This CV as it looked in 2002 without subsequent changes, some mistakes. - PDF

Name in Full: Shunryu Suzuki

Date of Birth: May 18, 1904 (age at time of filling out - 65).

Family Relation: First son of Sogaku Suzuki

Permanent Domicile: 1400 Sakamoto, Yaizu-shi, Shizuoka-ken, Japan.

Present Address: 1881 Bush Street, San Francisco, California (Zen Soto Temple Sokoji)

Education & Training: 1924-26, Junior & Senior years of High School.

April 10, 1930, graduated from Komazawa University in Philosophy of Buddhism and Zen.

From Sep 17, 1930 to Sep 2, 1931: Head teample Dai Honzan (Big root mountain), Eiheiji Temple

From Sep 18, 1931 to Mar 31, 1932: Daihonzan, Sojiji Temple

From March 1, 1932 to Jun 30, 1952: Studied Zen under Ian Kishizawa..

Ordination (tokudo): May 18, 1917 - Ordained on his 13th birthday by Gyokujun So-on Suzuki (was adopted by Sogaku), disciple of father at Zounin Zen Temple and lived there until 1924.

From Nov 15, 1925 to Feb 18, 1926, at Kenkoin Zen Temple, Shizuoka City, during the full practice period under Dojun Kato-Roshi.

Feb. 18, 1926 - Shuso-Risshin (standing body - not considered a boy anymore. boy - priests think of him as young new friend):

Dharma Transmission (private ceremony): Aug. 21, 1926, from Gyokujun So-on (robe handed down to him from his dharma master), at Rinsoin in Yaizu, Shizuoka-ken.

Ten-e (Okesa): Jan. 14, 1930: Public determination and consent from Soto Zen sect. Public ceremony. Robe handed down, his name is listed by headquarters as one who can become chief priest of temple. After this ceremony he goes to Eiheiji to "meet" with Dogen Zenji and to Sojiji to meet with Kezan Zenji (founder of Sojiji temple) for ceremony (2 days) -- to go to vow to be good teacher -- after this ceremony he is Zen Master and can teach anywhere & have a temple.

From May 7, 1932 to Apr 31, 1936, Zen Teacher (koshi) in Bansho Zenrin (job belongs to Rinsoin), Kasuisai, at Fukuroi, Shizuoka-ken.

From Mar 1, 1942 ([can't read this well, top cut off in copying:] at that point he gains a new status only for ceremonies apparantly.)

Mar 31, 1947. (Official Director) Shike (Daho), Tokei-in Temple.

From Jun 3, 1947 untill 1958. The teacher of Zen Practice for both monks and laymen at Rinsoin.

From Jun 30, 1952 until now 1958, Chief Director of Dokan Takao-gan Senmon Soto - Docho. Zenrin?

Through this period his teacher was Ian Kishizawa Roshi.

Experiences (2): * March 1938. Ordination ceremony for young female Buddhists of Higashi Eki Mashi, ten-mura, Shita-gun, Shizuoka-ken.

March 1947. Big ordination ceremony for lay members with Ian Kishizawa.

Marriage in 1936, two years after master died, when 33 or 34.

Two dharma heirs: Roshi's son and the son of his older dharma brother, Shoko Okamura who became abbot of Zounin. For him to pass the temple to his son, his son needed to have transmission from Shunryu.

Entering as chief priest, Jan. 22, 1929, at Zounin Temple, Mori, Shizuoka-ken.

Apr 23, 1936, at Rinsoin Temple, 1400 Sakamoto, Yaizu-shi, Shizuoka-ken.

May 22, 1959, appointed head priest of Soto Zen Temple Sokoji, 1881 Bush Street, San Francisco, California, U.S. [Acting cheif priest until his installation as abbot in 1962]

1967. Opening of Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Zenshinji.

Oct. 1, 1969: Appointed Gondai-kyoshi by Soto sect.

On Buildings and their Repairing.

March 1932. Kannon-do, where Avalokitesvara is enshrined, and Seppin (Kuri) not main building, but important building for guests & practicers in temple. (New.) of Zounin.

April 1944. Kaisando (Founder's Memorial Hall), Ihaido (Priests' and Laymen's Memorial Hall of Zounin.

March 1, 1958. Renovated the main structure of Rinsoin. Continued repairings of Kaisando, Ihaido, Bell Tower, and Sutra Store Hall (kyozo) until May 1958. (refused not to have exactly in old style, cost more and everyone thought he was crazy. Always studying architecture at the time Rinsoin was built - maybe 300 years old.)

On other works.

May 5, 1948. Founded the Tokiwa Nursery School in Yaizu. (No official title except responsible for religious education.)

April, 1954. Branch of Tokiwa Nursery School at Nishimachi, Yaizu.

Interpretor for Miss Nona. Ransom from Aug 1, 1927 to May 30, 1929.

June, 1931 - License of Ethical Teacher for high school boys. Recommended by Shundo Tachibana, president of Kamazawa University.

Presidents of Sokoji Temple.

1. Mr. Yaichi Michida 2. Mr. Jota Handa; 3. Mr. Gihei Komiyama; 4. Mr. Saburo Yakai; 5. Mr. Nisaburo Komiya; 6. Mr. George Hagiwara; 7. Mr. Sakai Kawashiri.

Presidents of Laywomen's Association:

1. Mrs. Fuyuko Kawashiri; 2. Mrs. ... Yamaguchi.

Founder of Sokoji: Rev. Hosen Isobe Roshi (Daiju Hosen). Dec. 8, 1934 to summer 1940. He came to SF in 1933 from Los Angeles, Zenshu-ji. He went back to Japan.

Successors of Sokoji:

2. Rev. Kenichi Sato, Aug. 1940 to Apr. 1941. (went back to Japan)

3. Rev. Daito Suzuki (Sogaku-Daito), Dec. 8, 1941 to 1948.

4. Rev. Rien Takahashi, 1948-1950

5. Rev. Hodo Tobase, 1950 to Apr. 1959. Went back to Japan in 1957 or 8

6. Rev. Shunryu Suzuki, Mar. 4, 1959 [Didn't arrive till March ]

Suzuki lectures