East Mountain Teaching

The tradition holds that Hongren (弘忍 601–674) left home at an early age (between seven and fourteen) and lived at East Mountain Temple on Twin Peaks, where Daoxin was the abbot.

Another practice was the contemplation of some 'ultimate principle', this was associated with the 'one-practice samadhi' (Chinese: 一行三昧; pinyin: yīxíng sānmèi) and in some texts such as the Lengqie shizi ji is achieved by meditating on a single Buddha.

The goal of all of these practices was to not be hindered by the stream of thoughts which clouds the mind and allow the practitioner to gain insight into the pure, radiant consciousness in everyone.

[7] According to John R. McRae the "first explicit statement of the sudden and direct approach that was to become the hallmark of Ch'an religious practice" first appears in a Chinese text named the Ju-tao an-hsin yao-fang-pien fa-men (JTFM, Instructions on essential expedients for calming the mind and accessing the path), itself a part of the Leng Ch'ieh Shih Tzu Chi (Records of the Masters of the Lankavatara).

[8] The Records of the Masters of the Lankavatara is associated with the early Chan tradition known as the "East Mountain School" and has been dated to around 713.

According to McRae:[8]...the practical explanation of "maintaining the One without wavering" is that one is simply to contemplate every aspect of one's mental and physical existence, focusing on each individual component with unswerving attention until one realizes its essential emptiness or non-substantiality.

Although further examination will reveal significant differences between this and traditional Buddhist meditation practice, the description given so far would apply equally well to the most basic of Mahayana techniques: the insight-oriented contemplation of the non-substantiality of the body.

Although this type of contemplation is the common property of virtually all schools of Mahayana Buddhism, its presentation here differs in at least two ways from that found in more traditional texts.

Though Hongren was known for not compiling writings and for teaching Zen principles orally, the classical Chan text Discourse on the Highest Vehicle, is attributed to him.

[12] This work emphasizes the practice of "maintaining the original true mind" that "naturally cuts off the arising of delusion.

"[13] Originally Shenxiu was considered to be the "Sixth Patriarch", carrying the mantle of Bodhidharma's Zen through the East Mountain School.

[citation needed] The successful promulgation of Shenhui's views led to Shenxiu's branch being widely referred to by others as the "Northern School."

This nomenclature has continued in western scholarship, which for the most part has largely viewed Chinese Zen through the lens of southern Chan.

Shenhui characterised the Northern School as employing gradual teachings, while his Southern school employed sudden teachings: suddenness of the South, gradualness of the North" (Chinese: nan-tun bei qian; Japanese: nanton hokuzen).

The author of the epitaph is not known, but the list comprises six names: after Bodhidharma and Huike follow Sengcan, Daoxin, Hongren, and Faru.

The Ch'uan fa-pao chi takes this list over and adds as a seventh name that of Shen-hsiu (605?-706)[22]Faru (法如, 638-689) was "the first pioneer" and "actual founder" of the Northern School.

These indications from the Northern school argue for the succession of the Third Patriarch Sengcan (d. 606), which has been thrown into doubt because of lacunae in the historical work of Tao-hsuan.

[24] Moheyan participated in a prolonged debate with Kamalashila at Samye in Tibet over sudden versus gradual teachings, which was decisive for the course the Tibetan Buddhist tradition took: As is well known, the fate of Chan [East Mountain Teachings] in Tibet was said to have been decided in a debate at the Samye monastery near Lhasa in c.792-797.

[27] The Dzogchen ("Great Perfection") School of the Nyingmapa was often identified with the 'sudden enlightenment' (Tibetan: cig car gyi ‘jug pa) of Moheyan and was called to defend itself against this charge by avowed members of the Sarma lineages that held to the staunch view of 'gradual enlightenmnent' (Tibetan: rim gyis ‘jug pa).