Xuyun

Xuyun or Hsu Yun (simplified Chinese: 虚 ; traditional Chinese:

Xuyun
; pinyin: Xūyún; 5 September 1840? – 13 October 1959)[1] was
a renowned Chinese Chan Buddhist master and one of the most
influential Buddhist teachers of the 19th and 20th centuries.[2]

Contents
Early life
Middle Age and Enlightenment
Later life
Death
Significance
Publications
Notes
References
External links Xuyun
Title Honorary
President of
Early life the Buddhist
Association of
Xuyun was purportedly born on 5 September 1840 in Fujian, Qing
萧
China
China. His original name was Xiao Guyan (simplified Chinese:
古岩 萧古巖
; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Xiāo Gǔyán). His mother
Born
Personal
September 5,
died during childbirth. Guyan's grandmother insisted that her
grandson take a wife. In order to continue both his and his uncle's 1840
lineage, Guyan was arranged to marry one woman from the Tian (reputedly)
family and one from the Tan family.[3] Fujian, Qing
China
His first exposure to Buddhism was during the funeral of his
grandmother. Soon afterward he began reading Buddhist sutras and Died October 13,
later made a pilgrimage to Mount Heng, one of the most important 1959
Buddhist sites in China. (Aged
119 years,
When he was fourteen years old, he announced that he wished to 48 days)
renounce the material world in favour of monastic life. His father did
Zhenru
not approve of Buddhism and had him instructed in Taoism instead.
Temple,
Guyan was dissatisfied with Taoism, which he felt could not reach
the deeper truths of existence. The storerooms of his house were full Jiangxi, China
of very old books. Going through them, he found a volume called Religion Chan
the 'Story of Incense Mountain' (cf. Guanyin#Miaoshan), which Buddhism
described the life of Guanyin. After reading the book, he was deeply
Nationality Chinese
influenced and was inspired to go forth from the home to monkhood
to practice Buddhism.[4] School Weiyang
When Xuyun was seventeen, he attempted to flee to Mount Heng to school
become a monk without his family's permission. On a winding Linji school
mountain path he encountered envoys sent by his uncle to intercept Caodong
and escort him back. His aspiration was not realized and he was school
reproved and brought back home.[5] When he arrived home, the Yunmen school
family feared that he would escape again, so he was sent with his
Fayan school
first cousin, Fu Kuo, to Quanzhou. His father formally received the
brides from the Tian and Tan families for Xuyun, and his marriage Lineage 8th generation
was completed. Although they lived together, Xuyun did not have of Weiyang
sexual contact with his wives. Moreover, he extensively explained school
the dharma to the women so that they too would practice 43th
Buddhism.[6] generation of
Linji school
Fu Kuo also had previously explored Buddhism and had the same
8th generation
aspiration as Xuyun, so they amicably traveled the Path together. In
his nineteenth year, accompanied by Fu Kuo, he started the journey of Fayan
to Gu Shan (Drum Mountain) in Fuzhou to leave home. Before school
leaving, he wrote the "Song of the Skinbag".[7] which he left behind 47th
for his two wives.[8] generation of
Caodong
It was at Gu Shan monastery that his head was shaved and he school
received ordination as a monk. When his father sent agents to find 12th
him, Xuyun concealed himself in a grotto behind the monastery,
generation of
where he lived in solitude for three years. At the age of twenty-five,
Yunmen school
Xuyun learned that his father had died, and his stepmother and two
wives had entered the monastic life. Temple Zhenru Temple
(Jiangxi)
During his years as a hermit, Xuyun made some of his most
Senior posting
profound discoveries. He visited the old master Yung Ching, who
encouraged him to abandon his extreme asceticism in favor of Teacher Changkai
temperance. He instructed the young monk in the sutras and told him Yung Ching
to be mindful of the Hua Tou, "Who is dragging this corpse of Miaolian
mine?" In his thirty-sixth year, with the encouragement of Yung
Students
Ching, Xuyun went on a seven-year pilgrimage to Mount Putuo off
the coast of Ningbo, a place regarded by Buddhists as the Fo Yuan, Jy Ding, Jing Hui, Charles
bodhimaṇḍa of Avalokiteśvara. He went on to visit the Temple of Luk, Hsuan Hua, Benhuan, Yicheng
King Ashoka and various Chan holy places. (monk), Chuanyin

