Bodhidharma, woodblock print by Yoshitoshi, 1887.
Names (details)
Known in English as:	Bodhidharma
Sanskrit:	बोधिधर्म
Traditional Chinese:	菩提達摩
Chinese abbreviation:	達摩
Hanyu Pinyin:	Pútídámó
Wade-Giles:	P'u-t'i-ta-mo
Japanese:	達磨 Daruma
Korean:	보리달마 Boridalma
Vietnamese:	Bồ-đề-đạt-ma
Thai:	ตั๊กม๊อ Takmor

Bodhidharma (or Tat Moh)(fl. 526/527 CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as the transmitter of Chán to China. Very little contemporary biographical information on Bodhidharma is extant, and subsequent accounts became layered with legend, but most accounts agree that he was a South Indian monk who journeyed to southern China and subsequently relocated northwards. The accounts differ on the date of his arrival, with one early account claiming that he arrived during the Liú Sòng Dynasty (420–479) and later accounts dating his arrival to the Liáng Dynasty (502–557). The accounts are, however, generally agreed that he was primarily active in the lands of the Northern Wèi Dynasty (386–534). Download high resolution version (500x731, 162 KB) Bodhidharma, by Yoshitoshi, 1887. ... A woodcut is a method of printing in which an image is carved into the surface of a piece of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed, typically with chisels. ... Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (Owariya Yonejiro): 1839 - 1892 Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839 - June 9, 1892) (Japanese: 月岡 芳年; also named Taiso Yoshitoshi 大蘇 芳年) was the last great master - and one of the great innovative and creative geniuses - of the Japanese woodblock print, Ukiyo-e. ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... Sanskrit ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... Traditional Chinese (Traditional Chinese: 正體字/繁體字, Simplified Chinese: 正体字/繁体字) refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Pinyin (拼音, Pīnyīn) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to Hànyǔ Pīnyīn (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of... Wade-Giles, sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration) system for the Chinese language based on Mandarin. ... Daruma dolls at Daruma-ji temple, Takasaki, Japan Daruma (達磨 or だるま) is the Japanese name for Bodhidharma. ... Floruit (or fl. ... “BCE” redirects here. ... A silhouette of a Buddha statue at Ayutthaya, Thailand. ... A Buddhist Monk in Sri Lanka In Pāli, a bhikkhu (male) or bhikkhuni (female) is a fully ordained Buddhist monk. ... Chán is a major school of Chinese Mahāyāna Buddhism. ... South India is a linguistic-cultural region of India that comprises the four states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and the two Union Territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry, whose inhabitants are collectively referred to as South Indians. ... Alternative meaning: In geology, North China (continent) and South China (continent) were two ancient landmasses that correspond to modern northern and southern China. ... The Song Dynasty (宋朝, previous spelling Sung) (420-479) was first of the four Southern Dynasties in China, followed by the Qi Dynasty. ... Liang Dynasty (梁朝 (Pinyin: Liáng cháo)) (502-557), also known as Southern Liang Dynasty (南梁), was the third of Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Chen Dynasty. ... The Northern Wei Dynasty (北魏 386-534) is most noted for the unification of northern China in 440, it was also heavily involved in funding the arts and many antiques and art works from this period have survived. ...

Biography

Contemporary accounts

There are two known extant accounts written by contemporaries of Bodhidharma.

Yáng Xuànzhī

The Record of the Buddhist Monasteries of Luoyang (洛陽伽藍記 Luòyáng Qiélánjì), was compiled in 547 by Yáng Xuànzhī, a writer and translator of Mahāyāna Buddhist texts into the Chinese language. Yang identifies Bodhidharma as a Persian (波斯國胡人 bō-sī guó hú rén) from Central Asia (西域 xī yù): Luoyang (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province, Peoples Republic of China. ... Yang Xuanzhi (Chinese:楊衒之) was a Chinese writer and translator of Mahayana Buddhist texts into the Chinese language, during the 6th century, under the Northern Wei Dynasty. ... Relief image of the bodhisattva Kuan Yin from Mt. ... This article is about the Persian people, an ethnic group found mainly in Iran. ... Map of Central Asia showing three sets of possible boundaries for the region Central Asia located as a region of the world Central Asia is a vast landlocked region of Asia. ...

At that time there was a monk of the Western Region named Bodhidharma, a Persian Central Asian. He traveled from the wild borderlands to China. Seeing the golden disks [on the pole on top of Yung-ning's stupa] reflecting in the sun, the rays of light illuminating the surface of the clouds, the jewel-bells on the stupa blowing in the wind, the echoes reverberating beyond the heavens, he sang its praises. He exclaimed: "Truly this is the work of spirits." He said: "I am 150 years old, and I have passed through numerous countries. There is virtually no country I have not visited. But even in India there is nothing comparable to the pure beauty of this monastery. Even the distant Buddha realms lack this." He chanted homage and placed his palms together in salutation for days on end.^[1] The Great Stupa at Sanchi. ...

