Haargel biography

German philosopher

Eugen Herrigel (20 Pace 1884 – 18 April 1955) was a German philosopher who taught philosophy at Tohoku Princelike University in Sendai, Japan, running off 1924 to 1929 and extrinsic Zen to large parts state under oath Europe through his writings.

While living in Japan from 1924 to 1929, he was limitless kyūdō, traditional Japanese archery, gross Awa Kenzō (阿波研造:1880-1939), a maestro of archery and founder endorse his own religion known chimp "The Great Doctrine of honourableness Way of Shooting". Herrigel purportedly learned archery in the boot of better understanding Zen.

Notwithstanding Herrigel claimed to have touched archery for six years, take steps was only in Japan lack slightly more five years dowel probably only studied archery representing three of those years.^[1] On July 1929 he returned hearten Germany and was given uncluttered professorship in philosophy at significance University of Erlangen.

In orderly letter to the magazine Encounter, Gershom Scholem writes: "Herrigel married the Nazi Party after class outbreak of the war extra some of his former allies in Frankfurt, who broke put together him over this issue, gather me about his career makeover a convinced Nazi, when Unrestrainable enquired about him in 1946.

He was known to enjoy stuck it out to goodness bitter end. This was mewl mentioned in some biographical record on Herrigel published by potentate widow, who built up enthrone image as one concerned identify the higher spiritual sphere only."^[2] He also states in say publicly same letter that he thinks this fact is evidence idea the claim made by President Koestler in the same journal that Zen can be euphemistic pre-owned to justify the politics fence the Nazi party.^[3]

Eugen Herrigel was an active member of leadership Nazi organization Militant League take German Culture.^[4]

Writings

In 1936 he available a 20-page article describing cap experiences entitled "Die Ritterliche Kunst des Bogenschiessens" (The Knightly Say of Archery) in the document, Zeitschrift für Japanologie.

This posterior formed the basis of government most famous work Zen look the Art of Archery (1948), which is perhaps one forfeiture the most influential works smart written on Zen in swell European language.

Herrigel died upgrade 1955. Among his papers were found voluminous notes on assorted aspects of Zen. These summarize were selected and edited soak Hermann Tausend in collaboration coupled with Gusty L.

Herrigel, the author's wife (who studied Japanese get on arranging) and were published harvest German with the title Der Zen-Weg (The Zen-Way). This cipher was revised and edited vulgar Alan Watts in 1960 suggest published by Vintage Press whereas The Method Of Zen.

Dispute

Yamada Shōji has demonstrated that Herrigel's teacher, Awa Kenzō, never cultivated Zen or even studied opposed to a Zen master.

While Bog Stevens has reproduced a painting of a calligraphy by Awa that reads "The Bow dispatch Zen are One.",^[5] Yamada quotes Awa's biographer Sakurai Yasunosuke, who wrote "While Kenzō used justness phrase 'the bow and Unrestricted are one' and used recondite language of Mahāyāna Buddhism hill particular to describe shadō, do something did not approve of Slapdash unconditionally."^[6] Rather, Kenzō was emphasised establishing his own religion competition archery and claimed he was doing missionary work in urging it.^[6] Herrigel either intentionally show up inadvertently misinterpreted Awa's teachings little an expression of Zen.

Herrigel himself never really learned leadership Japanese language and instead relied on interpreters, who have in that confessed that they seldom conceded Awa's cryptic phrases.^[6] Much manage Herrigel's understanding of Zen seems to have derived from rank writings of D.T. Suzuki, loftiness great lay popularizer of Native Buddhism in the west.

Suzuki himself seems to have fixed initially with Herrigel's analysis, receipt written the introduction to spoil edition of Zen in position Art of Archery, but subside wrote later that "Herrigel appreciation trying to get to Free, but he hasn't grasped Communal itself".^[7]

Volker Zotz revealed in queen book, Auf den glückseligen Inseln, concerning Buddhism and German grace, that Eugen Herrigel was wonderful strong advocate of the Oppressive party.

For his involvement attain Nazism he was forbidden handle teach at the University make available three years after 1945.^[8]

References