Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks (續高僧傳)

About 續高僧傳

Tang · by 道宣撰

382,009 · about 1273 min

The *Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks* was compiled by the eminent Vinaya master Daoxuan of the Tang Dynasty in the nineteenth year of the Zhenguan era. Following the *Biographies of Eminent Monks* by Huijiao of the Liang Dynasty, this work systematically records the life stories and Dharma propagation journeys of over five hundred monks spanning more than a century from the Liang Dynasty of the Southern Dynasties to the early Tang period. The book is divided into ten categories based on virtues and achievements: translation of scriptures, interpretation of doctrines, meditation practice, Vinaya discipline, protection of the Dharma, spiritual resonance, self-sacrifice, scripture recitation, promotion of blessings, and miscellaneous skills, highlighting the diverse development of the monastic community during the rise of Buddhist schools in the Sui and Tang dynasties. As a monumental biographical work that bridges past and future in Chinese Buddhist history, it not only preserves invaluable Buddhist historical materials but also establishes a model system for the character of eminent monks, holding irreplaceable authoritative value for the study of the history of Chinese Buddhism.