Sketch for a statue of Joshu Dainen daiosho

by Rev. Mudo Slota anagarika

 

eMirror Vol. 11, No. 29

Friday, July 20th, 2007

Edited by Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho

 


Quotes from teisho are run sequentially in the eMirror

 

In 1243, at the beginning of winter Eihei Dogen zenji sat in the drafts blowing through the decrepit walls and ceiling of Kippo-ji and concluded his presentation of Hossho. He said,

 

Sakyamuni Buddha said, “Form is suchness, nature is suchness.” So blossoming flowers and falling leaves are the nature of suchness. Foolish people, however, think that in the world of dharmata there are no blossoming flowers or falling leaves. Now, without asking anyone else, let your own doubt be an explicit standard. Try to address it as if it were an assertion made by someone else and question it three or four times and you’ll probably find your way through it. These assumptions were not evil, just thoughts present before there was clarity. In the moment of truly clarifying doubt, there is no thought of trying to get rid of it. Blossoming flowers and falling leaves are of themselves blossoming flowers and falling leaves. Even the thought that there are no blossoming flowers and falling leaves is dharmata. What a “thought” is cannot be conceptualized, it is dharmata as a thought. The totality of all our thoughts of dharmata has these features.

In the Lotus sutra, Sakyamuni Buddha says, “What is called ‘all dharmas’ is form as it is, the nature as it is.” Nyoze-so, nyoze-sho. So Dogen takes “nyoze” as “immo”, Suchness. Dharmata, the essential reality is nothing other than the blossoming and falling away of moments and motions. Everything and every thing is dharmata and everything and every thing is motion, arising and falling away. Those who have realized what is essentially real about themselves and all beings and about this world and all worlds have realized that there is no underlying substance. All forms are utterly empty and open. All experiences are opening from experiencing and emptying into experiencing but experiencing is not a container or a background; it is not a thing. As all experiences, all dharmas, are experiencing presenting itself as those things thus those things are not things at all because experiencing is not a thing. The nature of each thing is that it has no nature, the essence of each thing is that it is without an essence.

 

-Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, beginning teisho 6: “Coming Thus As Us” in the series “Essentially Real, commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji’s Hossho: Dharmata”. Presented on Saturday, January 22, 2005.

 

Upcoming Events

 

Fusatsu and the Vow of Samantabhadra

Chanting of the Precepts will take place on July 25th, August 15th and August  29th. The Vow of Samantabhadra will be chanted on August 1st, 8th and 22nd.

 

 

Oryoki for General Students

On Saturday, July 21st, 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 at wwzc dot org.

 

Dharma Assembly

On Saturday, July 28th, Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho will lead a Dharma Assembly entitled “Dealing With the Demon” which 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 at wwzc dot 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, August 1st, which will end on Sunday, August 12th, 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, August 4th. 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.  

 

August Two-day Sesshin

The August two-day sesshin will begin at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, August 10th and will end at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 12th. On Saturday, August 111th, 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.

 

Oryoki for General Students

On Saturday, August 18th, 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 at wwzc dot org.

 

Samu Weekend

The next Samu Weekend is scheduled to take place on August 25th and 26th.

 

Hermitage

The Roshi will begin a period of hermitage on August 29th which will end on Sunday, September 2nd, when he leads monastics in Acalanatha Sadhana.

 

Recorded Teisho Schedule

Saturday, July 21st general sitting – This World of Ten Directions: “Turning and Rolling” (teisho 7 of 10).

Sunday, July 22nd formal sitting - SAkN: Root Cycle 5: “Just This” (teisho 5 of 5).

Monday, July 23rd general sitting – Studying the Mystery: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin’s commentaries on Shitou Xiqian’s Sandokai: “Waking Up is Not a Matter of Up” (teisho 3 of 4).

Tuesday, July 24th formal sitting – Mikkyo-zo: Monastic Jishu: “Chu-u” (Class 4 of 15).

Thursday, July 26th associate sitting – The Realm of Appearances: “The Realm of Appearances” (teisho 3 of 3).

Congratulations

Congratulations and deep gassho to Guillaume Albert on being accepted as an associate student by the Roshi. Guillaume is a resident of Gatineau.

Retreats

Deshi Vicki Robichaud sat a partial retreat on Thursday and is sitting a partial retreat today (Friday) in her home on Gabriola Island. Francois Fournier began a two-day retreat this morning (Friday). Gillian Higenbottam is sitting a partial retreat today.

 

To Schedule a Retreat

Please email schedule at wwzc dot 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 at trytel dot 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 at wwzc dot org after they sit a retreat mentioning the date of their retreat and whether it is a partial, half-day or full retreat. Please also include the name of the city in which you live.

 

Summer Garden Work

During the summer months there is always work to be done in the grounds, including regular watering, weeding, planting, deadheading and tidying. If you can offer some time to help maintain the monastery grounds please contact Saigyo chiden at saigyo@telecomottawa.net or by leaving a message on the office answering machine at 613 562 1568

 

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. Jinmyo Renge osho serves as tenzo and Mishin tando and Saigyo chiden offer assistance as tenzo-anja. Meals served on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings, prior to the sitting:

 

Monday Yakuseki

Roasted Yukon Gold potatoes cut in halves or quarters and rubbed with curry and extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled with cumin seeds; red onion, red bell and cubanelle peppers, and meinjin strips in a sauce with shoyu, ginger, lemon grass, and lime leaves; colossal white mushrooms rubbed with tandoori paste and roasted; salad of of halved baby plum tomatoes, chopped green chiles, halved hot cherry peppers, scallion batons marinated in ngoc mam, mirin, and extra virgin olive oil.

