Baizhang Niepan (百丈涅槃)

Baizhang Niepan

Dates uncertain

Baizhang Niepan is recorded in the historiography of the late-Tang / Song-period Chan transmission network as a transmission figure in its lineage. The surviving record preserves his place in the line; little distinctive doctrinal material from his teaching is preserved in modern scholarship^[1].

Names

dharma · enBaizhang Niepan

alias · enHyakujô Nehan

alias · jaHyakujō Nehan

alias · enPai-chang Nieh-p'an

alias · zh百丈涅槃

Teachers and lineage of Baizhang Niepan

Teachers / root masters:

Baizhang HuaihaiBaizhang Niepan was a student of Baizhang Huaihai, not Mazu Daoyi. Per Terebess Asia Online (mesterek/GuannanDaochang.html context) and Chan lamp records: Baizhang Niepan belongs to the generation trained by Baizhang Huaihai, with Mazu Daoyi being one generation earlier as Huaihai's own teacher. The originals-curated.json had the wrong generation — Niepan is Huaihai's student, not Mazu's. · Dates uncertain
Mazu DaoyiDISPUTED — Wave-3 correction 2026-05-25: Mazu Daoyi (709-788) was Baizhang Huaihai's teacher, one generation before Baizhang Niepan. The correct teacher for Baizhang Niepan is Baizhang Huaihai (720-814). The original edge from originals-curated.json skipped a generation. · Dates uncertain

Full lineage of Baizhang Niepan →

Teachings

proverbNirvana, a Name
(traditional attribution)
Nirvana is a name. Do not put on the name as a robe. Sit in the body that wears no name, and you will find what the word was pointing to.
tr. Zen Lineage editorial
Baizhang Niepan

Other masters in Linji

Muzhou Daoming780 – 877
Xinghua Cunjiang830 – 888
Huanglong Huinan1002 – 1069
Wuzu Fayan1024 – 1104
Zhenjing Kewen1025 – 1102
Baofeng Kewen1025 – 1102

Master Record Sources

nameChart of the Chan Ancestors
Baizhang Niepan
Reliability: scholarly
schoolChart of the Chan Ancestors
Linji
Reliability: scholarly
nameZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation
Baizhang Niepan
Reliability: editorial
teachersZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation
Mazu Daoyi
Reliability: editorial