Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, 1988,

photograph by Ven. Shikai Zuiko osho

 

eMirror Vol. 11, No. 2

Friday, January 12th, 2007

Edited by Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho

 

 


Quotes from teisho are run sequentially in the eMirror

 

These are very, very simple points about practice, about sitting posture and kinhin, but they are essential. And I cannot help but notice over and over and over again that you do not notice these points over and over and over again in each moment. And unless you are alive to these details and are allowing these details to be ways of knowing into the space of your experience, everything else that I might say has merely the inspirational value of a Hallmark card; it is not something that you can actually apply. It is important to realize that the efforts of the entire Lineage in bringing you the Teachings of the practice of realization is dependent on how you step in kinhin. It’s as simple as that.

 

      Allow the postures of zazen and kinhin in their simplicity to point to the richness and dignity of all of your movements, your postures of walking, sitting, standing, and lying down throughout all of your moments and days. But more importantly, use these postures and all of the other forms of practice as a means to align not only the muscles, the tendons, the skeletal structure; not only the total energy of bodymind or ki, but the movement of attention and all of the ways in which the bodymind is alive as a process of knowing. Use all of these as a means of feeling into the activity of Aware Space.

 

      Please, this morning, enjoy yourselves.

 

- Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, concluding teisho 3: “Flowing” in the “Sitting and Walking” series of teisho presented on April 11th, 1993 at Zazen-ji.

 

Upcoming Events

 

Fusatsu and the Vow of Samantabhadra

Chanting of the Precepts will take place on January 17th. The Vow of Samantabhadra will be chanted on January 24th and 31st.    

 

Two-day Sesshin

The January two-day sesshin will begin at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, January 12th and will end at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 14th. Roshi will continue the teisho series "Doing Not-Doing: Commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji's Shoaku Makusa.

            On Saturday, January 13th, associate and general students may attend a sitting held in the Zendo, which will begin at 9:30 a.m. (please arrive by 9:15 in time for first Bell) and will end at 11:30 a.m.

 

Oryoki for General Students

On Saturday, January 20th, general students who attend the 6:00 a.m. formal sitting may participate in oryoki practice led by Jinmyo osho. Associate or visiting public students who are in retreat at the monastery on that day may also participate in oryoki. Dana is $10.00. You do not need previous experience of oryoki to attend. For more information or to register please send an email to schedule@wwzc.org.

 

Dharma Assembly

The next Dharma Assembly will take place on January 27th and will be led by Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho. The Dharma Assembly will begin at 9:30 a.m. (please arrive by 9:15, in time for first Bell) and will end at 9:10 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@wwzc.org or leave a message on the office answering machine at 562-1568. Dharma Assemblies are open to all students.

          The general sitting that would ordinarily take place from 9:30 to 11:40 on Saturday morning will be cancelled due to the Dharma Assembly.

 

Hermitage

The Roshi will begin a period of hermitage on Wednesday, January 31st, which will end on Sunday, February 4th at 10:00 a.m. when he leads monastics in Acalanatha Sadhana.

 

Introduction to Zen Workshop

Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho will present the next Introduction to Zen Workshop at Dainen-ji on Saturday, February 3rd. For more information please see:

http://www.wwzc.org/programs/Introduction_To_Zen_Workshop_Ottawa.htm.

            For information concerning our Long-distance Training Program, please visit this Web Page:

http://www.wwzc.org/programs/longDistance.htm.

 

 

Change in Training Posts

During the Joya, the Roshi announced that Mishin tando and Saigyo chiden have moved to higher major training posts.

 

Recorded Teisho Schedule

Saturday, January 13th associate sitting – This World of Ten Directions: “Each Flake of Snow Is Snow” (teisho 3 of 10).

Monday, January 15th general sitting – Without Difficulty: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin’s commentaries on “Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness” by Jianzhi Sengcan: “Not For or Against” (teisho 4 of 25).

Tuesday, January 16th formal sitting – Being Between-Being: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin’s Teachings on practising throughout the process of death: “Practicing Between-Being” (teisho 4 of 6).

Thursday, January 18th associate sitting – This World of Ten Directions: “Frost and Snow” (teisho 4 of 10).

Saturday, January 13th associate sitting – This World of Ten Directions: “Each Flake of Snow Is Snow” (teisho 3 of 10).

Saturday, January 6th general sitting – Sitting Up Straight: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin’s commentaries on Keizan Jokin zenji’s “Zazen Yojinki”: “Penetrating Zen” (teisho 10 of 17).

 

Media Site

The media site has been unavailable recently. It is expected that the problems will be fixed by the end of next week.

 

 

New Publication

“Freedom and Tyranny: A series of Dharma Talks and Zen Mondo presented by Ven. Shikai Zuiko osho” is now available in Myomaku, the monastery’s library, and will soon be available for purchase on the Great Matter web page (http://www.wwzc.org/gm.htm) as a perfect bound, 215 pages, 5.5” by 8.5” paperback or PDF ebook version.

 

Congratulations

Congratulations and deep gassho to Nathan Krahn on being accepted as an associate public student by the Roshi. Nathan is a resident of Calgary, Alberta.

