Notes for Crooked Cucumber Japanese & and Chinese Translations 2017
Suggested corrections, clarifications, additions, and info I think a Japanese reader should have – and a few yet unanswered questions.
[1st] indicates that this was changed after the first printing which is what I assume Sadayoshi Asaoka used.
It’s divided into two lists, the first one being corrections of fact or additions of Japanese names or information I thought would be good for the Japanese reader. The second list is less important, mainly changes and additions I saw as clarifying the subject some.
I don’t like to use honorifics like roshi, sensei, san when referring to people in my writing now. Such honorifics are used very little in Crooked Cucumber and I would like for the occasional instances where they are used in referring to someone removed in order to keep it consistent. Of course these honorifics should remain when it’s appropriate such as in a quote or in an explanatory way such as, “He was called Roshi by his students.”
I think I should write a brief introduction for the Japanese translation
***
The Japanese term for Crooked Cucumber should be hebo kyuri according to Hoitsu Suzuki who told me that after the book came out. Before that we assumed it was magatta kyuri. Another family member used hebo kyuri as well.
***
LIST ONE
In the Introduction
Old version: Crooked cucumbers were useless: farmers would compost them; children would use them for batting practice.
Replace with: Crooked cucumbers were the useless tiny bent runt cucumbers at the end of the spiraling vine.
***
Chapter 2
P38 - Last sentence
He spent a day with his son, then walked the seventy-five miles back to tell the family the good news.
That's 120 kilometers [Is it correct? Shoganji to Rinsoin via Hakone-san by foot]
***
Chapter 3
P44
The president of Komazawa, Nukariya Kaiten, had just published a book on Buddhism for laypeople which created some controversy because of its simple explanation of Soto Zen and its popular appeal
[Name of that book published it seems in the early 1920s?]
***
Chapter 4
P65
You had to walk and work slowly and silently.
[They don't work slowly. That's a mistake]
Change to: You had to walk and work efficiently and silently.
***
P66
Then, with hands clasped at the solar plexus, they walked slowly off to morning service and the recitation of sutras
[delete "slowly"]
Then, with hands clasped at the solar plexus, they walked to morning service and the recitation of sutras
***
P67
Kitano had been the head of Soto Zen in Korea for a number of years and had been a founder of Zenshuji, the Zen temple in Los Angeles.
[Hosen Isobe was the founder]
Change to: Kitano had been the head of Soto Zen in Korea for a number of years and had been one of the originals priests at Zenshuji, the Zen temple founded in 1922 in Los Angeles.
***
Chapter 6
P89
All of Japan was part of the battlefield and, by necessity, everyone was contributing to the life and death struggle of the nation. There was a more radical alternative: Some communists were going to jail for not supporting the war effort, but no Buddhists took that strong a stand.
Change to: Some communists were going to jail for not supporting the war effort, but almost no Buddhists took that strong a stand.
***
Chapter 10
Bill and Lou McNeil
Change to
Bill and Lou McNeill
[In some places till the end of the book]
***
Chapter 11
P191
Philip Wilson
Change to
Phillip Wilson
In many place till the end of the book
***
Chapter 12
P214 [1st] - Honami's to Honnami's
***
Chapter 13
P241
Katagiri had a tiny temple on the coast near Eiheiji which had been his master's,
Change to
Katagiri had a tiny temple on the coast, Taizo-in near Eiheiji, which had been his master's, Daicho Hayashi
***
P248
and the abbot of Dogen's original temple near Kyoto in Uji.
Change to
and the abbot of Koshoji, Dogen's original temple near Kyoto in Uji.
[asking Hoitsu what was his name]
***
Chapter 14
P264
At the end of this fifteen-mile dirt road lies Tassajara Springs.
Change - fifteen-mile to fourteen-mile
23 kilometers
***
P266 [1st]
Paul Weinpaul
Change to - Paul Wienpahl
***
P268
To Grahame, who had attempted three painful practice periods there as a novice monk, visiting was a pleasant alternative.
Change attempted to attended
***
P278 [1st]
Helm's
Change to Helms's
[The name is Helms, not Helm]
***
Chapter 15
P281
Wako Kato also came up from L.A., as did Maezumi.
Add - who was there to help lead the practice for the first month.
