eMirror Vol 27, No. 4 (2023-01-27)



Evening Light by Chiso anagarika
Evening Light by Chiso anagarika


eMirror Vol 27, No. 4

Friday, January 27th, 2023
Edited by the Practice Council

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



Are you your thoughts? Your thoughts are always changing. Are you your feelings? Your feelings are always changing. Are you the sum total of your thoughts and feelings? Well, I think that even if you were to add up every thought and every feeling that you have ever had, all that you would wind up with is a pile of thoughts and feelings. I don’t know if you would wind up with a “me” in there. Except for the thought “me”, the feeling of “me.” But would you really wind up with something which is “me?” Something that could think the thoughts? Something that could be the knower of the known, the experiencer of experiences?

We are each unique, and yet we are also the same. Everybody makes miso shiru a little bit differently. Some people can’t make it at all. We all hold our hashi a little bit differently, our knives and forks a little bit differently, comb our hair a little bit differently. Some people hang the toilet paper roll so that the first sheet comes out on top and some people hang it so it comes out behind. So yes, of course, we are different from each other. And yet we all have fingers and toes, we all have eyes and ears, and we are all earth, water, fire, air and space.

Do we need to try to be different from others? Do we need to try to be the same as others so that we will be accepted, loved, or at least not reviled and abandoned? Do we need to play these ridiculous games with ourselves and each other? Do we have to live our lives driven and motivated by fear, loneliness, grasping, rejecting? How can we be like this or like that, try to be different or the same, when we don’t even know who we really are?

It is only when we allow ourselves to each be as we are and to understand our intimacy with each other and with all that is that we begin to understand ourselves who we are at all. When we understand how different each moment is and yet how each moment of our experience is always this moment.
                            
-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

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 24th at her home in the Berkshires. Tracey Parker sat a half-day retreat on Saturday, January 21st 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 28th to Saturday, February 4th

Saturday, January 28th: "The Landscape of Reality" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "A Little Tune” (8 of 12, 45 minutes)
Sunday, January 29th: “SAkN: Presencing the Open Body" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "Where Is Your Face?" (teisho 2 of 5) 
Monday, January 30th: "The Touchstone" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei: "The Touchstone 12, The Practice of Taking Care" (Dharma talk 12 of 22, 22 minutes)
Thursday, February 2nd: "The Touchstone" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei: "The Touchstone 12, The Practice of Taking Care" (Dharma talk 12 of 22, 22 minutes)
Saturday, February 4th: "The Landscape of Reality" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "The Kingdom of Nod" (9 of 12, 37 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 Rev. Fushin Comeau shuso following her death



scroll

Tokudo (J) —ordination as a monk —full form of the term is Shukke Tokudo

Posted January 27th, 2023. New entries are posted every two weeks.
 

 

Rice


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:
White and brown basmati rice; Torai ki Sabzi  - Pakistani zucchini curry with yellow chickpeas (sliced onion, garlic, ginger, diced tomatoes, cumin seeds, black pepper, Kashmiri chili powder, sliced zucchini, green chili, turmeric, chopped cilantro); zucchini pakora (grated zucchini, carrots and onion, salted and then pressed to remove excess water, mixed with chopped scallions, chopped green chilies, ginger/garlic paste, cumin, kashmiri chili powder, rice flour, all purpose flour, coriander leaves, formed into small patties and shallow fried; the pakora were served with a chili dipping sauce; tamarind soup. 

Tuesday Yakuseki:
Spaghettini noodles with garlic sauce ( (reduced sodium shoyu, minced garlic, sambal oelek, vegetarian oyster sauce, ginger and sesame oil); deep-fried tofu sauteed in a miso-sake sauce (shiro miso, sake, ginger); carrot soup (garlic, ginger, chopped carrots, apple, leeks, tomato, cumin, cayenne, sweet paprika, turmeric, coconut cream); Napa cabbage salad (thinly sliced Napa cabbage, julienned white onion and carrot) dressed with mayonnaise, lime juice, and mango chutney.

Thursday Yakuseki:
Mixed grain (basmati brown and white rice, Thai brown and white rice, long-grain patna rice); (black chickpeas, onion, minced green chilis, minced ginger and garlic, chopped tomatoes, coriander leaves and stems, black cardamom, cinnamon, cumin seeds, turmeric, coriander, Kashmir red chili powder, garam masala, amchur (dried mango powder); Napa cabbage salad (thinly sliced Napa cabbage, julienned white onion and carrot), dressing made from mayonnaise blended with lime pickle and toasted mustard and cumin seeds. 

 

Sitting bow


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 Anzan Hoshin roshi for brushing the many sho hung throughout the monastery that present the Dharma and light up the space of seeing. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for "The Touchstone" series of 22 Dharma Talks that clarify many aspects of basic mindfulness practice for students. Thank you to Saigyo ino, Fushin shuso, Leonardo Nobrega, and David Gallant for lots of snow shovelling over the past few days. Thank you to Chantal Maheu and Elizabeth Eve for transcribing many Dharma Talks from the "Before Thinking" series which will eventually be published as a second printed volume. 

From Saigyo ino:
Thank you to the Roshi for the wonderful teisho series "The Landscape of Reality", which we are currently listening to at the general sittings on Saturdays. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei  for overseeing the Long-distance Training Program and for so many wonderful meals and dishes prepared for residents and retreatants each week. Thank you to Mishin godo for clearing snow from the roof garden decking and perfect hard boiled eggs. To Fushin shuso for picking up dairy and cleaning supplies each week for the monastery, to Leonardo Nobrega for help with organisation in the pantry and to David Gallant for I.T. work. To Ian Richard for samu each Sunday afternoon and to Denise Beaudot for a gift of homemade maple syrup. 

From David Gallant: 
Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for making delicious Indian meals this week for resident dinners. Thank you to Mishin godo for her ongoing efforts as treasurer at Dainen-ji . Thank you to Saigyo ino for organizing Samu Weekends throughout the year.

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