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.
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Zazen to Become a BuddhaSerial: BZ-02022 Sitting for 10 Kalpas and Not Attaining Buddha, Saturday Lecture Bodhisattva, MM-9, Karma, Bodhisattva Way, Lotus Sutra, Peace, Bodhidharma, Big Mind... |
Mar 28 2009 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Bicycle Wheel Dharma, Serial No. 01089 Birth-and-Death, Ordinary Mind, Ego, Obstacles, Composure, Soto Zen, Daily Life,... |
Jan 31 2009 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Platform Sutra: Serial No. 01077Serial: BZ-01077 Rohatsu Day 1, side B Buddha Nature, Platform Sutra, Don't Know Mind, Lay, Buddha Ancestors, Evil,... |
Dec 07 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Traditional Zen Spirit Right Effort, Monkey Mind, Posture, Buddha Nature, Karma, Practice Period, Teacher-... |
Nov 01 2008 |
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The Brain and EnlightenmentEnlightenment, Dependent Origination, Monkey Mind, Peace, Bodhisattva Vow, Subject-... |
Aug 02 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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March 15th, 2008, Serial No. 01120 Don't Know Mind, Emotions, Vows, Precepts, Culture, Anger, Forgiveness,... |
Mar 15 2008 |
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2008.01.24-serial.00113C Posture, Oneness, Dharma Transmission, Bodhidharma, Big Mind, Echo, Heart Sutra,... |
Jan 24 2008 |
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October 27th, 2007, Serial No. 01006 Right Effort, Concentration, Aspects of Practice, Patience, Anger, Bodhisattva... |
Oct 27 2007 |
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September 8th, 2007, Serial No. 00998, Side B Teacher-and-Student, Transmission, Lineage, Buddha Ancestors, Bodhidharma, true... |
Sep 08 2007 |
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"Cooking Your Life"Serial: BZ-00993A Commentary, Teaching Retreat Tenzo Kyokun, Practice Period, Monkey Mind, Intuition, Buddha Nature, Ego, Separation... |
Sep 01 2007 Part 2 of 2 Berkeley Zen Center |
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June 9th, 2007, Serial No. 01439 Hsin Hsin Ming, Big Mind, Don't Know Mind, Karmic Consciousness, Global Warming... |
Jun 09 2007 |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #2 Joshu on Hsin Hsin MingSerial: BZ-01430 "I alone am the holy one throughout heaven and earth", Saturday Lecture Joshu, Attachment, Hsin Hsin Ming, BCR-2, Discrimination, Attachment, Non-... |
Apr 14 2007 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Developing Confidence in Buddha NatureSerial: SF-00074 Sunday talk. Global Warming, Buddha Mind, Hindrances, Delusion, Practice Period, Dragons, Lineage... |
Mar 18 2007 Green Gulch Farm |
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2007.01.18-serial.00117B Bodhidharma, Soto Zen, Lineage, true dharma, training, Buddha Ancestors, confusion,... |
Jan 18 2007 |
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2007.01.16-serial.00116G Teacher-and-Student, Vows, Buddha Ancestors, Buddha Mind, Family Practice,... |
Jan 16 2007 |
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2007.01.14-serial.00116B Buddha Nature, Nirvana Sutra, Attachment, Describe, Samadhi, Bodhidharma, Sangha,... |
Jan 14 2007 |
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April 1st, 2006, Serial No. 01226, Side A Evil, Precepts, Eka, Five Ranks, Karma, Don't Know Mind, Emotions, Bodhidharma,... |
Apr 01 2006 |
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March 12th, 2006, Serial No. 01313, Side D Bodhidharma, Practice Position, Silent Illumination, Lineage, Bell, American... |
Mar 12 2006 |
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2006.02.02-serial.00015 Bodhidharma, Four Noble Truths, Attachment, Precepts, Sangha, resistance, Vinaya,... |
Feb 02 2006 |
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2006.01.31-serial.00006 Buddha Ancestors, Buddha Nature, Describe, true dharma, Teacher-and-Student,... |
Jan 31 2006 |
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2006.01.30-serial.00008 true dharma, Offering, Hindrances, Lay, Teacher-and-Student, Dharma Transmission,... |
