The platform sutra the zen teaching of hui-neng U.S. $16.95 Eastern Religion The Platform Sutra occupies a central place in Zen (Ch’an) Buddhist instruction for students and spiritual seekers worldwide. It is often linked with The Heart Sutra and The Diamond Sutra to form a trio of texts that have been revered and studied for centuries. Sutra makes it easy for fitness instructors to build their own virtual fitness studio. Host live classes, sell on-demand videos, courses and retreats. One Booking Platform Across All Devices. Give your students the power to book through your Instagram, website or the Sutra mobile app, Get started.

On The Way: The Daily Zen Journal

The Platform Sutra

Daijian Huineng (638–713)

The samadhi of oneness is straightforward mind at all times, walking, staying, sitting, and lying. “Straight-forward mind is the place of practice; straight-forward mind is the Pure Land.” Only practice straight-forward mind, and in all things have no attachments whatsoever; this is called the samadhi of oneness. The deluded person clings to the characteristics of things, adheres to the samadhi of oneness, thinks that straightforward mind is sitting without moving and casting aside delusions without letting things arise in the mind.

This he, or she, considers to be the samadhi of oneness. This kind of practice is the same as insentiency and the cause of obstruction to the Tao. Tao must be something that circulates freely; why should we impede it? If the mind does not abide in things, the Tao circulates freely; if the mind abides in things, it becomes entangled. If sitting in meditation without moving is good, why did Vimalakirti scold Shariputra for sitting in meditation in the forest?

Good friends, some teach people to sit viewing the mind and viewing purity, not moving and not activating the mind, and to this they devote their efforts. Deluded people do not realize that this is wrong, cling to this doctrine, and become confused. There are many such people. Those who instruct in this way are, from the outset, greatly mistaken.

How then are meditation and wisdom alike? They are like the lamp and the light it gives forth. If there is a lamp, there is light; if there is no lamp, there is no light. The lamp is the substance of light; the light is the function of the lamp. Thus, although they have two names, in substance they are not two. Meditation and wisdom are also like this.

In the Dharma there is no sudden or gradual, but among people some are keen and others dull. The deluded recommend the gradual method, the enlightened practice the sudden teaching. To understand the original mind for yourself is to see into your own original nature. Once enlightened, there is from the outset no distinction between these two methods; those who are not enlightened will for long kalpas be caught in the cycle of transmigration.

In this teaching of mine, from ancient times up to the present, all have set up no-thought as the main doctrine, non-form as the substance, and non-abiding as the basis. Non-form is to be separated from form even when associated with form. No-thought is not to think even when involved in thought. Non-abiding is the original nature of man.

Successive thoughts do not stop; prior thoughts, present thoughts, and future thoughts follow one after the other without cessation. If one instant of thought is cut off, the Dharma body separates from the physical body, and in the midst of successive thoughts there will be no place for attachment to anything. If one instant of thought clings, then successive thoughts cling; this is known as being fettered. Therefore, non-abiding is made the basis.

Being outwardly separated from all forms, this is non-form. When you are separated from form, the substance of your nature is pure. Therefore, non-form is made the substance.

To be unstained in all environments is called no-thought. If on the basis of your own thoughts you separate from environment, then, in regard to things, thoughts are not produced. If you stop thinking of the myriad things, and cast aside all thoughts, as soon as one instant of thought is cut off, you will be reborn in another realm. Students, take care! Don’t rest in objective things and the subjective mind. If you do so, it will be bad enough that you yourself are in error, yet how much worse that you encourage others in their mistakes? The deluded person, however, does not see and slanders the teachings of the sutras. Therefore, no-thought is established as a doctrine. Because people in their delusion have thoughts in relation to their environment, heterodox ideas stemming from theses thoughts arise, and passions and false views are produced from them. Therefore this teaching has established no-thought as a doctrine.

People of the world, separate yourselves from views; do not activate thoughts. If there were no thinking, then no-thought would have no place to exist. “No” is the “no” of what? “Thought” means “thinking” of what? “No” is the separation from the dualism that produces the passions. “Thought” means thinking of the original nature of True Reality. True Reality is the substance of thoughts; thoughts are the function of True Reality. If you give rise to thoughts from your self-nature, then, although you see, hear, perceive, and, know, you are not stained by the manifold environments, and are always free. The Vimalakirti Sutra says: “Externally, while distinguishing well all the forms of the various dharmas, internally stand firm within the First Principle.”