Chinese name
Middle Age and Enlightenment Traditional Chinese

At age forty-three, Xuyun had by now left the home-life for more Simplified Chinese 虚
than twenty years, but he had not yet completed his practice in the Transcriptions
Path. He had not repaid his parents' kindness, and so he vowed to
Standard Mandarin
again make a pilgrimage to Nan Hai. From Fa Hua Temple all the
way to Ch'ing Liang Peak at Mount Wutai of the northwest, the Hanyu Pinyin Xūyún
bodhimanda of Manjushri, he made one full prostration every three Wade–Giles Hsǖ Yǘn
steps.[9] He prayed for the rebirth of his parents in the Pure Land.
Yale Romanization Syūyún
Along the way, Xuyun is said to have met a beggar called Wen Chi,
who twice saved his life. After talking with the monks at the Five- Yue: Cantonese
Peaked Mountain, Xuyun came to believe that the beggar had been Yale Romanization Heuīwàhn
an incarnation of Manjushri. Jyutping Heoi1wan4
Having achieved singleness of mind, Xuyun traveled west and south, Southern Min
making his way through Tibet. He visited many monasteries and Hokkien POJ Hu-Ûn
holy places, including Sichuan's Mount Emei, the bodhimanda of
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, the Potala, the seat of the Dalai Lama, Tâi-lô Hu7hun7
and Tashilhunpo Monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lama. He Birth name
traveled through India and Ceylon, and then across the sea to Burma. Traditional Chinese 古巖
During this time of wandering, he felt his mind clearing and his
health growing stronger. Xuyun composed a large number of poems Simplified Chinese 萧古岩
during this period. Transcriptions

After returning to China, During Xuyun's fifty-third year, he joined Standard Mandarin
with other Venerable Masters Pu Zhao, Yue Xia, and Yin Lian Hanyu Pinyin Xiāo Gǔyán
(Lotus Seal) to cultivate together. They climbed Mount Jiuhua Wade–Giles Hsiāo Kǔyén
(bodhimanda of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva) and repaired the huts on
Cui Feng Summit, where Dharma Master Pu Zhao expounded the Yale Romanization Syāu Gǔyán
Mahavaipulyabuddha Avatamsaka (Flower Adornment) Sutra.[10] Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization Sīu Gúngàahm
When Xuyun was fifty-six, the Abbot Yue Lang of Gaomin Temple
in Yangzhou was going to convene a continuous twelve-week Jyutping Siu1 Gu2ngaam4
session of dhyana meditation. Preparing to leave, the group asked Southern Min
Xuyun to go first. After reaching Di Gang, he had to cross the water, Hokkien POJ Siau Kó͘-gâm
but had no money. The ferry left without him. As he walked along
the river's edge, he suddenly lost his footing and fell into the rushing water, where he bobbed helplessly for a
day and night [11] and was caught in a fisherman's net. He was carried to a nearby temple, where he was
revived and treated for his injuries. Feeling ill, he nevertheless returned to Yangzhou. When asked by Gao
Ming whether he would participate in the upcoming weeks of meditation, he politely declined, without
revealing his illness. The temple had rules that those who were invited had to attend or else face punishment.
In the end, Gao Ming had Xuyun beaten with a wooden ruler. He willingly accepted this punishment,
although it worsened his condition.

For the next several days, Xuyun sat in continuous meditation. In his autobiography, he wrote: "[in] the
purity of my singleness of mind, I forgot all about my body. Twenty days later my illness vanished
completely. From that moment, with all my thoughts entirely wiped out, my practice took effect throughout
the day and night. My steps were as swift as if I was flying in the air. One evening, after meditation, I
opened my eyes and suddenly saw I was in brightness similar to broad daylight in which I could see
everything inside and outside the monastery..." But he knew that this occurrence was only a mental state,
and that it was not at all rare. He did not become attached to this achievement, but continued his single-
minded investigation of the topic, "who is mindful of the Buddha?" over and over again, he delved into this
topic without interruption.[12]

Xuyun composed a commemorative verse for the oft-cited moment of profound insight, which was
galvanized by the sound of a breaking teacup in the Chan Hall:[13]

A cup fell to the ground

With a sound clearly heard.
As space was pulverised,
The mad mind came to a stop.

Later life
Xuyun tirelessly worked as a bodhisattva, teaching precepts, explaining sutras, and restoring old temples. He
worked throughout Asia, creating a following across Burma, Thailand, Malaya, and Vietnam, as well as
Tibet and China. He remained in China during World War II. In the winter of 1942, Xuyun held a 'Protect
the Nation, Quell the Disaster, Mahākaruṇā Dharma Assembly that lasted over three months long in
Chongqing, the capital of China at that time. He stayed after the rise of the People's Republic of China to
support the Buddhist communities rather than retreat to the safety of Hong Kong or Taiwan. After the
Communists took over mainland China, he and his disciples were mistreated and tortured.

