Five Schools of Zen Authentic Praise (五家正宗贊)

About 五家正宗贊

Song · by 紹曇記

53,649 · about 179 min

The "Authentic Praises of the Five Houses" (Recorded by Shaotan) is a Chan Buddhist text compiled by the Song Dynasty monk Shaotan. It primarily collects important sayings, verses, and praises of the patriarchs from the five Chan schools: Linji, Caodong, Weiyang, Yunmen, and Fayan. Completed during the Southern Song period, the work aims to systematically organize the core teachings and lineage of these five schools, providing a foundation for later practitioners to study and contemplate. Its content includes the patriarchs' teachings, commentaries on gong'an (koans), and essential instructions for practice, reflecting the Song Dynasty Chan tradition's efforts to summarize and propagate earlier Chan methods. This text holds significant importance in Buddhist history, serving as a key document for studying Chan thought and Song Dynasty Buddhism, and offering authoritative doctrinal guidance for Chan practitioners.