Zhikong 志空

Teacher: Songshan Puji | Students: Sinhaeng

Tang Chan master of the NORTHERN school (北宗), an 入室 (inner-chamber) disciple of 普寂 of Songshan — 大照禪師, the chief heir of 神秀. He is known almost entirely through the stele of his Korean disciple 神行: the Silla monk crossed to Tang, came to 志空, attended him morning and evening for three years, and was given the 元珠 (the primal pearl) and, as 志空 lay dying, the 灌頂授記 — the anointing and the prediction that sent him home to Silla. Through him the Northern school entered Korea: 朝鮮佛教通史 records 「北宗神行先導。南宗道義繼至」 — Sinhaeng led the way with the Northern school, and Doui followed with the Southern. NAME CORRECTION: he is 志空 (wikisource prints the variant 誌空), NOT 智空.

References: zh.wikisource 海東故神行禪師之碑(並序)(全唐文 卷718)

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