The Study Of Gaofeng Yuanmiao's Life And Thought Of Zen

After the demise of the Southern Song Dynasty,the southern region was ruled by the regime of the Yuan Dynasty.At the same time,southern Buddhism also entered into a new historical period.Kublai believed Tibetan Buddhism.After he unified the southern region,he established a local clerical system and set thirty-six temples to support the development of other sectarian development.Southern Zen was declined,especially in methods and commandments.Gaofeng Yuanmiao was instructed by Xueyan Zuqin who was a great master of Linji School late Southern Song Dynasty and propagated thought of Zen in Tianmu Mountain of Zhejiang Province of the early Yuan Dynasty.The Linji School of Po' an Zuxian which was inherited by Gaofeng Yuanmiao have an far-reaching influence on the Zen School in late dynasties.In the lineage of Zen preaching,Gaofeng Yuanmiao was known as a great master and was respected by his followers.Along with his methods of Zen and styles of personality was accepted by them,his disciples made every efforts to promote the development of Zen,which indirectly reflected the influence of his thoughts.In the light of ills of Zen School early Yuan Dynasty,Gaofeng Yuanmiao began to live in seclusion and received students to instruct methods of Zen.When he enlightened beginners,he often persuaded them to consider what was the fundamental reason of life and death.In the meantime,he also asked them to put down prejudices and narrow views.He thought there were three principles which was important for the Zen and always publicized them in his books and letters.Firstly,the faith was the first principle.Beginners should believe everyone have a pure heart and can achieve it by continuous exercise of Zen.Secondly,firm ambition was the second principle.Beginners should establish a firm ambition that everyone should take effective and actual measures to obtain religious relief.Thirdly,the biggest doubt feeling was the third principle.Beginners should persistently meditate words which has not any essence and concentrate on them anytime until they suddenly break the doubt and attain enlightenment.In addition to this,Gaofeng Yuanmiao also employed other methods to identify and enlighten his students.He strictly demanded himself in behavior and appealed to Buddhist monk to comply with Vinaya which were founded on his criticism for chaos of Southern Buddhism.His methods of Zen and individual style has a significant impact among his followers,which made it possible for them to learn from the master model on the rode of the religious relief.