PHILOSOPHER

Linji Yixuan

850 - 866

Photo of Linji Yixuan

Icon of person Linji Yixuan

Linji Yixuan (traditional Chinese: 臨濟義玄; simplified Chinese: 临济义玄; pinyin: Línjì Yìxuán; Wade–Giles: Lin-chi I-hsüan; Japanese: 臨済義玄 Rinzai Gigen; died 866 CE) was a Tang dynasty (618-907) Chinese monk and teacher of the Hongzhou school of Chinese Chan (Zen). Linji was the leading figure of Chan Buddhism in the Tang, and the Recorded Sayings of Linji (Línjì yǔlù), which contains his teachings, is seen as a major Zen text which exemplifies the iconoclastic and antinomian spirit of Zen. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Linji Yixuan has received more than 225,213 page views. His biography is available in 22 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 21 in 2019). Linji Yixuan is the 514th most popular philosopher (down from 408th in 2019), the 386th most popular biography from China (down from 279th in 2019) and the 21st most popular Chinese Philosopher.

Linji Yixuan is most famous for his teachings on the "Four Great Vows." He believed that the Buddha's teachings were not enough for people to achieve enlightenment. Linji Yixuan believed that people needed to make vows to themselves in order to overcome their own delusions. The Four Great Vows are: to be born as a human being, to become a Buddha, to liberate all beings, and to acquire the wisdom of the Buddha.

Memorability Metrics

  • 230k

    Page Views (PV)

  • 59.44

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 22

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 6.33

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 2.06

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Among PHILOSOPHERS

Among philosophers, Linji Yixuan ranks 514 out of 1,267. Before him are Alasdair MacIntyre, Nezahualcoyotl, Shantideva, Yuri Lotman, Rodolphus Agricola, and Thomas Nagel. After him are Charles Taylor, Annemarie Schimmel, A. J. Ayer, Ananda Coomaraswamy, Louis Couturat, and William of Champeaux.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 850, Linji Yixuan ranks 15. Before him are Pope Romanus, Pope Stephen V, Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, Istakhri, Abu Zayd al-Balkhi, and Emperor Seiwa. After him are Vladimir of Bulgaria, Bruno, Duke of Saxony, Abū Kāmil Shujāʿ ibn Aslam, Almış, Adelaide of Paris, and Branimir of Croatia. Among people deceased in 866, Linji Yixuan ranks 6. Before him are Al-Kindi, Robert the Strong, Bardas, Liudolf, Duke of Saxony, and Ordoño I of Asturias. After him are Al-Musta'in, Charles the Child, Eberhard of Friuli, and Ranulf I of Aquitaine.

Others Born in 850

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Others Deceased in 866

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In China

Among people born in China, Linji Yixuan ranks 386 out of 1,610. Before him are Su Song (1020), Lin Yutang (1895), Zhuge Zhan (227), Emperor Zhi of Han (138), Yan Fu (1854), and Prince Gong (1833). After him are Zhang Zhongjing (150), Emperor Guangzong of Song (1147), Zhou Tai (163), Zhuge Jin (174), Di Yi (-1200), and Qi Baishi (1864).

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Among PHILOSOPHERS In China

Among philosophers born in China, Linji Yixuan ranks 21. Before him are Ban Zhao (45), Dong Zhongshu (-179), Ge Hong (284), Huiyuan (334), Zhiyi (538), and Zhang Daoling (34). After him are Shen Buhai (-385), Zhou Dunyi (1017), Liu Bowen (1311), Hu Shih (1891), Marpa Lotsawa (1012), and Yang Xiong (-53).

Chinese born Philosophers

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