Abstract:

The principle of "not setting up written scripts" indicates the essential thought of Zen Buddhism. However, it is often misunderstood as "abandoning language" or "giving up logical thinking".In fact, its true significance, according to the viewpoint of prajna, is to regard Buddhist scriptures as sunyata, not as dogma. As a Buddhist thought, "not setting up written scripts" originated in Indian Buddhism, but as a famous saying, it emerged in Chinese Buddhism in the late Tang Dynasty.

Key words: Zen School, not setting up written scripts, Buddhism