eMirror Vol 27, No. 11 (2023-03-17)


hurricane seen from above


eMirror Vol 27, No. 11

Friday, March 17th, 2023
Edited by the Practice Council

The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.



When the mind begins to actually relate with the body, when we can say that the mind “makes friends” or develops maitri with the body, then they can become quite intimate with each other.

As human beings we might have some very close friend, perhaps a relative, perhaps a child, perhaps a spouse, that we have known for a long, long time. The more time that we spend with that person the more that we become like that person. You know how it is, you see people who have hung out with each other for twenty years, thirty years, fifty years, and they become a lot like each other. Or how somebody who has a dog or a cat for five, ten, fifteen years and how they even start to look like each other. Now when mind and body begin to hang out with each other, begin to make friends, the kind of intimacy that is between mind and body is far beyond that which one might have with one’s friends. Because the mind is the body and the body is the mind. 

The body is a worm, the body is a tube, but this tube knows, this tube is always knowing its world, sensing its world, perceiving its world, experiencing its world. And its world is experience.

A single-celled organism experiences its world in terms of motion, forward and back, up and down. It can’t see, it can’t hear, but it experiences a world. And that world is its experience. You can see the world, you can hear the world, and so you experience the world somewhat differently from the way that the single-celled organism does. Are they different worlds or the same world seen differently?

We might say that they are different worlds for the locus of the experiencing, not only for the apparent experiencer but for the mechanisms of the experiencing. And yet it seems that if you just add a couple of kinds of ways of knowing to the knowing of the single-celled organism, you then wind up with the same world as is known by the human tubes, the human worms. If you were to give these human worms some other senses, then they would experience the world in another way. It wouldn’t be a different world, and it wouldn’t be the same world. It would be the world presenting itself in another way, the world experienced in another way.

Now this world doesn’t seem to be any kind of “one thing,” because it is seen in so many different ways and could be known in an infinite range of possible modes and so would be an infinite range of possible kinds of experiences. In fact it doesn’t seem to be a thing at all because anything that we might call the “world” is simply a short form for a kind of experience, or a certain range of experiences. But none of those experiences are what the world as a whole is. And, interestingly enough, none of those experiences are what Experiencing in itself is. None of the ways that we have of being aware of our world, through the eyes, ears, through the nose, through the tongue, through the skin; through the thoughts and feelings; through the waking state, through the sleeping state, through the dreaming state, can come up with a final definition of the world, or of what Awareness in itself is. These are just different ways of being aware of the world. And “the world” is just a way of talking about how Awareness is presenting itself.          
                           
-Ven Anzan Hoshin roshi, continuing Teisho Three: "The Worm" in the series "Flowers and Worms", Hanamatsuri sesshin, April 11th to 14th, 1991, Zazen-ji.
 


Upcoming Events



Fusatsu:  March 22nd, April 5th and April 19th.

Samu Weekend:
The next Samu Weekend will take place on Saturday, March 25th and Sunday, March 26th. Each day begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 6:00 p.m. with a meal at noon for those staying for the full day. Please pencil these dates into your calendar so that you will be able to attend some or all of this weekend of samu practice. Saigyo ino has written to local students with more details about the activities taking place over the weekend so please reply to the email he has sent to let him know your availability. 

Saturday, March 25th General Sitting:
The general sitting that was scheduled to take place on Saturday 25th is cancelled due to the Samu Weekend.

Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place on Saturday, April 1st, at 1:45 p.m. To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca; for more information please see https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa

Keizan-ki
March 21st is the memorial for Keizan Jokin zenji.

Hanamatsuri Two-day Sesshin:
The April Hannamatsuri two-day sesshin will begin at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, April 7th, and will end at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 9th. 

Hermitage:
The Roshi is continuing an extended period of "self-isolation" 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
 


White Wind Zen Community Website Update



“River of Memory”: transcript of teisho presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, on March 21st, 1991: 
https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/river-memory
 


Retreats



Rodney Gallant sat a one-day retreat on Tuesday, February 28th at his home in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Tracey Parker sat a half-day retreat on Saturday, March 11th at her home in Perth, Ontario.

