Saigyo ino demonstrating zazen on a stool
eMirror Vol 28, No. 45
Friday, November 8th 2024
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
We have only to look at the headlines of newspapers to see the consequences of not opening past contraction. As the Roshi has often pointed out,
"A moment of contraction is not a small thing. Getting lost in thought, narrowing attention and excluding reality are how crimes, wars, and the destruction of our environment have all occurred. Becoming annoyed at an old lady fumbling for change in a check-out line at a store is not different in kind than starting a war. In fact starting a war is only possible because such a moment of contraction was never noticed for what it was. Contraction leads to further contraction and all of the catastrophes of human history have followed from people following thoughts and feeling-tones and are the inevitable consequence of, for example, your attention fading in and out as you hear these words."
Mindfulness is not just "noticing" something and then covering it over with discursiveness or what we think we know about that thing – this thing means “this” and this thing means “that”. It is allowing that thing to reveal itself as it is.
Allowing things to reveal themselves as they are is only possible if we continuously refresh mindfulness. We are only practising when we are practising; we can only practice for a split-second at a time and then we must begin anew. This is the meaning of “beginner’s mind” or “shoshin”– continuously opening to the details of present experiencing as they are in this moment, beginning again in this moment….and this moment. This is the effort we must make and this is true for everyone practising, regardless of how long they have been practising. When our practice is truly “realized-practice” as Eihei Dogen zenji and Anzan Hoshin roshi speak of it, then this effort is simply the exertion of the whole moment itself with all of its numberless colours, forms, sounds, sensations and movements. It is not that there is no effort made but rather that there is no sense of someone making the effort.
Until then, mindfulness of the moment can be very slippery because the moment always slips away. This “moment” is not a place or a thing that you can “have”. You can never lay claim to it because you arise within it along with everyone else, every thing else, everywhere. It is not a ‘some thing’ let alone ‘some thing else’.
This is what we are practising when we are really practising mindfulness. We practice opening the capacity to remember reality. The contracted states we propagate are not interested in reality. When we work ourselves into a dense state of contraction because perhaps someone said something that really pissed us off, the last thing that it would normally occur to us to do would be to open to reality. Who wants to open to the richness of sensations, colours, forms, sounds, and the rest of the details that make up the reality of our lives as a whole when we can spend the next 45 minutes replaying a slasher scene in the movie of “Me”? Open to reality and interrupt the movie? Not now. Not yet. Maybe later, like when I have to go to a sitting at the monastery and there’s nothing else to do. (ha ha ha ha).
-Continuing The Meaning of Mindfulness by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei, Dainen-ji July 29th, 2006
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. It starts at 7:00 a.m. and ends at 10:10 a.m. with the chants. Following that there is a Daruma-kata Aiki which ends at about 10:30 a.m.
Fusatsu (Renewal of Vows): November 13th, December 4th and December 18th.
Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa:
The next two Introduction to Zen Workshops will take place on Saturday, December 14th, 2024 and Saturday, January 4th, 2025, at 1:45 p.m. To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca; for more information please see https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
November Two-day Sesshin:
The November two-day sesshin will begin on Friday, November 8th at 8:00 p.m. and will end on Sunday, November 10th at 6:00 p.m. Formal students are reminded to send their schedules as soon as possible.
General Sitting on November 9th:
During the sesshin there will be a general sitting in the Zendo. The sitting will begin at 9:30 a.m. (please arrive by 9:15, in time for First Bell). The Sitting will end at 11:30. Students attending are reminded to stay on the first floor.
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.
Congratulations
Congratulations and deep gassho to Marc Deneau of Ottawa who has been accepted as an associate student.
Retreats and Training Sessions
Rev. Chiso anagarika sat her weekly semi-retreat on Tuesday, October 29th in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Associate student Sarah Little sat a half-day retreat on Saturday, November 2nd at Dainen-ji. General public student Beth Buerkle sat a one-day retreat on Saturday, November 2nd at her home in Chamcook, New Brunswick. Mario Delisle sat a partial retreat on Tuesday, November 5th 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
November 9th to November 16th
General sitting Saturday, November 9th: Seeing Seeing Eye to Eye: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji's "Yuibutsu Yobutsu": Teisho 4: What a Buddha Knows (20 minutes)
Associate sittings Monday, November 11th and Thursday, November 14th: "The Tiny Book of Stopping and Looking" by Ven. Shikai O-sensei: Dharma Talk 3: Balance (18 minutes)
General sitting Saturday, November 16th: Seeing Seeing Eye to Eye: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji's "Yuibutsu Yobutsu": Teisho 5: A Hundred Thousand Myriads (20 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.
New White Wind Zen Community Website
Report by David Yujin Gallant
Dainen-ji currently has a website built on an older platform, Drupal 7, which handles several important functions:
- A large collection of pages with written text and images
- A media library where students can access and listen to audio recordings
- A bookstore for the general public to buy our books, both in physical and digital formats
- A registration form for the public to sign up for the monthly “Introduction to Zen” workshop
Since Drupal 7 is outdated and can be complex to maintain, we're planning to shift each of these functions onto modern, cloud-based services. These new services will make it easier for us to manage everything, without needing to worry about maintaining the technical parts like servers or hardware.
