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Bodhidharma: Difference between revisions
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Dr. Thich Thien-An in his book ''Zen Philosophy, Zen Practice'', says: | Dr. Thich Thien-An in his book ''Zen Philosophy, Zen Practice'', says: | ||
<blockquote>At the time of his arrival, the ruler of China was Emperor Wu-Ti of the Liang dynasty. Emperor Wu-Ti was an ardent Buddhist, a scholar as well as a supporter and devotee. Through his contacts with other Buddhist masters, he had come to understand Buddhist philosophy very well. When he heard that the great master Bodhidharma had arrived in China, he was beside himself with delight and promptly invited the master to his court.... | <blockquote> | ||
At the time of his arrival, the ruler of China was Emperor Wu-Ti of the Liang dynasty. Emperor Wu-Ti was an ardent Buddhist, a scholar as well as a supporter and devotee. Through his contacts with other Buddhist masters, he had come to understand Buddhist philosophy very well. When he heard that the great master Bodhidharma had arrived in China, he was beside himself with delight and promptly invited the master to his court.... | |||
When Bodhidharma entered the court, the Emperor, after paying his proper respects, spoke to the Master thus: “For a long time I have used my own money to support many Buddhist temples and ordain many Buddhist monks and nuns. I have built schools for children and hospitals for the sick and ages, and aged. I have printed many Buddhist texts for free distribution to the people. I have done so many good things for Buddhism and for my people. Would you please tell me how much merit I will get?” Without a moment’s hesitation Bodhidharma answered: “No merit at all.” | |||
The response struck the Emperor like a slap. The other masters had all taught him quite differently. “Do good,” they said, “and you will receive good; do bad and you will receive bad. Effects follow causes as shadows follow figures.”... | |||
The Emperor then asked Bodhidharma another question: “Would you please tell me, what is the essence of Buddhism?” Short and sharp the answer came, “No essence at all.” | |||
The Emperor was stunned. No essence at all? When he had asked the other masters this question, they explained, with many words, arguments, illustrations and proofs, the basic doctrines of Buddhism.... | |||
Why did Bodhidharma answer the way he did? Perhaps he wanted to say that all the teachings in Buddhism are but methods to be practiced, skillful means or expedients, and that what constitutes the essence for one man may not be the essence for another.... Or perhaps he wanted to say that the original Mind of Enlightenment is the All-illumining Void in which there is nothing to be grasped and no one to grasp, and therefore no essence at all. But Bodhidharma was not the kind of man to waste words. Therefore, short and sharp the answer came, “No essence at all.” | |||
This answer did not please the Emperor. However, he tried to be patient and asked one more question of Bodhidharma: “You say that, according to Buddhism, everything is nothing, that all things have no essence. Well then, who is he that is talking with me now?” [Bodhidharma answered] “I do not know.” This reply shocked the Emperor. He lost his patience, dismissed Bodhidharma from his court and retired to his chambers, his head swirling in confusion. | |||
Meanwhile, left to himself, Bodhidharma thought: “This man is a Buddhist scholar, and yet even he could not understand. Perhaps conditions are not yet favorable enough for me to teach.” So he went to the Shao-Lin monastery in the state of Wei, sat cross-legged before a wall and entered into a deep state of meditation. He sat like this for nine years, waiting for conditions to ripen, waiting for someone to appear who would be capable of receiving the transmission of the wonderful Buddha Mind, that priceless treasure he had traveled all the way from India to China to transmit.<ref>Thich Thien-An, ''Zen Philosophy, Zen Practice'' (Emeryville, Calif.: Dharma Publishing, 1975) pp. 17–20.</ref> | |||
</blockquote> | |||
The Shaolin temple later became famous for training monks in kung fu, and Bodhidharma is honored as the founder of this martial art. | The Shaolin temple later became famous for training monks in kung fu, and Bodhidharma is honored as the founder of this martial art. | ||