Selected Lines from the Platform Sutra

The Platform Sutra is truly a gem. Image: Shutterstock

Years ago, I read a saying by JiGong Living Buddha that stayed with me. I don’t remember the exact wording, but it went something like this: when something troubles you, turn to the Platform Sutra. Even a single line from it can guide you back to clarity and from there toward liberation.

For those who are new to the path, these lines may sound plain and direct because they point straight to the truth. For those who have been walking the path for a long time, the same lines often feel warm, familiar, and quietly compassionate. No matter how long someone has been on the path, the lines that follow can serve as gentle reminders worth returning to from time to time.

These selected lines are not presented in the order they appear in the sutra. As related posts are published, links will be added to this page.

Life and death are the most serious matters we face. Yet people spend their days chasing blessings instead of seeking freedom from the suffering of birth and death. When we lose sight of our true nature, how could blessings save us? 世人生死事大。汝等終日只求福田。不求出離生死苦海。自性若迷。福何可救。	link to the blog
The Buddha’s teaching is grounded in the world we live in, so awakening is not separate from everyday life. Looking for enlightenment outside of life itself is like searching for horns on a rabbit. 佛法在世間，不離世間覺； 離世覓菩提，恰如求兔角。	link to the blog
When one truly cultivates, the mind is no longer filled with the faults of the world. When attention turns to what others do wrong, inner clarity is already lost. The faults of others are not mine to judge. If there is fault, it is my own to see. By letting go of the habit of judging right and wrong, the suffering it creates comes to an end. 若真修道人，不見世間過；若見他人非，自非卻是左。他非我不非，我非自有過，但自卻非心，打除煩惱破。	link to the blog