The Platform Scripture is arguably the most important Chan text that establishes its position on Mahāyāna Buddhist practice, separating it from the rest of Buddhist traditions. All of the subsequent Chan teachings since the eighth century can be said to be only further elaborations of this seminal work. Hence, to understand the correct view of Chan is to understand this text. 

Huineng (638-713), the sixth ancestral master counting from Bodhidharma, is the protagonist in this text. Technically this text is not a “scripture,” but because of its huge impact on the development of Chinese Buddhism, it was elevated to the status of a “sūtra.”

In this series of classes, Guo Gu will explore the core teachings of the Platform Scripture and his teacher’s commentary on this text, while focusing on his translation of the “Formless Verses” from the Sūtra. This course will appeal to any student interested in the core ideas and view that underlie Chan Buddhism.