c. 1858

Shunryū's father, Butsumon Sogaku Suzuki, is born in Kakegawa-shi (city), approximately 7 miles southeast of Mori-machi (town), Shizuoka-ken (prefecture), south-central Japan.

1860

Oka Sōtan is born (teacher of Kishizawa Ian, Gyokujun So-on, Eko Hashimoto, Sawaki Kōdō, Harada Sōgaku, et al.). "Oka Sōtan-rōshi … was the … source of power of all the teachers" [SR-71-06-09].

1865

Kishizawa Ian is born (scholar of Shōbōgenzō and teacher of Shunryū).

1867

January 9: Emperor Kōmei (personal name Osahito) dies. Emperor Meiji (personal name Mutsuhito) ascends the throne. Meiji era begins. Emperor restored over Tokugawa shogunate as supreme executive authority.

1873

Butsumon leaves home to become a disciple of Gyakushitsu Sojun.

187?– 1891

Butsumon serves at Shogan-ji temple as head priest or abbot. Shogan-ji is located on a hill above the village of Tsuchisawa, on the edge of the city of Hiratsuka-shi, Kanagawa-ken, Japan. Hiratsuka-shi is approximately 20 miles southwest of Yokohama-shi.

c. 1877

Shunryū's master Gyokujun So-on is born.

1891

· April: Butsumon becomes abbot of Zoun-in temple.

· Butsumon adopts the orphaned boy Gyokujun So-on, ordains him, and gives him the last name of Suzuki as well. So-on becomes his disciple.

1895

Formal declaration that the Sōtō denomination has two head temples (Eihei-ji and Sōji-ji) with alternating head priests.

c. 1901

· Butsumon Sogaku Suzuki marries Yone Shima.

· Butsumon leaves Zoun-in temple and returns to Shogan-ji temple, where he remains until 1932.

1904

May 18: Shunryū Suzuki is born at Shogan-ji temple to his father Butsumon Suzuki and his mother Yone Shima. He is given the Buddhist name Shunryū (Excellent Emergence) at birth by his father. He was his father's first son and his mother's second. (His older half-brother from Yone's earlier marriage was named Yoshinami Shima.) Shogan-ji is located on a hill above the village of Tsuchisawa, on the edge of the city of Hiratsuka (at that time called Suitachi), Kanagawa-ken, south-central Japan. 1904 was a year of the dragon and the 37^th year in the reign of Emperor Meiji.

1910

April: Started school. [Age 5 years 11 months.]

1912

· July 30: Emperor Meiji dies in Tōkyō. Emperor Teishō (personal name Yoshihito) ascends the throne.

· Hakama incident with Shunryū's father takes place.

1916

· March: Graduates from elementary school.

· Leaves home to become a disciple of Gyokujun So-on at Zoun-in temple. "I went to my master's temple when I was thirteen years old" [SR-69-09-16 (13 also given in SR-69-10-14) Japanese way of counting age is that a person is 1 at birth - so he was probably 12 but not sure.]. Zoun-in temple is in Otorei (?), Mori-machi (town), Shizuoka-ken (prefecture), central Japan. Mori is approximately 23 miles west of Yaizu-shi (city) and 12 miles north of the Pacific Ocean.

1917

May 18: Tokudo: Shunryū ordained as a monk by Gyokujun So-on and given his second Buddhist name, Shogaku (Auspicious Peak). [Age 13.]

1918

Continuing to serve at Zoun-in, Gyokujun So-on becomes abbot of Rinso-in temple, 1400 Sakamoto, Yaizu-shi. Yaizu-shi is located on the western shore of Suruga-wan (bay), Shizuoka-ken, south-central Japan. Shunryū assists at both Zoun-in and Rinso-in temples as a teenager.

?

Studies at Kaisei Chugaku school. Skips last year.

1922

Oka Sōtan dies.

1926

Attends junior and senior year, Sōtō prep school, Tōkyō.

1925

November 15: Begins 100-day practice period at Kenko-in temple, Shizuoka-shi, under Dojun Kato-rōshi, to be initiated as head monk. Shunryū continues to go to school during the day.

1926

· February 18: Finishes practice period at Kenko-in. Head-monk (shuso) ceremony held on Feb. 18.

· August 21: Shiho: Receives dharma transmission from Gyokujun So-on in a private ceremony at Rinso-in temple.

· Enters Komazawa University, Tōkyō.

· December 25: Emperor Yoshihito dies. Taishō era ends. Emperor Shōwa (personal name Michinomiya Hirohito) ascends the throne. Shōwa era begins.

