Here is one of Buddhism's most beloved and revolutionary scriptures, presented for today's reader in clear, faithful, modern English. The Sutra of Hui-neng tells the story of Huineng, the illiterate woodcutter who became the Sixth Patriarch of Chan (Zen) Buddhism, and preserves the teaching he is said to have given at a temple in southern China in the seventh century. With warmth, wit, and startling directness, Huineng insists that enlightenment is not a distant prize but the recognition of a nature already present in every person. He dismisses mere book learning, redefines meditation as a living awareness rather than a posture, and sweeps aside the divide between sudden and gradual awakening. This edition keeps the texture, humor, and spiritual force of the original while making its meaning vivid and accessible. For newcomers and longtime practitioners alike, it is an invitation to see clearly, think freshly, and trust your own deepest nature. Part of The World Scriptures Library.