Photograph by Ven. Saigyo Cross ino
eMirror Vol 27, No. 43
Friday, October 27th, 2023
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
The space in which the space of here and now, the space of you and I, the chromatic space of seeing, the kinaesthetic and tactile space of sensation are all arising is boundless. It is the space that all other spaces arise within. It cannot be circumscribed, cannot be contained, cannot be obstructed, cannot be shut away or closed off.
We can never really turn away from it because it is in all directions and is as all directions. But we can simply ignore it. We can just pretend it’s not right here and now as the space of here and now and of you and I. We can grasp at experiences as things to be liked, disliked, or ignored because we grasp at focussing on the seen without recognizing the space of seeing, the heard, without recognizing the space of hearing. We do this by grasping at knowing as if it were done by us, by grasping at a sense of self that is doing the knowing of the colours and forms and sounds.
Why we would do this makes no sense whatsoever. It means that we have to continually struggle against the spaciousness of the senses, we have to continuously try to cover over the dynamic vividness of each and every thing that arises as here and now by smearing a paste of discursive thoughts and internalized imagery over whatever we can. As there are so many colours and forms and sounds and sensations and fragrances and meanings rising and falling, we rarely have time to grab a handful of thoughts and images that are appropriate and relevant to what we are covering over. Consequently, most of our thoughts and feeling-tones have nothing at all to do with what is actually going on for us, here and now.
So we find ourselves silently reciting the advertising jingle for a brand of soap that we don’t even use at the same time that we look into the eyes of a sick friend that we are visiting. We are asking after their health while also thinking about a kind of chocolate bar that we had as a kid that they don’t seem to make anymore/ it had a different name in Canada than it did in the U.S./ maybe there was a British version too/ there’s nothing like hard toffee/ the kid’s name who gave me the black Dutch liquorice was Willy and he smelled funny/ like the smell of burning ants with a magnifying glass but when Mom asked if I did that I said no/ Willy liked Aquaman comics/ what a lame superhero/ all he could do was breathe water and talk with fish/ I’d like to go to the islands on holiday/ the white bathing suit on tanned skin, the colour of sand, white foam and blue blue water in the travel poster I saw in the shop window last week/ those fruit drinks with the little umbrellas/ what are they called?/ darkies?/ floating on my back on the azure sea/ something comes up from underneath and bites me in the ass/ then I’d wish I were Aquaman/ there’s my boss swimming in the ocean/ I talk to the fish and get a hundred thousand jelly fish (they’ve got stingers, right? or is that the man o’war thingees?) to swarm him, stinging stinging/ they crawl all over him, get inside his mouth, bite his tongue, sting his guts from the inside/ dead dead dead hee hee. And all the while we’re saying, “Don’t worry, Joe. You look great. You’ll be up and about soon,” and trying to look sincere. We do this in the face of illness as a way of not facing it. But we do it with a cup, a leaf, a sound, driving, walking, taking a shower. Basically we can’t face anything directly.
-Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, beginning Teisho 3: "Not Pulling Your Leg," February 11, 2001, in the series "Playing With Space: Commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji's Koku”
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): November 15th and 29th.
Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa:
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place on Saturday, November 4th at 1:45 p.m. To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca; for more information please see https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
November Two-day Sesshin:
The November two-day sesshin will begin at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, November 10th and will end at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 12th. Students attending are reminded to send their schedule in as soon as possible.
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.
Congratulations
Congratulations and deep gassho to Jeffrey Wilkins of Ventnor City, New Jersey who has been accepted as a general public student by the Roshi.
Retreats and Training Sessions
Brennen Beall sat a two-day retreat on Monday, October 23rd and Tuesday, October 24th at Dainen-ji. Beth Buerkle sat a partial retreat on Sunday, October 22nd at her home in Chamcook, New Brunswick.
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 are a public student and 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.
