eMirror Vol 28, No. 29 (2024-07-19)

Yokai, Japanese demons

Yokai.

eMirror Vol 28, No. 29

Friday, July 19th, 2024
Edited by the Practice Council

The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.



The Roshi said in a recent teisho something to the effect that some people think that Zen is about “going with the flow and letting it all hang out. Which of course, creates an awful mess. In actuality, Zen is about cleaning up after all of the people who let it all hang out.”  And so before every sitting we wash the floors of the practice rooms, clean all of the zafu and zabuton, prepare incense bowls and candles, clean hallways and washrooms and ready the monastery for the arrival  of the students who wish to participate in the discipline of Zen training. The word “discipline”, Roshi reminds us, has the same root as “disciple” and so we say that “discipline” means “the willingness to learn”. And one of the first things we need to learn is to follow through.

This is why all students who receive instruction through the monastery have a committed sitting schedule. Everyone in this room was once a preliminary student and will remember having been instructed to sit a minimum of once a week, on the same day and at the same time and you had to do this consistently for a period of perhaps six weeks before you could apply as a student. Why did it have to be on the same day each week? Because if you couldn't sit for 30 minutes on the same day each week, there would have been no way you would have followed through to come to the monastery once a week to attend sittings. Why did it have to be at the same time each week? Because if you couldn't be punctual about doing your sitting, you wouldn't be punctual about arriving at the monastery on time for sittings.

All associate students who wish to eventually apply as general students are required to sit every day for 30 minutes for a period of approximately three months before they can apply as a general student. Why? Because if you can't sit every day for a three-month period, you're not going to be able to sustain that schedule in the future. And for those who live in Ottawa, without that kind of follow-through you would not be able to attend at least two sittings at the monastery each week.

And as to practising as a probationary formal student or formal student – as the Roshi has said many times, studying directly with a Teacher is not about forming a relationship based upon personal likes and dislikes. It is about practising the schedule. It is about following through.

Following through is something we need to learn because we so easily default to habitual patterns. And so every facet of our practice, including monastic training posts, is about learning to follow through.

Continuing a Dharma Talk by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei, "Dealing With the Demon," at Dainen-ji, July 28, 2007
 

The Hatto (for formal sittings)

The Hatto (for formal sittings)
 

Zen with renovated floors (May 2024)

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, there is a $5 contribution which can be made through Eventbrite: Register for Saturday Breakfast. 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):  July 24th, August 7th and 21st

Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa:
The next two Introduction to Zen Workshops will take place on Saturday, August 3rd and Saturday, September 7th at 1:45 p.m. To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca; for more information please see https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa 

August Two-day Sesshin
The August two-day sesshin will begin at 8:00 p.m. on August 9th and will end at 6:00 p.m. on the 11th. Students attending are reminded to send their schedules as soon as possible. 

Dogen-ki 
August 28th is Dogen-ki, the memorial of Eihei Dogen zenji's death.

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. 
 


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 Isshin sat a partial retreat on Sunday, July 14th at her home in Saint John, New Brunswick. General public student Beth Buerkle sat a one-day retreat on Saturday, July 13th 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, July 20th to Saturday, July 27th:

General sitting Saturday July 20th: Without Difficulty: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on Jianzhi Sengcan's “Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness”: Teisho 25: Three Cases of Zhaozhou, part two (Hekiganroku Cases 57-59), (November 11, 2006), 20 minutes.
Formal sitting Sunday, July 21st: SAkN: Four Energies. Teisho 1 of 2: Introduction: The Current of Feeling  (morning teisho) January 15, 1994. 31 minutes.
Associate sittings Monday, July 22nd and Thursday, July 25th: "Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice" by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: "Shadows and Colours" (65 of 71). 18 minutes.
General sitting Saturday July 27th: The Thread of the Buddhas: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Bukkyo: The Buddha's Sutras: Reading of "Bukkyo: The Buddha's Sutras". 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
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
 


Samu Weekend Report by Saigyo ino



Over the weekend of Saturday, June 29th and Sunday, June 30th we held our second Samu Weekend of the year and 24 students attended. Over the two days a great number of tasks and projects were worked on and here are some of the "highlights". 

On the second floor, we dismantled and removed the sink and cabinet outside of the rear door to the Hatto. This old sink was used daily but it was decided that we could remove it and still retain functionality on the second floor by upgrading the washroom close by. Removing the cabinet has greatly improved the rear entrance to the monastery’s main Practice Hall. More work will take place at a later date to repair the flooring in this area.

For upgrades to the second floor washroom we replaced the pedestal sink with a new cabinet and deep bar sink and replaced the old toilet with a new one. Along with the recently replaced shower doors, this small washroom will be used instead of the hallway sink to fill containers for the daily cleaning of the Hatto and associated areas. 

In the first floor guest room the mudding was finished and the first coats of paint were applied. 

A lot more work was completed to catalogue the Roshi's extensive collection of Dharma books in the Shuryo.

Throughout the building a lot of deep cleaning was done, including all of the radiators, the laundry room and the laundry machines, all floors and the open shelving in the Shuryo, dining hall and archiving room. Sunday was dry enough for work to take place in the grounds with lots of weeding and tidying completed. 

Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for designing and preparing the wonderful midday meals enjoyed by those students who stayed for the full day of samu and to Mishin godo for assisting Jinmyo sensei with the preparation of the food. Thank you to the following students who worked over the Samu Weekend to maintain and improve the practice environment of Dainen-ji:
 
Mishin godo, Fushin shuso, David Gallant, Rana Annous, Shannon Morphew, David Alexander, Greg Parker, Sam McFarlane, Challian Christ, Loïc-Alexandre Ouellette, Shigemi Ichino, Sydnee Burgess, Helen Jelich, Denise Beaudot, Don Charette, Jean-Francois St-Louis, Brandon Rouleau, Rowan Russell, An Nguyen, Jie Wu, Artik Chauhan, Luis Fumero and Ian Reynolds. 
 


Bargeboard Restoration



From the “Heritage Conservation Glossary”: Bargeboard (bordure de pignon): Boards or other decorative woodwork fixed to the edges or projecting rafters of a gabled roof, sometimes called “gingerbread”.

Being subjected to the extreme fluctuation of Ottawa’s freezing, dry winters and the heat and humidity of summers for 150 years have taken their toll on the monastery’s elaborate gingerbread. Some of it is so old and damaged that it was necessary to take it down before it fell down. Other areas are badly cracked and all of it needs restoration, sanding and repainting.

Bargeboard at Dainen-ji

From across Friel street showing the height of the window in the above photograph.

As all of the gingerbread is four floors up and difficult to access because of the steep pitch of our roofs, this is not work we can do ourselves. It is going to require someone skilled in the use of a “cherry picker” and scaffolding, and will also require excellent carpentry skills as some of the gingerbread will need to be recreated. And so we are beginning the process of finding a company that we can hire to do the work.

In the meantime, the Caretaking Council (monastics Saigyo ino and Fushin shuso) are “ringing the bell” to let the Sangha know that help will be needed. 
 

Takuhatsu, Alms Round, painting

In Japan, monastics traditionally walk "Takuhatsu” or “Alms Round". They wear a straw hat that hides their eyes and they carry a bell and an alms bowl. As they walk they strike the bell to let people know that there is need. But their eyes cannot be seen below the brim of their straw hat and so they do not look directly at anyone, whether they put something in the alms bowl or do not. Their purpose is to simply let the community know that there is need. 

We are pointing to the need, not to or at anyone or how large or small the dana is being offered.
 


Request for help with upkeep of the monastery grounds



If you would like to help with the upkeep and improvements to the monastery grounds through the summer months your help would be much appreciated. A regular commitment of an hour or two each week would go a long way to keeping the gardens looking good for the sangha and visitors we have at Dainen-ji. Saigyo ino will provide all of the instruction so even if you don't know much about gardening this is no problem. Please write to Saigyo ino at saigyo.cross@gmail.com if you would like to get involved. Thank you.
 

Japanese wrought iron kettle with wooden lid

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:
Cold soba (buckwheat noodles) dressed with a mixture of bran oil, sesame oil, shoyu and scallions with optional garnishes of gomashio (roasted sesame seeds and salt), wasabi-flavoured furikake (seaweed sprinkles), roasted chile oil, and toasted nori sheets; tsuyu (soup made from the soba cooking liquid, shoyu, wasabi, and mirin); salad of chopped romaine, green and red leaf lettuce, and radicchio with chopped tomatoes, thinly sliced celery and red onion with a dressing of sesame oil, lemon juice, honey, grated ginger, and white pepper.

Tuesday Yakuseki:
Corn chips; chilli (ground beef, San Marzano tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato juice, oregano, cumin, hot chilli sauce, chilli-garlic sauce, Kashmiri chilli powder, Mexican chilli powder, chipotle adobo, sauteed chopped red and Spanish onions, poblano peppers, and red bell peppers, with red kidney beans; green cabbage coleslaw (thinly sliced green cabbage, white onion, and carrots, mayonnaise, horseradish, dijon mustard, lime juice, salt and pepper). 

Thursday Yakuseki:
Linguine in garlic sauce (chopped yellow and white onion sauteed in butter and olive oil, minced garlic, lime juice, chile flakes, salt and pepper) served with optional vegan parmesan made by Jinmyo sensei; vegetable soup (vegetable stock, chopped Spanish onion, carrots, zucchini, sweet potato, celery, cremini mushrooms, red bell pepper and poblano pepper, thyme, basil, lots of black pepper, apple cider vinegar); Shanghai bok choy blanched then chilled and seasoned with balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. 

 

Monk in gassho - drawing

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 the Roshi for the teisho "Yaza 2001: Let the Night Sit", the recording we listened to during the recent Yaza, and to the Roshi and Jinmyo sensei for doing dokusan and daisan with all students who attended. Thank you to the Roshi and Jinmyo sensei for designing excellent Yakuseki (evening meals) for residents and practitioners attending evening sittings and for the delicious early morning Yaza meal. 

Thank you from Saigyo ino
Thank you to Fushin shuso for meeting with an electrician to obtain a quotation for needed electrical work. Thank you to the following students who have assisted with the recent renovation in the 2nd floor washroom: David Alexander, Glenn Murphy, Ian Reynolds, Sam McFarlane, Brandon Rouleau, Mario Delisle and Daniel Roach. Thank you to An Nguyen and Rana Annous for regular samu on a variety of projects and to George Donovan and Sarah Little for committing to a regular weekly period of samu in the monastery.   

From Fushin shuso:
"Thank you to Anzan Hoshin roshi for Yaza and for the teisho "Let the Night Sit" played during the first round of Yaza. Thank you to Jinmyo Renge sensei for leading Yaza. Thank you to the office of the Tenzo for a delicious light breakfast for Yaza participants."

From David Alexander:
Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for leading Yaza and for daisan. Thank you to the Office of the Tenzo for the food and refreshments prepared throughout the night during Yaza.

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