· Tachibana Shundo publishes The Ethics of Buddhism.

1927

· Nona Ransom arrives in Japan.

· August 1: Shunryū begins as translator for Miss Ransom. Moves into her house and shares accommodations with other students.

1929

· January 22: Installed by So-on as the 28^th abbot of Zoun-in. [Age 24.] His father Sogaku runs it on a daily basis while Shunryū is away at school.

· May 30: Finishes as translator for Miss Ransom. Moved into a dorm at Komazawa University.

1930

· January 14: Ten'e (zuise, koe): Ceremony held at Zoun-in temple. Public profession by Sōtō-shu: colored robe given to him, name recorded at Sōtō headquarters as someone who can become a chief priest of a temple. Becomes abbot of Eihei-ji for one day ("to meet Eihei Dōgen-zenji") and Sōji-ji for one day ("to meet Keizan Jōkin-zenji"). Authorized to teach thereafter. May be called ōsho or rikisho and may wear colored okesa thereafter. [Current Sōtō rules require ten'e to be completed within six months of shiho.]

· April 10: Graduates from Komazawa University second in his class, with a major in Buddhist and Zen Philosophy and a minor in English. [Age 25.]

· Submits graduating thesis on the Shōbōgenzō fascicle "Raihai tokuzui": Raihai tokuzui no maki o chusin to seru Dōgen-zenji no shukyo (Dōgen-zenji's Religion as Seen Especially in the "Raihai tokuzui" Chapter of the Shōbōgenzō). His thesis advisor was Nukariya Kaiten, president of the university.

· Returns to Zoun-in after graduating.

· September 17: Arrives at Eihei-ji head temple and sits tangaryō. Practices there for almost one year. Serves as attendant to Kishizawa Ian, who was in residence as seidō (a distinguished visiting priest). Kishizawa works on his Shōbōgenzō commentary called Shōbōgenzō zenko.

1931

· June: Receives license as Ethical Teacher for high-school boys.

· September 2: Leaves Eihei-ji.

· September 17: Arrives at Sōji-ji head temple.

· September 18: Enters tangaryō at Shoji-ji.

1932

· March 31: Leaves Sōji-ji head temple.

· April 1: Moves in with his family at Zoun-in temple.

· Made jushoku (head priest) of Rinso-in. [Age 27.]

· Kishizawa Ian moves to Gyokuden-in temple, three miles from Rinso-in, and continues work on his Shōbōgenzō commentary.

· May 1: Shunryū visits Kishizawa and receives permission to resume studying with Kishizawa Ian.

· Builds a new Kannon-dō (Avalokiteshvara shrine), a seppin (a meeting room for guests and practitioners), and possibly a kuri (a kitchen or residence for the family of the resident priest) at Zoun-in.

· March: Dedication ceremony for new additions to Zoun-in.

· May 7: Starts as Zen teacher (koshi) in Bansho Zenrin, Kasuisai, Kukuroi-shi, Shizuoka-ken. (Part of responsibilities for Rinso-in, where he remains living.)

1933

· [Year uncertain.] Marries first wife (name unknown).

· November: Father Butsumon Suzuki dies.

· First wife diagnosed with tuberculosis. Marriage annulled.

1934

· Late April: Gyokujun So-on arrives at Eihei-ji temple to become assistant director. Three days later he has a serious stroke.

· May 3: Gyokujun So-on dies at Rinso-in approximately one week after his stroke. [Age 57.]

· December 8: Daiju Hosen Isobe founded Soko-ji in San Francisco.

1935

· February: Shunryū (age 30) marries Chie Muramatsu (age 22).

1936

· April 31: Finishes as Zen teacher (koshi) in Bansho Zenrin, Kasuisai, Kukuroi, Shizuoka-ken.

1938

March: Ordination ceremony for young female Buddhists of Higahi Eki Mashi (Masu?) school, Ten-mura (village), Shita-gun (county), Shizuoka-ken.

c. 1942

Formally becomes rōshi for ceremonial purposes.

1942

March 1: Starts as official director or Zen teacher (shike/daho) of Tokei-in temple: 10^th highest monastery of Sōtō sect.

1944

April: Builds new kaisandō (founder's memorial hall) and ihaidō (priests' and laity's memorial hall) at Zoun-in temple.

1945

The bells of Rinso-in are melted down to make ship propellers.

1947

· March: Officiates at large lay ordination ceremony with Kishizawa Ian.

· March 31: Resigned from Tokei-in because of lack of time.

· June 3: Teacher at Zen dōjō for monks and laity, Takakusa, Shizuoka-ken. (Sub-temple of Rinso-in.)

1948

May 5: Begins responsibilities for religious education at Tokiwa nursery school at Shin-ya (?), Yaizu-shi.

1952

· June 30: Concludes study with Kishizawa Ian.

· Chief director of Sōtō Dokan/Takao-gan/Senmon.

· Second wife Chie is murdered.

1954

Establishes branch of Tokiwa nursery school at Nishi-machi, Yaizu-shi.

1955

Kishizawa Ian dies.

1956

Suzuki-rōshi was asked to go to America to assist Hodo Tobase at Soko-ji. He declined.

1958

· March to April or May: Rebuilds the main structure of Rinso-in temple in original architectural style. Works on several other buildings in similar fashion.

· "I made up my mind to come to America in October [1958], and I finished my work of main building April [1959]." —SR-69-12-02

· Accepted a three-year position at Soko-ji.

1959

May 21: Leaves for San Francisco, via Honolulu, on Flight 610. [Per diary.] Age 55.

1959

May 23: Arrives in San Francisco.

1961

· August: First sesshin at Soko-ji.

· December 2: First issue of Wind Bell released.

1962

· May 20: Mountain Seat ceremony for SR at Soko-ji. Bishop Yamada Reirin officiates.

· August: Articles of incorporation were filed for "The Zen Center of San Francisco" with the State of California.

· August: First weekly (six-day) sesshin.

· Okusan (Mitsu) Suzuki comes to America with SR's son Otohiro.

1963

· August: Ordained Grahame Petchey as a priest.

· Gave dharma transmission to Hoitsu Suzuki.

1964

· September: Visited Cambridge, Boston, and Cape Cod. Met with Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell of the Cambridge Buddhist Association.

· Goes to Palo Alto every Thursday for morning zazen from 6:30 to 7:30 am at 1005 Bryant Street.

1965

Ordained Phillip Wilson as a priest. - other places say it was March, 64-gotta look into - DC

1966

· March 28: Zen Bones benefit lecture with Alan Watts at the Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco.

· May 27-28: Zen Mountain Center Benefit.

· August 18: Bishop Sumi Togen returned to Los Angeles after visiting Soko-ji.

· August: Ordained Claude Dalenberg as a priest.

· August 25: SR left for Japan

· October 23, 1966: Stepping Down ceremony for SR at Rinso-in. Mountain Seat ceremony for Hoitsu Suzuki at Rinso-in.

· Students began renting housing ("Zen Housing") across the street from Soko-ji.

· November 13: Zenefit at Avalon Ballroom.

1967

· April: First practice period at Tassajara. [NO - this is a mistake. I leave it here because it needs to be changed globally. July was the start of the first practice period. We were just getting it ready in April. - DC]

· July 2: Ordained Richard Baker as a priest at Tassajara.

· July 3: Opening ceremony for Tassajara as Zenshin-ji, Zen Mountain Center.

1968

· Winter: Came down with a serious flu.

· Three additional flats rented near Soko-ji.

1969

· May 10: "Physically, you know, I feel much better this year [laughs]." [SR-69-05-10]

· May 19: Ordained Mel Weitsman as a priest.

· Visited Vermont, Rochester, and NYC.

· November 15: Zen Center moved from Soko-ji to 300 Page St.

1970

· January: Ordained Silas Hoadley and Bill Kwong as priests.

· May: Ordained Peter Schneider and Dan Welch as priests.

· August 9: Ordained Reb Anderson and Paul Discoe as priests.

· August 25: Conducted lay ordination.

· August: Traveled to Japan.

· December 8: Gave dharma transmission to Richard Baker.

· ZMBM first published.

1971

· January: Ordained Les Kaye as a priest.

· c. July 19: Returned from east coast of USA. [SR-71-07-20]

· September: Ordained Ed Brown, David Chadwick, Lewis Richmond, and Angie Runyon as priests.

· August 10: Met with Rinzai master Sōen Nakagawa-rōshi (first meeting at Sokoji in 1959).
[SR-71-08-21]

· November 21: Mountain seat ceremony for Richard Baker.

· December 4: Shunryu Suzuki dies c. 5:00 am.

· December 12: Funeral ceremony conducted by Niwa-rōshi, Katagiri-rōshi, and Moriyama-sensei.

1972

·

1973

April 29, 2:00 pm: Ashes ceremony for Suzuki held at Tassajara