Gesshin Myoko Prabhasa Dharma
The umbrella foundation IZIAE and the International Zen Center Noorder Poort were founded by Zen master Gesshin Myoko Prabhasa Dharma (1931-1999).

Born in Germany as Gisela Midwer, she lived the main part of her life in California. There, she trained for years under the Japanese Zen master Joshu Sasaki, who ordained her as a nun and teacher with the names Gesshin Myoko: Moon-Heart Wondrous-Light.

In 1981 she met the Vietnamese Zen master Thich Man Giac. In 1985 he bestowed upon her the 'Great Dharma Mind Seal Transmission' or inka and she became Prabhasa Dharma: Brilliant Dharma, the 45th generational heir of the Vietnamese Lam Te (Rinzai) Zen Lineage.

From 1980 until her death Prabhasa Dharma, Zenji trained Zen students in the U.S.A. and Europe. She developed a form of Zen practice that is not bound to any country or culture, although she maintained some elements of both Vietnamese and Japanese Zen.

Prabhasa Dharma, Zenji was also a great artist, known for her prolific poetry, and for her calligraphies.

"You all know that I come from the Zen Buddhist tradition. But when we follow a spiritual path and we go it all the way until the end, until the root of things, then we all arrive at the same source: the source of all that is. That is the Way of Zen."

      Neither good nor bad
      the honey
      that rots my teeth
             Gesshin Myoko

Read more about Gesshin Myoko Prabhasa Dharma, Zenji here.

Jiun Hogen
In 1999 Prabhasa Dharma, Zenji appointed her Dutch disciple Jiun Hogen as her successor and spiritual leader of the Zen center and IZIAE.

Jiun Hogen was born in Velsen, the Netherlands, in 1951. She graduated in Dutch language and literature and worked in the Schools Advisory Service in Amsterdam. In 1982 she met Prabhasa Dharma, Zenji and decided to become her disciple. In 1985 she left the Netherlands for intensive training under Zen master Prabhasa Dharma in the U.S.A.

In 1986 she was ordained a nun with the names Dharma Udaka: Truth Water. In 1989 she was ordained as a priest and teacher receiving temple transmission with the name Kanromon: Gate of Sweet Dew and the title Osho, Zen teacher.

In 1999, when she received Dharma Mind Seal transmission - inka- and became the 46th generational heir, Prabhasa Dharma, Zenji gave her the names Jiun Hogen: Compassion-Cloud Original-Dharma.

Read more about Jiun Hogen here.

Zen and Dharma teachers
Prabhasa Dharma, Zenji in 1996 and 1999 ordained some of her students as Zen teachers. More about them you can find here.

Furthermore Prabhasa Dharma, Zenji as well as Jiun Hogen, Roshi have ordained some of their students as unsui, Zen monks. Most of them practise and train at the International Zen Center Noorder Poort in the Netherlands.