Zongjing Lu (宗鏡錄)

About 宗鏡錄

Song · by 延壽集

784,706 · about 2616 min

The *Zongjing Lu* (Records of the Source-Mirror) is an important Buddhist scripture compiled by the eminent monk Master Yongshou of the Northern Song Dynasty, completed in the 10th century. Master Yongshou, the Third Patriarch of the Fayan school, synthesized the thoughts of Chan (Zen), doctrinal teachings, and Pure Land traditions, advocating the unity of Chan and doctrine. The entire work comprises one hundred volumes, systematically expounding Buddhist principles in a question-and-answer format, covering core topics such as the theory of mind-nature, methods of cultivation, and doctrinal classification. It is acclaimed as the encyclopedia of Chinese Buddhism. The text received imperial patronage during the Song Dynasty and exerted a profound influence on the later development of Chan Buddhism. It stands as a crucial document for the study of Chinese Buddhist intellectual history, holding a pivotal position that connects past and future within East Asian Buddhism, and continues to be valued by Buddhist scholars to this day.