This modest husband and wife were the parents of Tao Hsuan (道宣), the founding master of a new Buddhist school, the Nanshan sect (南山宗). Tao Hsuan and his followers are famous for abiding by disciplines and precepts as a way to cultivate spirituality. Thus it was fitting that the mother's vision referred to Master Seng You, an outstanding monk (445-518) who helped stipulate rules for Buddhist monasteries (see his story in the Summer 2003 issue of our Tzu Chi Quarterly).

Tao Hsuan was born in 596 in what is now Xi'an (西安) in central China. At that time, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty (隋煬帝) had ordered the construction of a palace and an extensive new canal to connect northern and southern China. Although China was still an agricultural kingdom, the emperor forced hundreds of thousands of farmers to abandon their fields and work on the enormous construction projects. A terrible result of this was a drastic reduction of food urgently needed by the whole country. Anger and dissatisfaction rose among the populace. Amidst this chaos and uncertainty, Tao Hsuan's parents feared for their son's life. To insure his safety, they decided to seek assistance from a monk they knew, Hui Chun (慧頵). They hoped that he would accept their son into the protection of a Buddhist temple.

After listening to their pleas to allow Tao Hsuan to enter the monastery, Master Hui Chun replied, "Actually, I was going to ask you the same thing! Yes, taking your son would be my honor." He added humbly, "However, I am not qualified to be your son's mentor. I will search for someone who is more suitable for him."

With Hui Chun's consent, Tao Hsuan moved into the Jih Yen Temple and studied for a few years before having his hair shaved and becoming a monk. Eventually, it came time to decide upon the course of study that Tao Hsuan should follow. Hui Chun knew that the young man was very intelligent and loved to study. He possessed great patience and an excellent memory. To put it briefly, the boy was a perfect candidate to study and promote the Buddhist precepts and rules. For these reasons, Hui Chun decided that Master Chih Shou (智首) would be Tao Hsuan's mentor for the rest of his life.

Chih Shou, born in 567, had been officially ordained as a monk at the age of 22, but he wasn't convinced he had truly received the Buddhist precepts yet. Seeking affirmation after his ordination, he meditated and chanted in the hope that the Buddha would show him a sign. Suddenly, he saw the Buddha touching his head, indicating that he had indeed received the Buddhist precepts. This experience only increased Chih Shou's interest in the Buddhist precepts. Before he was even 30 years old, he had become famous for giving lectures on the precepts of Buddhism in temples across the country. Tao Hsuan was excited to know that he would study the Buddhist principles under the renowned master of the precepts.

Hui Chun brought the teenager to see Chih Shou in Great Chan Ting Temple (大禪定寺), also in Xi'an. There they were led into Chih Shou's room. After prostrating himself in front of the Master, Tao Hsuan was told to sit down on a nearby cushion. Chih Shou knew that choosing a disciple was very serious, so he asked Tao Hsuan, "Why do you want to study the Buddhist precepts with me?"

Tao Hsuan replied politely, "Dear Master, the Buddha once said that after he passed away, all the monks and nuns had to abide by the precepts. The precepts themselves would become their master. The precepts are the foundation of Buddhism and aid us in our meditation. Meditation in turn can help us develop wisdom. This is why I have vowed to study the precepts."

Chih Shou then asked him, "Why do you choose to study the precepts at this time?"

Tao Hsuan calmly replied, "I feel that the country is becoming more turbulent and that evil is on the rise. We should all study the precepts to right these wrongs and to continue the Buddha's search for a life of wisdom. Therefore, I have vowed before the Buddha's statue to study the precepts for the rest of my life."

Listening to these answers, Chih Shou nodded his head, but he did not immediately speak. Hui Chun had seen many young monks become fainthearted before the stern master, but he was satisfied with Tao Hsuan's serenity and his wise answers.

Suddenly, Chih Shou opened his eyes wide and asked Tao Hsuan seriously, "You claimed that you have vowed before the Buddha to study the precepts for life. Do you have proof of this vow?"

Tao Hsuan replied immediately, "The Buddha can prove it!"

"Where is the Buddha?" asked Chih Shou.

Tao Hsuan was speechless for a moment, but suddenly the answer flashed inside his head. He replied with confidence, "The Buddha is everywhere."

