eMirror Vol 29, No. 8 (2025-02-21)
Hachimanmon, 8,000 Gates
eMirror Vol 29, No. 8
Friday, February 21st, 2025
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
The space around the body becomes very hard and the body tenses and there is a moment of almost just blankness, which is sort of like taking a photograph of something. Click. Trying to hold on to it so that then you can figure out what is in the photograph. There is this form. And then basic reactivity. What is it? There is something there. You don’t quite know what it is yet. there’s just “Aghh”! There is something there.
And then symbolization - you start to figure out, “Oh it’s about this tall, it’s this, that, it has certain colours”.
Then the fourth skandha of habitual patterning begins to come in and you refer to standards such as “Oh, those details add up to something that looks like a human being”. And then you start to check it out further by reviewing reactivity: “Is this person going to threaten me? Is it a friend? Is it a stranger? What is this person doing here?” And then you start to realize that it’s your reflection and then consciousness: “Oh, it’s a mirror. Oh.” So that moment of conditioning, which can often make us distrustful of intuition is recognizable because it happens as a contraction.
Some people use the word “intuition” to mean having a sense of what is going to happen, as a kind of reverse deja vu. But as with deja vu, there has been a kind of glitching and stumbling of the third and fourth klesas, symbolization and habitual pattering.
But intuition, what we can call in English intuition, a flash of immediate direct understanding has a very open quality. The skandhas have flowed without piling up too much and a more open understanding is available.
Now, one problem with an open quality is that we usually don’t know what to do with it because we are used to having certain boundaries present. So when that open quality happens we try to fill it in some kind of way; we try to put in some kind of boundaries to it. And so while we have some first impression, which is very open, very clear, we put it to the side and then try to start figuring things out.
If we are paying attention to what our experience is like - And this is the thing, there is no simple trick that we can do - But if we allow ourselves to attend to what happens when we have a first impression or an intuition and we attend to what happens, not just in terms of what the thoughts are like but what our experience is like, what our seeing is like, what our hearing is like, what our posture is like, then we begin to recognize when certain patterns are being played out.
- Continuing the Mondo "Confusion is the Mother of Wisdom", from a Dharma Assembly presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, May 1991
The Hatto (for formal sittings)
The Zendo (for associate and general sittings)
Practice Schedule and Upcoming Events
Formal Sittings for WWZC Students: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday Mornings The formal sittings begin at 6:00 a.m. You would need to arrive by 5:45 in time for First Bell. The sitting ends at 7:25 with the Chants. Following that there is a Daruma-kata Aiki review which ends at about 7:50. If you need to leave before the kata, please let us know that in advance by sending an email to schedule@wwzc.org.
Saturday Morning General Sitting for WWZC Students: The general sitting begins at 9:30 a.m. You would need to arrive by 9:15 a.m., in time for First Bell. The sitting ends at 11:45 a.m. Some general students attend the 6:00 a.m. Saturday morning formal sitting, stay for breakfast and then attend the general sitting. If you stay for breakfast, there is a $5 contribution which can be made through Eventbrite: Register for Saturday Breakfast. Proceeds from meals go to White Wind Zen Community.
Monday and Thursday Evening Associate Sittings for WWZC Students: The associate sitting begins at 7:30 p.m. You would need to arrive by 7:15 p.m., in time for First Bell. The sitting ends at 9:10 p.m.
Friday (Hosan): There are no formal sittings scheduled at the monastery on Fridays, but you are expected to sit at home if you have committed to sitting zazen daily.
Sunday Formal Sitting: The Sunday morning formal sittings are reserved for monastics, formal students, and probationary formal students. It starts at 7:00 a.m. and ends at 10:10 a.m. with the chants. Following that there is a Daruma-kata Aiki which ends at about 10:30 a.m.
Fusatsu (Renewal of Vows): February 26th, March 12th and 26th.
Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa: The next two Introduction to Zen Workshops will take place on Saturday, March 1st at 1:45 p.m. and Saturday, April 5th at 1:45 p.m. To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca; for more information please see https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
Dharma Assembly
A Dharma Assembly (a day of retreat that all formal, general and associate students may attend) will take place on Saturday, February 22nd from 9:30 am to 9 pm, (please arrive in time for First Bell at 9:15 a.m.) led by Jinmyo sensei. A Dharma Talk will be presented. For those attending the full day, three vegetarian meals will be provided along with instruction for informal oryoki; there will be instruction in the Daruma Kata-aiki, and students will meet with monastics for daisan (meeting with Jinmyo sensei) and practice interview (meeting with Mishin godo and Saigyo ino).
Registration for the Dharma Assembly is now full. Students who wish to be added to the waitlist should email schedule at wwzc dot org.
Cancelled general sitting:
The Saturday February 22nd general sitting that would normally take place at 9:30 a.m. is cancelled due to the Dharma Assembly.
March Two-day Sesshin:
The March two-day sesshin will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 7th, and will end at 6:00 p.m . on Sunday, March 9th. Formal students are reminded to send their schedules as soon as possible.
Keizan-ki
March 21st is the memorial for Keizan Jokin zenji.
Hermitage:
The Roshi is continuing an extended period of hermitage due to underlying health issues until the COVID-19 situation clarifies.
Long Distance Training Program:
For students living an hour or more commuting distance from the monastery in Ottawa, please visit this Web Page: https://wwzc.org/long-distance-training-program
What to do if you Arrive After the Sitting Begins
If you arrive after the sitting starts and the door is locked, 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 and Training Sessions
Thach Hoang sat a one-day retreat on Sunday, February 16th at his home in Laval, Quebec. Brian Lakeman sat a half-day retreat on Monday, February 17th at his home in Brampton, Ontario. Beth Buerkle sat a one-day retreat on Tuesday, February 18th at her home in Chamcook, New Brunswick.
If you are a student of Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi and would like to sit a retreat at Dainen-ji, please email schedule@wwzc.org to register a week in advance. For further information please visit this page: https://wwzc.org/retreats
If you are a public student and would like to sit a retreat at home please follow the schedule outlined in this page: https://wwzc.org/retreat-schedule-public-students. After your retreat, please send an email to schedule@wwzc.org to confirm that you sat a retreat and include the duration and location.
If you would like to engage in a training session either at the monastery or at home by aligning with the schedule of the monastery, please read the information on this page:
https://wwzc.org/training-sessions
Recorded Teachings Schedule
February 22nd to March 1st, 2025
Formal sitting Sunday, February 23rd: "Mu: Collaring the Dog" by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: Teisho 1: Simple Minded (23 minutes)
Associate sittings Monday, February 24th and Thursday, February 27th: "Practising Without an Edge" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei
General sitting Saturday, March 1st: "Practising Without an Edge" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei
Listening to Teisho and Dharma Talks
Associate and general students should continue to follow the recorded Teachings schedule for the sitting you were attending at the monastery, and listen to that during your home practice. Teisho and Dharma Talks are presented during sittings and so should be listened to while you are sitting.
You can access the online Recorded Teachings Library at https://wwzc.org/recorded-teachings
Please note that recorded teisho should be listened to in the correct order and with none missed out as themes, metaphors, questions are raised and answered from different angles throughout each series.
Recorded Teachings for Public Access
While most of the online Recorded Teachings library is password-protected and only accessible to students of the Lineage of Zen Master Anzan Hoshin, a small selection of MP3 recordings of teisho are accessible to the public at wwzc.org/recorded-teachings Additional recordings will be uploaded periodically. MP3 recordings of four recorded teisho by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi 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
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
Translations and Texts
Photograph of Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Daijozan, mid-1980s,
by Ven. Shikai Zuiko sensei
Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi has recently completed translation work on some shorter texts by Eihei Dogen zenji from the Shobogenzo. The work on these particular texts is based upon the literal translations that he worked on with Joshu Dainen roshi at Hakukaze-ji around 1977-78 followed by many years of putting them down, picking them up, and polishing. Naturally, more essential texts such as Uji, Genjokoan, Shinjin Gakudo and some 40 others were completed first and have been given extensive commentaries by the Roshi. This batch of texts includes Baike: Plum Blossoms, Ryugin: Howling Dragon, and Udonge: The Udumbara Blossoming and many others are nearing completion. Annotation details and successfully conveying them across various document formats are the issue at this point.