If you would like to engage in a training session either at the monastery or at home by aligning with the schedule of the monastery, please read the information on this page:
https://wwzc.org/training-sessions
Recorded Teachings Schedule
Saturday, October 28th to Saturday, November 4th
Saturday, October 28th 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: “Oxen” (16 of 22, 19 minutes)
Sunday, October 29th formal sitting: SAkN: Five Spheres of SAkN by Zen Master Anzan hoshin: "Content and Context: 1st and 2nd Spheres" (3 of 7, 22 minutes)
Monday, October 30th associate sitting: “Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice” by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: “The Top of the Mountain” (29 of 71, 12 minutes)
Thursday, November 2nd associate sitting: “Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice” by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: “The Top of the Mountain” (29 of 71, 12 minutes)
Saturday, October 4th 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: “At Rest” (17 of 22, 22 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
Fundraising 2023: Roofs
Total donated to date: $14,459
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
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 on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings:
Monday Yakuseki:
Thai white and brown rice; Thai peanut curry made with coconut oil, red Thai curry paste, tamarind paste, peanut butter, low sodium soy sauce, dark soy sauce, coconut milk and lime juice, with chopped onion, red bell peppers, poblano peppers, daikon, carrots, firm tofu baked in the oven rather than fried and then added to the curry which was garnished with roasted peanuts; kimchi.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Vegetarian option: a stew made with reconstituted shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced red bell peppers, Napa cabbage and semi-firm tofu which had been sauteed so that it was crispy on the outside and silky on the inside. The broth was made from vegan bouillon powder, shoyu, crispy chilli oil sesame oil, and white pepper. The stew was served with a bowl of Calrose brown rice with peanuts and chopped scallions and a bowl of halved cherry tomatoes dressed with shoyu, sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds.
For those who wished to supplement their diet with meat: Calrose brown rice with peanuts and chopped scallions; Lion’s head meatballs (water chestnuts, chopped firm tofu, ground pork, finely sliced green onions, lots of garlic, minced ginger, shaoxing cooking wine, shoyu, cayenne, eggs, cornstarch); served in a broth made from chopped Napa cabbage, chicken stock, shoyu, sesame oil, shitake mushroom stock, dehydrated shitake mushroom powder, hot chili oil, Napa cabbage; kimchi.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Warm buttered naan, green split peas, minced garlic, diced onions, celery, potatoes, and tomato, gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes, Madras curry powder, garam masala, topped with roasted chickpeas seasoned with smoked paprika, salt and pepper, served with chopped parsley; a salad of romaine, leaf lettuce and radicchio, thinly sliced celery and white onion, chopped roof garden “Fred’s tie dye” tomatoes with a dressing of mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and dijon mustard.
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 the Roshi for providing me with instruction and resources in matters concerning the Office of the Tenzo. Over the past 32 years most of what I have learned has come either directly or indirectly from the Roshi. The majority of the meals served to residents and retreatants are based on the Roshi’s menu designs.
From Mishin godo:
Thank you to Saigyo ino for doing the weekly grocery shopping for the Office of the Tenzo. Thank you to Fushin shuso for repairing the closure on one of the wall cupboards in the dining hall. Thank you to Chantal Maheu for transcribing "Kwannon", a teisho presented by the Roshi in 1986.
From David Gallant:
Thank you to Roshi for presenting the teisho series "Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice" which I have been enjoying listening to at the Monday and Thursday associate sittings.
From Glenn Murphy:
Thank you to Jinmyo sensei and Mishin godo for the delicious meals that I have had the pleasure of enjoying on Thursday evenings prior to the associate sitting. Thank you to Mishin godo, Saigyo ino, and Fushin shuso for their continued guidance and patience as I learn what goes where and how things are done.
From Sam MacFarlane:
Thank you Jinmyo sensei for the offer to attend Tuesday evening meals before my samu period and for the most delicious meals that I eat all week. The Lion's Head meatballs were spectacular. Thank you to Saigyo ino for providing the opportunity for me to incorporate consistent samu periods into my practice.
From the Office of the Treasurer:
Thank you to Thach Hoang and Loic Ouellette for donations to the Roof Repair Fund. Thank you to Adda Hernandez for a donation.
