The Man, The Myth, The Mind
The image is iconic: a fierce-eyed, bearded monk, wrapped in a red robe, either glaring intently or deep in meditation. He is known as Bodhidharma, a key figure in the stories of Zen and even in martial arts legends.
Bodhidharma's importance cannot be overstated. He brought Chan, later known as Zen Buddhism, to China. Bodhidharma stands as the First Patriarch, starting a direct mind-to-mind teaching that continues today.
This article goes beyond the famous "nine years facing a wall" story. We will look at the real person, his surprising talk with an emperor, and his main teachings called the "Two Entrances and Four Practices."
Journey from West to East
A Prince or a Monk?
Who was this important figure before he came to China? The facts are few and sometimes don't match up, which has led to debate about where he came from.
Most people believe, based on later Chinese sources, that Bodhidharma was the third son of a king from Southern India. This prince gave up his royal life to become a Buddhist monk and studied with master Prajñātāra.
An earlier story, found in "The Record of the Buddhist Monasteries of Luoyang," calls him a "Persian from Central Asia." Though less common, this idea shows how Buddhist thought moved along the Silk Road. No matter where he was born, his goal was clear: to bring a direct form of Buddhism eastward.
Buddhism in Pre-Zen China
When Bodhidharma reached China around the 5th century CE, Buddhism was already there. It had been around for hundreds of years and had strong support from rulers.
But the practice often focused on outward forms. The Buddhism of that time relied heavily on translating texts, doing good deeds like building temples and giving to monasteries, and performing complex rituals. It was a path of learning and devotion.
Bodhidharma came with a very different focus. He taught that finding truth wasn't just in books or rituals, but through directly seeing one's own mind through meditation.
The Emperor and the Monk
One of the most famous moments in Bodhidharma's life was his meeting with Emperor Wu of Liang. This meeting showed two very different ways of thinking.
The Pious Emperor Wu
Emperor Wu was perhaps the biggest royal supporter of Buddhism in Chinese history. He spent huge amounts of money on the faith, building temples, making thousands of monks, helping translate texts, and living a strict life himself.
The emperor thought he had built up a lot of spiritual credit. He was eager to have this new master from the West confirm it.
A Dialogue on Merit
The emperor called for the monk, and their talk, which was written down, became a key teaching in Zen.
Emperor Wu asked, "Since becoming emperor, I have built temples, ordered scriptures, and supported monks. What good have I earned?"
Bodhidharma replied, "No good whatsoever."
The Emperor, shocked by this answer, asked, "What then is the highest meaning of the holy truths?"
Bodhidharma said, "Vast emptiness, nothing holy."
Now totally confused, the Emperor asked one last question. "Who, then, is standing before me?"
Bodhidharma answered, "I do not know."
The Principle of No Merit
Bodhidharma's response wasn't rude; it was a deep teaching. The emperor saw good deeds as a trade—an investment that should pay off in heaven or karma.
Bodhidharma went straight to the point. Any action done expecting a reward, with an "I" who is getting something, is still caught in ego and wanting. Such actions, though they seem good, don't lead to true freedom.
True good is selfless. It comes from actions that match the Dharma, done without thinking of yourself or wanting a certain result. This is a main idea in Bodhidharma Zen Buddhism.
His answer, "Vast emptiness, nothing holy," points to the ultimate truth beyond ideas and names. There is no sacred thing or idea to hold onto.
And his final "I do not know" was the fullest expression of this truth. He wasn't pretending not to know. He was pointing to a reality beyond the made-up identity of "Bodhidharma" or "Emperor." He was pointing to the true nature of being that can't be grasped.
Seeing that the emperor wasn't ready for this direct teaching, Bodhidharma left the court and went north.
Nine Years, One Wall
Bodhidharma traveled until he reached the Shaolin Monastery on Mount Song. Here, the most famous, and often most misunderstood, part of his life took place.
The Practice of Bìguān
The story says Bodhidharma sat facing a wall in a cave for nine years, so intensely that his shadow burned into the rock. This powerful story needs a deeper look.
The practice he did is called bìguān, or "wall-gazing." This doesn't just mean staring at a physical wall.
The "wall" is a symbol for the mind itself. Bìguān is a deep meditation where the mind becomes stable, solid, and unbreakable. It is like a wall that outside distractions and inside thoughts can't break through. It is a practice of steady mental stability and presence. The nine years, whether real or symbolic, stand for a time of deep and dedicated practice.
The Devotion of Huike
While Bodhidharma meditated, a scholar named Dazu Huike came looking for teaching. He had studied many ideas but wasn't satisfied. Hearing about the master at Shaolin, he went to the cave.
Bodhidharma ignored him at first. Huike, not giving up, stood waiting outside the cave as snow began to fall, piling up to his knees. He stayed firm, showing his real desire for the teaching.
Finally, Bodhidharma spoke, asking what he wanted. Huike begged to be taught the Dharma. To prove how serious he was and his willingness to give up everything for truth, the story says Huike cut off his left arm and gave it to Bodhidharma.
