(This) translation of one of the most famous of all Chinese Ch'an texts is certainly the best rendition so far. Without sacrificing scholarly accuracy, Yampolsky has produced a lucid and idiomatic translation which even the layman can enjoy. Books Abroad Remarkable... Dr. Yampolsky's study is characterized by a clarity of presentation and a thoroughness of exploration of Chinese and Japanese sources. Literature East and West As an initiation into the international field of foundational scholarly research on the Platform Sutra Yampolsky's detailed and illuminating introductory remarks to his carefully nnotated translation remain indispensable... -- T.H. Barrett, SOAS, University of London Journal of Bulletin of School of Oriental and African Studies