Chuanzi Decheng

Dates uncertain

Lineage of Chuanzi Decheng Qingyuan line school

Chuanzi Decheng (船子德誠, fl. mid-9th c.), the "Boat-Monk of Huating," is recorded in the *Jǐngdé Chuándēng Lù* and the *Zǔtáng Jí* as a Dharma heir of Yaoshan Weiyan who, on completing his training, declined to establish a monastery and instead spent the rest of his life as a ferryman on the Wu River at Huating (modern Songjiang district, Shanghai), looking for the one student worth transmitting to^[1]. He became an emblematic figure for the late-Tang topos of the hidden sage who keeps the Dharma in plain sight.

The single famous episode of his career — the meeting with Jiashan Shanhui, sent to him by Daowu Yuanzhi — is preserved in detail in the lamp records and was retold and versified through the rest of the tradition: Chuanzi tested Jiashan with a sequence of probing questions, capsized the boat into the river, struck him as he climbed back in, and at his words "Speak! Speak!" Jiashan's understanding opened^[2]. The story closes with Chuanzi capsizing his own boat and vanishing into the river, leaving Jiashan as his sole heir — an image that the Caodong stream returned to repeatedly as a model of unobtrusive transmission^[3].

Names

dharma · enChuanzi Decheng

honorific · enThe Boatmonk

alias · enCh'uan-tzü Tê-ch'êng

alias · enSensu Tokujô

Disciples of Chuanzi Decheng 1 named

Jiashan Shanhuiprimary · 805 – 881

Teachers and lineage of Chuanzi Decheng

Teacher / root master:

Yaoshan WeiyanRoot teacher / master · 751 – 834

Full lineage of Chuanzi Decheng →

Teachings

dialogueThe Boat Monk's Transmission
(traditional attribution)
Jiashan came to the river crossing and met the Boat Monk. The Boat Monk asked, "In what temple do you stay?" Jiashan said, "I don't stay in a temple. Where I stay is not like anything." The Boat Monk said, "Not like anything—like what?" Jiashan said, "It is not the Dharma before your eyes." The Boat Monk said, "Where did you learn this?" Jiashan said, "Neither ears nor eyes can reach it." The Boat Monk said, "A single phrase and you go on and on. From now on, just shut your mouth. Quick, get out!" And he capsized the boat. Jiashan fell into the water. When he scrambled back aboard, the Boat Monk shouted, "Speak! Speak!" As Jiashan was about to open his mouth, the Boat Monk struck him. At this, Jiashan was greatly awakened.
Chuanzi Decheng, Respondent: Jiashan Shanhui

Other masters in Qingyuan line

Nanyue Daoxuan596 – 667
Shitou Xiqian700 – 790
Danxia Tianran738 – 824
Tianhuang Daowu748 – 807
Yaoshan Weiyan751 – 834
Daowu Yuanzhi769 – 835

Master Record Sources

datesChart of the Chan Ancestors
n.d.
Reliability: scholarly
nameChart of the Chan Ancestors
Chuanzi Decheng
Reliability: scholarly
schoolChart of the Chan Ancestors
Qingyuan line
Reliability: scholarly
koan_refsChart of the Chan Ancestors
6
Reliability: scholarly
nameZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation
Chuanzi Decheng
Reliability: editorial
teachersZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation
Yaoshan Weiyan
Reliability: editorial