted.” And that, “The authentic Transmission is surely Mahakasyapa.” This means that the Dharma is not the same as the sutras with its many texts and verses. But if even a single verse is all that remained of the Dharma, if it were truly understood with the mind of the Transmission, truly understood within the context of realized-practice, then the Transmission is available as the “mountains and rivers” or the whole world. If there is no such understanding, then there is no Dharma.
-Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, continuing teisho 3: "Turning and Shining," Sunday, February 15, 2004 in the tesho series "The Thread of the Buddhas," commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji's Bukkyo.
Upcoming Events
Fusatsu: November 7th and 21st.
Samu Weekend
The next Samu Weekend is scheduled to take place on Saturday and Sunday, October 27th and 28th. Please pencil these dates into your schedule so that you will be able to attend some or all of this weekend of samu practice. Saigyo tando will be writing soon to students with more details about the activities taking place over the weekend. To register please send an email to Saigyo tando at saigyo dot cross at gmail.com or leave a message on the Zen Centre office answering machine at 613-562-1568.
Hermitage:
The Roshi will begin a period of hermitage on Wednesday October 31st, which will end at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, November 4th, when he leads monastics in Acalanatha Sadhana.
Introduction to Zen Workshop
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place at Dainen-ji on Saturday, November 3rd. 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
November Two-day Sesshin
The November 2-day sesshin begins at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, November 9th and will end at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 11th. Formal students are reminded to send their schedules to schedule at wwzc dot org as soon as is possible.
On Saturday, November 10th, associate and general students may attend a sitting held in the Zendo. Arrival time is 9:15 a.m. (in time for First Bell). The sitting ends at 11:30 a.m. Students attending are reminded to remain on the first floor.
Daiko-ki
November 18th is the Memorial for the death of Anzan Daiko zenji.
Dharma Assembly
On Saturday, November 17th, 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 562-1568. Dharma Assemblies are open to all students.
Note: The 9:30 a.m. general sitting that would ordinarily take place on November 17th is cancelled owing to the Dharma Assembly.
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
Sarah Goul sat a one and a half-day retreat from the evening of Friday, October 19th to Sunday, October 21st. Leonardo Nobrega sat a two-day retreat on Saturday, October 20th and Sunday, October 21st. Michael Nisch sat a half-day retreat on Saturday, October 20th at his home in Ulm, Germany.
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.
Fundraising for roof repair
Fundraising goal: The estimates we have received for this roof work total $30,653.63 for replacement of all three roofs. We hope to engage the contractor to do the work in spring 2019, but this will depend on whether sufficient funds have been collected.
Amount raised to date: $5,330
Three roofs at Dainen-ji are in need of replacement in the next twelve months: the roof of the Osho-ryo at the rear of the building, and the roofs of the bay windows in the first floor library and the covered balcony on the west side.
The roof above the Osho-ryo is currently covered in tar and gravel, an old roofing system that is in need of replacement with a modern membrane. UV light has (dried and) damaged quite a bit of the tar, especially at the edges of the roof, creating a danger of leaks. A leak into the Osho-ryo via the chimney flashing was patched recently. Due to sagging of the roof structure over time, water is pooling in a low spot that is no longer draining properly. This will be remedied with the installation of a new membrane. The old flashing has pulled away from the building and has been repaired many times, as you can see from the photos. Old wires and other fittings need to be removed safely or secured properly.
Detail of Osho-ryo roof showing flashing in poor repair,
unsecured wires, and the deterioration of the old tar and gravel covering
Detail of Osho-ryo roof showing failing flashing
and past patching; green is moss growing on gravel roof surface
The roofs of the bay window of the first-floor library and the covered balcony are made of metal and are very old. They are rusty, and the leaking joints and flashing have been patched with tar many times over the years. These roofs will be replaced with modern shingles or a membrane as suitable. Both roofs have sprouted leaks numerous times in recent years, damaging materials for the suiseki arrangements stored there and putting books and other materials at risk in the first floor library.
