Mazu Daoyi

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This article is about the Ch'an master. For the Taoist goddess, see Matsu (goddess).

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Mazu Daoyi
Information
Born:	709
Place of birth:	China
Died:	788
School(s):	Ch'an
Title(s):	Ch'an-shih
Teacher(s):	Nanyue Huairang
Website
Portal:Buddhism

Mazu Daoyi (Chn: 馬祖道一) (709 CE–788 CE) (WG: Ma-tsu Tao-yi) was a master of the Chinese Ch'an Buddhist lineage. After studying as a young man with the sixth Chan Patriarch, Huineng, Mazu became a disciple and successor to Huineng's student Nanyue Huairang. Among Mazu's immediate successors was Baizhang Huaihai. He himself was the leader of the Hung-chou lineage of Buddhism, of which the later Baizhang, Damei Fachang, and Huang-po Hsi-yün were famous students. Mazu was famous for the subtlety with which he expressed the Ch'an teachings, and was particularly fond of using the kung'an "What the mind is, what the Buddha is." In the particular case of Damei Fachang, hearing this brought about a spiritual awakening. However, this was contradicted by Mazu later, when he taught the koan "No mind, No Buddha." This was seen as a means of preparing the mind to do away with preconceptions about becoming Enlightened.

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