A Study and Translation on the Kuan-hsin-lun of Chih-i (538-597) and its Commentary by Kuan-ting (561-632)

Abstract

<p>The Kuan-hsin-Iun is taught by Chih-i towards the end of his life. Chih-i is the founder of the T'ien-t'ai school of Buddhism in China. In this text, he tries to summarize all the teachings of his life. The Kuan-hsin-lun is also one of the shortest texts of Chih-i on meditation. The main body of the text consists of a set of questions designed for the practitioner of meditation to answer while meditating. Chih-i introduces a practice called wen-kuan-hsin which can be translated as 'to ask questions while contemplating the mind.' This practice is directed against those practitioners who practise meditation for the sake of practising but produce no insight. Wen-kuan-hsin is to meditate with some questions in mind and therefore is a technique of realizing the truth behind the doctrine. This shows how Chih-i has integrated doctrine and meditative practice which are the two dimensions of the teaching of Buddha.</p> <p>The set of questions listed by Chih-i in the Kuan-hsin-Iun actually expresses the main doctrines of the T'ien-ttai school. It also serves as an outline of the whole system of thought of Chih-i. Moreover, the text Kuan-hsin-lun and its commentary by his disciple Kuan-ting represent an early version of Chih-i's later teaching on meditative practice.</p> <p>The main purpose of this thesis is to provide a complete translation with an introduction of the text Kuan-hsin-lun and a selective translation of the commentary on the text by Kuan-ting. This provides a basis for any further systematic study on the meditative teaching of the T'ien-t'ai school of Buddhism.</p>