Tang · by 宗密述
22,572 · about 75 min
The *Preface to the Collected Explanations of the Chan Source* composed by the eminent Tang dynasty monk Guifeng Zongmi is an important text of the Buddhist Chan school. Written against the backdrop of disputes between Chan and doctrinal schools, it aims to reconcile the conflicts within Chan and between Chan and the doctrinal traditions. Its main content systematically elucidates the teachings of various Chan lineages, advocating for the unity of Chan and doctrine, and emphasizing the inherent Buddha-nature and the ideas of sudden awakening and gradual cultivation. This work is acclaimed as a comprehensive synthesis of the theory unifying Chan and doctrine. It exerted a profound influence on the later development of the Chan school and stands as one of the core texts for studying Tang dynasty Chan thought and the Sinicization of Buddhism.