***
P303
In the little world of American Zen there was a big event that summer of 1968. An entourage of senior Zen teachers came to Tassajara. This gathering of priests with strikingly different styles benefited from the fresh smell of the wilderness and the magic of Tassajara. Students were excited to learn suddenly that Soen Nakagawa-roshi and Yasutani-roshi were among eight teachers coming to visit. Nakagawa was the priest who, while visiting Suzuki at Sokoji in 1959, had dramatically torn up the non-Zen sutra book. They brought some of the ashes of Nyogen Senzaki, who had died in L.A. in 1958, to be scattered at Tassajara.
Add:
Also in the entourage were Hakuun Yasutani's son Ryoju, Eido Tai Shimano of the New York Zen Studies Society, Hakuyu Taizan Maizumi from the LA Zen Center, Robert Aitken, founder of the Diamond Sangha Honolulu, Charles Gooding, president of the LA Bosatsu-kai founded by Nyogen Senzaki.
***
P304
All eight teachers used koans with their students and were critical of Suzuki's less aggressive style of Soto Zen, calling it sleepy and unproductive.
Change to
All eight teachers used koans with their students and some were critical of Suzuki's less aggressive style of Soto Zen, calling it sleepy and unproductive.
***
P305
I asked what was the best way to establish Buddhism in America,
Change to
Les Kaye asked what was the best way to establish Buddhism in America,
***
Chapter 16
P311 [1st]
Eric Fromm
Change to - Erich Fromm
***
P328 [1st]
They all walked the twelve blocks together.
Change to - fifteen blocks
***
Chapter 17
P354
My lecture for tonight will be very short, especially after having a good dinner of noodles, which were very long. Our transmission should be a very long, long one. And our transmission is a special noodle. Dogen-zenji says, "When you realize buddha nature, you are the teacher." You are the teacher of your master too, and you will be even the teacher of Shakyamuni Buddha.
Move end quote marks to the end after Buddha.
My lecture for tonight will be very short, especially after having a good dinner of noodles, which were very long. Our transmission should be a very long, long one. And our transmission is a special noodle. Dogen-zenji says, "When you realize buddha nature, you are the teacher. You are the teacher of your master too, and you will be even the teacher of Shakyamuni Buddha."
***
P359
In Kyoto, Richard practiced a year at Antaiji, then sat at Daitokuji with a Rinzai teacher.
Change to
In Kyoto, Richard practiced a year at Antaiji with Kosho Uchiyama then sat at Daitokuji with Kobori Nanrei Sohaku, a Rinzai teacher.
***
Chapter 18
P380
Beat poet Diane diPrima
Change to
Beat poet Diane DiPrima
***
Chapter 19
P390
Stunkard had studied with Nakagawa, Yasutani, and other teachers as well.
Add - including Issui Miura.
***
P394 [1st]
Zen Studies Center
Change to - Zen Studies Society
***
P402
The rumble of the deep buddha drum echoed in the halls--the high chin-chun! of handheld bells a half-tone apart and the kachin! of wooden clackers, the music of the moving rite.
Taiko Drum - hokku
Handheld bell - inkin
Wooden clackers - kaishaku
***
Epilogue
Add date under Epilogue - December 4, 1998
***
P413
In the fall of 1993 she returned to live with her daughter in Shizuoka City, not far from Rinso-in.
Change to
In the fall of 1993 she returned to live with her daughter Harumi Matsuno in Shizuoka City, not far from Rinso-in.
***
P415
Shigeo Kozuki, head of the printing section of the Ministry of Finance, published an article in 1974 in Japan's principal financial newspaper, the Nikkei. The article was named "Kokoro no Furusato," literally "heart's hometown."
PDF from Amada notes in Japanese - Kokoro no Furusato.