Chih Shou said calmly, "Good." Hui Chun let out a breath of relief, nodded his head, and broke into a smile. Tao Hsuan had passed the test!

A few months later, Emperor Yang ordered an official ceremony to ordain people joining the monastery. Because the ceremony was sanctioned by the emperor himself, it was to be held on a grand scale. The service would be held in the presence of three main dharma masters: the master who granted the precepts, the master who explained the precepts, and the master who explained the details of the ceremony. Seven additional monks would serve as witnesses.

The Emperor chose Master Chih Shou as one of the three monks to preside over the ceremony. Chih Shou then picked Tao Hsuan to be one of the candidates for ordination. When news of Tao Hsuan's upcoming ordination was announced to the monks of Jih Yen Temple, they congratulated him warmly and happily. Tao Hsuan was so excited! The day before the service, all the ordination candidates were housed in the Great Chan Ting Temple, but Tao Hsuan was so happy and excited that he couldn't sleep at all that night.

The next day during the ceremony, each of the candidates folded their hands and prostrated themselves before the three presiding monks. Kneeling, the candidates shared personal information and answered questions. Finally, each candidate was officially ordained as a monk and received his robe and bowl.

Tao Hsuan was as excited as everyone else in the main hall to be officially ordained as a monk, but suddenly he doubted if he had truly received the precepts. He decided that he would follow the example of Chih Shou to see if he had truly received the Buddhist precepts.

When Tao Hsuan returned to Jih Yen Temple, he informed Hui Chun of his doubts and his decision to seek reassurance from the Buddha. Hui Chun nodded his head in agreement, and handed him an exquisite box. Hui Chun explained, "When this temple was built, a relic from the Buddha, collected after his cremation, appeared in this box. This box is magical."

Tao Hsuan gratefully accepted the box from Hui Chun. He sat down before the Buddha’s statue and placed the empty box on the ground in front of him. He began reciting all the Buddhist sutras he could remember. For five days he sat before the statue without food or water. All the monks in the temple joined Tao Hsuan by sitting in their rooms and chanting the sutras, pleading with the buddhas and bodhisattvas to grant Tao Hsuan his wish.

Suddenly, the sound of a moving object could be heard from within the box! When Tao Hsuan opened the box, a shining relic appeared before him--an auspicious signal from the Buddha. Tao Hsuan's eyes filled with tears and his heart with joy. As had happened with Chih Shou, Tao Hsuan received his wish--he now had the full assurance that he had learned the Buddhist precepts.

In 624, Kao Tzu (唐高祖) overthrew the Sui Dynasty and became the first emperor of the Tang Dynasty. One of his first acts was to issue a royal edict that ordered the closure of the Jih Yen Temple. Because the order came without any apparent reason, the monks of the temple were stunned. Hui Chun asked Tao Hsuan, then only 28 years old, how he could explain the royal decree. The young monk wisely replied that Jih Yen Temple had been built in the previous dynasty, so the emperor of the new dynasty probably cared very little about its future. But Tao Hsuan revealed a deeper reason as well.

At this time, the emperor was attacking opposition groups in southern China in an attempt to unify the whole country. This military campaign met with fierce resistance from local monks and nuns. They pleaded with the emperor, trying to persuade him to halt the widespread massacres in the south. The opposition to his plans caused Buddhism to fall out of favor with Kao Tzu. In retaliation for such resistance, he ordered that each province in the south be allowed only one Buddhist temple. Furthermore, each temple was limited to only 30 monks or nuns. Unfortunately, Jih Yen Temple was one of the temples doomed to close.

Tao Hsuan hoped that he and the rest of Hui Chun's disciples could at least remain together during this time of turmoil, but faced with the closure of their temple, the monks prepared to be split up and sent to other locations. Tao Hsuan, Hui Chun, and the other disciples soon moved to Chun Yi Temple in the same city, but this arrangement didn't last long. Within six months, the emperor ordered that all the temples in the capital be abolished, with the exception of three Buddhist and two Taoist temples. Furthermore, the decree limiting the number of temples in southern China issued less than a year before was now extended to the whole country: only one Buddhist temple and one Taoist temple would be permitted in each province; all others were to be abolished. Monks across the country were thrown into confusion and anxiety about the future of Buddhism in China.

