Practices Related to the Lotus Sūtra in Yanshou’s Zixing lu

Abstract

This article aims to understand the practices related to the Lotus Sūtra in Yongming Yanshou’s 永明延壽 (904–975) life and in one of his works, the Zhijue chanshi zixing lu 智覺禪師自⾏錄 (Records of Yanshou’s self cultivation). In this text, 108 daily events are listed as Yanshou’s self-cultivation. Of those related to the Lotus Sūtra, I have identified three categories: 1. the construction of Lotus halls (fahua tang 法華堂); 2. the veneration, printing and distribution of the Lotus Sūtra; 3. cultivation of the Lotus Samādhi. As this article shows, although Yanshou is well-known as a synthetic practitioner, embracing the doctrines of different schools and engaging in various practices, he always tried hard to integrate them under the ultimate goal ofattaining enlightenment.