Contents Platform Sutra

1 contents

1.1 chapter 1 - personal history
1.2 chapter 2 - prajna (lecture)
1.3 chapter 3 - questions
1.4 chapter 4 - meditation , wisdom (lecture)
1.5 chapter 5 - seated meditation (lecture)
1.6 chapter 6 - ceremony of repentance
1.7 chapter 7 - key events (encounter stories , dialogues)
1.8 chapter 8 - immediate , gradual (encounter stories , dialogues)
1.9 chapter 9 - imperial summons
1.10 chapter ten - transmission

contents

the platform sutra is:

...a wonderful melange of chan teachings, virtual repository of entire tradition second half of eighth century. @ heart of sermon same understanding of buddha-nature have seen in texts attributed bodhidharma , hongren, including idea fundamental buddha-nature made invisible ordinary humans illusions .

chapter 1 - personal history

chapter 1 contains well-known story of contest succession of hongren. essential part of traditional zen narrative. according text, huineng won contest, had flee monastery avoid rage of supporters of henxui. story not factual account, 8th-century construction, so-called oxhead school.

the contest centers on 2 verses:

according traditional interpretation, based on guifeng zongmi, fifth-generation successor of shenhui, 2 verses represent respectively gradual , sudden approach. according mcrae, incorrect understanding:

[t]he verse attributed shenxiu not in fact refer gradual or progressive endeavor, constant practice of cleaning mirror [...] [h]is basic message of constant , perfect teaching, endless personal manifestation of bodhisattva ideal.

huineng s verse not stand alone, forms pair shenxiu s verse:

huineng s verse(s) apply rhetoric of emptiness undercut substantiality of terms of formulation. however, basic meaning of first proposition still remains .

mcrae notes similarity in reasoning oxhead school, used threefold structure of absolute, relative , middle , or thesis-antithesis-synthesis . according mcrae, platform sutra synthesis in threefold structure, giving balance between need of constant practice , insight absolute.

chapter 2 - prajna (lecture)

chapter 2 contains lecture on prajna, given after recitation of mahaprajnaparamita sutra. chapter:

when our mind works freely without hindrance, , @ liberty come or go , attain samadhi of prajna, or liberation. such state called function of thoughtlessness. refrain thinking of anything, thoughts suppressed, dharma-ridden, , erroneous view.

chapter 3 - questions

in chapter 3 huineng answers questions lay audience. huineng discusses famous story of bodhidharma telling emperor wu of liang deeds bring him no merit. next, discusses pure land of west, asserting greater importance of 1 s inner state compared 1 s physical location. leads conclusion in huineng asserts lay practice outside of monastery preferable following forms of monastic renunciation without inner practice.

chapter 4 - meditation , wisdom (lecture)

in chapter four, meditation , wisdom said of same essence:

meditation , wisdom of 1 essence, not different. meditation essence of wisdom, , wisdom function of meditation. @ times of wisdom, meditation exists in wisdom; @ times of meditation, wisdom exists in meditation.

chapter 5 - seated meditation (lecture)

chapter 5 details pureness of our fundamental nature :

in teaching of seated meditation, 1 fundamentally not concentrate on mind, nor 1 concentrate on purity, nor motionlessness. if 1 concentrate on mind, mind [involved] fundamentally false. should understand mind phantasm, nothing can concentrate on it. if 1 concentrate on purity, [realize because] our natures fundamentally pure, through false thoughts suchness covered up. without false thoughts , nature pure of itself. if activate mind become attached purity, generate falseness of purity. false without location; concentration false. purity without shape , characteristics; create characteristics of purity , ‘effort’ [in meditation]. have such view obscure one’s own fundamental nature, , fettered purity.

chapter 6 - ceremony of repentance

chapter 6 describes repentance-ritual.

chapter 7 - key events (encounter stories , dialogues)

chapter 7 gives various stories of encounters , dialogues.

chapter 8 - immediate , gradual (encounter stories , dialogues)

chapter 8 gives various stories of encounters , dialogues.

chapter 9 - imperial summons

chapter 9 describes request of imperial court huineng visit emperor, , huineng s decline of command.

chapter ten - transmission

in chapter on final instructions, huineng instructs accomplished disciples, giving specific instructions how preach dharma , show influence of buddhist teachings on 5 skandhas, concept of namarupa, , yogacara-teachings:

one day, master summoned disciples fahai, zhicheng, fada, shenhui, zhichang, zhitong, zhiche, zhidao, fazhen, , faru, , said, “you different other people. after extinction should each become master in different region. teach how preach dharma without losing fundamental doctrine.

“first should discuss 3 categories of teaching , thirty-six responses of active functioning. coming out , going in transcend 2 extremes. in preaching dharmas, not depart self-nature.

“the 3 categories of teaching skandhas, realms, , entrances. ‘skandhas’ refers 5 skandhas of form, feelings, thoughts, impulses, , consciousness. ‘entrances’ refers twelve entrances (āyatanas): 6 types of external sense data of forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles, , dharmas; , 6 internal sense organs of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, , mind. ‘realms’ refers eighteen realms: 6 types of sensory data, 6 senses, , 6 consciousnesses. self-nature able incorporate myriad dharmas , named ‘storehouse consciousness.’ if 1 activates thinking, ‘transformation consciousnesses,’ generation of 6 consciousnesses exit 6 senses , see 6 types of sensory data.