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Brigitte D'Ortschy

December 20, 2023

Brigitte D'Ortschy (31 May 1921 – 9 July 1990), or Koun-An Doru Chiko, was an architect, journalist, translator, author, and the first Zen master from Germany in the Sanbo Kyodan school of Japan.

Brigitte D'Ortschy
TitleRoshi
Personal
Born(1921-05-31)31 May 1921
Berlin, Germany
Died9 July 1990(1990-07-09) (aged 69)
ReligionZen Buddhism
SchoolSanbo Kyodan
LineageHarada-Yasutani
Other namesKoun-An Doru Chiko
Senior posting
TeacherHaku'un Yasutani
PredecessorKoun Yamada

Biography edit

Brigitte D'Ortschy grew up in Berlin. As a teenager she became intrigued by the reading of Angelus Silesius, Meister Eckhart, Teresa of Avila and Chuang-tzu. She completed her education by studying architecture and engineering in Berlin and Graz. The sociological and psychological aspects of architecture were one of the main fields of her studies. In 1945 she received her diploma in architecture.

From 1947 to 1950 Brigitte D'Ortschy worked as a research assistant at the Technical University of Munich in the field of the building history and archaeology. 1950 she accepted an invitation by the Washington State Department and went to the US to gain experiences in urban and regional planning for the rebuilding of postwar Germany. She concluded her graduate studies at the University of North Carolina and worked for the Planning Commission of Philadelphia. During this time she met Frank Lloyd Wright.

In 1951 Brigitte D'Ortschy became a founding member of the Bavarian Committee for Urban and Regional Planning. In 1952 she took the initiative to bring the exhibition "60 years of Living Architecture" on the work of Frank Lloyd Wright to Munich. In 1953 Frank Lloyd Wright invited her to work for him in his architectural atelier in Taliesin West (Arizona). Frank Lloyd Wright's concept of "organic architecture" resonated with Brigitte D’Ortschy. It also sharpened her awareness of physical form as "cultural language" and helped her later to grasp the characteristic features of Japanese culture.

In 1954, on her return to Europe, she became the coordinator of the German section of the international "Triennale" exhibition in Milano. In the following years she organized exhibitions in Helsingborg (Sweden), Milano, Israel, Berlin and Munich. In addition she did design work, gave lectures, and wrote articles for the trade press.

In 1960 she traveled to Israel to prepare the first exhibition about the Art and Craft of Israel in postwar Germany, setting it up in Munich and Berlin. Besides her professional life she engaged in intense discussions and exchange of letters with leading thinkers of her time on the many aspects of science and religious philosophy. During these years she read the book Zen and the Art of Archery by Eugen Herrigel. "This book about Zen....awakened in me the feeling that Japan was holding sth. extremely important for me" she later writes. Up to 1963 she worked both as a freelance architect and for the Bavaria Film Company while continuing to publish articles and a series of books about architectural design. In 1963 she decided to move to Japan.

Zen-training and teaching edit

Shortly after her arrival in Japan Brigitte D'Ortschy met Zen-Master Ryoko Roshi (1885–1973) and in April 1964 she began her rigorous Zen-training under him in the Fukusho-ji in Tokio and in the Mokuso-in in Kamakura. She earned a living as lecturer at the Waseda, Yokohama and Tokio universities, and being an articulate writer, she wrote many articles about traditional Japanese culture and its Zen schools of art. Brigitte D'Ortschy underwent the entire Koan-training which she completed in 1972 when she received Inka Shomei. Yasutani Haku'un Roshi bestowed on her the Dharma name Doru Chiko Daishi and she became his Dharma heir. In 1973 Yamada Koun Ken Enko Zenshin Roshi (1907–1989) held the Hasan-Sai ceremony for her and she inherited his Dharma too. Yamada Koun gave her the name Koun An Roshi. From then on she was called Koun An Doru Chiko Roshi (=Daishi). In 1983 Yamada Roshi confirmed her as an authentic Zen-Master in her own right (Shoshike) of the Sanbo Kyodan lineage. Koun An Doru Chiko Roshi is the 85th generation after Shakyamuni Buddha and the 35th generation after Dogen Zenji.