/pdf-2013/japanese/kokoro-no-furusato.pdf
***
End Matter
Notes on the Text and Pronunciation
P416
Marcrons change to macrons
***
Acknowledgments
P417
to Hoitsu and Chie Suzuki for being gracious hosts
Change to
to Hoitsu and Chitose Suzuki for being gracious hosts
***
P418
Marian Wisberg
Change to
Marian Derby Wisberg
***
For other editing
P418 [1st]
Change Gwen Catterton to Gwynn O'Gara
***
For scholarly information and suggestions:
P419 [1st]
Add - Richard Jaffe
***
For Photos
P419
Katrina Boni
Change to
Catrina Boni
***
For design of the book:
P419 [1st]
Change Spirit Copy Center to Sprint Copy Center
***
P419 [1st + additions]
Add - For finding errata: Donald Allen, Bernd Bender, Ahdel Chadwick (lots of it), Bob Halpern, Richard Jaffe, Les Kaye, Joanne Kyger, Rick Levine, Andrew Main, Fran Miller, Jim Morton, David Padwa, Britton Pyland, Bill Redican, Neil Rubenking, Victor Sergeyev, Mickey Stunkard, Liz Tuomi, J.J. Wilson, and others.
***
Sources
P421
Skoko and Mrs. Okamoto
Change to
Shoko and _____Okamoto
[asking Shungo for her name]
***
P421 [1st]
Change Anapurna Broffman to Annapurna Broffman.
***
P421 [1st]
Change - Don deAngelo to Donn DeAngelo
***
P422 [1st]
Change - Bob Mipham Halpern to Robert Halpern
***
P422 [1st]
Change Molly Jones {MacGregor} to Molly Jones.
***
P422
David Padua - change to - David Padwa
***
P422
Rene Petit - Change to - Rene Pettit
***
P423
Tom Wright, David Whitaker, Wesley Williams, J.J. Wilson, Phillip Wilson, Stephen Wiltse, Marian Wisberg (Derby, Mountain), Daphne Woodall, Tom Wright, and Barbara Young.
Tom Wright listed twice - delete first one
***
P423
Throughout the book I have referred to people by their real names. By necessity, many people who were close to Suzuki were left out, and a few people in the book are, to a small extent, composite characters: Gen'ichi Amano (there were actually two godfathers); Yasuo Suetsune (who represents himself and Yasumasa Amada in the High Grass Mountain Group); and, in Part Two, George Hagiwara and Bob Halpern
Add - ,Niels Holm and me. Bob's name is used a few times when it was me and once when it was Bob Watkins (the hamburger with double meat story), and Niels for Bob once with the Watts comment.
***
P423
Contributions of further memories and stories about Shunryu Suzuki, lost lecture tapes or transcripts, or financial support to help continue the archiving work may be sent to: The Archive Project to Preserve Shunryu Suzuki's Teachings, Zen Center, 300 Page Street, San Francisco, CA 94102.
Change to:
Contributions of further memories and stories about Shunryu Suzuki, lost lecture tapes or transcripts, or financial support to help continue the archiving work may be sent to: Cuke Archives, PO Box 151471, San Rafael, CA 94109
***
Bibliography
Kozuki, Shigeo. “Kokoro no Furusato” (Hometown of the Heart), Nikkei, Tokyo, 1994.
Change 1994 to 1974
***
Glossary
P42 [1st]
Add - Kannon - See Avalokiteshvara
***
Add - Thanks for help with this glossary Taigen Dan Leighton.
***
Photo Insert
The group photo with the text that reads
Tassajara, Zen Center, first practice period work-time photo. Summer 1967
Change to
Tassajara, Zen Center, fall 1967
***
Next to last page of photographs, top (Shunryu Suzuki holding glasses):
Photograph by Katherine Thanas.
***
LIST TWO
Chapter 3
P43
Fifty years prior, Tokyo had been Edo
Change to: More than fifty years prior, Tokyo had been Edo
***
P61
His graduate thesis, written under his academic advisor and the school's president, Nukariya Kaiten, focused on the relationship between master and disciple, as discussed by Dogen in an essay of the Shobogenzo emphasizing submission to the master. (It is called the Raihai tokozui,a chapter in which Dogen also forcefully asserts the equality of women.)
Add - When asked the topic of his thesis, Suzuki said it was on bowing.
***
Chapter 4
[Checking with Hoitsu and Shungo to see if the following is accurate for Eiheji back then.]
P66
Morning began with zazen. The outer okesa robe was not worn but was kept in its case on the tatami. Zazen ended with a four-line verse proclaiming what a wondrous opportunity it was to wear the okesa, which was placed on the head for this chant. At the end of the chant the monks bowed and, still seated, donned the robe,
***
Chapter 5
P86
Some saw him as the candidate who represented So-on's high standards. Others felt he was too young. He was thirty, and Rinso-in had an unbroken tradition of having abbots over fifty.
