First snow

 

eMirror Vol. 11, No. 47

Friday, November 23rd, 2007

Edited by Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho

 

 

Quotes from teisho are run sequentially in the eMirror

 

We can use every event, every moment, to uncover ourselves and come out into the open. We can use [the presence of] self-pity or lust or anger or spite to recognize the space that opens in ten directions all around them. As the Vimalakirti sutra said, "even the four distortions and the eighty-four thousand delusions that afflict living beings do the work of Awakening them." The very presence of contraction can be used to unravel what has gathered and congealed so that the energy of the state can be integrated into whole bodymind. This is wonderful. Dogen zenji says, "There is no universe that we can know that is not a Field of Awakening." There is no experience that cannot be an opportunity to open, an opening into the space that it arises within.

 

- Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, continuing teisho 3: "Fields of Awakening" in the the teisho series "Five Fingers, Ten Directions: Commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji's text 'Jippo'", presented Sunday, May 13, 2001.

 

 

Upcoming Events

 

Fusatsu and the Vow of Samantabhadra

Chanting of the Precepts will take place on December 12th and 26th. The Vow of Samantabhadra will be chanted on November 28th and December 19th.  

 

Samu Weekend

The final samu weekend of 2007 will be taking place over this weekend. There will be a variety of projects taking place over the weekend and although the schedule is not yet finalized the tasks are likely to include; winterizing the building, including installing plastic film on many windows and improving insulation in several areas; completing the insulation of large portion of the attic floor; installing the new Shuryo shelving built during the last samu weekend. Please make every effort to attend some or all of this weekend. Your help in maintaining and improving the monastery benefits a great number of people in countless ways. To register, please send an email to saigyo at telecomottawa dot net or telephone the Zen Centre office to leave a message at 613-562-1568. 

 

Rohatsu O-sesshin

Rohatsu O-sesshin will begin at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 1st and will end at at 8:00 a.m., December 8th, following the ceremony of Jodo-e which commemorates the Buddha's Awakening. Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi will continue the current teisho series "Doing Not-Doing part two: Commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji's Kyojukaimon and Fusatsu".

            On Saturday, December 1st, the 6:00 a.m. formal sitting and the 9:30 a.m. general sitting will take place as scheduled.

            On Saturday December 8th the 6:00 a.m. formal sitting and the 9:30 general sitting are cancelled.

 

                       

Shukke-Tokudo

At 7:00 p.m., Saturday, December 8th, Chunen ino will be acknowledged as a taiko or monastic senior. Ven. Chunen Rampal ino has been a student of the Roshi since 1996. He received postulant vows for monastic ordination following the May 1999 Sogaku-ki O-sesshin, and received Transmission as a practice advisor during the Joya (New Year's celebration) of 1999/2000. He began training in the monastic post of Chiden on May 22nd, 2003. He received ordination as a full monastic on May 24th, 2002. On July 18, 2004 he began training in the monastic training post of Tando. On February 17th, 2006, he was appointed to the training post of Ino by the Roshi. He has now completed five years of training as a full monastic. Chunen ino will reaffirm the precepts and then will present a Senior's Dharma Talk.

            Seating is limited so please register early by sending an email to schedule at wwzc dot com or by leaving a message on the Zen Centre office answering machine at 613-562-1568.

 

A Note to Preliminary and Public Students Concerning O-sesshin

During an O-sesshin the schedule is such that there is no time to meet face to face with preliminary students or to reply to email correspondence sent by public students. Public students are asked to send their weekly or bi-weekly practice journals, as these will be reviewed. But unless there is something that needs an immediate reply, you will not receive an email reply until the week following the O-sesshin.

 

Dainen-ki

December 12th is the anniversary of the day on which the Roshi’s Teacher, Ven. Yasuda Joshu Dainen roshi died.

 

Hermitage

The Roshi will begin a period of hermitage on Wednesday, December 12th, which will end at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, December 16th, when he leads monastics in Acalanatha Sadhana.

 

Oryoki for General Students

On Saturday, December 15th, 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.

