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| '''Bodhidharma''' is a semi-legendary Indian monk who lived from approximately 440 CE - 528 CE. Bodhidharma is traditionally held to be the founder of the Ch'an (known in Japan and the West as ]) school of Buddhism, and the ] school of ]. Many stories have grown up around the figure of Bodhidharma, though it is not unlikely that he actually existed. | |||
| Traditionally, the founder of ] and the ] school of "]". | |||
| ⚫ | In Chinese Buddhism, his name is ] as Pu2 Ti2 Da2 Mo2 (菩提達摩) or simply Da2 Mo2. He is known as ] in ] | ||
| ⚫ | In Chinese Buddhism, his name is ] as Pu2 Ti2 Da2 Mo2 (菩提達摩) or simply Da2 Mo2. He is known as ] in ]. | ||
| ⚫ | Legend has it that Bodhidharma travelled from ] (the homeland of ]) to teach in China, where he found would-be Buddhists preoccupied with scholasticism and attempting to earn favorable ] through good works. | ||
| ⚫ | Legend has it that Bodhidharma travelled from ] (the homeland of ]) to teach in China around ], where he found would-be Buddhists preoccupied with scholasticism and attempting to earn favorable ] through good works. | ||
| ⚫ | When the Emperor asked him how much merit he had accumulated through building temples and endowing monasteries, Bodhidharma replied, "None at all." Perplexed, the Emperor then asked, "Well, what is the fundamental teaching of ]?" "Vast emptiness," was the bewildering reply. "Listen," said the Emperor, now losing all patience, "just who do you think you are?" "I have no idea," Bodhidharma replied. | ||
| ⚫ | Bodhidharma travelled to various Chinese monasteries, teaching. According to tradition, he was invited to an audience with Emperor Wu Di of the Liang dynasty in ]. When the Emperor asked him how much merit he had accumulated through building temples and endowing monasteries, Bodhidharma replied, "None at all." Perplexed, the Emperor then asked, "Well, what is the fundamental teaching of ]?" "Vast emptiness," was the bewildering reply. "Listen," said the Emperor, now losing all patience, "just who do you think you are?" "I have no idea," Bodhidharma replied. | ||
| With this Bodhidharma was banished from the Court, and is said to have sat in ] for the next seven years "listening to the ants scream." | With this Bodhidharma was banished from the Court, and is said to have sat in ] for the next seven years "listening to the ants scream." | ||
| Another story credits Bodhidharma with bringing ] to China. Supposedly, he cut off his eyelids while meditating, to keep from falling asleep. Tea bushes sprung from the spot where his eyelids hit the ground. | |||
| Eventually becoming the master of ] monastery, he supposedly found the students so out-of-shape from a life of bloodless study that he introduced a regimen of martial excercises, the foundation of all later schools of Kung Fu. | |||
| Bodhidharma traveled to the recently constructed ] temple in the south of China, where the monks refused him admission. Bodhidharma sat meditating facing a wall for the next 9 years, supposedly burning holes into the wall by staring at it. Only then did the monks of the Shaolin Temple respect Bodhidharma and allow him inside. He supposedly found the monks so out of shape from a life of study spent copying scrolls that he introduced a regimen of martial excercises, the foundation of all later schools of kung fu. | |||
| === External References === | |||
| Bodhidharma is probably about as historical as ]. | |||
| *''The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma'', translated and with an introduction by Red Pine. New York: North Point Press. Translation and original Chinese text of four works attributed to Bodhidharma. | |||
Revision as of 01:38, 25 November 2002
Bodhidharma is a semi-legendary Indian monk who lived from approximately 440 CE - 528 CE. Bodhidharma is traditionally held to be the founder of the Ch'an (known in Japan and the West as Zen) school of Buddhism, and the Shaolin school of Kung Fu. Many stories have grown up around the figure of Bodhidharma, though it is not unlikely that he actually existed.
In Chinese Buddhism, his name is transliterated as Pu2 Ti2 Da2 Mo2 (菩提達摩) or simply Da2 Mo2. He is known as Daruma in Japanese.
Legend has it that Bodhidharma travelled from India (the homeland of Buddhism) to teach in China around 475, where he found would-be Buddhists preoccupied with scholasticism and attempting to earn favorable karma through good works.
Bodhidharma travelled to various Chinese monasteries, teaching. According to tradition, he was invited to an audience with Emperor Wu Di of the Liang dynasty in 520. When the Emperor asked him how much merit he had accumulated through building temples and endowing monasteries, Bodhidharma replied, "None at all." Perplexed, the Emperor then asked, "Well, what is the fundamental teaching of Buddhism?" "Vast emptiness," was the bewildering reply. "Listen," said the Emperor, now losing all patience, "just who do you think you are?" "I have no idea," Bodhidharma replied.
With this Bodhidharma was banished from the Court, and is said to have sat in meditation for the next seven years "listening to the ants scream."
Another story credits Bodhidharma with bringing tea to China. Supposedly, he cut off his eyelids while meditating, to keep from falling asleep. Tea bushes sprung from the spot where his eyelids hit the ground.
Bodhidharma traveled to the recently constructed Shaolin temple in the south of China, where the monks refused him admission. Bodhidharma sat meditating facing a wall for the next 9 years, supposedly burning holes into the wall by staring at it. Only then did the monks of the Shaolin Temple respect Bodhidharma and allow him inside. He supposedly found the monks so out of shape from a life of study spent copying scrolls that he introduced a regimen of martial excercises, the foundation of all later schools of kung fu.
External References
- The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, translated and with an introduction by Red Pine. New York: North Point Press. Translation and original Chinese text of four works attributed to Bodhidharma.