Huineng

Huineng is the sixth (last) Dharma ancestor of Chan / Zen Buddhism in the ( historically not occupied ) succession line from Bodhidharma. He is known as author of the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Dharma ancestors (六祖坛经), which was for the development of the ' Southern School ' of the Chan of great importance. This Sutra contains the biographical data.

Life

Known as the Master Huineng was born 638 in Guangzhou in southern China in the Lu family. After the early death of his father, the boy made ​​early by gathering wood for the maintenance of the family and learned to read or write. As he delivered one day firewood at an inn, he heard a guest reciting the Diamond Sutra and had an awakening experience. He put his mother's supply, and broke into the north in order to practice the Buddha way to a master.

In the monastery of Hongren, the Fifth Dharma ancestors, arrived to give him a place in the kitchen is assigned, where he was employed with rice husking and gathering firewood. One day Hongren invited the monks to bring their understanding in a poem ( Gatha ) for expression. He would to that passed the insignia of the master who could manifest the understanding of the essence of the teaching. All the monks were convinced that Shenxiu, the head monk would have the best study and understanding and refrained to write a poem.

Shenxiu wrote the following verse to the monastery walls:

The body is the Bodhi tree The mind is like a clear mirror standing Foremen him always with zeal Let no dust adhere to it

The Dharma ancestor certified that the Shenxiu that he would have reached the outer gate of knowledge, but would not yet occurred.

All the monks read the Gatha with admiration and repeated it. So it came to the ears of Huineng. Huineng was read to the Gatha again and wrote a verse for his part, he asked a passing officer to write next to it:

The reason there is no Bodhi tree Since no clear mirror is mounted on a frame The origin is there not a thing What dust shall lay

As the Fifth Dharma ancestor saw this Gatha, he wiped it with his shoe to stir up jealousy among the monks formed. He later attended Huineng in the rice mill, eventually handing him at midnight in secret robe and made him the Sixth Dharma successor. With a mission not occur for several years as a teacher, and finally to bring the people of the ( barbarian ) South teaching, Huineng left the monastery. He is considered the founder of the Southern school of Chan, which is also called the school of sudden enlightenment.

Numerous legends and dialogs are still associated with the person of Huineng.