Zhiyi (February 16, 538 AD - August 3, 597 AD), whose common surname was Chen and whose courtesy name was De'an, was from Huarong, Jingzhou in the Sui Dynasty (now Hubei Gong'an). His ancestral home was Yingchuan (Yingzhou, Henan). He was known as Master Zhizhe and Tiantai Master. His father, Chen Qizu, studied and taught the classics and spoke in a good manner. During the reign of Emperor Yuan of Liang, he was appointed as the attendant of Sanqi and was granted the title of Marquis of Yiyang. Zhiyi was the second son of Marquis of Yiyang. Zhiyan is the fourth ancestor of the Tiantai Sect of Buddhism and the actual founder of the Tiantai Sect of China.
Legend has it that when his mother Xu was in a wise manner, she dreamed that cigarettes were lingering in her arms and wanted to brush them away, but she heard someone say, "This is the cause and condition of the past life, and the way of the king is entrusted. How can you brush it away?" She dreamed of swallowing the white rat three times in a row. She was quite surprised and went to divine. The fortune teller told her: "This is a good omen, and the white dragon enters her arms." When she was about to give birth, the light inside the house was as bright as the sun. The whole family celebrated the birth of Zhibing, and the family killed pigs and sheep, and stewed meat to entertain guests to celebrate. But when the meat is put into the pot, the heat is extinguished, and it is the same after several times. People were surprised. At this time, two strange-looking monks pushed the door and said to Zhiyan's father, "Congratulations, your family has a high monk, Amitabha!" After that, they disappeared, and their family and guests were very surprised. Since Zhiying had various auspicious signs when she was born, the neighbors called it "king way" and the later auspicious signs were also called "light way".
Master Zhiyan’s eyes are born with double pupils (it is reported that many emperors and saints in ancient China have this appearance). His family members were afraid of causing trouble, so they deliberately concealed it, but they finally found out by outsiders. When he was young, he lie down and put his hands together, and he would face the west when he sat. When I grew up, I never ate food randomly. I always worship Buddha statues and I am very respectful whenever I meet monks.
Master Zhiyan was born in an era that worships Buddhism very much, and it was also an era where wars and wars were everywhere. Long before his birth, the whole family had moved to Huarong, Jingzhou to avoid war and followed the wave of Chinese people's southward migration. His father Chen Qizu was an official in the Liang Dynasty and was well-known in both civil and military affairs. At that time, Xiao Yi served as the governor of Jingzhou as the King of Xiangdong. After Xiao Yi ascended the throne, Chen Qizu was named Marquis of Yiyang, and Zhiyi's brother also served as the Central Army in the court. His family had a great status at that time.
When Zhiyan knows how to read, he likes to read Buddhist scriptures. When he was seven years old, he loved to go to the temple to play. After some monks became familiar with him, he taught him to recite the "Universal Gate Chapter". Unexpectedly, he could only read it once and recite it. And I have to learn monks to meditate and practice every night, and I always think about becoming a monk and studying Taoism. When his parents found out, they were afraid that he would become a monk, so they refused to let him recite Buddhist scriptures again. At the age of fifteen, it was the turmoil in the late Liang Dynasty. He went north to Qiaozhou and lived in his uncle's house. Jiangling was captured by the Western Wei army, Emperor Yuan of Liang was killed, and the grand occasion of the 480 temples in the Southern Dynasties was bleak, which greatly impacted him. He felt deeply that the world was impermanent, so he "made great vows, vowed to be a monk, shoulder the Dharma, and be responsible for his own heavy responsibility." However, both parents and parents disagreed. In order not to go against their parents' wishes, he did not become a monk at that time but just recited the scriptures unremittingly in private. His parents both passed away soon after. He once again proposed to become a monk. Although his brother also opposed it, he did not give in and said, "The mind is engraved in his flesh and his intention is unchanged." At the age of eighteen, he joined the monk Faxue, a monk from Guoyuan Temple in Xiangzhou, and his Dharma name was Zhihan and his courtesy name was De'an. Faxu granted the Ten Precepts and Taoist rules. Later, he went north to visit Lawyer Huikuang, and studied the "Golden Light Sutra", "Sutra of Mahayana", "Sutra of Consciousness-Only" and other classics under the disciple of Lawyer Huikuang (a famous lawyer who is proficient in law). He also received full precepts from him. Shortly after receiving the precepts, he went to retreat to Daxian Mountain in southern Hengyang, Hunan to specialize in practicing the Lotus Sutra, the Infinite Meaning Sutra, and the Samantabhadra Sutra. In less than 20 days, he had read the three scriptures well and practiced the methods of repentance, and gained many good experiences.
