Zen and Chi Gong (PART 2 OF 3)
Bodhidharma
達磨（ダルマ）
Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th-6th century and is traditionally credited as the leading patriarch and transmitter of Zen 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 chigong 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 Liú Sòng Dynasty (420–479) and later accounts dating his arrival to the Liáng Dynasty (502–557). Bodhidharma was primarily active in the lands of the Northern Wèi 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 Zen'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 Zen historians made Bodhidharma the 28th patriarch of Buddhism in response to such attacks.
SOURCE: Wikipedia
PICTURES: from the Denman Library
He looks like a devil to me---a quite scary man, wasn't he?
Yes, he was in a sense. He is actually depicted as a rather ill-tempered, profusely bearded and wide-eyed barbarian.
So what was he good at?
In Japan, Bodhidharma is believed to be an original grand Zen master.
Oh, is he?
He is known as "Daruma" in Japan, and every Japanese knows about him. If anybody doesn't know about "Daruma" in Japan, he or she is NOT a Japanese.
Is he that famous in Japan?
You bet on that, Diane. In Japan, almost every household used to have a "Daruma" figure in an alcove or on a shelf.
Is this the "Daruma" figure?
Yes, it is.
How come it has only one black eye---not two black eyes?
A good question, Diane...'cause the Japanese usually buy a "Daruma" figure with no black eyes.
When you have a serious wish, then you would pray to Daruma while writing a black eye on his face.
Once your wish is realized, then you will paint another black eye.
And then the "Daruma" figure will become your full-fledged talisman.
Quite interesting! So his teaching is well-known in Japan, isn't it?
Oh yes, it is.
...like what?
For example, the following teaching is written in one of famous Zen scripts.
無為無事の人
(Be born-free again)
It literally means "a man who does nothing and gets involved in nothing."
...doesn't make sense to me.
I know what you mean, Diane...Zen scripts often sound meaningless, if not self-contradictory.
Doing nothing and remaining involved in nothing means that you're born-free again. Is that it?
You see, Diane, some people are preoccupied by their status in our society in terms of family ancestory, wealth, education, and so on. Bodhidharma told his disciples to throw away those superficial goodies, which would prevent them from seeing the truth of life.
I see.
One of his diciples said, "Master, I'm free from all the goddies." Then Bodhidharma said to him, "No, you are not...'cause you're even chained by your belief of being free from all the goddies."
So Bodhidharma was a very sarcastic person, wasn't he?
Yes, Diane, you're telling me. Once Bodhidharma went too far.
In what way?
Sitting still, Bodhidharma faced the rock wall for nine years.
Well, that's not so extraordinary, Kato...'cause, in our Christian history, one of the saints lived on the top of the pillar for more than 30 years.
Saint Simeon
Saint Simeon Stylites or Symeon the Stylite (c. 390 – 2 September 459) was a Christian ascetic saint who achieved fame because he lived for 39 years on a small platform on top of a pillar near Aleppo in Syria.
Several other stylites later followed his model (the Greek word style means pillar).
He is known formally as Saint Simeon Stylites the Elder to distinguish him from Simeon Stylites the Younger and Simeon Stylites III.
Yes, I know that, Diane...I learned about him in the European history. However, one of Bodhidharma's disciples went much too far.
In what way?
While Bodhidharma was facing the rock wall, Huike （慧可:えか） visited him and asked the grand master to teach him. Bodhidharma initially refused to teach Huike.
I suppose, Huike didn't give up, did he?
No, he didn't. Huike stood in the snow outside Bodhidharma’s cave all night until the snow reached his waist. In the morning Bodhidharma asked him why he was there and Huike replied that he wanted a teacher to "open the gate of the elixir or universal compassion to liberate all beings".
Then what did the grand master say?
Bodhidharma refused, saying, “how can you hope for true religion with little virtue, little wisdom, a shallow heart, and an arrogant mind? It would just be a waste of effort.” Finally, to prove his resolve, Huike cut off his left arm and presented it to the First Patriarch as a token of his sincerity at which point Bodhidharma accepted him as a student and changed his name from Shenguang to Huike (“Wisdom and Capacity”).
My goodness! ... Huike went too far.
The story continies, Diane. Without realizing that he had just self-amputated his left arm, Huike screamed in pain and then said to Bodhidharma, “My mind is anxious. Please pacify it.” Bodhidharma replied, “Bring me your mind, and I will pacify it.” Huike said, “Although I’ve sought it, I cannot find it.” “There,” Bodhidharma replied, “I have pacified your mind.”
I see...What a sarcastic master Bodhidharma was! So, an anxious mind didn't exist in the first place, did it?
You're right on, Diane.
But, Kato, what are you practising?
A good question! While I sit still, I'm trying not to have an anxious mind. This practice indeed improves my health and mind---much more than devoting my afternoons to exercise and recreation.
(To be followed)