eMirror Vol 28, No. 41 (2024-10-11)
Blush of moss on Dainen-ji's Mountain Gate,
Photograph by Ven. Saigyo Cross ino
eMirror Vol 28, No. 41
Friday, October 11th 2024
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
When you see the first motions of the engine, when the first gear is engaged and the rotor begin to turn, if you practise attention can be strong enough to notice them, but not fall into them, not become them.
As the Roshi said in the quote I just read, "So now you might still sit in the ruined remnants of contraction. But sooner or later you will just give up on it and come out into the open field that the old contraption was always sitting in."
One way or the other, contraction always falls apart. Even if you do nothing, it will compress and compress and ultimately will decay simply because it is impermanent. You don't have to wait for the contraption to run out of gas and exhaust itself for that to happen. If you understand anything about practising, you will not wait. You can always choose to "makusa", as Dogen zenji and the Roshi say. This means to "do not-doing" or allow yourself to be natural and unfabricated by opening all around the whirring of the gears and staying with the spaciousness and vividness of experiencing as a whole. Release the narrowing of attention by coming back to the breath as a place of which you can release it, by opening to the colours and forms and sounds. You can just stop. If you are in the middle of a sentence and recognize that you are being an asshat, you can say "I'll just stop now." You don't have to cling to the engine while it runs on and on by itself like a runaway lawnmower hacking its way through the field of open knowing. Just let go. Fall open to the open expanse of this moment.
-Continuing Dharma Assembly: The Contraptions of Contraction by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei, Dainen-ji, June 13, 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. 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): October 16th and 30th
October Samu Weekend:
We shall be holding our Autumn Samu Weekend on Saturday, October 25th and Sunday October 26th. Saigyo ino will be writing shortly to all local students with the details of this weekend of caretaking practice. Please pencil these dates into your diary so that you will be able to attend some or all of the Samu Weekend and assist the monastic in the maintenance and improvement of the practice environment of Dainen-ji. Thank you.
Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa:
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place on 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
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.
Congratulations
On October 10th, during the October O-sesshin, Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei Transmitted the Three Jewels to David Gallant. David will now be known by the Dharma name “Yujin”.
Yujin was accepted as an associate student in July of 2009, as a general student in August of 2013, as a probationary formal student in November of 2017 and as a formal student of Jinmyo Renge sensei in November of 2021.
Retreats and Training Sessions
Beth Buerkle sat a one-day retreat on Saturday, October 5th 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
October 12th to October 19th
General sitting Saturday, October 12th: Seeing Eye to Eye: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji's "Yuibutsu Yobutsu": Teisho 1: Letting Loose the Lotus (27 minutes)
Formal sitting Sunday, October 13th: SAkN Oceans of Realms: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on the Vow of Samantabhadra: Teisho 2: The Fourfold Dharmadhatu (25 minutes)
Associate sittings Monday, October 14th and Thursday, October 17th: "Sitting and Walking" by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: Teisho 3: Flowing (27 minutes)
General sitting Saturday, October 19th: Seeing Seeing Eye to Eye: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji's "Yuibutsu Yobutsu": Teisho 2: Face-and-eye (20 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
"Before Thinking (Dharma Talk 68): “A Jewel in Bright Light”
A Dharma Talk by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi presented at Zazen-ji on September 14, 1991
https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/jewel-bright-light
“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
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 $2,200.
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.
Oryoki set
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:
Saturday
Breakfast: Spaghettini mixed with sauteed sliced yellow onion, poblano and red bell pepper s in a chile garlic sauce (low sodium shoyu, minced ginger, minced garlic, sambal oelek, brown sugar); scrambled eggs.
Lunch: Calrose rice garnished with gomashio (roasted ground sesame seeds and salt); miso shiru (broth made from kombu, slivered ginger, shiro miso, dried shiitake mushrooms, Shanghai bok choy, shoyu, mirin, rice vinegar, cubed silken tofu); takuan and gari.
Supper: Cubed, roasted, Yukon gold potatoes seasoned with butter, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese; coleslaw (thinly sliced green cabbage, white onion, julienned carrots, mayonnaise, lime juice, horseradish, dijon mustard, salt and pepper); sauteed medium-firm tofu seasoned with lime juice, salt, pepper, butter, bran oil, onion and garlic powder, tossed with thinly sliced scallions (cut lengthwise), that had been soaked in very cold water to make them curl.
Sunday
Breakfast: Leftover roasted potatoes fried with chopped yellow onions, lime tofu, and red peppers, seasoned with cumin, chipotle, Frank’s hot sauce, salt and pepper.
