Photograph by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi
eMirror Vol 27, No. 5
Friday, February 3rd, 2023
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
And it is only when we let each “thing” we encounter to be as it is and recognize our intimacy with them that we begin to understand forms. Free of our liking and disliking of them, we can begin to appreciate the basic qualities of experiencing these forms and we can begin to see that there are certain common factors in this. At this point we are still talking about common factors in the contents of the experiences, rather than the fact that everything is equally the display of Experiencing. But I think that we might also be able to use the mahabhutas, these four elements of earth, water, fire, and air and then the element of space, to understand not just form, but to understand the four other skandhas of reactivity, symbolization, patterning, and consciousness. I think that we can use them to understand the world, and that we can use them to understand the awareness of the world. Perhaps we’ll get into that later.
Right now, notice the rising and falling, the flowering and falling, of colours and forms and sounds, of bodily sensations. Notice their earthiness, the ways that they gather and cohere, how they vibrate there for a moment and disperse, how they burn up. And how ungraspable everything is, like space.
Right now, please, enjoy yourselves.
-Ven Anzan Hoshin roshi, concluding 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 31st. Deshi Leonardo Nobrega sat a two-day retreat from Friday, January 27th to Sunday, January 29th at Dainen-ji. Ian Richard sat a two-day on Friday, January 27th and Saturday, 28th at Dainen-ji. Julien Jefferson sat a half-day retreat on Monday, January 30th at his home in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
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, February 4th to Saturday, February 11th
Saturday, February 4th: "The Landscape of Reality" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "The Kingdom of Nod" (9 of 12, 37 minutes)
Sunday, February 5th: "SAkN: Presencing the Open Body" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "Objectifying Experiene" (teisho 3 of 5)
Monday, February 6th: "The Touchstone" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei: "The Touchstone 13, Living in the Space of Maitri" (teisho 13 of 22, 25 minutes)
Thursday, February 9th: "The Touchstone" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei: "The Touchstone 13, Living in the Space of Maitri" (teisho 13 of 22, 25 minutes)
Saturday, February 11th: "The Landscape of Reality" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "Through the Edge" (10 of 12, 35 minutes)
Error in the recorded teisho playback schedule last week:
There was an error in the recorded teisho playback schedule last week for "The Landscape of Reality" series. General public students should check which recordings they have listened to in this series, and add an additional teisho recording during the week if necessary so that none of the recordings in this series are missed. Thank you.
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
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.
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:
Brown calrose rice with butter; caramelised onion frittata (caramelised onions, chopped poblano and red bell pepper, garlic, eggs, topped with sliced tomatoes and grated friulano cheese, baked until golden brown); tomato bisque (cooked San Marzano tomatoes, chopped carrots, celery, onion, minced garlic, thyme, oregano, basil, lots of black pepper, blended until silky); salad of sliced Napa cabbage, carrots and white onion with balsamic vinegar.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Warm rolls with butter, salad (leaf and romaine lettuce, radicchio, chopped tomatoes, thinly sliced celery and white onions) with a dressing of mayonnaise, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey and black pepper.
Vegetarian option: Mediterranean white bean soup (chopped onion, carrots, celery, vegetable broth, minced garlic, corn, peas, pearled barley, cannellini beans, thyme, oregano, lots of black pepper).
Those who wished to supplement their diet with meat were given the option of adding sauteed chopped chicken thighs to their soup.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Cavatappi pasta with caramelised onion and cabbage seasoned mixed with red kidney beans and baby peas, served with torn basil and parsley; chipotle tofu (deep fried tofu with chipotle sauce mixed with a little barbeque sauce, onion powder, minced garlic, and butter, baked in the oven); cubed friulano cheese with olives and lemon zest.
Other items made by the Office of the Tenzo this week:
Non-dairy cashew camembert
Non-dairy almond brie
Non-dairy cashew blue cheese
Also in process: fermented tofu and miso-zuki.
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 Saigyo ino:
Thank you to the Roshi for the countless hours of work done to translate so many important Dharma texts so that they can be available to us and applicable to our practice today. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for extensive work this last week to reorganise the Long-distance Training Program and for delicious fried rice and cheeses in addition to the many meals for retreatants and residents. Thank you to Mishin godo, Fushin shuso, Leonardo Nobrega and David Gallant for samu and soji every morning to prepare the Practice Halls and public spaces for the early morning sittings. Thank you to Senbo for organising access to the on-line recorded Teachings for students on the Long-distance Training Program. Thank you to Ian Richard for the gift of shower squeegees for the basement washrooms.
From David Gallant:
Thank you to Roshi for writing the essay 'Cutting the Cat Into One' which I am enjoying reading. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for the nutritious and tasty resident meals this week that have helped keep my energy levels up while recovering from a heavy cold. Thank you to Fushin shusho for bringing in the garbage bins and rinsing them for me while I wasn't feeling well, and for taking care of my Wednesday disinfecting round. Thank you to Senbo for detailed instruction on the use of the software program Audacity to clean up and prepare WWZC recordings for transcription and playback.
From Ian Richard:
Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for daisan and for thoroughly answering a question I had gotten far too caught up in. To the Office of the Tenzo for lively and nourishing meals during my retreat. To Mishin godo for practical suggestions and showing me how to walk on snow. To Saigyo ino for telling me more about Dainen-ji then and now. And to Leonardo for his patience, kindness, and for teaching me so much with so few words.
From Challian Christ:
Thank you Saigyo ino for your patience and clarity while instructing me throughout my first full day retreat. Thank you Mishin godo for your humour and wisdom throughout the day, and thank you for introducing me to the seiza bench when my knees so desperately needed it. Thank you to both Jinmyo sensei and Mishin godo for the delicious and nourishing meals, and to all the residents who welcomed me to practise alongside them throughout the day. Thank you Jinmyo sensei for your warmth and words of encouragement, and thank you for the Touchstone series. Thank Anzan Hoshin roshi for taking me on as a student, and for giving me the opportunity to practise at Dainen-ji.
