Philosophy and Religion

How did Hui-neng become the sixth patriarch of Chinese Zen?

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According to tradition, Hui-neng (638-713) became the sixth patriarch of Chinese Zen by superseding his rival in the intuitive grasp of the truth of enlightenment, even though he was illiterate. The Platform Sutra, attributed to Hui-neng, defines enlightenment as the direct seeing of one's "original Mind" or "original Nature," which is Buddha, and this teaching has remained characteristic of Zen. A number of teaching lineages arose after Hui-neng, all claiming descent from him, and teaching the method of "sudden enlightenment" best known in the West by the term satori.

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Similar questions: What did Hui-neng do for Zen Buddhism? Who was Hui-neng? Where did "sudden enlightenment come from? What is the Platform Sutra? What type of teaching did Hui-neng develop? Who was the sixth patriarch of Chinese Zen? [ Hide these questions ]

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