In the San'un zendo in Kamakura she befriended her Zen companion Philip Kapleau who was then writing his zen classic The Three Pillars of Zen. She designed the cover of this book and translated it into German. Those parts of Phillip Kapleau's book which were originally written in Kanbun she translated anew into English to keep her German translation as faithful as possible. The German edition (Die Drei Pfeiler des Zen) was eventually published in 1969. During these years Hugo Makibi Enomiya Lassalle SJ became her Zen companion, as well as the Californian Jesuit Father Thomas Hand, one of the first Catholic priests in the San'un zendo and pioneer of the Christian/Buddhist dialogue. Her long friendship with Father Hand is documented in an exchange of letters spanning 20 years.

From 1973 onwards, together with Yamada Koun Roshi she held the first Sesshin in Germany. In 1975 she established her own zendo in Munich. This zendo grew into a community of zen disciples from all over the world. Koun An pursued her teaching during intense summer training periods. During winter time she continued her zen training in Japan and kept working on her translations and writings. She shielded her Munich zendo and her students from public limelight in order to guarantee an intense and authentic zen-training and did so in line with her view that "spiritual training is always for free".

Under the pseudonym of Michael Mueller, Brigitte D'Ortschy published a teisho (dharma talk) about the koan "MU". With the title ZEN (photos by Eberhard Grames) it was published in 1984 for the first time.

Until her death in 1990 she spent the winter months in her garden hut (Jap. hanare) in Kita-Kamakura, Yama-no-uchi, and continued her own Zen training. With the support of Yamada Koun Roshi in the San'un Zendo in Kamakura she translated the classic texts of Zen-Buddhism from the Chinese and Japanese originals into English and/or German: "Hui-Neng" (Eno) (638-713) The Dharma-Treasure Rostrum Sutra of the Great Master, the Sixth Patriarch, "Sosan no hanashi", and complete classic koan collections, like Mumon Ekai: Mumon-kan (The Gateless Gate), Setcho/Engo: Hekigan Roku (The Blue Cliff Record), Keizan Jokin: Denko-Roku (Transmission of Light), Wanshi Shogaku: Shoyu Roku (The Book of Equanimity), etc. and wrote her own teisho (Dharma talks) about all of the respective koan. Her contribution in the context of Christian/Buddhist dialogue is most comprehensively documented in her exchange of letters over 15 years with a Carthusian monk who was her disciple.

While Yasutani Haku'un Roshi is regarded as the pioneer of Zen in the US, Koun-An Doru Chiko Roshi is regarded as the first German Zen-Master with students from all over the world.

Bibliography edit

Wolkenverlag Munich (www.wolkenverlag.de) now offers free downloads of its publications to date (see list below), all of which are translations, books or essays and articles by Brigitte D'Ortschy, plus already some as yet unpublished original manuscripts, i.e. "The 6th Patriarch's Rostrum (Platform) Sutra" (Hui-Neng) translated from Japanese into English and German, by Brigitte D'Ortschy. The Wolkenverlag library of free downloads will grow continuously as more essays, articles, teisho, notes and translations are being prepared for upload. Original manuscripts, written in German only, will be translated into English in due time.

