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November
29: “Why Did Bodhidharma Come to the East?”
Bodhidharma sailed from India to China, met the Chinese emperor, sat facing a wall for 9
years at the Shaolin Monastery, and initiated
one of the most influential schools of thought in the world.
January
26: “The Illiterate Prodigy: The 6th Patriarch Hui
Neng”
Arguably
the most influential Chinese Zen Master ever, Hui
Neng received no formal education, yet
revolutionized Chinese Zen. The 4th and 5th Patriarchs will
also be discussed.
February 23: “One-Night Enlightenment: Important Masters of the 7th and
8th Generations”
Masters
Yongjia ("One-Night Enlightenment"), Shitou ("the Rock"), and Mazu ("The Horse That Tramples the World")
further developed the energetic character of Chinese Zen.
March 30: “The First of the Five Houses of Zen: Linji (Rinzai)”
The founding patriarchs of the Linji (Rinzai in Japanese) school often employed
unconventional shock tactics, yet the records of their teachings are
shining jewels of philosophy and literature.
April 27: “The Second of the Five Houses of Zen: Caodong (Soto)”
Founders of the Caodong
House (Jap. Soto) have
extensive Taoist knowledge. This second most influential House of Zen
presents the path to enlightenment with a more philosophical edge.
May 25: “The Last Three Houses of Zen: Guiyang, Yunmen and Fayan”
Unfamiliar to most westerners, these
masters are nevertheless remarkable and charismatic teachers that
enriched the Chinese Zen tradition in their own ways.
CHINESE ZEN MASTERS
Lecture 1: Why Did Bodhidharma Come to the East?
1. The
Origin of Chan (Zen)—A Flower and a Smile 世尊拈花，迦葉微笑
2. Brief Biography of Bodhidharma
3.
The Pearl of Wisdom 無價之寶
4.
Meeting Emperor
Wu 梁武帝請法
5.
The Essence of Mahayana Practice 達摩二入四行觀
6.
The Price of Enlightenment (Second Patriarch Huike)
慧可斷臂求法
7.
One Flower with Five Petals 一花開五葉
8.
Why Did Bodhidharma Come to the East? 祖師西來意
9.
Further Readings
1. The
Origin of Chan (Zen)—A Flower and a Smile 世尊拈花，迦葉微笑
One day on the Spiritual Mountain (a.k.a. Vulture Peak), an assembly gathered to hear the Buddha’s
Dharma talk. However, on that occasion, Buddha
simply held up a flower offered by the Brahma King and gazed at the
assembly, without saying a word. No one understood the meaning except Mahakashyapa, who broke into a smile. Thereupon the Buddha said,
“I have the true Eye of the Dharma, the profound Mind of Nirvana, the
Reality transcending all forms; the supreme and subtle teaching,
inexpressible by words and speech; this mind seal outside of scriptures,
I now transmit to Mahakashyapa.” Mahakashyapa later became known
as the first Patriarch of Zen.
This special teaching,
the “mind seal”, the essence of Buddhism, may be characterized by these
lines (教外別傳，不立文字，直指人心，見性成佛):
A special
transmission outside the scriptures,
Not dependent upon
words and speech;
Directly pointing at
the mind,
See into one’s true
nature and become a Buddha.
2.
Brief Biography of Bodhidharma
Mahakashyapa transmitted the mind seal to the second Patriarch Ananda, and on down to Bodhidharma,
the 28th Zen Patriarch of India. Bodhidharma
was a prince in southern India. After his father’s death, he became the disciple of
the 27th Patriarch Prajnadhara, and
received transmission from him. Bodhidharma
served by his master for 40 years until Prajnadhara
passed away, and then, on his master’s wish, sailed to China to spread the Zen teaching.
Bodhidharma arrived at Guangzhou circa 520 C.E. He met the Buddhist Emperor Wu of the Liang
dynasty in the south, who did not comprehend the teaching. He then
traveled north and meditated facing a wall in a cave at Shaolin Monastery for nine years. People called him
the “Wall-Gazing Brahman.” The belief that Bodhidharma was the founder of Chinese Martial Arts
or Shaolin Kungfu have no historical basis. He eventually transmitted the
mind seal to Huike慧可,
who then became the second Zen Patriarch of Chinese Zen. Sometimes
affectionately called “The Red-Bearded Barbarian,” Bodhidharma
has also become a favorite subject of Chinese and Japanese art. Bodhidharma was poisoned by
jealous peers and died around 535 C.E., but in another account, after he
died, he was seen walking toward India with one sandal hanging from his staff and, in his
coffin in China, only one sandal remained.
