Definition
Reading: Hōgen Bun'eki / Hōgen Mon'eki / Reading (ZH): Fǎyǎn Wényì
法眼文益 (Fayan Wenyi) is a Chinese Buddhist monk who was active from the late Tang dynasty through the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. In Japanese, his name is read as "Hogen Monyeki." He is the founder of the Fayan school , one of the Five Houses of Zen. He became a monk at the age of seven, and after widely studying various Buddhist sects, he attained great enlightenment under Dizang Guichen.
Fayan Wenyi inherited the teaching of "everyday life is Buddhism itself" from his master, Dizang. Furthermore, he incorporated the detailed philosophy of the Avatamsaka Sutra and taught that "both the scenery before our eyes and our own minds are all appearances of a single truth (the Dharma Realm)"—a Zen style based on idealism.
His Zen style was highly intellectual and kind. He excelled at seeing through the state of the person in front of him and guiding them with the most precise words that they could understand and agree with completely.
Q&A
- Q: Why is the Fayan school not passed down in Japan today?
- A: Because the teaching style was "too kind and gentle," which caused the school to decline quickly in China.
Fayan Wenyi's teaching style was "all-inclusive," guiding people perfectly according to their individual levels. However, because he taught too kindly and elegantly, it was difficult for his successors to develop a "gritty and resilient life force to overcome rough seas on their own," like those in the Linji school.
