Shi Shengchang

Zhaoqing Xingchang (昭慶省常, 959–1020, also romanized Shěngcháng) was a Chinese Buddhist monk during the Song dynasty who is considered to the a patriarch of the Chinese Pure Land tradition. Xingchang founded the first Pure Land society of the Song era, which became a model for later Pure Land societies.

Overview

Xingchang was born in 959 C.E. in Zhejiang Province, in Quantang (present Hangzhou). He became a monk at seven and received the full precepts at seventeen. He was learned in the Mahayana scriptures and in the calming and contemplation practice of Tiantai Buddhism and also admired the Pure Land teachings of Lushan Huiyuan who had formed a society of devoted practitioners. Xingchang therefore formed a Pure Land Lotus society in 990 at Hangzhou's Zhaoqing Monastery. This "Pure Practices Society" (Jingxing she 淨行社), also known as the West Lake Lotus Society, was based on the Avatamsaka Sutra's chapter on pure practice and on the practice of nianfo.

During the society's dedication ceremony, Xingchang led eighty monks and a thousand lay followers in reciting the following vow:Starting today, we set forth the vow to initiate our bodhi-minds, and to cultivate the bodhisattva path forever. We wish, at the end of our present life, to be reborn into Sukhavati where we would suddenly enter into the dharmadhatu and be perfectly enlightened to non-origination. We would cultivate the ten kinds of paramitas, and be close to innumerable kalyanamitra. The glow of our bodies would pervasively illuminate to assist sentient beings in attaining their nianfo samadhi. . . . Today we make this vow for all sentient beings. Because there are innumerable sentient beings, our vow is thus great! The Anthology on Organizing the Lotus Society at Zhaoqing Temple at West Lake in Hangzhou (杭州西湖昭慶寺結蓮社集) contains various sources on the teachings and activities of Master Xingchang's Lotus Society.

Master Xingchang compiled the Xihu jingshe lu 西湖淨社錄 (Record of the Pure Land Society of West Lake), but it is no longer extant.