Chanzong yulu 禪宗語錄, recorded sayings of Chan masters

"Recorded sayings of Chan masters" (Chanzong yulu 禪宗語錄) are texts that document and compile the teachings and spoken words of successive Chan (Zen) masters in Chinese Buddhism from the time of the Sixth Patriarch, Huineng 慧能 (638-713), onwards. Most of these works preserve the masters’ oral teachings, recorded in real time by attendant disciples and later edited into written form.

They include detailed accounts of essential aspects of the transmission of the Dharma (the Buddha's teachings) between master and disciple, the processes of inquiry and realisation, skillful means of instruction, as well as what students from various regions gained through their study. They also record dialogues, challenges, debates, and investigations between participants.

The tradition of recorded sayings in Chan Buddhism began with the so-called "Platform Sutra" (Liuzu tanjing 六祖壇經) and subsequently developed into a distinct literary genre within the Chan school.

During the Tang period 唐 (618-907), such records were relatively few in number, with each typically documenting the teachings of a single Chan master, such as Shanhui dashi yulu 善慧大士語錄 (Fu dashi yulu 傅大士語錄), compiled by Lou Ying 樓穎, and Pang jushi yulu 龐居士語錄, compiled by Yu Di 于頔 (d. 818). There were also collections titled "extensive records" (guanglu 廣錄) or "essential teachings" (fayao), for instance, Mazu Daoyi Chanshi guanglu 馬祖道一禪師廣錄, Baizhang Huaihai Chanshi guanglu 百丈懷海禪師廣錄, and Huangbo Duanji Chanshi Wanling lu 黃檗斷際禪師宛陵錄, all compiled by Pei Xiu 裴休 (791-864).

During the Song period 宋 (960-1279), sayings recorded by Chan monks and adherents proliferated in great numbers, marking the golden age of the genre. At this time, these texts exhibited two main characteristics. One was the widespread compilation and the emergence of comprehensive collections. Well-known Chan masters had their sayings compiled by disciples, and large-scale, synthetic collections also appeared, such as Gu sunsu yulu 古尊宿語錄 (X1315) by Zezangzhu 賾藏主, gathering the sayings of more than forty Tang- and Song-period masters, and Xu gu zunxu yulu 續古尊宿語錄 by Shiming 師明, collecting the sayings of over seventy masters.

Conversely, new subgenres of recorded sayings emerged, including forms such as niangu 拈古, songgu 頌古, pingchang 評唱, and jijie 擊節. The first two primarily compile gong'an 公案 cases with interpretive remarks or verses, while the latter two serve as additional layers of commentary, providing further evaluation and exposition on niangu and songgu. Notable figures associated with niangu and songgu include Tiantong Zhengjue 天童正覺 (1091-1157), Xuedou Chongxian 雪竇重顯 (980-1052), Touzi Yiqing 投子義青 (1032-1083), and Danxia Zichun 丹霞子淳 (1064-1117). Works of the pingchang type include the renowned Biyanlu 碧巖錄 compiled by Yuanwu Keqin, while the jijie type is most notably represented by Yuanwu’s Jijielu 擊節錄.

During the Yuan period 元 (1279-1368), Chan writers continued to follow Song precedents and placed particular emphasis on the pingchang style. Influential works include Congrong'an lu 從容庵錄 and Qingyilu 請益錄, both with commentary by Wansong Xingxiu 萬松行秀 (1166—1246), Konggu ji 空谷集 and Xutang ji 虛堂集, with commentary by Conglun 從倫.

During the Ming period 明 (1368-1644), recorded sayings continued to be produced in large numbers, either compiling the words and deeds of contemporary Chan masters or re-editing earlier collections, but no significant innovations in format appeared. After the start of the Qing dynasty 清 (1644-1911), the production of such recorded sayings gradually declined.

According to incomplete statistics, from the Tang to the Qing period, there were no fewer than 300 titles of recorded Chan sayings. Most of these are preserved in various editions of the Chinese Buddhist Canon and its supplementary collections, as well as in historical bibliographies. Additionally, they are documented in major bibliographic and historical works, such as the bibliographical chapters of official dynastic histories, the encyclopaedia Taiping yulan 太平御覽, or the book catalogues Zhizhai shulu jieti 直齋書錄解題, Chongwen zongmu 崇文總目, and Guoshi jingji zhi 國史經籍志.

Recorded sayings associated with specific Chan lineages include Heze Shenhui Chanshi yulu 荷澤神會禪師語錄 (preserved in three manuscript copies found among the Dunhuang 敦煌 manuscripts); Tanzhou Weishan Lingyou Chanshi yulu 潭州溈山靈祐禪師語錄 and Yuanzhou Yangshan Huiji Chanshi yulu 袁州仰山慧寂禪師語錄, compiled by Ming Yuanxin 明圓信 (1571-1647) and Guo Ningzhi 郭凝之, representing the Guiyang Lineage 溈仰宗; these two also compiled two works on the Caodong Lineage 曹洞宗, namely Ruizhou Dongshan Liangjia Changshi yulu 瑞州洞山良價禪師語錄 and Fuzhou Caoshan Yuanzheng Chanshi yulu 撫州曹山元證禪師語錄; the Japanese monk E'in's 慧印 (1689-1764) compiled the Caodong Lineage’s Junzhou Dongshan Wuben Chanshi yulu (Japanese reading Kinshū Tōzan Gohon Zenji goroku) 筠州洞山悟本禪師語錄; Huiran's 慧然 Zhenzhou Linji Huizhao Changshi yulu 鎮州臨濟慧照禪師語錄 for the Linji Lineage 臨濟宗; Shoujian's 守堅 Yunmen Kuangzhen Chanshi guanglu 雲門匡真禪師廣錄 represents the Yunmen Lineage 雲門宗; thoughts of the Fayan Lineage 法眼宗 are found in Guo Ningzhi's Jinling Qingliangyuan Wenyi Chanshi yulu 金陵清涼院文益禪師語錄; the Linji Lineage has various branches, among which the Yangqi Branch 楊岐派 is represented in Renyong's 仁勇 Yangyi Fanghui heshang yulu 楊岐方會和尚語錄 (also called Yuanzhou Yangqishan putong chanyuanhui heshang yulu 袁州楊岐山普通禪院會和尚語錄), and the Huanglong Branch 黃龍派 by Huiquan's 慧泉 Huanglong Huihan Chanshi yulu 黃龍慧南禪師語錄 (Pujue Chanshi yulu 普覺禪師語錄).