In this teaching from the outset sitting in meditation does not concern the mind nor does it concern purity; we do not talk of steadfastness. If someone speaks of “viewing the mind,” then I would say that the “mind” is of itself delusion, and as delusions are just like fantasies, there is nothing to be seen. If someone speaks of “viewing purity,” then I would say that human nature is of itself pure, but because of false thoughts True Reality is obscured. If you exclude delusions, then the original nature reveals its purity.

If you activate your mind to view purity without realizing that your own nature is originally pure, delusions of purity will be produced. Since this delusion has no place to exist, then you know that whatever you see is nothing but delusion. Purity has no form, but, nonetheless, some people try to postulate the form of purity and consider this to be Chan practice. People who hold this view obstruct their own original natures and end up being bound by purity. One who practices steadfastness does not see the faults of people everywhere. This is the steadfastness of self-nature. The deluded person, however, even if he doesn’t move his own body, will talk of the good and bad of others the moment he opens his mouth, and thus, behave in opposition to the Tao. Therefore, both “viewing the mind” and “viewing purity” will cause an obstruction to Tao.

Now that we know that this is so, what is it in this teaching that we call “sitting in meditation”? In this teaching “sitting” means without any obstructions anywhere, outwardly and under all circumstances, not to activate thoughts. “Meditation” is internally to see the original nature and not become confused.

And what do we call Chan meditation? Outwardly to exclude form is Chan; inwardly to be unconfused is meditation. Even though there is form on the outside, when internally the nature is not confused, then, from the outset, you are of yourself pure and of yourself in meditation. The very contact with circumstances itself causes confusion. Separation from form on the outside is Chan; being untouched on the inside is meditation. Being Chan externally and meditation internally, is know as Chan meditation. The Vimalakirti Sutra says: “At once, suddenly, you regain the original mind.” The P’u-sa-chieh says: “From the outset your own nature is pure.”

See for yourselves the purity of your own natures, practice and accomplish for yourselves. Your own nature is the Dharmakaya, and self-practice is the practice of Buddha; by self-accomplishment you may achieve the Buddha Way for yourselves.

Daijian Huineng (638–713)

Excerpted from The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, translated by Philip Yampolsky 1967

Source:

• The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch
  By: Philip Yampolsky 1967

Many of us are familiar with the first part of the Platform Sutra recounting the story of Huineng’s life and how he obtained the robe and bowl after arriving at the monastery as a commoner. Legend has it that as a child while selling firewood, he just happened to hear a man reciting the Diamond Sutra and awakened to its meaning. . At that point he asked the man where he came from and determined to go there to study with the Fifth Patriarch, Hung-jen.

This second part of the Platform Sutra is where our piece begins, a profound lecture on prajna. He prepares his listeners at the very beginning with an introduction that even today we can use to help prepare ourselves to listen and receive a teaching.

“My teaching has been handed down from the sages of the past; it is not my own personal knowledge. If you wish to hear the teachings of the sages of the past, each of you must quiet his mind and hear me to the end. Please cast aside your own delusions; then you will be no different from the sages of the past.”

Hui-neng

While there are some very deep principles in this selection, there is also the heart of simplicity helping us to cut through the sidepaths we sometimes wander down. The depth of the reading almost overwhelms us and beckons us return for new insights. However, there is an ultimate confidence communicated that shifts us closer to true understanding rather than getting caught up in stages and levels.

“See for yourselves the purity of your own natures, practice and accomplish for yourselves. Your own nature is the Dharmakaya, and self-practice is the practice of Buddha; by self-accomplishment you may achieve the Buddha Way for yourselves.”

Steadfastly,

Elana

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On The Way: The Daily Zen Journal

Platform Sutra

Hui-neng (638-713)

All the sutras and texts, all twelve divisions of the Hinayana and Mahayana canons, were arranged by people. And it was because of the nature of wisdom that they could do so. Moreover, if there were no people in the world, none of the ten thousand teachings would have appeared. Hence, the ten thousand teachings have been created because of people, and the sutras all exist because somebody spoke them.

Some people in the world are foolish and some are wise. The foolish are shallow, and the wise are deep. So the foolish ask the wise, and the wise teach the Dharma to the foolish until the foolish understand, and their minds open up. But once foolish people understand, they are no different from the wisest of the wise.

Hence, as long as they don't understand, buddhas are ordinary beings. But the moment they understand, ordinary beings are buddhas. Hence, the ten thousand teachings are all present within your own mind. So why don't you use your own mind to see the nature of reality directly?

