Bodhidharma Talks
Bodhidharma was a semi-legendary Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th or 6th century CE. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Chan Buddhism to China, and is regarded as its first Chinese patriarch. According to a 17th-century apocryphal story found in a manual called Yijin Jing, he began the physical training of the monks of Shaolin Monastery that led to the creation of Shaolin kungfu. He is known as Dámó in China and as Daruma in Japan. His name means "dharma of awakening (bodhi)" in Sanskrit.
Little contemporary biographical information on Bodhidharma is extant, and subsequent accounts became layered with legend and unreliable details.
According to the principal Chinese sources, Bodhidharma came from the Western Regions, which typically refers to Central Asia but can also include the Indian subcontinent, and is described as either a "Persian Central Asian" or a "South Indian [...] the third son of a great Indian king." Throughout Buddhist art, Bodhidharma is depicted as an ill-tempered, large-nosed, profusely-bearded, wide-eyed non-Chinese person. He is referred to as "The Blue-Eyed Barbarian" (Chinese: 碧眼胡; pinyin: Bìyǎnhú) in Chan texts.
Aside from the Chinese accounts, several popular traditions also exist regarding Bodhidharma's origins.
The accounts also differ on the date of his arrival, with one early account claiming that he arrived during the Liu Song dynasty (420–479 CE) and later accounts dating his arrival to the Liang dynasty (502–557 CE). Bodhidharma was primarily active in the territory of the Northern Wei (386–534 CE). Modern scholarship dates him to about the early 5th century CE.
Bodhidharma's teachings and practice centered on meditation and the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra. 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 Gautama Buddha himself.
Title | Speaker | |
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Unknown year, February talk, Serial 00383 Anger, Ceremony, Evil, Greed, Transmission, Lay, Intimacy, Pain, Bodhidharma, Demons... |
Feb 04 |
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YYYY.01.16-serial.00038 Buddha Ancestors, Teacher-and-Student, Family Practice, Dharma Transmission, zen,... |
[field_wisdom_date]
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YYYY.01.14-serial.00043 Attachment, Buddha Nature, New Year, Bodhidharma, Dependent Origination, Describe,... |
[field_wisdom_date]
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OLD - UntitledSerial: SR-00081 June, 1968 First Principle, Bodhidharma, Describe, Balance, Community, Doubt, Hate, Precepts,... |
[field_wisdom_date]
Tassajara |
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Unknown Date, Serial 00239 Duality, Intimacy, Ego, Sixth Patriarch, Subject-and-Object, Non-duality, Four Noble... |
[field_wisdom_date]
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Unknown Date, Serial 00431, Side B Buddha's Birthday, Birth-and-Death, New Year, Diversity, American, War, Rinzai,... |
[field_wisdom_date]
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OLD - If Our Teaching Is A Special TeachingSerial: SF-05834B SR-67-09-00-A -2 (continued) (conclusion) [This tape is a continuation of SR-67-09-00-A-1] Bodhidharma, Karma, training, Religion |
[field_wisdom_date]
Unknown |
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OLD - BodhidharmaSerial: SF-05783 SR-68-06-00-1 (start) (continued) - duplicate Bodhidharma, First Principle, Faith, Interview, Describe, Priest, Freedom |
[field_wisdom_date]
Tassajara |
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The Fourth Grave Precept (Not Lying) Precepts, Subject-and-Object, Silence, Karmic Consciousness, Four Noble Truths,... |
[field_wisdom_date]
Unknown |
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The Third Grave Precept (do not misuse sex) Precepts, Teacher-and-Student, Commitment, Attachment, training, realization, Lay,... |
[field_wisdom_date]
Unknown |
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Do You Do It? Politics, Ego, Birth-and-Death, Religion, Humility, Faith, Oneness, Bodhidharma,... |
[field_wisdom_date]
Unknown |
