Whereas the Northern school placed an emphasis on regular practice and studying the sutras, the Southern school (with Hui-neng’s influence) believed anyone could find enlightenment through any means. Furthermore, not only can anyone find enlightenment, but anyone can achieve Buddhahood (76). The story of Hui-neng supports this concept. Hui-neng was a poor uneducated boy who sought to understand the teachings of Buddha. Initially considered a Southern Barbarian, Hui-neng was not received with open arms by his Northern teachers. Showing wisdom beyond his years, Hui-neng revealed to his mentors that there is no North and South in Buddha nature (132). “In being not two all is the same” (97). Hui-neng fostered the ideology of nonduality and therefore the universal reality of the buddha.

“The basic idea is one of unity in plurality: All in One, One in All.

The All melts into a single whole.

There are no divisions in the totality of reality.” (46)

The humanist, Lin-Chi, also supported Hui-neng’s view by declaring that the true human has no hierarchy and no ranking (193). All are equal.

Work Cited

Dumoulin, Heinrich. Zen Buddhism: A History. World Wisdom, Inc., 2005. Print.