‘Meeting Suzuki Roshi for the first time, I met some rock-bottom place in myself. I have often said that if Suzuki had been an apple picker or a welder, I would have promptly taken up either of those arts. I sat because he sat. To know his mind. It was the first time in my twenty-eight years that I had encountered another human being and felt trust. It blew my tough, sophisticated young-artist’s mind. Suzuki Roshi sat with us every morning in the old Japanese temple on Bush Street while the birds and the city slowly came awake, and after the chants he would stand at the door and bow individually to each of us, scrutinizing us keenly but gently as we left. I felt that nothing escaped him, and that the manner of our bows, the hesitation, self-consciousness, or bluff we presented as we set out, told him everything about where we were “at.” I learned much more than I know-even now-from Shunryu Suzuki Roshi in the few years that I studied with him.’ (from Cuke.com)
One of many lovely stories I came across while reading up for the recent class.
Shundo David Haye 