
eMirror Vol 28, No. 38
Friday, September 20th 2024
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
Ka-chunk...
One word and the gears have already begun to turn. "What does that mean, 'ka-chunk'? What is she talking about?"
Well, that's what I'm talking about.
One spark and the engine of the five skandhas is set in motion. Form -- what is that? A some thing. A gear turns and engages a sprocket - basic reactivity. 'Is that sound threatening? Can I get something from it? Can I just ignore it?" A flywheel begins to spin - symbolization. "What kind of file match do I have for that?" Habitual patterning. "Well, it's like the sound of an engine, sort of. Consciousness - "Oh, it's Jinmyo sensei talking about machinery or something."
When the contraption of contraction starts up, you could just let it run out of momentum, slow and stop, but once it's set in motion, the tendency is to become engaged in how all of its moving parts seem to fit together. It is that sense of movement and it's solidity, that generates locatedness and locatedness generates more and more complexity. Greased by the three klesas of passion, aggression and stupidity, self-image crunches the open field of present experience into gears and the noise and movement of the gears creates a stronger and stronger sense of a "self" and "other", "this" and "that". This storyline about "that" person and what "I" said or did, or what they said or did and how that led to this thing or that thing - the current confusions, petty gripes, strategies and storylines, all gears and cogs and sprockets turning with one another. And at the centre of it, some "one" who believes itself to be the engine, hiding amongst the cogs, wheels, gears and wires.
[sound of gears turning, made with a rachet]
-Dharma Assembly: The Contraptions of Contraction by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei, Dainen-ji, June 13, 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): October 2nd, 16th and 30th
Daruma-ki O-sesshin
The Daruma-ki O-sesshin will begin at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, October 4th, and will end on Friday, October 11th at noon. Formal students are reminded to send their schedules to schedule@wwzc.as soon as possible.
Combined Associate and General Sitting During O-sesshin:
There will be a combined associate and general sitting that will take place in the Zendo on Saturday, October 5th. Arrival time is 9:15 (in time for First Bell). The sitting starts at 9:30 a.m. and ends at 11:45 a.m. Students attending are reminded to remain on the first floor.
Cancelled Associate Sittings:
The Monday, October 7th associate sitting that would normally begin at 7:30 p.m. is cancelled due to O-sesshin.
The Thursday, October 10th, associate sitting that would normally begin at 7:30 p.m. is cancelled due to O-sesshin.
A Note to Preliminary and Public Students Concerning O-sesshin
During an O-sesshin the schedule is such that there is no time for monastics to take telephone calls or reply to email correspondence sent by public students (unless it’s an emergency). Students are asked to send their weekly practice journals, as they will be reviewed. But unless there is something that needs an immediate reply, you will not receive an email reply until the week following the O-sesshin.
Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa:
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place on 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
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
Thach Hoang sat a one and a half-day retreat from Saturday, September 14th to Sunday, September 15th at his home in Laval, Quebec. Tracey Parker sat a half-day retreat on Wednesday, September 18th at her home in Perth, Ontario.
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 21st to September 28th
General sitting Saturday, September 21st: The Thread of the Buddhas: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Bukkyo: The Buddha's Sutras: Teisho 8: The Purpose of the Sutras (23 minutes)
Formal sitting Sunday, September 22nd: SAkN The Forms of Intelligent Reality by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: Teisho 4: The Radiance of Skin, Meat, Bones, and Marrow: Reading of "Himitsu no Katto" by Anzan Daiko zenji (31 minutes)
Associate sittings Monday, September 23rd and Thursday, September 26th: The Posture of Practice by Shikai Zuiko o-sensei: Dharma Talk 2: Kinhin: The Dignity of the Buddhas (14 minutes)
General sitting Saturday, September 27th: Seeing Eye to Eye: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji's "Yuibutsu Yobutsu": Reading of Eihei Dogen zenji's "Yoibutsu Yubutsu: Buddha Meets Buddha" (22 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
We received a first detailed quotation for this work of $22,700 plus HST and after receiving other quotations hope to be able to move forward with this project in the spring of 2025. The amount raised to date is $2,200.
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 during the September Two-day Sesshin:
Saturday
Breakfast: “Rice and eggs” (calrose rice drizzled with shoyu, mirin and wasabi topped with two eggs fried gently over easy in butter and garnished with the same sauce and shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven-spice).
Lunch: Calrose rice with gomashio (roasted ground sesame seeds and salt); miso shiru (broth made from kombu, slivered ginger, shiro miso, dried shiitake mushrooms, Shanghai bok choy, shoyu, mirin, rice vinegar, cubed silken tofu); takuan and gari.
Supper: Yukon Gold potatoes cut into wedges, roasted with butter, salt and pepper; roasted medium firm tofu, cremini mushrooms and thick slices of onion roasted in chilli sauce and butter; steamed gai lan with parmesan cheese.
Sunday
Breakfast: Acorn squash congee (diced and roasted acorn squash, minced garlic, jasmine rice, green peas, bran oil, salt) garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds with optional garnishes of roasted chile oil and black vinegar.
Lunch: Chinese rice garnished with diced sauteed daikon; spicy seaweed soup (strained miso shiro from the previous day, wakame, sliced ginger, low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, chilli oil, cubed silken tofu); quick-pickled thinly sliced Persian cucumber and Napa cabbage salad dressed with rice vinegar, shoyu, minced garlic, gochugaru (Korean chile flakes), sugar, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.
The Following Meals were Prepared on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday Evenings:
Monday Yakuseki:
Warm buns served with butter; lentil and grain soup (brown, green and red lentils, split peas, pearled barley, basmati rice, chopped carrots and onions, chopped mushroom stems, vegetable stock, thyme, chilli powder, a little cumin, smoked paprika, lots of black pepper, a drop of apple cider vinegar; salad of chopped romaine and green leaf lettuce, thinly sliced red and green cabbage, red onion, black olives, chopped feta with an optional Greek dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano, salt and black pepper.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Mixed grain (white and brown Thai rice and white and brown basmati rice); Kung pao chicken and tofu (sauteed semi-firm tofu, seared velveted chicken breast, poblano peppers, Spanish onion, minced ginger, chopped scallions, chopped daikon, cremini mushrooms, 2 tablespoon shoyu, black vinegar, Chinese cooking wine, roasted chilli paste, Chicken stock; baechu kimchi.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Macaroni with mushroom sauce (sauteed yellow and blue oyster mushrooms, black pearl mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, shitake mushroom powder, minced garlic, small amount of roux, chopped fresh parsley, dried chilli flakes, black pepper, red wine, dried oregano, thyme, basil, and fresh basil); salad of chopped romaine lettuce, radicchio, thinly sliced red onion, grated carrot, and cherry tomatoes served with an optional 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 David Gallant:
Thank you to Mishin godo for growing various herbs, peppers, and tomatoes in the rooftop garden at Dainen-ji, which make excellent additions to resident meals. Thank you to Saigyo ino for detailed instruction in how to do great bows at various times in the past.