In the first year of Chen Tianjia, Zhiying went to Dasushan, Guangzhou (Guangshan County, Henan Province) to visit Zen Master Huisi, and studied diligently under his school for seven years. During this period, when he recited the Lotus Sutra to the sentence "It is true diligence, and it is called true Dharma offering to the Tathagata", he suddenly realized the convenience of the Lotus Samadhi. This time, the understanding was called "Da Su Miaowu" by the world. Huisi often sighed, "In the past, I listened to the Lotus Sutra together in Lingshan, and it was caused by the past fate, and now it is reunited again."That is, he showed Samantabhadra's temple and told him the four happiness practices. Zhiyan practiced the "Lotus Samadhi" on this mountain for only three nights. When he read and recited the sentence "Medical King's Chapter" "Asthetic Practice, is true diligence" in "The Practice of Medicine", he suddenly became enlightened and saw that his master's intention was on the Seven Treasures Pure Land of Lingling Mountain and listened to the Buddha's teachings. Later, Huisi said to him: "If you are not, you will not be able to sense, and if you are not me, you will not prove that the meditation you have entered is the convenience before the Lotus Samadhi. "Zhi Yan later went to Baisha Mountain in Xizhou and entered the Zen meditation like before. When he had any questions about the sutra, he immediately saw his teacher Huisi coming to explain it to him. Later, Huisi often asked Zhisi to speak on his behalf, and those who listened to his explanation were very impressed by his wisdom and eloquence. When Zhisi was explaining the sutras and treatises, except for not being very proficient in the three concentrations and three views and needed to ask Huisi for advice, the rest of Huisi were allowed to explain and exert. Once, Huisi held the wishful thinking in his hand, listened to Zhisi's explanation at the seat, and said to the apprentices: "This Zhisi really has a deep attainment in terms of meaning and reason, and regretted that his concentration was insufficient. "Later, Zhiyan made up his mind to learn Zen from his master, and made great progress and became famous. After he finished his studies, he wanted to bid farewell to his master and go to another place, Huisi said to him: "You have great opportunities with the State of Chen, and you will definitely benefit when you get there. "In the second year of Everbright (567), Zhiyan took Huisi's mantle and went to Jinling to stay in tin.
The Waguan Temple in Jinling is the starting point for Zhiyan to spread the Dharma and save the masses throughout his life. For a long time, northern Buddhism has focused on the practice of Zen and practiced less righteousness, which sometimes makes those with poor foundations lose themselves in ignorance with only one passion. However, southern Buddhism focuses on righteousness and neglects Zen and sometimes makes scholars proficient in eloquence but less empirical, and cannot achieve success. Zhiyan takes into account both theory and practice while giving lectures, emphasizing the "dual movement of teaching and view" and "to advance in understanding and practice". He emphasizes the principle of dual cultivation of cessation and view, and invents the principles of one mind, three views, and three thousand truths of one mind. He not only brought the new Zen method to Jinling, but also gave the local righteous learning a new atmosphere. He became famous in the Buddhist world. At that time, the first monks at Jinling followed him, "The craftsman at Jinling, virtue was the head of monks, and gave up the position of guides, and followed the etiquette of the north. His collars and sleeves are everywhere, and those who come from thousands of miles away will not hesitate to be in poverty, to seek the benefit of a single sentence. It can be said that the whole country is converting and unparalleled for a while. This grand occasion certainly proves his achievements in spreading Buddhism, but in the past eight years, there are fewer people who truly understand and realize the truth. Even because of the many things, even Zhiyan himself cannot practice normally, which obviously goes against his original intention. As a monk, he does not care about prosperity and fame at all, so he firmly refuses the attention of the court and the people to leave.
Master Zhiyan has always been yearning for practicing in the quiet forests. One day he dreamed of a mountain with mountains and mountains shrouded in mist, and the sea was boundless on its side. Another monk shook his hand and stretched out his arms, and came to the bottom of the mountain to hold Zhiyan's arm and lead him up the mountain. The next day, Zhiyan told his disciples what he dreamed of, and the disciples said, "This is Tiantai Mountain in Kuaiji. Many sages have lived in the past. The monks Guang, Daoyou, Falan, Tanmi, and even many famous monks and masters of the Jin and Song dynasties have lived here. "Zhi Yan's intention to leave was stronger after hearing this, and led more than 20 people including Huibian to Tiantai Mountain. After arriving at Tiantai Mountain, Zhi Yan explained the Buddhist teachings during the day and personally guided the disciples to practice meditation and contemplation at night. During this period, he faced various illusions and demonic signs while practicing, and was still unmoved. He experienced ideological baptism and sublimation of the understanding of Buddhism. This experience was called "Huading Wonderful Enlightenment" by later generations. Retreatment in Tiantai Mountain is also the dividing point of the previous and second periods of Master Zhiyan's thoughts. Before this, he mainly inherited Huisi's academic system, and took the Prajna Sutra as the basic basis; after that, he was able to transcend the influence of "The Great Wisdom Treatise" and the master's teachings. It is believed that the Prajna Sutra is common in Hinayana, and only the Lotus Sutra talks about the extraordinaryness of becoming a Buddha in the Two Vehicles, which is the realm of uncommon Prajna. It was during this period that Zhiyan gradually established the foundation of Tiantai Sect.
