Zhiguang 智光

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Revision as of 05:54, 22 July 2010

Zhìguāng 智光 (1889-1963)

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Dharma name 法名: Mǐxìng 彌性 , Wénjué 文覺 Style name 號: Zhìguāng 智光 Born 1889 (5/25 Guāngxù 光緒 15) in Tài County 泰縣, Jiāngsū 江蘇 Died 1963 in Táiběi 台北, Táiwān 台灣

Notable Associates: Ǎitíng 靄亭 Yuèxiá 月霞 Zhìkāi 治開

Article editor: Erik Hammerstrom

Zhìguāng 智光 (1889-1963)

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

Biography

Zhìguāng was tonsured at age 13 suì 歲 under Dàorú 道如 at Hóngkāi Temple 宏開寺 in his home area of in Tài County 泰縣. Four years later he received full ordination at Lóngchang1 Temple 隆昌寺 on Mt. Bao3hua2 寶華山. Over the next three years Zhìguāng sought to raise his level of education, but each time the school at which he enrolled was forced to close after a year or two of operation. The year after his ordination, he enrolled at the Universal Saṇgha Study Hall 普通僧學堂 at Tiānníng Temple 天寧寺 in Yángzhōu 揚州. When the Study Hall closed, Zhìguāng went to Nánjiāng 南京 where he began studying at the nascent Jetavana Monastery 祇洹精舍. After the hermitage closed in 1910, he once again changed schools, this time to the Jiāngsū Saṇgha Normal Study Hall 江蘇僧師範學堂.

After the founding of the Republic in [[1911], Zhìguāng returned to Hóngkāi Temple where he was the principal of the Confucian-Buddhist Primary School 儒釋初高小學. This school closed after only three terms. The following year (1914), Zhìguāng and his student Ǎitíng 靄亭 went to Shànghǎi 上海 to enroll at Huáyán University 華嚴大學, which was headed by Yuèxiá 月霞. The two monks moved along with the University when circumstances forced its relocation later the year to Hǎicháo Temple 海潮寺 in Hángzhōu 杭州. Zhìguāng graduated in 1916 and began to follow Yuèxiá as he traveled and lectured. During this time, Zhìguāng continued his studies of Huáyán 華嚴 thought.

From the winter of 1917 to 1921, Zhìguāng studied under Zhìkāi 治開 at Tiānníng Temple 天寧寺 in Chángzhōu 常州. From 1921 to 1923, Zhìguāng practiced in sealed confinement in Běishān Temple 北山寺 in Tài County. In 1923, he accepted a post at Dìnghuì Temple 定慧寺 on Mt. Jiāo 焦山. It was at this time that he formally took the style Zhìguāng and name Wénjué 文覺.

In 1929 and 1930, Zhìguāng accepted invitations from laymen in Hong Kong 香港 and went there twice to lecture. In 1930 he also wrote Fùnǚ xuéfó yúanqǐ 婦女學佛緣起 (Ladies' Guide to Giving Rise to the Karma for Studying Buddhism).

In 1934, Zhìguāng became abbot of Dìnghuì Temple, and

Important Works

• 華嚴大綱 (written during the late 1910s, all copies of this work were destroyed in the Second Sino-Japanese War)
• Fùnǚ xuéfó yúanqǐ 婦女學佛緣起 (Ladies' Guide to Giving Rise to the Karma for Studying Buddhism) (1930)

Notable Students

Notes

References

• Shì Dōngchū 釋東初. Zhōngguó Fójiào jìndài shǐ 中國佛教近代史 (A History of Early Contemporary Chinese Buddhism), in Dōngchū lǎorén quánjí 東初老人全集 (Complete Collection of Old Man Dongchu), vols. 1-2. Taipei: Dongchu, 1974 Pp. 2.848-850.
• 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. 2.1152a-1155a.