Broughton (1999:55) dates Bodhidharma's presence in Luoyang to between 516 and 526, when the temple referred to—Yǒngníngsì (永寧寺)—was at the height of its glory. Starting in 526, Yǒngníngsì suffered damage from a series of events, ultimately leading to its destruction in 534.^[2] Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ...

Tánlín

The second account was written by Tánlín (曇林; 506–574). Tánlín's brief biography of the "Dharma Master" is found in his preface to the Two Entrances and Four Acts, a text traditionally attributed to Bodhidharma, and is the first text to identify Bodhidharma as South Indian: The Treatise on the Two Entrances and Four Practices (Chinese: 二入四行 Erh-ju ssu-hsing; Japanese: NinyÅ« shigyō ron) is a Buddhist text attributed to Bodhidharma, the supposed founder of Chan (Japanese: Zen) Buddhism. ... South India is a linguistic-cultural region of India that comprises the four states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and the two Union Territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry, whose inhabitants are collectively referred to as South Indians. ...

The Dharma Master was a South Indian of the Western Region. He was the third son of a great Indian king [...] His ambition lay in the Mahayana path, and so he put aside his white layman's robe for the black robe of a monk [...] Lamenting the decline of the true teaching in the outlands, he subsequently crossed distant mountains and seas, traveling about propagating the teaching in Han and Wei.^[3] Relief image of the bodhisattva Kuan Yin from Mt. ...

Tánlín's account was the first to mention that Bodhidharma attracted disciples,^[4] specifically mentioning Dàoyù (道育) and Huìkě, the latter of whom would later figure very prominently in the Bodhidharma literature. According the traditions of Zen Buddhism, Huike (慧可) was the second patriarch of the Chan (Chinese Zen). ...

Tánlín has traditionally been considered a disciple of Bodhidharma, but it is more likely that he was a student of Huìkě, who in turn was a student of Bodhidharma.^[5]

Later accounts

Dàoxuān

In the 7th-century historical work Further Biographies of Eminent Monks (續高僧傳 Xù gāosēng zhuàn), Dàoxuān (道宣; 596-667) possibly drew on Tanlin's preface as a basic source, but made several significant additions: Dàoxuān (Chinese:道宣; Wade-Giles: Tao-hsüan; CE 596-667) was the Chinese Buddhist monk who wrote both the Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks (續高僧傳 Xù gāosÄ“ng zhuàn) and Standard Design for Buddhist Temple Construction. ...

This Japanese scroll calligraphy of Bodhidharma reads “Chán points directly to the human heart, see into your nature and become Buddha”. It was created by Hakuin Ekaku (1685 to 1768)

Firstly, Dàoxuān adds more detail concerning Bodhidharma's origins, writing that he was "of South Indian Brahman stock" (南天竺婆羅門種 nán tiānzhú póluómén zhŏng).^[6] This Japanese scroll calligraphy of Bodhidharma reads “Zen points directly to the human heart, see into your nature and become Buddha”. It was created by Hakuin Ekaku (1685 to 1768) The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United... This Japanese scroll calligraphy of Bodhidharma reads “Zen points directly to the human heart, see into your nature and become Buddha”. It was created by Hakuin Ekaku (1685 to 1768) The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United... Media:Example. ... Hakuin Ekaku (白隠 慧鶴 Hakuin Ekaku, 1686-1769) was undoubtedly one of the most influential figures in Japanese Zen Buddhism. ... Events February 6 - James Stuart, Duke of York becomes King James II of England and Ireland and King James VII of Scotland. ... 1768 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... This page deals with the Hindu varnas. ...

Secondly, more detail is provided concerning Bodhidharma's journeys. Tanlin's original is imprecise about Bodhidharma's travels, saying only that he "crossed distant mountains and seas" before arriving in Wei. Dàoxuān's account, however, implies "a specific itinerary":^[7] "He first arrived at Nan-yüeh during the Sung period. From there he turned north and came to the Kingdom of Wei".^[6] This implies that Bodhidharma had travelled to China by sea, and that he had crossed over the Yangtze River. Tây SÆ¡n Dynasty (1778–1802) Nguyá»…n Dynasty (1802–1945) Union of Indochina (1887–1954) Empire of Vietnam (1945) North-South Division During The Indochina Wars (1945–1975) Democratic Republic of Vietnam State of Vietnam Republic of Vietnam Republic of South Vietnam Socialist Republic of Vietnam (from 1976... The Yangtze River or Chang Jiang (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), or Drichu in Tibetan (Tibetan: འབ; Wylie: bri chu) is the longest river in Asia and the third longest in the world, after the Nile in Africa, and the Amazon in South America. ...

Thirdly, Dàoxuān suggests a date for the Bodhidharma's arrival in China. He writes that Bodhidharma makes landfall in the time of the Song, thus making his arrival no later than the time of the Song's fall to the Southern Qi Dynasty in 479.^[7] The Song Dynasty (宋朝, previous spelling Sung) (420-479) was first of the four Southern Dynasties in China, followed by the Qi Dynasty. ... The Southern Qi Dynasty 齊朝 (479-502) was the second of the Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Liang Dynasty. ...

