Deshan Xuanjian德山宣鑑

780 or 782–865ChanAlso: Tokusan Senkan

Born: 780 or 782
Died: 865
School: Chan

A scholar of the Diamond Sutra who became the heir of Longtan Chongxin and a teacher known for his stick; Xuefeng Yicun was his student. The commentary of the Biyan lu (1125) tells that he set out to refute the Chan teachers of the south and was stopped on the road by a woman selling rice cakes.

Stories

Deshan and the rice cakes

teaching story

Deshan Xuanjian had spent his life on the Diamond Sutra. He carried a commentary on it. When he heard that teachers in the south were saying that this very mind is Buddha, a teaching outside the scriptures, he set out to refute them.

Sources

Jing 靜 and Yun 筠 (comp.), Zutang ji 祖堂集 (Collection from the Hall of the Patriarchs) (952), Dazangjing bubian B.144 · link
Zanning 贊寧 et al. (comp.), Song gaoseng zhuan 宋高僧傳 (Song Biographies of Eminent Monks) (988), Taishō T.2061 · link
Daoyuan (comp.), Jingde chuandeng lu 景德傳燈錄 (1004), Taishō T.2076 · link
Xuedou Chongxian 雪竇重顯 (verses); Yuanwu Keqin 圜悟克勤 (commentary), Biyan lu 碧巖錄 (Blue Cliff Record) (1125), Taishō T.2003 · link
Andy Ferguson, Zen’s Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings (2011)

Checked against sources 2026-11-03 by pipeline/opus@13efa67. Report an error.