The Record of Linji 臨済録 is a collection of sayings and teachings of the Chan Master Linji Yixuan (?–866) at the end of the Tang Dynasty,which is composed of four parts: ShangTang, ShiZhong, KanBian, and XingLu. The edition of the Shizhong was finished at the beginning of the Northern Song Dynasty, about one hundred year after Linji passed away. However, it took a much longer time to collect all the dharma teachings of Linji in the other three parts, ShangTang, KanBian, and XingLu, and form the Linji School. In order to understand how The Record of Linji 臨済録 was edited, it is therefore necessary to investigate the origin and development of each dharma teaching.
This paper is concentrated on study of the formation of the Linji Sanju 臨済三句 in the ShangTang. It is found that the Linji Sanju 臨済三句 is not originally from Linji, but from Fengxue Yanzhao, the fourth disciple of Linji. However, the Linji Sanju 臨済三句 has been widely accepted as teachings of Linji since the end of the Northern Song, including in the widely circulated Record of the Venerable Ancient Master 古尊宿語録 (1267).
