Zhanran

Who is Zhanran?

Zhanran was the sixth patriarch of the Tiantai school of Chinese Buddhism and helped to revive the school's prominence after a period of decline. His lay surname was Qi 戚 and he was also known as Jingqi 荊溪 after his birthplace. Early in his monastic training, traditional biographies stated that he thoroughly studied the Vinaya in Four Parts before being ordained by precepts master T'an-i.

As head of the Tiantai order, Zhanran spent much time and energy writing commentaries on the works of Zhiyi, and writing defenses of the Tiantai school against the newer Faxiang and Huayan schools. Zhanran is best known for his scriptural exegesis of such works as Zhiyi's Mohe zhiguan, as well as his promotion of the doctrine of universal Buddha-nature. He is the author of The Adamantine Scalpel among other works.