Change to: Some saw him as the candidate who represented So-on's high standards. Others felt he was too young. He was thirty, and Rinso-in had a tradition of having abbots over fifty, reputed to be unbroken until So-on had become abbot at 42.
***
Chapter 10
P165
May 23, 1959, the day of Shunryu Suzuki's arrival in America,
Change to:
Saturday, May 23, 1959, the day of Shunryu Suzuki's arrival in America,
***
P172
Kato had been associated with the Academy from the mid-fifties, ever since the former director, Alan Watts, had asked him to join the faculty.
Add
He had been a key assistant to Alan Watts with writing Watt's popular book, The Way of Zen.
***
Chapter 11
P201
"Bowing is second only to zazen," he said before the morning service one day. "It is Buddha bowing to Buddha. If you cannot bow to Buddha, you cannot be Buddha. It is arrogance. So from now on we will start the morning service with nine bows instead of three. In Japan three is enough, but here in America we are so stubborn, it is better to do nine bows."
Add – (as So-on had made him do)
***
Chapter 12
P217
Not that Suzuki himself was a good fiscal manager. Soon after Mitsu arrived, the treasurer of the congregation told her that her husband hadn't been cashing his paychecks. First the treasurer had to explain what checks were; there was no such thing in Japan.
Delete - there was no such thing in Japan.
***
P225
Yamada gave lectures on the great Indian sage Nagarjuna and the semi-legendary Bodhidharma and conducted dokusan, private interviews.
the semi-legendary Bodhidharma
Change to
The first ancestor of Zen, Bodhidharma
***
P225
Suzuki rang the bells, made sure everything went smoothly, and sat every period, encouraging his students with his steadfastness.
and sat every period
Change to
and sat every period he could
***
Chapter 13
P228 [1st]
Hoitsu came from Eiheiji, where he'd been for a couple of years.
Add
to do a dharma transmission ceremony with his father.
***
P237
Grahame returned to San Francisco in mid-December. Suzuki appeared shocked to hear about his negative experiences there
Add - to hide the fact that he'd been well informed by Pauline.
***
P241
but he spent most of his time at headquarters
Add - in Tokyo
***
P242
Katagiri knew some English, but the onslaught of questions and stories from the students at Sokoji was putting him through an intensive course. He was twenty years younger than Suzuki and more accessible. He studied English at a little school in Pacific Heights where Suzuki still went occasionally
where Suzuki still went occasionally
Change to
Where Suzuki had studied and still went occasionally
***
Chapter 14
P264
Known for a thousand or more years to the local Esselen Indians
Change to
Known for a thousand or more years to the local Indians, the Esselen principle among them.
***
P275
He also talked to Phillip about going to the East Coast to assist a zazen group in Vermont that he had close ties to.
Add - He'd made several trips to the East Coast in recent years - New York, Massachusetts, Vermont - and had a number of students and supporters there.
***
Chapter 15
P285
Suzuki and Kobun sat facing out; everyone else sat facing the century-old walls built of mountain stone
Change to
Suzuki and Kobun sat facing out; everyone else sat facing the walls of wood and stone.
***
P293
Others had resisted the authority of government in civil disobedience or had broken the law by taking psychedelics.
Delete – broken the law (many of the laws came later)
Others had resisted the authority of government in civil disobedience or had taken psychedelics.
***
P295
For the officers it was the high point of the day, because they got to be with Suzuki for thirty minutes in a fairly intimate setting.
Change to
For the officers it was the high point of the day, because they got to be with Suzuki for thirty minutes or more in a fairly intimate setting.
***
Chapter 17
P341 [1st]
There had been less fish and meat served each summer, and now the fare was totally vegetarian, due to Tatsugami's insistence…
Change to
There had been less fish and meat served each summer, and by the following year the fare was totally vegetarian, due to Tatsugami's insistence…
***
P352
Later he said, "I read Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind to see what the understanding of my disciples is."
Change disciples to students
***
P356
(He used to say, "I think you're all enlightened until you open your mouth.")
Change to
(He said, "I think you're all enlightened until you open your mouth.")
***
Chapter 19
P403 [1st]
People were just catching their breath when Richard Baker entered.
Change to
People were just catching their breath when Richard Baker stepped forward.
***