Digital Dictionary of Buddhism

DDB Top Page 
 
 
  XML source

一指頭禪

Pronunciations

Basic Meaning: one-finger Chan

Senses:

  • The critical phrase 話頭 from the gong-an narrative concerning the Chinese Chan monk Juzhi 倶胝, which goes: When Juzhi was confronted with questions from a nun named Shiji 實際 that he could not answer, he asked around for the proper response. Upon putting the question to Hangzhou Tianlong 杭州天龍, Tianlong 天龍 responded by raising one finger. Juzhi was fully enlightened. Thereafter, he adopted the idiosyncratic teaching style of answering the questions regarding the ultimate truth by showing one finger. Also expressed as 倶胝一指, 一指禪, and 倶胝豎指. 〔無門關 T 2005.48.293b15〕 [Charles Muller; source(s): Yokoi]
  • Also a parable in the Laṅkâvatāra-sūtra 楞伽經. The adherents of the Chan school 禪宗 regard the sutras merely as indicators, i.e. pointing fingers, their real object being only attained through personal meditation. [Charles Muller; source(s): Soothill]
  • Search SAT
  • Search INBUDS Database

    • Feedback

    [Dictionary References]

    Bulgyo sajeon 744a

    Zengaku daijiten (Komazawa U.) 43a

    Japanese-English Zen Buddhist Dictionary (Yokoi) 268

    Ding Fubao {Digital Version}

    Bukkyō daijiten (Mochizuki) (v.1-6)141b

    Soothill 006

    Copyright provisions

    The rights to textual segments (nodes) of the DDB are owned by the author indicated in the brackets next to each segment. For rights regarding the compilation as a whole, please contact Charles Muller. Please do not reproduce without permission. And please do not copy into Wikipedia without proper citation!

    Entry created: 2003-02-08

    Updated: 2012-04-25