Digital image by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi
Digital image by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi
Friday, October 12th, 2018
Edited by Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
Dogen's own deep feeling for the profound qualities of the Lineage that he received could sometimes go beyond mere school spirit and cheering for “our team”. It was sometimes disputatious and hard-headed. I used to read passages like that and hit my head and think, "Oh my, you shouldn't have said that." Now, I tend to just to laugh a little bit. The fact is that when you are most intimate with the Lineage it is no more something to have deep or any other feelings about than you would have about the hand or nose. You do not have a feeling about it; you feel with it; you sneeze with it. It is just who one is. This is the problem that can happen when one is trying to speak of something so intimate in order to explain it to others: one can fall into distortion and heavy-handedness.
However, Dogen never went so far as to say, as did his later contemporary Nichiren, that all other forms of Dharma other than the school that Nichiren himself founded were the heresies of demons. And the fact is that within the community of his own monastics there were some that refused to move past the stances that they had developed before while still practising in Nonin's Daruma-shu or other Buddhist schools and Dogen's strongest statements of this kind need to be understood in that context. In recognizing and putting aside any extremes there might be in Dogen's regard for the Chan Transmission of Rujing, he still has much to say that is important and worthwhile.
He says, "Even if only a single verse is authentically Transmitted, still the Dharma is authentically Transmitted. If one verse is authentically Transmitted, mountains and rivers are authentically Transmitted.” And that, “The authentic Transmission is surely Mahakasyapa.” This means that the Dharma is not the same as the sutras with its many texts and verses. But if even a single verse is all that remained of the Dharma, if it were truly understood with the mind of the Transmission, truly understood within the context of realized-practice, then the Transmission is available as the “mountains and rivers” or the whole world. If there is no such understanding, then there is no Dharma.
-Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, continuing teisho 3: "Turning and Shining," Sunday, February 15, 2004 in the tesho series "The Thread of the Buddhas," commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji's Bukkyo.
Fusatsu: October 24th, November 7th and 21st.
Samu Weekend
The next Samu Weekend is scheduled to take place on Saturday and Sunday, October 27th and 28th. Please pencil these dates into your schedule so that you will be able to attend some or all of this weekend of samu practice. Saigyo tando will be writing soon to students with more details about the activities taking place over the weekend. To register please send an email to Saigyo tando at saigyo dot cross at gmail.com or leave a message on the Zen Centre office answering machine at 613-562-1568.
Hermitage:
The Roshi will begin a period of hermitage on Wednesday October 31st, which will end at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, November 4th, when he leads monastics in Acalanatha Sadhana.
Introduction to Zen Workshop
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place at Dainen-ji on Saturday, November 3rd. For more information please see: http://www.wwzc.org/content/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
For information concerning our Long-distance Training Program, please visit this Web Page: http://www.wwzc.org/long-distance-training-program
November Two-day Sesshin
The November 2-day sesshin begins at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, November 9th and will end at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 11th. Formal students are reminded to send their schedules to schedule at wwzc dot org as soon as is possible.
On Saturday, November 10th, associate and general students may attend a sitting held in the Zendo. Arrival time is 9:15 a.m. (in time for First Bell). The sitting ends at 11:30 a.m. Students attending are reminded to remain on the first floor.
Daiko-ki
November 18th is the Memorial for the death of Anzan Daiko zenji.
Dharma Assembly
On Saturday, November 17th, Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho will lead a Dharma Assembly which will begin at 9:30 a.m. (please arrive by 9:15, in time for first Bell) and will end at 9:00 p.m. Dana is $40.00, which includes two meals: lunch and supper. Participants are asked to bring clothing and shoes appropriate for samu practice. To register, please send an email to schedule at wwzc dot org or leave a message on the office answering machine at 562-1568. Dharma Assemblies are open to all students.
Note: The 9:30 a.m. general sitting that would ordinarily take place on November 17th is cancelled owing to the Dharma Assembly.
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.
Gillian Higenbottam sat a one and a half-day retreat from Saturday, October 13th to Sunday, October 14th. Tarik Kaya sat a one-day retreat on Saturday, October 13th.