In 1953, along with Dharma Master Yuan Ying and others, Xuyun formed the Chinese Buddhist Association
at Kuang Chi (Extensive Aid) Monastery where he was Honorary President. The following resolutions were
proposed to the government:

1. In all places, further destruction of monasteries and temples, the desecration of images, and
the burning of sutras shall immediately cease;
2. The intimidation of bhikshus and bhikshunis to force their return to lay life will not be tolerated;
and
3. All monastery property shall be returned forthwith, and there should be returned to the Sangha
enough arable acreage to make the monasteries self-supporting.

The petition was approved. He then represented the Association in receiving three gifts from a Buddhist
delegation from Sri Lanka.[14] Hsu Yun also responded to the invitation of Dharma Master Nan T'ung
(Penetration to the South) to head another Dharma assembly at Lang Shan (Wolf Mountain) Monastery,
where several thousand people from all over took refuge. He returned to Shanghai in the third lunar month,
and the next month received a telegram from Peking requesting his presence in the Capital. Hsu Yun arrived
and stayed at Kuang Chi (Extensive Aid) Monastery (Guangji Temple (Beijing)). Representatives of various
Buddhist groups also were present, and the Chinese Buddhist Association was officially inaugurated. After a
plenary meeting in which important policies were decided (some defiled monks suggested to change some
precepts and rules, he scolded them and wrote an essay about the manifestation of the Dharma Ending
Age.[15]).

Death
Xuyun became ill in the summer of 1959 and died in October.[16]

Significance
In 1953, the Chinese Buddhist Association was established at a meeting with 121 delegates in Beijing. The
meeting also elected a chairman, 4 honorary chairmen, 7 vice-chairmen, a secretary general, 3 deputy
secretaries-general, 18 members of a standing committee, and 93 directors. The 4 elected honorary chairmen
were the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Lama, the Grand Lama of Inner Mongolia, and Xuyun himself.[17]

Publications
Empty Cloud: The Autobiography of the Chinese Zen Master Xu Yun[18]

Notes
1. Heine, Steven; Wright, Dale Steward (2010), Zen Masters, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p.
92. ISBN 9780199777181
 2. Buswell, Robert Jr; Lopez, Donald S. Jr., eds. (2013). "Xuyun", in Princeton Dictionary of
Buddhism. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. p. 1017. ISBN 9780691157863.
虛雲⽼和尚畫傳集 上宣下化⽼和尚著述
3. " A Pictorial Biography of the Venerable Master Hsu
Yun composed by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua" (http://www.drbachinese.org/online_readi
ng/sf_others/VM_HsuYun_Bio_01/page7.htm). Drbachinese.org. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
虛雲⽼和尚畫傳集 上宣下化⽼和尚著述
4. " A Pictorial Biography of the Venerable Master Hsu
Yun composed by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua" (http://www.drbachinese.org/online_readi
ng/sf_others/VM_HsuYun_Bio_01/page10.htm). Drbachinese.org. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
虛雲⽼和尚畫傳集 上宣下化⽼和尚著述
5. " A Pictorial Biography of the Venerable Master Hsu
Yun composed by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua" (http://www.drbachinese.org/online_readi
ng/sf_others/VM_HsuYun_Bio_01/page13.htm). Drbachinese.org. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
虛雲⽼和尚畫傳集 上宣下化⽼和尚著述
6. " A Pictorial Biography of the Venerable Master Hsu
Yun composed by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua" (http://www.drbachinese.org/online_readi
ng/sf_others/VM_HsuYun_Bio_01/page14.htm). Drbachinese.org. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
7. http://www.dharmasite.net/SongoftheSkinBag.htm
虛雲⽼和尚畫傳集 上宣下化⽼和尚著述
8. " A Pictorial Biography of the Venerable Master Hsu
Yun composed by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua" (http://www.drbachinese.org/online_readi
ng/sf_others/VM_HsuYun_Bio_01/page15.htm). Drbachinese.org. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
虛雲⽼和尚畫傳集 上宣下化⽼和尚著述
9. " A Pictorial Biography of the Venerable Master Hsu
Yun composed by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua" (http://www.drbachinese.org/online_readi
ng/sf_others/VM_HsuYun_Bio_01/page41.htm). Drbachinese.org. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
虛雲⽼和尚畫傳集 上宣下化⽼和尚著述
10. " A Pictorial Biography of the Venerable Master Hsu
Yun composed by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua" (http://www.drbachinese.org/online_readi
ng/sf_others/VM_HsuYun_Bio_01/page97.htm). Drbachinese.org. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
虛雲⽼和尚畫傳集 上宣下化⽼和尚著述
11. " A Pictorial Biography of the Venerable Master Hsu
Yun composed by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua" (http://www.drbachinese.org/online_readi
ng/sf_others/VM_HsuYun_Bio_01/page98.htm). Drbachinese.org. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
虛雲⽼和尚畫傳集 上宣下化⽼和尚著述
12. " A Pictorial Biography of the Venerable Master Hsu
Yun composed by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua" (http://www.drbachinese.org/online_readi
ng/sf_others/VM_HsuYun_Bio_01/page103.htm). Drbachinese.org. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
虛雲⽼和尚畫傳集 上宣下化⽼和尚著述
13. " A Pictorial Biography of the Venerable Master Hsu
Yun composed by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua" (http://www.drbachinese.org/online_readi
ng/sf_others/VM_HsuYun_Bio_01/page104.htm). Drbachinese.org. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
虛雲⽼和尚畫傳 上宣下化⽼和尚著述
14. " A Pictorial Biography of the Venerable Master Hsu Yun
composed by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua" (http://www.drbachinese.org/online_reading/sf
_others/VM_HsuYun_Bio_02/page199.htm). Drbachinese.org. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
15.虛雲和尚年譜 http://www.bfnn.org/book/books2/1184.htm#a21
虛雲⽼和尚畫傳 上宣下化⽼和尚著述
16. " A Pictorial Biography of the Venerable Master Hsu Yun
composed by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua" (http://www.drbachinese.org/online_reading/sf
_others/VM_HsuYun_Bio_02/page206.htm). Drbachinese.org. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
17. Holmes, Welch (1961). "Buddhism Under the Communists", China Quarterly, No.6, Apr-June
1961, pp. 1-14.
18. Xuyun, -1959. (1988). Empty Cloud : the autobiography of the Chinese Zen Master, Xu-Yun (ht
tps://www.worldcat.org/oclc/24585170). Lu, Kʻuan Yü, 1898-, Hunn, Richard. Shaftesbury,
Eng.: Element Books. ISBN 1-85230-031-0. OCLC 24585170 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/2
4585170).