Roof of covered balcony on west side of building
showing rusting metal surface and patched seams
Roof of first-floor library bay window showing past patching and rusting metal surface
Teisho
Recorded Teachings Schedule
- Monday, October 29th: “Every Breath You Take” by Ven. Shikai Zuiko o-sensei: “Being Without Struggle” (Dharma Talk 13)
- Thursday, November 1st: "Tada" by Ven. Jinmyo Rengo osho-ajari
- Saturday, November 3rd: “Without Difficulty”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on Jianzhi Sengcan's “Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness”: “Water Within Water" (18 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
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.
Sadhana (S) The written form of a practice involving extensive chanting. Used also for the practice itself, usually a Mikkyo or tantric practice.
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 Served Prior to the Evening Sittings:
Monday Yakuseki:
Mixed grain (Hakkura brown sukoyaka genmai, premium Nishiki white rice, wild rice, millet, red and black quinoa); deep-fried tofu triangles with chunks of poblano and white onion in bulgogi sauce; mushrooms with gai lan stems and leaves seasoned with oyster sauce and lots of garlic; baechu kimchi.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
“Noodles with everything” (a bed of Lo mein noodles mixed with sauteed strips of Spanish onion and thin strips of poblano peppers, topped with cooked, seasoned, velveted chicken, sauteed ground pork with chilies, garlic and ginger, sliced tofu, gai lan and baby bok choy, shitake and crimini mushrooms, and a soft boiled egg.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Roasted red and white new potatoes (bran oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder); tofu in mushroom sauce (roux made with bran oil and all-purpose flour, mushroom stock, sauteed crimini mushrooms and reconstituted porcini mushrooms, thyme, shoyu, lots of black pepper, deep-fried tofu triangles); steamed haricot verts with butter, salt and pepper; lemon cabbage (Asian cabbage braised with diluted lemon juice, drained and then tossed with baby green peas, butter, salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
Baking by Shikai sensei:
Power Balls-(unbaked) old fashioned oats, roasted peanuts, honey, vanilla, coconut oil, cocoa; plain oat cookies; lemon cream cheese 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 Fushin shramon and Endai shramon for carrying, unpacking and putting together a table for the Osho-ryo; to Endai shramon for transcription; to Senbo for sending out the eMirror each week. Thank you to Michael Nisch for creating a 135-page .PDF of all of the Dharma Talks in the “Touchstone” series of Talks.
From Mishin ino:
Thank you to the Roshi for practising Chuu-jo when a student requests it for a family member or a friend who has died; to Jinmyo osho for corresponding with a large number of long-distance students; to Shikai sensei for fresh baked oat cookies with two flavour options; to Louis Radakir for archiving samu related to creating finished digital files of older recorded teisho that were originally recorded onto cassette tape.
From Chiso anagarika:
Thank you to the Roshi for establishing Dainen-ji. A unique place, where high standards apply to everything; to Shikai sensei for wonderful refreshments exactly when needed and for wishing me good and safe travel; to Jinmyo osho for leading the chants, meaningful daisan, understanding, wonderful meals and all the other unseen activities she does; to Mishin ino and Saigyo tando for leading oriyoki and for taking care of many aspects needed for a sesshin to run smoothly, and for making sure that I have a set up during oriyoki; to Fushi shramon and Endai shramon for overseeing kitchen cleanup and to Endai shramon for the joy and enthusiasm he brings to every task. Thank you to Senbo for being available to do what needs to be done.
From Gillian Higenbottam
Thank you to the Roshi for the very effective practice environment that exists at Dainen-ji and for the many translations and explanations he has made of Dogen zenji’s teachings which would otherwise not be so accessible to students. Thank you to Mishin ino for the unstinting efforts she has made to teach me to notice where are my eyes, nose, and ears, and for reading and responding to my weekly practice journals this past year. Thank you to all the monastics for the work done to teach, advise, and to support practice, and for encouragement and help during retreats. Thank you to Shikai sensei for presenting tasty refreshments, and to the office of the Tenzo for the wonderfully prepared meals that are provided for retreatants, showing how even the simplest ingredients can be made delicious with skill and care.
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.
