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The Sutra of Hui-Neng - Paramita
Identifier
001206
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
The Sutra of Hui-Neng – Grand Master of Zen [translated by Thomas Cleary]
What does paramita mean? This is a western word, which means ‘arrived at the other shore’ in Chinese. If you understand the meaning, you detach from birth and death. If you fixate on objects, birth and death occur, as when water has waves – this is called ‘this shore’. When you detach from objects, there is no birth or death, as when water flows smoothly – this is called ‘the other shore’ so it is referred to as paramita.