Biography and Commentary on Master Zhiyi of Tiantai (天台智者大師傳論)

About 天台智者大師傳論

Tang · by 梁肅述

1,306 · about 4 min

Liang Su was a renowned literary figure and lay Buddhist of the Tang Dynasty, a disciple of Zhanran, the ninth patriarch of the Tiantai school. This text is his biographical treatise on Master Zhiyi, the de facto founder of the Tiantai school, composed during the mid-Tang period. The work systematically records Zhiyi’s life events, spiritual journey, and doctrinal teachings, with particular emphasis on core doctrines such as "three thousand realms in a single thought" and the perfect harmony of the three truths. It also highlights the practice of integrating śamatha and vipaśyanā. This biographical treatise not only preserves important historical materials of early Tiantai Buddhism but also contributed to the revival and dissemination of Tiantai teachings during the Tang Dynasty. It holds high authority for later studies of Master Zhiyi and the development of the Tiantai school, standing as a exemplary work among Buddhist historical and biographical literature.