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Mitsu Suzuki in the Wind Bells
 (publication of the San Francisco Zen Center)
 1972---2004

more to come on this page

Mitsu Suzuki cuke page ---- All Wind Bells ----- Wind Bell Excerpts

Excerpted SFZC Wind Bell featuring Mitsu - Vol. 25, #1 - 1991 [her parts only]

 

From WB Vol. XI, 1972, p. 8 - article on life of Shunryu

Machine generated alternative text: tn 1951 his first wife died, leaving four children, and Suzuki-roshi remained unmarried for seven years, his wife's mother helping him with the children. Dur: ing that period he continued the work on Rinso.in which had been interrupted by the war. In the construction he insisted, to his congregation's amazement. that the workmen use the original. 300-year-old style of carpentry. By 1957 the restoration of Rinso.in was completed. After the war Suzuki-roshi had re-founded two local kindergartens. and in 1958 he and the principal, Mitsu Matsuno, were married. She had already helped Suzuki-roshi for a long time and knew his children and their grandmother well. In the same year he unexpectedly accepted a three. year posit ion as the resident priest Of Sokoji Temple in San Francisco. He arrived in May of 959 and two and a half years later his wife and the youngest child of his first marriage, Otohiro, were sent to San Francisco supposedly to bring him back. They stayed, however, and Suzuki-roshi asked for another three-years' leave of absence. In 1968 his eldest son. Hoichi, acquiesced to the congregation and became the priest of Rinso-in.

 

 

 

WB 83 Winter

 

Machine generated alternative text: no Rinmi Autunm s ky_ The Stuts dim tamp nothing" 4 MITSU SUZUKI, who is known in Japan a rea•ntly tm luiku shown above. The one on the righc took first prize in a publi- by Eil-ei-ii temple, and the other received a high-ranking Bizc_ written out by Suzuku- sensei and translated hy Tanahushi_

 

 

 

WB Vol.18-2, fall, 1984

Machine generated alternative text: SUZUKI-ROSHI ASHES CEREMONY On April 29th of this year an Ashes Ceremony for Suzuki-roshi was held at Genjo- ji, the Zen Center of Sonoma Mountain, with Jakusho Kwong-sensei presiding. Kwong-sensei was a disciple of Suzuki-roshi and the ceremony, which was attended by Hoitsu-roshi (Suzuki-roshi's son and Dharma heir) was intended to reaffirm and express the feeling of oneness which Kwong-sensei and the Genjo-ji sangha feel with Suzuki-roshi and his lineage. Also in attendance were the Korean zen master Seung Sahn of the Providence &nter, Mel Weitsman-sensei of the Berkeley zendo, and Mrs Mitsu Suzuki-sensei, Suzuki-roshi's widow.

 

 

WB Vol.20-2, fall, 1986 - 25th Anniversary Issue

Machine generated alternative text: Contents Lecture 'I Don't Know' Zazen by Suzuki-roshi, Summer 1969 Twenty-fifth Anniversary Section Facsimile of first p. 1 Poem by Abbot Dainin Katagiri ... p. 7 Wind Bell Beginnings ... p. 8 Sokoji, or Other Half of Our Practice by Ananda Dalenberg . My Husband, Shunryu Suzuki Suzuki p. 13 Reminiscences of Suzuki-roshi p. 16 WindBe11CoverArt ... p. 32-33 • P. 10

 

My Husband, Shunryu Suzuki by Mitsu Suzuki, p.13

 

Lew Richmond

Machine generated alternative text: Roshi came to dinner at the Berkeley zendo with Eight or ten other older students and Mel stayed for the dinner. The dinner was informal but there wasn't much talking, as most of us were a little intimidated. Roshi didn't say anything, just ate. At one point Okusan gave Mel her soup bowl and said, "Sukoshi." Mel served up a big ladle of soup. Okusan gestured "sukoshi, Mel said, "Oh, Oku- san, you want some squash?" and poured the soup back. Okusan didn't under- stand. "Do you want some squæh, Okusan?" Mel said, starting to serve up squash. ' 'no, soup." Mel served up a big ladle of soup. "No, sukoshi." Mel stopped. "Squash?" Eventually Okusan got what she wanted. Roshi aympletely ignored this whole interchange and just continued eating. After some minutes of silent eating (everyone was little embarassed) Roshi looked up and said, "Zucchini."

