eMirror Vol 28, No. 32 (2024-08-09)
Photograph by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei
eMirror Vol 28, No. 32
Friday, August 9th, 2024
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
People have all kinds of expectations, not only about how their lives will be, but how today will be, or how this moment will be. But reality is not an idea. It is what it is. Tada.
In the colder autumn air, the trees are changing colour and fallen leaves line the gutters of the streets. And seeing this, we know winter is coming. But although most of us sitting here today have seen this happen again and again and again, year after year after year, we don't really know what the cold of winter will actually be like. We have memories of cold fingers, the sound of snow crunching underfoot, memories of having to put on many layers to protect ourselves from an icy wind. But memories of cold are not the reality of cold. It is what it is and we will know cold when it is...cold. Tada. And now, before the snow comes, we see the colour fading from our immediate world as the trees lose their leaves and bare branches stand out black against a greying sky. And mixed into, and swirling along with the leaves in the street, are discarded paper cups, gum wrappers, used Kleenex and the odd sandwich wrapper. All swirling in the wind. Is it beautiful? Is it ugly? Neither. Is it good or bad? Neither. It is Tada.
"Tada" ただ is a Japanese word that means "Just, exactly, of course, just as it is." It is sometimes, as in the Teachings of Eihei Dogen zenji and Anzan Hoshin roshi, used as a synonym for the more technical term "immo" or "ta-thata" in Sanskrit, which means Suchness. Suchness is the reality of all dharmas, all things or experiences. The "actual nature" is another technical term for this. It means that each thing is sunya or empty of all of our ideas about and knowledge of anything, that it is impermanent, that it is the radiance of the Luminosity of experience.
Dharma Assembly: "Tada!", a Dharma Talk Presented by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei, Dainen-ji, October 24th, 2009
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.
Fusatsu (Renewal of Vows): August 21st
Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa:
The next two Introduction to Zen Workshops will take place on Saturday, September 7th and Saturday, November 2nd at 1:45 p.m. To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca; for more information please see https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
August Two-day Sesshin
The August two-day sesshin will begin at 8:00 p.m. on August 9th and will end at 6:00 p.m. on the 11th. Students attending are reminded to send their schedules as soon as possible.
Dogen-ki
August 28th is Dogen-ki, the memorial of Eihei Dogen zenji's death.
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
General public student Aaron Ford sat a two-day retreat on Saturday, August 3rd and Sunday, August 4th at his home in Calgary, Alberta.
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
August 10th to August 17th, 2024
General sitting Saturday, August 10th: The Thread of the Buddhas: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Bukkyo: The Buddha's Sutras: Teisho 2: The Whole Dharma as a Whole (27 minutes)
August sesshin playback for monastics and deshi, Saturday, August 10th: SAkN Presencing the Open Body: Teisho 5: Opening Past Everything (45 minutes)
Associate sittings Monday, August 12th and Thursday, August 15th: Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: Dharma Talk 68: A Jewel in Bright Light (9 minutes)
General sitting Saturday August 17th: The Thread of the Buddhas: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Bukkyo: The Buddha's Sutras: Teisho 3: Turning and Shining (24 minutes)
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.
You can access the online Recorded Teachings Library at wwzc.org/recorded-teachings-schedule.
You can also use the streaming site at app.wwzc.org to live stream recordings from the online Library. If you have forgotten your password or need assistance with accessing the recorded Teachings, please email schedule@wwzc.org.
Please note that teisho should be listened to in the correct order and with none missed out as themes, metaphors, questions raised and answered evolve in spirals throughout the 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
“Kwannon”: A 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
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.
From across Friel street showing the height of the window in the above photograph.
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.
Request for help with upkeep of the monastery grounds
If you would like to help with the upkeep and improvements to the monastery grounds through the summer months your help would be much appreciated. A regular commitment of an hour or two each week would go a long way to keeping the gardens looking good for the sangha and visitors we have at Dainen-ji. Saigyo ino will provide all of the instruction so even if you don't know much about gardening this is no problem. Please write to Saigyo ino at saigyo.cross@gmail.com if you would like to get involved. Thank you.
Zenga by Sato Kachu
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 on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday Evenings:
Monday Yakuseki:
Short grain rice cooked with miso, mixed with roasted chickpeas, diced firm tofu, diced cremini mushrooms and chopped scallions, seasoned with smoked paprika, Chinese soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, chilli oil and black vinegar; Shanghai bok choy and dai gai choy cut lengthwise into spears, blanched for 3 minutes in boiling water with bran oil and salt, then mixed with the leftover dressing from the rice with sugar and lime juice; baechu kimchi.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Sourdough and granary bread; salmon salad (grilled salmon, mayonnaise, cooked minced jalapeno and minced garlic, chopped radishes, thinly sliced scallions, finely chopped red onion, chopped water chestnuts, sriracha hot sauce, lime juice, lots of black pepper; egg salad (chopped eggs, mayonnaise, chopped celery, thinly sliced scallions, cooked minced garlic and jalapeno, Dijon mustard, lots of black pepper); jackfruit salad (chopped jackfruit, cooked minced jalapenos and minced garlic, lime juice, Old Bay seasonings, celery salt, black pepper); sliced tomatoes; hummus; and Punjabi tomato soup (tinned San Marzano tomatoes and diced tomatoes, besam (chickpea flour), Kashmiri chile powder, curry leaves, salt, a pinch of sugar, lemon juice, coconut milk, toasted mustard and cumin seeds).
Thursday Yakuseki:
Linguine in a tomato/red bell pepper sauce (sauteed diced Spanish onion, minced garlic, red bell pepper paste, tomato paste, chopped parsley, lots of black pepper, a splash of red balsamic vinegar and cream; “Greens and beans” (Shanghai bok choy and dai gai choy seared in bran oil on the griddle with minced garlic, red kidney beans, red balsamic vinegar, salt and black pepper; cubed friulano cheese mixed with gherkins and lemon zest.
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 Saigyo ino
Thank you to the Roshi for the stone arrangements that adorn and brighten areas of the public spaces in the building and to Jinmyo sensei for, amongst many other excellent meals, the best egg salad. Thank you to Fushin shuso for cleaning and re-supplying the monastery candles each week and to David Gallant for maintenance of the doorbell system. Thank you to Stacey Loyer for growing many native plants from seed at her home over the last months and bringing them to plant in the monastery gardens. Thank you to George Donovan for regular weekly samu and to Daniel Roach and Mario Delisle for samu periods to assist with the continued renovation in Myomaku. To Sam McFarlane for a samu period of painting each week and for picking up painting supplies we require.
From David Gallant:
Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for instruction over the years on how to clarify and simplify a physical space, which has been a great aid to me while reorganizing and transferring my belongings to a new resident room at Dainen-ji. Thank you to Saigyo ino for taking two weeks off work to complete renovations of Myomaku on the first floor of Dainen-ji, for offering to make a Butsudan shelf for my new resident space, and for a recommendation on a projector screen.
