Byodo-ji, a Koyasan Shingon temple in Anan, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan
Byodo-ji, a Koyasan Shingon temple in Anan, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan
eMirror Vol 26, No. 42
Friday, October 14th, 2022
Edited by the Practice Council
The White Wind Zen Community:
An international community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985.
My own training involved later working on translations of the two main collections, the Hekiganroku and Shoyoroku with both Joshu roshi and his own Teacher Daiji roshi, gathering their appended verses or comments or questions, and having to add my own with their approval.
As I understand it, in the Daitoku-ji stream of the Rinzai Lineage, koan study in sanzen or dokusan eventually involves not only choosing appropriate jakugo or capping phrases from the Zenrin Kushu to each koan but also written assignments. From the beginning of studying the first koan in their first series, the Mumonkan, answering the first question brings forth two checking point questions or sassho that must be answered with jakugo. After working through the various series initially, the koan are worked through again but this time the monk must present their Teacher with kakiwake which are written expressions of one’s understanding of the koan which are marked and graded by the Master with a red pen and then returned to the monk for any needed revisions. Following this the student must present nenro are four line verses of either five or seven characters a line which must be written in Chinese rather than in Japanese.
The forms of koan practice and study vary from Lineage to Lineage and throughout the various streams and houses within those Lineages. However this process is engaged, when it is thorough-going, one understands the Lineage from the inside, from their intimate perspective, from the vantage of what presented itself as them and presents yourself and all beings. Dogen comments on this in Dotoku or Expressing the Way. He says, “Expressing Reality doesn't come from someone else nor is it something that you concoct on your own. Only when Ancestors have realized the Way is there the expressing of the transmission. From ancient times, this expressing was where practice and transmission1 could be found, and today it is strong practice in following the Way. When masters study the ancient masters, they study the expressing of those Ancestors from the inside. After three years, eight years, thirty years, forty years it can be expressed with all of its vividness. Usually it takes at least twenty or thirty years to be able to actualize this expressing with all of its power. This length of time brings about actual expression through total exertion. At the time of expressing it, however many decades pass, there is no gap in this moment of expression.”
1 Shokyu.
-Ven Anzan Hoshin roshi, continuing Class Six: "The Mind Is Not 'The' Mind" in the series "Zen Arts: The Flowering of the Senses", October 1999 Daruma-ki O-sesshin, Dainen-ji.
Fusatsu: October 26th, November 9th, November 23rd.
Introduction to Zen Workshop
The next Introduction to Zen Workshop will take place on Saturday, November 5th, at 1:45 p.m. To register for the next workshop: https://IntroductionToZenWorkshop.eventbrite.ca
For more information please see:
https://wwzc.org/introduction-zen-workshop-ottawa
For information concerning our Long-distance Training Program, please visit this Web Page: https://wwzc.org/long-distance-training-program
November Two-day Sesshin
The November two-day sesshin will begin at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, November 11th and end on Sunday, November 13th at 6:00 p.m.
Hermitage:
The Roshi is continuing an extended period of "self-isolation" due to underlying health issues until the COVID-19 situation clarifies.
Beginning Instruction in Zen Practice for Those Living Outside of Commuting Distance of the Monastery:
For information concerning our Long-distance Training Program, please visit this Web Page: https://wwzc.org/long-distance-training-program
For General Students:
General students should attend a minimum of one formal sitting every week as well as the Saturday general sitting. Please use the following registration links:
Register for the Saturday general sitting:
https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/general-sittings-1267259
Register for at least one Formal sitting:
https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/formal-sittings-monday-thursday-and-saturday-1267239
General students may attend the Saturday formal sitting at 6:00 a.m. beginning with the October 15th sitting. Please arrive by First Bell at 5:45.
General students should also attend the Saturday general sitting at 9:30 a.m. beginning with the October 15th sitting. Please arrive by First Bell at 9:15.
Please note that formal sittings are held Monday through Thursday early mornings and Saturday early morning. If you are unable to attend on a particular week, please email schedule@wwzc.org to let us know.
If you wish to stay for breakfast between the two Saturday sittings
Please email schedule@wwzc.org. The fee for breakfast is $5.00.
For Associate Students:
Associate students may attend one associate sitting each week.
Register for either the Monday evening or Thursday evening associate sitting:
https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/associate-sittings-1267249
Associate students are expected to attend the same sitting every week (i.e. every Monday or every Thursday). If you are unable to attend on a particular week, please email schedule@wwzc.org to let us know.
Associate students may attend the Monday associate sitting at 7:30 p.m. beginning with the October 17th sitting. Please arrive by First Bell at 7:15 p.m.
or:
Associate students may attend the Thursday evening associate sitting at 7:30 p.m. beginning with the October 20th sitting. Please arrive by First bell at 7:15.
