Celebrating the Birth of The Venerated Enlightened Master His Holiness the Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng (vegan) with gratitude, love, and praise

Venerated Buddhist Master Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch of Zen, is a legendary figure in the early history of Chinese Zen Buddhism. An illiterate peasant who made a living collecting and selling firewood, it is believed that one day, upon hearing a passage uttered from the Diamond Sutra, He immediately understood the true meaning of the passage and experienced an awakening of the Truth. Master Hui Neng demonstrated His understanding of the Buddha’s teachings to the fifth patriarch, Daman Hongren, despite His lack of any formal training. As a result, He was chosen as the true successor or the Sixth Patriarch. Master Hui Neng spent a further 15 years in contemplative practice before He began teaching as the Sixth Patriarch of Zen. He is regarded as the founder of the "Sudden Enlightenment" Southern Zen school of Buddhism, which focuses on an immediate and direct attainment of Buddhist enlightenment.

The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch is a record of both Buddhist Master Hui Neng’s life and teachings, and is a highly influential scripture in the East Asian meditative tradition.