釋氏稽古略 2.276

2.276

The Nine Patriarchs of Tiantai: First, Chan Master Huiwen of Southern Peak explored the Tripiṭaka, and upon obtaining the Madhyamaka-śāstra composed by the Great Being Nāgārjuna of the Western Region, he was awakened to its import. Thereupon he bowed from afar to Nāgārjuna as his master, and opened the Dharma gate of calming and contemplation of the threefold contemplation of emptiness, the provisional, and the middle. He transmitted the essential tenets of the Lotus to Great Chan Master Huisi. Huisi transmitted them to Great Chan Master Zhizhe, Zhiyi. Zhiyi transmitted them to the Venerable Guanding of Zhang'an. Guanding transmitted them to Wei of Jinyun. Wei of Jinyun transmitted them to Wei of Dongyang. Dongyang transmitted them to Xuanlang of Zuoxi. Xuanlang transmitted them to the Venerable Zhanran of Jingxi. Together they constitute the Nine Patriarchs. Scholars follow them as their lineage, calling it the Tiantai Teaching of the Four Teachings, Dharma Nature, and Contemplative Practice School. The Venerable of Jingxi passed into extinction in the first year of the Xingyuan era of Emperor Dezong of the Tang. Hanlin Academician Liang Su composed an inscription on the back of his stele, calling him a worldly sage second only to the Great Sage.