Docho Roshi is a title for the abbot of a monastery. I'd forgotten we used it this far back - just for this shosan ceremony, not everyday use. Shosan took place at the end of practice periods. One by one the students would ask the abbot, Shunryu Suzuki, a question. Here's one from dearly departed Katherine Thanas.

Katherine Thanas: Docho Roshi, who are you?

SR: Good question [laughs]. To whom you are asking [laughter]?

Katherine: To all of you.

SR: Hmm? All of me [laughs]? You know, “all of me” is bad, you know. All of-- do you really understand all of me? All of me-- what you see and what you do not see?

Katherine: I don't know that I understand it all. I feel there is much there.

SR: I am here. But before I am here, you know, what existed here? Something you don't know existed [laughs]. I am, you know, someone who exists here who is speaking something. And I am also someone who-- someone who does not appear in this way. Before I say something-- before I exist here, something is here with all being. And I am both someone who has form and color, and someone who has no form and no color. And you are speaking to someone who has body and mind.

Katherine: Thank you very much.

from 68-11-11: SHOSAN CEREMONY

bit of editing by DC. Posted 12-23-14