| Trúc Lâm | |
 | |
| Vietnamese alphabet | Trúc Lâm Yên Tử |
|---|---|
| Chữ Hán | 竹林安子 |
Trúc Lâm Yên Tử (竹林安子), or simplyTrúc Lâm ("Bamboo Grove"), is a VietnameseThiền (i.e.Zen) sect. The school was founded by EmperorTrần Nhân Tông (1258–1308) showing influence fromConfucian andTaoist philosophy. Trúc Lâm's prestige later waned as Confucianism became dominant in the later imperial court.
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A revival was attempted by later adherents includingNgô Thì Nhậm (1746–1803) during theTây Sơn dynasty.[1] Nhậm attempted to harmonize the "Three teachings" of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.[2][3][4]
In modern times,Thiền sư VenerableThích Thanh Từ has revived the Trúc Lâm Zen lineage by combining the teachings of the three early Patriarchs of the tradition:Trần Nhân Tông,Pháp Loa, andHuyền Quang. His efforts are brought forth from the principles of three Patriarchs whom he believes have minimal amounts of transition fromtraditional Chinese Buddhism. Thích Thanh Từ claims to be re-establishing the Trúc Lâm traditions but in his own way has modified it from its original ways.[5][6]
According to Thích Thanh Từ's own writings, he drew on various meditation sources in developing the new Trúc Lâm meditation method, including Lục Diệu Pháp Môn (C. Liumiao famen 六妙法門, Six Dharma Gates to the Sublime) byZhiyi (538–597), the classic Ngũ Đình Tâm Quán (The Five Methods of Calming Meditation) found in the Zuochan sanmei jing (坐禪三昧經) ofKumārajīva and the Tham Thiền Yếu Chỉ (Main Discourse on Meditation) of masterXuyun (1840–1959) which focuses onhuatou (thoại đầu) practice.[7]
Thích Thanh Từ reputation eventually grew and he became the most widely respected Vietnamese master in contemporary VietnameseThiền Buddhism.[5][7] Thích Thanh Từ's influence has also reached the West and some of his works have been translated.
