Ven. Shindo neko at the Hoza (Teacher's Seat)
eMirror Vol 27, No. 33
Friday, August 18th, 2023
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
We are now approaching the conclusion of our Hanamatsuri sesshin and so I would like to say a few concluding comments about the father and son talk that we were considering in the Maha Rahulovada sutta.
While we need not treat the Buddha with any kind of awe or piety, or piety and awe, it was most extraordinary that someone like Siddhartha Gautama ever existed, whose efforts and whose realization have provided a Way for all beings to discover their own natures. This discovery, this realization, is unfolded not by memorizing his words, not through some sort of blessing that he brought to us from on high, but through the simple clarity of the practice that he himself practised and that he taught. Everything that he said sprang from that practice and our practice sprang from his realization.
-Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, beginning Teisho Seven: "The Old Fart" in the series "Flowers and Worms", Hanamatsuri sesshin, April 11th to 14th, 1991, Zazen-ji.
The Hatto (for formal 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): August 30th, September 13th and 27th.
September Two-day Sesshin
The September two-day sesshin begins at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, September 8th and ends at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 10th.
Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa:
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place on Saturday, September 2nd at 1:45 p.m. To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca; for more information please see Introduction to https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
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
What to do if you Arrive After the Sitting Begins
If you arrive after the sitting starts and the door is locked, you don't need to turn around and go home. Ring the bell once and then sit on the bench on the front porch. If possible, we will come and unlock the door for you right away. If we are in the middle of the chants or listening to a teisho, we will come to let you in as soon as the teisho finishes.
Retreats
Rev. Chiso anagarika sat her weekly semi-retreat on Tuesday, August 15th in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Deshi Senbo sat a two-day retreat on Monday, August 14th and Tuesday, August 15th continuing on from his attendance at the August Sesshin. Public general student Julien Jefferson sat a one-day retreat on Monday, August 14th at his home in Halifax, Nova Scotia. General student Jean-Francois St-Louis began a one and a half-day retreat on the morning of Thursday, August 17th at Dainen-ji. Public associate student Selina Wamslay began a 17-day period of residential training at Dainen-ji on the morning of Friday, August 18th.
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, August 19th to Saturday, August 26th, 2023
Saturday, August 19th general sitting: “Wandering on Medicine Mountain”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on "Medicine Mountain": The Recorded Sayings and Doings of Zen Master Yaoshan Weiyan: “Yaoshan Sits Down and Gets Up” (teisho 7 of 22, 26 minutes)
Sunday, August 20th formal sitting: "SAkN: Dimensions of Space by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "Dimensions of Bodily Space" (3 of 8, 24 minutes)
Monday, August 21st associate sitting: “Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice” by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: “Primordial Space” (19 of 71, 9 minutes)
Thursday, August 24th associate sitting: “Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice” by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: “Primordial Space” (19 of 71, 9 minutes)
Saturday, August 26th general sitting: “Wandering on Medicine Mountain”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on "Medicine Mountain": The Recorded Sayings and Doings of Zen Master Yaoshan Weiyan: “Unthinkable” (teisho 8 of 22, 29 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.
White Wind Zen Community Website Update
“Cultivation of the Ground of Mind”: transcript of a teisho Presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, on June 4, 1989
https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/cultivation-ground-mind
The Practice of Boards and Stones” teisho presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, on June 18, 1989
https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/practice-boards-and-stones
"Difficulty, Strangeness, Beauty": transcript of a Dharma Talk presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, December 13, 1988: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/difficulty-strangeness-beauty
"Standing in the Rain (Tangaryo)": transcript of Dharma Talk presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, December 15th, 1988: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/standing-rain-tangaryo
"Snow": transcript of Dharma Talk presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at Zazen-ji, November 18, 1989: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/snow
Painted Cakes
(do not satisfy hunger)
Begun by Ven. Shikai Zuiko o-sensei
Finished by Ven. Fushin Comeau shuso following her death
Zendo (J): practice hall
Posted August 18th, 2023. New entries are posted every two weeks.
