Selection from the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch: Chapter 1, Part 1 of 2

Venerated Buddhist Master Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch of Zen, is a legendary figure in the early history of Chinese Zen Buddhism. An illiterate peasant who made a living collecting and selling firewood, it is believed that one day, upon hearing a passage uttered from the Diamond Sutra, he immediately understood the true meaning of the passage and experienced an awakening of the Truth. Master Huineng demonstrated his understanding of the Buddha’s teachings to the fifth patriarch, Daman Hongren, despite his lack of any formal training. As a result, he was chosen as the true successor or the Sixth Patriarch. Master Huineng spent a further 15 years in contemplative practice before he began teaching as the Sixth Patriarch of Zen.