References
Campo, Daniela (2017). Chan Master Xuyun, the Embodiment of an Ideal, the Transmission of
a Model. In David Ownby, Vincent Goossaert, Ji Zhe, Making Saints in Modern China (https://b
 ooks.google.com/books?id=yQo1DQAAQBAJ&pg=PA102). Oxford University Press. pp. 102–
136. ISBN 978-0-19-049456-8.
Gauci, Damian, John (2011). Chan-Pure Land: An Interpretation of Xu Yun's (1840-1959) Oral
Instructions (https://web.archive.org/web/20141101122803/http://enlight.lib.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTE
XT/JR-BJ001/bj001390498.pdf), Chung-Hwa Buddhist Journal 24, 105-120
Huimin Bhiksu (2009). An Inquiry Into Master Xuyun’s Experiences of Long-dwelling in
Samadhi (https://web.archive.org/web/20130331181902/http://www.chibs.edu.tw/ch_html/chbj/
22/0619huimin.pdf), Chung-Hwa Buddhist Journal 22, 45-68
Hunn, Richard (ed.), translated by Charles Luk (1974). Empty Cloud: the Autobiography of the
Chinese Zen Master Hsu Yun. Rochester: Empty Cloud Press. Shaftesbury: Element Books,
1988 (revised)
Kʻuan Yü Lu (Charles Luk) (1964). "Master Hsu Yun Brief Biography", The Mountain Path,
Vol. 1, October 1964, No. 4
Kʻuan Yü Lu (Charles Luk) (1961). Ch'an and Zen teaching, London : Rider.
OCLC 459708159 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/459708159)
Kʻuan Yü Lu; Xuyun (1993). Master Hsu Yun's discourses and dharma words (https://archive.
org/details/MasterHsuYunsDiscoursesAndDharmaWords), Hong Kong : H. K. Buddhist book
distributor.
Hsuan Hua (1983,1985). A Pictorial Biography of the Venerable Master Hsu Yun - Vol.1 and
Vol.2 (2nd edition 2003). Burlingame, Calif.: Buddhist Text Translation Society, Dharma Realm
Buddhist Univ. ISBN 0881394858
Sakya, Jy Din (1996). Empty Cloud: The teachings of Xu Yun. A remembrance of the Great
Chinese Zen Master (https://web.archive.org/web/20110517063850/http://enlight.lib.ntu.edu.t
w/FULLTEXT/JR-AN/an38712.pdf), Hong Kong : H. K. Buddhist book distributor

External links
There are two institutions under the name "Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun": one at hsuyun.org
(http://hsuyun.org) and another at zatma.org (http://zatma.org)
List of books on the life and teachings of Master Hsu Yun (http://hsuyun.budismo.net).
Testimonies of awakening (http://testimoniesawakening.free.fr/index.htm)
虛雲和尚年譜 (http://www.bfnn.org/book/books2/1184.htm#a21)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Xuyun&oldid=969317986"

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