 

Tuesday Yakuseki

Korean baby cabbages, sectioned and braised with pulled smoked turkey thighs in stock with white wine, juniper berries and coriander seeds; roasted quartered plum tomatoes with basil and oregano; roasted large cremini mushrooms with chiles; mixed grain (Lundberg Farm short grain brown rice, Indian millet, Korean white and brown sticky rice, gohan); slaw of jicama, white onion, and fennel with fennel seeds and dressed with mustard, mayonnaise, and lime juice.

 

Thursday Yakuseki

Fried grain cakes (Lundberg Farm short grain brown rice, gohan, pearl barley, Korean brown and white sticky rice, red and white quinoa, Indian millet) with wasabi mayonnaise dipping sauce; oyster mushrooms, dai gai choy, and puffed tofu in a soup with Xiaoxing; roasted white eggplant slices with sesame oil and togarashi; salad of roll-cut Lebanese cucumbers, dongchimi, kkudugi kimchi, and baby plum tomato quarters marinated in ngoc mam, mirin, and white kimchi juices.

 

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 at wwzc dot 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 rengezo at vianet dot ca. (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 Jinmyo osho, Thank you to the Roshi for the ongoing training of the bittersweet at the side entrance which would otherwise take over the cedar hedge;  to Mishin tando for utilizing the roof of the Shuryo to grow tomatoes; to Saigyo chiden for taking kitchen inventory twice a week, prior to shopping trips; to John McAffrey for purchasing a much-needed, excellent bread knife for the monastery Dining Hall.”

From Chunen ino, “Thank you to the Roshi for leading the monastics at Shinrei every morning, thank you to Shikai osho for preparing several wonderful breads each week, to Jinmyo osho for many reminders about practice, to John McCaffrey for researching a suitable storage facility for copies of Master CDs.”

From Mishin tando, "Thank you to the Roshi for the surprise of a vase of irises on the whale bone, on the ikebana shelf in the Hatto; to the Roshi and Jinmyo osho for delicious fried grain cakes with wasabi dipping sauce, part of the Thursday Yakuseki; to Nathan Comeau for administrative samu."

From Saigyo chiden, “Thank you to the Roshi and Jinmyo osho for the extraordinary meals they design and prepare for retreatants and residents each week. Thank you to Shikai osho for looking after the koi in the monastery ponds and for tending the herbs and new plantings in the grounds. Thank you to Chunen ino for taking care of the sleeping arrangements for retreatants and for cheerful assistance with any computer related questions and problems. Thank you to Mishin tando for ordering supplies of incense; to Senbo shuso for maintaining our supply of candles and to Jido anagarika for daily preparations of the candles for the Butsudan in the monastery. Thank you to Michael Landay for looking after the moss in the grounds, James MacAulay for continued work on the CD sales pages of the Website and to Nathan Comeau, Cary Carrington, Neil Porter, Charles Enman and Samantha Droin for regular samu.”

From Senbo shuso, "Thank you to Roshi for the teisho "Sit Through the Night, the Night is Bright Right Through" presented during Yaza; to Roshi and Jinmyo osho for the excellent early morning Yaza breakfast; to Shikai osho for the oatcakes served as refreshments during Yaza; to Chunen ino for his patient and tireless ongoing computer work and for always showing a good sense of humor; to Mishin tando for helping with some of the meals that retreatants are served; to Saigyo chiden for preparing work and overseeing students who come on a regular basis to do samu; to Guillaume Albert and Lucie Carignan for coming to my rescue when I had a bicycle problem on Monday evening, thus making it possible for me to return in time for the sitting."

From Elizabeth Katz, “Many thanks to Chunen ino for showing me how an old computer can be transformed into a fast and fully functional machine by installing Ubuntu on it.”


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 at trytel dot 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 at wwzc dot 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.

 

Improvements to the Second Floor Washroom

A project that has been on the high priory list for a number of years is the renovation of the second floor washroom. Even though this is the most frequently used washroom in the building it has never had any substantial improvements apart from being painted last year. Work on this washroom, which was scheduled to be taking place late this year or early next year, will again need to be delayed due to the necessity of a urgent roof repair to the west side of the roof. This repair will cost in the region of $13,000 and as this is considerably higher than our available budget we have had to cut back on other important work. Because of this, we have decided to fundraise in order to gather sufficient money to make the improvements to the washroom. The work to be done will include a new sink and cabinet and a new ceiling light, fan and exhaust. This will cost in the region of $1000 to complete. Students are encouraged to donate towards this project so that it can be scheduled some time in the winter and the improved facilities will be available by 2007. Improvements to this room will benefit every student that comes to the monastery for sittings.

Thank you for your generosity to help with this project.

Gassho,

Saigyo chiden, shissui.

 

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.

 

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