Founder: Shākyamuni• 563-483 BCE• Shākyamuni is the
historical Buddha• Born in India• Left home at 29• Attained Enlightenment in
his 30s • Taught about 40 years• Entered Nirvana when he
was about 80 years old• Left a legacy of teachings
Patriarch 2: Mahākāśyapa
• 1st patriarch of Buddhism
• Inherited ShākyamuniBuddha’s Dharma through wordless transmission.
• The Buddha passed to him the robe and bowl
Patriarch 28 (1): Bodhidharma• Died ca. 533 CE• 28th Patriarch in India • 1st Patriarch in China. • Arrived in China from
India (520)• Meditated at near Loyang• Transmitted the mind-
seal Dharma to the 2nd Chinese Patriarch, HuiKo.
• Taught at Shao-lin.
Patriarch 29 (2): Hui-k’o
• 487-593 CE• 2nd Patriarch in China
(29th Patriarch since Shakyamuni Buddha)
• Knelt before Bodhidharma for 9 years
• Cut off his arm to show his sincerity before the Patriarch transmitted the mind-seal Dharma to him.
Patriarch 30 (3): Seng-ts’an• Died ca. 606 CE• 3rd Patriarch in China• 30th Patriarch since
Shakyamuni• Author of “Relying on
Mind” (Hsin hsinming).
• Entered Nirvana while swinging on the branch of a tree.
Patriarch 32 (5): Hung Ren
• 601-678 CE• 5th Patriarch in China• 32nd Patriarch since
Shakyamuni• Said to have
transmitted the mind seal to Hui Nengwhile he was still a layman
Patriarch 33 (6): Hui Neng• 638-713 CE• 6th Patriarch in China• 33rd Patriarch since
Shakyamuni• Received the mind seal
from the 5th Patriarch in a secret transmission
• Said to be the author of the “Platform Sutra” even though illiterate
Hui Neng• Illiterate wood-cutter• From South China• Studied Diamond Sutra
with 5th Patriarch Hung Ren
• Worked in monastery kitchen
• Selected as Dharma Successor over ShenHsiu, Hung Ren’s senior student.
Shen Hsiu’s Poem
The body is the BodhiTree,
The mind is like a bright mirror’s stand
At all times we must strive to polish it
And must not let dust collect.
Hui Neng’s Poem
Bodhi originally has no tree;
The bright mirror also has no stand.
Fundamentally there is not a single thing—
Where could dust arise?
Hui Neng Becomes Patriarch
• Hung Ren denigrates Hui Neng’s poem publicly
• Hung Ren names him his successor and gives Bodhidharma’srobe as a sign
• Hui Neng leaves temple secretly
Sudden vs. Gradual
• These verses used in Zen monasteries to teach the difference between “sudden” vs. “gradual” enlightenment.
• Shen Hsiu’s poem thought to illustrate “gradual” enlightenment
• Hui Neng’s poem illustrates “sudden” enlightenment
“Northern” vs. “Southern” Ch’an
• Although Shen Hsiu is said to have lost the competition, he became a well known teacher
• He went on to establish a lineage later called the “Northern” School
• Was received by Empress Wu• His teaching was popular among the
educated elites
“Northern” vs. “Southern” Ch’an
• The term “Northern” School was originally pejorative—meant to differentiate from the so-called “Southern” School
• The monk Shen Hui (670-762) began attacks on Shen Hsiu and the Northern School.
• Shen Hui accused Shen Hsiu of usurping the title of 6th Patriarch
“Northern” vs. “Southern” Ch’an
• Shen Hui accused Shen Hsiu of promoting “gradual” enlightenment as opposed to HuiNeng’s “sudden” enlightenment teachings
• According to Shen Hui, true enlightenment was a sudden breakthrough to “no-mind”
• Although the distinction between “gradual” and “sudden” was false, it became associated with the Northern and Southern Schools
Shen Hui (670-762)
• Shen Hui had reasons for attacking ShenHsiu and the Northern School
• The greatest of these was undoubtedly self-interest
• Some of his attacks were unscrupulous• Criticized Shen Hsiu’s success among the
elites, but himself became a successful fund raiser selling “monk certificates”
Platform Sutra
• The Platform Sutra was instrumental in promoting Shen Hui’s Southern School
• The legend of Hui Neng is created and promoted through the Sutra
• It had the politcal aim of establishing HuiNeng as the 6th Patriarch and Shen Hui as the 7th.
• The Sutra draws on a variety of canonical Indian sutras
Platform Sutra, cont.
• Sutra provides a story of how a “barbarian” from the south became the Patriarch even before becoming a monk
• The meaning is clear: Anyone can attain liberation in Ch’an, regardless of learning or status
• This made Ch’an Buddhism a universal doctrine and practice open to all who seek an end to suffering
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