Bodhidharma BiographyBodhidharma (Tamil: ??????????) was a Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th/6th century and is traditionally credited as the leading patriarch and transmitter of Zen (Chinese: Ch?n, Sanskrit: Dhy?na) to China. According to Chinese legend, he also began the physical training of the Shaolin monks that led to the creation of Shaolinquan. However, martial arts historians have shown this legend stems from a 17th century qigong manual known as the Yijin Jing.
Little contemporary biographical information on Bodhidharma is extant, and subsequent accounts became layered with legend, but most accounts agree that he was a Tamil prince from southern India's Pallava Empire.Scholars have concluded his place of birth to be Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu.
After becoming a Buddhist monk, Bodhidharma traveled to China. The accounts differ on the date of his arrival, with one early account claiming that he arrived during the Li? S?ng Dynasty (420?479) and later accounts dating his arrival to the Li?ng Dynasty (502?557). Bodhidharma was primarily active in the lands of the Northern W?i Dynasty (386?534).
Modern scholarship dates him to about the early 5th century.
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" in Chinese texts.
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 Ch?n'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 Ch?n historians made Bodhidharma the 28th patriarch of Buddhism in response to such attacks
Bodhidharma Teachings- Bao Yen Hsin: The willingness to accept, without complaining, suffering and unhappiness because you understand it is your own karma.
- Sui Yen Hsin: Understanding that all situations are the consequences of karmic causes, and therefore, you maintain equanimity in all circumstances, both negative and positive.
- Tsung Fa Hsin: Realizing through practice the essence of your Buddha Nature, which is equanimity.
Osho & BodhidharmaBodhidharma says:One observes things in the phenomenal world, yet always dwells in emptiness.
One goes on seeing shadows, dreams, projections, but remembers that all this is just dream stuff. Remembering it, deep down one remains utterly empty. The mirror never clings to any reflection; howsoever beautiful the face may be looking into the mirror, it never clings to it. The face is reflected. When the person has moved, the face disappears. The mirror remains empty, so does the meditator: he reflects everything and yet remains empty, because he clings not.
The second Question:How can one dwell in Dharma?Bodhidharma says:One should stay neither in in-dwelling nor in non-dwelling Dharma. He should live naturally in Dharma. This is what you call dwelling in Dharma.
Bodhidharma's way of expressing it may seem a little strange, but he can't help it; he has to say it as it is.
The disciple asks:How can one dwell in Dharma?Dharma, remember, ordinarily is translated as religion. That too is not right. Dharma is not religion, religion is an attitude towards reality. Dharma is not an attitude towards reality, Dharma is simply to live naturally, spontaneously. To live in tune with nature is Dharma.
That is Bodhidharma's experience, that is my experience too: to live naturally, without interfering with your spontaneity, to live moment to moment without being dominated by the past or the future isDharma. Bodhidharma says: Forget about in-dwelling Dharma and non-dwelling Dharma. That is bringing your mind in, creating categories. Live simply and naturally.