Jan 30 2006 |
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Lecture on Four VowsSerial: BZ-01208 Kid Zendo, Saturday Lecture Vows, Vows, Four Noble Truths, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Manjushri, Religion, Culture,... |
Dec 17 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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2005.11.03-serial.00188 Greed, Four Noble Truths, true dharma, Describe, Anger, Precepts, Patience,... |
Nov 03 2005 |
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Mumonkan: Case #3Serial: BZ-01194B Gutei's One Finger, Saturday Lecture Gutei, MM-3, Renewal, Sanctuary, Rinzai, Bodhidharma, Hindrances, confusion, Hate,... |
Oct 22 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #2Serial: BZ-01193 Joshu's "Don't Know", Saturday Lecture Joshu, BCR-2, Attachment, Discrimination, Non-attachment, Hate, Duality, Building,... |
Oct 15 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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GenjokoanSerial: BZ-01332 Sesshin Day 4 Genjokoan, Buddha Nature, Birth-and-Death, Priest, Bodhidharma, Transmission,... |
Jun 25 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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June 24th, 2005, Serial No. 01331 resistance, Constancy, Interdependence, Bodhidharma, Describe, Conversation, Hate,... |
Jun 24 2005 |
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April 23rd, 2005, Serial No. 01319, Side B Silence, Bodhidharma, Lay, Practice Period, Bowing, Oneness, Priest, Lay Practice,... |
Apr 23 2005 |
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Two Paths to the Dharma training, Practice Period, Liberation, Bodhidharma, Mahayana, Study Period, Lineage,... |
Mar 04 2005 |
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February 26th, 2005, Serial No. 01311, Side B Vows, Bodhisattva Vow, Greed, Mahayana, Daily Life, Religion, American, Priest,... |
Feb 26 2005 |
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Be the Boss of EverythingSerial: BZ-01299 When Everything Is Contained in Practice, Saturday Lecture Buddha Mind, Ordinary Mind, Big Mind, Anger, confusion, Posture, Ego, Bodhisattva Way... |
Dec 18 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Gakudo Yojunshu, Point #7Serial: BZ-01267 Turning Dharma and Being Turned by Dharma, Sesshin Day 1 Gakudo Yojin-Shu, Dogen, Lotus Sutra, Dragons, Buddha Mind, Obstacles, Silent... |
Jun 16 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 27th, 2004, Serial No. 01024, Side A Teacher-and-Student, Greed, Bodhidharma, Chanting, Soto Zen, Instruction, Religion,... |
May 27 2004 |
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Joshu's "Go Wash Your Bowls"Serial: BZ-01255 One-Day Sitting Joshu, Continuous Practice, Posture, Daily Life, Samadhi, Instruction, Karmic... |
Mar 14 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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February 29th, 2004, Serial No. 00579 Observe, Buddha's Birthday, Practice Period, Monastic Practice, Offering,... |
Feb 29 2004 |
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Buddha's ParinirvanaSerial: BZ-01248 Sesshin Day 1 Parinirvana, Nirvana, Impermanence, Birth-and-Death, Buddha's Birthday,... |
Feb 14 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Platform SutraSerial: BZ-01361A Saturday Lecture Platform Sutra, Hui Neng, Karma, Obstacles, Emotions, Big Mind, Evil, Duality, Doubt... |
Oct 11 2003 Berkeley Zen Center |
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2003.08.13-serial.00054 Letting Go, Instruction, Buddha Mind, Don't Know Mind, Bodhidharma |
Aug 13 2003 |
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April 17th, 2003, Serial No. 00297 Teacher-and-Student, Transmission, Mundane Life, First Principle, Lineage, Sixth... |
Apr 17 2003 |
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April 10th, 2003, Serial No. 00298 Mahayana, Transmission, Silence, Buddha Mind, Culture, Heart Sutra, Lineage, Posture... |
Apr 10 2003 |
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2003.02.19-serial.00166 Lineage, Bodhidharma, lecture, Sixth Patriarch, Precepts, Dharma Transmission,... |
Feb 19 2003 |