2 years, 4 months ago
about Chan Buddhism
What is the only Chinese Buddhist sutra and what is it about?
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$1 Answer
Buddhism is not for Chinese only. So there isn't any 'CHINESE' Buddhist sutra but there are many Buddhist sutras.
The Tripitaka is a list of Buddhist scriptures. Each of Buddhist schools use different list for their Tripitaka, some even had their own recension of the Tripitaka.
For an example, here is the contents of Pali Canon Tripitaka:
a. Vinaya Pitaka
It is mostly concernet with the rules of monks and nuns.
- Suttavibhanga, a basic code of rules for monks and nuns.
- Khandhaka, other rules grouped by topic in 22 chapters.
- Parivara, analysis of the rules from various points of view.
b. Sutta Pitaka
Sutta Pitaka (literally "basket of threads", or of "the well spoken") which consists primarily of accounts of the Buddha's teachings.
- Digha Nikaya, a 34 long discourses.
- Majjhima Nikaya, a 152 medium-length discourses.
- Samyutta Nikaya, thousands of short discourses in fifty-odd groups by subject, person etc.
- Anguttara Nikaya, thousands of short discourses arranged numerically from ones to elevens.
- Khuddaka Nikaya, a miscellaneous collection of works in prose or verse.
c. Abhidhamma Pitaka
Abhidhamma Pitaka (literally "beyond the dhamma", "higher dhamma" or "special dhamma") is a collection of texts which give a systematic philosophical description of the nature of mind, matter and time.
- Dhammasangani, definition and classification of dhammas.
- Vibhanga, analysis of 18 topics by various methods.
- Dhatukatha, interrelations between ideas from the previous two books.
- Puggalapannatti, explanations of types of person, arranged numerically in lists from ones to tens.
- Kathavatthu, over 200 debates on points of doctrine.
- Yamaka, a 10 topics a procedure involving converse questions.
- Patthana, analysis of 24 types of condition.
The Tripitaka is a list of Buddhist scriptures. Each of Buddhist schools use different list for their Tripitaka, some even had their own recension of the Tripitaka.
For an example, here is the contents of Pali Canon Tripitaka:
a. Vinaya Pitaka
It is mostly concernet with the rules of monks and nuns.
- Suttavibhanga, a basic code of rules for monks and nuns.
- Khandhaka, other rules grouped by topic in 22 chapters.
- Parivara, analysis of the rules from various points of view.
b. Sutta Pitaka
Sutta Pitaka (literally "basket of threads", or of "the well spoken") which consists primarily of accounts of the Buddha's teachings.
- Digha Nikaya, a 34 long discourses.
- Majjhima Nikaya, a 152 medium-length discourses.
- Samyutta Nikaya, thousands of short discourses in fifty-odd groups by subject, person etc.
- Anguttara Nikaya, thousands of short discourses arranged numerically from ones to elevens.
- Khuddaka Nikaya, a miscellaneous collection of works in prose or verse.
c. Abhidhamma Pitaka
Abhidhamma Pitaka (literally "beyond the dhamma", "higher dhamma" or "special dhamma") is a collection of texts which give a systematic philosophical description of the nature of mind, matter and time.
- Dhammasangani, definition and classification of dhammas.
- Vibhanga, analysis of 18 topics by various methods.
- Dhatukatha, interrelations between ideas from the previous two books.
- Puggalapannatti, explanations of types of person, arranged numerically in lists from ones to tens.
- Kathavatthu, over 200 debates on points of doctrine.
- Yamaka, a 10 topics a procedure involving converse questions.
- Patthana, analysis of 24 types of condition.
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
I've just checked it out using Wikipedia.com. I never know there is Platform Sutra before. Perhaps I live too far from China.
But that is what I like about Buddhism, they do not lock themselves under certain sutras or any writings. They emphazise on using your heart/mind to perceive things. But I see it is also their weakness. There are too many Buddhist schools and teachings. It's okay but some of them seems out of the original teachings.
Anyway, thanks for telling me about Platform Sutra. I will try to understand it more, but not know. Or perhaps you or anybody here can give some enlightenments about Platform Sutra, I'm glad to know it. As I know Hui Neng is one the greatest Budhidharma student.
source: my opinion.
You apparently have extensive knowledge in this area, however, there was one sutra that is known as the Platform Sutra. It was written from the teachings of Hui-Neng, the sixth patriarch of Chan Buddhism during the 8th century. Chan Buddhism does not utilize the 3 baskets or Tripitaka.