Yuanwu Keqin

Yuanwu Keqin was a Chinese Chan (Zen) Buddhist master of the Song dynasty, from Sichuan, in the Linji line. He is known as the compiler of The Blue Cliff Record (Biyan lu), one of the two great koan collections of Zen. The book is built on a hundred old cases chosen, with verses, by the earlier master Xuedou Chongxian (980–1052); Yuanwu added introductions, line-by-line remarks and commentary in lectures, and the collection was completed in 1125. His student Dahui is said to have burned the printing blocks, fearing that students would study the words instead of awakening.

Key ideas

• Koans point beyond words, yet commentary on them can still guide students towards direct insight.
• Insight must be shown in lively, spontaneous response to a situation, not held as a fixed doctrine.
• Words are a means, not the goal: clinging to the literary brilliance of a koan blocks the awakening it points to.

Major works

• The Blue Cliff Record (Biyan lu) (1125)
• Essentials of Mind (Yuanwu xinyao) (12th century)

In the Book corner

• The Blue Cliff Record (Biyan lu) verses 11th century; commentary compiled c. 1125 · Advanced
  A collection of 100 Chan koans with layers of commentary, one of the central texts of Chan and Zen. In the 11th…

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