Yinshun 印順

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Revision as of 02:51, 20 July 2010

Yìnshùn 印順 (1906-2004)

Yìnshùn

Lay surname 姓: Zhang1 張 Name 名: Lùěr 鹿芹 Courtesy name 字: Shèngzhèng 盛正 Dharma name 法名: Yìnshùn 印順 Born March 2, 1906 (Guāngxù 光緒 31) in Hǎiníng County 海寧縣, Zhèjiāng 浙江 Died June 4, 2004 in Huálián 華蓮, Táiwān 台灣

Notable Associates: Fǎfǎng 法舫 Tàixū 太虛

Yìnshùn 印順 (1906-2004) was perhaps the most respected Chinese scholar-monk during the latter half of the 20th century.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Important Works 3 Notable Students 4 Notes 5 References

Biography

Yìnshùn studied at both traditional academies and at modern schools growing up. His father had him study Chinese medicine when he was young. He was tonsured Qīngniàn 清念 under at Fúquán Hermitage 福泉庵 on Pǔtuóshān 普陀山 in 1930. He received full ordination later in November under Yúanyīng 圓瑛 at Tiāntóng Temple 天童寺. After ordination he enrolled at the Mǐnnán Buddhist Seminary 閩南佛學院. At the request of the school's principle, Dàxǐng 大醒, he went and taught at the Gǔshān Buddhist Seminary 鼓山佛學院 for a semester, where he met Xūyún 虛雲 and Cízhōu 慈舟. After half a year, he returned to the Mǐnnán Buddhist Seminary, where he studied for several years.

Eventually, Yìnshùn decided to study the scriptures by himself. Qīngniàn helped him get established in the Scripture Hall at Huìjì Temple 慧濟寺 on Pǔtuóshān. After several years he went to the World Buddhist Studies Center 世界佛學苑 in Wǔchāng 武昌 where he studied Sānlùn 三論 texts. In 1936, Tàixū 太虛 asked him to advise students in that school of thought at the Wǔchāng Buddhist Seminary 武昌佛學院.

In 1938, Yìnshùn fled the Second-Sino Japanese War by moving to Chóngqìng 重慶, where he immediately began teaching at the Sino-Tibetan Institute 漢藏教理院. Notable students of his at the time included Yǎnpéi 演培. In the fall of 1941, Yǎnpéi was asked by Tàixū to start the Fǎwáng Buddhist Seminary 法王佛學院 in Héjiāng 合江, Sìchuān 四川. Yǎnpéi invited Yìnshùn to come serve as guiding teacher, which he did until 1944.

Important Works

• Huáyǔ jí 華雨集
• Miàoyún jí 妙雲集
• Yìnshùn wrote a great many works during his life. Some of these can be accessed at:
  • 印順法師佛學著作集

Notable Students

• Yǎnpéi 演培
• Zhèngyán 證嚴

Notes

References

• Yú Língbō 于凌波, ed. Xiàndài Fójiào rénwù cídiǎn 現代佛教人物辭典 (A Dictionary of Modern Buddhist Persons), 2 vols. Taipei: Foguang, 2004. Pp. 1.295b-298a.