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Anton Tenkei Coppens (Netherlands, 1949), the abbot of Zen River, has a background in art and art history and started Zen practice in England in 1976. He continued with Maezumi Roshi and Genpo Roshi in the US and lived and trained there for many years.
After Dharma transmission in 1996, he assisted Genpo Roshi in teaching for four more years and then went to Japan with his wife Myoho to study with Maezumi Roshi’s brother, Junyu Kuroda Roshi. Later, in Zuijoji, he completed the training necessary for accreditation by the Japanese Soto School.
Finally, he and Myoho returned to The Netherlands and established Zen River. Tenkei received Inka in 2006 (the final seal of approval) from Genpo Roshi.
In 2021 he published Timeless Calling, Timely Response, a guide for Zen Buddhist Practice. In 2024, he republished Teaching of the Great Mountain, a series of Dharma talks by Maezumi Roshi that he edited. In 2025, he published Finding Zen River, a collection of letters and news-bits written to sangha-members around the time they set up Zen River Temple.
To date, Tenkei has appointed eleven Dharma successors.
Tammy Myoho Gabrysch was born in Edinburgh (1961). She studied Fine Art in Manchester and worked as a freelance artist and a musician until she met Genpo Roshi in 1988. She then lived in the Kanzeon Zen Centre in Maine and Utah for twelve years, where she discovered her vocation as Tenzo (head cook).
In 2000, together with Tenkei, she studied for six months in Japan with Junyu Kuroda Roshi and later did her official Soto temple training in Toshoji. She received Dharma transmission from Genpo Roshi in 2008, and Inka in 2018.
After setting up Zen River Temple with Tenkei, she shared her decades of cooking experience in her Zen River Cookbook series. In 2025, she published Finding Zen River, a collection of letters written to friends and sangha members from herself and Tenkei Roshi during the time they were searching for a building to start Zen River.
She also released her musical renditions of Buddhist chants as an album called ShoSaiMyo under the artist Myōra.
Peter Gakudo den Hollander has a degree in social studies and has worked with young adults from ethnic minorities in The Hague. He started Zen practice in 1997.
He helped Tenkei and Myoho find and set up Zen River Temple with his partner Koren. There he grew into a temple-builder, working for 15 years on many construction and maintenance projects for the newly founded temple.
After receiving Dharma transmission in 2013, Gakudo completed his Soto temple training in Shogoji and Toshoji. He then followed his calling to the Spanish Pyrenees, where he began constructing Keiruiji Zen and retreat centre of which he is the current abbot.
In 2024 he received Inka from Tenkei.
Simon Senko de Boer studied political science in Amsterdam and worked for a non-profit organisation focussing on community building and environmental awareness.
Moving to Zen River in 2003, he immediately found his niche as a gardener and took on the temple grounds as his main field of work practice.
He received Dharma transmission in 2014 and completed his Soto temple training in Toshoji.
A few years later he moved to the Zen Boat in Groningen, where he now leads the program with his partner, Jifu. He also teaches weekly classes at Zentrum in Utrecht.
Robert Doin van de Roer graduated in applied physics and software engineering. He also obtained a concert diploma for piano from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. Doin started Zen practice in 2000.
When he moved to Zen River, his light-heartedness and skill with the computer made him quickly fill in the vacancy as the receptionist. Over time, he also began to specialize in formatting texts, helping Zen River Temple with its various publications and now working part-time as a typesetter.
He received Dharma transmission in 2014, after which he did his Soto temple training in Toshoji. He now is the main teacher of Zen in Twente.
Helma Jifu Vulink studied literature and theatre in Amsterdam and worked for many years as an actress and drama teacher. Meanwhile, she raised a family. Jifu started Zen practice in 2003 at Zen River Temple.
At the temple, her functions were flexible, specializing in helping out wherever help was needed, whether it be maintenance, the garden or the kitchen.
Jifu received Dharma transmission in 2014 and finished her Soto temple training in Toshoji. She currently lives with Senko on the Zen Boat in Groningen. In 2020, Jifu also became the spiritual leader for Zen Centrum Rotterdam.
