The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch

Rating:
Summary: Ever so mellow
Review: This volume is a great entry to the Chinese take on Buddhism. It consists of a hefty introduction/historical background section as well as the text in translation and the original. The translation of the text is one of the smoothest I've read of Chinese, which must be a confluence of the material and the translator. The Platform Sutra itself consists of more than metaphysical exposition, going into the biography of Hui-neng and the context of his teaching (both of which are at least as interesting as the religious part of the text). If you want to broaden your understanding of the quest for understanding, this book would be a great addition to your library.