Huineng
Huineng (c. 638–713), also known as Hui-neng, was a Chinese Buddhist monk traditionally regarded as the Sixth Patriarch of Chan (Zen) Buddhism. He is the central figure associated with the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, a key text in Chan that presents his life and teachings and argues for the possibility of sudden enlightenment.
Tradition places Huineng’s birth in southern China into a poor family. He is said to have lived
Huineng’s teachings emphasize sudden enlightenment, the inherent Buddha-nature of all beings, and the primacy of mind.
He is traditionally associated with the southern Chan lineage and is linked to the Nanhua Monastery in
Huineng’s legacy extends through Chinese Chan to Japanese Zen and Korean Seon, shaping doctrines of mind, Buddha-nature,