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Reflecting the MirrorSerial: SF-03045B #12 Faith, Freedom, Ego, Bodhidharma, training, Enemies, Instruction, realization... |
[field_wisdom_date]
Unknown |
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Unknown Date, Serial 00368 Building, confusion, Monastic Practice, Politics, Intuition, Community, Culture, Don... |
[field_wisdom_date]
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Don't Be Bothered By Your Mind / Science of Philosophy is Like a DissectionSerial: SF-05104C Tape 5 Summer sesshin 1965 Thursday July 29th Side 2: 5:45 meditation, 9:00 AM lecture [Case replaced 12/95. Original notes were transcribed verbatim - WKR] Sesshin, Peace, Buddha Nature, Current Events, Bodhidharma, Passions, Instruction,... |
Jul 30 1965 A-B Sokoji |
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Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-05428 TS-65-08-01 Bodhidharma, Buddha Nature, Beginners, Concentration, Hate, Faith |
Aug 01 1965 Sokoji |
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Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-05102 Tape X side 1 - Sunday lectures of Bishop Sumi Bodhidharma, Buddha Nature, Concentration, Happiness, Hate, Freedom, Faith |
Aug 01 1965 Sokoji |
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Putting Power In Your HaraSerial: SF-05133-A Afternoon Sesshin Lecture Sesshin, Dogen, Fukanzazengi, Buddha Mind, Big Mind, Separation, New Year,... |
Dec 01 1967 A Tassajara |
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Lotus Sūtra No. I-2Serial: SR-00111 February 1968 Lotus Sutra, Building, Wisdom, Evil, Monks, Priest, Patience, Bodhidharma, Offering,... |
Feb 1968 Series 1, Talk 2 Tassajara |
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Shuso CeremonySerial: SF-05143C SR023 Last 2/3 side 2 Philip's discussion ceremony - copied 2 tapes [there are also photographs of hand-written notes on missing portions of Q&A - per tape operator... Sesshin, Shuso Ceremony, Big Mind, Bell, Bodhidharma, Gratitude, Buddha Nature,... |
Apr 23 1968 C Tassajara |
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OLD - What is Soto and what is Rinzai? Buddha Nature, Bodhidharma, Family Practice, Mahayana, Bowing, Death, Diversity,... |
Jul 21 1968 Tassajara |
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What is Soto and what is Rinzai?Serial: SF-05144A SR024 Tass July 26/68 Roshi Sectarianism copied; July 21 Chino Sensei; July 24 Chino Sensei - also many handwritten notes on the content Soto Zen, Rinzai, Buddha Nature, Bodhidharma, Evil, Bowing, Mahayana, Gratitude, Ego... |
Jul 26 1968 Tassajara |
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BodhidharmaSerial: SF-05081 ===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #22, by Shundo David Haye ===== In this second tape made by Dan Gourley at Tassajara in the summer of 1968,... Beginner’s Mind, First Principle, Time, First Principle, Bodhidharma, Describe, Faith... |
Jul 29 1968 Tassajara |
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The True DragonDogen, Baso, Dragons, Freedom, Soto Zen, Emptiness, Bodhidharma, soto, Instruction,... |
Oct 12 1968 B Sokoji |
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March 25th, 1969, Serial No. 00011 Silence, Meditation, Attachment, Bodhidharma, confusion, Gratitude, Community,... |
Mar 25 1969 |
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OLD - 1969.07.15-serial.00030Serial: SR-00030 Second part of talk from this date. Emptiness, Lotus Sutra, New Year, Don't Know Mind, Sutra, Forms, Bodhidharma,... |
Jul 15 1969 |
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How To Observe PreceptsSerial: SR-00047 Sunday Morning, May 17, 1970 Precepts, Precepts, Chanting, Observe, Bodhidharma, Zazen, Mahayana, Posture,... |
May 17 1970 City Center |
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Ekō Lecture 5Serial: SR-00231 The Third Morning Eko [This is the fifth in a series of six lectures by Suzuki on the four ekos chanted at the conclusion of... Eko, Chanting, Buddha Ancestors, Transmission, Building, Bodhidharma, Sutra,... |
Jul 13 1970 Tassajara |
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Walk like an Elephant and Sitting like a FrogSerial: SR-00066 True Practice As Expression Of Buddha-Nature Sesshin, Sengai, Buddha Nature, Family Practice, War, Bodhidharma, Zazen, Monks... |
