Shingyo, Heart Sutra
eMirror Vol 27, No. 50
Friday, December 15th, 2023
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
Beneath the bodhi tree, Sakyamuni Buddha had dropped all of the strategies of attention he had acquired through various yogic disciplines during his years of ascetic practice. He had simply attended openly, completely. He saw all of the ways in which attention attempted to contract, to become identified with something, anything, in order to appear solid and substantial. He saw that all experiences and any sense of a self that is doing the experiencing was impermanent, selfless, and signless.
The Heart sutra takes the ways in which the Buddha had shown that the bodymind, experiences, and the world were a gathering together of processes and negates any reification of these as objects to be known by a subject. It says that form, and the other four skandhas of reactivity, symbolization, patterning, and consciousness are all empty, sunya. The bodymind is empty. All that can be seen and the seeing are all empty. All that can be heard and the hearing are all empty. All that can be smelled and the smelling are all empty. All that can be tasted and the tasting are all empty. All that can be touched and the touching are all empty. All that can be thought and the thinking are all empty.
-Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, Teisho 4: "OW!" February 12, 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): December 27th, January 10th, January 24th.
Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa:
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place on Saturday, January 6th at 1:45 p.m. To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca; for more information please see https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
Joya (New Year’s Celebration)
On Sunday, December 31st at 10 p.m. until Monday, January 1st at 12:00 a.m., we will celebrate Joya or New Year's. General and associate students are welcome to join Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei and the monastics of the Northern Mountain Order ringing in the New Year with 108 recitations of the Mahaprajnaparamita Hridaya sutra mantra. Following the sitting there will be shojin-ryori (Zen vegetarian cuisine) dishes for an informal feast. There is no better way to begin the year. Dana is $25. Seating is limited and registration is required. Registration is limited to those who are already practising as students of Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi. Register to attend Joya
January Two-day Sesshin:
The January two-day sesshin will begin at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, January 12th and will end at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 14th. On Saturday, January 12th, there will be a combined associate and general sitting in the Zendo which will begin at 9:30 (please arrive by 9:15 in time for First Bell). The sitting ends at 11:45 a.m. Students are reminded to stay on the first floor.
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
Rev. Chiso anagarika sat a semi-retreat on Tuesday, December 5th in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Deshi Isshin sat a seven-day retreat in her home in St. John, New Brunswick, to align with the schedule of the O-sesshin. General public student Beth Beurkle sat a partial retreat on Friday, December 8th at her home in Chamcook, New Brunswick. Associate student David Alexander began a four-week period of residential training at Dainen-ji and sat a one-day retreat on Monday, December 11th.
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
Congratulations
Congratulations and deep gassho to Kelly Babcock of Ottawa, who has been accepted as an associate student.
Recorded Teachings Schedule
Saturday, December 16th to Saturday, December 23rd
Saturday, December 16th 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's 'You Don't Understand'” (22 of 22, 19 minutes)
Sunday, December 17th formal sitting: SAkN Releasing by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: "Lankavatara: A reading of the text" (1 of 5, 6 minutes)
Monday, December 18th associate sitting: “Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice” by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: “Pisspot of Life” (36 of 71, 5 minutes)
Thursday, December 21st associate sitting: “Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice” by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: “Pisspot of Life” (36 of 71, 5 minutes)
Saturday, December 23rd general sitting: "Without Difficulty": Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on Jianzhi Sengcan's "Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness"; reading of the text. (1 of 26, 11 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: $17,459
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; Tofu bulgogi (sliced deep-fried tofu, chopped red, orange and poblano peppers, chopped Spanish onions, bulgogi sauce, shoyu, sesame oil, scallions); carrot-miso soup (garlic, ginger, chopped carrots, apple, leeks, tomato, cumin, cayenne, sweet paprika, turmeric, coconut cream, shiro miso, crushed chilli flakes); Napa cabbage salad (chopped Napa cabbage, thinly sliced carrot matchsticks, thinly sliced red onion, served with a dressing made from blended raw carrots, red onion, ginger, gala apple, rice vinegar, bran oil, low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, pinch of cane sugar.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Rutabaga oven fries (rutabaga cut into ‘straight fries’, seasoned with bran oil, garlic, smoked paprika, lots of black pepper, salt, onion powder, baked until browned); tofu mendoan (extra-firm tofu deep fried in a batter made from all purpose flour, corn starch, finely minced garlic, finely chopped scallions, coriander powder, minced chillies and salt); The above were served with aquafaba mayonnaise (Vegan mayonnaise made from aquafaba blended with some whole chickpeas, Dijon mustard, sea salt, lemon juice, bran oil); tomato bisque made with blended San Marzano tomatoes, carrot, onion, celery, garlic, thyme, black pepper and coconut milk.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Rigatoni with lentil bolognese (red lentils, minced yellow onion, celery, carrot, mushrooms, minced garlic, passata, San Marzano tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, chile flakes, dried thyme, oregano and Italian herbs, balsamic vinegar served with parmesan cheese; salad of green leaf and romaine lettuce, radicchio, thinly sliced celery, slivered white onions, chopped tomatoes with a dressing of mayonnaise, dijon, apple cider vinegar, honey, and black pepper.
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 Mishin godo for processing recent IT item order requests as part of the ongoing efforts to improve the wifi signal coverage at Dainen-ji.
From David Alexander:
Thank you to the Roshi for creating and overseeing Dainen-ji, and for allowing me to stay for a period of residential training. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for daisan and for the excellent meals created by the Office of Tenzo. Thank you to Mishin Godo for her work as tenzo-anja, for practice interviews and much helpful guidance. Thank you to Saigyo ino for helping me prepare for residential training, for his work as tenzo-anja, for showing me the forms necessary for attending formal sittings, and for teaching me new skills during samu. Thank you to Fushin shuso and David Gallant for the useful information you’ve shared at various times.
From the Office of the Treasurer:
Thank you to Ven. Chiso anagarika for a donation to the Roof Repair Fund.
