Thich Zen Master and Contemporary Buddhism

Author: Juexing
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Publish Date: 2006-06-01
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Zen Master Zhenchan (1916—1995) was a renowned monk of modern China. He practiced the Linji school of Zen, taught the Huayan sect, and followed the path of Dizang and Fugen. In his early years of studying and practicing Zen, Zhenchan benefited from many teachers, drawing upon diverse traditions. He studied under several prominent monks in Jiangsu, a key region for the revival of Buddhism during the Republican era, such as Master Yingci, Master Zhenhua, Master Changxing, Master Cizhou, and Master Yuanying. This article, through the modern development of the "Huayan Zen" approach, which advocates for the integration of Zen and teaching, specifically examines Zhenchan's journey of practice. It explores how Zhenchan consciously embraced the mainstream tradition of Chinese Buddhism that emphasizes the unity of Zen and teaching, revealing the practical essence of humanistic Buddhism in contemporary Chinese thought and its intrinsic connection to the Huayan Zen tradition within Chinese Buddhism. Thus, it argues that humanistic Buddhism, as a modern extension of traditional Buddhism, relies not only on the continuation of the Buddhist tradition by dedicated monks but also requires timely advancement. Zhenchan is a perfect example of such a monk.
I. The Unity of Zen and Teaching: The Ideological Characteristics of Huayan Zen
The term "Huayan Zen" does not refer to a specific sect of Chinese Buddhism but rather to a fusionist trend or tradition within Chinese Buddhism. The true founder of Huayan Zen is generally considered to be Master Zongmi (780—841), the fifth patriarch of the Huayan school and a disciple of Master Chengguan. According to Dong Qun, who has conducted in-depth research on Zongmi's thought in his book The Fusion of Buddhism, Huayan Zen primarily and mainly refers to a method within the Zen tradition that emphasizes the integration of Zen and Huayan teachings. He explains that "the concept of Huayan Zen in Buddhism more often refers to the Zen practices that became popular in the late Tang Dynasty, especially during the Song Dynasty, which used Huayan methods, particularly the method of distinguishing between principle and phenomenon, to elucidate the meaning of Zen. The actual founder of Huayan Zen was Zongmi." It was Zongmi who systematized, theorized, and perfected the thought of Huayan Zen. He further distinguished between narrow and broad interpretations of Huayan Zen. The narrow definition of Huayan Zen specifically refers to the fusion of the Huayan school with the Huayan sect of Zen, as pursued by Zongmi. In contrast, the broad definition of Huayan Zen refers to the ideological stance within the Zen tradition that advocates for the integration of Zen and teaching, Zen and esoteric Buddhism, Zen and (Pure Land), sudden and gradual enlightenment, and even the convergence of the three teachings.
The emergence of Huayan Zen was not an (accidental occurrence) in the historical evolution of Buddhism but rather a natural trend in the process of Buddhism's sinicization. While the reasons behind this may vary, it is undeniable that in the process of Buddhism's sinicization, the fusion of Huayan and Zen has demonstrated richer dimensions of this process. In this sense, Huayan Zen is a great example of the harmony achieved in sinicized Buddhism. The practical nature of Huayan Zen has enriched Chinese Buddhist wisdom.
Huayan Zen originated with Master Zongmi, and its ideological characteristics lie in the unity of Zen and teaching. In his work General Preface to the Collection of Explanations on Zen Sources, Zongmi elaborates on the theory of the unity of Zen and teaching, which, though initially met with some dissatisfaction from the Zen sect of his time, gained greater significance in later generations as a model for harmonizing the inherent unity of Buddhism. Huayan Zen, centered on the principle of the unity of Zen and teaching, has objectively promoted the methodological identity of Buddhist practitioners and unity within the Buddhist community, advancing the mission of spreading Buddhism in China. Since the late Tang Dynasty, the Zen sects have been embroiled in endless disputes over their respective lineages.