Danxia Tianran

Danxia Tianran (739–824) (; ) was a Chan/Zen Buddhist monk and poet during the late Tang dynasty. A student of both Mazu Daoyi and Shitou Xiqian, Danxia was famous for his wild and iconoclastic behavior, which became the inspiration for artworks and kōans throughout the Chan/Zen tradition.

Life Danxia first studied Confucianism, but while traveling to Ch'ang-an to take the imperial exams he stayed at a lodge and dreamed of a white light filling the room, which a diviner interpreted as an omen of understanding emptiness and thereafter a Chan buddhist traveler suggested Danxia pursue Chan Buddhism instead of an imperial job.

Danxia first studied under Mazu Daoyi, who gave him a dharma name Tianran (天然; meaning "son of nature") after Danxia climbed onto the shoulders of a statue of Manjushri in the monk's hall.

After Mazu's death, Danxia journeyed from temple to temple, finally arriving at a temple where he became so cold he took a wooden Buddha statue, chopped it into pieces, and used the wood for a fire to warm himself. with Danxia teaching them in sayings and poems:

Just recognize that Shakyamuni Buddha was a regular old fellow. You must see for yourself. Don't spend your life trying to win some competitive trophy, blindly misleading other blind people, all of you marching right into hell, struggling in duality. I've nothing more to say. Take care! Regarding said story, D. T. Suzuki remarked: Whatever the merit of [Danxia] from the purely Zen point of view, there is no doubt that such deeds as his are to be regarded as highly sacrilegious and to be avoided by all pious Buddhists.

Danxia is found in kōans within the Record of the Transmission of the Light and in a kōan from the Blue Cliff Record, specifically case 76: