Guillermo
eMirror Vol 28, No. 35
Friday, August 30th 2024
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
But we can make a big deal out of anything and everything, including our practice. We can make such a big bloody deal out of being mindful that instead of just practising it's ME practising. Tadaaaaaaaa!
But that's the wrong kind of tada. The richness, the dignity, the intimacy of our experience just as it is, without all of our fabrications and contractions and manipulations is inconceivable. It is literally and completely beyond concepts and ideas and stories. In order to realize this, we need to just let go of our habits of attention in all of the ways they are manifested by body and mind.
The Roshi has pointed out that a sense of a "me" is more directly and basically a "sense of locatedness" and that along with it there is a directionality, as it can seem to us that attention moves from a central point, a "me", out and towards experiences. When this sense of locatedness first begins to form, it is the wordless presumption that knowing moves from "here" to "there" in order to know. And yet, this sense of locatedness as a self can itself be known and so obviously cannot be a "knower" or a "self". It is a freezing or crystallization of attention which is much like a frame and from this frame, attention seems to move out and towards what is known. This is why instead of just practising, it can seem to us that there is a "ME" that is practising.
Continuing Dharma Assembly: "Tada!", a Dharma Talk Presented by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei, Dainen-ji, October 24th, 2009
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): September 4th and 18th, October 2nd.
Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa:
The next two Introduction to Zen Workshops will take place on Saturday, September 7th and Saturday, November 2nd at 1:45 p.m. To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca; for more information please see https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
September Two-day Sesshin:
The September two-day sesshin will begin at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, September 13th and will end at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 15th. Formal students are asked to send their schedules as soon as possible.
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 her weekly semi-retreat on Tuesday, August 27th in Berkshires, Massachusetts. Deshi Myocho sat a half-day retreat on Wednesday, August 29th at Dainen-ji. General public student Brian Lakeman sat a half-day retreat on Saturday, August 24th at his home in Brampton, Ontario. General student Rowan Russell sat a one-day retreat on Tuesday, August 27th at Dainen-ji. General student Artik Chauhan sat a partial retreat on Thursday, August 29th 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
Recorded Teachings Schedule
August 31st to September 7th, 2024
General sitting Saturday, August 31st: The Thread of the Buddhas: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Bukkyo: The Buddha's Sutras: Teisho 5: The Four Noble Truths and Interdependent Emergence (23 minutes)
Formal sitting Sunday, September 1st: SAkN: The Forms of Intelligent Reality by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: Teisho 2: Moving in Ocean Seal: Reading of "Scattered Notes on the Daruma Kata" by Sogaku Hakukaze zenji (32 minutes)
Associate sittings Monday, September 2nd and Thursday, September 2nd: Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: Dharma Talk 71: Spiders, Life, Death, and Understanding (9 minutes)
General sitting Saturday, September 7th: The Thread of the Buddhas: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Bukkyo: The Buddha's Sutras: Teisho 6: The Paramitas (16 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
"Before Thinking (Dharma Talk 68): “A Jewel in Bright Light”
A Dharma Talk by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi presented at Zazen-ji on September 14, 1991
https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/jewel-bright-light
“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.

Monastery garden
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:
Mixed grain (Calrose, Thai and pearled barley); Kung Pao tofu (sauteed medium firm tofu mixed with cooked minced ginger and garlic, shoyu, black vinegar, Chinese cooking wine, roasted chilli paste, vegetable stock, cornstarch, chopped scallions, Spanish onions, red bell peppers, poblano peppers, served with roasted peanuts); baechu kimchi.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Mashed Yukon gold potatoes; miso braised beef (beef brisket seasoned with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper, seared and then braised in stock, sauteed onions, king oyster mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, shiro miso, tomato paste, rice wine vinegar, a drop of maple syrup, minced red chillies, thinly sliced green onion); peas, carrots and corn mixed with butter, salt and black pepper.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Brown calrose rice mixed with peanuts; a celery, onion and dai gai choy soup with bean sprouts and silken tofu; Shanghai bok choy halved lengthwise, seared on the griddle and seasoned with shoyu, mirin, wasabi, salt and 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.
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 many sho and zenga that he has brushed that are hung around the monastery and which point to and brighten the space of seeing, and for recommendations of good audiobooks and books to read and speaking about the historical context of various works. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for overseeing the organizing of books going into the archiving room and Shuryo and for editing the weekly eMirror which has circulated to many hundreds of students and members of the public around the world for the past several decades. Thank you to Saigyo ino for doing the weekly grocery shopping for the monastery. Thank you to Fushin shuso for replying to scheduling emails sent by students. Thank you to David Gallant for cleaning the monastery green bins every week, and for assisting me with picking up a bicycle. Thank you to Tracey Parker for transcribing the recorded teisho "Hekiganroku 89: Kwannon's Hands and Eyes" presented by the Roshi in 1987.
Thank you's from Saigyo ino
Thank you to the Roshi for the Dharma Talk series "Before Thinking: Foundations of Zen Practice " which we are concluding this week. We have been playing this amazing series of 71 Dharma Talks at the associate sittings since April 2023. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for extensive research into the techniques for growing mushrooms and for purchasing the supplies required. Thank you to Tarik Kaya for locating the availability of a specific flooring we require for a repair and to David Alexander for a run to the local municipal dump with a load of renovation waste. Thank you to the following students who assisted the monks with the reorganisation of several of the monastery rooms last Sunday: Senbo, Myocho, David Gallant, David Alexander, Daniel Roach, Ian Reynolds and Tarik Kaya. Thank you to Greg Parker, Sam McFarlane, Rowan Russell, George Donovan, Mario Delisle and Rana Annous for periods of samu this week on various tasks around the building and in the grounds. The assistance of students in maintaining and improving this wonderful place of practice is always appreciated.
From the Office of the Treasurer:
Thank you to Myocho for a donation towards the purchase of three wheelie garbage bins that will streamline the monastery's weekly curbside garbage collection.
