Un: Cloud, sho for the Undo (Cloud Hall for guests),
by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, early 2000s
eMirror Vol 27, No. 45
Friday, November 10th, 2023
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
Dogen zenji picks up an old koan for us to play with.
Zen Master Shigong Huicang said to Zen Master Xitang Zhizang, “Do you understand how to grasp space?”
Xitang said, “I know how to grasp it.”
Master Shigong asked, “How do you grasp it?”
Xitang grabbed at space with his hand.
Master Shigong said, “You do not understand how to grasp space.”
Xitang asked, “How do you grasp it, elder brother?”
Master Shigong grabbed Xitang’s nostrils and yanked.
Groaning with pain, Xitang said, “It’s very harsh to grab someone’s nose. It could have come off.”
Master Shigong said, “Directly grabbing hold like this, you should have gotten it from the beginning.”
This appears in Jingde Chuandenglu 6. Dogen also included it in the Sanbyakusoku Shobogenzo, his collection of 300 koan, as case 248. In Eihei Koroku 9: 53 is recorded this appreciatory verse:
Whose tree stands between inside, outside, and the four directions?
Is it inside or outside or north, south, east, and west?
These brother monks see each other, expressing their father’s activity.
One could pull the earth; the other could pull at heaven.
Although neither Shigong nor Xitang became Masters as influential as their own Teacher Mazu or their Dharma-brother Baizhang, Dogen praises them highly here as bodhi trees, as having transcended locatedness, as being able to play with heaven and earth.
-Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, 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, December 9th, 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.
Retreats and Training Sessions
Thach Hoang sat a two-day retreat from Friday, November 3rd to Sunday, November 5th at his home in Laval, Quebec. Beth Buerkle sat a partial retreat on Saturday, November 4th 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, November 11th to Saturday, November 18th
Saturday, November 11th 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: “Gao” (18 of 22, 22 minutes)
Monday, November 13th associate sitting: “Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice” by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: “The Garden” (31 of 71, 7 minutes)
Thursday, November 16th, associate sitting: “Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice” by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: “The Garden” (31 of 71, 7 minutes)
Saturday, November 18th 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: “Balls of Mud” (19 of 22, 21 minutes)
Recorded teisho to be played during November Sesshin
SAkN Root Cycle Four: Moving in Knowing - "Always Moving" (teisho 5 of 5, 2 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
“Kwannon”: A teisho by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, transcript of a teisho presented on May 6, 1986, at River Road Zendo
https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/kwannon
“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: $16,959
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
Biryani
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:
Short-grain brown rice with butter and peas; caramelized onion frittata (caramelised onion, thinly sliced potato, eggs, topped with sliced vine ripened tomatoes and friulano cheese; salad of Napa cabbage, thinly sliced carrots, daikon and white onion, served with a dressing made from mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar and honey.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Mixed grain (pearled barley, calrose short-grain white rice, arborio rice, basmati rice); chicken katsu (pounded chicken breast dipped in a batter and then coated with panko and deep fried); sauce made from cooked Spanish onion, chopped apples, Worcestershire sauce, shoyu, a splash of ketchup and sesame oil; coleslaw (thinly sliced green cabbage, white onion, carrots, mayonnaise, lime juice, horseradish, lots of black pepper).
Thursday Yakuseki:
Curried split pea soup (green split peas, minced garlic, diced onions, diced carrots, celery, cubed potatoes, finely chopped tomato, seasoned with Korean chilli flakes, Madras curry powder, garam masala, smoked paprika; warm naan; curried rice cakes (leftover mixed grain seasoned with curry spices, formed into cakes and then fried in butter); salad of Romaine lettuce, green leaf lettuce, chopped radicchio, celery, tomatoes and thinly sliced white onion with a dressing of equal parts mayonnaise, dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar with 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 David Gallant:
Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for dokusan this week and for preparing a delicious and varied array of resident meals. Thank you to Fushin shuso for charging the new wireless video doorbells on a regular basis.
From the Office of the Treasurer:
Thank you to Gillian Higenbottam for a donation to the Hojo library in memory of Ven. Shikai Zuiko osho and a donation to the roof repair fund.