Biography of Master Dao Chuo 道綽大師
Master Dao Chuo 道綽大師 (562-645) was born in Qi of the Northern dynasties, in Shanxi Province (modern time), Wen county, a region where Master Tan Luan used to preach the Pureland Dharma, 20 years later after Master Tan Luan's passing in 542. That was the 1511th year after the passing of Buddha Shakyamuni, which was also the initial period into the Dharma Ending Age 末法時代.
Master Dao Chuo was born into the Family name Wei, whose nature was warm, kind and modest since he was little, a natural disposition that won many hearts. People of his village were full of praise for him and that made him famous. He entered the Buddhist order at the age of 40, delved into the study of Mahayana Mahaparinirvana sutra 涅槃經 that was widely popular at that time. Thereafter, he became a student of Zen master Huizan of Kaihua zen monastery (536-607), a highly reputed Zen master at that time. Master Dao Chuo specialized in the study of Mahayana Mahaparinirvana sutra and the principles of emptiness under his tutelage, a period where he got an in-depth understanding on emptiness.
Master Dao Chuo left Kaihua monastery after the passing of his teacher, Master Huizan. He arrived at Stone Wall Xuanzhong Monastery, a place where he had heard much of and had much admiration. This monastery has traces of Master Tan Luan during the last period of the Wei's reign. Master Tan Luan had spent a considerable length of time preaching Pureland Dharma at this monastery, taught others to believe what he believed in, preached in the region of Bing and Fen states, gained widespread respect and support from the masses, converted many people to Buddhism. At the time of Master Tan Luan's passing away, townsfolks witnessed amazing auspicious signs and recorded these happenings as Chinese inscription on a stone tablet. Upon reading the inscription, it was as if a bolt of lightning had striken through Master Dao Chuo's heart, awakening him to the truth, he immediately gave up his work on Mahaparinirvana sutra, embraced Pureland Dharma, took a pledge to become a disciple before Master Tan Luan's stupa, and was granted to reside in the monastery. It was the year 609, the period where Emperor Yang of Sui dynasty reigned, Master Dao Chuo was 48, 69 years had passed after Master Tan Luan's passing.
Master Dao Chuo often praised Master Tan Luan's profundity : "He, so far and unparalleled, gave up his preaching of the 4 treatises, redirected self-practice to practice relying on Amitabha Buddha's primal vow of salvation as the one and only path, and already born in the Land of Bliss; to say nothing of a young fellow like me, what learned and understood is too inadequate to speak of virtue". As a result, he abandoned forthwith all practices of the Path of the Sages 聖道門, and redirected his focus on practicing the Pureland Path 淨土門, recited solely "Namo Amituofo" as the one and only practice. Master Honen 法然上人, at the end of the first chapter of his work "Collection on Selecting Recitation of Buddha Name" tells us :
These words from Master Honen reflect the very feeling of Master Dao Chuo at that time.
As Master Dao Chuo looked back, those who held on to the principles of Emptiness might have a good understanding and were able to expound Emptiness, but on the point of realizing Emptiness through real practice, is but just a game of conceptions. Later, record has it that Master Dao Chuo gave 200 lectures on Contemplation of Infinite Life Sutra and did daily 70000 recitations of Buddha's name "Namo Amituofo", taught whoever had the potential to believe, he did not spit or relieve himself at the direction of the west, nor did he sleep or sit with his back facing the west. He preached and converted the monastics and lay people of Bing state (consisted of Jingyang, Taiyuan and Wenshui counties), so much so that whoever was above the age of 7 knew the recitation of "Namo Amituofo". He introduced the recitation counting technique of counting one bean for each recitation, and went on to invent a string of wooden beads (strung up using strings), offering a simple method to help practitioners focus better on their recitation.
