eMirror Vol 28, No. 36 (2024-09-06)

Knowlan Mt. Zendo, Wolfville N.S.

Knowlan Mt. Zendo, Wolfville N.S.

eMirror Vol 28, No. 36

Friday, September 6th 2024
Edited by the Practice Council

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



In Rhythm and Song, a series of teisho on Dongshan Liangjie daiosho's text the Hokyo Zanmai, Anzan roshi recounts many mondo-ki-en or encounter dialogues between Great Master Dongshan and his students. One student was Xuefeng, who much later became a great Teacher after receiving Transmission from Deshan who unlike Dongshan did not mind beating students with his staff. But while he was studying with Dongshan, Xuefeng was still full of himself and full of ideas about Suchness and emptiness. Here is one story:

Once Xuefeng was carrying a bundle of firewood. When he arrived in front of the Master, he threw the bundle down.

The Master asked, "How heavy is it?"

Xuefeng said, "No one in the world can lift it!"

Dongshan asked, "Then how did it get here?"

Xuefeng didn't know what to say.


Poor Xuefeng. What a tool. He was a tool because he was trying to use everything around him as equipment to aggrandize himself. Even a bundle of firewood. Even the simple act of carrying it. For him even samu, caretaking practice, was about the profundity of his idea of his understanding of emptiness. What a tool.

Continuing Dharma Assembly: "Tada!", a Dharma Talk Presented by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei, Dainen-ji, October 24th, 2009

 

The Hatto (for formal sittings)

The Hatto (for formal sittings)
 

Zen with renovated floors and new Butsudan (August 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):  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


September 7th to September 14th

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)
Formal sitting Sunday, September 8th: SAkN: The Forms of Intelligent Reality by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: Teisho 3: The Pattern of Changes (46 minutes)
Associate sittings Monday, September 9th and Thursday, September 12th: The Point of the Posture and What It Points To by Jinmyo sensei (21 minutes)
General sitting Saturday, September 14th: The Thread of the Buddhas: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Bukkyo: The Buddha's Sutras: Teisho 7: The Twelve Divisions of the Sutras (19 minutes) 
September Sesshin Saturday afternoon, September 14th: SAkN: Presencing the Open Body by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, Teisho 5: Opening Past Everything
September Sesshin Saturday evening: SAkN: Tathagatagarbha by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, Teisho 1: Does a Dog Have Buddha Nature?
 


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



"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.

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.

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.

 

Supper served no Dainen-ji dining hall table


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:
Cavatappi pasta with garlic/butter sauce (butter, bran oil, garlic, lime juice, finely chopped white onion, vegan ‘chicken’ bouillon powder); salad of chopped romaine, leaf lettuce and radicchio, Polish dwarf tomatoes from the roof garden, chopped Persian cucumbers with a dressing of equal parts mayonnaise, dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar with honey and black pepper; cubed friulano cheese mixed with sliced gherkins and lemon zest. 

Tuesday Yakuseki:
Thai Jasmine rice; Thai red curry pork curry (chopped red onion, diced sweet potatoes, diced carrots, minced garlic, chopped daikon, chopped green cabbage, Thai red curry paste, tamarind paste, peanut butter, light and dark soy sauce, small amount of maple syrup, coconut milk, served with toasted peanuts and slices of lime); seared baby bok choy. 

Thursday Yakuseki:
Toasted naan with butter; Punjabi-style dal (split pigeon peas, split mung beans and red lentils, turmeric, grated ginger, minced garlic, cumin seeds, minced red onion, finely chopped tomatoes, paprika, Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, besam flour, vegetable stock); raita (chopped cucumbers, “Fred’s tie dye” tomatoes from the roof garden, yogurt, coriander, salt and pepper.  

 

Gassho sign (hands in gassho in in a circle)


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 David Gallant:
Thank you to Roshi for presenting the extensive teisho series 'Doing Not Doing', and for creating the Dharma text 'Cutting the Cat into One'. Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for regular dokusan, and for planning and preparing many meals for residents each week at Dainen-ji.

From David Alexander:
Thank you to the Roshi for creating the environment in which students can sit retreats at Dainen-ji.  Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for writing the retreat handbook.  Thank you to the Office of the Tenzo for preparing exceptional meals during my last retreat, and to Mishin godo and Saigyo ino for guidance and understanding during practice interviews. Thank you to Mishin godo for working as treasurer; to Saigyo ino for leading samu periods; and, to Fushin shuso for replying to schedule emails.

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