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The Lineage Verse of the Lieu Quan School

Thich Nhat Hanh · December 17, 2009 · New Hamlet, Plum Village, France
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Zen Master Lieu Quan (1670–?) was born in Phu Yen. He ordained at the age of twelve under the guidance of Master Te Vien, then traveled for several months on foot to Hue to study at Thien Tho Temple (Bao Quoc) and An Ton Temple (Tu Dam). He received the koan “All dharmas return to the One, where does the One return?” from Zen Master Minh Hoang Tu Dung. For many years, he investigated this koan without awakening, until one day, while reading the Transmission of the Lamp and encountering the direct pointing “The balance beam is originally iron,” in front of an iron scale, he suddenly awakened. Through the two verses, “If you know the lamp is fire, the rice has long been cooked,” he realized the Dharma and was given the Dharma name That Dieu, manifesting clear Right View.

The Lieu Quan lineage belongs to the Linji (Rinzai) school. The generations of transmission are named according to a verse:

  1. That
  2. Te
  3. Dai
  4. Dao
  5. Tanh
  6. Hai
  7. Thanh
  8. Trung
  9. Tam
  10. Nguyen

    Each character begins a new generation, expressing the unbroken stream of mind-to-mind transmission. Practicing precepts–concentration–merit–wisdom in the “perfect interpenetration of essence and function” is the way of contemplation to transform suffering and realize enlightenment, while also preserving and transmitting the wondrous teaching to future generations.
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