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Constituents of Contact Manipulation - Part 3

Barbarian from the West

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Barbarian from the West

“Why did Bodhidharma come from the West?” is a familiar question in Zen literature. The reference is to an Indian Buddhist monk, Bodhidharma (c. 470-532), who traveled by boat from India to China during the sixth century and over time became known as the First Patriarch.

The story of Bodhidharma begins with his meeting the Emperor Wu, who assailed him with accounts of good Buddhist deeds and asked what merit he gained. “No merit,” Bodhidharma replied. “Then what is the first principle of the Holy Teaching?” “Vast emptiness, nothing holy.” “Who is confronting me?” the Emperor demanded. Bodhidharma said: “I don’t know.” From there Bodhidharma traveled north and meditated before a wall for nine years. (To keep from falling asleep, one legend has it, he cut off his eyelids; where they fell, tea plants grew, thus crediting him with bringing tea to China.) Before returning to India (or prior to dying in China by poisoning - accounts differ), Bodhidharma installed his student Hui-k’o as the Second Patriarch, and so the lineage began.

Though his teaching remained Indian in character, Bodhidharma is revered as the father of Zen and author of this classic verse defining its essence:

     A special transmission outside the scriptures;
     No dependence upon words and letters;
     Direct pointing to the soul of man;
     Seeing into one’s nature and attaining Buddhahood.