Fànqí 梵琦
Late-Yuán / early-Míng Yángqí-branch Línjì Chán master and Chinese Pure-Land synthesist, zì Chǔshí 楚石 (“Chu-Stone”), self-style Xīzhāi lǎorén 西齋老人. Imperial title Fórì Pǔzhào Huìbiàn chánshī 佛日普照慧辯禪師, conferred by Yuán Shùndì in Zhìzhèng 7 (1347, the same year 祖銘 Gǔdǐng Zǔmíng received his own imperial title). A posthumous title Dàjué Pǔjì chánshī 大覺普濟禪師 circulates in later Chán literature (e.g., the comparative judgement by Mèngān Chāogé 夢菴超格 in the preface to KR6q0164 ranks him “supreme” among Kuò-ān-tradition mùniútú harmonisers under this title). Native of Xiàngshān 象山 (Míngzhōu), lay surname Zhū 朱 (lay name Tányào 曇曜). Dharma-heir of 行端 Yuánsǒu Xíngduān (1255–1341), and the most nationally-known of Xíngduān’s students. 5th-generation dharma-descendant of Dàhuì Zōnggǎo 大慧宗杲.
Born on the 20th of the 6th month of Yuán-zhēn 2 (28 July 1296); his mother is said to have dreamt of the sun falling into her bosom before his birth. Ordained at nine at Hǎi-yán Tiān-níng 天寧永祚 under Nè-wēng Mó 訥翁模; full precepts at sixteen at Hángzhōu Zhāo-qìng-sì 昭慶寺; at twenty-two became shì-zhě-diǎn-zàng 侍者典藏 at Dào-chǎng-sì 道場寺. His awakening came in stages — a first opening on the Śūraṃgama passage on seeing and darkness; a second, decisive wù 悟 when, at an inn in Yàn-dū 燕都 (he was travelling on imperial summons for a xuǎn-shàng 選上 assembly at the Yīng-zōng court), he was woken at night by drums on a colour-tower. Returned south, and Xíng-duān at Jìng-shān formally conferred dharma-transmission on him.
Held abbacies in succession at Tiānníng Yǒngzuò 天寧永祚, Hángzhōu Bàoguósì 報國寺, Jiāxīng Běnjué 本覺, and Jiāxīng Guāngxiào 光孝 — the Jiāxīng / Hǎiyán axis that made him the leading Chán authority of the lower Yangtze in the Zhìzhèng years. In Zhìzhèng 19 (1359) he retired to Yǒngzuòsì and built a hermit’s yuàn to its west, which he named Xīzhāi 西齋 — seat of his late-life project, the Xīzhāi jìngtǔ shī 西齋淨土詩, a large collection of Chán-inflected Pure-Land verse foundational for the later Míng synthesis of Chán and Pure-Land. In Hóngwǔ 3 (1370), shortly after the founding of the new dynasty, he was summoned by imperial edict for a sermon at Nánjīng. He died on the 26th of the 7th month of that year (25 August 1370), shìshòu 75, sēnglà 63, after a final shout.
Co-editor of Xíngduān’s yǔlù (KR6q0352). His own twenty-juan yǔlù survives as Chǔshí Fànqí chánshī yǔlù 楚石梵琦禪師語錄 (KR6q0353; X71 n1420). Other works include the Jìngtǔ shī, the Císhì shàngshēng jì 慈氏上生偈, the Běiyóu jí 北遊集, the Fèngshān jí 鳳山集, harmonising jì on the Hánshān / Shídé / Fēnggān corpus (transmitted in KR6q0216 Tiāntái sān shèng shī jí héyùn), and harmonising verses on Kuòān Shīyuǎn’s 廓庵師遠 mùniútú (KR6q0164). Named dharma-heir: Sūzhōu Wànshòu Yíngzhōng Jǐnghuán 瑩中景瓛 (DILA A001249). Principal biographical sources: the xíngzhuàng and tǎmíng in juan 20 of his yǔlù; Bǔxù gāosēng zhuàn juan 14 (X77); Zēngjí Xùchuándēnglù juan 5.