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Zhi Dun (; 314-366 CE) was a Chinese Buddhist monk and
Zhi Dun (; 314-366 CE) was a Chinese Buddhist monk and philosopher
A philosopher is a person who practices or investigates philosophy. The term ''philosopher'' comes from the grc, φιλόσοφος, , translit=philosophos, meaning 'lover of wisdom'. The coining of the term has been attributed to the Greek th ...
. A Chinese author, scholar, and confidant of Chinese government officials in 350 CE, he claimed that all who followed Buddhism would, at the end of their life, enter Nirvana.
In his book, '' A Short History of Chinese Philosophy'', Feng Youlan
Feng Youlan (; 4 December 1895 – 26 November 1990) was a Chinese philosopher, historian, and writer who was instrumental for reintroducing the study of Chinese philosophy in the modern era. The name he published under in English was 'Fung ...
recounts a story from the '' Shishuo Xinyu'' regarding Zhi Dun's fondness for cranes:"Once a friend gave him two youngranes Rane or Ranes may refer to: Geography *Råne River, Sweden *Rânes, a commune in the Orne department in northwestern France * Ráneš, a large island in Troms county, Norway People Indians *Rane (clan), an Indian Maratha clan ** Prachi Rane ( ...When they grew up, Chih-tun was forced to clip their wings so that they would not fly away. When this was done, the cranes looked despondent, and Chih-tun too was depressed, and said: "Since they have wings that can reach the sky, how can they be content to be a pet of man?" Hence when their feathers had grown again, he let the cranes fly away."
References
314 births 366 deaths 4th-century Chinese philosophers Chinese scholars of Buddhism Jin dynasty (266–420) philosophers Jin dynasty (266–420) essayists Jin dynasty (266–420) Buddhist monks Philosophers from Henan Writers from Kaifeng {{China-philosopher-stub