Dharma heir of Mazu Daoyi, and abbot of Foguang temple in Luoyang; he had earlier lived at Jin'ge temple on Mt Wutai. He is best known for his exchange with Emperor Shunzong, put to him while Shunzong was still crown prince: 'Where does the Buddha come from, and where does he go in extinction? If he is said to abide constantly in the world, where is the Buddha now?' Ruman answered: 'The Buddha comes from the unconditioned and goes in extinction to the unconditioned; his dharma-body is the equal of empty space and abides constantly in the place of no-mind. Where there is thought, it returns to no-thought; where there is abiding, it returns to no-abiding. He comes for the sake of beings and goes for the sake of beings. The pure sea of suchness - still, and its substance constantly abiding.' In old age, living at Xiangshan temple by Longmen, he formed an incense-and-fire society with the poet Bai Juyi and joined the Nine Elders.
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