the evloution of Ch'an.  A southerner by background,

　　   he  incorporates   Taoist  elements   into  Buddhism

　　   doctrine  as a means  of expressing  his  unique-and

　　   culturally influenced-interpretations of Dharma.  He

　　   even  is credited  with  attracting  Taoists  to his

　　   sermons.  Although tradition holds that Hui-neng was

　　   illiterate, this obviously posed no obstacle for him

　　   in  the  composition  of  classical  five  character

　　   verse.  In the  Platform  Suutra  he used  the stock

　　   Buddhist technique of intergrating poetic exposition

　　   into  his  lectures  to  summarize   and  underscore

　　   important  points.  (37)

　　　　  Poetry had a particularly  seminal  role to play

　　   in the progress  of Hui-neng's  career  in the Ch'an

　　   school. His case reveals a dimension of dynamism and

　　   poetic interplay  in terms of what might be termed a

　　   duel  played  out with  gaathaas  as "weapons."  His

　　   poetic  opponent, Shen-hsiu, thus takes  on the role

　　   of presenting  the first level of awareness  against

　　   which  Hui-neng   reacts,  then  building  upon  the

　　   insight evoked to realize the final stage. The stage

　　   is  set  by the  Fifth  Patriarch, Hung-jen, in  the

　　   context  of a poetry  contest, with transmission  of

　　   the  Ch'an  leadership  as the  prize.  Although  he

　　   cautions his disciples  that "deliberation  is quite

　　   unnecessary  and  will  be of  no use."  Shen-hsiu's

　　   entry betrays the hyperreflection of its author:

　　　　  Our body may be compared to the Bodhi-tree;

　　　　  While our heart (hsin) is a mirror bright;

　　　　  Carefully  we cleanse  and watch  them  hour  by

　　　　  hour,

　　　　  And let no dust collect upon them.

　　   ────────────

　　   (37) Passages  quoted here are from Suutra Spoken by

　　　　   the Sixth patriarch, Wong Mou-lan  trans., rev.

　　　　   Dwight  goddard, included  in Vol.I  of Suutras

　　　　   and Scriptures, pp.337-446.

　　　　　　　　　　　　  P.365

　　   Certainly these lines demonstrate that Shen-hsiu has

　　   learned  his  lessons  well.  Shen-hsiu  was in fact

　　   Hung-jen's  star  pupil  and assumed  heir apparent.

　　   Unfortunately,  as  Hui-neng  recognized,  there  is

　　   nothing more than intellectual  awareness  reflected