White Wind Zen Community

A Community practising and teaching Dogen’s Zen since 1985

Ven. Jinmyo Renge sensei

Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho standing in the garden at Dainen-ji

On the evening of Thursday, May 20th, 2021 during the May Sogakuki O-sesshin, Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho-ajari received Inka, or the Seal of Authenticity, as a Zen Teacher from Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi, and became his first Dharma-heir. As one who has received mind to mind transmission from the Roshi and holds the Lineage, Jinmyo Renge sensei is thus able to transmit this Lineage at all stages of practice, including transmitting monastic vows and passing on the transmission herself.

Jinmyo sensei has been a student of the Roshi since July of 1990 and was ordained as a monk of the Northern Mountain Order in December of the same year. She has trained in the time-honoured post of Tenzo since 1991 and has trained students in oryoki practice since 1992.As well as bearing a vast range of responsibilities within the Sangha, she presented the monthly Introduction to Zen Workshops from 1993 until 2010.

She received Shiho Transmission from the Roshi on December 8th, 2001 and became a Dharma-successor of Zen Master Anzan Hoshin's Lineage. As well as presenting the foundations of mindfulness and insight, for many years she has also received from the Roshi authorizations to give instruction in koan practice and study, various aspects of kaji and Mikkyo, and the monastic ritsu and shingi.

In addition to providing instruction to Sangha members practising at the monastery in Ottawa she corresponds by email with a large number of students practising in other parts of the world. She is responsible for presenting and organizing many resources such as the Retreat Handbook and other materials.

While serving in the training posts of Shuso, Ino and Godo, her responsibilities included overseeing Great Matter Publications and White Wind Zen Community Archives, as well as the duplication, preservation and transcription of our extensive collection of recorded teisho, Dharma Talks and classes. She has produced weekly issues of the Sangha electronic newsletter, "The eMirror" since 1998.

She worked with Anzan Hoshin roshi on the translation of the Bonmokyo (Bramajala sutra), on the Ten Grave and 48 Supporting Precepts.

Her Dharma Talks reveal the humour, strength and vulnerability characteristic of deep practice.

Previous to acceptance as a formal student by the Roshi in 1990, Jinmyo sensei's background included long study in Sufism, Islam, Hinduism and the Gurdjieff Work. She was a close student of the Sufi master M.R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen and was trained as an instructor of the Gurdjieff Movements through the Foundation in New York. She has travelled extensively, and has lived in cities in Europe, West Africa, across Canada and in the U.S.A.