The earliest mention of Daoxin is in the "Further Biographies of Eminent Monks" (Chinese: 續高僧傳; Pīnyīn: Xù Gāosēng Zhuàn; Wade–Giles: Hsü Kao-seng Chuan; Rōmaji: Zoku Kosoden) by Tao-hsuan (d. 667). A later source, the "Annals of the Transmission of the Dharma-treasure" (Chinese: 傳法寶記; Pīnyīn: Chuánfǎ Bǎojì; Wade–Giles: Ch'üanfa Paochi) written around 712, gives further details of Daoxin's life.[1] As with many of the very earliest Chan masters, the accuracy of the historical record is questionable and in some cases, contradictory in details.[2] The following biography is the traditional story of Daoxin, culled from various sources, including the "Compendium of Five Lamps" (Chinese: 五燈會元; Pīnyīn: Wǔdēng Huìyuán), compiled in the early thirteenth century by the monk Dachuan Lingyin Puji (1179–1253).
Daoxin, whose surname was Si-ma, was born in Yongning County, Qizhou (Chinese: 蕲州府永宁县), which is the former Guangji County (Chinese: 湖北省广济县; 742-1987), renamed in 1987 as Wuxue City, Hubei Province (Chinese: 湖北省武穴市).[3] He began studying Buddhism at the age of seven and although his teacher was a man of impure moral conduct, Daoxin maintained the Buddhist morality on his own without his teacher’s knowledge for five or six years.
According to Jianzhi Sengcan’s chronicle in the Compendium of Five Lamps, Daoxin met Sengcan when he was only fourteen years old. The following exchange took place:
Daoxin: I ask for the Master’s compassion. Please instruct me on how to achieve release.
Sengcan: Is there someone who constrains [binds] you?
Daoxin: There is no such person.
Sengcan: Why then seek release when you are constrained by no one?[4]
Upon hearing these words, Daoxin was enlightened. He attended to Sengcan for the next nine years. When Sengcan went to Mount Lo-fu he refused permission for Daoxin to follow him, saying “The Dharma has been transmitted from Patriarch [Bodhi]dharma to me. I am going to the South and will leave you [here] to spread and protect [the Dharma].”(from the Ch’üan fa pao chi)[5] For ten years he studied with Zhikai at Great Woods Temple on Mount Lu. Zhikai (Wade–Giles: Shih-k’ai) was an adept of the Tiantai and Sanlun schools and also chanted the Buddha’s name as part of his practice; Daoxin’s practice was influenced by these other schools.[6] Daoxin received ordination as a monk in 607.
In 617, Daoxin and some of his disciples traveled to Ji Province (modern Ji'an City in Jiangxi Province) and entered the town, which was under siege by bandits. Daoxin taught the residents the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra (Perfection of Wisdom) which caused the bandits to abandon their siege.
Daoxin eventually settled at East Mountain Temple on Shuangfeng ("Twin Peaks") where he taught Chan Buddhism for thirty years and attracted large numbers of practitioners, some records say five hundred laypeople and monks.[7] In 643 the emperor Tai Zong invited Daoxin to the capital city but Daoxin refused to appear. Three times the emperor sent emissaries and three times Daoxin refused the invitation. The third time the emperor instructed to either bring back Daoxin or his head. When the emissary related this instruction to Daoxin, Daoxin exposed and stretched out his neck to allow the emissary to chop off his head. The envoy was so shocked he reported this event to the emperor, who then honored Daoxin as an exemplary Buddhist monk.[8]
In August, 651, Daoxin ordered his students to build his stupa as he was soon to die. According to the Hsü kao-seng chuan, when asked by his disciples to name a successor, Daoxin replied, “I have made many deputations during my life.”[7] He then died.[9] The emperor Dai Zong honored Daoxin with the posthumous name “Dayi” (Great Healer).
