Ouyi Zhixu

Grand Master (大師)
Ouyi Zhixu
A portrait of Ouyi Zhixu
Personal life
Born1599
South Zhili, Ming
Died1655
Religious life
ReligionBuddhism
LineageChinese Pure Land; Tiantai; Chan
TeachersXueling

Ouyi Zhixu (蕅益智旭, pinyin: Ǒuyì Zhìxù; 1599–1655) was a Chinese Buddhist monk and scholar in 17th century China. He is considered a patriarch of the Chinese Pure Land School, a Chan master, as well as a great exponent of Tiantai Buddhism. He was also one of the Four Eminent Monks of the Wanli Era, after Yunqi Zhuhong (1535–1615), Hanshan Deqing (1546–1623), and Daguan Zhenke (1543–1604).

Zhixu is well known for his non-sectarian and syncretic writings, which draw on various traditions like Tiantai, Pure Land, Yogacara, and Chan, and also engage with Confucian, Daoist and Jesuit sources.