Jorge Ryusho Lopez Doriga was born in Madrid and studied marketing. He started Zen practice in the late 1990s. When Tenkei and Tammy established Zen River Temple, he immediately began to combine his work as a marketeer for Disney with frequent stays at the temple.
He received Dharma transmission in 2015. Ryusho’s Zen practice eventually made him realize he wanted to use his marketing skills for a better purpose. Now he travels the world as chief sustainability for an international beverage company that promotes sustainability and local communities.
He set up a Zen group while living in Madrid. Later, when he moved to Lima, he also set up a Zen group there.
Hans Daishin Fischer was born in Eibergen, The Netherlands. He started Zen Practice in 1989 because he was uncertain about his purpose in life.
In 2001, he joined Tenkei and Myoho in their search for a temple. At Zen River, Daishin developed himself as the master electrician. As a lay practitioner, Daishin lives part-time at Zen River and part-time with his wife in Zutphen.
He received Dharma transmission in 2015. Daishin still finds great purpose in helping to keep the temple lights bright and shining, so that everybody can come and join the ongoing practice here.
Ingrid Ranka de Hullu grew up in Zeeuws Vlaanderen. She graduated from fashion school and later also completed accounting training. She started practising at Zen River in 2006.
She was the head seamstress in the sewing room and the treasurer for many years. She received Dharma transmission in 2016 and a year later went to Toshoji for her Soto temple training.
In 2020 she moved away to set up her sewing studio specialized in all the kinds of Zen apparel that a practitioner may need. Meanwhile, she often visits Zen River, among other things to lead rakusu-sewing classes at the temple.
Gert Zen’etsu Klopman was born in the province of Groningen. He studied coastal engineering in Delft (MSc) and applied mathematics in Twente (PhD). As a specialist on ocean waves—and their impacts on coasts, harbors, and structures—he worked with various institutes and organizations.
Concurrently, he received Zen training from Niko Tydeman Roshi, Jiun Hogen Roshi, and Harada Tangen Roshi. Around 2003, he began practicing at Zen River. His engineering expertise significantly contributed to preparing the temple for the future, making it more sustainable, energy-efficient, and earthquake-resistant.
Zen’etsu received Dharma transmission in 2024.
Wayne Taikan Gregoire has followed a long and adventurous path on the international Buddhist path. Born and raised in Montana, USA, he began attending the programme of the former Kanzeon Zen Centre in Salt Lake City from 2000 onwards.
Since then, he has lived in several different countries and started attending sesshins at Zen River.
About nine years ago, he moved in as a full-time resident and became an indispensable monastic member of our community. He even obtained Dutch citizenship. Since 2024, Taikan started to teach on wednesday-evenings at Kanzeon Zen Amsterdam.
In May 2025, he received Shiho from Tenkei Roshi. He is currently based and teaching in Wageningen, the Netherlands.
Tessa Gyosei Overbeek studied International Business and Languages and Arts, Culture and Media (BA). She graduated the Research Master Literary and Cultural Studies in 2009, specializing in culture, cognition and film. She worked as an assistant lecturer at Groningen University, then became a freelance writer, editor and researcher.
Discovering Zen River in 2015, she became a resident in 2016 and ordained in 2018. Gyosei assisted Tenkei Roshi in the writing of his book Timeless Calling, Timely Response and also edited Finding Zen River.
After completing her first Ango at Toshoji Senmon Sodo in the Winter of 2023, she found her function in promoting intercultural exchange within Zen and spent as much as 2,5 years there.
Gyosei received Shiho in September of 2025 from Tenkei Roshi and soon after returned to Japan. She continues to practice and share her experiences in writing. So far, two of her articles have been published in Japanese translation by Eiheiji and the Sotoshu.
Anjo Koren Kasman (1956-2016) studied business economics and worked as an administrative manager at the Leiden Academic Hospital. She started Zen practice in 1999.
She helped find and set up Zen River Temple, dedicating her time to the financial health of the temple and the sewing room. She received
Dharma transmission in 2013, after which she completed her Soto temple training in Yokoji and Toshoji. Koren then moved with her partner Gakudo to Keiriuji Zen Centre in the Spanish Pyrenees.
