Zenga by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, 1987
eMirror Vol 26, No. 49
Friday, December 2nd, 2022
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
The evening flowered and dropped away. The morning flowered and dropped away. Plum blossoms have flowered and dropped away. Cherry, peach, soon the apple blossoms, all throughout the world, will blossom and fall away.
One particular morning, the Generous One, Sakyamuni Buddha, dressed and took up his robe and bowl, and walked toward Savatthi1 for alms. Hunger was flowering in his belly. His son, Rahula, followed his dad to town, walking behind him. Strange pair, these two.
Once upon a time, somebody named Siddhartha had been a prince. Didn’t like it. Didn’t like it at all. There was actually a lot to like: all manner of jewellery, fine food, lots of flowers everywhere. Do you want fresh flowers everyday? Bang! There they are on the table. He didn’t even have to lift a finger. But he didn’t like it. It didn’t make sense. Didn’t know what was going on. He wanted to find out. And so he left the palace, left his family, and left his wife... who was pregnant with Rahula.
He wandered around, sat here and there, saw some visions, got blissed out, starved himself, sat in the hot sun. Didn’t like it. Some of the visions were neat, very entertaining. And the bliss states, well, they were quite blissful... while they lasted. But they didn’t last. Like the flowers that were cut and placed in a crystal vase on the table, they withered. Didn’t like it.
So he just sat underneath a tree, and just breathed in and breathed out, watching what was going on, watching the liking and the disliking flowering and falling, the breath flowering and falling, the mind flowering and falling. Finally a flower opened up that never closed. It flowered in all directions. And he wasn’t in the centre of it, he just wasn’t there at all. And that was the flower of the ten directions, and three times.
1 Sravasti in Sanskrit.
-Ven Anzan Hoshin roshi, beginning teisho Two: "The Elements of Bodymind" in the series "Flowers and Worms", Hanamatsuri sesshin, April 11th to 14th, 1991, Zazen-ji.
Upcoming Events
Fusatsu: December 7th and 21st
Rohatsu O-sesshin
The seven-day Rohatsu O-sesshin began at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 1st, ending on December 8th, following Jodo-e (commemorating the Buddha's Awakening).
Combined Sitting for Associate and General Students on December 3rd
This will be the only sitting open to associate and general students during the week of the Rohatsu O-sesshin (December 1st-8th). Please arrive by first Bell, at 9:15 a.m. The sitting ends at 11:45 a.m. Seating is limited so please register early: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/combined-associate-general-sitting-december-3rd-2022-tickets-474882003857
Cancelled Associate Sitting
On Thursday, December 1st, the 7:30 p.m. associate sitting will be cancelled.
Cancelled General sitting
On Monday, December 5th, the 7:30 p.m. general sitting will be cancelled.
A Note to Preliminary and Public Students Concerning O-sesshin
During an O-sesshin the schedule is such that there is no time to meet face to face with preliminary students or to reply to email correspondence sent by public students. 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.
Jodo-e: December 8th.
Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place on Saturday, December 10th, at 1:45 p.m. To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca
For more information please see: Introduction to Zen Workshop (Ottawa)
For information concerning our Long-distance Training Program
For students living an hour or more commuting distance from the monastery in Ottawa, please visit this Web Page: Long Distance Training Program | White Wind Zen Community
Dainen-ki
December 12th is the anniversary of the day on which the Roshi’s Teacher, Ven. Yasuda Joshu Dainen roshi died.
Joya (New Year’s Celebration)
On Saturday, December 31st at 10 p.m. until Sunday, January 1st at 12:00 a.m., we will celebrate Joya or New Year with 108 recitations of the Mahaprajnaparamita Hridaya sutra mantra at midnight.
Hermitage:
The Roshi is continuing an extended period of "self-isolation" due to underlying health issues until the COVID-19 situation clarifies.
Retreats
Rev. Chiso anagarika sat her weekly semi-retreat on Tuesday, November 29th at her home in the Berkshires. Tracey Parker sat a partial retreat on Sunday, November 27th at her home in Perth, Ontario. Beth Buerkle sat a half-day retreat on Monday, November 28th at her home in Chamcook, New Brunswick.
