Li Tongxuan

Li Tongxuan (635–730) was a lay Chinese Buddhist scholar and meditation master of the Huayan school.

Background Li Tongxuan was the lesser known contemporary of the great Huayan scholar Fazang. Li is known for his exegetical writings on the Huayan Sutra (Avatamsaka Sutra), including his commentary entitled Xin Huayan Jing Lun (新華嚴經論, Treatise on the new translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra).

In his commentary to the Huayan sutra, Li argues that all sentient beings already have the same qualities possessed by a Buddha and thus, he sees the Huayan teaching as a sudden teaching which reveals the Buddhahood that is immanent in all beings. Part of Li's subitist view is his non-temporal understanding of reality, which sees temporal divisions as unreal and sees all of reality as being "the one true dharma-realm" (Ch. yi zhen fajie).

Li's writings were especially influential on Chan, Zen and Seon Buddhism. His work was influential on numerous later Buddhist figures like Jinul, Myoe and Dahui Zonggao (1089–1163).