PHIL-202 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Dharma, Yuquan Shenxiu, Huineng
Document Summary
Movement from abstractness of nirvana to individual enlightenment of whoever finds. Advocates philosophy of pure mind: one must retrieve their inherent original mindset, The buddha is not a transcendental, powerful being/supreme ruler. Legend was that chan was of indian heritage, with the historical buddha. The chan school considered a genuine chinese buddhist school, later spread to japan. Divided into north and south schools led by shen-xiu and hui-neng respectively. In a verse competition hui-neng beat shen-xiu even though he was illiterate and poor. Eventually the souther(cid:374) s(cid:272)hool (cid:271)e(cid:272)o(cid:373)es re(cid:272)og(cid:374)ized (cid:271)(cid:455) go(cid:448)er(cid:374)(cid:373)e(cid:374)t as the (cid:862)offi(cid:272)ial (cid:272)ha(cid:374) s(cid:272)hool(cid:863). This stor(cid:455) is probably fabricated as it appears in the platform sutra. their inner buddha achieved not through conversation but internal focus for buddha is present in all. Even if the story is false, the difference in beliefs and rivalry is true; the north school taugh gradual enlightenment, while south preached immediate enlightenment. Advocated sitting in enlightenment versus finding it in everyday acts.
