Korea Journal of Buddhist Studies ISSN:1598-0642(Print) 불교학연구

The ground of the Patriarch-zen thoughts is the doctrine of ‘original enlightenment’. The practice and enlightenment are united in thoughts of original enlightenment. So, the characteristic of enlightenment in Patriarch-zen is enlightenment of sunyata-nature. To put it concretely, the mind of enlightenment in Patriarch-zen is indiscretion-mind and nonfixed-idea. Here we find a new meaning: indiscretion-mind is equality mind, nonfixed-idea is pure mind and enlightenment is of self-discipline. And the functions of enlightenment in Patriarch-zen are; yinke (印可. zen master’s acknowledgement of the disciple’s enlightenment experience), and the transmission (傳法) of The Eye Store-house of the True Dharma, i. e. the highest supreme Dharma expounded by the Buddha on Vulture Peak (正法眼藏) and zen analects (禪語錄). In particular, yinke played more important role than enlightenment experience itself, and the transmission of Dharma played more important role than Yinke. The transmission of Dharma put zen analects into practice for disciples and sentient beings. The special features of enlightenment in Patriarch-zen are; enlightenment of one̕s orignal mind, the act of coming to life again, the persistent virtue, the pure mind in life, the universal application, the transcendental present time, the unity of body and mind, the confidence in enlightenment experience, and the completion of wisdom etc. There are other questions: the enlightenment in Patriarch-zen is perpetual or momentary? Is it one time-experience or is it repeated? Is its effect universal or limited? etc. After all, enlightenment in Patriarch-zen is hard to define in a word. We have only to judge from the existing state of things.