Korean Buddha Hall
eMirror Vol 27, No. 3
Friday, January 20th, 2023
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
Perhaps having some sense of this sameness is a good thing because we always like to think that we are different, you know. We always like to think that there is something unique about us. Perhaps something uniquely perverse, or something especially noble, but there is something just exquisite about us. Sometimes it is exquisitely nasty, sometimes it is exquisitely beautiful, but there is definitely something sort of intrinsically exquisite and special about us. And we would like everybody else to know that too.
But not too much, because after all, we want to fit in. You know, if everybody knew just how special we really were, well of course they would get jealous. Or everyone would want to copy us and that would be so tacky. Billions of people on this planet, all trying to do their rather pallid little imitation of our exquisiteness. It would be almost a kind of mockery.
Or if they knew just how twisted we really were they would come after us. The crowds marching, carrying torches through the night. We are hiding behind the bushes. We can hear the dogs. They are coming. Or they would lock us up. Or they would laugh at us. Or they just wouldn’t take us seriously. Or they would say, “So what? Who the hell do you think you are?”
We always like to think that we are different from everybody else. In some ways we can be. We can be a little higher, a little lower, a little rounder, a little squarer, a little more rectangular, angular, triangular, shaped like a pear, shaped like a peach, shaped like a slug. Our hair can be different lengths, perhaps curled this way or that. And in some ways, yes, we are unique. Every snowflake is unique, each fingerprint is unique, the patterns of the iris of the eyes are unique. The particular timbre of our voice is unlike the timbre of anyone else’s. Each moment is unique, each leaf, each rose. Have you ever seen two identical roses? Two identical plum blossoms? And yet, although the plum blossoms are very different from each other in some ways, in some ways they are exactly the same.
We can differ from each other in various ways, but somehow a lot of the ways we differ seem to be basically the same. We all think that we are the best and worst. Or we all think that we are the most mediocre. We all say “I” and “me” compulsively. It is like some kind of stutter. We say it over and over again. It’s like a twitch. “I.” “Me.” If someone wants to deny any possibility of change, of stepping past their habits, they just say, “Well, that’s just how I am,” or even, “That’s just me.” Sometimes somebody farts and you say, “Oh that’s awful,” and they say, “Well, that’s me!” They even name activities as if it were them, you know. Because nobody seems to be quite sure what “I” and “me” means.
What do we mean when we say “me,” “you,” “they,” “we”? Our habits? Our clothes? Our thoughts and feelings? What do we mean?
-Ven Anzan Hoshin roshi, continuing Teisho Two: "The Elements of Bodymind" in the series "Flowers and Worms", Hanamatsuri sesshin, April 11th to 14th, 1991, Zazen-ji.
Upcoming Events
Fusatsu: February 8th and 22nd.
Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place on Saturday, February 4th, at 1:45 p.m. To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca; for more information please see https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
Daiji-ki:
January 22nd is the memorial of the date of death of Daiji Tenku daiosho, who was the Teacher of Joshu Dainen daiosho, both of whom Anzan Hoshin roshi studied with.
Nehan O-sesshin:
The Nehan O-sesshin begins at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, February 10th, and ends at noon on Friday, February 17th.
A Sitting for Associate and General Students During the Nehan O-sesshin:
A combined sitting for associate and general students will take place in the Zendo on Saturday, February 11th. Arrival time is 9:15 a.m. (in time for First Bell). The sitting ends at 11:30 a.m. Students attending are reminded to remain on the first floor.
Cancelled Associate Sitting:
The Monday February 13th associate sitting that would normally take place at 7:30 p.m. is cancelled due to the O-sesshin.
Cancelled Associate Sitting:
The Thursday February 16th associate sitting that would normally take place at 7:30 p.m. is cancelled due to the O-sesshin.
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.
Nehan:
Commemoration of the Buddha’s Death (Nehan-e) February 15th.
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 Tuesday, January 10th at her home in the Berkshires. Tracey Parker sat a half-day retreat on Saturday, January 14th 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, January 21st to Saturday, January 28th
Saturday, January 21st: "The Landscape of Reality" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "Beneath Your Feet" (6 of 12, 28 minutes)
Sunday, January 22nd: SAkN: "Presencing the Open Body" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "The Paradox of Absence and Contraction" (teisho 1 of 5)
Monday, January 23rd: "The Touchstone" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei: "The Touchstone 9, Entering the Space of Maitri" (teisho 11 of 22, 17 minutes)
Thursday, January 26th: "The Touchstone" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei: "The Touchstone 9, Entering the Space of Maitri" (teisho 11 of 22, 17 minutes)
Saturday, January 28th: "The Landscape of Reality" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "The Incessant Din of Dharma" (7 of 12, 28 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 shuso following her death
Tiantong (C ); Tendo ( J): The monastery where Dogen received Transmission from his Teacher Rujing.
Posted January 13th, 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:
Mixed grain (brown calrose, pearled barley, Arborio and white calrose rice mixed with seared cubed daikon; butter-lime tofu with mixed vegetables (sliced onion, poblano and red bell peppers, air-fried broccoli, seasoned with chili sauce; cubed cheese with gherkins.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Mashed yukon gold potatoes; diced carrots, corn, and peas with butter, salt and pepper.
Vegetarian option: beyond burger.
For those who wished to supplement their diet with meat: braised brisket (seared brisket and crimini mushrooms; diced onions, chicken stock, miso, maple syrup, tomato paste).
Thursday Yakuseki:
White and brown basmati rice; tofu in black pepper tomato sauce (tofu kali mirch: diced red onion, grated garlic, ginger, green chile pepper; coriander, cumin, black pepper, cardamom, garam masala, kashmiri chile powder, fenugreek leaves, diced tomatoes, salt); dai gai choy and Shanghai bok choy sauteed with strips of yellow onion, lime juice, and popped mustard and cumin seeds.
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 David Gallant:
Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for instruction at numerous times about the importance of following through. Thank you to Saigyo ino for doing the grocery shopping for Dainen-ji each week.