If you 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 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, December 3rd to Saturday, December 10th
Saturday, December 3rd: "Paramita" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "Dhyana: Zazen Makes Fools of Us All" (6 of 7, 25 minutes)
Thursday, December 8th: "The Touchstone" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei: "The Touchstone 4, The Three Natures" (4 of 22, 16 minutes)
Saturday, December 10th: "Paramita" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "Prajna" (7 of 7, 33 minutes)
Recorded teisho schedule during the Rohatsu O-sesshin.
Friday, December 2nd: “Sitting Up Straight”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Keizan Jokin zenji's "Zazen Yojinki": “The Real World of True Zazen” (10 of 18)
Saturday, December 3rd: “Sitting Up Straight”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Keizan Jokin zenji's "Zazen Yojinki": “Penetrating Zen” (11 of 18)
Sunday, December 4th: “Sitting Up Straight”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Keizan Jokin zenji's "Zazen Yojinki": “Into This Step” (12 of 18)
Monday, December 5th: “Sitting Up Straight”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Keizan Jokin zenji's "Zazen Yojinki": “Say Cheese” (13 of 18)
Tuesday, December 6th: “Sitting Up Straight”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Keizan Jokin zenji's "Zazen Yojinki": “A Single Bright Point” (14 of 18)
Wednesday, December 7th: “Sitting Up Straight”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Keizan Jokin zenji's "Zazen Yojinki": “Incomparable” (15 of 18)
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
Three Natures of Mind: Unobstructed, Luminous, Traceless.
Posted December 2nd, 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 on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings:
Monday Yakuseki:
White and brown Thai Jasmine rice with scallions; deep fried monastery-made tempeh and tofu (batter made from all purpose flour, rice flour, finely minced garlic, finely chopped scallions, and green chilis, coriander powder, and salt); served with a dipping sauce made from Kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce) mixed with rice vinegar, shoyu, minced garlic, minced Thai red chilis and a little tamarind; leek and bok choy soup made with mushroom stock, sauteed leeks, slivered ginger, shoyu, lots of white pepper, bok choy added at the last moment to retain texture.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Chinese rice; Mapo tofu (vegetarian option made with tofu and lentils and for those who wished to supplement their diet with meat, ground pork and tofu was added). The sauce for the mapo tofu was made from Chinese chili bean sauce, Chinese ground bean sauce, fermented black beans, dried chilis shoyu, sesame oil, mushroom stock and chopped bright green Chinese chives, thickened with cornstarch; the third bowl was chopped apples and Asian pears, red onion, drizzled with lime juice.
Thursday Yakuseki:
White and brown Thai jasmine rice; bulgogi tofu (seared cubes of tofu, chopped sauteed Spanish onion, poblano and red bell peppers, sesame oil, minced garlic and ginger, bulgogi sauce, shoyu); baechu 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 Jinmyo sensei:
Thank you to the Roshi for the gift of a Nest Hub; to Mishin godo for sourcing rice and other ingredients used by the Office of the Tenzo; to Saigyo ino for helping me with a device to make digital files of slides and negatives that Shikai Zuiko O-sensei collected over many years - a photographic record of her visits to China and Japan, of students and Practice Halls in Ottawa as well as Harrow and Wolfeville, for which we are grateful. Thank you to Fushin shuso and David Gallant for assistance in sorting books for the Shuryo and making space for a new cabinet. Thank you to David Gallant for offering to lend me his car for food shopping.
From Mishin godo:
Thank you to the Roshi and Jinmyo sensei for publishing the eMirror (and previous versions of the newsletter) for many years that provide an excellent history of activities of the White Wind Zen Community. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei and Saigyo ino for food shopping for all the meals that the Office of the Tenzo will prepare during the Rohatsu O-sesshin. Thank you to Fushin shuso for cleaning a glass vase used for suiseki arrangements. Thank you to Saigyo ino and David Gallant for making their cars available for residents to use. Thank you to Leonardo Nobrega for preparing a list of recorded teisho CDs that will be available for sale to students and the public.
From David Gallant:
Thank you to Roshi for making the residential training program available to students. It has been of immeasurable benefit to me over the past 3 years. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for regular dokusan and for the many delicious resident meals each week.