 

Joya (New Year's Celebration)

On Monday, December 31st at 10 p.m. until Tuesday, January 1st at 12:00 a.m. we will celebrate Joya or New Year's. Join Zen Master Anzan Hoshin, Ven. Shikai osho and Ven. Jinmyo osho and the monastics of the Northern Mountain Order in ringing in the New Year with 108 recitations of the Mahaprajnaparamita Hridaya sutra mantra. Following the sitting there will be an array of shojin-ryori (Zen vegetarian cuisine) dishes for an informal feast. There is no better way to begin the year. Dana is $25. Please register by sending an email to or telephone the Zen Centre office (613) 562-1568.

            The Tuesday 6:00 a.m. formal sitting is cancelled.

 

Introduction to Zen Workshop

Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho will present the next Introduction to Zen Workshop at Dainen-ji on Saturday, January 5th. 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.  

 

 

Recorded Teisho Schedule

Monday, November 26th general sitting - Bright Right Through: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Commentaries on Dogen zenji's "Muchu Setsumu": "The Path of the Sky" (teisho 2 of 11).

Tuesday, November 27th formal sitting - Mikkyo-zo: Monastic Jishu: "Jnanasattva" (class 12 of 15).

Saturday, December 1st associate sittings - Immo: Suchness: Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's commentaries on Eihei Dogen zenji's Immo: "Sky and Ground (or Just Lucky, I Guess)" (teisho 5 of 18).

 

White Wind Zen Community Website Updates

A Dharma Talk presented by Ven. Shikai Zuiko osho entitled "Every Breath You Take" has been posted on the Website. The direct link is:  http://www.wwzc.org/dharmaTalks/Home-EveryBreathYouTake.htm

 

A Dharma Talk presented by Ven. Chunen ino entitled "It's Worse Than you Realize, but Better Than You Think" on the subject of the Four Noble Truths has been posted on the Website. The direct link is:

http://www.wwzc.org/ItsWorseThanYouRealize.htm

 

 

Training Session

Michael Hammond completed a one-week training session in his home in Cornwall, PEI. He began on the evening of Tuesday, November 13th and ended on the morning of November 20th, sitting two evening rounds of zazen and four morning rounds of zazen each day.

Retreats

 

Francois Fournier began a retreat on Friday evening which ended on Sunday evening at 6. Nathan Comeau sat a two-day retreat on Saturday and Sunday. Samantha Drouin sat a one-day retreat on Saturday. Jennifer Comeau ended a one-week retreat on Sunday evening. Alexis Fiset sat a one-day retreat on Sunday. John McCaffrey began a one-week retreat on Saturday. Roger Clark sat a one-day retreat on Wednesday.

 

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 rengezo at vianet dot ca, 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.

 


Samu Weekend

The final samu weekend of 2007 will be taking place on November 24th and 25th. There will be a variety of projects taking place over the weekend and although the schedule is not yet finalized the tasks are likely to include; winterizing the building, including installing plastic film on many windows and improving insulation in severals areas; completing the insulation of large portion of the attic floor; tidying the grounds; installing the new Shuryo shelving built during the last samu weekend. Please make every effort to attend some or all of this weekend. Your help in maintaining and improving the monastery benefits a great number of people in countless ways.

                                     

 

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. The following meals were prepared on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings, prior to sittings:

 

Monday Yakuseki

Huge (about the size of a zafu) Korean cabbage, cored, pierced, drenched with a mixture of extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic and then slow roasted; Yukon gold fingerling potatoes, boiled, tossed with butter and parsley; large clusters of oyster mushrooms roasted whole with chile oil; chunks of yellow bell and cubanelle peppers, large pitted black olives, and rectangles of tofu roasted with sweet chile sauce.