There had been an occasion where a monastic in meditation witnessed Master Dao Chuo meeting Amitabha Buddha, and the splendour of Amitabha Buddha's Pureland. His virtue and merit maturing by the days, gained tremendous popularity and saw many monastics and lay people flocking the monastery. When he was discoursing Contemplation of Infinite Life Sutra, his words were clear, never left the main tenet, profound but accorded with his audience's capacity, with references and comparisons that captured the attention of the audience. At his lectures, each listener counted his beads and at the end, recited Buddha's name in unison, creating an assembly sound that penetrated the woods and valleys. Then, there were disbelievers who came to slander and make trouble but were calmed down each time coming before Master Dao Chuo's compassionate countenance.
On 8th April of 639, Master Dao Cho came to know of his time of passing away, related this news to his disciples and lay Buddhists, after which many streamed to the monastery upon hearing the news, and all of them saw Master Tan Luan in the sky on a 7 Jewel Vessel conveying these words to Master Dao Chuo : "Your Pureland hall is built, but just that you still have a number of extra years to live on as a human". At that moment, the transformation body of Amitabha Buddha appeared in the sky, adorned by falling pure white and beautiful heavenly flowers, all those who came to witness the signs collected plenty of the flowers with their lapels. They were amazed, completely convinced, even to those who had not done any good deeds or had been against this Pureland teaching were overcome with awe, amazement and converted. Thus, the extensive influence of Pureland Dharma in the many regions of Bing state in the early years of the Tang dynasty, was due to Master Dao Chuo's presence.
At the age of 70, his health was no different from before, as radiant as ever, had no lack of spirit even up to the age of 84. His lectures on the Essentials of Pureland tradition were inspiring, in-depth and rich. He had great followings, enlightened multitude of common people, to an extent that reciting "Namo Amituofo" became a social custom.
When the Tang dynasty came into reign, his reputation swelled and spread across the capital. On their royal visit to Taiyuan, Emperor and Empress Taizong (Tang dynasty) would pay special visit to Xuanzhong monastery not only for prayers and to make rich offerings of jewels but also to make formal obeisance to Master Dao Chuo.
In the year 645, 24 April, Master Dao Chuo gave notice of his passing to his disciples and followers, after which, endless streams of monastics and common people from the 3 counties came to pay their last respect. On 27th April, Master Dao Chuo passed away into Amitabha Buddha's Land of Bliss. During that time, a white cloud came from the west, changed into 3 rays of light, shone through the room. During cremation, there were multicolored rays of light rotating around a sun-disc and there were 3 appearances of purple light rays above his grave.
"The Ease Compilation 安樂集" is Master Dao Chuo living legacy, this compilation inherits Master Nagarjuna and Master Tan Luan's ideology on the ease of relying on the Other Power 他力 (Amitabha Buddha's primal vow of salvation, recite "Namo Amituofo" to be born in the Land of Bliss) instead of relying on Self Power 自力 to attain deliverance by rebirth in the Land of Bliss. Master Dao Chuo's work classified Buddhism into Path of the Sages 聖道門 and Pureland Path 淨土門, that advises and urges sentient beings to give up the Path of the Sages 舍聖道 and that they should redirect their focus to embrace Pureland Path 歸入淨土 as the one and only path towards absolute deliverance.
Among Master Dao Chuo's disciples, Master Shan Dao became the standout successor who advocated solely recitation of "Namo Amituofo" relying on Amitabha Buddha's vow or the Other Power as the only path to reach the Pureland. Not only did he preach and promote this Pureland path, but also brought it to great height of development, thus, became the authority figure of the Pureland tradition.
The Pureland Lineage :
Nagarjuna Boddhisattva 150CE-250CE >>> Vasubandhu Boddhisattva 4th-5thCE >>> Master Tan Luan 476-542 >>> Master Dao Chuo 562-645 >>> Master Shan Dao 613-681.
** You may click wordings in blue for more information **
Master Dao Chuo 道綽大師 (562-645) was born in Qi of the Northern dynasties, in Shanxi Province (modern time), Wen county, a region where Master Tan Luan used to preach the Pureland Dharma, 20 years later after Master Tan Luan's passing in 542. That was the 1511th year after the passing of Buddha Shakyamuni, which was also the initial period into the Dharma Ending Age 末法時代.
