author
Huangbo
d. 850
A major Tang-dynasty Chan teacher, he is remembered for sharp, direct teachings that became central to later Zen. Though little is known about his life, his influence runs through the tradition by way of his student Linji.
1 Audiobook
筠州黃檗山斷際禪師傳法心要
by Huangbo
About the author
Huangbo Xiyun was a Chinese Chan master of the Tang dynasty who died in 850. Sources agree that he was a student of Baizhang Huaihai and the teacher of Linji Yixuan, placing him in an important line of teachers that shaped later Zen.
Very little can be confirmed about his early life. Reference sources describe him as associated with Mount Huangbo in present-day Fujian, from which he took the name by which he is now known.
He is best known for teachings on the nature of mind and for a style that is forceful, simple, and unsparing of needless concepts. His recorded sayings, preserved in classic Chan texts, helped make him one of the most widely read early Zen masters.