Yongjia Xuanjue
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Yongjia Xuanjue (永嘉玄覺) (675–713). A Chan master who lived during the Tang dynasty. He is known for his writings on meditation.[1]
The Digital Dictionary of Buddhism states:
- There are a number of different biographies for him in various canonical texts, some of which claim him as a Tiantai monk, and others that claim him to be a Chan monk. As Yi-hsun Huang (2010) has pointed out, all of these sectarian attributions are made long after his death by writers who are interested in establishing lineages for their respective traditions, so caution must be used when reading these.
- According to the most commonly told account, he entered the sangha at the age of eight, studying the canon, with a special emphasis on Tiantai 天台 doctrine, becoming deeply versed in the Lotus Sutra, as well as the Vimalakīrti and Nirvana Sutras. He also became versed in the Tiantai meditative technique of calm abiding and clear observation 止觀.
- He later made himself a small hermitage in a cliff next to the Longxingsi 龍興寺 in Wenzhou, where he devoted himself to concentrated study and Chan meditation practice. Among his comrades were the eminent Tiantai monks Zuoxi Xuanlang 左溪玄朗 and Dongyang Ce 東陽策 with whom he practiced and traveled together seeking instruction in the Dharma. He is recorded as having traveled with Ce to the monastery of the sixth Chan patriarch Huineng 慧能.[2]
His traditional biography includes a famous encounter with the sixth patriarch of Chan, Huineng.[1][2]
- In this story, Xuanjue goes toe-to-toe with the patriarch in a bit of a Dharma-battle which results in the acknowledgement of his enlightenment by the latter. He finishes his stay at the patriarchʼs temple in one night, which leads to his being called by the nickname Yisujue 一宿覺, or 'One-night Enlightened' (although, according to the story, he is actually enlightened before deciding to stay overnight).[2]
Works attributed to him include the Zhengdao ge (“Song of the Attainment of the Way”) and the Chanzong yongjia ji (禪宗永嘉集, "Anthology of Yongjia").[2]
Notes
Further reading
Yongjia Xuanjue, Wikipedia
永嘉玄覺, Christian-Steinert Dictionary
