Dan chuan, Dān chuán: 4 definitions
Introduction:
Dan chuan means something in Buddhism, Pali. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Buddhism
Chinese Buddhism
[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]
單傳 [dan chuan]—Single Transmission (- dān chuán)
[Terminology (術語 [shu yu] - shùyǔ)] The core tenet (宗旨 [zong zhi] - zōngzhǐ) of the Chan (禪家 [chan jia] - Chánjiā) school, which does not rely on the words and phrases of sutras and treatises (經論 [jing lun] - jīnglùn), but rather is the single transmission of the mind-seal (心印 [xin yin] - dān chuán xīnyìn).
The Blue Cliff Record (碧巖 [bi yan] - Bìyán), Case One, comments: "Bodhidharma (達磨 [da mo] - Dámó), observing from afar that this land possessed the capacity for Mahayana, then crossed the sea and came specifically to transmit the mind-seal singularly."
The Garden of Ancestral Affairs (祖庭事苑 [zu ting shi yuan] - Zǔtíng Shìyuàn) states: "All patriarchs who transmitted the Dharma initially practiced concurrently with the teachings of the Three Vehicles. Later, Patriarch Bodhidharma, through the single transmission of the mind-seal, broke attachments and revealed the true lineage. This is what is called 'a special transmission outside the scriptures' (教外別傳 [jiao wai bie chuan]), 'no dependence on words and letters' (不立文字 [bu li wen zi]), 'directly pointing to the human mind' (直指人心 [zhi zhi ren xin]), and 'seeing one's nature and becoming a Buddha' (見性成佛 [jian xing cheng fu]). However, many misunderstand 'no dependence on words and letters.' They often believe that abandoning words and practicing silent sitting is Chan. This is truly a 'dumb sheep' (啞羊 [ya yang] - yāyáng) of our school. Moreover, the myriad dharmas are in confusion. Why should it be only words that are not established (as ultimate truth)? They do not realize that the Dao is still pervasive. How can one be confined to one corner? Therefore, even words themselves are unattainable (empty). Since words are like this, other dharmas are also the same. This is why it is about seeing one's nature and becoming a Buddha. How can one wait to abandon them before it is complete?"
單傳—【術語】禪家之宗旨，不依經論文句，單傳心印也。碧巖初則評唱曰：「達磨遙觀此土有大乘根機，遂泛海得得來，單傳心印。」祖庭事苑曰：「傳法諸祖，初以三乘教乘兼行，後達磨祖師單傳心印破執顯宗。所謂教外別傳不立文字，直指人心見性成佛。然不立文字失意者多矣，往往謂屏去文字以默坐為禪，斯實吾門之啞羊爾，且萬法紛然。何止文字不立者哉？殊不知道猶通也。豈拘執於一隅哉，故即文字文字不可得。文字既爾餘法亦然，所以為見性成佛也。豈待遣而後已。」
[shù yǔ] chán jiā zhī zōng zhǐ, bù yī jīng lùn wén jù, dān chuán xīn yìn yě. bì yán chū zé píng chàng yuē: “dá mó yáo guān cǐ tǔ yǒu dà chéng gēn jī, suì fàn hǎi dé dé lái, dān chuán xīn yìn.” zǔ tíng shì yuàn yuē: “chuán fǎ zhū zǔ, chū yǐ sān chéng jiào chéng jiān xíng, hòu dá mó zǔ shī dān chuán xīn yìn pò zhí xiǎn zōng. suǒ wèi jiào wài bié chuán bù lì wén zì, zhí zhǐ rén xīn jiàn xìng chéng fú. rán bù lì wén zì shī yì zhě duō yǐ, wǎng wǎng wèi píng qù wén zì yǐ mò zuò wèi chán, sī shí wú mén zhī yǎ yáng ěr, qiě wàn fǎ fēn rán. hé zhǐ wén zì bù lì zhě zāi？ shū bù zhī dào yóu tōng yě. qǐ jū zhí yú yī yú zāi, gù jí wén zì wén zì bù kě dé. wén zì jì ěr yú fǎ yì rán, suǒ yǐ wèi jiàn xìng chéng fú yě. qǐ dài qiǎn ér hòu yǐ.”
