Luopu Yuanan
Luopu Yuanan
834 – 898
Luopu Yuanan (洛浦元安, 834–898) is one of the few Tang Chan masters whom the lamp records and the *Línjì Lù* both describe as having trained under masters in two of the great Tang lineages: he is named first as an attendant of Linji Yixuan, and then, after Linji's death, as a student of Jiashan Shanhui who received his final transmission from the Yaoshan stream[1]. The *Línjì Lù* preserves the often-cited episode in which Luopu, having presented his understanding, was struck by Linji and struck back; Linji laughed and acknowledged him — an exchange read by later commentators as one of the school's archetypal demonstrations of "host and guest" parity[2].
After leaving Linji's community Luopu turned south to Jiashan, who reportedly required him to abandon his Linji-style posturing before accepting him; he settled at Mount Luopu (in modern Hunan), where his recorded sayings show a teacher comfortable using either the sharp confrontational style of Linji or the more probing dialogical method of Jiashan as the moment required[3]. His line did not flourish past the next generation, but his career provides important evidence of the late-Tang traffic between the Hongzhou / Linji and Qingyuan / Yaoshan houses before they hardened into the canonical Five Houses.
Names
Teachers and lineage of Luopu Yuanan
Teacher / root master:
Teachings
- dialogueThe Encounter with Linji
When Luopu was studying with Linji, he asked, "What is the fundamental teaching of Buddhism?" Linji raised his fist. Luopu approached and Linji struck him. Luopu stood still. Linji said, "You can stand there all day—you still haven't answered." Luopu then went to study with Yangshan. Yangshan asked, "Where have you come from?" Luopu said, "From Linji." Yangshan said, "What did Linji teach?" Luopu raised his fist. Yangshan said, "Is this Linji's fist or your own?" Luopu said, "Both." Yangshan said, "Linji should be informed that there is such a fellow in his family."
- dialogueEnd-of-Summer Address
At the end of the summer retreat, Luopu said to the assembly: "All summer I have been talking for your benefit. Look—are my eyebrows still there?" Baofu said to Changqing, "The one who feels remorse—his eyebrows are growing." Changqing said, "The one who gives life—his eyebrows are falling off." Yunmen said: "The barrier!" Xuedou commented: "Baofu and Changqing each expressed one side. Neither expressed the whole. Yunmen expressed the whole—but where are his eyebrows?"
Other masters in Qingyuan line
Master Record Sources
834-98
Luopu Yuanan
Qingyuan line
- koan_refsChart of the Chan Ancestors
35,41 26,69
- nameZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation
Luopu Yuanan
- teachersZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation
Jiashan Shanhui