慧能

Huineng

Zen Buddhism · person

Huineng (638–713 CE) was the sixth and last patriarch of Chan (Zen) Buddhism in China. An illiterate woodcutter who achieved sudden enlightenment upon hearing the Diamond Sutra, he became the founder of the Southern School of Chan, which emphasized sudden enlightenment (頓悟 / dunwu) over gradual cultivation. His teachings were recorded in the Platform Sutra (六祖壇經), the only Chinese Buddhist text honored as a sutra. His famous koan-like verse — 'The mirror has no stand, bodhi has no tree' — defines the direct, mind-to-mind transmission of Chan.

In the tradition of Chan and Zen Buddhism, as transmitted from Bodhidharma through the lineage of Zen masters, Huineng represents a key concept that continues to inform philosophical thought and practice today.

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What Are the Key Facts About Huineng?

  • Tradition: Zen Buddhism
  • Chinese: 慧能
  • Category: Person
  • Definition: Huineng (638–713 CE) was the sixth and last patriarch of Chan (Zen) Buddhism in China.

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