Work on Bussho: Buddha Nature, a very long and nuanced text by Dogen zenji, is ongoing.
Roshi is also finishing an update to the Saijo Shingi: The Deportment of Radiance, our manual of monastic training standards which is a supplement to the ancient Eihei Shingi and Keizan Shingi.
White Wind Zen Community Website Update
Teisho: “I Know Who You Are!”
Teisho presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, presented at Dainen-ji on March 13th, 1999
https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/teisho-i-know-who-you-are
Dharma Assembly: On Karma
Mondo by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, presented in April of 1986, River Road Zendo.
https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/dharma-assembly-karma
Dharma Assembly: Freefall
Dharma Talk presented by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei on January 7th, 2007: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/dharma-assembly-freefall
Before Thinking (Dharma Talk 68): A Jewel in Bright Light
Dharma Talk by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi presented at Zazen-ji on September 14, 1991: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/jewel-bright-light
Kwannon
Teisho by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, transcript of a teisho presented on May 6, 1986, at River Road Zendo: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/kwannon
Cultivation of the Ground of Mind
Transcript of a teisho Presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, on June 4, 1989: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/cultivation-ground-mind
The Practice of Boards and Stones
Teisho presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, on June 18, 1989: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/practice-boards-and-stones
Difficulty, Strangeness, Beauty
Transcript of a Dharma Talk presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, December 13, 1988: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/difficulty-strangeness-beauty
Standing in the Rain (Tangaryo)
Transcript of Dharma Talk presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, December 15th, 1988: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/standing-rain-tangaryo
Snow
Transcript of Dharma Talk presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, November 18, 1989: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/snow
Bargeboard Restoration
We received a first detailed quotation for this work of $22,700 plus HST and after receiving other quotations hope to be able to move forward with this project in the spring of 2025. The amount raised to date is $9,800.
From the “Heritage Conservation Glossary”: Bargeboard (bordure de pignon): Boards or other decorative woodwork fixed to the edges or projecting rafters of a gabled roof, sometimes called “gingerbread”.
Being subjected to the extreme fluctuation of Ottawa’s freezing, dry winters and the heat and humidity of summers for 150 years have taken their toll on the monastery’s elaborate gingerbread. Some of it is so old and damaged that it was necessary to take it down before it fell down. Other areas are badly cracked and all of it needs restoration, sanding and repainting.
As all of the gingerbread is four floors up and difficult to access because of the steep pitch of our roofs, this is not work we can do ourselves. It is going to require someone skilled in the use of a “cherry picker” and scaffolding, and will also require excellent carpentry skills as some of the gingerbread will need to be recreated. And so we are beginning the process of finding a company that we can hire to do the work.
Because Dainen-ji is a heritage building, these repairs must be done or we could lose our heritage status.
We will post the estimated cost of the repairs as soon as we have received that information from contractors we are negotiating with. Any amount you can contribute would be gratefully received.
Office of the Tenzo
Dogen zenji taught in the Tenzo Kyokun: Instructions for the Tenzo (Tenzo kyokun: Instructions for the Tenzo | White Wind Zen Community) 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 sensei serves as Tenzo and Mishin godo and Saigyo ino offer assistance as tenzo-anja.
The WWZC does not advocate any particular diet. However all meals prepared during practice events, such as Dharma Assemblies, sesshin, or retreats are vegetarian as most people can eat this. On Tuesday evenings there is an optional meat dish, as some people find that a purely vegetarian diet, especially as they get older, is not sufficient for their health. If you are adhering to a strictly vegan diet, you can write to the tenzo, Jinmyo Renge sensei, at jinmyo.renge@wwzc.org a week prior to attending an event to request vegan foods. If you are lactose intolerant or have allergies to foods, you should write to the tenzo about dietary restrictions a week before attending events.
