Yin Shun

Yin Shun
印順
TitleVenerable Mentor (導師)
Personal
Born
Zhang Luqin

(1906-04-05)5 April 1906
Died4 June 2005(2005-06-04) (aged 99)
Hualien County, Republic of China
ReligionMahayana Buddhism
NationalityChinese
Other namesSheng Zheng(盛正)
Senior posting
TeacherTaixu (太虛), Qingnian (清念)[1]

Yin Shun (印順, Yìnshùn; 5 April 1906 – 4 June 2005) was a Chinese Buddhist monk and scholar in the tradition of Chinese Mahayana Buddhism. Though he was particularly trained in the Three Treatise school, he was an advocate of the One Vehicle (or Ekayana) as the ultimate and universal perspective of Buddhahood for all, and as such included all schools of Buddha Dharma, including the Five Vehicles and the Three Vehicles, within the meaning of the Mahayana as the One Vehicle.[2] Yin Shun's research helped bring forth the ideal of "Humanistic" (human-realm) Buddhism, a leading mainstream Buddhist philosophy studied and upheld by many practitioners.[3][better source needed] His work also regenerated the interests in the long-ignored Āgamas among Chinese Buddhist society[4] and his ideas are echoed by the American Theravadin teacher Bhikkhu Bodhi. As a contemporary master, he was most popularly known as the mentor of Cheng Yen, the founder of Buddhist Tzu Chi Charity Foundation, as well as the teacher to several other prominent monastics.

Although Yin Shun is closely associated with the Tzu Chi Foundation, he has had a decisive influence on others of the new generation of Buddhist monks such as Sheng-yen of Dharma Drum Mountain and Hsing Yun of Fo Guang Shan, who were active in humanitarian aid, social work, environmentalism and academic research as well. He is considered to be one of the most influential figures of Taiwanese Buddhism, having influenced many of the leading Buddhist figures in modern Taiwan.

  1. ^ "印順法師─教證得增上,聖道耀東南". 1930年,在福泉庵禮清念和尚為師,落髮出家...回佛頂山閱藏三年餘,期間曾奉太虛之函,往閩南佛學院授課。
  2. ^ See page 357 of The Way To Buddhahood: Instructions From A Modern Chinese Master
  3. ^ Zheng Xin's Guide
  4. ^ Tam, Thomas (6 June 2002). "Introduction to Agama Sutra: The First Buddhist Scripture". Asian American / Asian Research Institute. Retrieved 24 March 2024.