298 henrik h. sØrensenChanShortly after Śubhākarasiṃha’s arrival in Chang’an, the Western Capi-
tal, in 716 C.E. Tang, a number of Buddhist monks, mostly hailing
from one of the branches of Northern Chan, came into contact with
mature Esoteric Buddhism.
Among these Northern Chan monks was Jingxian (660–723),^27
originally among the disciples of Shenxiu (606?–706), the pri-
mary patriarch of Northern Chan. Jingxian resided at Huishan Temple
on Mt. Song and first came in contact with Zhenyan Budd-
hism in the last years of his life when he met Śubhākarasiṃha at Xim-
ing Temple in Chang’an.^28 During this meeting, Jingxian is said
to have engaged the Indian ācārya in a discussion on various points
of Buddhist doctrine and practice. Śubhākarasiṃha’s answers were
recorded by another Chan monk, Huiqing (n.d.),^29 who later
revised them and compiled them into the Wuwei sanzang chanyao
(Tripit aka Master Śubhākarasiṃ ̣ha’s Essential [Instruc-
tions] for Meditation).^30 This text is a ritual guide for repentance,
receiving abhiṣeka, and taking the bodhisattva precepts in accordance
with the Zhenyan tradition.^31 Unfortunately, Jingxian’s questions to
Śubhākarasiṃha were not recorded.
The most famous of the Northern Chan monks to become involved
in the Esoteric Buddhist lore introduced by Śubhākarasiṃha, and later
by Vajrabodhi, was the celebrated Yixing (673–727).^32 Originally
a disciple of Puji (651–739), the successor of Shenxiu, Yixing
evidently shifted his Buddhist interests after meeting Śubhākarasiṃha,
whom he assisted in the grand-scale translation project involving a
number of Esoteric Buddhist scriptures, the most important of which
was the Mahāvairocana sūtra.^33 Yixing’s involvement with Esoteric
Buddhism can safely be said to have been a major interest for him
(^27) T. 917.18:942a.
(^28) T. 917.18:942a.
(^29) T. 917.18:946a.
(^30) T. 917.18:942b–946a.
(^31) See Pinte, “Śubhākarasiṃha,” in this volume.
(^32) Biography in T. 2061.50:732c–733c. Yixing also figures prominently in the late
Tang work on Esoteric Buddhist history, the Liangbu Dafa xiang chengzi fufa ji (Record
of Successive Masters Transmitting the Methods of the Great Dharma Characteristics
of the Two Classes [of Mandalas]). Cf. T. 2081.50:785c and 586c. Note that Yixing’s
name, which means “Single Practice,” evokes Chan Buddhist thought.
(^33) T. 848.