Teachings
The teachings of Daoxin (and his successor, Hongren) are known as the East Mountain Teachings, a precursor to the flowering of Chan on a national scale some seventy-five years later at the beginning of the eighth century.[10] Of significance is that Daoxin was the first Chan master to settle at one spot for an extended period of time, developing a stable community life which would lead to monastic Chan communities throughout China. Dumoulin[11] speculates that as alms begging was no longer viable (due to the size of Daoxin’s community and its relative isolation from centers of population), the monks had no choice but to work in the fields and develop administrative skills as well as engage in meditation practice.[12] Henceforth, Chan practice could no longer be confined to the meditation hall but the spirit of practice had to extend to the daily duties as well. The need to extend religious practice to all aspects of one’s life became a central theme in Chan teachings.
As the record of Daoxin’s teachings (The Five Gates of Daoxin) did not appear until the second decade of the eighth century, after Hongren’s record, its historical accuracy is in some doubt.[13] The Chronicle of the Lankavatara Masters, which appeared in the early eighth century, has Daoxin quoting from the Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) and Pure Land sutras[14] but whether study of these sutras formed part of Daoxin’s teachings is unlikely.[15] It is clear, however, that Daoxin taught meditation. The Zen scholar Seizan Yanagida stated that the expression “samadhi of one practice” was the heart of Daoxin’s practice.[16]The Five Gates of Daoxin quotes him as saying “Buddha is the mind. Outside of the mind there is no Buddha.”[17] In a later chronicle he is quoted exhorting his students to “Sit earnestly in meditation! Sitting in meditation is basic to all else….Do not read the sutras, discuss with no one!” (ibid) On his deathbed, the Compendium of Five Lamps records that Daoxin said, “All of the myriad dharmas of the world are to be dropped away. Each of you, protect this understanding and carry it into the future.”[18]
^“Given the tenuous nature of our sources, the sequence of the first five Chán patriarchs cannot be determined with full certainty.” Dumoulin (1994, 1998) p 98
^The Ch’üan fa-pao chi (Annals of the Transmission of the Dharma-treasure) gives a different story regarding who would receive transmission upon Daoxin’s death. When asked, Daoxin paused and replied with a sigh, “Hung-jen is a bit better [than any of the others]” (McRae, 1986:263)
^McRae disputes this, asserting that the community received outside financial support and that it was “unlikely that the monks …maintained an agricultural operation of any significant size” p 286 n. 86
Dumoulin, Heinrich (1994, 1998) Zen Buddhism: A History, Volume I, India and China, Simon & Schuster and Prentice Hall International ISBN0-02-897109-4
Ferguson, Andy (2000) Zen’s Chinese heritage: the masters and their teachings, ISBN0-86171-163-7
McRae, John R (1986) The Northern School and the Formation of Early Ch'an Buddhism, University of Hawaii Press, ISBN0-8248-1056-2
Zong, Desheng (2005) Three Language-Related Methods in Early Chinese Chan Buddhism, Philosophy East and West 55.4 (Oct 2005) p 584 (19)
Further reading
Chappell, David W. (1983) "The Teachings of the Fourth Ch'an Patriarch Tao Hs'in," Early Ch'an in China and Tibet, U C Regents ISBN978-0895811523
Cleary, J. C. (1986) "Records of the Teachers and Students of the Lanka," Zen Dawn, Shambhala ISBN978-0877733591
Cleary, Thomas (1990) Transmission of Light: Zen in the Art of Enlightenment by Zen Master Keizan, North Point Press ISBN0-86547-433-8
McRae, John R (2003) Seeing through Zen: encounter, transformation, and genealogy in Chinese Chan Buddhism, University of California Press, ISBN0-520-23798-6