Finally, Dàoxuān provides information concerning Bodhidharma's death. Bodhidharma, he writes, died at Luo River Beach, where he was interred by his disciple Huike, possibly in a cave. According to Dàoxuān's chronology, Bodhidharma's death must have occurred prior to 534, the date of the Northern Wei Dynasty's fall, because Huike subsequently leaves Luoyang for Ye. Furthermore, the use of the Luo River Beach as an execution grounds suggests that Bodhidharma may have died in the mass executions at Heyin in 528. Supporting this possibility is a report in the Taishō shinshū daizōkyō stating that a Buddhist monk was among the victims at Heyin.^[8] According the traditions of Zen Buddhism, Huike (慧可) was the second patriarch of the Chan (Chinese Zen). ... Look up ye in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Emperor Xiaozhuang of Northern Wei ((北)魏孝莊帝) (507-531), personal name Yuan Ziyou (元子攸), was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. ... The Chinese Buddhist Canon (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; literally Great Treasury of Scripture) is the total body of Buddhist literature deemed canonical in China, Korea and Japan and includes texts from Nikaya as well as Mahayana schools. ...

Epitaph for Fărú

The idea of a patriarchal lineage in Chán dates back to the epitaph for Fărú (法如 638–689), a disciple of the 5th patriarch Hóngrĕn (弘忍 601–674), which gives a line of descent identifying Bodhidharma as the first patriarch.^[9] Chan and Zen Buddhism maintain records of their historical teachers who have passed the Dharma from generation to generation in an unbroken line since the time of the Buddha. ... An epitaph ( literally: on the gravestone in ancient Greek) is text honoring the deceased, most commonly inscribed on a tombstone or plaque. ...

Yǒngjiā Xuánjué

According to the Song of Enlightenment (證道歌 Zhèngdào gē) by Yǒngjiā Xuánjué (665-713)^[10]—one of the chief disciples of Huìnéng, sixth Patriarch of Chán—Bodhidharma was the 28th Patriarch of Buddhism in a line of descent from Śākyamuni Buddha via his disciple Mahākāśyapa, and the first Patriarch of Chán: The Sixth Patriarch Tearing Up a Sutra by Liáng KÇŽi Huineng (慧能 or 惠能; Pinyin: Huìnéng, 638–713) was a Chinese Chan (Chinese Zen) monastic who is one of the most important figures in the entire tradition. ... Standing Buddha, ancient region of Gandhara, northern Pakistan, 1st century CE, Musée Guimet. ... Pipphali Cave in Rajgir, where Maha Kassappa is recorded to have stayed. ...

Mahakashyapa was the first, leading the line of transmission;
Twenty-eight Fathers followed him in the West;
The Lamp was then brought over the sea to this country;
And Bodhidharma became the First Father here
His mantle, as we all know, passed over six Fathers,
And by them many minds came to see the Light.^[11]

The idea of a line of descent from Śākyamuni Buddha is the basis for the distinctive lineage tradition of the Chán school.

Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall

In the Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall (祖堂集 Zǔtángjí) of 952, the elements of the traditional Bodhidharma story are in place.

Bodhidharma is said to have been a disciple of Prajñātāra,^[12] thus establishing the latter as the 27th patriarch in India. Prajnatara was the twenty-seventh patriarch of Indian Buddhism, and traveled around India preaching the Buddhas teachings. ...

After a three-year journey, Bodhidharma reaches China in 527^[12] during the Liang Dynasty (as opposed to the Song period of the 5th century, as in Dàoxuān). Liang Dynasty (梁朝 (Pinyin: Liáng cháo)) (502-557), also known as Southern Liang Dynasty (南梁), was the third of Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Chen Dynasty. ...

The Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall includes Bodhidharma's encounter with Emperor Wu, which was first recorded around 758 in the appendix to a text by Shen-hui (神會), a disciple of Huineng.^[13] Liang Wudi (梁武帝) (502-549) was the first Emperor of China of the short-lived Liang Dynasty. ...

Finally, as opposed to Daoxuan's figure of "over 150 years,"^[14] the Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall states that Bodhidharma died at the age of 150. He was then buried on Mount Xiong'er (熊耳山 Xióng'ĕr Shān) to the west of Luoyang. However, three years after the burial, in the Pamir Mountains, Sòngyún (宋雲)—an official of one of the later Wei kingdoms—encountered Bodhidharma, who claimed to be returning to India and was carrying a single sandal. Bodhidharma predicted the death of Songyun's ruler, a prediction which was borne out upon the latter's return. Bodhidharma's tomb was then opened, and only a single sandal was found inside. A photograph of Ismail Samani Peak (then known as Peak Communism) taken in 1989. ...

