5th Patriarch Great Master Shaokang 五祖少康大师

Great Master Shaokang 少康大师 (736-805AD) from the Tang Dynasty is the fifth Pure Land Patriarch of Chinese Pure Land Buddhism. Every year on the 3rd day of the tenth lunar month is the Memorial Day of the Parinirvana/Rebirth of Master Shaokang. 

Master Shaokang, whose conventional surname was Zhou (周), was born in Jinyun Xiandushan (缙云仙都山), in what is today Jinyun Zhejiang province (今缙云浙江), China. After he was born, he could not speak no matter what his parents did. 

When Master Shaokang turned seven, his mother took him to Lingshan Temple (灵山寺) to pay respect to the Buddha (礼佛). When they arrived, they went before the Buddha image, Master Shaokang’s mother asked him, “Do you know him?” Master Shaokang opened his mouth and suddenly spoke, “Shakyamuni Buddha.” Master Shaokang’s parents were greatly surprised and overjoyed. They believed the reason why their son could finally speak and could speak like this was due to his past good roots, so they decided to allow their son to become a monk and practice Nianfo (念佛, mindfulness of the Buddha, i.e., chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha). The then little Master Shaokang soon adopted the monastic life at Lingshan Temple.

By the time Master Shaokang turned fifteen, he could already recite and completely understand the Lotus Sutra, Surangama Sutra and all the five great sutras’ meaning. He also practiced in accordance to different sutras and observed the vinaya precepts.

In the year 785 (Tang Dynasty), Master Shaokang arrived at the White Horse Temple in Luoyang (洛阳白马寺, the earliest temple in China) to pay respect to the Buddha. He saw that inside the great hall there was a Buddhist book with its text shining. He discovered that this was the second Pure Land Patriarch Master Shandao’s work, Guide to the Western Pure Land (西方化导文). Thus, Master Shaokang gave rise to the aspiration to study and share the Pure Land Dharma gate.

When Master Shaokang first arrived in Xinding (新定), a place where Nianfo was rarely known at that time, he saw a young child pass by. He used the money he obtained from alms and told the child to Nianfo. Master Shaokang promised the boy that if he could Nianfo just once, he would give him one coin. After this event, many people began to Nianfo, and Master Shaokang changed the bargain: If anyone could Nianfo ten times then they would receive one coin. After one year, whenever someone saw Master Shaokang, whether elderly or young, of noble or humble family, they would all recite Amituofo (Amitabha Buddha). Day after day, the sound of Nianfo filled the streets.

In the year 795 (Tang Dynasty, Zhenyuan 10th year), at the age of 58, Great Master Shaokang established a Pure Land Bodhimanda (a centre for cultivation) at Wulong Mountain (乌龙山, present-day Yuquan/Jade Spring Temple 玉泉寺 in Wulong Mountain, Meicheng Town, Jiande County in Zhejiang Province). He gathered a great assembly to Nianfo together.

Great Master Shaokang began teaching the Dharma to propagate the profound meaning of the Pure Land teachings. He built a three-storeyed platform in order to gather people to cultivate the Dharma together. 

Master Shaokang reciting Nianfo with Buddhas appearing from his mouth

Great Master Shaokang ascended to the highest seat and recited “Namo Amituofo.” Everyone followed him in the recitation. When Master Shaokang recited, with every recitation, a Buddha appeared from his mouth. For every ten recitations, ten Buddhas came forth from his mouth, appearing one after another like prayer beads. The Master said to the great assembly, “Those who can see the Buddha's form, will without a doubt be reborn in the Pure Land.” Many disciples who heard this prediction gave rise to tremendous joy, and recited the Buddha's name even more diligently. The few yet to have this vision felt deep grief and remorse, which drove them to deepen their faith in the Pure Land Dharma and become more diligent in their cultivation. Master Shaokang led a local craze for chanting Amitabha Buddha's name to seek rebirth in the Pure Land.

In the 10th month of the 21st year of the Zhenyuan era (Tang Dynasty), when Great Master was 69 years old, he knew in advance when he would attain rebirth. He gathered his disciples to give them their final instruction: “Give rise to a heart cultivated for the Pure Land. Give rise to a heart of detachment for Jambudvipa (Earth, the evil world of five turbidities). Those of you who can see my light at this time are my true disciples.” After he finished speaking, the Master sat in a meditative posture, emitted several rays of light from his body and attained rebirth. The weather changed instantly, as fierce winds arose from the four directions. Hundreds of birds chirped sadly, and Mount Wulong also turned white. 

Master Shaokang’s disciples built a pagoda to house his relics. Many people regarded Master Shaokang as the latter Shandao (后善导) and honoured him as the fifth patriarch of Chinese Pure Land Buddhism.

Master Shaokang was guided by Master Shandao to follow and propagate the Pure Land path. Whenever Great Master Shandao chanted Nianfo just once, a ray of bright light was emitted from his mouth. This is similar to Great Master Shaokang’s miracle: When he chanted Nianfo just once, a Buddha came forth from his mouth. Therefore, everyone honourably addressed him as the “Latter Shandao,” and as the the Pure Land Tradition's Fifth Patriarch. It is believed that Master Shaokang is the incarnation of Master Shandao and Amitabha Buddha (as Master Shandao is the incarnation of Amitabha Buddha).