Our goal is to find tools that are simple to use, require very little setup and maintenance, and, where possible, consider open source or community-based options. This transition will help us keep our website secure, easy to manage, and more reliable over the long term.
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
Samu Weekend Report
by Ven. Saigyo ino
Over the weekend of Saturday, October 26th and Sunday October 27th, 27 students gathered to do two days of caretaking practice joining the monastics in the work of maintaining and improving the environment of Dainen-ji. Over the Samu Weekend a huge amount of work was done and here are some of the "highlights".
The yew hedge was watered before the garden hoses were put away for the winter and the snow blower shed was installed in readiness for the coming snow. There was much tidying in the grounds including cutting wall vines back from many of the ground floor windows, the shed was tidied and snow shovels brought out and hung. The unfinished basement room was emptied in readiness for the renovation which is taking place over the next four weeks in this space. The roof vegetable garden was shut down with items cleaned and stored ready for next year's growing. A broken dining hall storm window was taken in for repair and supplies for the monastery mushroom farm were bought. Work was done to start on a much needed website migration to a new host, which will continue over the next months. Books in the Archiving Room were entered into a database for reference and many new signs were created for locations in the building. The dozens of cleaning rags we use weekly were marked with fabric loops to distinguish them from the other cloths we use. In the Undo work continued to create a clean room for mushroom growing processes and the fruiting tent was cleaned thoroughly. All of the insides of the windows were cleaned, a broken handrail on the second floor repaired, and new privacy film installed on a window on the ground floor. In the front hallway the baseboard had new quarter-round trim installed, much touch-up painting was done and the many wooden spoons were re-oiled.
Thank you to the Roshi and Jinmyo sensei designing the wonderful meals enjoyed each day and to the Sensei and Mishin godo for preparing them.
Thank you to the following students who gave their time to assist with this important work and to those students who offered donations towards the materials required.
Myocho, Yujin, Ian Reynolds, Loic-Alexandre Ouellette, Rowan Russell, Denise Beaudot, Sarah Little, Shigemi Ichino, Caitlin Bourbonnais, Artik Chauhan, Mario Delisle, Jean-Francois St-Louis, Tarik Kaya, An Nguyen, George Donovan, Carl Anderson, David Alexander, Stephanie Houle, Christian Hansen, William Hinz, Ian Richard, Sam MacFarlane, Sean Howarth and Helen Jelich.
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 $4,460.
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.
Monday Yakuseki:
Boribap (barley, brown and white calrose, arborio rice); bulgogi tofu (chopped Spanish onion, poblano peppers, sliced daikon, minced jalapeno, minced garlic and ginger, bulgogi sauce, shoyu, cubed, seared medium-firm tofu); salad of chopped romaine, radicchio, leaf lettuce, thinly sliced red and green cabbage, red onion, and carrots with optional dressing of white balsamic vinegar; baechu kimchi.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Mixed grain; chicken and chickpea tamarind curry; monastery-grown lion’s mane and oyster mushrooms seared with a sauce of hot and sweet chilli sauce and Frank’s Hot Sauce.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Buffalo fries; lime tofu; coleslaw (thinly sliced green cabbage, white onion, and julienned carrots, mayonnaise, horseradish, dijon mustard, 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.
Monday Yakuseki:
Leftover Thai white and brown rice mixed with chopped onion, diced carrots, baby green peas, ground toasted coriander seeds, cumin seeds, Fenugreek seeds, black mustard seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, Kashmiri chilies, peppercorns, curry leaves, ground turmeric; chopped bok choy sauteed with butter and curry spices, tossed with cubed, fried paneer seasoned with turmeric, cayenne pepper and salt; Punjabi-style tomato soup (blended San Marzano tomatoes, diced tomatoes, besan (chickpea) flour, curry leaves, Kashmiri chilli powder, lemon juice, coconut milk, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, pinch of sugar).
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Rigatoni with Ragu alla Calabrese (Hot Italian sausage meat, ground pork and ground beef, San Marzano tomatoes, olive oil, chopped Spanish onion, dried basil, thyme, marjoram, parsley, oregano, minced garlic, with Nduja (fermented salami paste with hot peppers), served with Parmesan cheese and Panko breadcrumbs toasted with bran oil; salad of chopped green leaf lettuce, radicchio, and romaine with thinly sliced celery, red onion, and chopped tomatoes with a dressing of white balsamic vinegar; artichoke hearts, black olives and cubed friulano cheese with lemon zest.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Lentil soup (vegetable stock, red lentils, diced onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, minced garlic, minced tomatoes, turmeric, cumin, lemon juice,lots of black pepper); naan with melted friulano cheese; Napa cabbage salad (thinly sliced Napa cabbage, julienned purple mini daikon, white daikon, white onion, and carrots) with optional dressing of equal parts mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and dijon mustard with honey and black pepper.