In the third year of Zhide (585), Chen Houzhu sent envoys to ask Zhiyan to come out of the mountain to preach. He finally promised to go to Jinling again and hold a large lecture banquet. The scene of everyone's pursuit was no less than that of the time of Waguan Temple. He taught the "Great Wisdom Treatise" in Taiji Temple and the "Neiwang Prajna Sutra". Famous monks such as Huiqing, Huikuang, and Huibian were ordered to participate in the discussion. Later, he moved to Guangzhai Temple to teach the "Lotus Sutra".The disciples' initiation is recorded as they are heard and recorded as "Lotus Chinese Sentences" and has become one of the basic classics of Tiantai Sect and can also be widely taught here. After that, the meaning of the scriptures that Zhiyan preached was mostly recorded in initiation. Soon four years passed, and the Chen Dynasty also came to an end. Zhiyan left Jinling again and went to Lushan.
The 11th year of Kaihuang in the Sui Dynasty (591), King Yang Guang of Jin sent an envoy to Lushan Jian to ask Zhiyan to go to Yangzhou to preach the precepts. Zhiyan immediately went to teach Yang Guang the Bodhisattva precepts and was awarded the title of "Master of Wisdom". The following year (592), he went to Tanzhou and Nanyue again, and finally arrived in Jingzhou. In the following two years (593-594), he established Yuquan Temple in Yuquan Mountain, Dangyang County. The two works "The Mysterious Meaning of the Lotus Sutra" and "Mahasattva" among the three basic classics of Tiantai Sect were all completed in Yuquan Temple. At this point, the theoretical system of Tiantai Sect has finally been improved. In the 13th year of Kaihuang (593), Zhiying taught the title of the "Lotus Sutra" at Yuquan Temple. It is said that from April 15th to July 15th, for three months, he only talked about the word "Miao" in the five words "Lotus Sutra". He actually had thirty kinds of expressions of this word, and "talking about the wonder of the wonder of the ninety years" became a good story.
In the spring of the fifteenth year of Kaihuang (595), Zhiying followed Yang Guangzhi's request to Yangzhou and wrote the "Commentary on Jingming Jing". In September, he left Tiantai, reorganized the mountain temple and studied quiet forests and springs. At this time, he was fifty-eight years old. Two years later (597), Jizang, a monk from Jiaxiang Temple in Kuaiji, invited him to Jiaxiang Temple to preach the Lotus Sutra, but he was unable to go due to illness. After a while, he or she dictated the "Abhidharma" to his disciples while he was sick. In October, Yang Guang sent an envoy into the mountain to welcome him. He still barely walked out of the mountain and walked to the stone city. He was so scared that he could not move forward. Soon he entered silence. He lived forty years old and was 60 years old.
Master Zhiyan built thirty-six temples in his life. After the destruction of the Later Jin King created a Buddhist temple on Tiantai Mountain according to his last wish. Later, in the first year of Daye (605), the title was Guoqing Temple. Because Zhiying lived in Tiantai Mountain in his later years, he was called Tiantai Sect. Because the Lotus Sutra is the main doctrine, it is also called the Lotus Sutra. He emphasized the principle of dual cultivation of cessation and contemplation, and discovered the principles of one mind, three views, three truths of harmony, and three thousand thoughts. In terms of inheritance genealogy, Longshu is respected as the first ancestor, Huiwen of the Northern Qi is the second ancestor, Huisi is the third ancestor, and Zhiyan is the fourth ancestor. Since wisdom, it has been passed down from generation to generation. At the beginning of the eleventh century, due to the debate on the authenticity of the Guangbian version of Zhiyan's "The Legend of Jin Guangming", it was divided into two schools: Shanjia and Shanwai. The mountain declined soon afterwards, and what is passed down now are all the Shan Family Schools. Because Emperor Yang of Sui gave him the title of wise man, he was called "Master of Wise Man". He has written twenty volumes and four doctrines, including "The Mysterious Meaning of the Lotus Sutra", "The Sentences of the Lotus Sutra", "Mahasattva Contemplation", etc. He has saved more than 4,000 monks and thirty-two disciples of the karma. He is the most famous for his initiation and wisdom.
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