The Diamond Sutra and the Sutra of Hui-neng

Taken together, THE DIAMOND SUTRA and THE SUTRA OF HUI-NENG present the central teachings of Zen and are essential reading for all students of Buddhism. THE DIAMOND SUTRA, composed in India in the fourth century CE, is one of the most treasured works of Buddhist literature. THE SUTRA OF HUI-NENG, also known as the PLATFORM SUTRA, contains the autobiography of a pivotal figure in Zen history and some of the most profound passages of Zen literature. Hui-Neng (638-713) was the sixth patriarch of Zen in China, but is often regarded as the true father of the Zen tradition. A poor, illiterate woodcutter, he is said to have attained enlightenment upon hearing a recitation of the DIAMOND SUTRA.