 

Retreats

David Kelleher sat a half-day retreat on Saturday. Ian Hepburn sat a partial retreat on Saturday. Francois Fournier sat a two-day retreat on Saturday and Sunday. Probationary deshi Zantui Rose sat a one-day retreat on Thursday.

 

To Schedule a Retreat

Please email schedules@wwzc.org to schedule a retreat, even if you have made verbal arrangements with a practice advisor or a Dharma Teacher. Emails sent to that address are routed to all members of the Practice Council who will need this information for the purposes of meal planning, preparing tapes for your retreat and planning samu assignments. Retreats are defined in the following way:

 

Half-day Retreat (you would need to arrive 15 minutes before the actual starting time) Begin at 6:00 a.m., end at noon. Or begin at 9:30 a.m., end at 6:00. Or begin at 3:00 p.m., end at 9:10.

Partial Retreat (You would need to arrive 15 minutes before the actual starting time) Begin at 6:00 a.m., end at 6:00 p.m. Or begin at 9:30 a.m., end at 9:10 p.m.

Full retreat (you would need to arrive by 5:45) Begin at 6:00 a.m., end at 9:10 p.m. Please remember to bring a change of clothes suitable for samu (caretaking practice). If staying overnight, please remember to bring a sleeping bag, a towel and other such necessities. If you have been diagnosed by a medical doctor as having allergies to specific foods, please contact the tenzo, Jinmyo osho at Jinmyo@trytel.com a week in advance of your retreat to inform her of dietary restrictions as this affects food purchases and meal planning. The suggested dana for retreats is $40 a day, which covers the basic cost of food and other materials. Donations above this figure are very welcome and all donations are tax deductible. There is also a retreat schedule for public students posted on our Website at:

http://www.wwzc.org/Resources/Public.student.retreat.schedule.htm

Public Students’ Retreats

For retreats to be mentioned in the eMirror, public students are asked to send an email to schedule@wwzc.org mentioning the date of their retreat and whether it is a partial, half-day or full retreat.  

 

Dana Contributions for 2007:

Pre-authorized Remittance and Post-dated Cheques

At the start of each year, many students have helpfully provided a series of post-dated cheques for their monthly dana. If you would like to make dana arrangements for 2007 confirm or confirm whether your stock of cheques has run out, and, please contact Mishin tando at Mishin@trytel.com  This year there is also the option of arranging for pre-authorized dana contributions: you will know the exact debit date (the 20th or 21st of each month) and no longer have to wonder if your supply of cheques has run out. The benefits to White Wind Zen Community are that it evens out the cash flow and reduces the administrative samu needed to process dana process. Whichever method you prefer for dana contributions, your donations are essential for meeting high monthly expenses (e.g. mortgage, utility, renovations and repairs) and maintaining the practice environment. Thank you to students who contributed regular dana and special gifts in 2006, enabling us to undertake a number of essential repairs and improvements to the practice environment. -Gassho, Mishin tando, Administrator & Treasurer

 

Samu Weekend

The first samu weekend of 2007 is scheduled to take place over the 24th and 25th of February. Please mark this in your calendar so that you will be able to attend some or all of the two days of work practice.

Thank you. Gassho, Saigyo chiden, shissui

 

 

Office of the Tenzo

Dogen zenji taught that the work of preparing and serving meals was "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. The following is a list of meals prepared on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, prior to the evening sittings.

 

Monday yakuseki

Ziti with dan dan sauce, slivered ginger, and mung bean sprouts; dai gai choy(Chinese mustard greens), white onion, cotton tofu and atsuage tofu rectangles, thick slices of colossal white and cremini mushrooms braised with shoyu, sesame oil, and mirin; sliced plum tomatoes roasted with basil and Sichuan peppercorns.

 

Tuesday yakuseki

Roasted sweet potatoes, mashed and mixed with roasted corn, minced jalapeno, and Dijon mustard; pureed chipotle and adobo sauce; sautéed white onion, cubanelle pepper rings and orange and red bell pepper spears; green split-pea soup with smoked pork shoulder and green peppercorns; slaw of celery root, fennel, and red onion dressed with mayonnaise and lemon juice.

 

Thursday Yakuseki

Mixed grain (Lundberg Farms short-grain brown rice, barley, Korean brown and white sticky rice, Thai rice and wild rice); hot Chinese bean paste soup with white onion, Spanish onion, scallions, and red bell peppers; fritattas made with dan-dan ziti, mung bean sprouts, cubanelle and orange bell peppers; roasted tiny cremini mushrooms and oyster mushrooms with shoyu, sesame oil, and roasted chiles; salad of baby Shanghai bok choy with a lemon, mirin, and ginger oil-free dressing.

 

Monastery Breadbasket

4 dozen curry crackers; 4 loaves Cuban bread; 2 loaves white no knead bread

 

Students attending sittings on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings may make arrangements to join residents for meals prepared by the Office of the Tenzo. Please email schedule@wwzc.org at least one day in advance; Contribution is $10.