 

 

p35

Machine generated alternative text: One day, after I had been secretary for Zen Center for some time (the office I used in 1967 and '68 was in a big room on the ground floor Of Sokoji where Katagiri and I each had a dsk — just inside the front door), Okusan came downstairs looking serious. She æked me to go upstairs with her to help her with something. As I remember this incident, it was in the afternoon when things were quiet. I went upstairs to the big kitchen behind the zendo and found a large bowl full of tired- looking corn on the cob sitting in the middle of the kitchen table. Okusan explained that someone had brought the corn to Suzuki-roshi and herself and that it about to go bad and would I please help her to eat it. So we sat down at the table and sat quietly chewing our way through the bowl of corn. It a long time. And when we were finished Okusan bowed and thanked me for helping her. And I went back down stairs to my desk. — Yvonne Rmd

 

p.36 - Yvonne Rand

Machine generated alternative text: ame w I dnvmg Suzuki-roshi and Okusan Tassaiara to San Francisco we stopped in Pacific Grove for lunch. I sat at the table acmss from them and we talked about how to pru:tice with family and chfldren. Okusan said that Suzuki-rcshi was a goul priest and 2 reacher, but not a grx)d husband or a go;xl father. He, without any hestitaton, said that she wæ right, that it true. I later found out that just as Suzuki-roshi was coming to the United State, Okusan got seriously sick and there some thought that she would dk. He came to America anyway, basically leaving her in Japan to die. She pretty upset with him for a long time. And after she well again, she didn't want to come to the United States for a long time. He was totally single-minded. He wanted to come to America. Wife and children were secondary. He xrtainly seemed to have a hard time knowing how to work with wonrn and especially With children. It wc only just before he died that he told me that he felt that he had made a mistake in not ordaining me. And he had for several years been quite clear, said in so words, that he just didn't know how to go about training women students. In August 1971 1 drove back to San Francisco after he at Tassajara for most of the summer. He had leaured every other night during that time and many students commented that he had a kind of fierceness and at-nut his Later Okusan said that both of them knew he sick and that he might not live so lorlg, On the way home we stopped at a Catholic enter in San Juan Baptista where Scrn-rcN-1i was leading a sesshin. We arrived on the læt day, joined the sitting, had tea and walked a bit around the compound in the old mk- sion. By the time we arrived at Zen Cznter in San Francisa) Suzuki-rcshi feel- ing badly and also quite iaundicui. He went to bed and never really got up again until he died on the fourth of December — except for the short time he wæ up the week before he died when he did the MountRin Seat Ceremony with Zen- tatsu Baker. After a number of and examinations, Suzuki-roshi's dxtor to have Roshi go into the h'Spital for some rrore After Rcshi had Exen there a day or two I went to him. dcrtor was leaving Ræhi's ru)m just I arrived. During the previous weeks the d«xtor had thought that Suzuki- roshi might have hepatitis, So Okusan and I were ven' careful using separate dishes and moking separately and all for Suzuki-rc"hi. This made a change in our way of eating meals togcther, which had often meant some tidbit back and forth for etc. The morning I arrived at Suzuki-roshi's hcFpital rtx)m his lunch had just txrn brought in. He motioned to me to mme and sit next to him on the edge of his bed. And I crossed the mom he mouthed the words "I have cancer" to me. When I sat next to him he over and ttxjk a bit of food on his fork and put it into my mouth. As he did he said, "Now we an at off the same plate again." And as he said that, it was if he had just received some big gift. Now we no longer had to be carefr_l of antamination. And he from then on always talked of his cancer as his friend.

 

 

WB Vol.22-1, spring 1988 - from Early History of Zen Center by Peter Schneider

 Machine generated alternative text: Wind Bell: How long did you plan to stay in America? Suzuki-roshi: I had no idea, but I said to them, "Ill come back in three years. " But actually, in my mind I thought, "Ill stay a pretty long time." I did not return to Japan during those three years and in 1962 1 asked my friend to send my wife. She was managing and teaching at two kindergartens, and I wanted my friend to get her out. Wind R'll: How long did Okusan think she was coming for? Suzuki-roshi: She promised the kindergarten and my congregation to bring me back in three years. When I decided not to return to Japan even then, I had to resign. Fortunately they wanted my boy to be my successor. Grahame Petchey. It always appeared to me that he didlü really know whether or not he would stay or go. I know he felt a very strong personal commitment to his students here. I remember his once having said that one of the reasons why he liked being in America was that he had some real students, whereas in Japan when he left he only had one old man sitting with him. Jean Ross: We felt a little more secure when Okusan came and then when he turned over his Japanese temple to his son. All priests have temples of their own and they're responsible for them. When they're absent they get a neighboring priest or friend to substitute for them. And of course Suzuki-roshi did that for quite some time before his son took over.

***

Machine generated alternative text: Wind WII: How did you spend your time before Okusaå came? Suzuki-roshi: First of all I had plenty of time to be with students, because I was around and because there were not many students. Sometimes we'd go to muse- ums or movies or restaurants. We had a pretty good time. But I didnt want Zen Center to be a kind of social club, so at the same time I tried to refrain from that sort of activity. I wanted us to devote ourselves to zen practice, not to eating or seeing movies.

