Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature
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Chan Master Dazhu Huihai, a prominent Tang Dynasty monk, was ordained under Master Daozhi at Dayun Temple in Yuezhou. After reading Huihai’s writing (The Essential Gateway to Truth by Sudden Awakening), Master Mazu Daoyi praised him as “Great Pearl” — a Buddhist symbol of awakening and wisdom — hence later generations also referred to…
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Yunmen Wenyan (864–949 CE) was one of the most influential Chan (Zen) Buddhist masters during the Five Dynasties period in China. Known for his sharp wit and profound teachings, Yunmen played a pivotal role in shaping the development of Chinese Chan Buddhism, particularly through founding the Yunmen School, which became one of the “Five…
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A man sought to attain the “Dao”, so he went to visit a Zen(Chan) master, asking to become his disciple. To test the man’s insight, the master asked: “Right now, I have something and yet have nothing. How do you explain this?”