OMD  APPROVAL
                                                    OMB  Number........3235-0145
                                                   Expires:....August  31,  1991
                                                  Estimated average burden hours
                                                           per response....14.90








                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                  Schedule 13G

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                          (Amendment No. ___________)*


                       Electro Scientific Industries, Inc.
                                (Name of Issuer)


                                  Common Stock
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                       ____________285229-10-0____________
                                 (CUSIP Number)



Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement  ____. (A fee
is not required only if the filing person:  (1) has a previous statement on file
reporting  beneficial  ownership  of more  than  five  percent  of the  class of
securities  described  in Item 1;  and (2) has  filed  no  amendment  subsequent
thereto reporting  beneficial  ownership of five percent or less of such class.)
(See Rule 13d-7).

* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting  person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any  subsequent  amendment  containing  information  which  would  alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise  subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but  shall be  subject  to all other  provisions  of the Act  (however,  see the
Notes).

                                        1





CUSIP No.  285229-10-0                13G             Page   2  of  4  Pages
          -------------                                    -----  -----
    1        NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
             S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
                  The Parnassus Fund
                  94-6579180
    2        CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                                (a)
                                                                (b)
    3        SEC USE ONLY

    4        CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

                  Massachusetts Business Trust
    5        SOLE VOTING POWER

                  600,000 shares
    6        SHARED VOTING POWER


    7        SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

    8        SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

    9        AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EAC REPORTING PERSON

                  600,000 shares
    10       CHECK BOX OF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW(9)EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES

    11       PERCENT OF CLASSREPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

                  6.92%
    12       TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

                  IV



                                        2





Item 1.
         (a) Name of Issuer:  Electro Scientific Industries, Inc.

         (b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

                                    13900 North West Science Park Drive
                             Portland, OR 97229-5497
Item 2.
         (a) Name of Person filing:  The Parnassus Fund

         (b) Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence:

                                    One Market
                                    Steuart Tower - Suite #1600
                             San Francisco, CA 94105

         (c) Citizenship: Massachusetts Business Trust

         (d) Title of Class of Securities:  Common Stock

         (e) CUSIP Number:  285229-10-0

Item 3.
         (d) Person filing is an Investment  Company registered under Section 8
of the Investment Company Act of 1940.

Item 4. Ownership:
         (a) Amount Beneficially Owned:  600,000 shares

         (b) Percent of Class:  6.92%

         (c) Number of shares as to which such person has:
             (i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote:  600,000 shares

Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:

                                    Not Applicable

Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person:

                                    Not Applicable

Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the
Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company:

                                    Not Applicable


Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:

                                    Not Applicable

                                       3


Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group:

                                    Not Applicable

Item 10: Certification:

                  By signing  below I certify  that, to the best of my knowledge
and  belief,  the  securities  referred to above were  acquired in the  ordinary
course of business  and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not have the
effect of changing or influencing  the control of the issuer of such  securities
and were not acquired in connection  with or as a participant in any transaction
having such purposes or effect.


                                                   SIGNATURE

After  reasonable  inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify
that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

                                                   February 10, 1997
                                                        Date



                                                   Signature


                                            Jerome L. Dodson/ President
                                                    Name/Title