Dharma Drum Journal of Buddhist Studies

　　This article is an investigation of Huisi’s reading of the Mohe bore boluomi jing 摩訶般若波羅蜜經 (T8, no. 223; Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra) through an analysis of Huisi’s biographies and his own writings.

　　Two incidents in Huisi’s biographies suggest the importance of the Mohe bore boluomi jing in his meditation system. The first incident is his making of the Mohe bore boluomi jing in golden characters at Mt. Dasu. In this incident, it is mentioned that Huisi made both Mohe bore boluomi jing and the Lotus Sūtra. However, given the importance of the Lotus Sūtra in Huisi’s meditation system, one would be surprised to find that it is implied that Huisi made the Mohe bore boluomi jing in golden characters before his making of the Lotus Sūtra.

　　The second incident involves a dialogue between Huisi and Zhiyi about whether one specific chapter of the Mohe bore boluomi jing is “sudden” or “gradual.” This dialogue reveals the difference between Huisi and Zhiyi’s understanding of the differences between these two sūtras, which are of utmost importance for what is later to be known as the Tiantai meditation system.

　　With the questions raised by these two incidents as starting points, I attempt to analyze Huisi’s interpretation and practice of the Mohe bore boluomi jing, especially using his Zhufa wuzheng sanmei famen 諸法無諍三昧法門 and his Fahuajing anle xingyi 法華經安樂行義.