Abidaruma Bibasharon (Abhidharma Mahavibhasa Sastra), Volume 107
eMirror Vol 28, No. 46
Friday, November 14th 2024
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
In “The Development of Buddhist Psychology” series of classes the Roshi says,
“Through attending directly and openly to the process by which attention becomes distorted and seems to be contained by the states arising in it, the distortions cease just as the air held in your mouth returns to the sky when you exhale.
"Something that all of the traditions of Abhidharma would agree on is that knowing is an active, changing process. Mind is considered to be the activity of individual moments of knowing. Some traditions would hold that this mental factor cannot be present when this other one is or that all of certain factors are present in every moment of knowing (for example the seven or five universal factors). In both cases this means that mind is a process, not an entity. When attention is focused in one particular way, it excludes from view other potential factors. This is an activity. The act of focusing and engagement, of sensory knowing, cognition and so on, are each activities. Mind is a verb."We commonly tend to behave not only as if the mind were a noun rather than a knowing, but also that that which is known is a noun, an object. A feeling of fear, anxiety, loneliness, guilt or whatever is treated as if it were a thing rather than a process. Since it is thus objectified, we behave as if we can be overcome by it or else we struggle against it.
"The main thing that we can learn from the Abhidharma’s teachings on the habitual patterning of the sankhara skandha is that anything that is known or felt or sensed is a process. Since it is a process, it is something that is arising from moment to moment. Since it is arising from moment to moment, anything that arises for us is workable since there is only this moment of it occurring now. There is no past, no future, and this present moment itself a process of dynamic activity and change.
-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): 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
Rohatsu O-sesshin
The Rohatsu O-sesshin will begin on Sunday, December 1st at 8:00 p.m. and will end on Sunday, December 8th at 8:00 a.m. following Jodo-e (commemorating the Buddha's Awakening).
Combined Sitting on December 7th
This will be the only sitting open to associate and general students during the Rohatsu O-sesshin (December 1st-8th). First Bell is at 9:15 a.m. The sitting ends at 11:30 a.m. Students are reminded to stay on the first floor. Register for the Combined Associate and General Sitting
Cancelled Associate Sittings
On Monday, December 2nd, the 7:30 p.m. associate sitting will be cancelled. On Thursday, December 5th, the 7:30 p.m. the associate sitting will be cancelled.
A Note to Preliminary and Public Students Concerning O-sesshin
During an O-sesshin the schedule is such that there is no time to meet face to face with preliminary students or to reply to email correspondence sent by public students. Public 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.
Dainen-ki
December 12th is the anniversary of the day on which the Roshi’s Teacher, Ven. Yasuda Joshu Dainen roshi died.
Joya (New Year’s Celebration)
On Tuesday, December 31st at 10 p.m. until Wednesday, January 1st at 12:00 a.m., we will celebrate Joya or New Year with 108 recitations of the Mahaprajnaparamita Hridaya sutra mantra at midnight. Join Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei and the monastics of the Northern Mountain Order in ringing in the New Year with 108 recitations of the Mahaprajnaparamita Hridaya sutra mantra. Following the sitting there will be an array of shojin-ryori (Zen vegetarian cuisine) dishes for an informal feast. There is no better way to begin the year. Dana is $25. Seating is limited and registration is required. Register for Joya 2024
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, November 5th in Cambridge, Massachusetts. General public student Julien Jefferson sat a two-day retreat on Tuesday, November 12th and Wednesday, November 13th 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 16th to November 23rd
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)
Formal sitting Sunday, November 17th: SAkN Oceans of Realms: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on the Vow of Samantabhadra: Teisho 5: Vast Offerings (19 minutes)
Associate sittings Monday, November 18th and Thursday, November 21st: "The Meaning of Mindfulness" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei (24 minutes)
General sitting Saturday, November 23rd: Seeing Seeing Eye to Eye: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji's "Yuibutsu Yobutsu": Teisho 6: Buddhas Practising Together With Each Person (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.
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
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:
Mushroom flatbread (monastery grown, seared blue and yellow oyster mushrooms and king oyster mushrooms on flatbread, sprinkled with sliced green olives and topped with melted friulano cheese; chickpea soup (blended chickpeas, vegetable stock, onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, lots of black pepper and a drop of cream); salad of chopped radicchio, green leaf lettuce, and romaine lettuce, thinly sliced celery and white onion with white balsamic vinegar dressing.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Mixed grain (Thai white and brown rice, pearled barley, calrose rice, and Chinese rice); pork/tofu Kung Pao (sauteed medium-firm tofu, thinly sliced pork, Chinese soy sauce, black vinegar, Chinese cooking wine, roasted chilli paste, vegetable stock, a little sugar, cornstarch to thicken the sauce, minced scallions, minced ginger and garlic, strips of poblano and red bell pepper, chopped scallions); baechu kimchi.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Seared, marinated lion’s mane and blue oyster mushrooms (marinade was made from red wine, olive oil, soy sauce, beet powder, fresh thyme, garlic and onion powder, black pepper), combined with sauteed strips of onion, in a rose sauce (tomato paste, oregano, a bit of cream), with penne pasta; “greens ‘n beans” (seared thick sliced yellow onion, Shanghai bok choy, red kidney beans, red balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, salt, black pepper); cubed friulano cheese mixed with chopped gherkins and lemon zest.
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 Jinmyo sensei:
Thank you to David Yujin Gallant for coordinating the new White Wind Zen Community Website project and to Fushin shuso and Nicolas Senbo PhamDinh, who are compiling various components of it.
From Yujin:
Thank you to Jinmyo sensei, Saigyo ino and Mishin godo for undertaking the large and complex project of growing mushrooms at Dainen-ji, which has provided many wonderful meals recently. Thank you to Mishin godo for all the kitchen work she does each week. Thank you to Fushin shuso for coordinating the electrical work completed this week in the Zendo.
From Gillian Hern:
Thank you to Mishin godo and Saigyo ino for helpful practice advice while I was on retreat in October. Thank you to the office of the Tenzo for the delicious and nutritious food that was prepared, in particular there was one meal of pasta with chilli oil and tofu that looked plain and simple and yet was an amazing combination of flavours and textures. (I plan to experiment at home to see if I can come close.) Thank you to Saigyo ino for changing the recording I was to listen to, as “Return to the Root” presented by Jinmyo sensei was what I needed to hear that day. And thank you to the Roshi for the White Wind Zen Community existing as a clear space in a confusing world.
From Julien Jefferson:
Thank you to the Roshi for establishing White Wind Zen Community and Dainen-ji, for designing a learning structure that accommodates all levels of study, for the beautiful arrangements all over the monastery, and for the “Seeing Eye to Eye” and “Landscape of Reality” teisho series. Thank you Jinmyo sensei for listening to and thoroughly answering my questions in daisan. Thank you Mishin godo for a practice interview and for the invaluable reminders at the end of my retreats. Thank you Saigyo ino for leading samu and caring for the practice environment. Thank you to the Tenzo and Tenzo-anja for preparing and serving such flavourful meals to retreatants.