Aug 02 1970 City Center |
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Zazen Practice and Listen to the Right TeacherSerial: SF-05631 ===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #24, by Shundo David Haye ===== In the last years of Suzuki Roshi's life, very few talks were lost from the collections... Sesshin, Dogen, Bodhidharma, Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts, Observe, Precepts, Faith... |
Aug 03 1970 City Center |
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The Boss of EverythingZazen, Big Mind, confusion, Precepts, Bodhidharma, Zazen, Suffering, Observe... |
Jan 16 1971 City Center |
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OLD - The Boss of EverythingSerial: SF-06096 Jan 16 1971 one tape - original copied - missing Big Mind, Bodhidharma, Precepts, confusion, Observe, Delusion |
Jan 16 1971 City Center |
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The Teaching Just for YouSerial: SR-00147 Sesshin Lecture No. 1 Sesshin, Precepts, Dragons, Bodhidharma, Truth, sitting, Buddha Nature, Politics,... |
Jun 05 1971 City Center |
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Precepts as Original NaturePrecepts, Bodhidharma, Precepts, Concentration, Building, Posture, New Year,... |
Jun 12 1971 City Center |
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Sewing SesshinSerial: SR-00122 Sunday, June 20, 1971 Sesshin, Okesa, Dogen, Attachment, New Year, Freedom, Bodhidharma, Lay, Concentration... |
Jun 20 1971 City Center |
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Good Confidence In Your PracticeBodhidharma, First Principle, Bell, Wisdom, Breath, Building, American, Faith... |
Aug 05 1971 Tassajara |
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April 1st, 1972, Serial No. 00451 Posture, Composure, Instruction, Sambhogakaya, Bodhidharma |
Apr 01 1972 |
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April 29th, 1972, Serial No. 00460 Bodhidharma, First Principle, Dragons, Love, Passions |
Apr 29 1972 |
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May 9th, 1972, Serial No. 00462 Bodhidharma, Breath, Attachment, Mahayana, Koan |
May 09 1972 |
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May 10th, 1972, Serial No. 00466 Ceremony, Dragons, Building, Buddha Nature, Bodhidharma |
May 10 1972 |
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May 13th, 1972, Serial No. 00464 Breath, Bodhidharma, Truth, causation, Koan |
May 13 1972 |
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May 20th, 1972, Serial No. 00467 Silence, Bodhidharma, Buddha Nature, War, Letting Go |
May 20 1972 |
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July 4th, 1972, Serial No. 00476 Evil, Bodhidharma, Buddha Nature, Rinzai, Heart Sutra |
Jul 04 1972 |
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November 12th, 1972, Serial No. 00350 Attachment, Fasting, Consciousness, Bodhidharma, Funeral, Chanting, Posture, Breath,... |
Nov 12 1972 |
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1973, Serial No. 03016Serial: SF-03016 8411-2 Dragons, Bodhidharma, Light-and-Darkness, First Principle, Ceremony, Instruction,... |
1973 Unknown |
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February 3rd, 1973, Serial No. 00298 Lotus Sutra, Bodhidharma, Nirvana, Precepts |
Feb 03 1973 |
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January 20th, 1974, Serial No. 00246 Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Breath, Posture, Bodhidharma |
Jan 20 1974 |
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January 28th, 1974, Serial No. 00253 Bodhidharma, Mindfulness, Truth, Mahayana, Breath |
Jan 28 1974 |
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February 3rd, 1974, Serial No. 00250 Lotus Sutra, Bodhidharma, Buddha Nature, Nirvana, Precepts |
Feb 03 1974 |
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February 8th, 1974, Serial No. 00257 Bodhidharma, Happiness, Greed, Hate, Delusion |
Feb 08 1974 |
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February 17th, 1974, Serial No. 00269 Bodhidharma, Gratitude, heart, Funeral, Fox |
Feb 17 1974 |