Amidst this chaos, even more stunning events happened. Prince Li Shih-min (李世民) killed the crown prince and his other brothers! Without any other heir, Emperor Kao Tzu had no choice but to designate Li Shih-min as the crown prince. Two months later, Li Shih-min became the new emperor and took the name Tai Tzung (唐太宗). He would turn out to be one of the most outstanding and capable emperors in Chinese history.

With the change in leadership came a change in policy: new rules were established, and the old decrees that had threatened the future of Buddhist temples across China were repealed. The threat to Buddhism had passed.

Having survived this threat to Buddhism, Tao Hsuan decided it was time to improve his knowledge of the Buddhist precepts. He decided to pay a visit to other precept masters in the capital, followed by a trip to the wise and venerable precept master, Fa Li (法礪). But those visits would have to wait. First, Tao Hsuan wanted to visit his parents. He had not seen them in decades, not since he had first entered the monastery as a teenager, but he expected that they were still alive.

Tao Hsuan and his disciple, Ta Tzu (大慈), set out on their journey, traveling east along the Yellow River. Finally, they reached Chieh Ming Temple in Mianshang (棉上鎮), located in what is today Shanxi Province (山西). The abbot of the temple offered to dispatch messengers to nearby Sichou (隰州) to locate Tao Hsuan's parents.

Several days later, the messengers returned and reported that Tao Hsuan's mother was still alive and living in Sichou, but that his father had died. When he heard that his father had passed away, sadness enveloped him and tears started rolling down his cheeks. The following day, Tao Hsuan, Ta Tzu, and a few other monks left by carriage for the long and arduous journey to Sichou.

Joy filled their hearts when Tao Hsuan and his mother were finally reunited. He knelt down before his mother and hugged her legs. Tears streamed down his face, this time from happiness at the reunion. Mother and son had so much to catch up on that Tao Hsuan decided to leave the monastery and live with his mother. Ta Tzu decided to stay with them as well.

After about half a year had elapsed, his mother grew concerned about Tao Hsuan's living arrangement. She felt that it was important for her son to continue to visit other venerable monks to improve his studies. To give him more freedom to devote himself to his work, she decided to move into a nearby convent that she had visited since the death of her husband. The nuns in the convent would care for her, and her son would be free to pay attention to his studies. Tao Hsuan was pleased with this arrangement, so he continued to live in the same house and focus on his writing. He completed two books on the Buddhist precepts, through which he began to lay the foundations for a new approach to Buddhism.

Having finished that work, Tao Hsuan and Ta Tzu returned to Chieh Ming Temple in Mianshan. The abbot informed them that he had recently met Master Tao Cheng (道成). Master Tao Cheng was a disciple of Master Fa Li, whom Tao Hsuan had wanted to visit many months before. The abbot told Tao Hsuan that Tao Cheng had expressed hope that he would be able to pay him and his master a visit so they could exchange ideas with one another.

Tao Hsuan was so delighted to hear the news that he and Ta Tzu left Chieh Ming Temple the following day. They traveled for several days and arrived at Jih Kuang Temple (日光寺), where Masters Fa Li and Tao Cheng lived.

After Tao Hsuan had been introduced and had sat down next to Fa Li, Tao Cheng asked him if it was true that he planned to establish a new Buddhist sect, a sect that combined all the Buddhist precepts, including those of Maha-yana and Theravada Buddhism.

Tao Hsuan replied that the rules that characterized the Mahayana and Theravada expressions of Buddhism were stipulated by the Buddha himself when certain events warranted their establishment. An unfortunate event might have occurred that prompted the Buddha to set a rule to prevent a similar incident from happening again. Additionally, the rule might have safeguarded the integrity of an individual monk or nun, or even the whole congregation. But, Tao Hsuan went on to explain, the most important thing to understand was that the Buddha himself did not classify the rules into Mahayana and Theravada schools of thought. Such distinctions and classifications were made later by other Buddhist disciples. Tao Hsuan concluded, "As the Buddha's disciple, I abide by the Buddha's words as the only teaching. My mission is to promote the Buddha's teaching. There may be Mahayana and Theravada schools of Buddhism, but the true buddha-nature makes no such distinction."

