Origins & Early Life

Dongshan Liangjie (807–869) (Chinese: 洞山良价; pinyin: Dòngshān Liángjiè; Wade–Giles: Tung-shan Liang-chieh; Japanese: Tōzan Ryōkai; Korean: Tongsan Lianggye; Vietnamese: Động Sơn Lương Giới) was a Chan/Zen Buddhist monk of the Tang dynasty. He founded the Caodong school (Chinese: 曹洞宗), which was transmitted to Japan in the thirteenth century (Song-Yuan era) by Dōgen and developed into the Sōtō school of Zen. The Song of the Precious Mirror Samadhi has been attributed to him by the Chinese tradition. However, modern scholars now argue that there is no evidence for this and that this text first appears in the 12th century.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Dongshan was born during the Tang dynasty in Kuaiji (present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang) to the south of Hangzhou Bay. His secular birth surname was Yu (兪氏). He started his private studies in Chan Buddhism at a young age, as was popular among educated elite families of the time. At the village cloister, Dongshan showed promise by questioning the fundamental Doctrine of the Six Roots during his tutor's recitation of the Heart Sutra. Though aged only ten, he was sent away from his home village to train under Lingmo (霊黙) at the monastery...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

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