Books with Audio-CD (German)
  • Mumon Kan (Wu-men-kuan) Mumon Ekai (1183–1260). 1-48. (2001) ISBN 3-935241-00-3 (Translation from Chinese and Japanese)
  • Mumon Kan. Teisho 1–4. (2001) ISBN 3-935241-02-X
  • Mumon Kan. Teisho 5–8. (2001) ISBN 3-935241-03-8
  • Mumon Kan. Teisho 9–12. (2002) ISBN 3-935241-31-3
  • Hekigan-Roku (Pi-yen-lu). Master Setcho (980-1052) and Master Engo (1063–1135).
  • 1-100. (2001) ISBN 3-935241-01-1 (Translation from Chinese and Japanese)
  • Hekigan-Roku. Teisho 1–4.(2001) ISBN 3-935241-04-6
  • Hekigan-Roku. Teisho 5–8.(2001) ISBN 3-935241-05-4
  • Hekigan-Roku. Teisho 9–12. (2002) ISBN 3-935241-30-5
  • Hekigan-Roku. Teisho 3,4,5,90,91.(2005) ISBN 3-935241-43-7
  • Der Abendliche Spruch. 3 Teisho. (2002) ISBN 3-935241-09-7
MP3 CDs (German)
DVD
Hekigan-Roku. Teisho 3,4,5,90,91. (2005) ISBN 3-935241-26-7 Electronic publication (English)

www.wolkenverlag.de: Denko-Roku Koan collection, Shoyo-Roku Koan collection. Translated from Chinese and Japanese into English, by Brigitte D'Ortschy, Koun-An Roshi.

www.wolkenverlag.de: The Sixth Patriarch's Rostrum Sutra. Translated from Chinese and Japanese manuscripts into English, by Brigitte D'Ortschy, Koun-An Roshi.

Gallery edit

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References edit

  • (in German) Schuhmacher, S. 2001. Zen. Hugendubel, München. ISBN 3-7205-2192-3
  • Kapleau, Ph. 2000. The Three Pillars of Zen. Anchor Books, New York. ISBN 0-385-26093-8
  • Kapleau, Ph. 2004. Die drei Pfeiler des Zen. Lehre – Übung – Erleuchtung. Barth, München. ISBN 3-502-61132-7

