The Huayan school of Buddhism (, Wade–Giles: Hua-Yen, "Flower Garland," from the Sanskrit "Avataṃsaka") is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty (618–907).Yü, Chün-fang (2020). Chinese Buddhism: A Thematic History, p. 160. University of Hawaii Press. The Huayan worldview is based primarily on the Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra (, Flower Garland Sūtra) as well as on the works of Huayan patriarchs, like Zhiyan (602–668), Fazang (643–712), Chengguan (738–839), Zongmi (780–841) and Li Tongxuan (635–730).
Another name for this tradition is the Xianshou school (賢首, Xianshou being another name for patriarch Fazang).Hammerstrom, Erik J. (2020). The Huayan University network: the teaching and practice of Avataṃsaka Buddhism in twentieth-century China, chapter 1. Columbia University Press. The Huayan School is known as Hwaŏm in Korea, Kegon in Japan and Hoa Nghiêm in Vietnam.
The Huayan tradition considers the Flower Garland Sūtra to be the ultimate teaching of the Buddha. It also draws on other sources, like the Mahayana Awakening of Faith, and the Madhyamaka and Yogacara philosophies.Van Norden, Bryan and Nicholaos Jones, "Huayan Buddhism", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2019 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.). Huayan teachings, especially its doctrines of universal interpenetration, nature origination (which sees all phenomena as arising from a single ontological source), and the omnipresence of Buddhahood, were very influential on Chinese Buddhism and also on the rest of East Asian Buddhism. Huayan thought was especially influential on Chan (Zen) Buddhism, and some scholars even see Huayan as the main Buddhist philosophy behind Chan/Zen.Fox, Alan. (2013). The Huayan Metaphysics of Totality. In A Companion to Buddhist Philosophy, S.M. Emmanuel (Ed.).
History
Origins of the Chinese Avataṃsaka tradition The Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra (The Garland of Buddhas Sūtra, or The Multitude of Buddhas Sūtra) is a compilation of sūtras of various length, some of which originally circulated as independent works before being combined into the "full" Avataṃsaka.Williams, Paul, Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations, Routledge, 2008, p. 132. One of the earliest of these texts, the Ten Stages Sūtra (Daśabhūmika), may date from the first century CE. These various sūtras were probably joined shortly before its translation into Chinese, at the beginning of the 5th century CE.Gregory, Peter N. Tsung-Mi and the Sinification of Buddhism, University of Hawaii Press, 2002, p. 9.
There are various versions of the Chinese Avataṃsaka (Chinese: Huāyán Jīng 華嚴經, "Splendid Flower Adornment Sūtra"). The full sūtra was translated into Chinese three times (in versions of 40, 60, and 80 fascicles or "scrolls," 卷).Yü, Chün-fang (2020). Chinese Buddhism: A Thematic History, p. 161. University of Hawaii Press. The earliest Chinese texts associated with the Avataṃsaka are the Dousha jing (Taisho 280), produced by Lokaksema (fl. 147–189) in the latter part of the second century CE, and the Pusa benye jing (Book of the Original Acts that Adorn the Bodhisattva, T. 281), translated by Zhi Qian (fl. c. 220–257 CE) in the early to mid third century. There is evidence that these smaller or partial Avataṃsaka sūtras circulated on their own as individual scriptures.Hamar, Imre (Editor). Reflecting Mirrors: Perspectives on Huayan Buddhism (ASIATISCHE FORSCHUNGEN), 2007, page 110.
As soon as the large Huāyán Sūtra appeared in China, an exegetical tradition grew up around the text in order to explain it. The first translation of the larger Huāyán Sūtra (in 60 fascicles) is often dated to the Southern Dynasties era (c. 420–589), when a translation team led by Gandharan master Buddhabhadra produced a full Chinese translation of the text.Hamar (2007), pp. 169-170. There is also evidence of a Huāyán Sūtra tradition in the Northern Dynasties (386–581) era. The Avataṃsaka teachings are associated with figures like Xuangao (402–444) who led a community with Daorong at Binglingsi cave, and Zhidan (c. 429–490), who argued that only the Huāyán Sūtra teaches the "sudden teaching" (while other Mahayana texts teach the gradual teaching).
Xuangao, a disciple of Buddhabhadra, was associated with the teaching of the "Huāyán Samadhi" which is said to have been passed on to him by Buddhabhadra.Hamar (2007), pp. 171. According to Hamar, Xuangao's tradition is a precursor to the Huayan school and may have even composed the apocryphal Brahma's Net Sūtra (Fanwang Jing T1484).Hamar, Imre (Editor) (2007). Reflecting Mirrors: Perspectives on Huayan Buddhism (Asiatische Forschungen), p. 174 Xuangao's tradition is also associated with Chinese meditation cave grottoes such as the Yungang Grottoes, Maijishan Grottoes and the Bingling Temple Grottoes.Chen Jinhua Sen, "Meditation Traditions in Fifth-Century Northern China: With a Special Note on a Forgotten “Kaśmiri” Meditation Tradition Brought to China by Buddhabhadra (359-429)", in Tansen (editor) (2014). Buddhism Across Asia: Networks of Material, Intellectual and Cultural Exchange, pp. 101-130. ISEAS Publishing.
The origins of some of the teachings of the Huāyán school proper can also be traced back to the Dilun school, which was based on the Shidijing lun (十地經論), Vasubandhu's commentary to the Daśabhūmikā-sūtra (which is part of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra) translated by Bodhiruci and Ratnamati.Hamar, Imre. "The Exegetical Tradition of the Buddhāvataṃsaka-sūtra." Journal of East Asian Cultures 2022/1: 1–16. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0517-3512 Dilun figures like Ratnamati's disciple Huiguang (468–537) emphasized the study of the entire Avataṃsaka and Dilun masters likely had their own commentaries on the text (but none have survived in full). Only a few extracts remain, such as parts of Huiguang's commentary and parts of Lingyu's (518–605).