Fundraising 2023: Roofs
Total donated to date: $7,784
After receiving several estimates for the repairs to the remaining areas of the roof, we now know that the total cost will be between $30,000 and $35,000 (depending on when the work begins, as estimates are only good for three to six months and costs keep increasing). All of the other (grey) sections of roof have already been taken care of. We have needed to redo the roofs a section at a time because the costs of replacing them, given the size and extreme angle of our roofs is very high.
Any contribution that you can make will be gratefully received.
Thank you and Gassho
Dainen-ji's rooftop vegetable garden,
Photograph by Ven. Mishin Roelofs godo
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 August Two-day sesshin:
Saturday
Breakfast: Noodles (Chinese egg white noodles, sauteed thin strips of yellow onion, poblano, and red bell peppers, slivered ginger, shoyu, chile-garlic sauce, lime juice, sugar, sesame oil); scrambled eggs
Lunch: Calrose rice; miso-mushroom soup made with fresh shitake and oyster mushrooms donated to the monastery kitchen by a student (chopped mushrooms, mushroom stock, slivered ginger, miso and shoyu; bok choy cooked in a sauce made from hoisin sauce, ginger, dark shoyu, light shoyu, black vinegar, and shaoxing cooking wine; takuan with white and pink pickled ginger.
Supper: Cavatappi pasta with a butter-garlic sauce (sauce made from butter, lots of minced garlic, chopped white onion, lime juice, vegan bouillon powder, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and a little cream); tomato soup (cooked, blended, carrots, celery, minced garlic, onion, San Marzano tomatoes, tomato juice, thyme basil, oregano, red wine, a pinch of sugar to cut the acidity in the tomatoes; cubed friulano cheese with gherkins, seasoned with lemon zest.
Sunday:
Breakfast: Fried leftover pasta; scrambled eggs.
Lunch: Rice cakes made from leftover calrose rice mixed with Thai jasmine and sticky rice; spicy wakame seaweed soup (leftover strained miso shiru broth, wakame, ginger, shoyu, roasted chile oil), with silken tofu; kimchi.
The following meals were prepared on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday Evenings:
Monday Yakuseki:
White and brown Thai rice; peanut-tamarind curry (roasted chopped onions, carrots, daikon, poblano pepper, cubanelle peppers and red bell peppers, chopped tofu, in a sauce made from red Thai curry paste, tamarind, peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce and lime juice, garnished with crushed roasted peanuts); tamarind broth (tamarind, shoyu, mirin, ginger); chopped fresh pineapple.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Mixed grain (calrose, arborio, pearled barley, basmati); crispy tofu (cubed firm tofu coated in a batter made from all-purpose flour, corn starch and potato starch, minced garlic, minced ginger, minced red bird chilies, shoyu, sake, and deep fried until really crispy); dipping sauce of chopped scallions, ginger, light and dark shoyu, vegetarian oyster sauce, sesame oil); slaw made from red cabbage, green cabbage, slivered carrots and daikon.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Crusty rolls with butter; tomato-vegetable soup (chopped onions, carrots, celery, minced garlic, chopped poblano, cubanelle and red bell peppers, chopped spinach stems, chopped cremini mushrooms, minced jalapeno, San Marzano tomatoes, tomato juice, oregano, basil, thyme, red and white kidney beans); salad of romaine and leaf lettuce, radicchio, thinly sliced celery, red onions, and chopped tomatoes with a dressing of mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, black pepper and honey).
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 Mishin godo:
Thank you to Fushin shuso for meeting with a contractor about a backflow prevention survey required by the City of Ottawa. Thank you to Chantal Maheu for bookkeeping samu and to Rowan Russell for archiving samu. Thank you to Chantal Maheu, Ian Richard, and Sam MacFarlane for doing weekly sanitizing rounds after morning and evenings sittings.
From David Gallant:
Thank you Jinmyo sensei for regular dokusan, for preparing many wonderful meals each week for residents, and for solid practical advice at key moments.
From the Office of the Treasurer:
Thank you to Chiso anagarika, Ian Richard, Elizabeth Eve and an anonymous donor for donations to the Roof Repair Fund. Thank you to two anonymous donors for donations towards Samu weekends.
