Loading
The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch
The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch L36 The Non-Dual Reality in the Mahayana View
In this lesson of the Platform Sutra, Khenpo Sodargye explores the "Imperial Summons" chapter. The narrative begins with Emperor Zhongzong and Empress Wu Zetian inviting the Sixth Patriarch to the capital, following the humble recommendations of Masters Hui'an and Shenxiu. The Sixth Patriarch, embodying the true spirit of a Bodhisattva, gracefully declines the prestigious invitation, choosing to remain in the tranquil forest to guide destined disciples. When the imperial envoy, Xue Jian, questions whether sitting meditation is absolutely necessary for liberation, the Master profoundly clarifies that the Way is awakened from the mind, not merely from a physical posture. He further dismantles dualistic concepts by explaining that afflictions are fundamentally inseparable from bodhi, and that light and darkness are merely mutually dependent, relative illusions. The Master’s teachings reveal the ultimate Mahayana view of the non-dual true nature, which is neither arising nor ceasing, leading Xue Jian to sudden enlightenment.