Huayan school

The Huayan (Chinese华严 宗pinyin Huayan, W.-G. Hua -yen tsung; Sanskrit: Avatamsaka ) yen or Blütenschmuck school referred to in German as Hua, is a school founded in the 7th century of Chinese Buddhism. Your basis is the Avatamsaka Sutra (also Buddhavatamsakasutra ) Chinese Huayan jing, also the philosophy of the Madhyamika and the Vijnanavada. She went under in the Chinese Empire of the 10th century, but came under the name Hwaeom jong to Korea and then to Japan, where she took the name Kegon shū.

Hua -yen patriarchs in China

The Avatamsaka Sutra was 418-420 first translated from Sanskrit into Chinese. This translation in 60 volumes allowed for a more widespread and meant that it has been studied by many monks in China. An independent school formed presumably with Dushun, the first patriarch of the Hua - yen school. However, there are different views as to when Hua - yen can be viewed as its own tradition. Because until the 13th century by the five Hua Yen patriarchs were mentioned only the last three writing. A person is considered certain that the first two patriarchs during their lifetime not have held the title, but got him only awarded retroactively.

Dushun ( first patriarch )

Dushun (Chinese杜 顺, Pinyin Dùshùn, W.-G. Tu -shun; 557-640 ) devoted himself intensively to the Avatamsaka Sutra and also directed his practice entirely to this curriculum from. That might be the reason that he was awarded the title of the first patriarch after his death.

He was originally from Wan - nien. At the age of 18 he became a novice in the Yin Seng Temple. Later, he traveled the country and taught the Dharma. Two important writings of the Hua - yen school are attributed Dushun. In Hua-yen wu- chiao- chih -kuan the Buddhist texts are first systematized ( five lessons ). In Hua -yen- fa -chieh -kuan - men the basic philosophical insights of the Avatamsaka Sutra are explained in summary.

One of the students of Dushun was Zhiyan, later the second patriarch.

Zhiyan (2nd Patriarch )

Zhiyan (Chinese智 俨, Pinyin zhìyǎn, W.-G. chih -yen; 602-668 ) was at the age of 12 years old student of Dushun. He studied the Avatmsaka Sutra intensively and developed the concepts of the ten mysterious gates and the six characteristics.

In the ten mysterious gates, he developed the vision of the Avatamsaka Sutra, the infinite mutual penetration further. It declares that all dharmas contain each other. In any infinite Dharma are many dharmas. This concept can be short with " All in One, One in all " be circumscribed. He pointed to a new way of looking at the various Buddhist traditions. Hinayana and Mahayana are not something different, but penetrated on each other. The view of right and wrong dissolves. Everything is Dharma. He coined the term of a vehicle ( eka - yana ).

The six characteristics are a classification of all phenomena, which, according Zhiyan have the following properties: the whole, the individual, the same, the Distinguishable, the Emergent and the passing. To explain the following example can be used: a country ( the whole) consists of people, areas, etc. ( the single). Although these people are part of the country, you can not say that land and people are the same. Also, people are different from the zones. However, one can say that people who are areas etc. in relationship to the land. Are the parts in relation to each other and interact, so the whole thing is evolving ( the Emergent ). However, the parts cease to relate to each other, the whole thing goes. The six characteristics expand the view of the Mutual dependence in the Avatamsaka Sutra.

Zhiyan was awarded posthumously the title of the second patriarch.

Fazang (3rd Patriarch )

Main article: Fazang

The third patriarch was Fazang (Chinese法 藏, Pinyin Fǎzàng, W.-G. Fa - tsang; 643-712 ). He was a disciple of Xuanzang and is the preeminent scholar of the Hua Yen philosophy.

He has written comments to the then newly translated Avatamsaka Sutra in 80 volumes - but could not complete his work. In the year 712 he died - only two chapters of the commentary were completed at this time. After his death led Huiyuan, continuing a student Fazangs that work. However, the completed comments were contrary to Fazangs teachings. Huiyuan reduced the classification of the Buddhist teachings from five to four, Services excluded by the spontaneous teachings. Then Huiyuan was excluded from the Hua - yen school.

Chengguan (4th Patriarch )

The title of the fourth Patriarch received only Chengguan (Chinese澄观, Pinyin Chengguan W.-G. Ch'eng -kuan; 737-838/9 ), who was born 26 years after the death Fazangs. Chengguan studied the Avatamsaka Sutra and was a student of Da -hsien. He continued the work of Fazang and already included as Chan practice. Chengguan written comments to the then newly translated Avatamsaka Sutra in 80 volumes. He also translated the Avatamsaka Sutra in 40 volumes along with Prajna.

Zongmi (5th Patriarch )

The fifth patriarch was Zongmi (Chinese宗密, Pinyin Zōngmì, W.-G. Tsung -mi; 780-841 ). He originally studied Confucianism. When he met Chan master Tao -an, he turned to Buddhism and became his disciple. At the age of 27, he became a novice at the Da - Yuen Temple and practiced Chan Buddhism. Later he read Chengguan 's Comments on the Avatamsaka Sutra. He then became a student of Chengguan and studied the Avatamsaka Sutra several years.

Although Zongmi built next to the Hua - yen teachings Chan also many elements in his teachings, given the title of the Fifth Patriarch was awarded.