Master Fa Li had been very quiet during this entire discussion, listening attentively, but now he nodded his head in approval and smiled. Addressing Tao Hsuan, he exclaimed, "You are indeed incredible! Master Chih Shou can rest in peace, and so can I." In a similar way, Tao Cheng folded his hands and said to Tao Hsuan, "You are correct and a very wise teacher. I have truly learned a lot from you this day."

Tao Hsuan humbly responded, "Master Fa Li, thank you very much for your compliment, but I haven't come to show off my knowledge. I've come here in the hope that you could teach me more." Impressed with the monk's humility, Fa Li agreed to teach him for a month, pledging to see or teach no one else except Tao Hsuan. He then instructed Tao Cheng to prepare a room for the new student.

Tao Hsuan stayed at Chieh Ming Temple and studied with Fa Li for a month. When the month was over, Fa Li instructed Tao Hsuan that there was no need to bid farewell; instead, Tao Hsuan was to simply leave for home the next day. Tao Hsuan was surprised and puzzled to hear this instruction, but he nodded his head and obeyed.

When he returned to Xi'an, he learned that his beloved master Chih Shou had already passed away. Hui Chun took Tao Hsuan and several other monks to pay their respects at Chih Shou's grave.

Trying to hold back tears, Tao Hsuan chanted a prayer for his former teacher and mentor. Tao Shih, another monk in the group, observed with deep sadness how unfortunate it was to lose two revered monks at the same time. Aware only of Chih Shou's death, Tao Hsuan asked for the name of the other deceased monk. Tao Shih sadly replied that it was Master Fa Li! Shocked and speechless, Tao Hsuan couldn't believe what he had just heard; he had been with the old monk only a day before departing for Xi'an. How could it be possible that he had passed away so suddenly? Recalling Fa Li's last words, it seemed that the old monk had predicted the end of his life. Tao Hsuan felt bad that he hadn't realized what Fa Li was saying to him.

Heartbroken over the death of his master, Tao Hsuan returned to his mother's house in Sichou to continue his writing. It was during this period that the abbess of the convent where his mother was staying asked Tao Hsuan to give a talk on the precepts to the nuns. The abbess also asked if he might consider writing a book on the code of conduct for nuns. He was very pleased that the abbess asked this of him. At that time, there was no book on this subject in the entire country. By writing such a book, Tao Hsuan would be making a great contribution to Buddhism. From that time on, he split his time between writing this new book and giving talks to nuns in the convent.

Only a few weeks later, a friend arrived in Sichou with the sad news that their master, Hui Chun, had passed away. Tao Hsuan was once again stunned into silence by the impermanence of life. Even his beloved Master Hui Chun had passed away! Losing three beloved masters so quickly, one after the other, was a great blow to Tao Hsuan. With hearts full of grief, Tao Hsuan and Ta Tzu returned to Xi'an to arrange for his master's funeral.

After the funeral, the two monks returned to Sichou again to do more writing. Several years passed this time before another death, but eventually Tao Hsuan's mother passed away. Because Tao Hsuan had been there and had been looking after her, he had no regrets. When her funeral was over, Tao Hsuan and Ta Tzu sadly returned to Xi'an.

Because imperial China was a strongly hierarchical society, it was customarily expected that all persons had to prostrate themselves before members of the royal family, government officials, and even their parents. However, the Buddha stipulated that after monks renounced their ties to their families and entered the monastery, they were no longer of this world and thus were not bound to prostrate themselves before laypersons. For centuries after Buddhism was introduced to China, monks had been following this rule without opposition. But in 662, when Tao Hsuan was 66 years old, Emperor Kao Tsung (高宗) suddenly ordered that all Taoist priests and Buddhist monks had to prostrate themselves before the emperor, the queen, the princes, and even their own parents.

Monks everywhere were upset as the news of this latest decree spread throughout the land. The abbots of all the Buddhist temples in the capital quickly gathered to discuss the issue. All of them were furious at the decree, so much so that some abbots were even willing to sacrifice their lives to show their opposition to the royal edict.

