Dongshan Liangjie

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Dongshan Liangjie (807–869) was a Chinese Chan (Zen) monk who founded the Caodong school, which later became the Sōtō school in Japan through Dōgen.

Early life
- Born in 807 in Kuaiji (present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang). Birth name Yu.
- Showed interest in Chan Buddhism from a young age.
- At ten, studied under Lingmo at the monastery on Mount Wutai.
- Ordained as a monk at Shaolin on Mount Song at age 21.
- Traveled and studied with several teachers in the Hongzhou region; the most influential teacher was Yunyan Tansheng, who became Dongshan’s dharma master.

Teachings and practice
- Traditionally associated with the Three Types of Leakage and the practice called the “precious mirror samadhi” (baojing sanmei), though the exact texts and teachings are not fully clear.
- Known for using short poems (gāthas) to explain Chan principles.
- Emphasized a practical, direct path to awakening and taught different kinds of students, not just advanced ones.
- Promoted a form of Chan that would later influence the idea of silent illumination in some lineages.

Founding Caodong
- In 859, Dongshan left his teachers to establish his own mountain school at Dongshan (in present-day Gao’an, Jiangxi).
- The cloister grew into a large lineage; counts vary, with some saying hundreds or even thousands of students.
- This school became one of the Five Houses of Zen.
- He is associated with the Five Ranks, a framework describing five stages of understanding the relationship between absolute reality and daily life.
- His famous disciples included Caoshan Benji and Yunju Daoying. Caodong’s influence extended in China and later to Japan.

Legacy in Japan
- The Caodong lineage was transmitted to Japan in the 13th century by Dōgen Kigen, who founded the Sōtō school.

Song of the Precious Mirror Samadhi
- The Song of the Precious Mirror Samadhi is traditionally attributed to Dongshan, but many modern scholars doubt this and suggest it appeared in the 12th century.

Death and memory
- Dongshan died in 869 at about age 63. His shrine was the Stupa of Wisdom-awareness, and his posthumous name was Chan Master Wu-Pen.
- A famous anecdote says he announced his approaching death and invited his students to a “delusion banquet,” then died after a final, quiet moment.