Mahayana Northern School Treatise (大乘北宗論)

About 大乘北宗論

Tang · by 慧光釋

479 · about 2 min

The Treatise on the Northern School of Mahāyāna, composed and elucidated by the Tang Dynasty monk Master Huiguang, is a classical text expounding the teachings of the Northern School of Chan Buddhism. This treatise emerged during the early period of the division between the Northern and Southern Schools of Chan, reflecting the distinctive gradual cultivation and gradual awakening approach of the Northern School. Its content primarily focuses on meditative practices such as departing from thoughts, observing the mind, and abiding in the fundamental nature, emphasizing the attainment of a purified mind through progressive cultivation. As a significant scripture for studying the thought of the Northern School of Chan, although the Southern School later became predominant, this treatise holds irreplaceable historical value in its documentation of early Chan theory and practice, providing crucial evidence for understanding the evolution of Chinese Chan Buddhism.