External links edit

  • Wolkenverlag, Munich

December 20, 2023
brigitte, ortschy, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, includes, list, references, related, reading, external, links, sources, remain, unclea. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations June 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Brigitte D Ortschy news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Brigitte D Ortschy 31 May 1921 9 July 1990 or Koun An Doru Chiko was an architect journalist translator author and the first Zen master from Germany in the Sanbo Kyodan school of Japan Brigitte D OrtschyTitleRoshiPersonalBorn 1921 05 31 31 May 1921Berlin GermanyDied9 July 1990 1990 07 09 aged 69 ReligionZen BuddhismSchoolSanbo KyodanLineageHarada YasutaniOther namesKoun An Doru ChikoSenior postingTeacherHaku un YasutaniPredecessorKoun Yamada Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Zen training and teaching 2 Bibliography 3 Gallery 4 References 5 External linksBiography editBrigitte D Ortschy grew up in Berlin As a teenager she became intrigued by the reading of Angelus Silesius Meister Eckhart Teresa of Avila and Chuang tzu She completed her education by studying architecture and engineering in Berlin and Graz The sociological and psychological aspects of architecture were one of the main fields of her studies In 1945 she received her diploma in architecture From 1947 to 1950 Brigitte D Ortschy worked as a research assistant at the Technical University of Munich in the field of the building history and archaeology 1950 she accepted an invitation by the Washington State Department and went to the US to gain experiences in urban and regional planning for the rebuilding of postwar Germany She concluded her graduate studies at the University of North Carolina and worked for the Planning Commission of Philadelphia During this time she met Frank Lloyd Wright In 1951 Brigitte D Ortschy became a founding member of the Bavarian Committee for Urban and Regional Planning In 1952 she took the initiative to bring the exhibition 60 years of Living Architecture on the work of Frank Lloyd Wright to Munich In 1953 Frank Lloyd Wright invited her to work for him in his architectural atelier in Taliesin West Arizona Frank Lloyd Wright s concept of organic architecture resonated with Brigitte D Ortschy It also sharpened her awareness of physical form as cultural language and helped her later to grasp the characteristic features of Japanese culture In 1954 on her return to Europe she became the coordinator of the German section of the international Triennale exhibition in Milano In the following years she organized exhibitions in Helsingborg Sweden Milano Israel Berlin and Munich In addition she did design work gave lectures and wrote articles for the trade press In 1960 she traveled to Israel to prepare the first exhibition about the Art and Craft of Israel in postwar Germany setting it up in Munich and Berlin Besides her professional life she engaged in intense discussions and exchange of letters with leading thinkers of her time on the many aspects of science and religious philosophy During these years she read the book Zen and the Art of Archery by Eugen Herrigel This book about Zen awakened in me the feeling that Japan was holding sth extremely important for me she later writes Up to 1963 she worked both as a freelance architect and for the Bavaria Film Company while continuing to publish articles and a series of books about architectural design In 1963 she decided to move to Japan Zen training and teaching edit Shortly after her arrival in Japan Brigitte D Ortschy met Zen Master Ryoko Roshi 1885 1973 and in April 1964 she began her rigorous Zen training under him in the Fukusho ji in Tokio and in the Mokuso in in Kamakura She earned a living as lecturer at the Waseda Yokohama and Tokio universities and being an articulate writer she wrote many articles about traditional Japanese culture and its Zen schools of art Brigitte D Ortschy underwent the entire Koan training which she completed in 1972 when she received Inka Shomei Yasutani Haku un Roshi bestowed on her the Dharma name Doru Chiko Daishi and she became his Dharma heir In 1973 Yamada Koun Ken Enko Zenshin Roshi 1907 1989 held the Hasan Sai ceremony for her and she inherited his Dharma too Yamada Koun gave her the name Koun An Roshi From then on she was called Koun An Doru Chiko Roshi Daishi In 1983 Yamada Roshi confirmed her as an authentic Zen Master in her own right Shoshike of the Sanbo Kyodan lineage Koun An Doru Chiko Roshi is the 85th generation after Shakyamuni Buddha and the 35th generation after Dogen Zenji In the San un zendo in Kamakura she befriended her Zen companion Philip Kapleau who was then writing his zen classic The Three Pillars of Zen She designed the cover of this book and translated it into German Those parts of Phillip Kapleau s book which were originally written in Kanbun she translated anew into English to keep her German translation as faithful as possible The German edition Die Drei Pfeiler des Zen was eventually published in 1969 During these years Hugo Makibi Enomiya