eMirror Vol 29, No. 26 (2025-06-27)

 

"Dogen", sho by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi

"Dogen", sho by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi

eMirror Vol 29, No. 26

Friday, June 27th, 2025
Edited by the Practice Council

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

 



Dogen zenji has some comments on this in his Shobogenzo text the Sansui kyo or Sutra of Mountains and Rivers. Dogen zenji says,

These days, in the land of Song China, there are careless people who have become such a crowd that they cannot be set straight even by the few true masters. They say that talk of, “East Mountain walks on water,” or Nanquan’s “sickle” are just illogical sayings.
    Their whole idea is that words with logical meanings are not the Zen speech of the Awakened Ones and Ancestors, and that only illogical stories are the Zen talk of the Awakened Ones and Ancestors. As a result, they think that Huangbo’s staff and Linji’s shout, because they cannot be grasped by logical thought, are the great awakening before all forms.
    “The ancient masters’ words, which cut through entangling vines, are all impossible to understand,” they say. Those who go on like this have never studied with a true Master and have no “eye of understanding.” They are immature and foolish. Over the last two or three hundred years in Song China, there have been many gangs of these bald headed rascals. This is truly sad because it shows how the Vast Way of the Awakened Ones and Ancestors can decline. People of this kind of view are inferior even to those with only hearsay knowledge of practice of the Narrow Path and more confused than those outside of the Way. They are not really laypeople and not really monks, neither humans nor spirits. They are more stupid than animals that learn the Way of Awake Awareness. 
    What these shavelings call “incomprehensible talk” is only incomprehensible to them, not to the Awakened Ones and Ancestors of the Transmission. Just because you don’t understand it doesn’t mean that you can neglect taking up the path of the Awakened Ones and Ancestors’ understanding. Even if you never understand it, you have to admit that your present misunderstanding still misses the point.
    I myself have seen and listened to many people like this in Song China. It is very sad. They don’t know “words” from “thoughts” or that thoughts are liberated through words. I laughed at this in Song China but they had no answer to make and fell silent. Their ideas about “incomprehensibility” are only a distorted view. Even if there is no teacher to show them the original truth, such belief in “instantaneous enlightenment” is a corruption.


-Continuing teisho 2: Planting Flowers on a Stone, Sunday, May 15, 2005, in the series "Wandering on Medicine Mountain" presented by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin at Dainen-ji
 



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



Fusatsu (Renewal of Vows):
July 9th and 23rd.

Hermitage:
The Roshi is continuing an extended period of hermitage due to underlying health issues.

Introduction to Zen Workshop Ottawa:
The next two Introduction to Zen Workshops will take place on Saturday, July 5th at 1:45 p.m. and Saturday August 2nd at 1:45 p.m. To register: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca ; for more information please see https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa

Yaza:
Yaza (all night sitting)  will take place on Saturday, July 12th from 10 pm until Sunday, July 13th at 8 am. Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei will lead the Yaza. A light breakfast will be served before the end of the Yaza. Attendance at the Yaza is limited to those who are students of Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Lineage. All students are welcome to attend. Registration is required and seating is limited. Please email schedule at wwzc dot org to register. The suggested dana contribution is $30.00. Please arrive in time for First Bell at 9:45 p.m. Associate students should email schedule@wwzc.org to arrange to come early for a forms review. 


Weekly Practice Schedule



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. Retreats may be scheduled on Fridays.

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.
 


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



Information About Scheduling Retreats or Training Sessions

Rev. Chiso anagarika sat her weekly semi-retreat on Tuesday, June 24th in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Associate student Rana Annous sat a partial retreat on Saturday, June 21st at Dainen-ji. Associate student Sarah Little sat a half-day retreat on Saturday, June 21st at Dainen-ji. Associate public student Sarah Gould sat a half-day retreat on Wednesday, June 25th and a one-day retreat on Thursday, June 26th. Associate student Kathleen Johnson sat a half-day retreat on Thursday, June 26th at Dainen-ji.


Recorded Teachings Schedule


June 28th to July 5th, 2025

Listening to Recorded Teisho and Dharma Talks

General sitting Saturday, June 28th:
Without Difficulty: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on "Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness" by Jianzhi Sengcan: Teisho 5: Ideas of Emptiness and Oneness (19 minutes)

Formal sitting Sunday, June 29th:
"The Secret Life of Manjusri" by Zen Master Anzan Hoshin: Teisho 4: Shimitsu Part 1 (46 minutes)

Associate sittings Monday, June 30th and Thursday, July 3rd:
Sitting Up Straight: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Keizan Jokin zenji's "Zazen Yojinki": Teisho 5: Conspiracy Theories (27 minutes)

General sitting Saturday, July 5th:
Without Difficulty: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on "Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness" by Jianzhi Sengcan: Teisho 6: Don't Swerve (17 minutes)
 


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 Keisei Sanshoku: Sounds of Streams, Forms of Mountains, 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 still ongoing.