3. The
Pearl of Wisdom 無價之寶
Bodhidharma was the third son of a king of southern India. The king was devoted to Buddhism, and offered a
priceless pearl to the 27th Patriarch Prajnadhara.
Prajnadhara showed the pearl to the king’s three princes and
asked, “Is there anything more valuable than this pearl your father has
just given me?” The first and second princes both said, “This pearl is
the most precious in our treasury; there is none better in the world.”
But Bodhidharma replied, “This
is a worldly pearl, it is not the most precious thing. Among all jewels,
the jewel of truth is supreme. This is a worldly luster, and cannot be considered the finest. Of all kinds of
luster, the luster of wisdom is supreme. This pearl has
a worldly lucidity, it is not the best.
Among all that is lucid, lucidity of mind is supreme. This pearl cannot
sparkle by itself; it needs the light of wisdom. With the light of
wisdom, you can discern that it is a pearl, and that it is precious. Therefore the pearl is not precious in itself, and a
pearl is not a pearl in itself. It is not a pearl in itself because it
takes the pearl of wisdom to recognize this worldly pearl. It is not
precious because it takes the treasure of wisdom to understand that the
Dharma is truly precious. Because you, Venerable Master, understand the
Way, wonderful treasures appear. When people attain the Way, the
treasures of their mind will appear.”
4.
Meeting Emperor
Wu 梁武帝請法
Bodhidharma was welcomed into the court of Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty, who ruled southern China at the time. The emperor was a great devotee and
benefactor of Buddhism. Emperor
Wu eagerly asked the great master:
“I have established
monasteries, printed sutras, and decreed the ordination of countless
monks. What merits have I attained from all these deeds?”
Bodhidharma answered, “No merit.”
Confused, the emperor
asked, “What, then, is the highest truth in Buddhism?”
“Emptiness. Nothing
holy.”
“Who is it that faces
me?”
“Don’t know.”
Emperor
Wu could not comprehend Bodhidharma’s
teaching.
Legend has it that Bodhidharma then sailed across the Yangtze River “on a single blade of grass,” and sat facing a wall
in a cave near Shaolin Monastery for nine
years.
5. The
Essence of Mahayana Practice 達摩二入四行觀
There are few written
works attributed to Bodhidharma’s.
The most well-known of these is “Two Entrances and Four Practices,”(5) or simply “The Outline of Practice,”(3) but we
feel the title is more aptly conveyed as “The Essence of Mahayana
Practice.”(2) Other works include “The Bloodstream Sermon (血脈論),” “Breakthrough Sermon (破相論),” and “Wake-up Sermon (悟性論),” (4) among others. (6)
In “The Essence of
Mahayana Practice,” we see an impartial attitude toward what came to be a
point of contention in Zen regarding “sudden enlightenment” and “gradual
cultivation.” To Bodhidharma, in fact, both are
equally viable methods to gain enlightenment.
6. The
Price of Enlightenment (Second Patriarch Huike)
慧可斷臂求法
The monk Huike had come a long way, hoping to learn from Bodhidharma. But Bodhidharma sat facing a wall at the Shaolin Monastery all day, ignoring him. It was
getting dark and beginning to snow. Huike
thought to himself, “Men of ancient times have
sought the Way by smashing their bones to the marrow, feeding the hungry
with their blood, spreading their hair to cover the muddy road for the
master … what is my little suffering in comparison?” He stood firm and by
the next day snow had buried him up to his knees. Finally
Bodhidharma took pity on him and asked, “What
are you seeking?”
Huike sobbed and begged the master, “Please, have mercy,
open the gate of nectar that can liberate sentient beings!”
The master said, “The
supreme, profound Way of the Buddhas is attainable only after innumerable eons of
striving, achieving the impossible, bearing the unbearable. How could a
man like you, of little virtue and wisdom, filled with contempt and
arrogance, ever hope to grasp it? You’re just wasting your time.”
Hearing the master’s scolding, Huike
took out a sword and cut off his left arm.
Bodhidharma
saw that Huike had the capacity to carry on the
Dharma and said to him, “The Buddhas of the
past have also disregarded their bodies to seek the Truth. You do have
the potential.”
Huike asked, “May I hear the Dharma seal of the Buddhas?”
The master said, “The
Dharma seal cannot be obtained from others.”
Huike said, “My mind is not at peace.”
The master answered
“Bring me your mind, I will set it at peace it for you.”
After a long silence Huike said, “I cannot find the mind anywhere.”
Bodhidharma said, “I have already set your mind at peace.”
