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Chángxǐng 常惺 (1896-1939)
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Chángxǐng 常惺 (1896-1939) was a prominent teacher associated with several important early seminaries, as well as the Chinese Buddhist Association 中國佛教會 of 1929.
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Biography
Chángxǐng's father died when he was young and he was educated by his mother's family. He formally received tonsure (but did not actually have his hair shaved off) at the age of 12 at Fúchéng Temple 福成寺 in his hometown. The abbot of this temple under whom he had received tonsure, Zìchéng 自誠, sent Chángxǐng to the Provincial Normal University, where he graduated in 1912.
After graduating, Chángxǐng went to Shànghǎi 上海 and tested into Huáyán University 華嚴大學, where he was classmates with Chísōng 持松. While there he dressed as a layman until the school's principal and founder, Yuèxiá 月霞, convinced him to be more orthodox in his comportment. He returned to his hometown to have his hair cut, and then he received full ordination at Lóngchāng Temple 隆昌寺 at Bǎohuá shān 寶華山.
Chángxǐng graduated from Huáyán University in the fall of 1916 and went to Tiānníng Temple 天寧寺 in Chángzhōu 常州 to practice Chán. The following year he went to the Guānzōng Research Society 觀宗研究社 at Guānzōng Lecture Temple 觀宗講寺 in Níngbō 寧波, where he studied Tiāntái 天台 under Dìxián 諦閑. After graduating in 1919 he went to teach at the Dharmadhatu Seminary 法界學院 at Xìngfú Temple 興福寺 in Chángshú 常熟.
In 1922 Chángxǐng became principal of the newly established Ānhuī Monastic School 安徽僧學校, which was located at Yíngjiāng Temple 迎江寺. Other teachers at the time included Dù'è 度厄, Huìtíng 蕙庭, and Juésān 覺三.
When the Ānhuī Monastic School shut down in 1924, Chángxǐng was invited to come teach in Xiàmén 廈門 by Ruìjīn 瑞今 and Guǎngzhēn 廣箴, two of his students from the Ānhuī Monastic School, who were originally from Nánpǔtuó Temple 南普陀寺. This was apparently the origin of the Mínnán Buddhist Seminary 閩南佛學院. That summer, before going to Xiàmén, Chángxǐng received dharma transmission from Péiān 培安 at Guāngxiào Temple 光孝寺 in Tài County 泰縣, Jiāngsū 江蘇. Then, in July of that year, Chángxǐng participated in the World Buddhist Federation 世界佛教聯合會 organized by Tàixū 太虛 on Lúshān 廬山.
The Mínnán Buddhist Seminary began accepting students in 1925. The principal, Huìquán 會泉 asked Chángxǐng to be vice-principal. Many of the 80-person first class of the Seminary had transferred along with Chángxǐng from the Ānhuī Monastic School.
Chángxǐng was instrumental in getting Tàixū to be abbot of Nánpǔtuó Temple 南普陀寺 in 1927.
Chángxǐng trained and received abhisheka in Shingon 真言 Esoteric Buddhism under his former classmate Chísōng in Shànghǎi in 1928 or 1929.
In 1930 he was invited by Táiyuán 台源 to serve as principal for the newly founded Bǎilín Studies Institute 柏林教理院. Chángxǐng and Tàixū collaborated to make the Institute a branch of the World Buddhist Studies Center 世界佛學苑 based in Wǔchāng 武昌. Chángxǐng became abbot of Guāngxiào Temple in 1931, and held an ordination platform there starting on March 1, 1933.
Chángxǐng became ill in the spring of 1936 and moved to Shànghǎi to convalesce. After he recovered, Yuányīng 圓瑛 pressed him to become head secretary of the Chinese Buddhist Association 中國佛教會. At the time there was a rivalry between two factions within that group, one associated with Yuányīng, the other associated with Tàixū. Chángxǐng tried to act as a mediator between the two in order to unite them. His illness returned, however, and he died in the winter of 1939.
Notable Students
- Dùhuán 度寰
- Nántíng 南亭 (dharma heir)
- Wěizōng 葦宗 (dharma heir)
- Tuōfán 脫煩 (dharma heir)
Major Works
- Chángxǐng fǎshī jí 常惺法師集 (Collected Works of Dharma Master Chángxǐng) [1]
- Dàshèng qǐxìn lùn jiǎngyào 大乘起信論講要 (Essential Discussions on the Mahāyāna Awakening of Faith)
- Fóxué gàilùn 佛學概論 (Outline of Buddhism)
- Xiánshǒu gàilùn 賢首概論 (Outline of Huáyán)
- Yīnmíng rùzhènglǐ lùn yàojiě 因明入正理論要解 (Essential Explanation of the Nyāyapraveśa)
- Yuánjué jīng jiǎngyì 圓覺經講義 (Lectures on the Meaning of the Sūtra of Perfect Awakening)
References
- Shì Dōngchū 釋東初. Zhōngguó Fójiào jìndài shǐ 中國佛教近代史 (A History of Early Contemporary Chinese Buddhism), in Dōngchū lǎorén quánjí 東初老人全集 (Complete Collection of Old Man Dongchu), vols. 1-2. Taipei: Dongchu, 1974 Pp. 2.850-879.
- Yú Língbō 于凌波, ed. Xiàndài Fójiào rénwù cídiǎn 現代佛教人物辭典 (A Dictionary of Modern Buddhist Persons), 2 vols. Taipei: Foguang, 2004. Pp. 1.954b-957b.