Huìlì 慧麗 (1586 – 1650-11-03), the third-listed fǎsì of Jùyún Chuīwàn Guǎngzhēn 廣真 in the canonical 《續燈正統》 roster, alongside Tiěbì Huìjī 慧機 and Sānmù Huìzhī 萬松三目慧芝. Hào Tiěméi 鐵眉 (“Iron-Brow”, from Guǎngzhēn’s transmission-verse zhèng kàn Tiěméi rèn-me lái 正看鐵眉恁麼來), also Sānbāzhǎng 三巴掌 (“Three-Slap”; both hào bestowed by Guǎngzhēn at transmission). Native of Bǎixiāng 柏鄉 (Zhílì, Héběi) — exceptional in the otherwise Sì-chuān-centered Jùyúnpài. Death notice: Shùnzhì 7 庚寅 10/10 = 1650-11-03, age 65 (per 《續燈正統》 j. 17).
Formation. Tall, broad-browed, full-bearded with screw-curl hair (xū rú luójié 鬚如螺結). Originally a glaze-tile artisan at the Liúlíchǎng 琉璃廠 (Bǎixiāng locality); tonsured in middle age under Tiāntái Wújìn chánshī 天台無盡禪師. Chóngzhēn 6 = 1633: traveled to Éméishān 峨眉山 to feed monks; the company was attacked by bandits, only Huìlì surviving. Crossing through Zhōngzhōu, Mǎ Shàoyóu 馬少游 (a sīmǎ) sent him on to Guǎngzhēn’s seat. Guǎngzhēn at first sight: wǒjiā rén lái le 我家人來了 (“our man has come”). Trained as hángtáng sǎsǎo 行堂灑掃 servant; further work under Tiěbì Yǐnshī 慧機 鐵壁隱師 (his fellow-disciple xiōngdì); breakthrough on the wànfǎ guīyī 萬法歸一 gōngàn in the 25th qī (175 days continuous zuòchán) with qī zhù xiāng bù xià chántà 七炷香不下禪塌. Pre-transmission interview: when Guǎngzhēn forbade him each gestural reply (clapping, foot-stamp, teeth-clicking), Huìlì stood erect and offered the cāndé sān bāzhǎng 參得三巴掌 jì; transmission ratified.
Abbacies. Chūshì hòu kāitáng sì cì 出世後開堂四次 — four formal abbacies: (i) Kuízhōufǔ Shízhù Niúnánshān Huáyánsì 夔州府石砫牛南山華嚴寺 (entry 崇禎辛巳 10/15 = 1641 winter); (ii) Wànxiàn Bǎofēngshān Yúnláisì 萬縣寶峰山雲來寺 — the seat from which his title-form 寶峰三巴掌 derives; (iii) Wànxiàn Dàfósì 萬縣大佛寺; and (iv) Shīwèi 施衛 in 甲申秋 = 1644 autumn with the lay-patron Xióng Yuèyá 熊月崖 (= KR6q0448’s preface-writer Xióng Rǔxué 熊汝學). Subsequent flight south to Nánbīn Fèngwèi 南濱鳳衛 at the request of Móugōng 牟公 (the late-Míng grand secretary 文安之 Wén Ānzhī, who composed the 巴掌歌 panegyric Chóngzhēn jiǎshēn qiū qián 5 rì = 1644 late summer). Died at Nánbīn passing the bowl-and-robe to dharma-heir Xióngěrān 熊耳菴; stūpa at Guānyīnshān 觀音山.
Work. KR6q0452 《鐵眉三巴掌禪師語錄》 1 juan, Jiāxīng Canon J29 B242, compiled by fǎsūn 性養 + 性亮.
Catalog form. The Jiāxīng catalog meta gives the author-name as the unusual compound 鐵眉號三巴掌 “Tiěméi (hào) Sānbāzhǎng” — the dharma-name 慧麗 itself does not appear in the title or catalog and was recovered only via the 1644 行狀 closing the yǔlù and the 《續燈正統》 j. 17 cross-reference.
Sources: KR6q0452 行狀 (anonymous, post-1650 closing biography); 《續燈正統》 j. 17; 《南宋元明禪林僧寶傳》 j. 15; 文安之 〈巴掌歌〉 1644.