On 26th February 2025, Fo Guang New Zealand South Island Humanistic Buddhism Academy conducted the second class of The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, led by the Minister in Charge of FGS Christchurch Temple, Venerable Juexi, with nearly 30 participants.
In the previous class, participant Maggie Duncan was inspired by the Chan story of The Buddha Holding a Flower, Mahakasyapa Smiling. To express her appreciation, she brought fresh flowers from home to offer to the Venerable, symbolically recreating the Vulture Peak Assembly where Mahābrahma offered flowers to the Buddha. Seizing this opportunity, Venerable Juexi bestowed blessings upon the participants, wishing that all may swiftly accomplish the path to attain Buddhahood.
Venerable Juexi posed a thought-provoking question: Was the story of “The Buddha Holding a Flower, Mahakasyapa Smiling” truly the origin of Chan? In fact, Sakyamuni Buddha had already received the transmission of Chan teachings from seven ancient Buddhas in the past lifetimes. Later, Buddha passed these teachings to Mahakasyapa, who became the first patriarch of Chan in India. Through 28 generations of transmission, Chan was introduced to China by Bodhidharma, the First Chan Patriarch, who continued spreading its core teachings based on the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra.
The Platform Sutra revolves around two fundamental principles:
1. Self-nature: understanding one’s intrinsic Buddha nature.
2. Prajñā Emptiness: integrating the concepts of emptiness and existence.
Transforming from an ordinary person into a sage, one must cultivate wisdom of emptiness, maintain inner peace and align with self-nature to attain enlightenment. Venerable Juexi illustrated these principles through classic Chan stories such as Wild Fox Chan, Jianghu Roamer, and Polishing a Brick into a Mirror. Venerable emphasised that Chan does not limit to sitting meditation but should be applied in daily life—whether in movement, stillness, sitting, or lying down—by letting go of attachments and practising self-reflection.
Through Venerable Juexi’s teachings, participants gained a deeper understanding of Chan’s historical lineage and transmission. BLIA South Island 1st Subchapter President Tiffany SU expressed gratitude and remarking that as every being inherently possesses pure and complete Buddha-nature, all appearances are temporary illusions. By understanding this, one can reduce attachments and experience profound benefits.
Student ZHANG Hao shared his key takeaway: impulsive thoughts obscure one’s original wisdom. Therefore, he plans to practise letting go of unnecessary thoughts through the concept of emptiness, maintaining a calm and joyful mind and cultivating kindness and good deeds in daily life.
BLIA Committee Member Ola Lyckholm appreciated the many Chan stories shared by Venerable Juexi, which deepened his understanding of how Chan applies to everyday life. In particular, the story of Is It the Wind or the Banner Moving? reminded him to be mindful while driving and not be swayed by external distractions. He was also deeply impressed by the diagram illustrating Chan’s lineage, which made him admire the vast influence of Chan teachings.
BLIA Committee Lynn TUANMU appreciated how Venerable Juexi’s explanations brought Sixth Patriarch Huineng’s insights to life. She was especially inspired by how Huineng used praises to describe the qualities of self-nature and looked forward to further understanding the concept of emptiness and existence in the Platform Sutra.