7. One
Flower with Five Petals 一花開五葉
One day Bodhidharma called
together his disciples and said, “The time has come for me to return.
Each of you, say something to demonstrate your understanding.”
A disciple named Daofu said, “As I see it, the function of the Way is
not bound by words and speech, nor is it separate from words and speech.”
Bodhidharma said, “You have attained my skin.”
The nun Zongchi said, “According to my understanding, it is
like Ananda’s glimpse of the realm of Akshobhya Buddha. Seen once, it is never seen again.”
Bodhidharma said, “You have attained my flesh.”
A disciple named Daoyu said, “The four elements are all empty and the
five skandhas are without actual existence. I
see that there is not a single dharma to be grasped.”
Bodhidharma said, “You’ve attained my bones.”
Finally, without saying
anything, Huike bowed and stood in his place.
Bodhidharma said, “You have attained my marrow.”
And Bodhidharma
recited the following poem:
Originally
I came to this land
To rescue the deluded by transmitting the Dharma.
One
flower will open with five petals
And
the fruit will ripen by itself.
8. Why
Did Bodhidharma Come to the East? 祖師西來意
This question
(literally “What is the meaning/significance of Bodhidharma’s
coming from the West?”) has become a famous koan
(Chinese: Gong-An 公案) to mean “What is the essence of the Buddha’s
teaching?”
l
“What is the meaning of Bodhidharma coming to the West?” Master
Zhaozou said, “The cypress seed in the courtyard.” 問：如何是祖師西來意？趙州曰：庭前柏樹子。
l
“Why …East?” Master
Shitou said, “Ask the pillar in the courtyard.” “I don’t
understand.” “I understand even less.” The disciple suddenly had an
awakening. 石頭曰：問取露柱。曰：學人不會。師曰：我更不會。子俄省悟。
l
“Why ~ East?” Master
Longya said, “This is a tough one.” 龍牙曰：「此一問最苦。」
l
“Why ~ East?” Master
Xuefeng said, “The sky is blue, the sun is shining, why are
you sleep-talking?”
雪峰云：「青天白日寐語作麼。」
l
“Why ~ East?” Master
Baiyun said, “The birds fly, the rabbits jump.” 白雲曰：烏飛兔走。
l
“Why ~ East?” Master
Yunmen said, “The mountain, the river, and the earth.” 雲門曰：山河大地。
l
“Why ~ East?” Damei said, “There is no
meaning in his coming from the West.” Master
Yanguan heard it and said, “One coffin, two dead men.” 大梅曰：西來無意。鹽官聞乃曰：一個棺材，兩個死漢。
l
Master Zhaozhou asked, “Why ~ East?” Master
Linji said, “I’m just washing my feet.” On another
occasion, Linji also said, “If you think there
is a meaning, you can’t liberate yourself.” A disciple asked, “If there
is no meaning, then why did the Second Patriarch
received the transmission?” Linji said, “He
attained what cannot be attained.” “What is this which cannot be
attained?” “It’s simply because you seek all over the place, so your mind
is restless. It’s what patriarchs called ‘using
your head to look for your head.’ When you hear this, immediately
reflect inward, do not seek elsewhere!
Know that your body and mind is no different from that of the Buddhas and patriarchs, that there is absolutely nothing
more, that is receiving the transmission.”
9.
Further Readings
(1) Original Chinese Sources: 景德傳燈錄，五燈會元，達摩四行觀，指月錄
(2)
“Essence of Mahayana Practice” by Bodhidharma, translated by Chung Tai Translation
Committee, version 3.2, 2004.
(3) “Zen’s Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their
Teachings” by Andy
Ferguson, 2000, Wisdom Publications. (A good reference
book of translated Chinese Zen records.)
(4) “The Zen Teachings of Bodhidharma”
by Red Pine, 1987, North Point Press. (A reasonable translation of important
Bodhidharma works not available elsewhere, with
original Chinese included.)
(5)
“A New Zen Reader” by N. Foster & J. Shoemaker, eds., 1996, Ecco
Press. (Useful as a reference
of translated Zen Records. However, the authors seem to have a rather cynical
attitude toward much of the history and lore of Chan Buddhism, and we
disagree with many of their commentaries in the book.)
(6) “The Bodhidharma Anthology:
The Earliest Records of Zen” by J.
L. Broughton, 1999, Univ. of Calif. Press.
(7) “Chan Buddhism” by P.
D. Hershock, 2005, Univ. of Hawaii Press.
(8) “Why
Has Bodhidharma Left for the East?” directed by
Bae Yong-kyun, 137
minutes, 1993, released on DVD 2002. (A very nice
Korean movie on Zen.)
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