<p>The Ch'an Master Shen-hsiu was a pivotal figure in the development of Ch'an Buddhism in China. Traditionally, he has been cast as a staunch defender of "gradual enlightenment", in contradistinction to his rival and surpasser, Hui-neng, who espoused the "sudden doctrine".</p> <p>This thesis re-examines the above portrayal of Shenhsiu as a "Patriarch manqué " in light of several doctrinal and biographical documents, heretofore untranslated. We conclude, on the basis of this examination, that Shen-hsiu has indeed been mis-represented in traditional accounts; however, it is our further contention that this portrait itself---when viewed as a "negative paradigm" --- serves to underscore the centrality of the enlightenment experience.</p> / Master of Arts (MA)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/10644 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Lachman, Henry Charles |
| Contributors | Shinohara, K., Religious Sciences |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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