To Schedule a Retreat
Please visit this Web page for information about scheduling a retreat and an explanation of the different kinds of retreat (duration and timing) you can sit: https://wwzc.org/retreats. Please note that retreats should be scheduled one week in advance.
Public students sitting retreats should send an email to schedule@wwzc.org to confirm they sat a retreat so that notice of it can be included in the eMirror. Please include the location of the retreat and the duration.
Fundraising goal: The estimates we have received for this roof work total $30,653.63 for replacement of all three roofs. We hope to engage the contractor to do the work in spring 2019, but this will depend on whether sufficient funds have been collected.
Amount raised to date: $5,330
Three roofs at Dainen-ji are in need of replacement in the next twelve months: the roof of the Osho-ryo at the rear of the building, and the roofs of the bay windows in the first floor library and the covered balcony on the west side.
The roof above the Osho-ryo is currently covered in tar and gravel, an old roofing system that is in need of replacement with a modern membrane. UV light has (dried and) damaged quite a bit of the tar, especially at the edges of the roof, creating a danger of leaks. A leak into the Osho-ryo via the chimney flashing was patched recently. Due to sagging of the roof structure over time, water is pooling in a low spot that is no longer draining properly. This will be remedied with the installation of a new membrane. The old flashing has pulled away from the building and has been repaired many times, as you can see from the photos. Old wires and other fittings need to be removed safely or secured properly.
Detail of Osho-ryo roof showing flashing in poor repair,
unsecured wires, and the deterioration of the old tar and gravel covering
Detail of Osho-ryo roof showing failing flashing
and past patching; green is moss growing on gravel roof surface
The roofs of the bay window of the first-floor library and the covered balcony are made of metal and are very old. They are rusty, and the leaking joints and flashing have been patched with tar many times over the years. These roofs will be replaced with modern shingles or a membrane as suitable. Both roofs have sprouted leaks numerous times in recent years, damaging materials for the suiseki arrangements stored there and putting books and other materials at risk in the first floor library.
Roof of covered balcony on west side of building
showing rusting metal surface and patched seams
Roof of first-floor library bay window showing past patching and rusting metal surface
If associate students are unable to attend the Thursday evening associate sitting, they may attend one of the general sittings to make up for the sitting they missed. General sittings are held on Monday evenings at 7:30 p.m. (first Bell is at 7:15) and Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m. (first Bell at 9:15 a.m.). Please send an email to request permission to attend one of these sittings.
Teisho presented at general and associate sittings which are part of a series need to be listened to in the correct order and with none missed out. If you miss a sitting please borrow a copy of the missed teisho from the library or download it from the WWZC Media Site as soon as possible, so that the continuity of what is being presented is not disrupted. The weekly list of recorded teisho played at sittings is posted on the web site at:
https://wwzc.org/recorded-teachings-schedule
Students can access the password-protected online Recorded Teachings library on the WWZC website at https://wwzc.org/recorded-teachings or through the streaming site at http://app.wwzc.org. The custom-built media streaming site allows students to live stream recordings from the WWZC Recorded Teachings collection. It is optimized for use on smartphones and tablets, and works with most modern browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. It can also be used on desktops.
While most of the online Recorded Teachings library is password-protected and only accessible to students of Zen Master Anzan Hoshin, a small selection of MP3 recordings of teisho are accessible to the public at https://wwzc.org/recorded-teachings. Additional recordings will be uploaded periodically.
MP3 recordings of five teisho are currently available:
On Saturday, September 22nd, Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho-ajari presented "The Whole World is Already Ready", Dharma Talk 2 in the series "All Around, All At Once".
