Ox head school

The Ochsenkopf School ( Chinese  牛頭宗 , Pinyin Niutou Zong , W.-G. Niu-t'ou tsung ) was a school of the Chinese Chan - Buddhism , in the Tang Dynasty in addition to the Northern School of Shenxiu ( 神秀 , Shenxiu ; 606? -706) and the Southern school of Huineng in phenomenon occurred.

When her founding figure applies Farong ( 法融 , Fǎróng ; 594-657), said to be a student of the fourth patriarch Daoxin ( 道信 , Daoxin ; 580-651). Its name is derived from the mountain Ochsenkopf (in the south of Nanjing ), on which Farong mainly taught.

The teaching of the ox head school was strongly influenced by the principle of the Middle Way of the Sanlun zong , but also by the powerful Tiantai zong . The name invocation of the Buddha Amitabha also belonged to the syncretism of the ox-head school .

Master of the ox head school

The masters of the ox-head school who are attested in writing are listed below. From Farong onwards, they were all in a master-disciple relationship of Dharma discipleship. Zhiwei had two disciples. The ox head school finally went out with the last master in the eighth generation.

Farong 法 融 , Fǎróng , Fa-jung 594–657

Zhiyan 智 巖 , Zhìyán , Chih-yen 600–677

Huifang 慧 方 , Huìfāng , Hui-fang 629–695

Fachi 法 持 , Fǎchí , Fa-chih 635–702

Zhiwei 智 威 , Zhìwēi , Chih-wei 646–722

Huizhong 慧忠 , Huìzhōng , Hui-chung 683–769

Xuansu 玄素 , Xuánsù , Hsüan-su ? -?

Jingshan Daoqin 徑山 道 欽 , Jìngshān Dàoqīn , Ching-shan Tao-ch'in 714-792

literature

• Heinrich Dumoulin : History of Zen Buddhism. Volume I: India and China. Francke-Verlag, Bern 1985.