dayi, daoxin, chinese, 道信, pinyin, dàoxìn, wade, giles, hsin, rōmaji, dōshin, lived, from, fourth, chán, buddhist, patriarch, following, jianzhi, sengcan, chinese, 鑑智僧璨, pīnyīn, jiànzhì, sēngcàn, wade, giles, chien, chih, seng, rōmaji, kanchi, sōsan, preceding. Dayi Daoxin Chinese 道信 Pinyin Daoxin Wade Giles Tao hsin Rōmaji Dōshin who lived from 580 651 was the fourth Chan Buddhist Patriarch following Jianzhi Sengcan Chinese 鑑智僧璨 Pinyin Jianzhi Sengcan Wade Giles Chien chih Seng ts an Rōmaji Kanchi Sōsan and preceding Daman Hongren Chinese 弘忍 Pinyin Hongren Wade Giles Hung2 jen3 Rōmaji Kōnin Gunin Korean romanization Hong in Dayi DaoxinTitleFourth Chan PatriarchDayi Great Healer PersonalBorn580Died651East Mountain Temple ShuangfengReligionBuddhismSchoolEarly Chan East Mountain TeachingsSenior postingPredecessorJianzhi SengcanSuccessorDaman HongrenThe earliest mention of Daoxin is in the Further Biographies of Eminent Monks Chinese 續高僧傳 Pinyin Xu Gaoseng Zhuan Wade Giles Hsu Kao seng Chuan Rōmaji Zoku Kosoden by Tao hsuan d 667 A later source the Annals of the Transmission of the Dharma treasure Chinese 傳法寶記 Pinyin Chuanfǎ Bǎoji Wade Giles Ch uanfa Paochi written around 712 gives further details of Daoxin s life 1 As with many of the very earliest Chan masters the accuracy of the historical record is questionable and in some cases contradictory in details 2 The following biography is the traditional story of Daoxin culled from various sources including the Compendium of Five Lamps Chinese 五燈會元 Pinyin Wǔdeng Huiyuan compiled in the early thirteenth century by the monk Dachuan Lingyin Puji 1179 1253 Contents 1 Biography 2 Teachings 3 References 4 Sources 5 Further readingBiography EditDaoxin whose surname was Si ma was born in Yongning County Qizhou Chinese 蕲州府永宁县 which is the former Guangji County Chinese 湖北省广济县 742 1987 renamed in 1987 as Wuxue City Hubei Province Chinese 湖北省武穴市 3 He began studying Buddhism at the age of seven and although his teacher was a man of impure moral conduct Daoxin maintained the Buddhist morality on his own without his teacher s knowledge for five or six years According to Jianzhi Sengcan s chronicle in the Compendium of Five Lamps Daoxin met Sengcan when he was only fourteen years old The following exchange took place Daoxin I ask for the Master s compassion Please instruct me on how to achieve release Sengcan Is there someone who constrains binds you Daoxin There is no such person Sengcan Why then seek release when you are constrained by no one 4 Upon hearing these words Daoxin was enlightened He attended to Sengcan for the next nine years When Sengcan went to Mount Lo fu he refused permission for Daoxin to follow him saying The Dharma has been transmitted from Patriarch Bodhi dharma to me I am going to the South and will leave you here to spread and protect the Dharma from the Ch uan fa pao chi 5 For ten years he studied with Zhikai at Great Woods Temple on Mount Lu Zhikai Wade Giles Shih k ai was an adept of the Tiantai and Sanlun schools and also chanted the Buddha s name as part of his practice Daoxin s practice was influenced by these other schools 6 Daoxin received ordination as a monk in 607 In 617 Daoxin and some of his disciples traveled to Ji Province modern Ji an City in Jiangxi Province and entered the town which was under siege by bandits Daoxin taught the residents the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra Perfection of Wisdom which caused the bandits to abandon their siege Daoxin eventually settled at East Mountain Temple on Shuangfeng Twin Peaks where he taught Chan Buddhism for thirty years and attracted large numbers of practitioners some records say five hundred laypeople and monks 7 In 643 the emperor Tai Zong invited Daoxin to the capital city but Daoxin refused to appear Three times the emperor sent emissaries and three times Daoxin refused the invitation The third time the emperor instructed to either bring back Daoxin or his head When the emissary related this instruction to Daoxin Daoxin exposed and stretched out his neck to allow the emissary to chop off his head The envoy was so shocked he reported this event to the emperor who then honored Daoxin as an exemplary Buddhist monk 8 In August 651 Daoxin ordered his students to build his stupa as he was soon to die According to the Hsu kao seng chuan when asked by his disciples to name a successor Daoxin replied I have made many deputations during my life 7 He then died 9 The emperor Dai Zong honored Daoxin with the posthumous name Dayi Great Healer Teachings EditThe teachings of Daoxin and his successor Hongren are known as the East Mountain Teachings a precursor to the