Lassalle SJ became her Zen companion as well as the Californian Jesuit Father Thomas Hand one of the first Catholic priests in the San un zendo and pioneer of the Christian Buddhist dialogue Her long friendship with Father Hand is documented in an exchange of letters spanning 20 years From 1973 onwards together with Yamada Koun Roshi she held the first Sesshin in Germany In 1975 she established her own zendo in Munich This zendo grew into a community of zen disciples from all over the world Koun An pursued her teaching during intense summer training periods During winter time she continued her zen training in Japan and kept working on her translations and writings She shielded her Munich zendo and her students from public limelight in order to guarantee an intense and authentic zen training and did so in line with her view that spiritual training is always for free Under the pseudonym of Michael Mueller Brigitte D Ortschy published a teisho dharma talk about the koan MU With the title ZEN photos by Eberhard Grames it was published in 1984 for the first time Until her death in 1990 she spent the winter months in her garden hut Jap hanare in Kita Kamakura Yama no uchi and continued her own Zen training With the support of Yamada Koun Roshi in the San un Zendo in Kamakura she translated the classic texts of Zen Buddhism from the Chinese and Japanese originals into English and or German Hui Neng Eno 638 713 The Dharma Treasure Rostrum Sutra of the Great Master the Sixth Patriarch Sosan no hanashi and complete classic koan collections like Mumon Ekai Mumon kan The Gateless Gate Setcho Engo Hekigan Roku The Blue Cliff Record Keizan Jokin Denko Roku Transmission of Light Wanshi Shogaku Shoyu Roku The Book of Equanimity etc and wrote her own teisho Dharma talks about all of the respective koan Her contribution in the context of Christian Buddhist dialogue is most comprehensively documented in her exchange of letters over 15 years with a Carthusian monk who was her disciple While Yasutani Haku un Roshi is regarded as the pioneer of Zen in the US Koun An Doru Chiko Roshi is regarded as the first German Zen Master with students from all over the world Bibliography editWolkenverlag Munich www wolkenverlag de now offers free downloads of its publications to date see list below all of which are translations books or essays and articles by Brigitte D Ortschy plus already some as yet unpublished original manuscripts i e The 6th Patriarch s Rostrum Platform Sutra Hui Neng translated from Japanese into English and German by Brigitte D Ortschy The Wolkenverlag library of free downloads will grow continuously as more essays articles teisho notes and translations are being prepared for upload Original manuscripts written in German only will be translated into English in due time Books with Audio CD German Mumon Kan Wu men kuan Mumon Ekai 1183 1260 1 48 2001 ISBN 3 935241 00 3 Translation from Chinese and Japanese Mumon Kan Teisho 1 4 2001 ISBN 3 935241 02 X Mumon Kan Teisho 5 8 2001 ISBN 3 935241 03 8 Mumon Kan Teisho 9 12 2002 ISBN 3 935241 31 3 Hekigan Roku Pi yen lu Master Setcho 980 1052 and Master Engo 1063 1135 1 100 2001 ISBN 3 935241 01 1 Translation from Chinese and Japanese Hekigan Roku Teisho 1 4 2001 ISBN 3 935241 04 6 Hekigan Roku Teisho 5 8 2001 ISBN 3 935241 05 4 Hekigan Roku Teisho 9 12 2002 ISBN 3 935241 30 5 Hekigan Roku Teisho 3 4 5 90 91 2005 ISBN 3 935241 43 7 Der Abendliche Spruch 3 Teisho 2002 ISBN 3 935241 09 7MP3 CDs German Mumon Kan Mumon Ekai 1 48 Translation 2008 ISBN 3 935241 60 7 Mumon Kan Teisho 1 48 2003 ISBN 3 935241 59 3 Mumon Kan Teisho 1 12 2004 ISBN 3 935241 50 X Mumon Kan Teisho 13 30 2003 ISBN 3 935241 48 8 Mumon Kan Teisho 31 48 2004 ISBN 3 935241 49 6 Hekigan Roku Teisho 1 54 2003 ISBN 3 935241 54 2 Hekigan Roku Teisho 55 100 2003 ISBN 3 935241 55 0 Hekigan Roku Teisho 1 12 2004 ISBN 3 935241 51 8 Hekigan Roku Teisho 1 54 2008 ISBN 3 935241 54 2 Hekigan Roku Teisho 55 68 2003 ISBN 3 935241 39 9 Hekigan Roku Teisho 69 82 2004 ISBN 3 935241 40 2 Hekigan Roku Teisho 83 93 2004 ISBN 3 935241 41 0DVD Hekigan Roku Teisho 3 4 5 90 91 2005 ISBN 3 935241 26 7 Electronic publication English www wolkenverlag de Denko Roku Koan collection Shoyo Roku Koan collection Translated from Chinese and Japanese into English by Brigitte D Ortschy Koun An Roshi www wolkenverlag de The Sixth Patriarch s Rostrum Sutra Translated from Chinese and Japanese manuscripts into English by Brigitte D Ortschy Koun An Roshi Gallery edit nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp References edit in German Schuhmacher S 2001 Zen Hugendubel Munchen ISBN 3 7205 2192 3 Kapleau Ph 2000 The Three Pillars of Zen Anchor Books New York ISBN 0 385 26093 8 Kapleau Ph 2004 Die drei Pfeiler des Zen Lehre Ubung Erleuchtung Barth Munchen ISBN 3 502 61132 7External links editZen Buddhism Sanbo Kyodan Harada Yasutani School Wolkenverlag Munich Brigitte D Ortschy in the German National Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Brigitte D 27Ortschy amp oldid 1150895936, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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