The Wisdom of Huineng, Chinese Buddhist Philosopher
The Wisdom of Huineng, Chinese Buddhist Philosopher

Author: Chu Dongwei

Publisher: iUniverse

Published: 2015-01-02

Total Pages: 277

ISBN-13: 1491751916

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For a non-Chinese and non-Buddhist like me, Chu Dongweis version of Huineng comes as a revelation. Chus lucid prose and verse translation of the great sage in my view opens us to what ultimately we cannot know but must always seek: the understanding of the nature of reality and of the ground of beingwhat in the West is called the perennial philosophy. Fraser Sutherland, Canadian poet and lexicographer Buddhism is becoming increasingly popular in the United States. With its popularity comes an interest in the history of Buddhism and its early practitioners. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find such books written in an easy-to-understand manner. The Wisdom of Huineng, Chinese Buddhist Philosopher: The Platform Sutra and Other Translations, edited and translated by Chu Dongwei, is an exception. Huineng (often spelt Hui-neng or Hui Neng, 638713) is one of the major Chinese sages. Known as Liuzu, he was the sixth grand master of Chan (Zen) Buddhism. This book consists of an easily accessible translation of The Platform Sutra and the sermons of Shenhui, a disciple that made Huinengs teaching popular. To provide historical background, Dongwei includes biographies and epitaphs that are rarely found in the English language. Dongweis edition of The Wisdom of Huineng, Chinese Buddhist Philosopher: The Platform Sutra and Other Translations allows readers to strengthen their understanding of Buddhism through the texts of one of its most important figures. There is no longer a need to fear the unknown as you dive into this readable and understandable information source.

Readings of the Platform Sutra
Readings of the Platform Sutra

Author: Morten Schlütter

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2012-02-07

Total Pages: 233

ISBN-13: 0231500556

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The Platform Sutra comprises a wide range of important Chan/Zen Buddhist teachings. Purported to contain the autobiography and sermons of Huineng (638–713), the legendary Sixth Patriarch of Chan, the sutra has been popular among monastics and the educated elite for centuries. The first study of its kind in English, this volume offers essays that introduce the history and ideas of the sutra to a general audience and interpret its practices. Leading specialists on Buddhism discuss the text's historical background and its vaunted legacy in Chinese culture. Incorporating recent scholarship and theory, chapters include an overview of Chinese Buddhism, the crucial role of the Platform Sutra in the Chan tradition, and the dynamics of Huineng's biography. They probe the sutra's key philosophical arguments, its paradoxical teachings about transmission, and its position on ordination and other institutions. The book includes a character glossary and extensive bibliography, with helpful references for students, general readers, and specialists throughout. The editors and contributors are among the most respected scholars in the study of Buddhism, and they assess the place of the Platform Sutra in the broader context of Chinese thought, opening the text to all readers interested in Asian culture, literature, spirituality, and religion.

The Diamond Sutra and The Sutra of Hui-neng
The Diamond Sutra and The Sutra of Hui-neng

Author:

Publisher: Shambhala Publications

Published: 2005-11-08

Total Pages: 178

ISBN-13: 0834826097

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Two classic Zen Buddhist texts that present the foundational teachings of the tradition—now collected in one volume for the modern practitioner The Diamond Sutra, composed in India in the fourth century CE, is one of the most treasured works of Buddhist literature and is the oldest existing printed book in the world. It is known as the Diamond Sutra because its teachings are said to be like diamonds that cut away all dualistic thought, releasing one from the attachment to objects and bringing one to the further shore of enlightenment. The format of this important sutra is presented as a conversation between the Buddha and one of his disciples. The Sutra of Hui-neng, also known as the Platform Sutra, contains the autobiography of a pivotal figure in Zen history and some of the most profound passages of Zen literature. Hui-neng (638–713) was the sixth patriarch of Zen in China but is often regarded as the true father of the Zen tradition. He was a poor, illiterate woodcutter who is said to have attained enlightenment upon hearing a recitation of the Diamond Sutra. Together, these two scriptures present the central teaching of the Zen Buddhist tradition and are essential reading for all students of Buddhism.

