Caodong school (Chinese:曹洞宗;pinyin:Cáodòng zōng;Wade–Giles:Ts'ao-tung-tsung) is aChinese ChanBuddhist branch and one of theFive Houses of Chán.[1]
The school emphasisedsitting meditation (Ch: zuochan, Jp: zazen), and the "five ranks" teaching. During the Song dynasty, Caodong masters likeHongzhi Zhengjue developed "silent illumination" (mozhao) meditation.[1]
The key figure in the Caodong school was founderDongshan Liangjie (807–869, 洞山良价, Jpn. Tozan Ryokai) and his heirCaoshan Benji (840–901, 曹山本寂, Ts'ao-shan Pen-chi, Jpn. Sōzan Honjaku).[1][web 1] Some attribute the name "Cáodòng" as a union of "Dongshan" and "Caoshan". The "Cao" may also be fromCáoxī (曹溪), the "mountain-name" ofHuineng, the Sixth Ancestor of Chan, as Caoshan was of little importance unlike his contemporary and fellow Dharma-heir,Yunju Daoying.[citation needed]
The Caodong school was founded by Dongshan Liangjie and his Dharma-heir Caoshan Benji. Dongshan traced back his lineage toShitou Xiqian (700–790), a contemporary ofMazu Daoyi (709–788). Sayings to the effect that Shitou and Mazu were the two great masters of their day date from decades after their respective deaths. Shítóu's retrospective prominence owes much to the importance ofDongshan Liangjie.[2] Shítóu does not appear to have been influential or famous during his lifetime:
He was a little-known teacher who led a reclusive life and had relatively few disciples. For decades after Shitou's death, his lineage remained an obscure provincial tradition.[3]
In the 11th century the Caodong-school nearly extinguished.[4]Dayang Jingxuan (942-1027), the last descendant of the Caodong-lineage passed on his dharma-transmission via Fushan Fayuan, a teacher from theLinji school, to Fayuan's studentTouzi Yiqing (1032-1083),[5] who was born five years after Jingxuan's death.
During theNorthern Song (960–1127) the Caodong was not successful in the social elite. TheLinji school andYunmen school dominated Chán.[4] It was Touzi Yiqing's studentFurong Daokai (1043–1118) who was a successful monastic, and revived the Caodong school.[6]
His dharma "grandson"Hongzhi Zhengjue (1091–1157) became very successful among elite literati in theSouthern Song (1127–1279), when the Imperial Court decreased their influence on society, and Chán schools became dependent on elite literati for support. Under Hongzhi and Zhengzie Qingliao, the Caodong school was revived and became one of the major traditions of Song dynasty Chan.[1]
These Song era teachers taught a practiced termed "silent illumination" or "serene reflection" (Ch: 默照禅) which relied on the doctrine of inherent enlightenment andbuddha-nature. Since Buddha was seen as something already present in the mind, all that one needed to do was to let go of all striving and this was achieved by silently sitting in meditation.[1]
The success of the revived Caodong school drew opposition fromLinji school figures likeDahui Zonggao, who promoted theHua Tou method ofkoan practice, and attackedsilent illumination asquietistic.[7]
In 1227Dōgen Zenji, a formerTendai student, studied Caodong Buddhism underTiantong Rujing, and returned toJapan to establish theSōtō sect.[8] His lineage incorporates not only the dharma-transmission via Fushan Fayuan, but also Linji dharma-transmissions viaEisai and his student Myozen, a teacher of Dogen, and the Linji dharma-transmission of Dahui Zonggao via theNōnin school.[9]
Caodong school was introduced to Korea at the end ofSilla, through Seon master Ieom (利嚴, 869–936). He arrived China in 894 and studied under teaching ofYunju Daoying. He returned to Silla in 911 and then established Sumi-san (須彌山) school to expand Caodong's teaching. He had several hundred students, his sect is one ofNine mountain schools. Later, theNine mountain schools had been unified toJogye Order byJinul andTaego Bou.[10]
In the 13th century,Dōgen Zenji studied the Caodong tradition and brought the teachings and techniques over to Japan, where it became known asSōtō Zen. Today, there are over 14,000 Sōtō temples in Japan and Dōgen is regarded alongsideKeizan as the Japanese tradition’s ancestors.
Caodong school is called "Tào Động tông" inVietnamese. It was brought to the north Vietnam in the late of 17th century by Thiền master Thông Giác Thủy Nguyệt (通覺水月, 1637-1704), a disciple of Yiju Zhijiao (一句智教). Chan master Zhijiao is the 4th generation afterZhanran Yuancheng (湛然圓澄, 1561-1626) - one of Caodong school's famous revivers in lateMing period.
via Shitou the Caodong traces back its origins to Huineng.