 

 

Thank You

If you would like to thank someone for a contribution they have made, please feel free to send an email to Jinmyo osho at jinmyo@trytel.com. (Owing to the volume of mail I receive, please note that an email sent to me containing a thank you intended for the eMirror should specify that it is to be included. Otherwise I will likely assume that you are just sending me an email, will think, "Thank you very much," and that will be the end of it).

 

From Shikai osho, “Thank you to Chunen ino for setting up a new printing system; to Senbo shramon for a blade sharpening tool; to Jido anagarika for a swell wall plug; to Jennifer Comeau for some interesting articles.”

From Jinmyo osho, “Thank you to Rob McBride for donating a book for the Shuryo.”

From Chunen ino, “Thank you to the Roshi for leading the monastics in the Acala Sadhana and in Shinrei every morning; to Shikai osho for loan of a large number of books and DVDs and for insight into cultural developments of the past several decades;  to Jinmyo osho for pointing out many small and humorous details on how to extend my practice; to Mishin tando for many hundred financial and administrative details and for contacting Collections Canada for to investigate archiving options; to Saigyo chiden for organizing several hours of samu for several students; to James MacAulay for work on the media site.”

From Mishin tando, “Thank you to the Roshi for the teisho ‘Wunan, Bunan. Just Do It!’ from the series ‘Without Difficulty: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on ‘Xinxin Ming: Words on Trusting Awareness" by Jianzhi Sengcan’; to Saigyo chiden for preparing the weekly schedule of recorded teisho to be played at sittings; to Tokushin for preparing the weekly poster with graphics showing the recorded teisho schedule; to Jane Brown and Ian Hepburn for weekly dana processing; to Charles Enman for looking after reshelving all the CDs and tapes returned to the First Floor Library every week.”

From Senbo shramon: “Thank you to Shikai osho for a fun trip to an Italian barber; to Chunen ino for installing a new printer for the archiving room; to Chunen ino and James MacAulay for their work on the media site; to Mishin tando for delicious breakfast and lunch almost every Saturday; to Saigyo chiden for renovations in the third floor spare room; to Saigyo chiden and François Fournier for building a hand rail for the side porch staircase; to Jido anagarika for Costco errands.”

 

 

Wish List

A Coleman stove for the monastery “power blackout” emergency kit.

An L-shaped desk (or a desk with an extension) for the Treasurers office

New fire escapes

Rural centre for intensive practice

 

 

 


Ongoing

 

Samu

Request for Assistance, Office of the Treasurer

As part of clarifying and streamlining the financial processes of White Wind Zen Community, we would like to have pairs of students rotate to help process dana contributions on a weekly basis. To date, most of this work has been done by Mishin tando with the assistance of one or two other students, but it is time to restructure the system so that the work of the Office of the Treasurer becomes more manageable and more students are helping with this responsibility. If you would be available on Saturdays prior to the General Sitting for about a hour (from 8:15-9:15 a.m.), your help will be appreciated. Please email mishin@trytel.com. Training will be provided. No special financial skills are needed other than an eye for detail and accuracy.

 

Archiving Samu

Since 2002 the teisho presented by the Roshi and the Dharma Talks given by the Dharma Teachers have been recorded directly onto CD and copies made available to students. Prior to this time all of the recordings were made on cassette tape. Over the last years the monastics, with the help of several students, have worked to transfer the taped material onto CD, not only because cassette tape technology is fast becoming outdated but because the early tape recordings are deteriorating quickly and may soon become unplayable. To lose these teaching would be disastrous. We are presently making direct CD copies of all of the early tapes so that there is a back-up copy available should anything happen to the master tape which makes it unplayable but there is much work to be done. There are still over 100 tapes from the 1980’s and 1990’s that need to be re-mastered, relabeled and copied and this constitutes many hundreds of hours of work. If you are able to commit to a regular weekly schedule of two or three hours samu to continue this vital work, please let us know by writing to tapes@wwzc.org. Full training will be given.

 

Daily Samu

Samu each day to prepare the monastery for the arrival of the students is a very important practice for the monastics. Any help to assist the monks with brightening and clarifying the practice environment is very much appreciated. If you are able to come early before a sitting to do samu, please consult the samu notice board situated between the side entrance doors to find a task which has not been done recently. If you have any questions about the task please ask any monastic.

 

CDs Available to the Public

A selection of CDs of teisho and Dharma Talks is available on our web-site. The page is found at http://wwzc.org/CDWebSales/CDWebSales.htm or follow the link for Dharma Texts and CDs on the home page. Over time more teisho and Dharma Talks from the over 2500 presentations made by the Roshi, Shikai osho and Jinmyo osho will be made available for purchase.

 

Ongoing Project: “All is Change”

Dainen-ji, being a 135-year-old building, is continuously in need of maintenance and the costs associated with this can be astronomical when such things as roof repairs or 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. Most of the collected money was spent on materials for the new front path and we have also been able to purchase several new tools which will help greatly with ongoing renovations. If anyone would like to contribute to this fund, each penny will be appreciated.

 

WWZC home

© 1999-2006 White Wind Zen Community. All rights reserved.