Abstract

Chan has been one of the most prominent sects of Chinese Buddhism since the mid and late Tang Dynasty and it has been particularly well-known around the world. The Platform Sutra purports to convey the teachings of Huineng, one of the most revered figures in the Chan tradition, and the text has been regarded as the most reliable source for the study of Chan. This canonical Buddhist text is generally categorized into four different versions: 1) Dunhuang ; 2) Huixin ; 3) Qisong ; and, 4) Zongbao. The Dunhuang version is further divided into two manuscripts: the Old Dunghuang text and New Dunghuang text (also known as...