Unfortunately, due to an incurable form of cancer, she passed away on August 22, 2016. Her Dharma name Koren means ‘Shining Lotus’ and she manifested that quality beautifully until the very end.
Zen River’s first Anthology of Buddhist texts is an in-house publication that serve as a guide for in-depth study.
It contains excerpts from a wide variety of Buddhist masters and scriptures, giving a varied overview of the different ways that Dharma can be expressed.
In this way, readers can more easily come into contact with the most important texts that can be found in the vast Buddhist canon and learn about the essentials of our style of Zen practice..
It can be bought at Zen River (€20, excl. shipping).
A series of 12 videos on YouTube
Order here. The recordings will be sent to you via an email link.
Support Cushions
€10 – €15
Zafu + Zabuton Set
€95 (excl. Shipping)
Pre-cut pieces for sewing a Soto-style rakusu with ring
Ring & instructions included
€50 (excl. shipping)
Pill-Box Zafu
€45 (excl. shipping)
Zabuton
Black – one size – 75 x 96cm
€55 (excl. shipping)
Zafu with Pleads
Black – One Size – 28cm x 19cm
With buckwheat filling
€45 (excl. shipping)
Finding Zen River – Writings from 1999-2002 was published to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Zen River Temple, a Zen Buddhist Training Temple in the north of The Netherlands.
It is a compilation of letters written by Zen River’s founders, Anton Tenkei Coppens and Tamara Myoho Gabrysch, as they set out to find a suitable location to establish Zen River.
It can be bought on Amazon or at Zen River Temple.
The Spanish translation of Timeless Calling, Timely Response:
En este libro, Tenkei Roshi proporciona pautas para la práctica del budismo zen basadas en los “Cuatro modos de meditación” que él mismo ha desarrollado en los últimos años.
También aborda cómo estos modos pueden extenderse al entrenamiento koan, el ritual, el estudio, el trabajo y la interacción social.
It can be bought at Amazon or at Zen River Temple.
Zen River Cookbook: Soup Essentials is a selection of the most requested soup recipes from the first two volumes of the Zen River Cookbook.
It also includes some new favourites that you did not taste before.
Available on Amazon, or in the Zen River shop (€15, excl. shipping).
The Zen River Cookbook Essentials is a selection of favourite recipes by tenzo Tammy Myoho that are served daily at the Zen River Temple in The Netherlands.
Available on Amazon, or at Zen River (€15, excl. shipping).
Zen River Cookbook, volume 2 gives the next compilation of recipes that are basis for the meals at Zen River Temple.
In line with the spirit of the times, this volume has more recipes for fully plant-based meals.
Available Amazon, or at Zen River (€45, excl. shipping)
Zen River Cookbook forms a selection of over 200 illustrated recipes from the tenzo (head cook) Myoho Gabrysch Roshi at Zen River Temple in the Netherlands.
It can help impress the guests at home. Or it can be used as a compendium for cooking at sesshin, at Zen temples or other big groups, in a way that wastes as little food as possible.
The book is available on Amazon or at Zen River (€45, excl. shipping).
Tenkei Roshi provides guidelines for Zen Buddhist practice based on the “Four Modes of Meditation” that he developed over recent years at Zen River.
He also addresses how these modes can be extended to koan training, ritual, study, work, and social interaction.
Timeless Calling, Timely Response aims to serve as an inspiration for anyone interested in hearing their life’s calling and finding their own way to respond to it.
It is also available as a paperback via Amazon. The hardcover can be ordered via Zen River (€25, excluding shipping).
In Teaching of the Great Mountain, Taizan Maezumi Roshi addresses the essence of Zen—the vital question of what this life really is and how to live it to the benefit of all beings.
Given as direct and alive presentations of Dharma, during retreats in Europe, his intimate and poetic teachings cover a broad range of topics, including meditation and koan training, ritual, sutras, community, and even God.
Transcribed by Tenkei Coppens Roshi, this is a new edition of a book which was first published by Tuttle in 2001-2005.
It is now available as hardcover via Amazon or via Zen River (€19, excl. shipping).