The original text is chanshi 禪師 [Zen master]. Chan master is the honorific for Chinese Buddhism. It refers to Buddhist monks who practice meditation and can guide others to practice meditation, that is, yogis in Indian Buddhism, so monks such as Tiantai Sect and Huayan Sect are often called Chan masters. With the development of Chinese Buddhism, it is also used to refer to monks of the Chan sect, especially virtuous monks.
In ancient India, the practice of unity of body and mind was called yoga, which means action and corresponding. Those who practice yoga are called yogis. At the beginning of the development of Buddhism, special emphasis was placed on meditation. With the division of sects, yoga and yogi became common terms in the era of Daviposha. When it was introduced to China, yoga was called Chan, which is a general term for the practice of meditation, and yogis were called Chan masters.
In the text, the Chan master refers to Qingxiu, the Elder.
