淨覺仁岳=Jingjue Renyue; 北宋=Northern Song; 四明知禮=Siming Zhili; 山家山外=Shan-chia and the Shan-wai; 後山外=Ho-Shan-wai; 一念三千=trilicosm in one thought; 性具=nature-possession; 一念心=mind of one moment; 理事=Li and shih
Jingjue Renyue (淨覺仁岳) represents the “Ho-Shan-wai” (後山外) sect of the Tiantai school in the Northern Song dynasty. His life was legendary and yet controversial. Because he betrayed his master, Siming Zhili (四明知禮), and objected to the “Shan-chia” viewpoints, he has been considered as a traitor. In his early monkhood, Renyue studied with Siming Zhili and followed the latter’s guidance to compete with the Shan-wai (山外) sect, showing his extraordinary debate skills. His disagreement with Zhili, with respect to doctrine, eventually led him to leave his teacher. Afterwards, Renyue got along with Zunshi (遵式). He also presided at some Buddhist temples, revealing his religious, charismatic leadership. At that time, he was well-known and influential in the Buddhist circles. In his old age, he concentrated on pure land practice and took refuge in pure land. Renyue’s Tiantai thought does not remain the same. Examining his “Shan-chia” viewpoints, which were inspired by Zhili, and his own “Ho-Shan-wai” perspectives, which contradicted Zhili’s, Renyue’s understandings of the Tiantai philosophy, such as “identity,” “inclusion,” “trilicosm in one thought,” “Buddha-kāya,” “Nien-fo,” “Li and shih,” and “nature-inclusion,” differ from the Shan-chia perspectives. The change of Renyue’s standpoints also reveals the disagreements within the Shan-chia sect, in terms of Tiantai philosophy. The change of Renyue’s views results from his objection to Zhili’s interpretation of “Buddha-kāya,” which relates closely with all other Tiantai doctrines. The new thinking of Renyue’s negates almost all the knowledge he obtained from Zhili. As this article shows, Renyue pointed out the difficulties in terms of actual practice that the Shan-chia sect faced. Although Renyue betrayed his teacher, his new viewpoints were well acknowledged during his time, and no one was able to argue with him. Based on Renyue’s own works and some relevant writings, a reexamination of the life and thought of Renyue proves that after the death of Zhili, Renyue was an important figure in leading Tiantai thought. Also, Renyue tried to change the Shan-chia thought, which focuses on theory and analysis, into the Tiantai thought, which balances both practice and doctrine. Looking at the history of the Tiantai philosophy, Renyue’s influence is certainly deep.