The Bodhisattva Precept Sutra says, 'Our original nature is pure.' When you know your mind and see your nature, you complete the path to buddhahood. And the Vimalakirti Sutra says, 'Suddenly all at once you rediscover your own mind.'

Good friends, when I was with Master Hung-jen, as soon as I heard his words, I experienced a great realization, and I saw the original nature of reality directly. Therefore, I am passing on the teaching to later generations so that those who study the Way will realize enlightenment directly and those who contemplate the mind will realize their original nature directly. If you are unable to realize this by yourselves, you need to find a truly good friend to point out the way to see your nature.

And what do I mean by a 'truly good friend?' Someone who understands the teaching of the Supreme Vehicle and who points directly to the true path is a truly good friend, a great intermediary, a guide who helps people see their nature. All good teachings can only come about due to truly great friends.

The buddhas of the Three Periods and the twelve divisions of the Canon are fully present in this nature of yours. If you can't realize this by yourselves, you need to find a good friend to show you how to see your nature. But if you realize this by yourselves, you don't need to look for a good friend somewhere else. And if someone insists that you have to find a good friend somewhere else before you attain liberation, that place doesn't exist. You will attain liberation when you meet the good friend inside your own mind. As long as your mind is full of confusion, delusion, and mistaken views, even the instruction of an external good friend won't be able to save you.

If you can realize this by yourself, the moment you give rise to the light of prajna, all your delusions will vanish in a flash. This is your truest friend. With one realization you reach the stage of buddhahood. Use this wisdom to illuminate the land of the mind of your nature. And when inside and outside are perfectly clear, you will know your own mind. Once you know your own mind, you will be free. And once you have gained freedom, this is the samadhi of prajna. The realization of the samadhi of prajna is no-thought.

What do we mean by no-thought? The teaching of no-thought means to see all dharmas without being attached to any dharma, to reach everywhere without being attached to anywhere, to keep your nature pure, so that when the Six Thieves pass through the Six Gates, they neither avoid nor are corrupted by the Six Realms of Sensation but come and go freely. This is the samadhi of prajna. Freedom and liberation constitute the practice of no-thought. But if you don't think any thoughts at all, the moment you make your thoughts stop, you're imprisoned by dharmas. We call this a 'one-sided view.'

Those who understand the teaching of no-thought penetrate the ten thousand teachings. Those who understand the teaching of no-thought see the realm of buddhas. Those who understand the direct teaching of no-thought reach the stage of enlightenment.

'The Liberation of Seeing the True Buddha'

Deluded a buddha is a being

enlightened a being is a buddha

a foolish buddha is a being

a wise being is a buddha

a biased buddha is a being

an unbiased being is a buddha,

As long as your mind is biased

the buddha dwells in a being

the moment you wake up unbiased

a being becomes a buddha

Your mind contains a buddha

your buddha is the real one

if you didn't have the buddha-mind

where would you go to find a buddha?

Hui-neng (638-713)

Excerpted from The Platform Sutra – The Zen Teaching of Hui-neng translated by Red Pine

Source:

• The Platform Sutra – The Zen Teaching of Hui-neng
  By: Red Pine 2006

So, good friends, what do you think? Here Hui-neng reminds us,

'...the ten thousand teachings are all present within your own mind. So why don't you use your own mind to see the nature of reality directly?'

For many of us who have not encountered that wonderful Good Friend who can help us see into our own nature, looks like it is up to us. And there have been many people who have tried to find just that relationship, however, it is rare to find someone who has not become changed by their position of influence over others. And anyway, it all comes down to us doing the work of seeing, being, realizing. No one can do it for us.

And what it the correct attitude or safeguard to keep us from fooling ourselves? To never allow ourselves to dwell anywhere, to never stop at an 'understanding' or vision of how things must be. To avoid that self satisfying sensation of 'ah, that must be it!' We have so many clever ways to pat ourselves on the back with superficial understandings. To maintain a spiritual vigilance; keep sitting, keep company with those who can help us, even if they have been gone hundreds of years. The spirit of the teaching is always ever present.

And if the best we can attain now is a spiritual sangha that is invisible, we all know somewhere inside that these divisions are all arbitrary anyway. When we sit there are always others sitting, immersed in the Present Unfolding, sharing this rich path through time together.

Platform Sutra Dubbed Animation

Walking together,

Elana

Platform Sutra Buddhism

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