Chapter Overview
"Repentance" (chanhui, 忏悔) is an important practice in Buddhism. Traditional repentance involves confessing one's transgressions before a Buddha image and vowing to reform. In this chapter, Huineng introduces the concept of "formless repentance" — repentance is not an external ritual but an inner transformation of mind-nature. "The former thought not arising is mind; the latter thought not ceasing is Buddha" — true repentance means letting past thoughts no longer arise and not extinguishing future thoughts.
This chapter also contains the important teachings of the "five fragrances of the Dharma body" and "self-nature saves itself."
1. Formless Repentance
Sutra Text
Good friends! Now that repentance has been made, I shall make the four great vows with you, good friends. Each of you must listen attentively with your mind: The sentient beings in my own mind are limitless — I vow to save them all. The afflictions in my own mind are limitless — I vow to cut them all off. The Dharma gates in my own nature are inexhaustible — I vow to learn them all. The unsurpassed Buddha Way in my own nature — I vow to accomplish it.
Huineng reinterprets the traditional "four great vows" in terms of self-nature:
- Sentient beings are limitless — I vow to save them — Not saving external sentient beings but saving the sentient beings (afflictions) within one's own mind
- Afflictions are limitless — I vow to cut them off — Not cutting off external afflictions but cutting off the afflictions within one's own mind
- Dharma gates are inexhaustible — I vow to learn them — Not learning external Dharma gates but learning the Dharma gates within one's own nature
- The unsurpassed Buddha Way — I vow to accomplish it — Not accomplishing an external Buddha Way but accomplishing the Buddha Way within one's own nature
2. True Repentance
Sutra Text
Good friends! Now that repentance has been made, I shall make the four great vows with you, good friends. Each of you must listen attentively with your mind: The sentient beings in my own mind are limitless — I vow to save them all. The afflictions in my own mind are limitless — I vow to cut them all off. The Dharma gates in my own nature are inexhaustible — I vow to learn them all. The unsurpassed Buddha Way in my own nature — I vow to accomplish it.
Huineng explains what true repentance is:
Good friends! The former thought not arising is mind; the latter thought not ceasing is Buddha. Accomplishing all forms is mind; being free from all forms is Buddha. If I were to explain this fully, it would take an endless number of kalpas. Listen to my verse:
This very mind is called wisdom;
This very Buddha is called samādhi.
When samādhi and wisdom are maintained equally,
The mind is inwardly pure.
To awaken to this Dharma gate
Depends on your habitual nature.
The function is originally non-arising —
The dual cultivation is correct.
"The former thought not arising is mind" — past thoughts no longer arising is mind. "The latter thought not ceasing is Buddha" — future thoughts not being extinguished is Buddha. "Accomplishing all forms is mind" — that which can bring about all appearances is mind. "Being free from all forms is Buddha" — that which can be free from all appearances is Buddha.
3. The Five Fragrances of the Dharma Body
Sutra Text
Good friends! This fragrance is to be inwardly self-applied — do not seek it outside. Now I bestow upon you formless repentance, destroying the sins of three lifetimes and purifying the three types of karma. Good friends! All follow my words and say together: From former thoughts, present thoughts, and future thoughts, thought after thought is not stained by foolishness. All previous evil deeds and foolish transgressions — I repent of them all, wishing them to be destroyed at once, never to arise again.
Huineng teaches the "five fragrances of the Dharma body":
- Fragrance of precepts — In one's own mind, no wrong, no evil, no jealousy, no greed or anger, no harm
- Fragrance of meditation — Upon seeing good or evil conditions, the mind is not disturbed
- Fragrance of wisdom — The mind is unobstructed, constantly illuminating self-nature with wisdom
- Fragrance of liberation — The mind does not grasp at conditions; neither thinking of good nor of evil
- Fragrance of liberated knowledge and vision — Since the mind does not grasp at good or evil, it should not sink into emptiness or cling to stillness
Huineng especially emphasizes: "This fragrance is to be inwardly self-applied — do not seek it outside." These fragrances are within one's own mind; do not look for them outside.
4. Self-Nature Saves Itself
Sutra Text
Good friends! Now that repentance has been made, I shall make the four great vows with you, good friends. Each of you must listen attentively with your mind: The sentient beings in my own mind are limitless — I vow to save them all. The afflictions in my own mind are limitless — I vow to cut them all off. The Dharma gates in my own nature are inexhaustible — I vow to learn them all. The unsurpassed Buddha Way in my own nature — I vow to accomplish it.
Huineng emphasizes "self-nature saves itself":
Good friends! Having made the four great vows, I now bestow upon you, good friends, the formless three-refuge precept. Good friends! Take refuge in awakening — the most honored of the two-footed ones. Take refuge in the right — honored for being free from desire. Take refuge in purity — the most honored among the assembly. From this day forward, call awakening your teacher, and no longer take refuge in deviant demons and external paths. Let the Three Treasures of your own self-nature constantly testify for you.
"Take refuge in awakening — the most honored of the two-footed ones" — to take refuge in awakening is the most noble. "Take refuge in the right — honored for being free from desire" — to take refuge in the right Dharma is honored for transcending desire. "Take refuge in purity — the most honored among the assembly" — to take refuge in purity is the most honored among all. "Let the Three Treasures of your own self-nature constantly testify for you" — use the Three Treasures of one's own self-nature (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) as one's witness.
5. Key Themes of This Chapter
The core ideas of the Repentance chapter can be summarized as:
- Formless repentance — Repentance is not an external ritual but an inner transformation of mind-nature
- The former thought not arising is mind — Past thoughts no longer arising
- The latter thought not ceasing is Buddha — Future thoughts not being extinguished
- Five fragrances of the Dharma body — Precepts, meditation, wisdom, liberation, and liberated knowledge and vision are all within one's own mind
- Self-nature saves itself — Awakening is one's own affair; no one can do it for you
These ideas transform repentance from an external ritual into inner practice, and transform taking refuge from the external Three Treasures to the Three Treasures of self-nature, embodying Chan Buddhism's core spirit of "pointing directly to the mind."
Further Reading
→ Chapter 4: Meditation and Wisdom
→ Seeing One's Nature and Becoming a Buddha: A Philosophical Interpretation
→ Chapter 1: The Story of Huineng — Self-Nature Saves Itself