Shundo David Haye – Zen Priest

‘I was a student at Brandeis University outside of Boston. I was a sophomore, studying social psychology, because I was concerned about the war in Vietnam. I took a course in educational psychology. One of the things the professor was trying to get across to us is that you can’t educate somebody else if you don’t know yourself. So he put five books on Zen on the reading list. I read The Three Pillars of Zen and I thought, Wow, this is really something. At the time I was also majoring in modern dance, and so for the summer, I had planned to dance. I thought to myself, if Zen is happening anywhere in this country, it must be in San Francisco. So I drove all the way across the country in my little car. My brother helped me drive as far as Colorado, then I went the rest of the way myself. I got to San Francisco….

I remember vividly driving across the Bay Bridge. I went to Golden Gate Park and this man in long, white robes offered me LSD, which I didn’t take. But he also told me a place I could spend the night if I needed a place to stay, so I crashed in somebody’s flat somewhere. That was Sunday. The next day I went to my dance studio, and that was wonderful. I looked up Zen in the phonebook, and I found Zen Center, so I called the number. This little lady Japanese voice answered, and I said “Hello? Would it be possible to practice zazen?” And she said, “Yes!” I said, “What time?” and she said “Five o’clock.” I said, “Five o’clock in the evening?” “No, five o’clock, morning.”

So the next day — I’d never been up at 5 am in my entire life, I don’t think, at that point — I showed up at Sokoji. And this is really funny —The Three Pillars of Zen was written by a person from a different Zen tradition. I didn’t know the difference. I got there early, because I wasn’t sure about being there on time. I went into the zendo and I plopped myself on a zafu, sitting face out, with my knees up in the air and my eyes closed. So I didn’t see everybody else come in and sit facing the wall, so there I was! [DC note: Philip Kapleau who wrote Three Pillars studied Rinzai-like Soto – Harada Yasutani lineage]

Chino Sensei was also there, together with Suzuki Roshi. Without saying a word, and with infinite gentleness, he turned me around to face the wall. Chino Sensei. He put my knees down, and he straightened my back, and he pulled in my chin. He just kind of fixed my posture. I was mortified that I’d been facing out — anyway . . .

So that was Tuesday morning, and I came every day. That was June of 1968. On Saturday morning was the lecture by Suzuki Roshi. I also remember bowing to Suzuki Roshi on the way out, after zazen, every time. So I went to the talk by Suzuki Roshi Saturday morning. I don’t remember what it was on, but I said to myself, “Oh my goodness, this man knows more than all my brilliant Brandeis professors put together. I’m going to practice with him.” I just vowed right then and there to study with Suzuki Roshi. Six months later I was at Tassajara.’ (from Cuke.com)