Concept

Huineng

Overview

Dajian Huineng or Hui-neng (traditional Chinese: 大鑒惠能; pinyin: Dàjiàn Huìnéng; Cantonese Jyutping: daai6 gaam3 wai6 nang4; Wade–Giles: Ta⁴-chien⁴ Hui⁴-nêng²; Japanese: Daikan Enō; Korean: Daegam Hyeneung; trad. 638-713), also commonly known as the Sixth Patriarch or Sixth Ancestor of Chan (Chinese: 禪宗六祖), is a semi-legendary but central figure in the early history of Chinese Chan Buddhism.

According to tradition Huineng was an uneducated layman who suddenly attained awakening (見性; jianxing) upon hearing the Diamond Sutra. Despite his lack of formal training, he demonstrated his understanding to the fifth patriarch, Daman Hongren, who then supposedly chose Huineng as his true successor instead of his publicly known selection of Yuquan Shenxiu. Huineng is regarded as the founder of the "Sudden Enlightenment" Southern Chan school of Buddhism, which focuses on an immediate and direct attainment of Buddhist enlightenment. The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch (六祖壇經), which is said to be a record of his teachings, is a highly influential text in the East Asian Buddhist tradition.

20th century scholarship revealed that the story of Huineng's Buddhist career was likely invented by the monk Shenhui, who claimed to be one of Huineng's disciples and was highly critical of Shenxiu's teaching.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).

Possible passages

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But, inasmuch as the impression was vanishing, the mythological idea in question was that of a 'god of the moment.' Then followed a second stage, in which a demoniacal power was associated with a particular place. Following upon these local gods came other gods, representing the guardian powers of a tribe, a vocation, or some other social group. At the third stage of development, the 'particular god' acquired a…
Wilhelm Max Wundt, Elements of Folk Psychology Outline of a Psychological History of the Development of Mankind
States what Huineng is.
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When the Greeks say that the absolute is one, or when men in modern times say that it is the highest existence, all determinations are abolished, and by the merely abstract Being nothing has been expressed excepting this same negation, only in an affirmative form. But if Philosophy has got no further than to such expression, it still stands on its most elementary stage. What is there to be found in all this learning?
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Hegel's Lectures on the History of Philosophy
States what Huineng is.
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The religious sentiment, however, sits very lightly on the Chinese. Absence of any feeling of the supernatural is perhaps the most remarkable feature of the Chinese character. "Buddhism, was founded, as is generally believed, some centuries before Christ by a Hindoo prince and sage named Gautama. As originally propounded, Buddhism is supposed to have been a purer and more reasonable form of faith than Brahminism…
Voltaire, Voltaire's Romances, Complete in One Volume
Close in meaning to Huineng; the term itself is not named.
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Philosophers who discussed Huineng

Related ideas

Opposing perspectives

Sudden awakening

Place in the tradition

Part of Chinese philosophy.

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