Photograph by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi
eMirror Vol 28, No. 10
Friday, March 8th, 2024
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
Every colour and form point to the space of seeing. Every sensation points to the space of feeling. Every experience is spacious and an experience of space. Every space that can be known as a space arises within a space larger than it. Every space points to the space all around it. Every space that can be experienced points to the space of experiencing.
The mental space of a thought dissolves like a bubble and suddenly you are in the larger space of the Hatto. It can seem as if we are cramped, as if the world is something pushed in up against us, getting in our face. It can seem as if the world is flat and dead and even when our impatience turns to frustration and then to anger, it still won’t move. It’s like a hood pulled low over our heads. But the space that we are experiencing at that time is happening inside of a larger space. So just open out to the space that is there to the right and left, front and back, up and down. Open to recognizing the ten directions around the thought, around the anger, around the recoil and refusal, around the sadness, around the torpor, the lust, and the excitement.
Where in the space does the bubble or bean or blob of mental space that your attention seemed to be enclosed within take place? Does it have dimensionality?
In the space of feeling, notice how spacious each sensation actually is when you have no opinion about (or if the opinion is not the primary thing you are noticing). Each sensation is actually many sensations. It is not a thing, it is a process of movements that vibrate and shimmer, effervescent like champagne. Notice as well that the space around the sensations can be felt; the spaces in between the sensations can be felt. The movement of attention can be felt; whether the space of your experience is open or closed can be felt.
Space cannot be held onto, but it can be felt. This is how we grasp space and thus release grasping.
Forms and colours and movements and sensations and sounds and flavours and sensations and fragrances and thoughts all arise in spaces that can be felt around them. Each is spacious and shows spaces in between them in their coming and going. Yet they do not come from or go to anywhere that can be found or known. They are unknowable in that whatever knowledge about them that can be rallied cannot disclose their nature or actuality just as a menu cannot nourish or a name is not the person. They are present, yet so momentarily that they are never here before they are gone. Even a headache that has lasted for days is not the same sensation moment after moment. Colours, forms, sounds, scents, tastes, thoughts, images are all configurations of shimmering spacious movements. In between and all around each of these are numberless spaces, arising together with them in the space they arise within.
Outside of each space is open space and inside of each space more spaces open.
Learning this, we learn of the vitality of space. Seeing the ways in which we make space evened out and flattened in our folding in away from it towards mental spaces so dense that we cannot recognize even the effervescence of a sensation, we see how we deaden it in how we choose to live.
Whether the space of our lives is light or heavy depends upon how we open or close to its playfulness.
-Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, Teisho 6: "Learning Space With Space”, February 14, 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): March 13th, March 27th.
Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa:
The next two Introduction to Zen Workshops will take place on Saturday, April 6th and May 4th at 1:45 p.m. To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca; for more information please see https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
March Two-day Sesshin:
The March two-day sesshin will begin at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, March 8th and will end at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 10th.
General Sitting
There will be a general sitting in the Zendo on Saturday, March 9th. The sitting will begin at 9:30 a.m. (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.
Keizan-ki
March 21st is the memorial for Keizan Jokin zenji.
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
Deshi Chantal Maheu sat a half-day retreat on Monday, March 4th. Associate public student Spencer Gordon sat a half-day retreat on Saturday, March 2nd at his home in Bowmanville, Ontario. Thach Hoang sat a one and a half-day retreat from Saturday, March 2nd to Sunday, March 3rd at his home in Laval, Quebec. Associate student David Alexander sat a one-day retreat on Thursday, March 7th.
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, Saturday, March 9th to Saturday, March 16th
Saturday, March 9th general sitting: “Without Difficulty”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on Jianzhi Sengcan's “Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness”: “Straying, Dimming, Sinking, Rotting, Flowering” (teisho 9 of 24, 22 minutes)
Monday, March 11th associate sitting: ""Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice" by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: "Saying the Word Fire Does Not Burn the Mouth" (48 of 71, 9 minutes)
Thursday, March 14th associate sitting: "Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice" by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: "Saying the Word Fire Does Not Burn the Mouth" (48 of 71, 9 minutes)
Saturday, March 16th general sitting: “Without Difficulty”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on Jianzhi Sengcan's “Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness”: “The One Way is All Directions” (teisho 10 of 24, 24 minutes)
Recorded teisho playback during the March Sesshin
Saturday, March 9th: SAkN The Anatomy of Awakening: "Feeling into Knowing: Sagara Mudra Samadhi" (10 of 10, 31 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
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:
Lundberg Farms brown rice with butter and baby green peas; sauteed cubed tofu (semi-firm tofu, butter, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, lime juice); spinach stem soup (carrots, celery, onion, leeks, minced garlic, spinach stems, cooked, blended and seasoned with lots of black pepper, thyme, cayenne pepper, a drop of cream).
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Fried rice (steamed Thai rice, small diced carrots, chopped onion, chopped scallions, minced ginger and garlic, Chinese light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, black vinegar, shaoxing cooking wine, chopped cooked chicken breast, eggs, baby green peas, chopped beansprouts, sesame oil); red lentil patties (red lentils, grated carrots, chopped onions, minced garlic and ginger, all purpose flour, potato starch, shoyu, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic chilli paste) with a dipping sauce made from light shoyu, rice vinegar, minced red pencil chiles, sambal oelek, demerara sugar; mustard greens lightly cooked and served with some of the dipping sauce as seasoning.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Crusty rolls with butter; minestrone (chopped onion, carrots, celery, leeks, green cabbage, chopped mushrooms, poblano and red bell peppers, minced garlic, red kidney beans, San Marzano tomatoes, oregano, basil, smoked paprika, mushroom seasoning, choice of cooked macaroni served on the side for those who wished to add it to their soup or croutons) served with Parmesan cheese; salad of Romaine lettuce, radicchio, celery, thinly sliced red onion; dressing made from equal parts of mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, black pepper, sweetened with 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 adapting the weekly resident meals to accommodate individual dietary requirements. Thank you to Fushin shuso for reconfiguring the wireless doorbell system this week.
From Shannon Craig:
Thank you Jinmyo sensei for everything you do for your students and for the wealth of recorded teachings that have helped my practice. Thank you to Mishin godo for reminding me of forms and helpful practice interviews and for making delicious breakfasts. Thank you to Saigyo ino for insightful practice interviews and for being available when I come for samu practice and for your talented work on the monastery. Thank you Fushin shuso for giving me helpful information and the work you do for the monastery. I am grateful to have the opportunity to practice in this environment with my fellow students.