Direct link to transcript of Dharma Talk: https://wwzc.org/dharma-text/all-around-all-once-part-2-whole-world-already-ready
Direct link to MP3 recording (accessible to students): https://wwzc.org/recorded-teachings/all-around-all-once
Each Sunday afternoon (except during O-sesshin and Sesshin), Caretaking Council (Saigyo tando, Fushin shramon and Endai shramon) do samu from 1:30p.m to 4:30p.m. on the various small projects required around the monastery. There are always a great many tasks that need to be done and so any students are welcome and encouraged to come to Dainen-ji to join the monastics in caretaking practice. If you would like to partake in the samu practice on Sundays please write to Saigyo tando at saigyo.cross@gmail.com.
by Ven. Shikai Zuiko sensei
Continuing on with “Painted Cakes: A Zen Dictionary” a limited edition text written by Anzan Hoshin roshi in the 1980s and last revised in 1994.
Saijo-kijo (J); View of Perfect Practice.
Questions can be sent to me, Shikai sensei, at shikai.sensei@gmail.
Dogen zenji taught in the Tenzokyokun 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 osho serves as tenzo and Mishin ino and Saigyo tando offer assistance as tenzo-anja.
Monday Yakuseki:
Fried rice (Thai white rice, chopped red and green peppers, scallions, hoisin and vegetarian oyster sauce, shoyu, ginger; dai gai choy and Chinese celery soup (dai gai choy, Chinese celery stalks and leaves chopped, white onion chopped, ginger, shaoshing, shoyu, vegetable stock, deep-fried tofu triangles); baechu kimchi.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Fish chowder (cubed Yukon gold potatoes, chopped leeks, whole kernel corn, halibut, cod, shrimp, bacon cut into small pieces and pre-cooked, savory, rosemary, lots of black pepper, fermented shrimp paste); coleslaw (sliced green cabbage, carrots and white onion, lime juice, mayonnaise, horseradish, salt and pepper); baguettes.
Thursday Yakuseki:
Farfalle pasta with a mushroom sauce (crimini mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, white wine, garlic, thyme, rosemary, basil, oregano, goat cheese); deep-fried tofu with butter and chili sauce; gai lan stems and leaves and bok choy sauteed with butter.
Baking by Shikai sensei:
Molasses raisin cookies; oat cakes.
If you would like to thank someone for a contribution they have made, please feel free to send an email to Jinmyo osho at rengezo at Gmail dot com, but be sure to type "eMirror" in the subject line.
From Saigyo tando:
Thank you to the Roshi and Jinmyo osho for picking up food and supplies for retreatants, residents and events, several times each week. Thank you to Shikai sensei for excellent oatcakes and molasses cookies baked for residents. Thank you to Jinmyo osho for finding excellent new bowls for the dining hall. Thank you to Mishin ino for investigating and implementing a more effective scheduling system for practice interview with students. Thank you to Fushin shramon, Endai shramon, Leonardo Nobrega, Sarah Goul and Hannah Kent for assistance with removing the window bug screens in the building to prepare for window washing.
From Endai shramon:
Thank you to Jinmyo osho for instruction in daisan and on use of the mokugyo and inkin. Thank you to Mishin ino and Saigyo tando for dealing with various contractors hired to repair the sagging floor in an area of the monastery, to upgrade the doorbell system, and to clean the windows.
From Hannah Kent:
Thank you to Anzan Hoshin roshi for the peaceful and beautiful environment at Dainen-ji and for allowing me to use office space here. Thank you to Shikai sensei and Jinmyo osho for daisan.
From the Office of the Treasurer:
Thank you to Gillian Higenbottam, Brian Lakeman, and Mohamed Zakzouk for donations towards the roof repair fund.
Dainen-ji, being a 140-year-old building, is continuously in need of maintenance and the costs associated with this can be astronomical when such things as porch repairs or exterior painting are needed. This is something that we cannot afford to do, yet must do and so the "All is Change" project has been created. The "All is Change" project is very simple. Most of us have a bowl or a jar or some other kind of container that we keep somewhere at home and fill up with loose change because it's too heavy to carry around. Several hundred dollars has been collected so far both in loose change and Canadian tire money which has been put towards the building maintenance fund. If anyone would like to contribute to this fund, each penny will be appreciated. The “All is Change” container is on the wooden wall shelf under the Sangha Board in the cloak room.
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