Patriarchs of Ch`an/Zen

Patriarchs of Ch’an/Zen
India-China
Founder: Shākyamuni
• 563-483 BCE
• Shākyamuni is the
historical Buddha
• Born in India
• Left home at 29
• Attained Enlightenment in
his 30s
• Taught about 40 years
• Entered Nirvana when he
was about 80 years old
• Left a legacy of teachings
Patriarch 2: Mahākāśyapa
• 1st patriarch of
Buddhism
• Inherited Shākyamuni
Buddha’s Dharma
through wordless
transmission.
• The Buddha passed
to him the robe and
bowl
Patriarch 28 (1): Bodhidharma
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Died ca. 533 CE
28th Patriarch in India
1st Patriarch in China.
Arrived in China from
India (520)
• Meditated at near Loyang
• Transmitted the mindseal Dharma to the 2nd
Chinese Patriarch, Hui
Ko.
• Taught at Shao-lin.
Patriarch 29 (2): Hui-k’o
• 487-593 CE
• 2nd Patriarch in China
(29th Patriarch since
Shakyamuni Buddha)
• Knelt before
Bodhidharma for 9 years
• Cut off his arm to show
his sincerity before the
Patriarch transmitted the
mind-seal Dharma to him.
Patriarch 30 (3): Seng-ts’an
• Died ca. 606 CE
• 3rd Patriarch in China
• 30th Patriarch since
Shakyamuni
• Author of “Relying on
Mind” (Hsin hsin
ming).
• Entered Nirvana while
swinging on the
branch of a tree.
Patriarch 31 (4): Dao Xin
• 580-651 CE
• 4th Patriarch in China
• 31st Patriarch since
Shakyamuni
Patriarch 32 (5): Hung Ren
• 601-678 CE
• 5th Patriarch in China
• 32nd Patriarch since
Shakyamuni
• Said to have
transmitted the mind
seal to Hui Neng
while he was still a
layman
Patriarch 33 (6): Hui Neng
• 638-713 CE
• 6th Patriarch in China
• 33rd Patriarch since
Shakyamuni
• Received the mind seal
from the 5th Patriarch in a
secret transmission
• Said to be the author of
the “Platform Sutra” even
though illiterate
Hui Neng
• Illiterate wood-cutter
• From South China
• Studied Diamond Sutra
with 5th Patriarch Hung
Ren
• Worked in monastery
kitchen
• Selected as Dharma
Successor over Shen
Hsiu, Hung Ren’s senior
student.
Shen Hsiu’s Poem
The body is the Bodhi
Tree,
The mind is like a bright
mirror’s stand
At all times we must
strive to polish it
And must not let dust
collect.
Hui Neng’s Poem
Bodhi originally has no
tree;
The bright mirror also
has no stand.
Fundamentally there is
not a single thing—
Where could dust arise?
Hui Neng Becomes Patriarch
• Hung Ren denigrates
Hui Neng’s poem
publicly
• Hung Ren names him
his successor and
gives Bodhidharma’s
robe as a sign
• Hui Neng leaves
temple secretly
Sudden vs. Gradual
• These verses used in Zen monasteries to
teach the difference between “sudden” vs.
“gradual” enlightenment.
• Shen Hsiu’s poem thought to illustrate
“gradual” enlightenment
• Hui Neng’s poem illustrates “sudden”
enlightenment
“Northern” vs. “Southern” Ch’an
• Although Shen Hsiu is said to have lost
the competition, he became a well known
teacher
• He went on to establish a lineage later
called the “Northern” School
• Was received by Empress Wu
• His teaching was popular among the
educated elites
“Northern” vs. “Southern” Ch’an
• The term “Northern” School was originally
pejorative—meant to differentiate from the
so-called “Southern” School
• The monk Shen Hui (670-762) began
attacks on Shen Hsiu and the Northern
School.
• Shen Hui accused Shen Hsiu of usurping
the title of 6th Patriarch
“Northern” vs. “Southern” Ch’an
• Shen Hui accused Shen Hsiu of promoting
“gradual” enlightenment as opposed to Hui
Neng’s “sudden” enlightenment teachings
• According to Shen Hui, true enlightenment
was a sudden breakthrough to “no-mind”
• Although the distinction between “gradual”
and “sudden” was false, it became
associated with the Northern and Southern
Schools
Shen Hui (670-762)
• Shen Hui had reasons for attacking Shen
Hsiu and the Northern School
• The greatest of these was undoubtedly
self-interest
• Some of his attacks were unscrupulous
• Criticized Shen Hsiu’s success among the
elites, but himself became a successful
fund raiser selling “monk certificates”
Platform Sutra
• The Platform Sutra was instrumental in
promoting Shen Hui’s Southern School
• The legend of Hui Neng is created and
promoted through the Sutra
• It had the politcal aim of establishing Hui
Neng as the 6th Patriarch and Shen Hui as
the 7th.
• The Sutra draws on a variety of canonical
Indian sutras
Platform Sutra, cont.
• Sutra provides a story of how a “barbarian”
from the south became the Patriarch even
before becoming a monk
• The meaning is clear: Anyone can attain
liberation in Ch’an, regardless of learning
or status
• This made Ch’an Buddhism a universal
doctrine and practice open to all who seek
an end to suffering