 

 

WB Vol.23-1, spring, 1989

Machine generated alternative text: Mitsu Suzuki Sensei, more informally known as joined her husband Suzuki-roshi in America in the early 1960's. She has stayed ever since, taching tea and sharing her life with us. This past April she celebrated her 75th birthday. We all wish her a "Happy Birthday/" Thank you, Okusan. 27

 

 

WB Vol.25-1, 1991 - Issue featuring Mitsu Suzuki

-------------Cover calligraphy & poem, contents page, introductory page on her.
-----------Mitsu Suzuki Sensei - p.16
-----------Seventy-seven Years of My Life - by Mitsu Suzuki Sensei - P.17
-----------Excerpts from Temple Dusk - p.24
-----------Stories from Suzuki Sensei's Students - p.28 [Shunpo Blanch Hartman, Shuun Lou Hartman, Rosy Penhallow, Yvonne Rand, Michael Wenger, Marilyn McCann Coyote, Fu Nancy Schroeder, Darlene Cohen, Hekizan Tom Giradot, Edward Brown, Gregory Wood, Laurie Schley Senauke.
------------12 photos

 

 

WB Vol. 26-2, fall, 1992, p.5 - article on Della Goertz

 

Machine generated alternative text: Della appreciated this teaching and continued to support Suzuki Roshi, both financially and through her commitment to practice. "There was such a sim- plicity and directness about Suzuki Roshi, vou felt at ease around him; I loved to be with him." Della became Suzuki Roshi's escort, driving him to the Japanese newspaper office or to the airport to pick up dignitaries. She accompanied him to Japanese functions in the community. When Suzuki arrived Della helped introduce her to life in San Francisco.

P.6

Machine generated alternative text: Soon after Suzuki Roshi died, Della was invited by Richard Baker to move to Page Street. Soon after, she retired from teaching, at the highest teaching level thanks to years of outside study. Immediately she volunteered to work in the Zen Center offices, helping with fund-raising letters and working with the accreditation committee. She continued to befriend Okusan, assist- ing her with transportation and attending special tea ceremonies. For many years, She and Betty Warren have accompanied Okusan on her yearly trips to Tassajara.

 

p.7

Machine generated alternative text: Pat Phelan and Della

 

p.31

Machine generated alternative text: Tassajara Reunion Ninety-seven people attended the Tassajara 25th anniversary alumni re- union, this September 11—13 (not counting a number of Tassajara residents who are also alumni from way back when). We began with a Bodhisattva Ceremony on the lawn beneath the rising moon with Abbot Mel as kokyo leading the chants. We sat zazen, worked together, sang and told stories. Suzuki Okusan dazzled the group with a joyous rendition of a Japanese fishing song, and Kobun Chino Roshi guided us in a moving ceremony at the ashes sites of Suzuki Roshi and Katagiri Ro- Tassajara residents and staff supervised and joined in with cheerful patience and warm generosity. A fine time was had by all.

 

 

 

WB Vol.27-2, fall, 1993

Machine generated alternative text: Going Home by Jeffrey is my final destination? land last evening Of year —Mi tsu Sue uki In OLNOber Of this Center' s Sunki Rosh'. will return to her Japan this sim-e a resident at Street simm the in TO will is a of us fuve had the privilt*e 10 her Ove the it Ee like saying to a favorite Okus-w. wa», the guiding spirit of oe the (or, in rainy weather. in hallway), Into kitcl-wn mille to iced the birds. And teaching, gently and quietly civilving TWO three I was in the at City CUIter, ing open when I of Suzuki She "No, Not Smki way. This (the letter i' Sw-uki ROShh'S rot happy. I I always to the letter bat I that I Mrs. Suzuki, is the Of I to 1992 q Wind dEOted MB, 77

 

 

 

WB Vol.29-1, winter, 1995 - Barbara Wenger Interview with Yvonne Rand

 

p.41

 

 

WB Vol.30-2, summer, 1996 -
 

Article on Mt. Seat Ceremony for Blanch Hartman

 

 

p.16

 

p.18

 

p.19

 

 

WB Vol.31-1, winter, 1997, p.6

 

 

WB Vol.32-2, Winter, 1998 - From a report on the Sati Conference at Stanford

on Shunryu Suzuki , May 30-31, 1998

 

 

 

WB Vol.33-1, spring, 1999, p.20

Children's Tea at Zen Center by Mary Watson

 

 

p.36

 

Excerpting the end of the Introduction

 

 

 

 

 

 

WB Vol.33-2, fall/winter, 1999, p.11

From Mel Weitsman's Introduction to Branching Streams Flow in the Darkness

 

 

 WB Vol.34-2, spring/summer 2000

 

 

 

WB Vol.35-1, summer, 2001, p.24

 

 

 

 

 

 

WB Vol.36-2, fall/winter, 2002

 

 

 WB Vol.38-2, summer/fall 2004, cover

 

 

From Students Remember Suzuki Roshi, David Chadwick, p.18

 

 

DC Note: Instances of mention of Mitsu Suzuki were found by searching for "mitsu" and "okusan" in All Windbells and looking through the first few years. Might have missed something.