Butsu-Oni, Bujinkan Dojo Düsseldorf
eMirror Vol 28, No. 31
Friday, August 2nd, 2024
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
Now, sometimes you will find that you just don't feel good and it's more difficult to do what you need to do. So, in that case you need to be practical. Not self-indulgent, but practical. We are big on self-indulgence. I'll give you a little example of this.
I am now [or was then] 54 years old, and in my 54 years I've seen a lot of changes. One change that has been very noticeable to me is the attitude toward the common cold. It used to be that if we had a cold, we did all of the stuff that we normally did. We went to work or school, put in a full day and simply blew our noses a lot. A flu was something different. Having the flu basically meant that you were leaking from both ends. Then a strain of flu appeared which confused us all by mimicking the symptoms of the common cold and people began calling in sick more frequently. Then over time, if one came down with a simple head cold, that became justification for taking time off work. In more recent years we've taken this one step further with the popularization of the word “preventative”. Now, at the slightest sniffle, many people will decide that they cannot exert themselves because they have to stay home as a preventative measure, in case they get a cold. Or their cold gets worse.
Another area in which we can be very self-indulgent concerns sleep. People sometimes want to sleep 10 or twelve hours a day because they fear that if they don't they won't be in “prime condition”.
I have something to say about all of this and it's very simple: You are never, ever, going to feel the way you did when you were sixteen, so stop thinking there is something wrong that you don't. Bodyminds are made of meat. The fact that you can see and hear and smell and taste and feel is astonishing, but nonetheless it's all made of meat and it often doesn't feel particularly good. That does not need to stop you from exerting yourself. It simply means that this is how things are and you need to do your best with how things are. You will never again feel as you did when you were sixteen. It doesn't matter how much sleep you get, how much bran you eat, how much you work out, how you wear your hair or where you spend your vacation. You will never feel like that again. If you sleep six hours a night, you'll want seven. If you sleep 8 hours a night, you'll want 10. If you sleep 10 hours a night, you'll want twelve.
I am not saying that you shouldn't take care of yourself if you are ill or are very tired. Far from it. No, what I am talking about is the difference between being practical and coddling oneself with feeling tones. When you coddle yourself, you curdle yourself.
So how do we deal with the demon? By not making deals with it. When it is time to get up out of bed, then get up out of bed. If you are going to go back to sleep, know that this is something you have made a considered decision about. Don't lie there, bartering with yourself. When it's time to sit zazen, sit zazen. Don't debate with yourself as to whether you feel like it or not. When it is time to do the dishes, do the dishes. Right now, open to reality. It's simple. Simplicity cuts through our entanglement in hope and fear and opens us to the richness of reality.
Concluding a Dharma Talk by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei, "Dealing With the Demon," at Dainen-ji, July 28, 2007
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, 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): 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.
Retreats and Training Sessions
Rev. Chiso anagarika sat a retreat at Dainen-ji from Friday, July 26th to the morning of Monday, July 29th. General student Rowan Russell sat a one-day retreat on Tuesday, July 30th at Dainen-ji. General public student Alexander Tzelnic sat a retreat from Friday, July 26th to the morning of Monday, July 29th.
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
Schedule for August 3rd to August 10th:
General sitting Saturday August 3rd: The Thread of the Buddhas: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Bukkyo: The Buddha's Sutras: Teisho 1: Buddha's Sutras and Sutra-Buddhas. (19 minutes)
Formal sitting Sunday, August 4th: SAkN: The Forms of Intelligent Reality by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: Teisho 1: Once Upon a Time in the Ocean of Reality (36 minutes).
Associate sittings Monday, August 5th and Thursday, August 8th: Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: Dharma Talk 67: Feeling (8 minutes)
General sitting Saturday August 10th: The Thread of the Buddhas: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Bukkyo: The Buddha's Sutras: Teisho 2: The Whole Dharma as a Whole (27 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
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.
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.
Because Dainen-ji is a heritage building, these repairs must be done or we could lose our heritage status.
We will post the estimated cost of the repairs as soon as we have received that information from contractors we are negotiating with. Any amount you can contribute would be gratefully received.
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.
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:
Blended kofte soup made from leftover kofte (cooked lentils and fine bulgur mixed with chopped, caramelised onions, hot red pepper paste, tomato paste, finely chopped scallions, finely chopped parsley, olive oil, ground cumin). The combination of lentils and bulgur created a complete protein; pasta salad (fusilli, chopped tomatoes, chopped black olives, capers, chopped dill pickles and red onion, , cheese and gherkins dressed with white balsamic vinegar, salt and lots of black pepper; cubed friulano cheese with sweet gherkins, seasoned with olive oil and lemon zest.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Tortillas; chicken fajitas strips of chicken breast, strips of Spanish onion, poblano and red bell peppers all mixed with bran oil and fajita seasoning (Mexican chile powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper) and lime juice and seared on the griddle; salsa verde (diced tomatoes,diced red onion, minced jalapeno, chopped fresh coriander, lime juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper); sour cream; salad of chopped romaine and green leaf lettuce, radicchio, thinly sliced celery and radishes, with an optional dressing of equal parts mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and dijon mustard, honey, and black pepper.
Optional vegetarian dish: Bulgogi tofu (seared cubes of medium-firm tofu, chopped poblano and red bell pepper, and white onion, cooked with a sauce of minced garlic, bulgogi sauce, shoyu, xiaoxing, salt and black pepper) with jasmine rice.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Rice salad (Lundberg brown rice mixed with black beans, corn, chopped coriander, sauteed chopped Spanish onion and minced jalapeno, lime juice, ground cumin, ground coriander, chipotle powder, oregano, garlic powder, salt, black pepper; Roasted mushrooms with tofu seasoned with butter, chipotle adobo, cumin, black pepper; fruit soup (mango juice, chopped honeydew melon, turmeric, cayenne and salt)
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 installing the Hakusan kujikara rupa on the new kamidan outside the Hojo, and to Chiso anagarika for the Hakusan rupa. Thank you to Saigyo ino for taking time off work to complete renovations of Myomaku, the new room adjoining the Shuryo, over the next two weeks.
From Saigyo ino
Thank you to the Roshi and Jinmyo sensei for designing the many meals that retreatants and residents enjoy each week and to Jinmyo sensei and Mishin godo for cooking and preparing them. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for reorganising the second floor washroom and landing areas. Thank you to Mishin godo for taking care of the roof garden, providing us with many fresh herbs and vegetables through the season. Thank you to Fushin shuso for covering my wages so I am able to take two weeks off work to complete the renovation in Myomaku, the room on the 1st floor we have been renovating for the last months. Thank you to Mario Delisle, Ian Reynolds, An Nguyen and David Alexander for samu this week.