Amidst the turmoil and anxiety, Tao Hsuan stood up and addressed the assembly. "Venerable ones, please give me a minute or two so I can voice my opinion." Silence descended on the gathering as the monks turned toward Tao Hsuan in anticipation of his wise words. Tao Hsuan began by observing that the congregation of monks this time was completely different from those in the past. He pointed out that past decrees had been issued by tyrants who intended to restrict the freedom of the monks. This ruler was different. Tao Hsuan reminded the monks that the emperor, unlike his predecessors, had been considerate enough to consult his ministers on the matter. Tao Hsuan finally suggested that all monks in disagreement with the order should sign a petition.

After careful discussion, the abbots agreed on their collective response to the order from the emperor. First, following Tao Hsuan's wise counsel, they all agreed to sign a petition voicing their opposition to the order. Second, they would make their opposition clear to all the top ministers assigned to discuss the issue. Third, the abbots would write to all royal princes and princesses, hoping to win their support against the edict.

A few weeks later, official debate on the issue began. All the top ministers were involved. However, because there were about the same number of people on both sides of the debate, there were no conclusive results. The emperor ordered even more officials to attend the debate. When all was said and done, over 2,000 officials attended the debates.

Those who were opposed to the decree argued that Buddhist teachings were sacred and should not be violated. They argued that the decree forced Buddhist monks to abide by Confucian etiquette. If laypeople were to recognize the status and the sacredness of Buddhism, the monks should not be forced to violate the Buddhist precepts. If laypeople wanted to ask monks to pray for them, it wasn't the place of the emperor to force the monks to belittle themselves and bow to those same laypeople.

Those who favored the decree argued that because monks were ordained based on criteria established by the emperor, prostration before the emperor was proper. Bowing down before their own parents was required to show respect and filial piety. Others stated that disrespect and disregard for social etiquette were causing chaos and societal breakdown. They claimed that the royal order was only intended to maintain the proper respect and loyalty to the government; in short, the order was necessary to preserve the fabric of society.

The debate raged on for hours, and the hours turned into days. In exasperation, a prince finally suggested that all departments summarize the arguments for and against and submit them to the Executive Department. The Executive Department would organize all the claims and submit a final recommendation to the emperor.

When the report was finally submitted to Emperor Kao Tsung, he didn't utter a word. Although it appeared that there were more officials opposed to the prostration decree than those that favored it, the emperor felt that those that favored it had stronger reasons. What was the best course of action for the emperor?

A few days later, the emperor issued a second decree, countermanding the first. He announced that monks and priests were exempt from having to prostate themselves before laypeople, but were still required to bow before their own parents.

The emperor surely lost face by issuing a decree that contradicted the previous one. Even though the monks were no longer required to prostrate themselves before the emperor, they still were commanded to do so before their parents. Clearly, Buddhist principals prohibited that action. Tao Hsuan and other monks again wrote letters to the emperor asking him to retract the second decree. This time, however, the monks did not get any reply at all. Although Tao Hsuan was able to help the monks win back some of the freedoms lost in the first imperial edict, even his venerable wisdom and leadership was not enough to counter the second one. However, the order that monks had to prostrate themselves before their own parents was not enforced at all, and it gradually died down over time.

One day several years later, many monks convened for a huge lecture at Ching Yeh Temple, where Tao Hsuan was living. The year was 667, and Tao Hsuan was 71 years old. The venerable old monk started the lecture by talking about the foundation of Buddhism. After he had finished speaking, he sat down nearby and crossed his legs. He suddenly felt very tired, and he slowly closed his eyes.

A gentle breeze wafted a melody across the lecture hall. Some heard the music, but not all were able to discern it. Tao Hsuan heard it. As he raised his head to the music, his drowsy eyes witnessed celestial beings descending from the sky! They called to him, "Tao Hsuan, you have completed your mission, follow us to heaven!"

At this, the music stopped. Some people called out to Tao Hsuan to ask if he had heard the music, but he didn't reply. He sat upright, eyes closed, with a gentle smile on his face. When the monks approached him, they recognized that he had just passed away. Having completed his mission, Tao Hsuan had happily joined the celestial beings on the journey to heaven.

[This article was based on The Great Master Tao Hsuan (道宣大師傳) by Wang Ya-rong, published by Buddha's Light Cultural Enterprise Ltd. (佛光文化事業有限公司).]