Great Master Ma, zenga by Sengai
eMirror Vol 26, No. 41
Friday, October 7th, 2022
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
Koan study involves picking up the standards of understanding established by generations of Zen Masters. This is a matter of working slowly and thoroughly through many different series of koan, some of which are brief anecdotes, others might be verses, and the questions and answers concerning them. Some of these series, such as the Blue Cliff Records or Hekiganroku contain Pointing Phrases that establish the basic issues of the koan to be studied, the koan, an appended verse by the Master who originally created the series, Xuedou, various comments and verses appended by later Masters and anywhere from one to a dozen questions that must be answered in a way that expresses the standard of understanding established by these Masters. Each koan in the series is part of a series which turns and twines, makes many references to previous koan in the series and proliferates with meanings as the series continues. This series is itself part of a larger series of koan training. For example my formal students study a particular series of koan texts. One begins with the Kaigenroku, the Book of Open Eyes, which is a collection of traditional scattered koan arranged in a particular sequence by myself which introduces and elaborates the basic principles of koan study, the various kinds of koan, the various kinds of questions and answers and how they can follow a particular course and then suddenly require an entirely different approach. Then the Hekiganroku. Then the Shoyoroku. Then Keizan zenji’s Denkoroku. Then the Himitsu Shobogenzo by Keizan zenji and Mushin Daie zenji. Then perhaps the Kidogoroku and Eihei Gen zenji goroku if the student has a particular aptitude for koan study. Then the Kaigenroku is studied once more.
This process involves learning how to think the koan rather than to think about it. To have available wordlessly all of the information to understand the setting or “time, place, person, and amount” of the context of the koan to discern its true meaning. Rather than being a means of frustrating and putting an end to rational thought as is so often stated in magazine and paperback articles by people who have not passed through koan practice and study, the study of koan is deeply experiential literary, rational, poetic, associative, historical, intertextual and multivalent. It is a training in how to think openly, clearly, and from many points of view simultaneously.
-Ven Anzan Hoshin roshi, continuing Class Six: "The Mind Is Not 'The' Mind" in the series "Zen Arts: The Flowering of the Senses", October 1999 Daruma-ki O-sesshin, Dainen-ji.
Upcoming Events
Fusatsu: October 12th and 26th.
Re-opening the Monastery:
We will be reopening regular sittings to students, beginning with the Saturday morning sitting for general students on October 15th. The sitting begins at 9:30 a.m. First Bell is at 9:15 a.m. The sitting ends at 11:50 a.m. If required we will be using two practice Halls for sittings (the Hatto and Zendo) to ensure adequate spacing. All students attending will be required to wear an N-95 or KN-95 mask. We will be sending emails to local students with information about how to register for sittings.
Associate sittings will resume on Mondays and Thursday evenings, beginning on Monday, October 17th and Thursday October 20th. The sittings will begin at 7:30 p.m. First Bell is at 7:15 p.m. The sittings end at 9:10 p.m.
Both the Monday and Thursday evening sittings are reserved for associate students, who may attend one sitting per week. General students are to attend a minimum of two sittings each week: one morning formal sitting each week and the general sitting on Saturday mornings. Attending both the formal sitting and the general sitting will count as a half-day retreat (breakfast at the monastery is $10).
Introduction to Zen Workshop
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place on Saturday, November 5th, at 1:45 p.m. For more information please see:
https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
For information concerning our Long-distance Training Program, please visit this Web Page: https://wwzc.org/long-distance-training-program
Daruma-ki O-sesshin
The Daruma-ki O-sesshin began at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 2nd, and will end on Sunday, October 9th at noon. Formal students are reminded to send their schedules to schedule at wwzc dot org as soon as possible.
A Note to Preliminary and Public Students Concerning O-sesshin
During an O-sesshin the schedule is such that there is no time for monastics to take telephone calls or reply to email correspondence sent by public students (unless it’s an emergency). Public students are asked to send their weekly practice journals, as they will be reviewed. But unless there is something that needs an immediate reply, you will not receive an email reply until the week following the O-sesshin.
Hermitage:
The Roshi is continuing an extended period of "self-isolation" due to underlying health issues until the COVID-19 situation clarifies.
Beginning Instruction in Zen Practice for Those Living Outside of Commuting Distance of the Monastery:
For information concerning our Long-distance Training Program, please visit this Web Page: https://wwzc.org/long-distance-training-program
Retreats
Deshi Isshin sat a one-week retreat in alignment with the schedule at Dainen-ji, in her home in Saint John, New Brunswick. Tracey Parker sat a partial retreat on Saturday, October 1st at her home in Perth, Ontario.
If you would like to sit a retreat at Dainen-ji, please email schedule@wwzc.org to register.
You would need to schedule your retreat a week in advance.
You will need to wear an N-95 or a KN95 mask while in the monastery.
You can sit a partial retreat, half-day retreat or full retreat for one or more days (providing you stay in the monastery and do not leave). The duration of retreats is as follows:
Half-day Retreat
You would need to arrive 15 minutes before the actual starting time. Begin at 6:00 a.m., end at noon. Or begin at 9:30 a.m., end at 6:00. Or begin at 3:00 p.m., end at 9:10.
Partial Retreat:
You would need to arrive 15 minutes before the actual starting time. Begin at 6:00 a.m., end at 6:00 p.m. Or begin at 9:30 a.m., end at 9:10 p.m.
