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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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 |
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Sesshin Lecture Harmonizing, Obstacles, Zazen, Bodhidharma, Ego, Posture, Bell, Zendo, realization... |
Aug 11 1997 Green Gulch |
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Is An Enlightened Person Free of Cause and Effect?Serial: BZ-00313A Saturday Lecture Hyakujo, Enlightenment, Cause-and-Effect, Fox, causation, Karma, Funeral, Precepts,... |
Jun 14 1997 Berkeley Zen Center |
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1997.04.26-serial.00058 Four Noble Truths, Heart Sutra, Posture, Don't Know Mind, Bodhidharma, Daily... |
Apr 26 1997 |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #17Serial: BZ-00807A Rohatsu Day 6 BCR-17, Obstacles, First Principle, Lay, Echo, Evil, Peace, Bodhidharma, Continuous,... |
Dec 07 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Just Die On ExhalationSerial: SF-02709A Rohatsu Sesshin "(a keeper)" Emptiness, Birth-and-Death, Letting Go, Composure, Bodhidharma, Impermanence, Posture... |
Dec 04 1996 Unknown |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #41Serial: BZ-00790B Ashes in the Students' Eyes., Saturday Lecture BCR-41, Ego, true dharma, Monastic Practice, Priest, Buddha Nature, Lay, Bodhidharma... |
Oct 12 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Zen and No-BenefitSerial: BZ-00116 Lecture Suzuki Roshi, Bodhidharma, Attachment, Mindfulness, Subject-and-Object, Anger, Family... |
Sep 16 1996 Unknown Location |
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August 22nd, 1996, Serial No. 00257 Lotus Sutra, Ego, Buddha Nature, Aspects of Practice, Heart Sutra, Bodhidharma,... |
Aug 22 1996 |
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June 13th, 1996, Serial No. 00253 Heart Sutra, Attachment, Liberation, Don't Know Mind, Bodhidharma, Samadhi, Lay... |
Jun 13 1996 |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #17Serial: BZ-00806A Saturday Lecture BCR-17, First Principle, Bodhidharma, Samadhi, resistance, Concentration, Separation... |
Apr 20 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Sunday LectureSerial: SF-03572 Includes Q&A Blue Cliff Record, Evil, Absolute-and-Relative, Religion, Don't Know Mind,... |
Mar 17 1996 Green Gulch |
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Hongzhi's Practice InstructionsSerial: BZ-00810B Emptying Out, Transfer Merit, Saturday Lecture Hongzhi, Practice, Merit, Silent Illumination, Echo, Instruction, Book of Serenity,... |
Feb 25 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Dogen's Four Methods of GuidanceSerial: BZ-00814A Saturday Lecture Four Methods of Guidance, New Year, Offering, Greed, Precepts, Renunciation, Anger,... |
Dec 14 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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November 25th, 1995, Serial No. 00818, Side B Bodhidharma, Monastic Practice, Peace, Hate, Ego, Silence, Happiness, Thoroughness,... |
Nov 25 1995 |
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BodhidharmaSerial: SF-03627 Sunday Lecture Forgiveness, Triple Treasure, Mindfulness, Bodhidharma, Emptiness, Precepts, Blue... |
Oct 01 1995 Green Gulch |
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1995.03.30-serial.00018 Ceremony, Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Oneness, Precepts, Posture, Buddha... |
Mar 30 1995 |
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Tokubetsu Sesshin Lecture Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Ceremony, Big Mind, Precepts, Bodhidharma,... |
Mar 29 1995 Unknown |
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Practicing With The PreceptsSerial: SF-00143 Tokubetsu Sesshin
Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts, true dharma, Triple Treasure, Transmission, Vows,... |
Mar 28 1995 |
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Tokubetsu Sesshin soto, Ceremony, Transmission, Precepts, Instruction, Subject-and-Object, Bodhidharma... |
Mar 15 1995 |
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March 11th, 1995, Serial No. 00912, Side B Mindfulness, Four Foundations, Bodhidharma, Perfect Wisdom, Practice Period, Mahayana... |
Mar 11 1995 |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #27Serial: BZ-00954B Indulgences, Saturday Lecture BCR-27, Vows, Bodhidharma, Fox, Renunciation, Precepts, Peace, Priest |
Nov 26 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #69 Cont.Serial: BZ-00935A And Nyogen Senzaki's Commentary, Sesshin Day 3 BCR-69, Building, Lineage, Bell, Soto Zen, Bowing, confusion, Doubt, Rinzai,... |
Sep 05 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Other Four ParamitasSerial: BZ-00936A Skillful Means, Spiritual Power, Aspiration, Knowledge, Sesshin Day 1 Paramitas, Skillful Means, Bodhisattva Vow, Karma, Four Noble Truths, Doubt, Vows,... |
Sep 03 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #50Serial: BZ-00940A Saturday Lecture BCR-50, Samadhi, Doubt, Platform Sutra, confusion, Lotus Sutra, Birth-and-Death,... |
Jul 16 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 19th, 1994, Serial No. 00236 Bodhidharma, Dharma Transmission, Subject-and-Object, Transmission, training,... |
May 19 1994 |
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May 14th, 1994, Serial No. 00960, Side B Practice Period, Ordinary Mind, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Describe, Separation, Intimacy... |
May 14 1994 |
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April 14th, 1994, Serial No. 00231 American, Bodhidharma, Blue Cliff Record, Interdependence, Happiness, Mahayana,... |
Apr 14 1994 |
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April 2nd, 1994, Serial No. 00962, Side A Ordinary Mind, First Principle, Blue Cliff Record, Practice Period, Bodhidharma,... |
Apr 02 1994 |
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March 19th, 1994, Serial No. 00964, Side B Right Effort, Ego, New Year, Four Noble Truths, Bodhidharma, Cultivation,... |
Mar 19 1994 |
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February 23rd, 1994, Serial No. 00225 Religion, Four Noble Truths, Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Practice Period, War... |
Feb 23 1994 |
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1994.02.02-serial.00116 Thich Nhat Hanh, Bodhidharma, Kinhin, Ceremony, Greed |
Feb 02 1994 |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #51Serial: BZ-00658B Seppo Star, Ganto Co-star; 2 monks, Supporting Actors, Saturday Lecture Seppo, Ganto, BCR-51, confusion, Subject-and-Object, Teacher-and-Student, Bodhidharma... |
Oct 23 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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October 2nd, 1993, Serial No. 00656, Side A Diversity, Religion, Politics, Culture, American, Priest, Vinaya, Ordination,... |
Oct 02 1993 |
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June 15th, 1993, Serial No. 00671 Bodhidharma, Practice Period, Bell, Giving-and-Taking, Renunciation, Ordinary Mind,... |
Jun 15 1993 |
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June 10th, 1993, Serial No. 00653, Side B Birth-and-Death, Interdependence, Bodhidharma, Buddha Ancestors, Lay, Dragons,... |
Jun 10 1993 |
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May 29th, 1993, Serial No. 00667, Side A Bodhidharma, Eka, Buddha Mind, Blue Cliff Record, Book of Serenity, Practice Period,... |
May 29 1993 |
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Transmission of the LightSerial: SF-00041 Wednesday night teisho Birth-and-Death, Buddha Nature, Karmic Consequences, Karma, Attachment, Delusion,... |
May 26 1993 |
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Transmission of Light: The 38th Ancestor Seigen GyoshiSerial: BZ-00666B Not Getting Caught in Stages, Saturday Lecture Seigen Gyoshi, Liberation, Lineage, Buddha Nature, Bodhidharma, Current Events, Don... |
May 22 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 8th, 1993, Serial No. 00665, Side A Bodhidharma, Family Practice, Practice Period, Buddha Mind, Dharma Transmission,... |
May 08 1993 |
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March 20th, 1993, Serial No. 00285, Side A Intimacy, New Year, Monastic Practice, Teacher-and-Student, Silence, American,... |
Mar 20 1993 |
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February 4th, 1993, Serial No. 00619 Precepts, Anger, Right Speech, Intimacy, Buddha Mind, Repentance, Vows, true dharma,... |
Feb 04 1993 |
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January 29th, 1993, Serial No. 00618 Precepts, Addiction, Intimacy, Right Speech, Bodhidharma, Fifth Precept, Vows,... |
Jan 29 1993 |
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January 21st, 1993, Serial No. 00617 Precepts, Giving-and-Taking, Mahayana, Attachment, Passions, Buddha Mind, Emotions,... |
Jan 21 1993 |
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January 14th, 1993, Serial No. 00616 Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts, Lineage, Mahayana, Ordination, Bodhidharma, Monastic... |
Jan 14 1993 |
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November 14th, 1992, Serial No. 00643, Side A Hate, Teacher-and-Student, Attachment, Transmission, Daily Life, Conversation,... |
Nov 14 1992 |
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October 10th, 1992, Serial No. 00639, Side B Culture, Buddha Nature, Samsara, Echo, Gratitude, Bodhidharma, Evil, Concentration,... |
Oct 10 1992 |
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June 28th, 1992, Serial No. 00630 Giving-and-Taking, Bodhidharma, Absolute-and-Relative, Dragons, stubbornness,... |
Jun 28 1992 |
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June 26th, 1992, Serial No. 00727, Side A Bodhidharma, Duality, Avalokiteshvara, Samsara, Silence, Describe, Building, Ego... |
Jun 26 1992 |