Lingbian (靈辨, 477–522) was another early figure who studied and commented on the Avataṃsaka. He is referred to by Fazang as a great devotee of Manjushri, and 12 fascicles of Lingbian's commentary to the Avataṃsaka survive, being the earliest significant Chinese commentary on the Avataṃsaka which is extant. Jingying Huiyuan (523–592) was another prominent Dasabhūmika master in the North. Huiyuan's lineage was a major force in transmitting the Dasabhūmika tradition in Chang'an during the early Sui dynasty. Other monks like Pu'an also focused on Huayan sūtra study during the Sui. The integration of different Huayan sūtra lineages at Zhixiang temple became a key base for the future Huayan School.Wei Daoru, Shi Sherry (trans. 2025). A Study on the General History of Huayan School in Chinese Budhism.
Tang dynasty patriarchs
The founding of the Huayan school proper is traditionally attributed to a series of five patriarchs who were instrumental in developing the school's doctrines during the Tang dynasty (618 to 907). These Huayan "patriarchs" (though they did not call themselves as such) were erudite scholar-practitioners who created a unique tradition of exegesis, study and practice through their writings and oral teachings. They were particularly influenced by the works of the Dilun and Shelun schools of Chinese Yogacara.
These five patriarchs are:Hamar, Imre (Editor). Reflecting Mirrors: Perspectives on Huayan Buddhism (ASIATISCHE FORSCHUNGEN), 2007, page 5. Dushun (, c. 557–640), a monk who was known as a meditator master and who was devoted to the Huayan sūtra. He wrote several works. The Discernments of the Huayan Dharmadhātu (Huayan fajie guanmen) has been attributed to him, but this is questioned by modern scholars. His base was at Xi'an and the Zhongnan mountains. Zhiyan (, c. 602–668), was a student of Dushun who is considered to have established most of the main doctrines of Huayan thought and is thus a crucial figure in the foundation of Huayan.Hamar, Imre (Editor). Reflecting Mirrors: Perspectives on Huayan Buddhism (ASIATISCHE FORSCHUNGEN), 2007, page 3. Zhiyan also studied with various masters from the Dilun and Shelun schools, which were branches of Chinese Yogacara, and synthesized their ideas.King Pong Chiu (2016). Thomé H. Fang, Tang Junyi and Huayan Thought: A Confucian Appropriation of Buddhist Ideas in Response to Scientism in Twentieth-Century China, p. 53. BRILL. Zhiyan's key contribution was the theory of the "dependent arising from the dharma realm" (法界缘起), which he saw as the essence of Huayan Sūtra. He also taught the doctrine of the ten mysterious gates (十玄门), which are principles that explain dependent arising and the interfusion of all phenomena. Fazang (, c. 643–712), who was the disciple of Zhiyan and the Buddhist teacher of the Empress Wu Zetian (684–705). He is often considered the real founder of the school. He wrote numerous works on Huayan thought and practice including several commentaries on the Avatamsaka.Cleary, Thomas (1993). Entry into the Inconceivable: An Introduction to Hua-yen Buddhism, p. 13. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. He developed the doctrinal classification system of Huayan and the doctrine of the perfect interfusion of six characteristics (六相圓融). He also worked on a new translation of the Avatamsaka Sūtra (in collaboration with various figures, including Śikṣānanda) in 80 fascicles. Chengguan (, c. 738–839), though he was not a direct student of Fazang (who died 25 years before Chengguan's birth), Chengguan further developed the Huayan teachings in innovative directions in his various commentaries and treatises.Cleary, Thomas (1993). Entry into the Inconceivable: An Introduction to Hua-yen Buddhism, p. 14. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. He was a student of Fashen (718–778), who was a student of Fazang's student Huiyuan. Chengguan's voluminous commentary to the new 80 fascicle Avatamsaka (the Da fang-guang fo huayan jing shu, 大方廣佛華嚴經疏, T. 1735), along with his sub-commentary to it (T. 1736), soon became the authoritative commentaries to the sūtra in East Asia. Guifeng Zongmi (, c. 780–841), who is also known for also being a patriarch of Chinese Chán and for also writing on Daoism and Confucianism.King Pong Chiu (2016). Thomé H. Fang, Tang Junyi and Huayan Thought: A Confucian Appropriation of Buddhist Ideas in Response to Scientism in Twentieth-Century China, p. 54. BRILL. His writings include works on Chan (such as the influential Chan Prolegomenon) and various Huayan commentaries.Cleary, Thomas (1993). Entry into the Inconceivable: An Introduction to Hua-yen Buddhism, p. 15. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. He was particularly fond of the Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment, writing a commentary and sub-commentary to it. While the above list is the most common one, other Huayan patriarchal lists add different figures, such as Nagarjuna, Asvaghosa, Vasubandhu, and the lay master Li Tongxuan (, 635?–730), the author of the Xin Huayan Jing Lun (新華嚴經論, Treatise on the new translation of the Avatamsaka Sūtra), a popular and lengthy commentary on the Avatamsaka.Hamar, Imre (Editor). Reflecting Mirrors: Perspectives on Huayan Buddhism (ASIATISCHE FORSCHUNGEN), 2007, page XV. Li Tongxuan's writings on the Huayan sūtra were particularly influential on later Chan Buddhists, who often preferred his interpretations.