ASIA 385 Quiz 2

Came from a noble family background, had a strong relationship with Empress Wu
Two major disciples: Puji and Yifu
-Universal Applicability of Chan Practice
-->made Chan a part of daily life so that it could be done in a casual way
-Wu Fangbian
-Guanxin Lun

Everything is empty (percetions of things do not exist, they can never match the reality of what is)
-everythig is empty because all we have is our perception of things
-from absolute emptiness we might reach reality

Sudden enlightenment
-enlightenment must be achieved spontaneously nad momentarily

The man who divided Chan Buddhism
-studied under Huineng and separate the Northern and Southern schools
-successful fundraiser during the An Lushan Rebellion
-exiled due to reputation as a trouble-maker
-promoted Huineng as 6th patriarch to set himself up as the 7th

Shenhui attacks the norhtern school by saying that they had diverged from the true line of tradition and usurped the patriarchate, that they had developed a false notion of enlightenment and true practice
-asked Northeners to provide solid proof of their legitmacy which was impossible

The 6th Patriarch
Came from a humble family, was illiterate
-disciplel of Hongren
-Diamond Sutra important to him
Teachings:
Original/Inherent/Innate enlightenment
Sudden enlightenment
Ding and Hui(thoughtless thought, effortless effort...)
Absence of thought (think without being dragged down by the subject of your thinking)

Recorded by the students of Huineng

Key Points: focus on sudden enlightenment, self-nature and the importance of realizing your own nature; you are your own greatest teacher, no-thought. how you can carry on our ordinary life without attachment

Shen-hsiu vs. Huineng
SH: body is bodhi tree, mind a mirror that must be polished
H: Bodhi not a tree, no dust or mirror to begin with
-->essentialism is worse than evil