Dao Companion to Chinese Buddhist Philosophy
Dao Companion to Chinese Buddhist Philosophy

Author: Youru Wang

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2019-01-31

Total Pages: 436

ISBN-13: 9048129397

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Too often Buddhism has been subjected to the Procrustean box of western thought, whereby it is stretched to fit fixed categories or had essential aspects lopped off to accommodate vastly different cultural norms and aims. After several generations of scholarly discussion in English-speaking communities, it is time to move to the next hermeneutical stage. Buddhist philosophy must be liberated from the confines of a quasi-religious stereotype and judged on its own merits. Hence this work will approach Chinese Buddhism as a philosophical tradition in its own right, not as an historical after-thought nor as an occasion for comparative discussions that assume the west alone sets the standards for or is the origin of philosophy and its methodologies. Viewed within their own context, Chinese Buddhist philosophers have much to contribute to a wide range of philosophical concerns, including metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of religion, even though Western divisions of philosophy may not exhaust the rich contents of Chinese Buddhist philosophy. .

The Sutra of Hui-neng, Grand Master of Zen
The Sutra of Hui-neng, Grand Master of Zen

Author: Thomas Cleary

Publisher: Shambhala Publications

Published: 1998-09-14

Total Pages: 169

ISBN-13: 0834825414

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Hui-neng (638–713) is perhaps the most beloved and respected figure in Zen Buddhism. An illiterate woodcutter who attained enlightenment in a flash, he became the Sixth Patriarch of Chinese Zen, and is regarded as the founder of the "Sudden Enlightenment" school. He is the supreme exemplar of the fact that neither education nor social background has any bearing on the attainment of enlightenment. This collection of his talks, also known as the Platform or Altar Sutra, is the only Zen record of its kind to be generally honored with the appellation sutra, or scripture. The Sutra of Hui-neng is here accompanied by Hui-neng's verse-by-verse commentary on the Diamond Sutra—in its very first published English translation ever.

Chan Buddhism
Chan Buddhism

Author: Peter D. Hershock

Publisher: Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd

Published: 2004-09-30

Total Pages: 204

ISBN-13: 9780824827809

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Chan Buddhism has become paradigmatic of Buddhist spirituality. Known in Japan as Zen and in Korea as Son, it is one of the most strikingly iconoclastic spiritual traditions in the world. This succinct and lively work clearly expresses the meaning of Chan as it developed in China more than a thousand years ago and provides useful insights into the distinctive aims and forms of practice associated with the tradition, including its emphasis on the unity of wisdom and practice; the reality of "sudden awakening"; the importance of meditation; the use of "shock tactics"; the centrality of the teacher-student relationship; and the celebration of enlightenment narratives, or koans. Unlike many scholarly studies, which offer detailed perspectives on historical development, or guides for personal practice written by contemporary Buddhist teachers, this volume takes a middle path between these two approaches, weaving together both history and insight to convey to the general reader the conditions, energy, and creativity that characterize Chan. Following a survey of the birth and development of Chan, its practices and spirituality are fleshed out through stories and teachings drawn from the lives of four masters: Bodhidharma, Huineng, Mazu, and Linji. Finally, the meaning of Chan as a living spiritual tradition is addressed through a philosophical reading of its practice as the realization of wisdom, attentive mastery, and moral clarity.