Insofar as, according to the Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall, Bodhidharma left the Liang court in 527 and relocated to Mount Song near Luoyang and the Shaolin Monastery, where he "[faced] a wall for nine years, not speaking for the entire time",^[15] his date of death can have been no earlier than 536. Moreover, his encounter with the Wei official indicates a date of death no later than 554, three years before the fall of the last Wei kingdom. Mount Song, known in Chinese as Songshan, is one of the five sacred mountains of China and is located in Henan province. ... , Main gate of the Shaolin Monastery in Henan, China. ... The Western Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 535 to 556. ...

Dàoyuán

Subsequent to the Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall, the only dated addition to the biography of Bodhidharma is in the 1004 Jingde Records of the Transmission of the Lamp (景德傳燈錄 Jĭngdé chuándēng lù), by Dàoyuán (道原), where it is stated that Bodhidharma's original name had been Bodhitāra but had been changed by his master Prajñātāra.^[16]

After Death

Soon after his death, someone supposedly witnessed Bodhidharma walking back towards India barefoot and with a single shoe in hand. His grave was later exhumed, and according to legend, the only thing found in it was the shoe he left behind.

For nine years he had remained and nobody knew him;
Carrying a shoe in hand he went home quietly, without ceremony.^[17]

Modern scholarship

Bodhidharma's origins

Though Dàoxuān wrote that Bodhidharma was "of South Indian Brahman stock," Broughton (1999:2) notes that Bodhidharma's royal pedigree implies that he was of the Kshatriya warrior caste. Mahajan (1972:705–707) argued that the Pallava dynasty was Brahmin by origin but Kshatriya by profession, and Zvelebil (1987) proposed that Bodhidharma was born a prince of the Pallava dynasty in their capital of Kanchipuram. This page deals with the Hindu varnas. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya (Hindi: , from Sanskrit: , ) is one of the four varnas, or castes, in Hinduism. ... The Indian caste system describes the social stratification and social restrictions in the Indian Subcontinent, in which social classes are defined by thousands of endogamous, hereditary groups often termed as jātis or castes. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... The Pallava kingdom (Tamil: பல்லவர்) was an ancient South Indian kingdom. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... , Kanchipuram, Kanchi, or Kancheepuram (also sometimes Conjeevaram) is a city and a municipality in Kancheepuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. ...

However, according to Broughton (1999:54), the Iranian Buddhist master of Yáng Xuànzhī's early eyewitness account making his way to North China via the Silk Road is more likely than the South Indian master of later accounts making his way by sea.^[18] Incidentally, the Pallavas themselves are often considered as a dynasty of Iranian origin.^[19] Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... The Pallavas were hereditary Hindu rulers who dominated southeastern India between the 4th and 9th centuries. ...

Bodhidharma's name

Faure (1986) notes that "Bodhidharma’s name appears sometimes truncated as Bodhi, or more often as Dharma (Ta-mo). In the first case, it may be confused with another of his rivals, Bodhiruci." Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ...

Practice and teaching

Meditation

Tanlin, in the preface to Two Entrances and Four Acts, and Daoxuan, in the Further Biographies of Eminent Monks, mention a practice of Bodhidharma's termed "wall-gazing" (壁觀 bìguān). Both Tanlin^[20] and Daoxuan^[21] associate this "wall-gazing" with "quieting [the] mind"^[22] (安心 ān xīn). Elsewhere, Daoxuan also states: "The merits of Mahāyāna wall-gazing are the highest".^[23] These are the first mentions in the historical record of what may be a type of meditation being ascribed to Bodhidharma. Buddhist meditation encompasses a variety of meditation techniques that develop mindfulness, concentration, tranquility and insight. ...

Bodhidharma seated in meditation before a wall; ink painting by Sesshū

In the Two Entrances and Four Acts, traditionally attributed to Bodhidharma, the term "wall-gazing" also appears: Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Shukei-sansui (Autumn Landscape), by Sesshu Toyo Sesshu Toyo (雪舟 等楊 Sesshū Tōyō, lit. ...

Those who turn from delusion back to reality, who meditate on walls, the absence of self and other, the oneness of mortal and sage, and who remain unmoved even by scriptures are in complete and unspoken agreement with reason.^[24]

Exactly what sort of practice Bodhidharma's "wall-gazing" was remains uncertain. Nearly all accounts have treated it either as an undefined variety of meditation, as Daoxuan and Dumoulin,^[23] or as a variety of seated meditation akin to the zazen (坐禪; Chinese: zuòchán) that later became a defining characteristic of Chán; the latter interpretation is particularly common among those working from a Chán standpoint.^[25] There have also, however, been interpretations of "wall-gazing" as a non-meditative phenomenon.^[26] Kodo Sawaki practicing zazen Zazen (坐禅) is at the heart of Zen Buddhist practice. ...

The Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra

The Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, one of the Mahāyāna Buddhist sūtras, is a highly "difficult and obscure" text^[27] whose basic thrust is to emphasize "the inner enlightenment that does away with all duality and is raised above all distinctions".^[28] It is among the first and most important texts in the Yogācāra, or "Consciousness-only", school of Mahāyāna Buddhism.^[29] This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Lands Bhutan â€¢ China â€¢ Korea Japan â€¢ Tibet â€¢ Vietnam Taiwan â€¢ Mongolia Doctrine Bodhisattva â€¢ Bodhicitta Karuna â€¢ Prajna Sunyata â€¢ Buddha Nature Trikaya â€¢ Eternal Buddha Mahayana Sutras Prajnaparamita Sutra Avatamsaka Sutra Lotus Sutra Nirvana Sutra VimalakÄ«rti Sutra Lankavatara Sutra History Silk Road â€¢ Nagarjuna Asanga â€¢ Vasubandhu Bodhidharma      Mahayana sutras are a very broad genre of... SÅ«tra (sex) (Sanskrit) or Sutta (Pāli) literally means a rope or thread that holds things together, and more metaphorically refers to an aphorism (or line, rule, formula), or a collection of such aphorisms in the form of a manual. ... Bodhi (बोधि) is the Pāli and Sanskrit word for the awakened or knowing consciousness of a fully liberated yogi, generally translated into English as enlightenment. It is an abstract noun formed from the verbal root budh (to awake, become aware, notice, know or understand), corresponding to the verbs bujjhati (P... Yogācāra (Sanskrit: yoga practice), also spelled yogāchāra, is an influential school of philosophy and psychology that developed in Indian Mahayana Buddhism starting sometime in the fourth to fifth centuries C.E., also commonly known as consciousness-only or mind-only (Sanskrit: cittamātra) (although scholars increasingly... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Yogacara. ...

One of the recurrent emphases in the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra is a lack of reliance on words to effectively express reality:

If, Mahamati, you say that because of the reality of words the objects are, this talk lacks in sense. Words are not known in all the Buddha-lands; words, Mahamati, are an artificial creation. In some Buddha-lands ideas are indicated by looking steadily, in others by gestures, in still others by a frown, by the movement of the eyes, by laughing, by yawning, or by the clearing of the throat, or by recollection, or by trembling.^[30]

In contrast to the ineffectiveness of words, the sūtra instead stresses the importance of the "self-realization" that is "attained by noble wisdom"^[31] and occurs "when one has an insight into reality as it is":^[32] "The truth is the state of self-realisation and is beyond categories of discrimination".^[33] The sūtra goes on to outline the ultimate effects of an experience of self-realization:

[The Bodhisattva] will become thoroughly conversant with the noble truth of self-realisation, will become a perfect master of his own mind, will conduct himself without effort, will be like a gem reflecting a variety of colours, will be able to assume the body of transformation, will be able to enter into the subtle minds of all beings, and, because of his firm belief in the truth of Mind-only, will, by gradually ascending the stages, become established in Buddhahood.^[34] Lands Bhutan â€¢ China â€¢ Korea Japan â€¢ Tibet â€¢ Vietnam Taiwan â€¢ Mongolia Doctrine Bodhisattva â€¢ Bodhicitta Karuna â€¢ Prajna Sunyata â€¢ Buddha Nature Trikaya â€¢ Eternal Buddha Scriptures Prajnaparamita Sutra Avatamsaka Sutra Lotus Sutra Nirvana Sutra VimalakÄ«rti Sutra Lankavatara Sutra History 4th Buddhist Council Silk Road â€¢ Nagarjuna Asanga â€¢ Vasubandhu Bodhidharma      A statue of a Bodhisattva, Akasagarbha. ...

One of the fundamental Chán texts attributed to Bodhidharma is a four-line stanza whose first two verses echo the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra's disdain for words and whose second two verses stress the importance of the insight into reality achieved through "self-realization":

A special transmission outside the scriptures,
Not founded upon words and letters;
By pointing directly to [one's] mind
It lets one see into [one's own true] nature and [thus] attain Buddhahood.^[35]

The stanza, in fact, is not Bodhidharma's, but rather dates to the year 1108.^[36] Nonetheless, there are earlier texts which explicitly associate Bodhidharma with the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra. Daoxuan, for example, in a late recension of his biography of Bodhidharma's successor Huike, has the sūtra as a basic and important element of the teachings passed down by Bodhidharma:

In the beginning Dhyana Master Bodhidharma took the four-roll Laṅkā Sūtra, handed it over to Huike, and said: "When I examine the land of China, it is clear that there is only this sutra. If you rely on it to practice, you will be able to cross over the world."^[37]

Another early text, the Record of the Masters and Disciples of the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra (楞伽師資記 Léngqié shīzī jì) of Jìngjué (淨覺; 683–750), also mentions Bodhidharma in relation to this text. Jingjue's account also makes explicit mention of "sitting meditation", or zazen:^[38]

For all those who sat in meditation, Master Bodhi[dharma] also offered expositions of the main portions of the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, which are collected in a volume of twelve or thirteen pages,^[39] [...] bearing the title of Teaching of [Bodhi-]Dharma.^[40]

In other early texts, the school that would later become known as Chán is sometimes referred to as the "Laṅkāvatāra school" (楞伽宗 Léngqié zōng).^[41]

Portrayals of Bodhidharma

Throughout Buddhist art, Bodhidharma is depicted as a rather ill-tempered, profusely bearded and wide-eyed barbarian. He is described as "The Blue-Eyed Barbarian" 藍眼睛的野人 (lán yǎnjīngde yěrén) in Chinese texts.^[42] Footprint of the Buddha. ... For other uses, see Barbarian (disambiguation). ...

The Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall (952) identifies Bodhidharma as the 28th Patriarch of Buddhism in an uninterrupted line that extends all the way back to the Buddha himself. D.T. Suzuki contends that Chán's growth in popularity during the 7th and 8th centuries attracted criticism that it had "no authorized records of its direct transmission from the founder of Buddhism" and that Chán historians made Bodhidharma the 28th patriarch of Buddhism in response to such attacks.^[43] Siddhartha and Gautama redirect here. ... Dr. Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki (1870, Kanazawa, Japan - 1966; standard transliteration: Suzuki Daisetsu, 鈴木大拙) was a famous author of books and essays on Buddhism and Zen that were instrumental in spreading interest in Zen to the West. ...

Legends

Bodhidharma and the martial arts?

The Yi Jin Jing credits Shaolin Kung Fu to Bodhidharma, which would make him an important influence on the martial arts of Asia in general. However, both the attribution of Shaolin Kung Fu to Bodhidharma and the authenticity of the Yi Jin Jing itself have been discredited by historians including Tang Hao, Xu Zhen and Matsuda Ryuchi. This argument is summarized by modern historian Lin Boyuan in his Zhongguo wushu shi as follows: The Yì Jīn Jīng (Chinese: 易筋經; Wade-Giles: I Chin Ching; literally Muscle/Tendon Change Classic) is a qìgōng manual most notable as the source of the attribution of Shaolin Kung Fu to Bodhidharma; both this attribution and the authenticity of the Yì Jīn Jīng... Ever since 1669, when Huang Zongxi first described Chinese martial arts in terms of a Shaolin or external school versus a Wudang or internal school,[1] Shaolin has been used as a synonym for external Chinese martial arts regardless of whether or not the particular style in question has any... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ...

As for the “Yi Jin Jing” (Muscle Change Classic), a spurious text attributed to Bodhidharma and included in the legend of his transmitting martial arts at the temple, it was written in the Ming dynasty, in 1624 CE, by the Daoist priest Zining of Mt. Tiantai, and falsely attributed to Bodhidharma. Forged prefaces, attributed to the Tang general Li Jing and the Southern Song general Niu Gao were written. They say that, after Bodhidharma faced the wall for nine years at Shaolin temple, he left behind an iron chest; when the monks opened this chest they found the two books “Xi Sui Jing” (Marrow Washing Classic) and “Yi Jin Jing” within. The first book was taken by his disciple Huike, and disappeared; as for the second, “the monks selfishly coveted it, practicing the skills therein, falling into heterodox ways, and losing the correct purpose of cultivating the Real. The Shaolin monks have made some fame for themselves through their fighting skill; this is all due to having obtained this manuscript.” Based on this, Bodhidharma was claimed to be the ancestor of Shaolin martial arts. This manuscript is full of errors, absurdities and fantastic claims; it cannot be taken as a legitimate source.^[44]

The oldest available copy was published in 1827^[45] and the composition of the text itself has been dated to 1624.^[44] Even then, the association of Bodhidharma with martial arts only becomes widespread as a result of the 1904–1907 serialization of the novel The Travels of Lao Ts'an in Illustrated Fiction Magazine.^[46]

Huiguang and Sengchou were expert in the martial arts before they became two of the very first Shaolin monks—years before the arrival of Bodhidharma.^[47] The Taishō Tripiṭaka documents Sengchou's skill with the tin staff. The Chinese Buddhist Canon (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; literally Great Treasury of Scripture) is the total body of Buddhist literature deemed canonical in China, Korea and Japan and includes texts from Nikaya as well as Mahayana schools. ...

Bodhidharma is associated with the idea that spiritual, intellectual and physical excellence are an indivisible whole necessary for enlightenment. Such an approach to enlightenment ultimately proved highly attractive to the Samurai class in Japan, who made Zen their way of life, following their encounter with the martial-arts-oriented Chán Lingji School introduced to Japan by Eisai in the 12th century. Yet in some versions of his legend, Bodhidharma's focus was so single-minded during his nine years of meditation that his legs atrophied.^[48] For other uses, see Samurai (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Zen (disambiguation). ... Myōan Eisai, founder of the Rinzai School of Zen, 12th century. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ...

Encounter with Emperor Liang

According to the Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall, in 527 during the Liang Dynasty, Bodhidharma, the first Patriarch of Chán, visited the Emperor Wu, a fervent patron of Buddhism. The emperor asked Bodhidharma, "What is the highest meaning of noble truth?" Bodhidharma answered, "There is no noble truth." The emperor then asked Bodhidharma, "Who is standing before me?" Bodhidharma answered, "I don't know." The emperor then asked Bodhidharma, "How much karmic merit have I earned by ordaining Buddhist monks, building monasteries, having sutras copied, and commissioning Buddha images?" Bodhidharma answered, "None."^[49] Liang Dynasty (梁朝 (Pinyin: Liáng cháo)) (502-557), also known as Southern Liang Dynasty (南梁), was the third of Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Chen Dynasty. ... Liang Wudi (梁武帝) (502-549) was the first Emperor of China of the short-lived Liang Dynasty. ... Media:Example. ...

