Kanhua chan
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kanhua chan. (J. kannazen/kanwazen; K. kanhwa Sŏn 看話禪). Translated as: “Chan of investigating the topic of inquiry,” or, more freely, “questioning meditation.”[1]
Kanhua chan refers to a Chan meditation method that seeks direct attainment of enlightenment through investigation of the 'keyword' (huatou).[2]
The systematization of this meditative practice is commonly traced back to the writings of Dahui Zonggao, a Linji Chan master from the Song dynasty.[1][2]
- The kanhua Chan technique grew out of the growing interest in the study of “public cases” (gong'an), viz., old stories and anecdotes of Chan masters, which flourished during the Song dynasty. Dahui’s teacher Yuanwu Keqin is also known to have lectured on numerous public cases, and his anthology of gong’an, along with his analysis of them, was recorded in the famous collection the Biyan lu (“Blue Cliff Records”). Dahui further elaborated upon Yuanwu’s investigation of public cases and applied this process to the practice of Chan meditation.[1]
The famous gong'an Zhaozhou gouzi ("Zhaozhouʼs Dog") provides a well-known example of kanhua chan.
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Buswell & Lopez 2014, s.v. kanhua Chan.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1
看話禪, Digital Dictionary of Buddhism (to sign in, see DDB sign-in)
Sources
Buswell, Robert E.; Lopez, Donald S. (2014), The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, Princeton University
Further reading
- Robert E. Buswell Jr., Donald S. Lopez Jr., The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism (Princeton: 2014), s.v. kanhua chan