Master Dao Chuo was born into the Family name Wei, whose nature was warm, kind and modest since he was little, a natural disposition that won many hearts. People of his village were full of praise for him and that made him famous. He entered the Buddhist order at the age of 40, delved into the study of Mahayana Mahaparinirvana sutra 涅槃經 that was widely popular at that time. Thereafter, he became a student of Zen master Huizan of Kaihua zen monastery (536-607), a highly reputed Zen master at that time. Master Dao Chuo specialized in the study of Mahayana Mahaparinirvana sutra and the principles of emptiness under his tutelage, a period where he got an in-depth understanding on emptiness.
Master Dao Chuo left Kaihua monastery after the passing of his teacher, Master Huizan. He arrived at Stone Wall Xuanzhong Monastery, a place where he had heard much of and had much admiration. This monastery has traces of Master Tan Luan during the last period of the Wei's reign. Master Tan Luan had spent a considerable length of time preaching Pureland Dharma at this monastery, taught others to believe what he believed in, preached in the region of Bing and Fen states, gained widespread respect and support from the masses, converted many people to Buddhism. At the time of Master Tan Luan's passing away, townsfolks witnessed amazing auspicious signs and recorded these happenings as Chinese inscription on a stone tablet. Upon reading the inscription, it was as if a bolt of lightning had striken through Master Dao Chuo's heart, awakening him to the truth, he immediately gave up his work on Mahaparinirvana sutra, embraced Pureland Dharma, took a pledge to become a disciple before Master Tan Luan's stupa, and was granted to reside in the monastery. It was the year 609, the period where Emperor Yang of Sui dynasty reigned, Master Dao Chuo was 48, 69 years had passed after Master Tan Luan's passing.
Master Dao Chuo often praised Master Tan Luan's profundity : "He, so far and unparalleled, gave up his preaching of the 4 treatises, redirected self-practice to practice relying on Amitabha Buddha's primal vow of salvation as the one and only path, and already born in the Land of Bliss; to say nothing of a young fellow like me, what learned and understood is too inadequate to speak of virtue". As a result, he abandoned forthwith all practices of the Path of the Sages 聖道門, and redirected his focus on practicing the Pureland Path 淨土門, recited solely "Namo Amituofo" as the one and only practice. Master Honen 法然上人, at the end of the first chapter of his work "Collection on Selecting Recitation of Buddha Name" tells us :
- "Even if practitioners have initially embraced and practiced the Path of the Sages, should they have the will to practice Pureland Dharma, they must give up the Path of the Sages and embrace Pureland Path. For example, Master Tan Luan gave up the 4 Treatises for Pureland Dharma, and Master Dao Chuo abandoned Mahaparinirvana sutra for Pureland path, thereafter, both patriarchs preached the Pureland Dharma exclusively. The virtuous and wise people of the past had done it in this way, all the more simple defiled beings should practice Pureland Path at the Dharma Ending Age".
These words from Master Honen reflect the very feeling of Master Dao Chuo at that time.
As Master Dao Chuo looked back, those who held on to the principles of Emptiness might have a good understanding and were able to expound Emptiness, but on the point of realizing Emptiness through real practice, is but just a game of conceptions. Later, record has it that Master Dao Chuo gave 200 lectures on Contemplation of Infinite Life Sutra and did daily 70000 recitations of Buddha's name "Namo Amituofo", taught whoever had the potential to believe, he did not spit or relieve himself at the direction of the west, nor did he sleep or sit with his back facing the west. He preached and converted the monastics and lay people of Bing state (consisted of Jingyang, Taiyuan and Wenshui counties), so much so that whoever was above the age of 7 knew the recitation of "Namo Amituofo". He introduced the recitation counting technique of counting one bean for each recitation, and went on to invent a string of wooden beads (strung up using strings), offering a simple method to help practitioners focus better on their recitation.
