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Qingliang Chengguan
Qingliang Chengguan (Chinese: 澄觀; pinyin: Chéngguān; Korean: Jinggwan; Japanese: Chōgan, 738–839 or 737-838 CE), was an important scholar-monk and patriarch of the Huayan school of Chinese Buddhism also known as Huayan pusa (bodhisattva Avatamsaka) and Qingliang Guoshi (Imperial Preceptor "Clear and Cool", Clear and Cool is a name for Mount Wutai).
Chengguan is most widely known for his extensive commentaries and sub-commentaries to the Avataṃsaka Sūtra (Huayan jing), as well as for his translation of a new Gandhavyuha sutra version, together with the Indian monk Prajña. Chengguan's commentaries on the Avataṃsaka quickly became one of the authoritative sources for Huayan doctrine. Chengguan lived through the reigns of nine emperors and was an honored teacher to seven emperors starting with Xuanzong (玄宗) until Wenzong (文宗). Chengguan was also the teacher of the influential Huayan patriarch Zongmi.
Chengguan was a native of Yuezhou Shanyin (modern day Shaoxing, Zhejiang province). At the age of 11, he left home and became a novice at Baolin Monastery (寶林寺) in Benzhou (本州). At the age of 20 (in 757 CE), he became a fully ordained monk under Tanyi (曇一, 692-771) and took bodhisattva precepts under Changzhao (常照). Around 758 CE, he practiced at the renowned Qixia Monastery (棲霞寺) in Runzhou (present-day Zhengjiang) in Jiangsu Province. His teacher there was the Vinaya master Li (醴律师, Li lüshi).
Chengguan traveled through central, western, and northern China, studying numerous works under various Buddhist teachers. He also visited Jinling (modern-day Nanjing), where he studied the teachings of the "Three Treatise School" under the master Xuanbi (玄璧). During the reign of Emperor Daizong (762–779), he stayed at Waguan Temple (瓦官寺) in present-day Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. There, he studied two important Mahayana texts: the Awakening Faith in the Mahāyāna and the Mahayana Mahaparanirvana Sutra. He also traveled to Qiantang (current area around Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province), staying at Tianzhu Monastery (天竺寺), and dedicating himself to the practice and study of Huayan, the Avatamsaka Sutra and Fazang's commentaries.
His biography also mentions that he practiced Chan under Wutaia Wuming (722–793) of the Heze school of Heze Shenhui (670–762). Between 775 and 776 CE, Chengguan was also a student of Jingxi Zhanran (711–782), the great reviver of the Tiantai school with whom Chengguan studied the Lotus and Vimalakirti sutras. Chengguan also practiced Chan in two other schools: under Huizhong (慧忠, 683–769) and Faqin (法欽, 714–792) of the "Ox-Head School," as well as under Huiyun (慧 雲, dates unknown), a disciple of Laoshan Yifu from the "Northern School. He was also learned in non-Buddhist subjects such as various Chinese philosophical classics, history, philology, the siddham script, Indian philosophy, the four Vedas, the five sciences, mantras, and rituals.
However, Chengguan's primary focus was on the Avatamsaka Sutra and Huayan studies. Chengguan studied Huayan under Fashen (法詵 718–778), who was a student of the Huiyuan (慧遠, 673–743), a disciple of Fazang. Chengguan soon became known among elite circles as an erudite intellectual who lectured and commented on the Avataṃsaka Sūtra.
In 776 CE Chengguan returned to the sacred mountain of Wutaishan (believed to be the abode of Manjusri), where he stayed for the next 15 years. He resided at Huayan Monastery (華嚴寺), where the monks built a pavilion for him to write his works. Between 784 and 787 CE, Chengguan wrote his commentaries on Śikṣānanda's new eighty fascicle translation of the Avatamsaka sutra, which was completed in 799 CE. In the same year, Emperor Dezong granted Chengguan the title of Calm and Cool Imperial Teacher (Qingliang Guoshi). After completing the new translation of the Gandhavyuha, Emperor Dezong asked Chengguan to clarify the main concepts of the Avatamsaka. In 796 CE, he was invited by Emperor Dezong to Chang'an to participate in the translation of the Gandhavyuha sutra with the Indian master Prajña (般若; 734–c. 810. Emperor Dezong was so pleased with Chengguan that he awarded him a purple robe and the title of "Master of Buddhist Teachings" (jiaoshou heshang). Chengguan received numerous honorary titles: Master of the Purple Robe (796), Imperial Teacher (guoshi) (799), Monastic Professor (da senglu), Chief Monk (sengtong), and Dharma Master Qingliang (795).
In 810 CE, former Emperor Xianzong (r. 805–806) summoned him and asked for an explanation of the term "dharmadhatu." After this meeting, Chengguan was appointed as sengtong ("monastic supervisor"). He was a respected teacher by all emperors; there were nine emperors during his lifetime, and he taught seven of them.
