Eminent Nuns: Women Chan Masters of Seventeenth-Century China

5. Passing on the Lamp: The Dharma Successors of Qiyuan Xinggang

c h a p t e r f i v e Passing on the Lamp The Dharma Successors of Qiyuan Xinggang Qiyuan Xinggang had seven officially designated Dharma heirs, although many more disciples either lived at the Lion-Subduing Chan Cloister or spent time with her on retreat. Of these seven, we know the most about Yikui Chaochen (1625–1679), who was the author of the biography of Qiyuan Xinggang that was quoted extensively in the previous chapter, and who also left an extant yulu collection of her own. There is also an extant yulu for Yigong Chaoke (1615–1661), one of the two nuns charged with the leadership of the Lion-Subduing Chan Cloister after Qiyuan Xinggang’s death. Unfortunately, there are no extant yulu collections for the remaining five Dharma heirs, Yichuan Chaolang (d. 1656), Yiyin Chaojian (d. before 1666), Puwen Chaoyuan, Yiran Chaoshe, and Guding Chaozhen (the dates for the latter three all unknown). What this means, of course, is that much more is known about Yikui Chaochen and Yigong Chaoke than about the others. Of these seven Dharma heirs, the eldest was Yichuan Chaolang, the only daughter of Madame Li, and Qiyuan Xinggang’s first disciple. From the beginning, it would appear that she was very frail and suffered from ill health, which may explain in part her reluctance to marry and her desire to devote herself to religious pursuits. Her mother, as we have seen, had a private cloister built for her, which later was expanded to become the Chan master Yikui Chaochen (1625–1679). From Cantong Yikui Chaochen chanshi yulu, Mingban Jiaxing dazangjing (Taipei: Xinwenfeng chubanshe, 1987), 39:7. 78 eminent nuns Lion-Subduing Chan Cloister. We are able to gather a few glimpses of her provided by those who knew her, such as the following poem by Yigong Chaoke entitled “A Gatha Presented to Elder Dharma [Sister] Yichuan Who Experienced an Awakening at the Lion-Subduing Chan Cloister”: Riding the wind: a fierce tiger in the groves of the Lion-Subduing Chan Cloister. Grasping the moon: all the resentments of the past years vanish. Tears and smiles both forgotten, her entire self experiences release: She lets go from the cliff’s edge, calling only on the Honored One.1 After having her realization confirmed by Qiyuan Xinggang, Yichuan Chaolang became the abbess of the Prajñâ Convent in Nanxun, where Yigong Chaoke was also living. Upon the death of Qiyuan Xinggang, as we saw, she and Yigong Chaoke were both summoned to take over the leadership of the Lion-Subduing Chan Cloister. Only two years later, however , Yichuan Chaolang also passed away, leaving Yigong Chaoke in sole charge. Although Yichuan Chaolang had never enjoyed robust health, it appears that her death came as a blow to Yigong Chaoke: Alas! There was none like my elder Dharma [sister], the nun of the Prajñâ [Convent]. Her heart was just like that of a child [but] in her deportment surpassed that of the ancients. She had met the Way for ten years and with insight carried out the Way. Skillfulness can seem like awkwardness; wisdom can seems like stupidity; eloquence can seem like inarticulateness ; steely resolve, like weakness. She treated others as she would herself, and exhausted all of the strategies of both humans and gods. You and I engaged in religious practice together, but now you have abandoned me and departed this world forever. Alas!2 Sometime later, Yikui Chaochen was asked by Yichuan Chaolang’s mother, Madame Li, to conduct a seven-day retreat at the Prajñâ Convent . In a Dharma talk delivered on this occasion, Yikui Chaochen refers to its previous abbess and in particular to her considerable efforts at sustaining both the convent and the lineage: This Prajñâ Convent has for over ten years been a lofty mirror of the lineage . No one expected that my departed elder Dharma [sister] would vanish . She has passed into eternity, and today the Dharma path is lonely and desolate. . . . All of her life, with great determination, she exerted all of her efforts to steer the boat [of the Dharma] against the [worldly] current.3 Passing on the Lamp 79 For Yiyin Chaojian as well, little biographical information is available beyond that her secular surname was Ge. Given that Yikui Chaochen refers to her as “elder Dharma [sister]” we can assume that Yiyin Chaojian had entered the religious life before Yikui Chaochen. It is known...