Hongzhi Zhengjue

Hongzhi Zhengjue was a Chinese Buddhist monk who authored or compiled several influential Buddhist texts. Hongzhi's conception of "silent illumination" is of particular importance to the Chinese Caodong and Japanese Soto Zen schools; however, Hongzhi was also the author of an important collection of , although koans are now usually associated with the Linji or Japanese Rinzai schools).

Life

According to the account given in Dan Leighton's ''Cultivating the Empty Field'', Hongzhi was born to a family named Li in Xizhou, present-day Shangxi province. He left home at the age of 11 to become a monk, studying under Caodong master Kumu Faqeng, among others, including Yuanwu Keqin, author of the famous koan collection, the ''Blue Cliff Record''.

In 1129, Hongzhi began teaching at the Jingde monastery on Mount Tiantong, where he remained for nearly thirty years, until shortly before his death in 1157, when he ventured down the mountain to bid farewell to his supporters.

Texts

Hongzhi is the author or compiler of several texts important to the development of Chán Buddhism. One of these is the kōan collection known in English as ''The Book of Equanimity'', ''The Book of Serenity'', or ''The Book of Composure'' . A collection of Hongzhi's philosophical texts has also been translated by Dan Leighton.

Hongzhi often referred to as an exponent of Silent Illumination Chán .