ABSTRACT
The source of the Inner-light School of Buddhism may be traced back to Tao Sheng (d. 434). Tao Sheng and Sheng Chao were men of the same generayion and had the same teacher. Tao Sheng laid down : “ the thesis of good deeds receiving no recompense, ” “ the thesis of sudden enlightenment for achieving Buddhahood, ” and “ the thesis of making clear the Buddha nature in every man “ . These theses of his were the bases in theory of the Inner-light School in the T’ang era (618–907).