flowering of Chan on a national scale some seventy five years later at the beginning of the eighth century 10 Of significance is that Daoxin was the first Chan master to settle at one spot for an extended period of time developing a stable community life which would lead to monastic Chan communities throughout China Dumoulin 11 speculates that as alms begging was no longer viable due to the size of Daoxin s community and its relative isolation from centers of population the monks had no choice but to work in the fields and develop administrative skills as well as engage in meditation practice 12 Henceforth Chan practice could no longer be confined to the meditation hall but the spirit of practice had to extend to the daily duties as well The need to extend religious practice to all aspects of one s life became a central theme in Chan teachings As the record of Daoxin s teachings The Five Gates of Daoxin did not appear until the second decade of the eighth century after Hongren s record its historical accuracy is in some doubt 13 The Chronicle of the Lankavatara Masters which appeared in the early eighth century has Daoxin quoting from the Prajnaparamita Perfection of Wisdom and Pure Land sutras 14 but whether study of these sutras formed part of Daoxin s teachings is unlikely 15 It is clear however that Daoxin taught meditation The Zen scholar Seizan Yanagida stated that the expression samadhi of one practice was the heart of Daoxin s practice 16 The Five Gates of Daoxin quotes him as saying Buddha is the mind Outside of the mind there is no Buddha 17 In a later chronicle he is quoted exhorting his students to Sit earnestly in meditation Sitting in meditation is basic to all else Do not read the sutras discuss with no one ibid On his deathbed the Compendium of Five Lamps records that Daoxin said All of the myriad dharmas of the world are to be dropped away Each of you protect this understanding and carry it into the future 18 References Edit McRae 1986 31 33 Given the tenuous nature of our sources the sequence of the first five Chan patriarchs cannot be determined with full certainty Dumoulin 1994 1998 p 98 McRae 1986 33 Zong see also Ferguson 2000 24 McRae 1986 261 Ferguson 2000 26 note McRae disputes that Daoxin met Zhikai see p 283 n 60 a b McRae 1986 32 Ferguson 2000 28 The Ch uan fa pao chi Annals of the Transmission of the Dharma treasure gives a different story regarding who would receive transmission upon Daoxin s death When asked Daoxin paused and replied with a sigh Hung jen is a bit better than any of the others McRae 1986 263 McRae 1986 30 p 99 McRae disputes this asserting that the community received outside financial support and that it was unlikely that the monks maintained an agricultural operation of any significant size p 286 n 86 see McRae 2003 37 38 Dumoulin 1994 1988 p 99 McRae 1986 33 calls the anecdote in the Chronicle entertaining but it cannot be taken seriously cited in Dumoulin 1994 1988 p 99 Dumoulin 1994 1988 p 100 Ferguson 2000 28Sources EditDumoulin Heinrich 1994 1998 Zen Buddhism A History Volume I India and China Simon amp Schuster and Prentice Hall International ISBN 0 02 897109 4 Ferguson Andy 2000 Zen s Chinese heritage the masters and their teachings ISBN 0 86171 163 7 McRae John R 1986 The Northern School and the Formation of Early Ch an Buddhism University of Hawaii Press ISBN 0 8248 1056 2 Zong Desheng 2005 Three Language Related Methods in Early Chinese Chan Buddhism Philosophy East and West 55 4 Oct 2005 p 584 19 Further reading EditChappell David W 1983 The Teachings of the Fourth Ch an Patriarch Tao Hs in Early Ch an in China and Tibet U C Regents ISBN 978 0895811523 Cleary J C 1986 Records of the Teachers and Students of the Lanka Zen Dawn Shambhala ISBN 978 0877733591 Cleary Thomas 1990 Transmission of Light Zen in the Art of Enlightenment by Zen Master Keizan North Point Press ISBN 0 86547 433 8 McRae John R 2003 Seeing through Zen encounter transformation and genealogy in Chinese Chan Buddhism University of California Press ISBN 0 520 23798 6Buddhist titlesPreceded bySengcan Ch an Patriarch Succeeded byDaman Hongren Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dayi Daoxin amp oldid 1139408955, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