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 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, March 18th to Saturday, March 25th

Saturday, March 18th general sitting: Bowing and Receiving”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Dogen zenji's "Raihai Tokuzui: Bowing and Acquiring the Essence": "The Consequences of Realization" (teisho 1 of 12)
Sunday, March 19th formal sitting: "SAkN: Tathagatagarbha" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "Does a Dog Have Buddha Nature?" (teisho 1 of 4) 
Monday, March 20th associate sitting: “The Touchstone" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei: "The Touchstone 19, Fudo Myo-o Part 1" (teisho 19 of 22, 12 minutes)  
Thursday, March 23rd associate sitting: “The Touchstone" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei: "The Touchstone 19, Fudo Myo-o Part 1" (teisho 19 of 22, 12 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
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 Ven. Fushin Comeau shuso following her death



scroll

UMPAN (J) —”cloud shaped” gong hanging outside of dokusan room

Posted March 10th, 2023. New entries are posted every two weeks.

 

Monk holding an oryoki bowl up


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 March Two-day Sesshin:

Saturday:
Breakfast
: Noodles with garlic chile sauce (egg white noodles, seared strips of white onion, poblano and red bell peppers, low-sodium shoyu, chile garlic sauce, chile bean sauce, oyster sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, sesame oil, minced ginger); scrambled eggs.
Lunch: White and brown calrose rice; miso shiru (kombu, reconstituted shiitake mushrooms and their soaking liquid, shoyu, mirin, rice vinegar, baby bok choy and silken tofu); takuan and gari.
Supper: Fried perogies (potato-cheese and garlic perogies boiled then fried in butter, smoked paprika, salt and pepper) with seared strips of white onion; tomato soup (mirepoix of chopped yellow onion, celery, and carrots, minced garlic, dried thyme, smoked paprika, vegetable juice, olive oil, red kidney beans, salt and pepper); artichokes and black olives with lemon zest.

Sunday:
Breakfast
: Chirashizushi (calrose rice, diced cucumber, takuan, gari, scallions, rice vinegar, sugar, with omelette strips.
Lunch: White and brown jasmine rice with diced, sauteed daikon in chile sauce; wakame seaweed soup (strained miso shiru broth, wakame, slivered ginger, shoyu, roasted chilli paste, sesame oil and silken tofu); baechu kimchi.

Meals Prepared on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday Evenings:

Monday Yakuseki:
lack bean soup (black beans, chopped onion, diced potato, chipotle adobo, tomato paste, red balsamic vinegar, cumin, thyme, minced garlic, served with sliced banana); salad of Romaine lettuce, leaf lettuce, radicchio, chopped tomatoes, chopped celery, thinly sliced red onion, served with a dressing made from equal parts mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, black pepper and honey; warm crusty rolls with butter.

Tuesday Yakuseki:
Mixed grain (arborio, calrose, pearled barley). A dipping sauce made for either of the dishes served, made from blended, cooked white onion, chopped apple, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, minced ginger, shoyu, sesame oil.
Vegetarian option: Deep fried tofu in a seasoned batter.
For those who wished to supplement their diet with meat, tonkatsu (sliced pork loin pounded thin and coated in panko and then deep fried). 

Thursday Yakuseki:
Brown and white Thai Jasmine rice mixed with sauteed minced garlic, finely chopped poblano peppers, red bell peppers and scallions; ‘crispy salt and pepper tofu’ (pressed tofu cut into small cubes, coated in cornstarch, baked in the oven and then tossed in a mixture of sea salt, white pepper, ground Szechuan peppercorns and a pinch of five spice powder; baechu kimchi.
 

Gassho sign (hands in gassho in in a circle)

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 looking into suppliers for ingredients used by the Office of the Tenzo; Saigyo ino for food shopping for the monastery and for putting legs on a table in the Sensei-ryo; Thank you to Fushin shuso for picking up milk and other supplies for the monastery; to Leonardo for snow shovelling; to David Gallant for looking into ways to improve our connectivity.

From Mishin godo:
Thank you to Chantal Maheu for regular bookkeeping samu. 

From Saigyo ino: 
Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for writing up descriptions of forms. 

From David Gallant:
Thank you to Roshi for presenting thousands of hours of teisho which have been carefully recorded over four decades, an immeasurably vast and rich resource for the Sangha. Thank you to Saigyo ino for organizing weekly resident samu assignments. Thank you to Fushin shuso for picking up milk for residents each week.

From Julien Jefferson:
Thank you to Roshi for the teisho series "Zen Arts: Flowering of the Senses". Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for the Dharma Talk "Vastness” in the Touchstone series and for offering reassurance through an email exchange. Thank you to Mishin godo for instruction during a practice interview.

​From the Office of the Treasurer:
Thank you to Ian Richard for a donation towards materials for the upcoming Samu Weekend.​
 

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