Nanquan Puyuan: Zen's "Ordinary Mind" and the Natural Way of the Tao Te Ching

Brief Introduction

Nanquan Puyuan (748-834) was a renowned Zen Buddhist master of the Tang Dynasty and a disciple of Mazu Daoyi of the Hongzhou School. His most famous teaching is that "The Ordinary Mind is the Way." It is important to clarify that Nanquan Puyuan was not a figure in the Tao Te Ching; the Tao Te Ching was compiled during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, a thousand years before Nanquan. However, there is a profound resonance between the two in terms of philosophical core, and they are often discussed together by later literati to explain the essence of Chinese studies on the nature of the mind. This article aims to clarify historical facts and explore the philosophical dialogue between the two thoughts.

Core Knowledge Points

1. The Ordinary Mind is the Way: Nanquan proposed that "The Way needs no cultivation, just do not contaminate it." This means the true Way is not found in cultivation far from the secular world, but in daily life such as wearing clothes, eating meals, defecating, and urinating. There is no need to deliberately seek the Way; the present moment is it.
2. Historical Status: He was an important successor to Mazu Daoyi, influencing the later Linji and Caodong schools. He is one of the important sources of Japanese Zen, and his recorded sayings are included in the Jingde Record of the Transmission of the Lamp.
3. Famous Koan: Such as "Nanquan Cuts the Cat." Using extreme means to break his disciples' attachment to form, this highlights the Zen mechanism of "directly pointing to the human mind," warning people not to fall into the trap of binary thinking.

Philosophical Connection with the Tao Te Ching

Although there is no direct textual connection, Nanquan's thoughts share a spiritual isomorphism with the Tao Te Ching, reflecting the cultural characteristic of Buddhist-Taoist fusion in the Tang Dynasty:
* Natural Non-action vs. Ordinary Mind: Laozi advocated "Man follows Earth, Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows the Way, the Way follows Nature," emphasizing following one's inherent nature. Nanquan's "Ordinary Mind" similarly opposes deliberate fabrication and advocates returning to authenticity. Both oppose artificial embellishment.
Non-action yet Nothing Left Undone: The "Non-action" (Wu Wei) in the Tao Te Ching* does not mean inaction, but rather not acting arbitrarily. This is consistent with Nanquan's advocacy of "not contaminating" the nature of the mind. Both pursue an unadorned state of life, maintaining the quietness and emptiness of the mind.
The Interconnectedness of the Way: The Tao Te Ching* states "The Great Way is Simple," and Nanquan also spoke of the "Ordinary Mind." This simple philosophical view made Zen thoughts easier for Chinese scholars to understand, becoming an important node in the convergence of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, jointly shaping the spiritual world of the Chinese people.

Conclusion

Although Nanquan Puyuan was not a figure in the Tao Te Ching, his wisdom of "The Ordinary Mind is the Way" is actually Zen's inheritance and development of Taoist natural philosophy. Understanding the connection between the two helps us grasp the core spirit of "returning to authenticity" in traditional Chinese culture more deeply, and find inner peace and balance in modern life.