凝然 [py] ning2ran2 [wg] ning-jan [ko] ûngyôn [ja] ギョウネン Gyounen ||| (1) Firmly, steadfastly, quietly, changelessly, motionlessly. (2) [pn] Gyounen (1240-1321) Japanese Kegon monk who was a prolific author who wrote important historical summaries of all the major Chinese Buddhist schools. His family name was Fujiwara and he was originally from Iyo 伊予 prefecture in Shikoku. At eighteen he left home to meet a master named Enshou 圓照, at Kaidan-in 戒檀院 (a section of Toudaiji 東大寺) and received the precepts at age 20. He learned the precepts from the monks Shougen 證玄 and Jouin 淨因, received the esoteric teachings from Shoushu 聖守. Although he was a Kegon 華嚴 monk, he also studied Consciousness-only 唯識, Sanlun 三論, Pure Land 淨土, Zen, Confucianism, Taoism and the philosophers of the (Chinese) warring states period. In 1276 he lectured on the Huayan jing in the great Buddha hall of Toudaiji. After the death of Enshou, he carried on for him, and based in Kaidan-in, unceasingly lectured on the Kegon sutras and explained the rules of the Vinaya. In 1313 Gyounen moved to Toushoudaiji (also in Nara), staying there for five years before returning to Kaidan-in. Besides lecturing, he wrote extensively on Kegon, Tendai, Shingon, Sanron, Hossou, Kusha, Joujitsu, Ritsu and Joudo doctrine, as well as studies in history, Shintou and music. Altogether he wrote over 1200 volumes. He died at Kaidan-in at the age of 82. Some of his more famous works include An Outline of Eight Schools (八宗綱要), A Record of the Transmission of the Buddha-dharma through Three Countries (三國佛法傳通縁起), and the Essay on the Origins of Pure Land (淨土源流章). [Credit] acm(entry) cw(py)