Sōgyanandai
Presentation
Saṅghanandin (Sōgyanandai), whose Sanskrit name means "joy of the community," is the 18th patriarch of the Sōtō lineage. A disciple of Rāhulabhadra (Ragorata), he transmitted the *dharma* to Gayāśāta (Kayashata). As with most Indian patriarchs of this period, historical details are scarce and come mainly from the Chinese chronicles of the Transmission of the Lamp. Tradition reports that he was known for his erudition and mastery of the *sūtras* — essential qualities at a time when the preservation and transmission of texts conditioned the very survival of the *dharma* in central India.
Biography
Sōgyanandai (Saṅghanandin) is the 18th patriarch of the Sōtō lineage (17th Indian patriarch). His Sanskrit name means "joy of the community (saṅgha)." As with most Indian patriarchs of this period, historical details are scarce and come primarily from the Chinese lamp transmission chronicles.
He received the transmission from Ragorata (Rāhulabhadra) and practiced in the central region of India, while Mahāyāna Buddhism continued to flourish at Nālandā and in the great monastic centers. He transmitted the *dharma* to Gayāśāta (Kayashata, 19th patriarch).
Tradition reports that Sōgyanandai was known for his erudition and mastery of the *sūtras*, an essential quality at a time when the preservation and transmission of texts conditioned the very survival of the *dharma*.
Sources
- Keizan Jōkin, Denkōroku
- Transmission of the Lamp (Jingde Chuandeng Lu, 景德傳燈錄)
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