There had been an occasion where a monastic in meditation witnessed Master Dao Chuo meeting Amitabha Buddha, and the splendour of Amitabha Buddha's Pureland. His virtue and merit maturing by the days, gained tremendous popularity and saw many monastics and lay people flocking the monastery. When he was discoursing Contemplation of Infinite Life Sutra, his words were clear, never left the main tenet, profound but accorded with his audience's capacity, with references and comparisons that captured the attention of the audience. At his lectures, each listener counted his beads and at the end, recited Buddha's name in unison, creating an assembly sound that penetrated the woods and valleys. Then, there were disbelievers who came to slander and make trouble but were calmed down each time coming before Master Dao Chuo's compassionate countenance.
On 8th April of 639, Master Dao Cho came to know of his time of passing away, related this news to his disciples and lay Buddhists, after which many streamed to the monastery upon hearing the news, and all of them saw Master Tan Luan in the sky on a 7 Jewel Vessel conveying these words to Master Dao Chuo : "Your Pureland hall is built, but just that you still have a number of extra years to live on as a human". At that moment, the transformation body of Amitabha Buddha appeared in the sky, adorned by falling pure white and beautiful heavenly flowers, all those who came to witness the signs collected plenty of the flowers with their lapels. They were amazed, completely convinced, even to those who had not done any good deeds or had been against this Pureland teaching were overcome with awe, amazement and converted. Thus, the extensive influence of Pureland Dharma in the many regions of Bing state in the early years of the Tang dynasty, was due to Master Dao Chuo's presence.
At the age of 70, his health was no different from before, as radiant as ever, had no lack of spirit even up to the age of 84. His lectures on the Essentials of Pureland tradition were inspiring, in-depth and rich. He had great followings, enlightened multitude of common people, to an extent that reciting "Namo Amituofo" became a social custom.
When the Tang dynasty came into reign, his reputation swelled and spread across the capital. On their royal visit to Taiyuan, Emperor and Empress Taizong (Tang dynasty) would pay special visit to Xuanzhong monastery not only for prayers and to make rich offerings of jewels but also to make formal obeisance to Master Dao Chuo.
In the year 645, 24 April, Master Dao Chuo gave notice of his passing to his disciples and followers, after which, endless streams of monastics and common people from the 3 counties came to pay their last respect. On 27th April, Master Dao Chuo passed away into Amitabha Buddha's Land of Bliss. During that time, a white cloud came from the west, changed into 3 rays of light, shone through the room. During cremation, there were multicolored rays of light rotating around a sun-disc and there were 3 appearances of purple light rays above his grave.
"The Ease Compilation 安樂集" is Master Dao Chuo living legacy, this compilation inherits Master Nagarjuna and Master Tan Luan's ideology on the ease of relying on the Other Power 他力 (Amitabha Buddha's primal vow of salvation, recite "Namo Amituofo" to be born in the Land of Bliss) instead of relying on Self Power 自力 to attain deliverance by rebirth in the Land of Bliss. Master Dao Chuo's work classified Buddhism into Path of the Sages 聖道門 and Pureland Path 淨土門, that advises and urges sentient beings to give up the Path of the Sages 舍聖道 and that they should redirect their focus to embrace Pureland Path 歸入淨土 as the one and only path towards absolute deliverance.
Among Master Dao Chuo's disciples, Master Shan Dao became the standout successor who advocated solely recitation of "Namo Amituofo" relying on Amitabha Buddha's vow or the Other Power as the only path to reach the Pureland. Not only did he preach and promote this Pureland path, but also brought it to great height of development, thus, became the authority figure of the Pureland tradition.
The Pureland Lineage :
Nagarjuna Boddhisattva 150CE-250CE >>> Vasubandhu Boddhisattva 4th-5thCE >>> Master Tan Luan 476-542 >>> Master Dao Chuo 562-645 >>> Master Shan Dao 613-681.
** You may click wordings in blue for more information **