Readings of the Platform Sutra

This impeccably edited volume offers an ideal introduction to the most important of the early Chinese Chan texts and features contributions by leading scholars covering such topics as the biography of Huineng, meditation, sudden enlightenment, transmission, the precepts, and human nature. All of the chapters are extremely useful for understanding the role the Platform Sutra has played in the broader context of Chinese Buddhist religious thought and practice. -- Steven Heine, Florida International University The Platform Sutra is a (if not the) seminal scripture of Chan/Zen/Seon Buddhism. Its influence in East Asia is enormous and its impact extends far beyond China, Japan, and Korea. Readings of the Platform Sutra is a judicious and generous presentation of the best scholarship on this unique and vital text. It is certain to prove a reliable guide for anyone with a serious interest in the history, meaning, and practice of early Zen. -- Victor Mair Reading through these essays, one gains both a sense of how Bodhidharma's lineage took root in East Asia as well as the dynamics at play between the early Chinese Buddhist masters. Buddhadharma [Readings of the Platform Sutra] offers much of value to Buddhist Studies scholars, undergraduate students, and general readers interested in Chan/Zen Buddhism. -- Stuart H. Young Religious Studies Review this volume delivers highly readable essays particularly suited for undergraduate courses. -- Natasha Heller Journal of the American Oriental Society