Nanquan Puyuan南泉普願

748–835ChanAlso: Nansen Fugan

Born: 748
Died: 835
Teacher: Mazu Daoyi (transmission)
Dharma heir: Zhaozhou Congshen
School: Chan

Student of Mazu Daoyi and teacher of Zhaozhou. The story of his cutting a cat in two is case 14 of the Wumen guan and case 63 of the Biyan lu, whose commentary says monasteries everywhere argue over it.

Related people

Mazu Daoyi馬祖道一

709–788Linji

Zhaozhou Congshen趙州從諗

778–897Chan

Stories

Nanquan kills the cat

koan

The monks of the east and west halls at Nanquan’s were arguing over a cat. Nanquan picked it up and said: if any of you can say a word, I will spare it; if not, I will cut it in two. No one answered. He cut the cat in two.

Sources

Daoyuan (comp.), Jingde chuandeng lu 景德傳燈錄 (1004), Taishō T.2076 · link
Zanning 贊寧 et al. (comp.), Song gaoseng zhuan 宋高僧傳 (Song Biographies of Eminent Monks) (988), Taishō T.2061 · link
Wumen Huikai 無門慧開; compiled by Zongshao 宗紹, Wumen guan 無門關 (Gateless Gate) (1228), Taishō T.2005 · 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
Charles Muller (ed.), Digital Dictionary of Buddhism · link
Andy Ferguson, Zen’s Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings (2011)

Checked against sources 2026-11-02 by pipeline/opus@14c63ac. Report an error.