[shu yu] chan jia zhi zong zhi, bu yi jing lun wen ju, dan chuan xin yin ye. bi yan chu ze ping chang yue: "da mo yao guan ci tu you da cheng gen ji, sui fan hai de de lai, dan chuan xin yin." zu ting shi yuan yue: "chuan fa zhu zu, chu yi san cheng jiao cheng jian xing, hou da mo zu shi dan chuan xin yin po zhi xian zong. suo wei jiao wai bie chuan bu li wen zi, zhi zhi ren xin jian xing cheng fu. ran bu li wen zi shi yi zhe duo yi, wang wang wei ping qu wen zi yi mo zuo wei chan, si shi wu men zhi ya yang er, qie wan fa fen ran. he zhi wen zi bu li zhe zai? shu bu zhi dao you tong ye. qi ju zhi yu yi yu zai, gu ji wen zi wen zi bu ke de. wen zi ji er yu fa yi ran, suo yi wei jian xing cheng fu ye. qi dai qian er hou yi."
Chinese Buddhism (漢傳佛教, hanchuan fojiao) is the form of Buddhism that developed in China, blending Mahayana teachings with Daoist and Confucian thought. Its texts are mainly in Classical Chinese, based on translations from Sanskrit. Major schools include Chan (Zen), Pure Land, Tiantai, and Huayan. Chinese Buddhism has greatly influenced East Asian religion and culture.
Languages of India and abroad
Chinese-English dictionary
[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]
單傳 [dān chuán] [dan chuan]—
1. Taught by one master (一師 [yi shi]) and not mixed with other schools/factions (別派 [bie pai]). Song Dynasty (宋 [song]). Yang Wanli (楊萬里 [yang wan li]), "Poem from 'Poem Scroll of Huang Luling Boyong'" (書黃廬陵伯庸詩卷 [shu huang lu ling bo yong shi juan]): "How could the poetic style (句法 [ju fa]) ever ask outsiders (外人 [wai ren])? It's a single transmission of Shangu's (山谷 [shan gu]) true essence (當家春 [dang jia chun])."
2. (A lineage) passed down through generations (世代相傳 [shi dai xiang chuan]) with only one son (一子 [yi zi]).
單傳：1.一師傳授而不雜別派。宋．楊萬里〈書黃廬陵伯庸詩卷〉詩：「句法何曾問外人，單傳山谷當家春。」
2.世代相傳僅有一子者。
dān chuán:1. yī shī chuán shòu ér bù zá bié pài. sòng． yáng wàn lǐ 〈shū huáng lú líng bó yōng shī juǎn〉 shī: “jù fǎ hé céng wèn wài rén, dān chuán shān gǔ dāng jiā chūn.”
2. shì dài xiāng chuán jǐn yǒu yī zi zhě.
dan chuan:1. yi shi chuan shou er bu za bie pai. song. yang wan li
2. shi dai xiang chuan jin you yi zi zhe.
單傳 [dān chuán] refers to: “direct transmission”.
單傳 is further associated with the following language/terms:
[Related Chinese terms] 直傳.
[Vietnamese] đơn truyền.
[Korean] 단전 / danjeon.
[Japanese] タンデン / tanden.
Chinese language.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Dan, Chuan, Tan.
Starts with: Dan chuan xin yin.
Full-text (+52): Zhi zhi dan chuan, Dan chuan xin yin, Bie chuan, Don truyen, Truc chi don truyen, Long mu, Andu, Huo niu zhen, Ju huo, Zong ren, Fan jian, Tuo tu, Danti, Zhuang shi duan wan, Yi he, Yin bing, Xiong zhong xi mo, Lian dan, Yu mei, Zhi chuan.
Relevant text
Search found 4 books and stories containing Dan chuan, 單傳, Dān chuán, Dānchuán, Danchuan, 单传; (plurals include: Dan chuans, Dān chuáns, Dānchuáns, Danchuans). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 544 < [English-Mizo (1 volume)]
Zen Philosophy of Mindfulness < [Volume 13, Issue 9 (2022)]
The Three Ni Doctrine of Healing the World < [Volume 16, Issue 6 (2025)]
Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies
‘Introduction’ to the Forthcoming Histories of Chan (Zen) < [Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies 5.2 (2022)]
A Dictionary Of Chinese Buddhist Terms (by William Edward Soothill)