Yuan Zhen and his Relation to Buddhism

The author elaborates on Yuan Zhen's friend-making experience, acceptance of Buddhism and understanding of Buddhist principles. Yuan Zhen gets in touch with Buddhism in his boyhood and the monks that he is familiar with mostly take refuge in ascetic practices and sit in meditation, and the dhyana he accepts belongs to Northern Chan School. Once being a scholar yearning for official career, Yuan Zhen keeps a close contact with Buddhism after being relegated, which accounts for his understanding of Buddhist doctrines and dhyana as being practical and away from original intention. And he also finds explanation from Buddhist doctrine in his repentance of the past.