Lunch: Thai white and brown rice garnished with diced sauteed daikon; spicy seaweed soup (strained miso shiro from the previous day, wakame, sliced ginger, low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, chile oil, cubed silken tofu); baechu kimchi.
Supper: Basmati rice with butter and peanuts; dal (split pigeon peas, split mung beans, red lentils, sauteed diced carrots and onion, cumin turmeric, diced tomato, garam masala, cayenne, coconut milk); raita (chunks of cucumber and tomato mixed with ground cherries, plain yogurt, coriander, salt, lime juice).
Monday
Breakfast: Dal congee (leftover dal cooked with calrose rice, garnished with chopped coriander and roasted peanuts).
Lunch: White and brown Calrose rice garnished with furikake (seaweed and wasabi sprinkles); miso shiru (broth made from kombu, slivered ginger, shiro miso, dried shiitake mushrooms, Shanghai bok choy, shoyu, mirin, rice vinegar, cubed silken tofu); takuan and gari.
Supper: Lundberg short grain brown rice mixed with butter and peas; butternut squash soup (roasted butternut squash, salt, pepper, onion powder, cream); cubed friulano cheese mixed with sliced gherkins and lemon zest.
Tuesday
Breakfast: Fried rice (leftover Lundberg, basmati, and calrose rice seasoned with shoyu, wasabi and mirin); okra and eggs (blanched then thinly sliced okra sauteed with eggs, oyster sauce, light shoyu, white pepper, chile sauce).
Lunch: Thai white and brown rice garnished with diced sauteed daikon; spicy seaweed soup (strained miso shiro from the previous day, wakame, sliced ginger, low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, chile oil, cubed silken tofu); baechu kimchi.
Supper: Roasted vegetables seasoned with curry spices (rutabaga, carrots, daikon, sweet potato, and Spanish onions, medium-firm tofu spiced with Tandoori masala, gai lan stems and leaves); tomato rice (basmati rice cooked with tomato juice, curry leaves, Kashmiri chilli powder, lime juice, cumin); sliced cantaloupe.
Wednesday
Breakfast: Fried rice (leftover spiced rice fried with roasted curry vegetables); scrambled eggs.
Lunch: White Calrose rice garnished with gomashio (roasted sesame seeds and salt); miso shiru (broth made from kombu, slivered ginger, shiro miso, dried shiitake mushrooms, Shanghai bok choy, shoyu, mirin, rice vinegar, cubed silken tofu); takuan and gari.
Supper: Conchiglie pasta (shells) with green peas in garlic-butter sauce (diced, sauteed onions, minced garlic, chile flakes, lime juice, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese); coleslaw (thinly sliced green cabbage, white onion, julienned carrots, mayonnaise, horseradish, dijon mustard, lime juice, salt and pepper); black olives mixed with cubed friulano cheese and lemon zest.
Thursday
Breakfast: Fried pasta (leftover conchiglie pasta, diced red pepper, green peas); scrambled eggs.
Lunch: Fried rice (leftover Thai white and brown rice fried with chopped scallions, shoyu, white pepper, and sesame oil); spicy seaweed soup (strained miso shiro from the previous day, wakame, sliced ginger, low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, chile oil, cubed silken tofu); baechu kimchi.
Supper: Coconut rice (Thai rice cooked in coconut milk, garnished with chopped scallions); tamarind-peanut curry (chopped red onion, diced sweet potatoes, diced carrots, minced garlic, chopped daikon, chopped green cabbage, Thai red curry paste, tamarind paste, peanut butter, light and dark soy sauce, small amount of maple syrup, coconut milk, lime juice); salad of chopped lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, red onion, red cabbage, with a dressing made from mayonnaise, mango chutney, lime juice, popped mustard seeds, toasted cumin seeds).
Friday
Breakfast: Fried leftover coconut rice mixed with tamarind-peanut curry, garnished with peanuts.
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 Yujin:
Thank you to Roshi for overseeing my practice for 15 years, for presenting countless teisho, and for creating the vast and wonderful practice environment which is Dainen-ji today. Thank you to my Teacher Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei for offering the Three Jewels to me in Jukai during this O-sesshin, for many many meetings in daisan and dokusan over the past 15 years, and for a vast amount of instruction - each of these is a gift beyond measure. Thank you to the Office of the Tenzo for many excellent meals during this O-sesshin.
From Julian Yates:
Thank you to everyone at Dainen-ji for your support during my recent retreat. Thanks to the office of the Tenzo for excellent meals, to Mishin godo and Saigyo ino for reminding me of the forms, and leading me through ones I had not yet been taught, and for patient, humorous advice during practice interviews. Thank you also to the Roshi for creating such a great community and space to practice.