Congratulations and deep gassho to Pablo Melchor of Majadahonda, Spain who has been accepted as a general public student.
Rev. Chiso anagarika sat her weekly semi-retreat on Tuesday, October 12th at her home in the Berkshires.
If you 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 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.
Saturday, October 15th to Saturday, October 22nd
Saturday, October 15th: “Wild Time: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on “Uji: Being Time” by Eihei Dogen zenji: “Stonehead and Sore Knees” (teisho 10 of 11, 29 minutes)
Sunday, October 16th: SAkN: "The Anatomy of Awakening" by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi: "The Matter of Consciousness" (teisho 6 of 9)
Monday, October 17th: "What Does It Take to Become Buddha?" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei (16 minutes)
Thursday, October 20th: "What Does It Take to Become Buddha?" by Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei (16 minutes)
Saturday, October 22nd: “Wild Time: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on “Uji: Being Time” by Eihei Dogen zenji: “Going Forth” (teisho 11 of 11, 40 minutes)
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.
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
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.
Begun by Ven. Shikai Zuiko o-sensei
Finished by Rev. Fushin Comeau shramon following her death
Tenkien (J): The monk on night duty (fire watch) in a monastery.
Posted October 7th, 2022. New entries are posted every two weeks.
Dogen zenji taught in the 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.
Meals Prepared for Practitioners
During the Daruma-ki O-sesshin (continued):
Friday:
Breakfast: Rice and eggs.
Lunch: Calrose rice garnished 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: Korean rice with sweet potatoes (calrose, arborio, barley, mixed with sauteed sweet potatoes, chopped Spanish onion, minced garlic); Napa cabbage soup (chopped Napa cabbage, shiru miso, minced garlic, shoyu, deep-fried tofu); blanched green beans seared with strips of onion, minced garlic, salt and black pepper.
Saturday:
Breakfast: Cabbage congee (seared thinly sliced green cabbage, leftover calrose and arborio rice, slivered ginger, chopped scallions, shoyu, white pepper); scrambled eggs.
Lunch: Thai jasmine rice garnished with sauteed daikon in chile sauce; spicy wakame seaweed soup (leftover strained miso shiru broth and shiitake mushrooms, wakame, ginger, shoyu, roasted chile oil), with silken tofu; kimchi.
Supper: White and brown basmati rice; tamarind curry (chopped Spanish onion, poblano and red bell peppers, gailan, brown lentils, minced ginger, coconut milk, tamarind concentrate, tamarind curry paste, turmeric, cayenne, salt); coleslaw (julienne green cabbage, white onion, carrot, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, lime juice, salt, pepper, black mustard and cumin seeds popped in canola oil).
Sunday:
Breakfast: Fried “crazy rice” (leftover basmati and Lundberg brown rice, green peas, Spanish onion, chopped red bell pepper, leftover tamarind curry, leftover scrambled eggs).
The following meals were prepared on
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings
Monday Yakuseki:
Brown and white Jasmine rice; dal (red lentils, chopped onion, diced carrots, chopped coriander, vegetable stock, tomato paste, garam masala, zafrani masala (black pepper, roasted cumin seeds, cloves, mace, caraway seeds, nutmeg, bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, saffron); tomato salad with a dressing made from mayonnaise mixed with mango chutney; toasted naan with butter.
Tuesday Yakuseki:
Vegetarian option: sauteed semi-firm tofu braised in a sauce made with chipotle, barbecue sauce, cumin, with sauteed onions; calrose short grain rice; coleslaw (julienned green cabbage, white onion, carrot, mayonnaise, lime juice, dijon mustard, horseradish, salt, black pepper, yellow mustard and cumin seeds toasted in rice bran oil).
For those who wished to supplement their diet with meat: skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs roasted with a dry rub made from garlic and onion powder, smoked paprika, Madras curry powder, bran oil,
Thursday Yakuseki:
Bean burgers with roasted portobello mushrooms (bean burgers made from toasted black beans, brown lentils, chickpeas, pea protein, soy granules, tapioca starch, Marmite, cocoa powder, garlic and onion powder, smoked paprika, beetroot powder, lots of black pepper; roasted portobello mushrooms seasoned with smoked paprika, salt and pepper, topped with optional dairy or non-dairy cheese); toppings of sliced tomato, lettuce, sliced red onion and sliced kosher dills; corn chips.
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 the Roshi for his collection of poetry contained in the upcoming reprinting of “The Sky Itself” which will contain some poems not previously published. Thank you to deshi Senbo for driving Shindo (the most senior monastery cat) to the cat dentist and back during rush hour traffic and for preparing signs for the front and side gates.
From David Gallant:
Thank you to Saigyo ino for writing up detailed instructions for myself and Leonardo for the jikido forms in the Hatto and Zendo.
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