禅Masters

Tiantong Rujing

Portrait of Tiantong Rujing

Caodong

Tiantong Rujing

c. 1163 – c. 1228

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Tiantong Rujing was the Chinese master who transmitted the Caodong teaching to Dogen, and thus to all of Japanese Soto Zen. He served as abbot of Tiantong Monastery and was known for his fierce insistence on intensive zazen practice above all other forms of Buddhist cultivation. His famous instruction to Dogen—"Drop off body and mind!"—precipitated Dogen's decisive awakening experience.

Rujing's teaching emphasized the absolute primacy of seated meditation. He rejected the use of incense-burning, prostrations, chanting, and other devotional practices as substitutes for zazen, insisting that sitting was the one essential practice. This rigorously meditation-centered approach deeply influenced Dogen's own teaching of shikantaza (just sitting) and his establishment of the Japanese Soto school as a tradition grounded in the practice of zazen above all else.

Names

dharma · enTiantong Rujing
alias · ent'ien-t'ung ju-ching
alias · enT'ien-t'ung Ju-ching
alias · entendô nyojô
alias · enTendô Nyojô
alias · zh天童如淨

Teachers

Students

  • Dogenprimary · 1200 – 1253

Teachings

  • dialogueDrop Off Body and Mind!

    (traditional attribution)

    During the early morning zazen, Rujing addressed the assembly: 'Studying Zen is the dropping off of body and mind.' Hearing these words, Dogen was suddenly and completely awakened. He went directly to the abbot's room and burned incense. Rujing asked, 'Why are you burning incense?' Dogen said, 'Body and mind have been dropped off.' Rujing said, 'Body and mind have been dropped off. The dropped-off body and mind.' Dogen said, 'This is only a temporary ability. Please do not give me your approval carelessly.' Rujing said, 'I am not giving you approval carelessly.' Dogen asked, 'What is this not giving approval carelessly?' Rujing said, 'Body and mind dropped off!'

    Respondent: Dogen, Speaker: Tiantong Rujing

  • sayingThe Primacy of Zazen Over All Other Practices

    (traditional attribution)

    Zazen is the Dharma gate of ease and bliss. Do not burn incense, make prostrations, practice nembutsu, perform penance, or read sutras. Just sit and get the business done. Zazen is not the practice of dhyana that is one of the six paramitas. It is not a method among methods. It is the Dharma gate of all the Buddhas. Do not exchange it for anything else.

    Attributed_to: Tiantong Rujing

Master Record Sources

  • nameChart of the Chan Ancestors

    Tiantong Rujing

    Reliability: scholarly

  • schoolChart of the Chan Ancestors

    Caodong

    Reliability: scholarly

  • nameZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation

    Tiantong Rujing

    Reliability: editorial

  • teachersZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation

    Xuedou Zhijian

    Reliability: editorial

Image: Wikimedia Commons: Tiantong Rujing Zen.jpg · Public Domain / CC (Wikimedia)