Sixth Patriarch Talks

Dajian Huineng (traditional Chinese: 大鑒惠能; pinyin: Dàjiàn Huìnéng; Wade–Giles: Ta⁴-chien⁴ Hui⁴-nêng²; Japanese: Daikan Enō; Korean: Daegam Hyeneung; February 27, 638 – August 28, 713), also commonly known as the Sixth Patriarch or Sixth Ancestor of Chan (traditional Chinese: 禪宗六祖), is a semi-legendary but central figure in the early history of Chinese Chan Buddhism. According to tradition he was an uneducated layman who suddenly attained awakening (Chinese: 見性, jianxing) upon hearing the Diamond Sutra. Despite his lack of formal training, he demonstrated his understanding to the fifth patriarch, Daman Hongren, who then supposedly chose Huineng as his true successor instead of his publicly known selection of Yuquan Shenxiu.

Twentieth century scholarship revealed that the story of Huineng's Buddhist career was likely invented by the monk Heze Shenhui, who claimed to be one of Huineng's disciples and was highly critical of Shenxiu's teaching.

Huineng is regarded as the founder of the "Sudden Enlightenment" Southern Chan school of Buddhism, which focuses on an immediate and direct attainment of Buddhist enlightenment. The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch (六祖壇經), which is said to be a record of his teachings, is a highly influential text in the East Asian Buddhist tradition.

From Huineng on Wikipedia

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Title Speaker

Blue Cliff Record: Case #35

Serial: BZ-00034A

Manjushri's "3's" and "3's"; Nondiscrimination, Saturday Lecture

BCR-35

 

Non-discrimination, Koan, Manjushri, Dragons, Conversation, Sixth Patriarch, Monastic...
Jul 03 1982
Berkeley Zen Center

Essence of Mind: The Fifth Paramita

Serial: BZ-00008A

Subject and Object--Buddhanature, Saturday Lecture

Subject-and-Object, Duality, Buddha Nature, Buddha Nature, Daily Life, Subject-and-...
May 15 1982
Berkeley Zen Center

Celebration of Spring--This Shore, The Other Shore

Serial: BZ-00014B

Keepng Your Place, One-Day Sitting

Sixth Patriarch, Heart Sutra, Nirvana, Happiness, Observe
Mar 20 1982
Berkeley Zen Center

Rinzai Zen

Sixth Patriarch, Soto Zen, Lotus Sutra, Heart Sutra, Platform Sutra, Doubt, Buddha...
Feb 26 1982
Berkeley Zen Center

Right Effort and Right Thought

Serial: BZ-00026A

Saturday Lecture

Right Effort, Right Thought, Noble Eightfold Path, Study, Focus, Right Effort,...
Nov 15 1980
Berkeley Zen Center

November 15, 1980, Serial No. 01061

Right Effort, Monastic Practice, Sixth Patriarch, Soto Zen, Daily Life, American,...
Nov 15 1980
Berkeley Zen Center

Unknown Date, Serial 00168, Side B

Birth-and-Death, Lotus Sutra, Ordinary Mind, Sixth Patriarch, Platform Sutra, Funeral...
[field_wisdom_date]

The Book of Serenity

Serial: BZ-00239

Class 1 of 5

Duality, Intimacy, Ego, Sixth Patriarch, Subject-and-Object, Non-duality, Four Noble...
[field_wisdom_date]
1
Berkeley Zen Center

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