| Six Patriarchs | ||||
| Huineng (638-713) (WG: Hui-neng. Jpn: Enō) | ||||
| Qingyuan Xingsi (660-740) (WG: Tch'ing yüan Hsing-ssu. Jpn: Seigen Gyōshi) | ||||
| Shitou Xiqian (700-790) (WG: Shih-t'ou Hsi-ch'ien. Jpn: Sekitō Kisen) | ||||
| Yaoshan Weiyan (ca.745-828) (Yao-shan Wei-yen, Jpn. Yakusan Igen) | ||||
| Yunyan Tansheng (780-841) (Yün-yen T'an-shen, Jpn. Ungan Donjō) | Linji lineage Linji school | |||
| 0 | Dongshan Liangjie (807-869) Tung-shan liang-chieh, Jpn. Tōzan Ryōkai) | Linji Yixuan[11] | ||
| 1 | Caoshan Benji (840-901) (Ts'ao-shan Pen-chi, Jpn. Sōzan Honjaku) | Yunju Daoying (d.902) (Yün-chü Tao-ying, Jpn. Ungo Dōyō) | Xinghua Cunjiang[12] | |
| 2 | Tongan Daopi (Daopi[13]) | Nanyuan Huiyong[14] | ||
| 3 | Tongan Guanzhi (Tongan[13]) | Fengxue Yanzhao[15] | ||
| 4 | Liangshan Yuanguan | Shoushan Xingnian[16] | ||
| 5 | Dayang Jingxuan (942-1027)[5] (Dayang)[13] | Shexian Guixing[17] | ||
| Fushan Fayuan (Rinzai-master)[9]) | ||||
| 6 | Touzi Yiqing (1032-1083)[4] (Touzi)[13] | |||
| 7 | Furong Daokai (1043-1118) (Daokai)[13] | |||
| 8 | Lumen Zijue (d.1117) | Danxia Zichun (1064-1117) (Danxia)[13] | ||
| 9 | Puzhao Yibian (1081-1149) | Hongzhi Zhengjue (1091-1157)[18] Zhenxie Qingliao (Wukong[13]) | ||
| 10 | Lingyan Sengbao (1114-1171) | Tiantong Zongjue (Zongjue[13]) | ||
| 11 | Yushan Shiti | Xuedou Zhijian (Zhijian[13]) | ||
| 12 | Xueyan Huiman (d.1206) | Tiantong Rujing (Rujing[13]) | ||
| 13 | Wansong Xingxiu (1166-1246) | Dōgen | ||
| 14 | Xueting Fuyu (1203-1275) | Soto-lineage | ||
| 15 | Lingyin Wentai (d.1289) | |||
| 16 | Huanyuan Fuyu (1245-1313) | |||
| 17 | Chunzuo Wencai (1273-1352) | |||
| 18 | Songting Ziyan | |||
| 19 | Ningran Liaogai (1335-1421) | |||
| 20 | Jukong Qibin (1383-1452) | |||
| 21 | Wufang Kecong (1420-1483) | |||
| 22 | Yuezhou Wenzai (1452-1524) | |||
| 23 | Zongjing Zongshu (1500-1567) | |||
| 24 | Huanxiu Changrun (d.1585) | |||
| 25 | Cizhou Fangnian (d.1594) | |||
| 26 | Yunmen Yuancheng (1561-1626) | |||
| 27 | Ruibai Mingxue (1584-1641) | |||
| 28 | Poan Jingdeng (1603-1659) | |||
| 29 | Guqiao Zhixian | |||
| 30 | Jiantang Dejing (1614-1691) | |||
| 31 | Shuoan Xingzai | |||
| 32 | Minxiu Fuyi (d.1790) | |||
| 33 | Biyan Xiangjie (1703-1765) | |||
| 34 | Jizhou Chengyao (d.1737) | |||
| 35 | Juchau Qingheng | |||
| 36 | Xingyuan Juequan | |||
| 37 | Moxi Haiyin | |||
| 38 | Yuehui Liaochan | |||
| 39 | Liuchang Wuchun | |||
| 40 | Jiehang Daxu | |||
| 41 | Yunfan Changzhao | |||
| 42 | Fenping Zhaoci | |||
| 43 | Dejun Zijue | |||
| 44 | Jitang Jiatai | |||
| 45 | Zhiguang Wenjue (1889-1963) | |||
| 46 | Dongchu Denglang (1861-1939) | |||
| 47 | Huikong Shengyan (1930-2009) | |||
| 49 | Chi Chern (b. 1955) Zhengzhan Guoru (1951-2024) Huimin (b.1954) Guo Huei (b.1958) Guo Dong (b.1955) Guo Pin Guojing Guo Goang Guo Zhao Guo Yi (b. 1980) Zhengli Guoyuan (b.1948) Zhengyan Guojun (b.1969) Zhengjue Guoxing (b.1961) John Crook (19302011) Simon Child (b.1956) Max Kälin (1943-) Žarko Andričević (1955-) Gilbert Gutierrez (1951-) | |||
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| Influential Sutras | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teachings | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Practice | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Persons |
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| Chinese Chán |
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| Japanese Zen |
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| Korean Seon |
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| Vietnamese Thiền |
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| USA Zen |
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| European Zen |
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| Hierarchy and titles |
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| Temples |
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| Zen literature |
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| Cultural influence | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Related schools | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Academic research | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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