Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi brushing a sho, Zazen-ji, 1980s
eMirror Vol 28, No. 14
Friday, April 5th, 2024
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
But threaded throughout all of these words [of the sutras], though never contained in any of the words, is the truth that liberates. It is there as the words, as the sounds being recited, as the scrolls, as the brushes and ink. The sutras that speak the Dharma can be posts, bowls, tiles, trees, fish, or eyebrows. The body is a sutra, a thought is a sutra.
In Hotsu Mujoshin, Rousing the Unsurpassable Mind, Dogen says,
In the Great Way of the Buddha Dharma, all of the sutras are contained within a dust mote. Within a dust mote, Buddhas without number dwell. A blade of grass or a leaf is what the bodymind is. If the numberless forms do not arise, Awareness is not manifest. Since all things are the form of truth, then a single dust mote is the form of truth. Awareness is all things and all things are Awareness as the Body of Totality.
And so Zen Masters and students honour the truth of the sutras but don’t treat them as religious scriptures. Although we turn the pages of sutras we don’t let the sutras turn on us and become doctrines to be mumbled when we are feeling down and need some inspiration. The Buddhavacana is the word and voice of the Buddha, the Teaching of Awake Awareness. Whatever helps us to practice, realize, and express this is a sutra in some sense.
In Eihei Gen zenji goroku 10, it says,
Ascending the hall, Dogen said, “I hold forth this example: The king of Eastern India invited the Venerable Prajnatara and, after offering the mid-day meal, said to him, ‘All beings turn the sutras. Venerable Elder, won’t you now turn the sutra?’ The Venerable Elder answered, ‘This poor wanderer’s breathing out does not follow conditions; breathing in is free of the world of fabrication. I am always turning hundreds, thousands, millions of sutras.’”
Having held this up, the Master shouted, “Can you say something to bring it out further? Let’s see it!”
Our concern is only to use the sutras to trace the thread back to their source. The origin of the Dharma is in opening attention, opening to openness, and the radiance of experiences, the luminosity of experiencing.
-Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, beginning Teisho 7: "Sutras Speaking”, February 15, 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): April 10th and 24th.
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
Hanamatsuri Sesshin:
The April Hanamatsuri (Festival of Flowers) Sesshin will begin on Friday, April 12th at 8:00 p.m. and will end at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday the 14th.
On Saturday, April 13th, there will be a general sitting in the Zendo which will begin at 9:30 (please arrive by 9:15, in time for First Bell). The sitting will end at 11:30. Students attending 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, April 2nd at her home in Berkshires, Massachusetts. General public student Aaron Ford sat a two-day retreat on Saturday, March 30th and Sunday, March 31st at his home in Calgary, Alberta. Associate student Glenn Murphy sat a one-day retreat on Monday, April 1st at Dainen-ji.
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 Daniel Roach of Ottawa who has been accepted as an associate student by the Roshi. Congratulations and deep gassho to Patrick Oliveira of Sao Paulo, Brazil, who has been accepted as an associate public student by the Roshi. Congratulations and deep gassho to Luis Fumero of Orleans, Ontario who has been accepted as a general student by the Roshi.
Recorded Teachings Schedule
Saturday, April 6th to Saturday, April 13th
Saturday, April 6th general sitting: “Without Difficulty”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on Jianzhi Sengcan's “Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness”: “Not Holding the Mind” (teisho 12 of 24, 20 minutes)
Sunday, April 7th formal sitting: SAkN The Horizon of Knowing by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "The Dawn of Radiance'' (teisho 1 of 2, 32 minutes)
Monday, April 8th associate sitting: "Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice" by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: "Hello Goodbye" (51 of 71, 4 minutes)
Thursday, April 11th associate sitting: "Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice" by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: "Hello Goodbye" (51 of 71, 4 minutes)
Saturday, April 13th general sitting: “Without Difficulty”: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on Jianzhi Sengcan's “Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness”: “Satori and Fleurs du Mal” (teisho 13 of 24, 19 minutes)
Samu Weekend report
By Ven. Saigyo ino
Over the weekend of Saturday, March 23rd and Sunday March 24th we held the first Samu Weekend of 2024. 27 students attended over the two days and joined the monastics in a wide variety of projects to improve and maintain the practice environment of Dainen-ji. Here are some of the “highlights”.
Work continued on the first floor guest room renovation, with the installation of the remainder of the plasterboard installed. The room is now ready for the mudding and sanding to begin. In the storage room next to the Shuryo, the old window insulation was replaced, the shelving unit that houses the zafu and zabuton was repainted and the black and blue areas of wall were painted with a colour covering paint which will simplify the application of further coats of paint in the future. All of the zafu and zabuton covers in the practice halls were laundered and ironed over the two days and more cataloguing was completed of the Dharma books in the Shuryo. Outside the Hatto rear door lots of work was completed to improve the area. This included patching and painting the walls of the 2nd floor washroom, installing new plywood walls inside the broom closet, repairs and repainting to the windows and repairs to an area of water damaged ceiling. A great deal of painting was done though the public areas of the building, a repair was made to a damaged area of ceiling in the attic common room and new quarter round trim was added to the baseboard in the Sando.
Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for designing and preparing the wonderful meals enjoyed by those students who stayed through the day and to Mishin godo for her work to assist Jinmyo sensei.
Thank you to the following students for offering their time over the Samu Weekend:
Senbo, David Gallant, Chantal Maheu, Stacey Loyer, Rana Annous, Challian Christ, Mario Delisle, Danial Roach, Jean-Francois, Glenn Murphy, David Alexander, Tarik Kaya, Denise Beaudot, Christian Hansen, Shannon Morphew, Luis Fumero, Carl Anderson, Sophia Stevenson, Kelly Babcock, Sam McFarlane, Kathleen Johnson, Artik Chauhan, Hannah Kent, Don Charette, Ian Richard, Greg Parker and Helen Jelich.
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.
Monday Yakuseki
Calrose brown rice; “ugli tofu” (thick slices of silken tofu sauteed with bran oil on the griddle until golden brown on both sides, then laid on a sauce made from sauteed cremini mushrooms, light soy sauce, mirin, minced ginger, white pepper, garnished with scallions); carrot miso soup (garlic, ginger, chopped carrots, apple, leeks, tomato, cumin, cayenne, sweet paprika, turmeric, coconut cream, shiro miso, crushed chilli flakes); chunks of Asian pear seasoned with lime juice and chilli flakes.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Warm buns with butter; optional meat dish for those who wished to supplement their diet with meat: tonkatsu pork (pork tenderloin pounded until quite thin, coated with a mixture of flour, water and seasonings, then breaded with panko and deep fried; coleslaw (green cabbage, thinly sliced carrots and white onion, mayonnaise, lime juice, wasabi, lots of black pepper.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Naan topped with grated friulano cheese and baked; split pea and barley soup (chopped onion, celery, carrots, minced garlic, green and yellow split peas, red lentils, pearled barley, Arborio rice, vegetable stock, thyme, basil, a pinch of cumin, smoked paprika, a little tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, lots of black pepper; salad of chopped romaine, leaf lettuce, radicchio, thinly sliced celery, slivered onion, chopped tomatoes with a dressing of equal parts mayonnaise, dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar with 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 Mishin godo:
Thank you to Saigyo ino for preparing the weekly schedule for recorded Teachings played at formal, general, and associate sittings. Thank you to Fushin shuso for remastering several recordings in the Before Thinking series to remove audio distortion and normalize the volume. Thank you to Denise Beaudot for maple syrup for the Office of the Tenzo.
