- published: 25 May 2016
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The Huayan or Flower Garland school of Buddhism (traditional Chinese: 華嚴; ; pinyin: Huáyán, from Sanskrit: Avataṃsaka) is a tradition of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy that first flourished in China during the Tang dynasty. It is based on the Avatamsaka Sutra (Chinese: 華嚴經; pinyin: Huáyán jīng) and on a lengthy Chinese interpretation of it, the Huáyán lùn (Chinese: 華嚴論). The name Flower Garland is meant to suggest the crowning glory of profound understanding.
The Huayan School is known as Hwaeom in Korea and Kegon in Japan.
The Hua-yen school was established during the period of the end of the Sui and beginning of Tang dynasty (c. 600-700 CE). The Tiantai school, which was favoured by the Sui, fell in disgrace. The Tang rulers favoured Taoism, but under Emperor Taizong (627–650), interest in Buddhism, especially Yogacara, relived at the court. Empress Wu Zetian (684–705) supported the Huayan school of Fazang.
The founding of the school is traditionally attributed to a series of five "patriarchs" who were instrumental in developing the schools' doctrines. These five are: