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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2003.02.16-serial.00164 Compassion, Dharma Transmission, Buddha Ancestors, Continuous, Bodhidharma,... |
Feb 16 2003 |
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2003.02.15-serial.00169 Dharma Transmission, Bodhidharma, Continuous, Instruction, Compassion, Balance, soto... |
Feb 15 2003 |
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Sogen Shaku Scroll and Zen and WarSerial: BZ-00176 Rohatsu Day 6 War, War, Emotions, Priest, Soto Zen, Rinzai, Judgement, Religion, American, Ego,... |
Dec 07 2002 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Practice Walking Like an Elephant or a CowSerial: BZ-00174B Suzuki-rôshi Lecture, Rohatsu Day 4 Bodhidharma, Eka, Buddha Nature, Zazen, Buddha Nature, Bodhidharma, Dharma... |
Dec 05 2002 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Trip to JapanSerial: BZ-00210B Saturday Lecture Japan, Bell, resistance, soto, American, Heart Sutra, Chanting, Practice Period,... |
Sep 28 2002 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mumonkan: Case #9Serial: BZ-00233A Nonattained Buddha and Polishing the Tile, Sesshin Day 1 Buddha, MM-9, Lotus Sutra, Bodhidharma, Monkey Mind, Daily Life, Buddha Nature, Peace... |
Aug 31 2002 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 23rd, 2002, Serial No. 01011, Side A Discrimination, Practice Period, Sixth Patriarch, Posture, Instruction, Bodhidharma,... |
May 23 2002 |
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2002.03.13-serial.00069 Posture, Don't Know Mind, Lay, Breath, Bodhidharma, zen, Beginners, Samsara,... |
Mar 13 2002 |
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2002.03.12-serial.00077 Teacher-and-Student, Buddha Ancestors, Meditation, Oneness, Fasting, Echo, Duality,... |
Mar 12 2002 |
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February 9th, 2002, Serial No. 00062, Side B uchiyama, Peace, Blue Cliff Record, Zazen Mind, Book of Serenity, soto, Dragons,... |
Feb 09 2002 |
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August 25th, 2001, Serial No. 00088, Side A Blue Cliff Record, Four Foundations, Book of Serenity, Transmission, Dharma... |
Aug 25 2001 |
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Three NaturesSerial: BZ-00099B Saturday Lecture Pure Existence, Daily Life, Big Mind, Two Truths, Discrimination, Ego, confusion,... |
Mar 24 2001 Berkeley Zen Center |
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2001.02.04-serial.00049 Precepts, Heart Sutra, Four Noble Truths, confusion, Dependent Origination, Subject-... |
Feb 04 2001 |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #68Serial: BZ-00126B Buddha's Silence, Rohatsu Day 4 BCR-68, Birth-and-Death, Karma, Non-duality, Silence, Doubt, Bodhidharma,... |
Dec 07 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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August 12th, 2000, Serial No. 00081, Side A Instruction, Beginners, Commitment, Describe, War, Rinzai, Heart Sutra, Posture,... |
Aug 12 2000 |
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Branching Streams Flow in the DarknessSerial: BZ-00160A Polishing Tiles, Sesshin Day 5 Sandokai, Branching Streams, Emotions, Rinzai, Religion, Bodhidharma, Nirvana,... |
Jun 18 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 18th, 2000, Serial No. 00164 Rinzai, Lineage, Transmission, Fox, Dharma Transmission, Lotus Sutra, Doubt, Teacher-... |
May 18 2000 |
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Branching Streams Flow in the DarknessSerial: BZ-00161A Light and Darkness, Saturday Lecture Sandokai, Branching Streams, Light-and-Darkness, Light-and-Darkness, Darkness and... |
Apr 29 2000 Berkeley Zen Center |
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February 3rd, 2000, Serial No. 00926 Buddha Ancestors, Buddha Nature, Bodhidharma, Karma, Transmission, Teacher-and-... |
Feb 03 2000 |
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November 27th, 1999, Serial No. 00198, Side A Bodhidharma, Buddha Mind, Big Mind, Book of Serenity, Heart Sutra, Bell, New Year,... |
Nov 27 1999 |
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October 10th, 1999, Serial No. 00196, Side B Posture, Peace, Blue Cliff Record, Book of Serenity, Harmonizing, Nirvana, War,... |
Oct 10 1999 |
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Failure/SuccessSerial: BZ-00192B Saturday Lecture Ego, Koan, Teacher-and-Student, Bodhidharma, Big Mind |
Aug 21 1999 Berkeley Zen Center |
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August 7th, 1999, Serial No. 00191, Side B Buddha Nature, Subject-and-Object, Daily Life, Separation, Transmission, Duality,... |
Aug 07 1999 |
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Genjokoan (Pt. 8/8)Serial: BZ-00674B “The place is lost; from here the Way unfolds”, Saturday Lecture Genjokoan, Subject-and-Object, Buddha Nature, Daily Life, Bodhidharma, Separation,... |
Aug 07 1999 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Genjokoan Commentary (Pt. 1/8)Serial: BZ-00078A Sesshin Day 1 Genjokoan, Five Ranks, Nirvana, Buddha Nature, Samadhi, Sixth Patriarch, Impermanence... |
Jun 23 1999 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record ClassSerial: SF-00068 67th Case: Mahasattva Fu Expounds the Scripture; single-point samadhi. Concentration, Repentance, Blue Cliff Record, Bodhidharma, Interview, Manjushri,... |
Apr 22 1999 |
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Shikantaza: "To Forget The Self"Serial: BZ-00190A Saturday Lecture Shikantaza, Birth-and-Death, Continuous, Soto Zen, Offering, Renunciation,... |
Jan 16 1999 Berkeley Zen Center |
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January 24th, 1998, Serial No. 00341, Side A Culture, Ego, American, Building, Religion, Darkness and Light, Bodhidharma, Duality... |
Jan 24 1998 |
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What Is The Ember You Carry With You?Serial: SF-00086 One Day Sit Practice Period, Blue Cliff Record, Non-duality, Fox, Bodhidharma, First Principle,... |
Sep 27 1997 |