Silla Seon master, the SECOND patriarch of the Gajisan 迦智山 school — the middle man of the founding Korean Seon chain 道義 → 廉居 → 體澄. When Doui, who had received the mind-seal from 西堂智藏 (Mazu's disciple) in Tang China, found Silla unready for the Chan teaching and withdrew into the mountains, he 'transmitted the dharma to Chan master Yeomgeo' (付法於廉居禪師). Yeomgeo dwelt at 億聖寺 (written 偣聖寺 in the stele, whose own compiler flags the character as doubtful — 「偣或疑信字亦疑倍字之誤」) on 雪山 = Seoraksan 설악산. There 體澄 came and served him, and Yeomgeo 'bestowed the dark pearl and conferred the dharma-seal' upon him. His stupa (the Yeomgeo Hwasang stupa, 844) survives and is a Korean national treasure; 朝鮮佛教通史's index carries the entry 「廉居禪師塔」. He is the reason the Gajisan line is counted from Doui rather than from Chejing.
References: ko.wikipedia 염거
View interactive profile →