Danxia Tianran was a renowned Tang Dynasty Chan master. Ordained as “Tianran,” he earned the name Danxia Tianran after founding Danxia Temple (also known as Red Clouds Temple or Immortal Clouds Temple) on Mount Danxia in Nanzhao County, Henan. Celebrated for his unconventional methods and iconoclastic wisdom, his ordination story epitomizes these traits.
Originally a Confucian scholar, he was traveling to Chang’an for imperial exams when he met a Chan practitioner on the way, who asked him:
“Where are you headed?”
Tianran: “To take the imperial exam.”
Monk: “Why seek office when you could choose the path of Buddha?”
Tianran: “Where does one go if he choose the Buddha’s path?”
Monk: “Master Mazu in Jiangxi is now teaching—there is the place where one chooses the Buddha. You should go there.”
Tianran immediately diverted his path to Jiangxi.
Upon meeting Mazu, Tianran pushed forward his hat brim without saying a word.
Mazu: “Master Stone (Xiqian) in Nanyue is your teacher.”
Tianran journeyed to Nanyue mountain and repeated the gesture, again sayed nothing.
Chan Master Stone (Xiqian): “Go work in the kitchen.”
For three years, Danxia toiled as a fire-tender in the monastery kitchen.
One day, all the monks were weeding in front of the Buddha Hall with shovels and hoes. But Danxia alone brought a basin and began washing his hair before Master Stone.
Seeing this, Stone Master roared with laughter — and ordained him on the spot.
Cultural & Philosophical Notes
Non-verbal Communication and Direct Transmission:
Danxia expressed his desire to ordain not with words, but by pushing the brim of his cap and washing his hair. These silent gestures were understood by both Chan Masters Mazu and Stone, showing the deep, intuitive communication valued in Chan.
From Worldly Goals to Spiritual Path:
Danxia abandoned worldly ambitions (the imperial exam) for a deeper spiritual journey. This symbolizes the shift from external success to inner truth.
Humility and Silent Practice:
Before becoming a fully ordained monk, Danxia spent three years working quietly in the kitchen without complaint—a symbol of patience, humility, and unseen service as essential parts of spiritual training.
Breaking Conventions to Reveal Truth:
When everyone else was weeding, Danxia washed his hair. In this way, Tianran demonstrated his understanding of the Dharma in a silent manner, and at the same time grasped this opportunity to request ordination from his master. Master Stone recognized his insight and enlightenment and rewarded it with ordination. This story shows that true understanding often lies beyond appearances and conventional behavior, awakening arises in unscripted moments.
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