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Qingliang Chengguan
Qingliang Chengguan (Chinese: 澄觀; pinyin: Chéngguān; Korean: Jinggwan; Japanese: Chōgan, 738–839 or 737-838 CE), was an important scholar-monk and patriarch of the Huayan school of Chinese Buddhism also known as Huayan pusa (bodhisattva Avatamsaka) and Qingliang Guoshi (Imperial Preceptor "Clear and Cool", Clear and Cool is a name for Mount Wutai).
Chengguan is most widely known for his extensive commentaries and sub-commentaries to the Avataṃsaka Sūtra (Huayan jing), as well as for his translation of a new Gandhavyuha sutra version, together with the Indian monk Prajña. Chengguan's commentaries on the Avataṃsaka quickly became one of the authoritative sources for Huayan doctrine. Chengguan lived through the reigns of nine emperors and was an honored teacher to seven emperors starting with Xuanzong (玄宗) until Wenzong (文宗). Chengguan was also the teacher of the influential Huayan patriarch Zongmi.
Chengguan was a native of Yuezhou Shanyin (modern day Shaoxing, Zhejiang province). At the age of 11, he left home and became a novice at Baolin Monastery (寶林寺) in Benzhou (本州). At the age of 20 (in 757 CE), he became a fully ordained monk under Tanyi (曇一, 692-771) and took bodhisattva precepts under Changzhao (常照). Around 758 CE, he practiced at the renowned Qixia Monastery (棲霞寺) in Runzhou (present-day Zhengjiang) in Jiangsu Province. His teacher there was the Vinaya master Li (醴律师, Li lüshi).
Chengguan traveled through central, western, and northern China, studying numerous works under various Buddhist teachers. He also visited Jinling (modern-day Nanjing), where he studied the teachings of the "Three Treatise School" under the master Xuanbi (玄璧). During the reign of Emperor Daizong (762–779), he stayed at Waguan Temple (瓦官寺) in present-day Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. There, he studied two important Mahayana texts: the Awakening Faith in the Mahāyāna and the Mahayana Mahaparanirvana Sutra. He also traveled to Qiantang (current area around Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province), staying at Tianzhu Monastery (天竺寺), and dedicating himself to the practice and study of Huayan, the Avatamsaka Sutra and Fazang's commentaries.
His biography also mentions that he practiced Chan under Wutaia Wuming (722–793) of the Heze school of Heze Shenhui (670–762). Between 775 and 776 CE, Chengguan was also a student of Jingxi Zhanran (711–782), the great reviver of the Tiantai school with whom Chengguan studied the Lotus and Vimalakirti sutras. Chengguan also practiced Chan in two other schools: under Huizhong (慧忠, 683–769) and Faqin (法欽, 714–792) of the "Ox-Head School," as well as under Huiyun (慧 雲, dates unknown), a disciple of Laoshan Yifu from the "Northern School. He was also learned in non-Buddhist subjects such as various Chinese philosophical classics, history, philology, the siddham script, Indian philosophy, the four Vedas, the five sciences, mantras, and rituals.
However, Chengguan's primary focus was on the Avatamsaka Sutra and Huayan studies. Chengguan studied Huayan under Fashen (法詵 718–778), who was a student of the Huiyuan (慧遠, 673–743), a disciple of Fazang. Chengguan soon became known among elite circles as an erudite intellectual who lectured and commented on the Avataṃsaka Sūtra.
In 776 CE Chengguan returned to the sacred mountain of Wutaishan (believed to be the abode of Manjusri), where he stayed for the next 15 years. He resided at Huayan Monastery (華嚴寺), where the monks built a pavilion for him to write his works. Between 784 and 787 CE, Chengguan wrote his commentaries on Śikṣānanda's new eighty fascicle translation of the Avatamsaka sutra, which was completed in 799 CE. In the same year, Emperor Dezong granted Chengguan the title of Calm and Cool Imperial Teacher (Qingliang Guoshi). After completing the new translation of the Gandhavyuha, Emperor Dezong asked Chengguan to clarify the main concepts of the Avatamsaka. In 796 CE, he was invited by Emperor Dezong to Chang'an to participate in the translation of the Gandhavyuha sutra with the Indian master Prajña (般若; 734–c. 810. Emperor Dezong was so pleased with Chengguan that he awarded him a purple robe and the title of "Master of Buddhist Teachings" (jiaoshou heshang). Chengguan received numerous honorary titles: Master of the Purple Robe (796), Imperial Teacher (guoshi) (799), Monastic Professor (da senglu), Chief Monk (sengtong), and Dharma Master Qingliang (795).
In 810 CE, former Emperor Xianzong (r. 805–806) summoned him and asked for an explanation of the term "dharmadhatu." After this meeting, Chengguan was appointed as sengtong ("monastic supervisor"). He was a respected teacher by all emperors; there were nine emperors during his lifetime, and he taught seven of them.