Views
Guānkōng 觀空 (1903-1989)
|
 |
| Notable Associates: |
Guānkōng 觀空 (1903-1989) was a student and teacher of Tibetan Buddhism 西密 in the middle of the 20th century.
Biography
Guānkōng was born in 1903 (Guāngxù 光緒 29) in Lěiyáng County 耒陽縣, Hú'nán 湖南. In 1919 (Mínguó 民國 8). He was tonsured by Zhìxuán 智玄 at Xīchán Temple 西禪寺 in Héngyáng 衡陽, and then took full ordination at Shàngfēng Temple 上封寺 on Nányuè 南嶽. Directly after his ordination, Guānkōng enrolled in a lecture studies course at Kāifú Temple 開福寺 in Chángshā 長沙, which was run by Kōngyě 空也. While in this program Guānkōng became friends with one of his fellow students named Yándìng 嚴定. The two would study, travel, and teach together for more than a decade. When Tàixū 太虛 invited Kōngyě to take charge of the Wǔchāng Buddhist Seminary 武昌佛學院 in 1922, the two friends followed him.
After graduating, he traveled with around a dozen of his classmates) including Fǎzūn 法尊, Fǎfǎng 法舫, and Yándìng 嚴定) to Běijīng 北京 where they became part of the first (and only) class at the nascent Buddhist Tibetan Language College 藏文學院 started by Dàyǒng 大勇. Classes began in October of 1924. In May of 1925 the students and teachers became the Residing-in-Tibet Dharma Studies Group 留藏學法團 and began to prepare to travel to Tibet. The group reached Xīkāng 西康, but most, including Guānkōng, never made it to Tibet. In 1934 he was invited by Tàixū 太虛 to teach at the Sino-Tibetan Institute 漢藏教理院 in Chóngqìng 重慶.
In 1939, Guānkōng taught in Běipíng 北平, then traveled by rail and sea to Tibet, where he spent several months. In Lhasa he studied Tibetan Buddhism 西密 under various notable Tibetan teachers.
In 1980, after the revival of Buddhism following the Cultural Revolution, Guānkōng began working in the Chinese Buddhist Association 中國佛教協會 translated Tibetan Buddhist texts. In the spring of 1989 Guānkōng moved to Guǎnghuà Temple 廣化寺 in Pútián County 莆田縣, Fújiàn 福建. He died there on July 5, 1989.
Notes
References
- 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. P. 2.1814b-1816c.