From then on, the emperor refused to listen to whatever Bodhidharma had to say. Although Bodhidharma came from India to China to become the first patriarch of China, the emperor refused to recognize him. Since he refused to believe in what Bodhidharma told him, he practically missed his chance to come face to face with someone who was important to Buddhism. Bodhidharma knew that he would face difficulty in the near future, but had the emperor been able to leave the throne and yield it to someone else, he could have avoided his fate of starving to death. A silhouette of a Buddha statue at Ayutthaya, Thailand. ...

According to the teaching, Emperor Wu's past life was as a bhikshu. While he cultivated in the mountains, a monkey would always steal and eat the things he planted for food, as well as the fruit in the trees. One day, he was able to trap the monkey in a cave and blocked the entrance of the cave with rocks, hoping to teach the monkey a lesson. However, after two days, the bhikshu found that the monkey had died of starvation. Categories: Buddhism-related stubs | Buddhist terms ...

Supposedly, that monkey was reincarnated into Hou Jing of the Northern Wei Dynasty, who led his soldiers to attack Nanjing. After Nanjing was taken, the emperor was held in captivity in the palace and was not provided with any food, and was left to starve to death. Though Bodhidharma wanted to save him and brought forth a compassionate mind toward him, the emperor failed to recognize him, so there was nothing Bodhidharma could do. Thus, Bodhidharma had no choice but to leave Emperor Wu to die and went into meditation in a cave for nine years. Hou Jing (侯景) (d. ... Northern Wei Buddha Maitreya, 443 AD. A Buddhist stela from the Northern Wei period, build in the early 6th century. ... “Nanking” redirects here. ...

This encounter would later form the basis of the first kōan of the collection The Blue Cliff Record. A koan (pronounced ) is a story, dialog, question, or statement in the history and lore of Chan (Zen) Buddhism, generally containing aspects that are inaccessible to rational understanding, yet that may be accessible to intuition. ... The Blue Cliff Record (Chinese: 《碧巖錄》 Bìyán Lù; Japanese: Hekiganroku) is a collection of Zen Buddhist koans originally compiled in China during the Song dynasty in 1125 (宋宣和七年) and then expanded into its present form by the Chan master Yuanwu...

Nine years of gazing at a wall

Failing to make a favorable impression in Southern China, Bodhidharma is said to have retreated to the northern Chinese kingdom of Wei to a cave near the Shaolin Monastery where he "faced a wall for nine years, not speaking for the entire time".^[15] Northern Wei Buddha Maitreya, 443 AD. A Buddhist stela from the Northern Wei period, build in the early 6th century. ... , Main gate of the Shaolin Monastery in Henan, China. ...

In one version of the story, he is said to have fallen asleep seven years into his nine years of wall-gazing. Becoming angry with himself, he cut off his eyelids to prevent it from happening again.^[50] According to the legend, as his eyelids hit the floor the first Tea plants sprang up; and thereafter Tea would provide a stimulant to help keep students of Chán awake during meditation.^[51] Binomial name Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze Camellia sinensis is the tea plant, the plant species whose leaves and leaf buds are used to produce tea. ... For other uses, see Tea (disambiguation). ... Kodo Sawaki practicing zazen Zazen (坐禅) is at the heart of Zen Buddhist practice. ...

In another version of the story, after the nine years, Bodhidharma “passed away, seated upright”.^[15]

In another, Bodhidharma disappeared, leaving behind the Yi Jin Jing.^[44] The Yì Jīn Jīng (Chinese: 易筋經; Wade-Giles: I Chin Ching; literally Muscle/Tendon Change Classic) is a qìgōng manual most notable as the source of the attribution of Shaolin Kung Fu to Bodhidharma; both this attribution and the authenticity of the Yì Jīn Jīng...

Main article: Daruma doll

In yet another version of the legend, Bodhidharma's legs atrophied after nine years of sitting,^[48] which is why Japanese Bodhidharma dolls have no legs.

Daruma doll Daruma dolls at Daruma-ji temple, Takasaki, Japan A daruma doll with one eye filled in for wishing. ...

Teaching

In one legend, Bodhidharma refused to resume teaching until his would-be student, Hui-k'o, who had kept vigil for weeks in the deep snow outside of the monastery, cut off his own right arm to demonstrate sincerity.^[52] Huike Thinking by Chinese Song Dynasty painter Shi Ke (10th century) Dazu Huike (487-593) [1] (Chinese: 大祖慧可; Chinese for short:慧可; pinyin: Huìkě; Wade-Giles: Hui-k’o; Japanese: Eka) is considered the Second Patriarch of Chinese Chan (Zen) and the twenty-ninth since Gautama Buddha. ...

