Vinītaruci (विनीतरुचि; died 594) was an Indian Buddhist monk who preached in China and Vietnam. He came to

Changan Chang'an (; zh, t=長安, s=长安, p=Cháng'ān, first=t) is the traditional name of the city now named Xi'an and was the capital of several Chinese dynasties, ranging from 202 BCE to 907 CE. The site has been inhabited since Neolithic time ...

in 573 and spent seven years in China. In 580 he came to support the preaching of

Buddhism in Vietnam Buddhism in Vietnam ( Vietnamese: ''Đạo Phật'', 道佛 or ''Phật Giáo,'' 佛教), as practiced by the Vietnamese people, is a form of East Asian Mahayana Buddhism. It is the main religion in Vietnam. According to the Vietnamese governmen ...

, being notable as one of the first direct influences on Vietnam in the

History of Buddhism in India Buddhism is an ancient Indian religion, which arose in and around the ancient Kingdom of Magadha (now Bihar, India). It is based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha, who lived in the 6th or 5th century BCE and was deemed a "Buddha" or an " ...

and in the development of Vietnamese Thiền or

Chinese Chán Chan (; of ), from Sanskrit '' dhyāna'' (meaning " meditation" or "meditative state"), is a Chinese school of Mahāyāna Buddhism. It developed in China from the 6th century CE onwards, becoming especially popular during the Tang and Song ...

Zen Buddhism Zen (; from Chinese: '' Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka ph ...

in Vietnam. He is known in Vietnam as Tì-ni-đa-lưu-chi (from the Sino-Vietnamese transcription of the Sanskrit 毘尼多流支) and also by the Chinese Sino-Vietnamese name Diệt Hỉ (滅喜) in Chinese-language texts of Vietnamese Buddhism. He was from

Oḍḍiyāna (also: ''Uḍḍiyāna'', ''Uḍḍāyāna'', ''Udyāna'' or 'Oḍḍiyāna'), a small region in early medieval India, is ascribed importance in the development and dissemination of Vajrayana, Vajrayāna Buddhism.‘Uḍḍiyāna and Kashmir’ ...

, traditionally identified as a place in the

Swat valley Swat District (), also known as the Swat Valley, is a district in the Malakand Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Known for its stunning natural beauty, the district is a popular tourist destination. With a population of 2,687,384 per th ...

Preaching in Vietnam

Vinītaruci came to Vietnam around the end of the 6th century (around 580), residing at Phap Van Pagoda (now Dau Pagoda, Bac Ninh). He translated Mahāprajñāpāramitā-saṃcārya-sūtra after having translated Gayāśīrṣasūtra in China. In his final moments, the Master called for his devoted disciple, Dharmabhadra, and bestowed upon him his spiritual testament: ''"The seal of all Buddhas is without deceit, as vast as the boundless sky, neither lacking nor excessive, neither coming nor going, neither gaining nor losing, neither one nor different, neither permanent nor impermanent, originally without a place of birth nor a place of extinction, neither distant nor not distant. It is only due to illusory circumstances that such a name is established... When Master

Sengcan Jianzhi Sengcan (; Hànyǔ Pīnyīn, Pīnyīn: ''Jiànzhì Sēngcàn''; Wade–Giles: ; Romanization of Japanese, Rōmaji: ) is known as the Third Chinese Patriarch of Chán after Bodhidharma and thirtieth Patriarch after Siddhārtha Gautama Buddh ...

impressed this mind upon me, he told me to quickly go to the South to teach others. Having traveled to many places, I have now arrived here and met you, which is truly in accordance with the ancient prophecy. So you should cherish this well, for the time of my departure has come."'' Having said that, Vinītaruci folded his hands and passed away. Pháp Hiền carried out the cremation rites, gathered the sacred relics, and erected a stupa in their honor in the year 594. Jason Neelis Early Buddhist Transmission and Trade Networks: Mobility and ... 2010 - Page 251 "Several sixth century Indian monks (Narendrayaśas, Vinītaruci, and Vimoksasena) came from Uddiyāna in the Swat valley."

References

Thiền Buddhists Indian Buddhist monks 6th-century Indian monks 594 deaths Year of birth unknown {{zen-bio-stub