424 charles d. orzech
Treasury” (Chuan mizang ) evidence of Song Dynasty lineage
transmission in the Yoga tradition is extremely meagre.^13
The last solid evidence concerning lineage holders in the Yoga tradi-
tion stemming from Huiguo dates to the last half of the ninth century
and to the involvement of Zhihuilun with the relics of the Fammen
pagoda.^14 The Five Dynasties period that follows affords scant record
of the abhisekạ -delimited transmission. Among the few notices is that
of Daoxian of the Latter Tang (923–937) who set up “pow-
dered altars” ( fentan ) and taught the “method of Yoga abhiseka.̣ ”^15
According to Zanning, “everyone in the two capitals became his dis-
ciples.” Also active in the early tenth century was a “Vajra Tripitaka” ̣
and his disciple Zhitong ,^16 and in Sichuan Yanmi and his
disciple Shouzhen , also professing the “Yoga teaching.”^17 Perhaps
the most famous proponent of “Yoga” was active in the late ninth
century. Liu Benzun claimed to the Yoga lineage of Vajra-
bodhi and Amoghavajra, though the veracity of these claims is ques-
tionable.^18 Finally, we know of a few practitioners in the Song court
in the mid-eleventh century. Qing ācārya and his disciple
Zhilin were patronized by emperor Renzong (r. 1022–1063)
who received a Ratnasaṃbhavaḥ abhiṣeka.^19 Zhilin’s disciple Zhang
Wen ding continued his master’s practice. Although by the late
tenth century translations of the Anuttarayoga tantras were being pro-
duced in China, there was no terminological distinction between the
Yoga and Highest Yoga texts and it seems that the teachers above were
all connected with the Tang Yoga tradition.
(^13) The treatise is in Da Song sengshi lüe T. 2126.54:240a–b.
(^14) For an account see Orzech, “After Amoghavajra: Esoteric Buddhism in the Late
Tang,” and Chen, “Esoteric Buddhism and Monastic Institutions,” in this volume and
Chen, forthcoming.
(^15) His biography is in Song gaoseng zhuan T. 2061.50:870c9–871a7 and a brief
notice is in Fozu tongji T. 2035:49.391a29-b4. Also see Lü 1995, 432.
(^16) T. 2061.50:858c12–859a19.
(^17) T. 2061.50:871b17. It is notable that we have here both mention of altars for
abhisekạ and altars for the shuilu rites, 871c2–3. Lü 1995, 436–437. For the
Shuilu see Lü 1995, 459–463, Lye, 2003, and his “Song Tiantai Ghost Feeding Ritu-
als,” in this volume. 18
For a recent appraisal see Sørensen 2001, and “Esoteric Buddhism in Sichuan
during the Tang and Five Dynasties Period,” in this volume. 19
See Lü 1995, 434–436 and the biography of Zhilin in Buxu gaoseng zhuan
Xuzangjing 1524.77:518c20–519c16.