12 Facts About Huangbo Xiyun

Huangbo Xiyun was part of the Hongzhou school of Chan founded by Mazu.

In 842, a prominent government official in Jiangxi province, Pei Xiu, invited Huangbo Xiyun to take up residence at Longxing Monastery.

Pei was an ardent student of Chan and received teachings from Huangbo Xiyun, eventually building a monastery for Huangbo Xiyun around 846, which the master named Huang-po after the mountain where he had been a novice monk.

The record of Huangbo Xiyun is more or less equally split between sermons by the master and question and answer dialogues between the master and his disciples and lay people.

Huangbo Xiyun taught that mind cannot be sought by the mind.

Huangbo Xiyun connected the One Mind with the single spiritual brilliance of the Surangama Sutra, which divides to become the six sense spheres.

Huangbo Xiyun's teaching on this reflected the Indian concept of the tathagatagarbha, the idea that within all beings is the nature of the Buddha.

Therefore, Huangbo Xiyun taught that seeking the Buddha was futile as the Buddha resided within:.

Huangbo Xiyun was noted for the manner of his teaching, incorporating the hitting and shouting pioneered by Mazu.

The Blue Cliff Record tells the story of the future emperor of China, hiding in the Chan community as a novice monk, receiving slaps from Huangbo Xiyun for questioning why Huangbo Xiyun was bowing to an image of the Buddha.

Three times Linji went to Huangbo Xiyun and three times the only answer he got was a slap.

Huangbo Xiyun taught that "no activity" was the gateway of his Dharma but that.