eMirror Vol 27, No. 20 (2023-05-19)


Rocks piercing through clouds


eMirror Vol 27, No. 20

Friday, May 19th, 2023
Edited by the Practice Council

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



Over these last couple of teisho, I have been speaking quite a bit about worms, of human beings as worms, as mobile digestive systems. Now the reason why I have spoken like this is, of course, because you are all such respectable ladies and gentlemen, because you are all such noble beings who have entered the Way, that I think that I can say this kind of thing without your thinking that the whole situation is somewhat hopeless. You are people who are already somewhat hopeless, who are already without hope and fear. You are already somewhat able to stand free of such obvious tricks. Otherwise you might be somewhat petulant, childish, and generally reactive about this topic. You might otherwise have fallen into whining, “If we are just mobile digestive systems, just worms held up in a frame work, in a cage of flesh and bone... Well, what’s the point of living at all? What is the meaning of anything?”

I think that because you have had the courage to enter the Way of Buddhas and Awakened Ancestors, because you have begun the practice of the noble Dharma, that you yourselves are ready to begin to experience your own nobility. And so therefore I think that we can afford to look at and to recognize some of the truth about how the bodymind functions. And to value those truths, to value the simplicity of the basic needs and the basic functioning of bodymind. I believe that we have room to accommodate that, to be friendly [maitri]  with that; to not regard that as some kind of problem and want to cover it over. I believe that we can afford to look at the whole thing, that we can afford to look at both ends of the worm without getting embarrassed, without snickering or feeling ashamed in any kind of way. Because after all, what’s going on is what is going on. And if we want to know the truth about who we are and what the world is, well, this is just a little part of it. It is just one way of actually trying to find more of the truth.

-Ven Anzan Hoshin roshi, continuing Teisho Five: "The Flower of Twilight" in the series "Flowers and Worms", Hanamatsuri sesshin, April 11th to 14th, 1991, Zazen-ji.

 

The Hatto (for formal sittings)
The Hatto (for formal sittings)

 

The Zendo (for associate and general 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 you will need to make a $5.00 dana contribution for the meal. 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.

Fusatsu (Renewal of Vows):  May 31st, June 21st. 

Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa:
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place on Saturday, June 3rd, at 1:45 p.m. To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca; for more information please see https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa

June Two-day Sesshin:
The June two-day sesshin begins at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, June 9th and will end at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 11th. 

Saturday, June 10th General Sitting
The general sitting will take place in the Zendo. Arrival time is 9:15, in time for First Bell. The sitting ends at 11:45. Students are reminded to stay on the first floor.

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
 


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

The Practice of Taking Care: short text by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei while training as Shuso. Zazen-ji, 1991.
https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/practice-taking-care


Retreats



Aaron Ford sat a two-day retreat on Saturday, May 13th and Sunday, May 14th at his home in Calgary, Alberta. Elizabeth Eve sat a half-day retreat on Sunday, May 14th at her home in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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, Saturday, May 20th to Saturday, May 27th, 2022

Saturday, May 20th general sitting: “Bowing and Receiving”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Dogen zenji's "Raihai Tokuzui: Bowing and Acquiring the Essence": "The Dragon Maiden" (8 of 13, 19 minutes) 
Sunday, May 21st formal sitting: SAkN: Infinite Infinities by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "The Wonton" (3 of 7, 25 minutes)
Monday, May 22nd associate sitting: “Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice” by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: “The Single Bodymind” (6 of 71, 14 minutes)
Thursday, May 25th associate sitting: “Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice” by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: “The Single Bodymind” (6 of 71, 14 minutes)
Saturday, May 27th general sitting: “Bowing and Receiving”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Dogen zenji's "Raihai Tokuzui: Bowing and Acquiring the Essence": "Socks and Rice Cakes" (9 of 13, 26 minutes)

Recorded Teisho Playback During the Sogaku-ki O-sesshin

Saturday, May 13th: SAkN Root Cycle Two: Locating the Self: "Understanding, Misunderstanding" (1 of 3, 14 minutes)
Sunday, May 14th: SAkN Root Cycle Two: Locating the Self: "Locatedness and Framing" (2 of 3, 29 minutes)
Monday, May 15th: SAkN Root Cycle Two: Locating the Self: "The Energy of Framing" (3 of 3, 22 minutes ) 
Tuesday, May 16th: SAkN Root Cycle Three: Aware Space: "Entering Aware Space" (1 of 8, 15 minutes)
Wednesday, May 17th: SAkN Root Cycle Three: Aware Space: "Frames of Time and Space" (2 of 8, 21 minutes)
Thursday, May 18th: SAkN Root Cycle Three: Aware Space: " The Body of Knowing" (3 of 8, 14 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

Yaza (J): zazen done after formal zazen periods have concluded for the day; all night sitting

Posted May 19th, 2023. New entries are posted every two weeks.

 

Japanese teapot on fire


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 the Sogaku-ki O-sesshin:

Saturday
Breakfast
: “Rice and eggs” (eggs gently fried over easy in butter, served on calrose rice with drizzle of shoyu, mirin, wasabi, and garnished with shichimi).
Lunch: Mixed grain (brown and white calrose rice, arborio rice, pearled barley); miso shiru (kombu, shitake mushrooms, shoyu, mirin, rice vinegar, shiro miso, chopped bok choy, cubed silken tofu); takuan and ginger. 
Supper: Roasted chopped yukon gold potatoes; tomato soup with tofu (mirepoix of carrots, celery, yellow onion sauteed in olive oil, minced garlic, dried thyme, smoked paprika, red wine, vegetable juice, cubed deep fried tofu); cubed friulano mixed with gherkins and lemon zest.

