Qián 乾 (full dharma-name Xíngqián 行乾), zì Dàbó 大博 (“Greatly Erudite”); often referred to as Dàbó Xíngqián 大博行乾. LínjìYángqí dharma-heir of Wànrú Tōngwēi 萬如通微 (1594–1657) at Lóngchí 龍池. Born 1602 (estimated); died 康熙癸丑八月初十日 = 1673-09-20, age 72, sēnglà 59. Native of Sìchuān Dázhōu 達州; lay surname Hú 胡.
Formation. At 13 took tonsure at Xīshèngsì 西聖寺. At 20 began cān-fǎng. First under Jīnsù Wù 金粟悟 (= Mìyún Yuánwù), given the fùmǔ wèi shēng qián běnlái miànmù 父母未生前本來面目 gōngàn with the staff. When Mìyún moved to Tiāntóng, Qián followed and cān-ed under Shíchē Tōngchéng 石車通乘. One day asked “Bú shì xīn, bú shì Fó, bú shì wù, shì gè shén-me?” 不是心不是佛不是物是箇甚麼? Shíchē was silent; Qián bowed; Shíchē shouted: “Were you trying to grasp it from this monk’s silence?” — at that, Qián fell completely free. After Shíchē’s death (1638), continued cān-fǎng widely; took full ordination at Mǐnzhōng 愍忠. Eventually under Lóngchí Wēi 龍池微 (= Wànrú); received jìbié (sealing) in 順治壬辰 = 1652 autumn.
Abbacies (eleven, predominantly Héběi / Tiānjīn / suburban Beijing). Tiānjīn Dìzàngsì 天津地藏寺; Tiānjīn Rúláisì 天津如來寺; Xióngxiàn Chóngníngsì 雄縣崇寧寺; Yángcūn Bàochéngsì 楊村報成寺; Zhuōzhōu Pǔdùsì 涿州普度寺; Liángxiāng Shífāngsì 良鄉十方寺; Jīnmén Bōrěyuàn 津門般若院; Luánzhōu Wànshànsì 灤州萬善寺; Xīshān Tánzhèsì 西山潭柘寺; Dūchéng Fǎtōngsì 都城法通寺; Pánshān Zhōngpánsì 盤山中盤寺.
Buried at Pánshān Zhōngpánsì 中盤寺 in the southeast corner under Zǐgàifēng 紫葢峰.
Disciples. Major fǎsì include Míngbō Gǔ 溟波古, Jiěsān Hóng 解三洪, Shèngxīn Jué 聖心覺, Fócáng Zhèng 佛藏正, Róngyǔ Guì 容宇貴, Qíbō Chén 奇波塵, Chǔfēng Lì 楚峰立.
Work. KR6q0584 《大博乾禪師語錄》 5 juan, J40 B472, recorded by his attendant Chāozōng 超宗 děng lù.
Sources. 《五燈全書》 vol. 72, vol. 93.