Daman Hongren
| Hongren | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| School | East Mountain Teaching of Chan Buddhism |
| Personal | |
| Nationality | Chinese |
| Born | 601 |
| Died | 674 |
| Senior posting | |
| Title | 5th Chan Patriarch |
| Predecessor | Dayi Daoxin |
| Successor | Huineng |
| Religious career | |
| Students |
Huineng Shenxiu Faru |
Hongren (Chinese: 弘忍; pinyin: Hóngrěn; Wade–Giles: Hung2-jen3; Japanese pronunciation: Konin; Korean pronunciation: Hong'in, 601–674), posthumous name Daman, was the 5th Patriarch of Chan Buddhism.
Hongren is said to have received Dharma transmission from Dayi Daoxin and passed on the symbolic bowl and robe of transmission to Huineng, the Sixth and last Chan Patriarch.
As with all the early Chan patriarchs, many of the details of Hongren’s life are uncertain and much of his biography is layered with legend added well after his death. The following biography is based on Chan traditional sources.
Hongren was born in Huangmei with the family name Chou. His father abandoned the family but Hongren displayed exemplary filial duty in supporting his mother.
Although the Records of the Teachers and Disciples of the Lankavatara claim that Hongren’s father abandoned the family, Chan scholar John McRae points out that Hongren’s residence was converted to a monastery, implying that Hongren’s family was probably wealthy and prominent locally. Furthermore, mention of Hongren doing menial labour would only be of significance if this were unusual, indicating that Hongren was of upper-class birth.
At the age of either seven or twelve, Hongren left home to become a monk and began his studies under Daoxin, who, according to tradition, immediately recognized his insight:
The Ch’üan fa pao chi (Annals of the Transmission of the Dharma-treasure), written approximately 712, says that Hongren was quiet and withdrawn, diligent in his menial labors, and sat in meditation throughout the night. He “never looked at the Buddhist scriptures” but understood everything he heard. After some ten years of teaching, the record claims that “eight or nine of every ten ordained and lay aspirants in the country had studied under him.”
Hongren stayed with Daoxin until the latter’s death in 651. Presumably, he was with Daoxin when the master was at Ta-lin ssu on Mount Lou and followed him to Mount Shuangfeng, one of the “twin peaks” of Huangmei.
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