Roshi also finished 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



Dharma Talk: “Embarrassment” 
Dharma Talk presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi on August 25th, 1990.
https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/embarrassment

Teisho: “Practising Without an Edge”
Teisho presented by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei on February 19th, 2025
https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/practising-without-edge

Teisho: “I Know Who You Are!”
Teisho presented by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, presented at Dainen-ji on March 13th, 1999
https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/teisho-i-know-who-you-are

Dharma Assembly: On Karma 
Mondo by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, presented in April  of 1986, River Road Zendo. 
https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/dharma-assembly-karma
 


Request for Help to Maintain the Grounds



If you would like to offer time to help with maintenance in the grounds your help will be appreciated. You can offer a regular period of samu or make arrangements with the shissui to come for a single period of caretaking practice. Please write to info@wwzc.org or directly to Saigyo ino at saigyo.cross@gmail.com if you can assist with this work. Thank you. 
 


Wooden Practice Materials for Sale in Myomaku



Saigyo ino has made a selection of wooden practice materials which are now for sale in myomaku. These include boxes for storing incense, incense bowls, kneeling benches and kaishaku. He is donating a portion of the proceeds to WWZC. You are welcome to go into myomaku before or after sittings to see what’s available.
 

Wooden Practice Materials for Sale in Myomaku


Alternate parking for sittings near Dainen-ji



If you need alternate parking near the monastery due to snow parking bans or lack of parking spots you can use the Loblaws car park located at 363 Rideau Street - 
https://en.parkopedia.ca/parking/parkade/loblaws/k1n/ottawa/?arriving=202503101130&leaving=202503101330
 
The car park is open until 10:00 p.m and charges $4 per hour. A full day 6:00a.m. to 6:00 p.m. is $10.


 "Tenzo", sho by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi

"Tenzo", sho by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi


Office of the Tenzo



Dogen zenji taught in the Tenzo Kyokun: Instructions for the Tenzo ( Tenzo kyokun: Instructions for the Tenzo https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/tenzo-kyokun-instructions-tenzo ) 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 or vegan 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 made on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
 

Monday Yakuseki:
Rice cakes (calrose rice, Madras curry powder, turmeric, fried with butter and bran oil);  toor and masoor dal, cumin and mustard seeds, hing, dried red chillies, green chillies, ginger/garlic paste, chopped tomatoes and onions, garam masala, Kashmiri chilli powder, dried fenugreek leaves, fresh coriander; salad of chopped leaf lettuce, romaine, radicchio, speckled pea sprouts, grated carrot, and thinly sliced red onion with an optional dressing of equal parts mayonnaise, dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar with honey, black pepper and mango chutney.

Tuesday Yakuseki:
Wheat tortillas; seared strips of chicken breast, poblano and red bell peppers, strips of spanish onion, with fajita seasoning (cornstarch, chilli powder, sea salt, smoked paprika, pinch of sugar, onion and garlic powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper), served with optional condiments of sour cream, guacamole, grated cheddar cheese, and salsa verde; corn and butternut squash soup (creamed corn, whole corn, diced butternut squash, chopped Spanish onions, lime juice, cumin, chopped fresh coriander stems and leaves).

Thursday Yakuseki:
Thai white and brown rice mixed with chopped scallions; shitake mushroom soup with silken tofu (mushroom stock, mushroom powder, thinly sliced ginger, white pepper, shoyu); blanched Shanghai bok choy and Napa cabbage mixed with seared strips of yellow onion and a sauce of shoyu, vegetarian oyster sauce, minced ginger and garlic, rice vinegar, chilli oil and sesame oil.

 

 

Thank you


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 Mishin godo:
Thank you to the Roshi for the "Sitting Up Straight" series of teisho on Keizan Jokin zenji's "Zazen Yojinki", presented 25 years ago, especially the teisho "On Purpose". Thank you to Jinmyo sensei for inoculating various mushrooms including the delicious shitake mushrooms served in a mushroom broth for Thursday evening's Yakuseki and for overseeing the mushroom farm. Thank you to Senbo for troubleshooting various problems that arose on the recorded Teachings media site when the webhost did some scheduled maintenance last weekend.

From Yujin:
Thank you to Fushin shuso for organizing the correction of meta data tags for the flac and mp3 files in the media library. Thank you to Ian Reynolds for offering samu to help set up the e-commerce module for the new WWZC website.

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