The lineage of Bodhidharma and his disciples

In the Two Entrances and Four Acts and the Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks, Daoyu and Huike are the only explicitly identified disciples of Bodhidharma. The Jingde Records of the Transmission of the Lamp gives Bodhidharma four disciples who, in increasing order of understanding, are Daofu, who attains Bodhidharma's skin; the nun Dharani,^[53] who attains Bodhidharma's flesh; Daoyu, who attains Bodhidharma's bone; and Huike, who attains Bodhidharma's marrow.

• Bodhidharma
  • Daoyu
  • Yuan (Yuan-chi?)
    • Tao-chih
  • Huike
    • Tanlin (506–574)
    • Huineng (638-713)
      • Hsuan-chueh (665-713)
    • Layman Hsiang
    • Hua-kung
    • Yen-kung
    • Dhyana Master Na
    • Dhyana Master Ho
      • Hsuan-ching
      • Ching-ai
        • T'an-yen
        • Tao-an
        • Tao-p'an
        • Chih-tsang
        • Seng-chao
        • P'u-an
          • Ching-yuan (1067-1120) [1]

Yuan can refer to the following: Yuan is the basic unit of currency in China Yuan Dynasty (元朝), also called the Mongol Dynasty, of China Yuan, one of several Chinese family names; 袁, 元, 苑, 原, 源, 爰 in Mandarin; 阮, 垣, 玄 in Cantonese. ... According the traditions of Zen Buddhism, Huike (慧可) was the second patriarch of the Chan (Chinese Zen). ... Events Byzantine Empire and Persia accept a peace agreement based on status quo. ... Events Emperor Justin II retires, choosing Tiberius II Constantine as his heir. ... Huineng (慧能, 638 - 713) was a Chinese Chan (Chinese Zen) monastic who is one of the most important figures in the entire tradition. ... Events Islamic calendar introduced The Muslims capture Antioch, Caesarea Palaestina and Akko Births Deaths October 12 - Pope Honorius I Categories: 638 ... Events Byzantine Emperor Philippicus deposed. ... Events Swithelm succeeded by Sighere and Sebbi as king(s) of Essex Seongnam renamed Hansanju. ... Events Byzantine Emperor Philippicus deposed. ... Dao An (314-385 AD) was a Buddhist monk of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, originating from what is now Hebei Province. ... Sengzhao or Seng-Chao (384-414)[1], from Jingzhao, was a Buddhist Chinese philosopher and the first disciple of Kumārajīva. ... Events Constantine X emperor of the Byzantine Empire dies. ... Events Welcher of Malvern creates a system of measurement for the earth using degrees, minutes, and seconds of latitude and longitude. ...

Works attributed to Bodhidharma

• The Outline of Practice or Two Entrances
• The Bloodstream Sutra
• The Breakthrough Sutra
• The Wake-Up Sutra

See also

• Buddhism in China
• List of Buddhist topics

Shakyamuni Buddha teaching. ... Contents: Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z The following is a List of Buddhist topics: A Abhidharma Ahimsa Ajahn Ajahn Chah Ajanta Aksobhya Alexandra David-Néel...

Notes

Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Keizan ç‘©å±± Jokin Zenji, also known as Taiso Josai Daishi, was the second of the great founders of Soto Zen in Japan. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Tibetan Buddhism is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet, the Himalayan region (including northern Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and Ladakh), Mongolia, Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia (Russia), and northeastern China (Manchuria: Heilongjiang, Jilin). ... This article refers to the primordial state as considered in Tibetan Buddhism and Bon. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... This article lacks information on the importance of the subject matter. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ... Bodhidharma (early 6th century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as founder of Zen. ...

References

The Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) was founded in 1967 and originally named the Ohio College Library Center. ... Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki (October 18, 1870, Kanazawa, Japan – July 22, 1966; standard transliteration: Suzuki Daisetsu, 鈴木大拙) was a famous author of books and essays on Buddhism, Zen and Shin that were instrumental in spreading interest in both Zen and Shin (and Far Eastern philosophy in general) to the West. ... Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki (October 18, 1870, Kanazawa, Japan – July 22, 1966; standard transliteration: Suzuki Daisetsu, 鈴木大拙) was a famous author of books and essays on Buddhism, Zen and Shin that were instrumental in spreading interest in both Zen and Shin (and Far Eastern philosophy in general) to the West. ... Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki (October 18, 1870, Kanazawa, Japan – July 22, 1966; standard transliteration: Suzuki Daisetsu, 鈴木大拙) was a famous author of books and essays on Buddhism, Zen and Shin that were instrumental in spreading interest in both Zen and Shin (and Far Eastern philosophy in general) to the West. ... From The Essential Alan Watts Alan Wilson Watts (January 6, 1915 – November 16, 1973) was a philosopher, writer, speaker, and expert in comparative religion. ...

External links

• Essence of Mahayana Practice By Bodhidharma, with annotations. Also known as "The Outline of Practice."
• Bodhidharma
• Bodhidharma