Full retreat
You would need to arrive by 5:45 a.m. Begin at 6:00 a.m., end at 9:10 p.m.
Please remember to bring a change of clothes suitable for samu (caretaking practice). If staying overnight, please remember to bring a sleeping bag, a pillow, a towel and other such necessities. If you have been diagnosed by a medical doctor as having allergies to specific foods, please contact the tenzo-anja, mishin godo at mishin at gmail dot com, a week in advance of your retreat to inform her of dietary restrictions as this affects food purchases and meal planning. The suggested dana for retreats is $50 for a full day or $40 for a partial day, which covers the basic cost of food and other materials. Donations above this figure are very welcome and all donations are tax deductible.
If you 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.
Recorded Teachings Schedule
Saturday, October 8th to Saturday, October 15th
Saturday, October 8th: “Wild Time: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on “Uji: Being Time” by Eihei Dogen zenji: “There's No Mistaking It" (9 of 13, 28 minutes)
Sunday, October 9th: SAkN: "The Anatomy of Awakening" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "Tasting, Smelling and Seeing Light" (5 of 9)
Monday, October 10th: Hekiganroku 52: "Stone Bridge" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi (17 minutes)
Thursday, October 13th: "Virya: Exertion" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei (19 minutes)
Saturday, October 15th: “Wild Time: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on “Uji: Being Time” by Eihei Dogen zenji: “Stonehead and Sore Knees” (teisho 10 of 11, 29 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.
Painted Cakes
(do not satisfy hunger)
Begun by Ven. Shikai Zuiko o-sensei
Finished by Rev. Fushin Comeau shramon following her death
Tenkien (J): The monk on night duty (fire watch) in a monastery.
Posted October 7th, 2022. New entries are posted every two weeks.
Office of the Tenzo
Dogen zenji taught in the Tenzo kyokun: Instructions for the Tenzo (https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/tenzo-kyokun-instructions-tenzo) 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 following meals were prepared during the week of O-sesshin.
Meals Served to Practitioners During the Daruma-ki O-sesshin:
Monday:
Breakfast: Fried rice with Thai curry garnished with chopped roasted peanuts.
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: Penne pasta in garlic butter sauce (chopped Spanish onion, lots of minced garlic, chile flakes, white wine, salt, black pepper, cream); greens and red kidney beans (sliced gailan and Napa cabbage seared on the griddle with sliced white onion, red kidney beans, black pepper, red balsamic vinegar); halved cherry tomatoes dressed with olive oil, salt, and fresh basil.
Tuesday:
Breakfast: Fried leftover pasta; scrambled eggs.
Lunch: Thai jasmine rice garnished with sauteed daikon in chile sauce; spicy wakame seaweed soup (leftover strained miso shiru broth and shiitake mushrooms, wakame, ginger, shoyu, roasted chile oil, sesame oil), with silken tofu; kimchi.
Supper: White and brown basmati rice; coconut curry (onions, minced ginger, curry powder, canola oil, coconut milk, chopped poblano, cubanelle, and red bell peppers, carrots); chopped pineapple with chile flakes and lime juice.
Wednesday:
Breakfast: Chow mein noodles with sauteed thin strips of yellow onion, poblano, and red shepherd bell peppers, slivered ginger, shoyu, bulgogi sauce, chile oil; scrambled eggs.
Lunch: Mixed grain (white and brown Calrose) 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: Roasted russet potatoes (large cubes of russet potatoes tossed with canola oil, salt, and pepper and roasted) garnished with fresh parsley; thickly sliced and fried firm tofu in onion-mushroom gravy (roux made with canola oil and all-purpose flour, mushroom stock, shiitake and cremini mushroom powder, chopped white onion, minced garlic, shoyu, smoked paprika, thyme, rosemary, lots of black pepper); salad of romaine and leaf lettuces and radicchio, chopped yellow tomatoes with white balsamic vinegar for dressing.
Thursday:
Breakfast: Fried leftover rice and peanuts garnished with chopped scallions.
Lunch: Thai jasmine rice garnished with sauteed daikon in chile sauce; spicy wakame seaweed soup (leftover strained miso shiru broth and shiitake mushrooms, wakame, ginger, shoyu, roasted chile oil), with silken tofu; Korean-style quick-pickled daikon (cubed daikon, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, salt, sugar).
Supper: Lundberg rice with peas, served with butter on the side for those who wish; tomato soup (mirepoix of chopped white onion, celery, and carrots, and minced garlic sauteed in olive oil, vegetable juice, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper, then blended) with puffed deep-fried tofu and garnished with minced onion chives; black olives mixed with artichoke hearts and sliced gherkins.
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 Jinmyo sensei:
Thank you to Mishin godo for her efforts to set up the “Eventbrite” app which is now being used to record registration for Introduction to Zen Workshops and will also be used for students to register for sittings they will attend; to Mishin godo and Saigyo ino for donations towards the advance purchase of 53 yew trees which will be collected and planted next spring to complete the hedge. By purchasing them now, we were able to buy them at the same price we paid for the yews we bought last spring. Thank you to Chiso anagarika for mailing koji spores from the US that will be used for making miso. Thank you to Senbo for his work on archiving materials that will be stored in a fireproof facility, for updating our Website and for sending the eMirror out each week.
From David Gallant:
Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for regular dokusan and for leading the Daruma-ki O-sesshin. Thank you to Mishin godo for preparing all the meals during O-sesshin. Thank you to Saigyo ino for organizing regular samu weekends at Dainen-ji.