The following meals were prepared during the week of O-sesshin:
Friday:
Breakfast: Fried potatoes (leftover potatoes fried with chopped red onion and red bell pepper, cumin); scrambled eggs.
Lunch: Calrose rice garnished with toasted sesame seeds; miso shiru (broth made from kombu, slivered ginger, shiro miso, shoyu, mirin, rice vinegar, Shanghai bok choy, cubed silken tofu, rehydrated shitake mushrooms); takuan and gari.
Supper: Short-grain brown rice with butter and chopped scallions; a soup made from mushroom stock (pressure cooked oyster mushrooms stems and shitake mushroom stems), sauteed yellow oyster mushroom caps, ginger, shoyu, Xiaosheng cooking wine; thick slices of lions mane mushrooms seared to a golden brown, then braised in a sauce made from shoyu, butter and garlic.
Saturday:
Breakfast: Harira congee (Calrose rice, leftover harira lentil and chickpea soup).
Lunch: Mixed grain (Chinese rice mixed with leftover Calrose and Thai white and brown rice, garnished with sauteed cubed daikon and furikake); spicy wakame seaweed soup (leftover strained miso shiru broth, wakame, slivered ginger, shoyu, roasted chile oil, silken tofu); kimchi.
Supper: Cavatappi pasta cooked in a sauce made from finely chopped carrot and onion, minced garlic, San Marzano tomatoes, whole chickpeas and chickpea “crema”, rosemary, bay leaves, finished with Parmesan cheese; mixed greens sauteed with balsamic vinegar and red kidney beans; Friulano cheese with sliced gherkins, tossed with lemon zest.
Meals made this week:
Monday Yakuseki:
Tamarind/red lentil soup ((coconut oil, diced onion, diced butternut squash, minced garlic, chillies, and ginger, cumin, coriander, red lentils, tamarind concentrate, crushed tomatoes, lemon juice, fresh coriander, coconut milk); toasted naan; a salad of chopped romaine and green leaf lettuce, radicchio, grated carrots, thinly sliced red onion, and fresh speckled pea sprouts with an optional dressing of equal parts mayonnaise, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey and black pepper.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Mashed Yukon gold potatoes; mushroom gravy (sauteed cremini and blue oyster mushrooms, minced garlic, roux, thyme, shoyu, mushroom stock, smoked paprika, onion powder); polpettone (ground beef, pork and chicken mixed with eggs, breadcrumbs, pureed vegetables (carrots, onions, celery, jalapeno and garlic), Worcestershire sauce, HP sauce, thyme, smoked paprika, lots of black pepper, glazed with monastery-made barbecue sauce mixed with HP sauce; haricots verts and sugar snap peas with butter, salt and pepper.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Calrose short-grain brown rice; a soup made from mushroom stock (mushroom stems cooked in a pressure cooker), slivered ginger, dried mushroom powder, white pepper, shoyu, Shaoxing cooking wine, sauteed medium-firm tofu and yu choy; kimchi.
Thank You
If you would like to thank someone for a contribution they have made, please feel free to send an email to Jinmyo sensei at rengezo@gmail dot com, but be sure to type "eMirror” in the subject line.
From Mishin godo:
Thank you to Saigyo ino for clearing out the furnace intake pipe of snow early Wednesday morning after the building heat had gone off overnight. Thank you to Myocho for regular bookkeeping samu.
From Yujin:
Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for leading the Nehan O-sesshin, and for much dokusan during the week. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei and Mishin godo for preparing the meals for the O-sesshin participants. Thank you to Saigyo ino for buying the groceries for residents each week. Thank you to Fushin shuso for his expert use of the monastery's snowblower, especially during the recent winter storms.
