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法常

Pronunciations

Basic Meaning: Fachang

Senses:

  • (567, var. 566–645). Originally from Boshui 白水 in Nanyang 南陽 (in mod. Henan 河南), secular surname Zhang 張. When he was young he studied in Confucian circles, but grew tired of their controversies, and formed the intention to enter the monastic order. He did this at nineteen, and his ordination master was Tanyan 曇延 (516–588). At twenty-two he first heard of the Mahāyānasaṃgraha, and spent the next five years delving deep into the text, in addition to undertaking broad comparative studies in the Avataṃsaka, Satyasiddhi, Abhidharma, the Daśabhūmika śāstra (Dilun 地論) etc. In the opening years of the Daye 大業 era (605–617) of the Sui 隋代 dynasty, he took up an imperial invitation to reside at Dachandingsi 大禪定寺 in Chang'an 長安 (on this important temple, see Chen Jinhua, Kinship and Kingship, Monks and Monarchs; Chen has determined that Fachang was among a group of monks that entered Dachandingsi between 605 and 607). During the Zhenguan 貞觀 era (627–649) (of the Tang 唐), he took part in sūtra translations, and resided at Puguangsi 普光寺, which was constructed for him at the behest of Tang Taizong 太宗. During this period he ordained a prince (or princes?) in the bodhisattva precepts. The crown prince of Silla 新羅, Kim Jajang 金慈藏 is also said to have relinquished his throne and come all the way from the Korean peninsula to receive bodhisattva precepts from him. Soon afterwards, the emperor commanded that he also simultaneously take up the abbotship 上座 of Kongguansi 空觀寺, where he lectured on the Avataṃsaka, the Satyasiddhi, Abhidharma, the Mahāyānasaṃgraha, the Daśabhūmika etc. His works are supposed to have included commentaries on the Mahāyānasaṃgraha 攝大乘論義疏, the Contemplation sūtra 觀無量壽經疏, Mahāparinirvāṇa sūtra, the Vimalakīrti sūtra, the Śrīmālādevīsiṃhanāda sūtra etc. Oda Akihiro 織田顕祐 has argued that Fachang was the author of the She dashenglun chao 攝大乘論抄 T 2806, found at Dunhuang ( “Tonkōbon Shō daijō ron chō ni tsuite 敦煌本「摂大乗論抄」について,” Indogaku bukkyōgaku kenkyū 38, no. 2 (1990): 223–224, cited in Shengkai 59). Shengkai 圣凯 has criticized this view as based on insufficient evidence. Shengkai also points out close correspondences between the opening of T 2806 and Zhiyanʼs 智儼投選集 Sou xuan ji 搜玄記 T 1732, and thus argues that the text has some close relationship with Zhiyan, in addition to a Dilun school doctrinal background (She lun xuepai yanjiu 摄论学派研究 [Beijing: Zongjiao wenhua chunbanshe, 2006], 58–59). 〔圖繪寶鑑, 日本畫史〕 See also 牧谿. [Michael Radich]
  • (752–839) Damei Fachang, dharma heir to Mazu Daoyi 馬祖道一 (709–788). See 大梅法常. 〔宋高僧傳 T 2061.50.776a13〕 . [Stefan Grace]
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    [Dictionary References]

    Chūgoku bukkyōshi jiten (Kamata) 348

    Bukkyō jiten (Ui) 955

    Zengaku daijiten (Komazawa U.) 1134a

    A Glossary of Zen Terms (Inagaki) 35

    Fo Guang Dictionary 3384

    Index to the Bussho kaisetsu daijiten (Ono) 650(或云道證)

    Bukkyō daijiten (Mochizuki) (v.1-6)4151c

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    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: 2008-10-07

    Updated: 2018-04-14