Encyclopedia of Buddhism

transmission among native Chinese masters. The Chan
list of Indian patriarchs was conventionally fixed at
twenty-eight in the Baolin chuan(Transmission of the
Treasure Grove), completed in 801 (see Table 2).

Only two points separate Chan’s assertion of lineage
succession from the earlier Tiantai one. Vasumitra is
inserted as seventh in the line of patriarchal succession,
a claim based on the appearance of his name in the
Chanjing,mentioned above. The addition of Vasumi-
tra effectively expands the Tiantai list from twenty-
three to twenty-four. More significantly, the Chan list
maintains that the transmission was suspended with
Simha bhiksu,as the Tiantai list had supposed, but
continued on and was eventually brought physically to
China in the person of BODHIDHARMA(ca. early fifth
century). This assertion was made to lend credence to
the claim that Chan represented the unbroken succes-
sion of Buddhist teaching from S ́a
kyamuni to a series
of Chinese patriarchs, including the undisputed list of
six masters from Bodhidharma to HUINENG(638–713)
(see Table 3).

The assertion of a Chinese patriarchal tradition pro-
voked a well-known dispute over correct lineal suc-
cession among rival Chan factions. The dispute began
in 732 when a hitherto obscure monk named Shenhui
(684–758) attacked the legitimacy of the imperially ac-
knowledged representatives of Chan. In 701 or 702, an
illustrious disciple of Hongren, Shenxiu (ca. 606–706),
had been invited to court by Empress Wu, where he
was received with great acclaim. Following Shenxiu’s
death, his disciples Puji (d. 739) and Yifu (d. 736) be-
came the standard bearers of Chan at the imperial
court. Until the arrival of Shenhui, Shenxiu was the

undisputed sixth patriarch of Chan. Shenhui chal-

lenged that the true heir of Hongren’s dharma had

been his own master, Huineng, and that he himself was

Huineng’s heir. To substantiate his claim, Shenhui in-

sisted Bodhidharma’s robe, the symbol of legitimate

transmission, had been passed by Hongren to

Huineng, not Shenxiu. Shenhui branded Shenxiu’s il-

legitimate Chan the “Northern school,” in contrast to

the legitimate “Southern school” teaching of his own

master, Huineng. Over time, Shenhui’s arguments

gained favor and Huineng was officially accepted as the

sixth patriarch in 816. All subsequent Chan factions

traced their lineage through Huineng.

Chan and Tiantai lineage formation culminated in

the Song dynasty (960–1279). While early Chan in-

sisted on a single line of orthodox transmission

through the sixth patriarch and accepted collateral lin-

eages only with reluctance, the later tradition recog-

nized multilineal branches. Fueled by the geographical

spread of Chan throughout China, numerous groups

sought legitimacy by tracing their lineage of patriarchs

through Huineng. After Huineng, the principal or

“trunk” lineage of Chan was presumed to bifurcate,

and several branch lineages flourished. The bifurcation

posited that all later Chan lineages were descended

through two of Huineng’s disciples, Nanyue Huairang

(677–744) and Qingyuan Xingsi (d. 740). Huairang

linked the flourishing movement of Mazu DAOYI

(709–788) and his followers in the late eighth and early

ninth centuries to the Chan tradition of Huineng, and

it is clear that Huairang’s record was tailored to legit-

imize these motivations. Xingsi’s record was conceived

LINEAGE

á i

i

i

i

i

i

i

i

Á i

á

á

á

á

á

Á

Chan lineage based on the Baolin chuan (Transmission

of the Treasure Grove)

Sakyamuni

1. Mahakasyapa


2. Ananda


3. Sanavasa


4. Upagupta


5. Dhrtaka


6. Miccaka


7. Vasumitra


8. Buddhanandin


9. Buddhamitra


10. Parsva


11. Punyayasas


12. Asvaghosa


13. Kapimala


14. Nagarjuna
    15. Kanadeva
    16. Rahulata
    17. Sanghanandin
    18. Gayasata
    19. Kumarata
    20. Jayata
    21. Vasubandhu
    22. Manorhita
    23. Haklenayasas
    24. Simha bhiksu
    25. Basiasita
    26. Punyamitra
    27. Prajñatara
    28. Bodhidharma
    SOURCE: Author.

TABLE 2

Lineage of early Chinese Chan patriarchs and their

connection to the "Five Houses"

1. Bodhidharma


2. Huike


3. Sengcan


4. Daoxin


5. Hongren


6. Huineng


7. Huairang


8. Mazu

I. Linji II. Weiyang

7. Xingsi


8. Shitou

III. Yunmen IV. Caodong V. Fayan

SOURCE: Author.

TABLE 3