玄沙師備

Definition

Reading: げんしゃ しび / Gensha Shibi / Reading (ZH): Xuánshā Shībèi

Xuansha Shibei (玄沙師備) is a Zen master from the late Tang dynasty to the early Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.
Birthplace and Original Family Name: His original family name was Xie. He was born in Min County, Fuzhou (present-day Fujian Province)
Childhood: When he was young, he liked fishing and fished on a small boat on the Nantai River.
Training History: During the Xiantong era of the Tang Dynasty, at the age of 30, he suddenly decided to become a monk and abandoned his fishing boat. He shaved his head under Furong Lingxun and received full monk precepts from Vinaya Master Daoxuan at Kaiyuan Temple in Yuzhang. He was a fellow disciple under Furong Lingxun (芙蓉霊訓) with Xuefeng Yicun. Because of his hard ascetic practice, Xuefeng called him "Ascetic Bei".
Process of Enlightenment: He helped found Mount Xianggui (Mount Xuefeng) with Xuefeng and asked for teachings every morning and evening without fail. He attained enlightenment by reading the Surangama Sutra (楞厳経) and inherited the Dharma of Xuefeng Yicun.
Base of Activity: At first, he lived at Puying Hermitage in Meixichang and later moved to Mount Xuansha. He received the devotion of Mr. Wang (Wang Shenzhi) of Min, and he had more than 800 disciples.
Main Teachings: "The entire universe in ten directions is a single bright pearl" (The whole world is one shining precious pearl).
Death: He passed away on November 27, the second year of Kaiping of the Later Liang Dynasty (908). He was 74 years old, having been a monk for 44 years.
Posthumous Title: 宗一大師 (Great Master of the Ultimate Truth)(景徳傳燈録 卷第十八（No. 2076 道原纂） in Vol. 51).