The Source And The Evolution Of The Idea Of Caoxi-Zen

Huineng was the founder of the South-Zen, which was the model representative of Chinese Buddhism. Huineng has lived in Caoxi for thirty years, prelecting Sutras and helping Buddhists so he was be named Caoxi Huineng, and his Zen was be named Caoxi-Zen. Caoxi Zen has grown into five sects, and Linji and Chaodong Zen, two sects of them came down, especially Linji Zen. This thesis studies the decisive or influential factors in the source and the evolution of the idea of Caoxi-Zen.This thesis has seven parts. There discusses the fore main traits of Caoxi-Zen in part one. What the mind is born consciousness and the mind is Buddha itself is the traits of Buddha mind-nature. Practice of not-practice and becoming Buddha are his practice and becoming Buddha way. These four aspects are revolution of Huineng's Zen, which succeed to the ideas of the older philosophers. Below explains things.There looks back the Prajna theory of Sengzhao and the sudden enlightenment theory of Daosheng in part two. Buddhism spread to China in the end of East Hang Dynasty, but we should talk about it self's independent development from the end of Wei and Jin Dynasty. The Prajna theory of Sengzhao and the sudden enlightenment theory of Daosheng had great influence. The nirvana theory of Daosheng had also huge influence. The Prajna theory of Sengzhao and the sudden enlightenment theory of Daosheng were the two sides of one thing. These views were succeed by Huineng.There discusses the change from Damo-Zen to Caoxi-Zen and the problems of Lengjia Sutra in part three. Caoxi-Zen becomes from Damo-Zen, but there was full of legends in the course. The true history is the aim of academicians. The opinion of becoming Buddha not by words maybe not the express of Damo and Huineng, but the sum-up of five sects of Zen. The monks of teaching Lengjia Sutra were named Lengjia doctors, including Lengjia Sutra doctors and Lengjia Zen doctors. The latter was transition to Zen.There reviews particularly Daoxin, Hongren, the development course of theirDongshan-Zen, and Jungle of Buddhist in part four. Daoxin, the fourth founder of Zen, was the important transition in the development course of Chinese Zen. "Enlightenment from sutras" is the theory of Damo-Zen. For Daoxin, the sutras have already stressed on Prajna sutras. Hongren, the teacher of Huineng, succeeded and developed Daoxin Zen's style. His Zen commixed mediocrity life and showed Taoism style. Jungle of Buddhist, the basic organized form, has founded in the time.There treats of Diamond Sutra in part five. Before he meets Hongren, Huineng has enlightened when hearing Diamond Sutra. But it is not the whole. In the development of Zen, Diamond Sutra replaced other Prajna sutras, because not only Diamond Sutra corresponds to Prajna theory, but also its length is well situated and tend to acceptable.Part six: Great Vehicle Belief Theory. Great Vehicle Belief Theory influenced mainly Caoxi-Zen's theory that the mind is born consciousness. Following its theory that two sides of one mind, Huineng considered the substance side is not away the function side, and exceed it. In another words, the utter subject is in itself, not in the other shore. Realizing at a moment, becoming Buddha at once.There reviews Niutou-Zen and its latent influence to Caoxi-Zen in part seven. Sanlun Sect has an obvious impact on Niutou-Zen. At the same time, Taoism ideas has introjected in it. Niutou-Zen then entered Caoxi-Zen, especially Qingyuan Shitou Zen.Caoxi-Zen was a revolution the development history of China Buddhism, yet in fact, Huineng succeeded and developed some ideas. Retrospection about the philosophy and Buddhism ideas before Huineng shows the historical source of Caoxi-Zen's simple style and the ideal course of philosophies' syncretism.