eMirror Vol 27, No. 12 (2023-03-24)


Rupa in snow seen from above
Photograph by Charlane Bishop,
Wolfville Zazenkai, Spring 2023


eMirror Vol 27, No. 12

Friday, March 24th, 2023
Edited by the Practice Council

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



This is the sort of thing that human worms begin to uncover when they rear up and sit in the Zendo with their beady little eyes in a soft gaze instead of looking around for something to put in their mouths, instead of trying to grab at anything. Instead they just let themselves become upright and soft, gentle, and truly begin to question into how this world is being experienced and who they really are.

That is why it is really quite amazing and wonderful to see all of you here practising zazen and being so very tidy and dignified. Just don’t take yourselves too seriously. Don’t be too heavy-handed and deliberate in your tidiness because then there is no room left for mindfulness let alone questioning into who you are, what the body is, what the mind is, what the world is, what Awareness is. But don’t lapse back into untidiness either and just play out the usual wormy games of consumption and grasping and avoidance.

Let the body be the body. Open to how it actually is. Open to how experiences actually present themselves. Practice as earth, water, fire, air, and space. And then you can release yourselves into who you are: That in which earth, water, fire, air, and space; That in which body and mind and world arise.

Please, enjoy yourselves.         
                           
-Ven Anzan Hoshin roshi, concluding Teisho Three: "The Worm" in the series "Flowers and Worms", Hanamatsuri sesshin, April 11th to 14th, 1991, Zazen-ji.
 


Upcoming Events



Fusatsu:  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. 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

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



Rev. Chiso anagarika sat her weekly semi-retreat on Wednesday, March 22nd at her home in the Berkshires. Ian Richard sat a two-day retreat on Saturday, March 18th and Sunday, March 19th at Dainen-ji. Tracey Parker sat a half-day retreat on Saturday, March 18th 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 25th to Saturday, April 1st

Monday, March 27th associate sitting: “The Touchstone" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei: "The Touchstone 20, Fudo Myo-o Part 2" (teisho 20 of 22, 14 minutes)  
Thursday, March 30th associate sitting: “The Touchstone" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei: "The Touchstone 20, Fudo Myo-o Part 2" (teisho 20 of 22, 14 minutes)   
Saturday, April 1st general sitting: “Bowing and Receiving”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Dogen zenji's "Raihai Tokuzui: Bowing and Acquiring the Essence": "The Right Teacher" (3 of 13)
 


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

UNSUI (J) —”cloud and water” —monk or novice

Posted March 24th, 2023. New entries are posted every two weeks.

 

Two person eating soba (drawing)


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:
Short-grain brown rice with butter and baby peas; a soup made from chopped onion, butternut squash, carrots, diced deep-fried tofu, thyme, smoked paprika, chipotle, minced garlic, cumin, lots of black pepper and a little apple cider vinegar, served with grated cheese; olives and artichoke hearts.

Tuesday Yakuseki:
Cavatappi pasta with a mushroom sauce with small pieces of thinly sliced pork, garnished with chopped parsley; sauteed green cabbage with salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese; salad of pea sprouts, tomato spears, red onion, dressed with white balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. 
(note: we normally prepare a vegetarian dish on Tuesdays as well, but no vegetarians were present for the meal, so we just made one meal instead of two).

Thursday Yakuseki:
Frittata (thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes, caramelised onion, minced garlic, onion powder, Dijon mustard, eggs, topped with sliced tomatoes and friulano cheese; tomato soup (blended cooked carrots, celery, minced garlic, white onion, San Marzano tomatoes, tomato juice, thyme, lots of black pepper, and a splash of red balsamic vinegar; salad of leaf lettuce, Romaine lettuce, chopped celery and tomatoes, thinly sliced red onions, radicchio, served with a dressing made from equal parts mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard, with honey and black pepper.

 

Monk in gassho - drawing

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 deshi, Senbo, for sending the eMirror to our subscription list each week, for creating and maintaining the White Wind Zen Community website, and for managing the Great Matter bookstore on our Website and for beginning the process of converting the Roshi’s books into ePub format so they can be read on an eReader.

From Mishin godo:
Thank you to Saigyo ino for the handmade black lacquered Butsudan that have been in use in the Hatto and Zendo for a number of years and still look beautiful.

From Leonardo Nobrega:
Thank you the Mishin godo and Saigyo ino for providing email instruction, and in some cases telephone instruction to associate and general students; to David for looking after the local network in the monastery; and to the students who practise at home and those who attend sittings. 

From David Gallant:
Thank you to Roshi for creating a practice environment which is relentless in prompting students to pay attention to the actual details of one's life and to question into who we each are and what this experiencing is. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for many years of instruction, and for showing me how to open around any state that I might experience. Thank you to Saigyo ino for organizing the upcoming Samu Weekend.

From the Office of the Treasurer:
Thank you to Loic Ouellette for a donation towards the upcoming Samu Weekend.

 

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