Zhiyi

Zhiyi
智顗
Painting of Śramaṇa Zhiyi.
Personal
Born	16 February 538 Gong'an County, Hubei, China
Died	3 August 597(597-08-03) (aged 59) Tiantai County, Zhejiang, China
Religion	Buddhism
Nationality	Chinese
School	Tiantai
Lineage	4th generation
Other names	Chen De'an (陳德安), Master Tiantai (天台大師), Master Zhizhe (智者大師)
Dharma names	Zhiyi
Organization
Temple	Waguan Temple Guoqing Temple
Senior posting
Teacher	Faxu (法緒) Huikuang (慧曠) Nanyue Huisi

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Major figures Lokakṣema Kumārajīva Sengzhao Jizang Dharmakṣema Paramartha Xuanzang Kuiji Woncheuk Daoxuan Huiyuan Tanluan Daochuo Shandao Zhiyi Zhanran Fazang Chengguan Śubhakarasiṃha Vajrabodhi Amoghavajra Bodhidharma Huineng Daman Hongren Mazu Daoyi Hongzhi Zhengjue Dahui Zonggao Linji Zongmi Hanshan Deqing Zhu Hong Ouyi Zhixu Miyun Yuanwu Taixu Tanxu Hsu Yun Hsuan Hua Yang Wenhui Yin Shun Nan Huai-Chin Nenghai
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Zhiyi (Chinese: 智顗; pinyin: Zhìyǐ; Wade–Giles: Chih-i; Japanese pronunciation: Chigi; Korean: 지의; 538–597 CE) also Chen De'an (陳德安), was the fourth patriarch of the Tiantai tradition of Buddhism in China. His standard title was Śramaṇa Zhiyi (沙門智顗), linking him to the broad tradition of Indian asceticism. Zhiyi is famous for being the first in the history of Chinese Buddhism to elaborate a complete, critical and systematic classification of the Buddhist teachings. He is also regarded as the first major figure to make a significant break from the Indian tradition, to form an indigenous Chinese system.

According to David W. Chappell, Zhiyi "has been ranked with Thomas Aquinas and al-Ghazali as one of the great systematizers of religious thought and practice in world history."^[1]