Readings in Later Chinese Philosophy
Readings in Later Chinese Philosophy

Author: Justin Tiwald

Publisher: Hackett Publishing

Published: 2014-09-03

Total Pages: 437

ISBN-13: 1624661920

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An exceptional contribution to the teaching and study of Chinese thought, this anthology provides fifty-eight selections arranged chronologically in five main sections: Han Thought, Chinese Buddhism, Neo-Confucianism, Late Imperial Confucianism, and the Twentieth Century. The editors have selected writings that have been influential, that are philosophically engaging, and that can be understood as elements of an ongoing dialogue, particularly on issues regarding ethical cultivation, human nature, virtue, government, and the underlying structure of the universe. Within those topics, issues of contemporary interest, such as Chinese ideas about gender and the experiences of women, are brought to light. Introductions to each main section provide an overview of the period, while brief headnotes to selections highlight key points. The translations are the works of many distinguished scholars, and were chosen for their accuracy and accessibility, especially for students, general readers, and scholars who do not read Chinese. Special effort has been made to maintain consistency of key terms across translations. Also included are a glossary, bibliography, index of names, and an index locorum of The Four Books.

Zen Buddhism: India and China, with a new supplement on the Northern School of Chinese Zen
Zen Buddhism: India and China, with a new supplement on the Northern School of Chinese Zen

Author: Heinrich Dumoulin

Publisher: MacMillan Publishing Company

Published: 1994

Total Pages: 488

ISBN-13:

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The standard work on the history of Zen for 35 years has now been updated for a new generation of readers. The first of a two-volume set, this book offers a detailed account of the history, development, and traditions of the Zen school of Mahayana Buddhism. It explores the emergence of Zen from its roots in the Buddhist and Yogic traditions of ancient India to its Taoism-influenced development in China and its expression in the arts and culture of the two societies. New to this edition is a supplement containing the author's latest scholarship on the important Northern School of Chinese Zen, detailing its rise, its conflict with other Zen schools, and its demise in the 10th Century.

The Essential Jewel of Holy Practice
The Essential Jewel of Holy Practice

Author: Jay L. Garfield

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2017-11-14

Total Pages: 139

ISBN-13: 1614294631

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An exquisite poem from one of Dzogchen’s greatest teachers. The Essential Jewel of Holy Practice is a vibrant philosophical and ethical poem by one of Tibet’s great spiritual masters. Patrul Rinpoche presents a complete view of the path of liberation from the perspectives of the Madhyamaka understanding of emptiness and the Mahayana ideal of compassionate care refracted through the Dzogchen perspective on experience, yielding a sophisticated philosophical approach to practice focusing on the cultivation of clear, open, luminous, empty awareness and of liberation leading to the transformation of one’s moral capacity and sensitivity. Patrul Rinpoche’s verses speak intimately and directly to the reader and inspire one to develop one’s mind for the sake of ethical perfection and liberation. The translators’ introduction provides a foundation for reading the poem and their commentary to the verses assists the reader in understanding Patrul Rinpoche’s allusions and technical terms.

Patriarchs on Paper
Patriarchs on Paper

Author: Alan Cole

Publisher: Univ of California Press

Published: 2016-11-08

Total Pages: 340

ISBN-13: 0520284062

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The truth of Chan Buddhism--better known as "Zen"--is regularly said to be beyond language, and yet Chan authors--medieval and modern--produced an enormous quantity of literature over the centuries. To make sense of this well-known paradox, Patriarchs on Paper explores several genres of Chan literature that appeared during the Tang and Song dynasties (c. 600-1300), including genealogies, biographies, dialogues, poems, monastic handbooks, and koans. Working through this diverse body of literature, Alan Cole details how Chan authors developed several strategies to evoke images of a perfect Buddhism in which wonderfully simple masters transmitted Buddhism's final truth to one another, suddenly and easily, and, of course, independent of literature and the complexities of the Buddhist monastic system. Chan literature, then, reveled in staging delightful images of a Buddhism free of Buddhism, tempting the reader, over and over, with the possibility of finding behind the thick façade of real Buddhism--with all its rules, texts, doctrines, and institutional solidity--an ethereal world of pure spirit. Patriarchs on Paper charts the emergence of this kind of "fantasy Buddhism" and details how it interacted with more traditional forms of Chinese Buddhism in order to show how Chan's illustrious ancestors were created in literature in order to further a wide range of real-world agendas.