Divine beauty - Jinshu

A Zen monk from the Tang Dynasty in China. The founder of the Northern Zen sect. His posthumous name was Daitong Zenji. He was born in Kaifeng Weishi County (Henan Province). He studied Confucianism at a young age. After leaving the monk's home, he studied under Hongren (the fifth patriarch of Zen Buddhism) of Dongshan, Lizhou, and inherited his teachings. After Hongren's death, he lived in Dangyang Mountain in Jiangling, Jingzhou (Hubei Province), and gained fame. In 700, he was summoned by Empress Wu Zetian to preach at the palace, and was highly valued by Zhongzong and Ruizong (reigned 684-690, 710-712), so he was called "the national teacher of the three emperors" and "the head of the two capitals." Zhang Shuo, a court official, also became his disciple, and Empress Wu built Dumen Temple on Mt. Dang Yang and had him live there. His Zen teachings advocated detachment and valued the five expedient means. His Zen teachings were called Northern Zen, which was based on gradual enlightenment, as opposed to the Southern Zen teachings of the sixth patriarch Huineng, which taught sudden enlightenment. His disciples extended to northern China and Jiangnan, and his teachings flourished until the middle of the Tang Dynasty. He died on February 28, 706 (Shenlong 2), at Tianbao Temple in Luoyang. His works include "Contemplation on the Mind" and "The Gate to Expedient Means of No Life in the Mahāyāna."

[Hiroo Shiina February 16, 2017]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、唐代の禅僧。北宗禅(ほくしゅうぜん)の開祖。諡号(しごう)は大通禅師(だいつうぜんじ)。開封尉氏(いし)県（河南省）の生まれ。幼時には儒学を学ぶ。出家ののち、蘄州(きしゅう)東山の弘忍(こうにん)（禅宗第五祖）に師事して法を嗣(つ)いだ。弘忍の没後、荊州(けいしゅう)（湖北省）江陵の当陽山に住して名声をあげた。700年、則天武后に召されて宮中で法要を説き、また中宗や睿宗(えいそう)（在位684～690、710～712）に重用されたので、「三帝の国師」「両京の法主(ほっしゅ)」と称された。宮廷官吏の張説(ちょうえつ)も弟子となり、武后は当陽山に度門寺(どもんじ)を建てて居住させた。その禅法は、離念(りねん)を説き、五方便(ごほうべん)を重んじ、禅宗第六祖慧能(えのう)の頓悟(とんご)（速やかに悟る）南宗禅に対して漸悟(ぜんご)（漸次に悟る）北宗禅といわれた。その門下は華北や江南にまで及び、中唐までは隆盛であった。706年（神竜2）2月28日、洛陽(らくよう)の天宝寺(てんぽうじ)で没した。著作に『観心論』『大乗無生方便門(だいじょうむしょうほうべんもん)』などがある。

［椎名宏雄　2017年2月16日］

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