Sunday
Breakfast: pancakes (flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, pinch of sugar, milk, egg, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract); served with scrambled eggs.
Lunch: Mixed grain (Chinese and Thai white rice mixed with Thai brown rice, topped with diced daikon sauteed and then braised in chilli sauce); spicy wakame soup with silken tofu (wakame, shoyu, sesame oil, chilli oil, slivered ginger, cubed silken tofu); baechu kimchi.
Supper: Basmati rice; dal makhani (beluga lentils, red kidney beans, cayenne, cumin seeds, green chilis, minced ginger, minced garlic, finely chopped Spanish onions, asafoetida, turmeric, chopped tomatoes, garam masala, dried fenugreek leaves), served with yogurt and fresh coriander; Napa cabbage salad (thinly sliced Napa cabbage, grated carrots and daikon, thinly sliced white onion; dressing for the salad: mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, a spoonful of mango chutney, popped yellow mustard seeds and toasted cumin seeds.

Monday
Breakfast: Acorn squash congee (roasted diced acorn squash, bran oil, minced garlic, jasmine rice, roasted pumpkin seeds, baby peas, served with shoyu and chilli oil.
Lunch: Hot and sour soup with cubed silken tofu (dark soy sauce, Chinese dried black mushrooms, small dried tree ear mushrooms, dried lily buds, sliced bamboo shoots, red wine vinegar, rice vinegar, light shoyu, salt, firm tofu, sesame oil, white pepper, thinly sliced scallions, fresh coriander leaves, cornstarch to thicken it).
Supper: Cavatappi pasta with a garlic/butter sauce (chopped onions, minced garlic, olive oil, butter, lime juice, chile flakes, small amount of cream); beans and greens (seared chopped gailan and Napa cabbage with slices of yellow onion, red balsamic vinegar, black pepper, salt); mushroom soup (sauteed mushrooms and white onion, minced garlic, mushroom stock, shitake powder, smoked paprika, shoyu, thyme, basil, parsley, lots of black pepper).

Tuesday
Breakfast: Fried leftover pasta with scrambled eggs.
Lunch: Mixed grain (brown and white calrose rice, arborio rice, basmati rice, pearled barley); miso shiru (kombu, shitake mushrooms, shoyu, mirin, rice vinegar, shiro miso, chopped bok choy, cubed silken tofu); takuan and ginger.
Supper:  Brown calrose rice and barley mixed with butter and green peas; butternut squash soup (roasted butternut squash, carrots, white onion, garlic, bay leaf, apple cider vinegar, cayenne); salad of romaine, leaf lettuce, and radicchio with chopped tomatoes and thinly sliced cucumbers, celery and red onion with a dressing of mayonnaise, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey, and black pepper.

Wednesday
Breakfast: Noodles in chile-garlic sauce (egg-white noodles with seared strips of yellow onion, poblano and red bell peppers with a sauce of minced garlic, sambal oelek, shoyu, lime juice, brown sugar, sesame oil); scrambled eggs.
Lunch: Leftover brown calrose rice and barley mixed with butter, shoyu, mirin, and wasabi; spicy wakame seaweed soup with silken tofu (wakame, shoyu, sesame oil, chilli oil, slivered ginger, cubed silken tofu); ; baechu kimchi.
Supper: Basmati rice; curried vegetables with tofu (chopped onion, poblano peppers and red bell peppers, minced garlic and ginger, chopped deep-fried tofu, coconut milk, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, Fenugreek seeds, black mustard seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, Kashmiri chilies, peppercorns, curry leaves, ground turmeric; tomato, cucumber and celery raita with yogurt seasoned with cardamom, cumin, lime juice and black pepper; side dish of chopped fresh pineapple.

Thursday:
Breakfast: Caramelized cabbage congee (caramelized thinly sliced green cabbage, minced scallions, leftover jasmine rice, slivered ginger, shoyu, white pepper, sesame oil); scrambled eggs.
Lunch: White calrose rice with optional furikake sprinkles; miso shiru (kombu, shitake mushrooms, shoyu, mirin, rice vinegar, shiro miso, chopped bok choy, cubed silken tofu); takuan and ginger.
Supper: toasted naan with butter; minestrone (tomato soup base made from San Marzano tomatoes and tomato juice, seasoned with thyme, black pepper, oregano, basil, parsley, some red balsamic vinegar with chopped, sauteed leeks, diced carrots, poblano peppers, red bell peppers, celery, minced garlic, chopped zucchini, red and white kidney beans, and a side dish of optional pasta shells that could be added to the minestrone), served with Parmesan cheese; salad of romaine, leaf, and radicchio, thinly sliced cucumbers and celery, slivered red onion, chopped tomatoes; olives and artichoke hearts.

 

Small monks bowing


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 Fushin shuso for getting up at 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday mornings during the O-sesshin to spray the newly planted yew hedge with water. This needed to be done to protect it from a May frost (spraying with water protects delicate new growth); thank you to Senbo for IT work. 

From Mishin godo:
Thank you to the Roshi for the Space, Activity and Knowing teisho series originally presented for monastics and formal students thirty years ago and so important now. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for leading the O-sesshin, for instruction in food preparation and making use of leftovers during O-sesshin, and for excellent acorn squash congee. Thank you to Saigyo ino for leading the chants during the O-sesshin. Thank you to Fushin shuso for watering the new yew hedge at 3 am on Tuesday and Wednesday night to protect it from frost damage and for cleaning and preparing the many candles needed for the week of O-sesshin sittings. Thank you to David Gallant for reconfiguring a cloud-based system for accessing archiving files of recorded Teachings. 

From David Gallant:
Thank you to Roshi for presenting the many teisho in the SAkN teisho series - they are brilliant. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for much dokusan over the past 7 days during O-sesshin, and for leading the O-sesshin.

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