Shundo David Haye – Zen Priest

‘In 1959, at the age of 43, I became interested in Zen, read books, listened to Alan Watts, and took a class at the San Francisco Asian Academy. Our teacher knew Suzuki-roshi and when the latter came to San Francisco from Japan, he invited Suzuki to visit our class. We were charmed. He said, “I sit every morning at 6:00 a.m. Please join me.”

Three women from the class did so, including Della Goertz and Jean Ross. The meditation group grew and soon the Zen Center was born.

This proved to be the greatest of blessings – I found my spiritual home. There was nothing to believe in except one’s own Buddha Nature. Just sit and listen. Nothing to depend on. Everything is change. Everyday life is important. Grateful to be alive. Compassion. This has been my guide ever since – daily meditation and the Prajna Paramita Mantra.

The Zen Center was incorporated. We bought the Page Street building in San Francisco and Tassajara Hot Springs. Suzuki-roshi died in 1971, but the Zen Center continued to grow. I continued going there for about five years and then I found that it was becoming a big organization and I didn’t like big organizations.

I became less active then, but continued my practice alone, with occasional visits, and regular donations. It was still my spiritual home. I made trips to Tassajara with Della and we enjoyed our time there…

Suzuki-roshi has always been with me, although I stopped going to the Zen Center after he died. As I sat he said to me, “Just sit.” He’s always been there saying, “Just sit!” And I have been sitting for the last 46 years.

Now I begin to feel what he meant. You learn it through your bones, because there are no answers that you can put into words. It’s coming to peace, knowing that there are no answers. He said, “To find your composure in the midst of this ever changing life.” To be able to find your composure, knowing that you will never know and never will – to find the peace in not knowing.’ (from her memoir).