 

Tuesday Yakuseki

Chili with minced beef, kidney beans, pigeon peas, black-eyed peas, Spanish onion, red and yellow and green bell peppers, cubanelle and poblano and banana peppers, garlic, ginger, jalapeno, chipotle, cumin and white mustard seeds, epazote and oregano, diced plum tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes and passata; fresh baked Cuban bread; roasted shitake mushrooms with truffle oil; Cuban salad of roasted cabbage, thinly sliced red onion and radish, dressed with toasted cumin powder and lime juice.

 

Thursday Yakuseki

Chickpeas, Spanish onion, poblano and cubanelle and red bell peppers, and cabbage in a peanut sate curry with toasted cumin and white mustard seeds, roasted chile, lime juice; asparagus with roasted chile oil and ponzu; large cremini mushrooms roasted with tikka curry; mixed grain (Lundberg Farm short grain brown rice, barley, Korean white and brown sticky rice, gohan, kasha, red and white quinoa, millet, arborio, brown and white basmati rice); Lebanese cucumbers biased-sliced and marinated in ngoc mam, lime. and mirin.

 

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, but be sure to type  "eMirror" in the subject line.

 

From Jinmyo osho: Thank you to the Roshi for the many hours he has spent researching and learning about Linux, which made the transition from Microsoft and Mac systems to Linux Ubuntu much simpler for monastics. The Roshi has also begun to learn the Python programming language so that he can eventually develop further resources for us. Now that eight of the monastery's computers are using Ubuntu, we have eliminated the expense of continuously upgrading hardware and software and those funds can be put to better use to benefit the Sangha. Thank you to Senbo shuso for his work on the forthcoming Practice Calendar.

From Saigyo chiden: Thank you to Graham Mayeda for organizing the pick up of a CD cabinet for the archiving room. The cabinet was in Toronto and so Graham took it apart there, packed it into his car and put it together earlier this week. Thank you to Nathan Krahn for a variety of samu tasks including keeping the bird-feeder filled regularly, shoveling snow, picking up supplies and tending the grounds; to George Rigby for helping to clear the attic in preparation for work over the Samu Weekend and to Nathan Comeau for creating the weekly teisho poster. Thank you to Cesar Aloe and Jennifer Comeau for samu. 

From Senbo shuso: Thank you to the Roshi and Jinmyo osho for the sometimes complex task of taking into account students' dietary restrictions when designing menus; to Shikai osho for frequent and much appreciated "on the spot informal daisan" where very appropriate topics are discussed; to Saigyo chiden for the gift of a beautiful set of calligraphy brushes.

 

Comings and Goings

Mishin tando left on a work-related trip to Jamaica on Wednesday morning. She will return on November 30th.

 


 

Ongoing

 

Training Sessions and Short Residential Training Periods for Associate and General Students

There are a number of options available to associate and general students who wish to practice more intensively, such as sitting a full or partial retreat for one or several days, or extending their practice at home to include two or three rounds.

            In addition, associate or general students may register for a "training session". This requires making a commitment to a one-week, month-long, or three month period during which they would attend all of the formal sittings at the monastery, morning and evening with the exception of Tuesday evening and Sunday morning (which are reserved for formal students and monastics) while continuing to live at home. The training sessions are intended to allow students to experience what it is like to participate in the monastery’s full schedule. Formal sittings are led by Roshi and include chanting practice and more extensive use of the forms. Students engaging in a training session would also have more opportunities to meet with Dharma Teachers or practice advisors to discuss their practice. At the end of a training session, students would return to their normal schedule. There would be no extra dana involved in practising a training session.

            With the Undo serving as a dormitory space students can register for periods of residential training at Dainen-ji for anywhere from overnight to several weeks. This involves attending the practice schedule, evening meals, participation in regular soji (cleaning the practice halls) and samu (care-taking). During the days one would go to one’s job or could do extra sitting and study outside of a retreat schedule. The dana for this is $40 a day; work scholarships can also be arranged.

            To register for a training session or residential training, please send an email to schedule at wwzc dot org or telephone the Zen Centre office at (613) 562-1568 and leave a message.

              When scheduling a training session, please remember not to include dates that fall within a sesshin or an O-sesshin.

 

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. Many hundreds of 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.

 

 

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