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Comparing The Lamp And The Mirror Of Sudden Enlightenment

1149 Words5 Pages

The Lamp and the Mirror of Sudden Enlightenment: A Comparison Analysis of "Viewing Purity", "Viewing the Mind", and "Non-Activation" in Shenxiu's Teaching and Those Criticized in Shenhui’s The Platform Sutra In this religious study, an analysis of "viewing purity", "viewing the mind”, and "non-activation" in Shenxiu's teaching will be compared to those criticized in Shenhui’s The Platform Sutra. In Shenxiu’s teachings, the premise of “viewing purity” is based on the dualistic view of the pure and impure mind in terms of “polishing the mirror of the mind” to gain enlightenment. “Viewing the mind” is another process in which Shenxiu teaches that mediation is a part of the continual process of daily enlightenment that occurs through a sudden …show more content…

Shenxiu is teaching that the mind must continually be purified through meditation in order to set the stage for sudden enlightenment to occur. This teaching is an important part of the meditational guide to achieving enlightenment, but Shenhui in The Platform Sutra challenges it as being a form of “gradual enlightenment”, which Hongren did not teach not his students, such as Shenxiu. Therefore, an examination of the criticism of The Platform Sutra must be defined in relation to the allegations made against Shenxiu’s teachings as being similar to those that Shenhui is arguing for in these perceptions of sudden enlightenment in the Eastern Mountain …show more content…

Shenhui defines the contrast between Shenxiu and Huineng, which would provide a successor to Hongren as the 6th patr5iarch of the Eastern Mountain School. Hongren asked Shenxiu and Huineng to write a poem that defined the highest state of enlightenment and purity of mind as a way to pass the test and win the partriarchship. However, Shenxiu is depicted as being confused as to the purity of his own convictions to achieve this goal, which reflect the presumed limitations of his focus on meditation (on its own merit) as a process of purifying the mind and achieving the Dharma: If I offer my mind to the Fifth Patriarch with the intention of gaining the Dharma, it is justifiable; however, if I am seeking the patriarchship, then it cannot be justified. Then it would be like a common man usurping the saintly position. But if I don't offer my mind then I cannot learn the Dharma.' 28 For a long time he thought about it and was very much perplexed (Yamplosky

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