create-master

create-master — Buddhist Dharma Master Teaching Role Generator

Skill Overview

create-master is an AI teaching role generation tool based on Buddhist canonical texts and the FoJin knowledge graph. It can create digital Dharma teaching assistants for great masters in history, helping Buddhist scholars and practitioners learn the teachings of the patriarchs through dialogue.

Use Cases

1. Buddhist Studies and Learning

When you need to gain a deep understanding of a particular patriarch’s core doctrines, create-master can generate an AI role for that Dharma master. Through dialogue, it explains sutras, elaborates on doctrinal meanings, and provides scriptural citation sources (including CBETA sutra IDs and FoJin links).

2. Reference for Practice Guidance

During practice, when you encounter questions, you can invoke the role of a Dharma master from the relevant lineage for a Dharma perspective. For example: questions about chanting in the Pure Land school can be directed to the role of Master Yin Guang;禅宗 questions about tham-gong/meditation insight can be directed to the role of Master Huineng.

3. Comparative Study of Sect Doctrines

When researching different sect views, you can use the /compare-masters feature to have multiple Dharma masters respond to the same question from their respective lineages, helping you understand similarities and differences among sects.

Core Functions

1. Intelligent Information Collection and Verification

The system automatically matches Dharma master information via the FoJin knowledge graph, collects relevant scriptures and content excerpts, and uses verify_sources.py to verify the validity of all CBETA links, ensuring the sources are real and reliable. If the FoJin API is unavailable, a manual input mode is supported.

2. Two-Stage Analysis and Review

Doctrinal Analysis: analyzes core doctrine dimensions, key sutras, and stages of cultivation

Style Analysis: automatically applies appropriate speaking styles based on sect characteristics (e.g., Chan’s “critical phrases and kōans,” Pure Land’s exhortations to trust and recite the Buddha)

Doctrinal Review: verifies scriptural coverage (target ≥ 90%), CBETA ID accuracy, and sect boundaries

Style Review: verifies completeness of hard rules and style-to-sect match

3. Pre-set and Custom Dharma Masters

Provides eight pre-set roles of prominent Chinese Buddhist patriarchs (Xuanzang, Kumārajīva, Huineng, Zhiyi, Fazang, Yin Guang, Yuan Ying, and Xuyun). You can call them directly via /{slug}. It also supports generating roles for other historical great monks.

4. Evolution and Correction Mechanism

Adding Materials: In evolution mode, new scriptural materials can be added; versions increment automatically, and older versions are archived

User Corrections: During use, you can correct the AI’s performance. Correction records take priority over analysis-generated content

Version Management: supports rolling back to any historical version

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the AI Dharma masters generated by create-master accurate?

The generated Dharma master roles are strictly based on historical Buddhist literature and the FoJin knowledge graph. All doctrinal assertions must include CBETA scriptural citations. Please note, however, this is for learning reference only and cannot replace guidance from a real good spiritual friend. For formal cultivation guidance, draw near to a good spiritual friend.

Which Buddhist sects’ Dharma masters are supported?

create-master supports the main Chinese Buddhist traditions, including the Chan school, Pure Land school, Tiantai school, Huayan school, and the Shelun/Sanlun school within the Faxiang Weishi (Dharmalaksana–Vijñānavāda) tradition. The system automatically applies the corresponding speaking-style rule set based on each Dharma master’s sect information.

Can it generate fictional Dharma master roles?

No. create-master only accepts historically real great monks and does not create teaching roles for fictional characters (e.g., novel characters, game characters). This is to ensure the authenticity and seriousness of the doctrinal content.

How do I use create-master?

The simplest way is to provide the Dharma master’s name directly, e.g., /create-master Master Yìng Yáng (弘一大师). The system will automatically match the FoJin knowledge graph, fill in lineage, era, sect, and other metadata, and then begin generating after confirmation. You can also enter the interactive Q&A flow with only /create-master.

Where are the generated Dharma master roles saved?

The role files are saved under masters/{slug}/, including SKILL.md (full role definition), teaching.md (doctrinal system), voice.md (speaking style), and meta.json (metadata). For Claude Code users, ensure the masters/ directory is included in the skill search path so it can be called via /{slug}.

What if the FoJin API is unavailable?

The system provides a fallback strategy: if the FoJin API returns an error or is unreachable, it can switch to manual input mode. The user can paste the original text of a sutra or provide the CBETA sutra ID, and the system will continue generating based on the materials provided by the user.

Can I add new scriptural materials?

Yes. In evolution mode, you can add new scriptural materials to enhance existing Dharma masters (e.g., “Add materials from 《文钞三编》 for Master Yin Guang”). The system merges using the strategy of “new data first, preserving the original structure.” Versions increment automatically, and older versions are archived.

Can the generated Dharma master roles replace a real good spiritual friend?

No. create-master is positioned as an auxiliary tool “for reference learning only.” All responses include FoJin citation links. If questions fall outside the scope, it will be candid. For issues related to mental health, it will advise users to seek professional help. It does not make judgments about the superiority or inferiority of sects, and it does not claim spiritual powers or responsive signs.