Shunryu Suzuki Stories - Suzuki Stories Index

MEMORIES OF SUZUKI Roshi FROM WIND BELL AND DC FILES

Letters on Suzuki Index - with more on these letters

Edward Van Tassel

To Michael Wenger

From: Gil Fronsdal

9/22/94

The following message was posted on Internet recently through the Buddha‑L. I pass it on to you for two reasons. First I thought you might appreciate it ‑ it could go into the sequel of your new book. And second I want to give you one example of what can be found on Internet. I could imagine someone could respond to this posting with a nationwide and worldwide request for any stories people might have of Suzuki Roshi.

Gil

Many years ago I was at a question session with Suzuki Roshi at the old Soto Zen congregation church in San Francisco. A young man asked, “What should a Zen practitioner do with his spare time?” Roshi at first looked perplexed and repeated the phrase, “spare time?” He then began to smile and repeated again “spare time” and then began to laugh uproariously. This was the answer.