Seeing this total commitment, Bodhidharma accepted him as his student. This dramatic act is a powerful symbol for the complete sincerity and willingness to let go of everything—even one's own body and life—that the path of Zen requires.
Legend Versus History
Bodhidharma's life is covered in layers of stories and myths, added over centuries to stress his spiritual power. It helps for a serious Zen student to tell the difference between popular legend and likely historical truth.
| Legend / Popular Myth | Historical / Scholarly Perspective |
|---|---|
| Bodhidharma founded Shaolin Kung Fu. | This is very unlikely. Martial practices probably existed at Shaolin before he arrived. The link between Bodhidharma and kung fu was made much later, probably during the Ming dynasty, to give prestige to the martial arts. |
| His eyelids, cut off to prevent sleep, became the first tea plants. | This is a charming folk tale. It nicely shows the historical connection between Zen monks and tea, which was used as a mild stimulant to help stay awake during long periods of meditation. |
| He crossed the Yangtze River on a single reed. | This is a classic religious story, common in many traditions. It symbolizes his deep spiritual achievement and effortless mastery over the physical world. |
| He sat facing a wall for nine years, burning his shadow into the rock. | The "nine years" is probably symbolic of a long, unbroken period of intense meditation. The practice was Bìguān (mental stability), not literal wall-staring that left a physical mark. |
Separating these layers doesn't make Bodhidharma less important. Instead, it lets us focus on the core of what he gave us: his actual teachings.
The Heart of the Teaching
The essence of Bodhidharma's philosophy is summed up in a text linked to him, known as the "Two Entrances and Four Practices." This framework provides a complete path, combining insight and action.
Two Entrances to the Way
Bodhidharma taught that there are two main ways to enter the path, or the Tao.
The first is the Entrance by Principle (Lǐrù). This is the direct path of insight. It involves seeing, with a teacher's guidance, that all beings, from the wise to the ordinary, have the same true nature. This basic nature is hidden by confusion and false feelings, but it is never lost. By turning from the false to the true and staying in a state of mental stillness, one goes beyond concepts and joins with this basic principle.
The second is the Entrance by Practice (Xíngrù). This is the step-by-step path of action, which supports and deepens the insight gained through principle. For those who may not be ready for immediate insight, this path involves cleaning up one's behavior in daily life. This entrance has the Four Practices.
The Four Guiding Practices
These four practices give a concrete guide for living a life in line with the Dharma. They are not abstract rules but practical ways to work with the mind in all situations.
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The Practice of Accepting Adversity (Bàoyuānxíng)
- Concept: When we face suffering or hardship, we should not react with blame or resentment. We can understand it as the result of seeds planted by our own past actions (karma). By accepting hardship without complaint, we use up the old negative karma and avoid making new resentment, thus breaking a harmful cycle.
- Modern Application: This is a powerful tool for building toughness. Instead of asking, "Why is this happening to me?", we can approach challenges with the question, "What can I learn from this?" It is about taking full responsibility for our inner state, no matter what happens outside.
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The Practice of Adapting to Conditions (Suíyuánxíng)
- Concept: All things, both pleasant and painful, come from dependent conditions. They don't last and have no fixed self. Therefore, we should not be too happy with good luck or too sad with loss. We stay calm and balanced, moving with the natural flow of life without being stuck on any particular outcome.
- Modern Application: This is the practice of non-attachment and full acceptance. We can find deep peace by letting go of strict expectations and the need to control everything. It is about flowing with life's ups and downs, knowing that "this too shall pass."
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The Practice of Seeking Nothing (Wúsuǒqiúxíng)
- Concept: Ordinary people are always seeking, chasing after fame, fortune, pleasure, and recognition. This endless wanting is the main source of all suffering. To be truly free is to live in non-seeking. This doesn't mean being passive, but acting without being driven by worldly ambition or desire.
- Modern Application: We can develop inner motivation and find joy in the process itself, rather than focusing only on the result. This practice encourages a shift from a life of frantic chasing to one of inner contentment and purpose that doesn't depend on outside approval.
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The Practice of Acting in Accord with the Dharma (Chēngfǎxíng)
- Concept: The Dharma is the truth of basic purity and emptiness. To act in accord with it means to live from a place of wisdom and compassion. This involves practicing virtues like generosity (the Six Paramitas) but doing so without attachment to the ideas of a "giver," a "receiver," or a "gift." It is pure action coming from an understanding of how we are all connected.
- Modern Application: This is the bringing together of all the practices into an ethical and real life. It is about bringing mindfulness, wisdom, and compassion into every action, from how we work to how we interact with others, knowing that our well-being can't be separated from the well-being of all.
The Unbroken Chain
Bodhidharma's legacy is not just in texts or legends, but in the living passing on of his understanding.
Transmission to Huike
After years of study, Huike asked his master, "I have calmed my mind. Is there anything more?" Bodhidharma saw that Huike had reached deep understanding.
He then formally passed the lineage to Huike, making him the Second Patriarch of Zen in China. This passing on was shown by giving Bodhidharma's own robe and begging bowl, objects that would be handed down through the first six patriarchs as a sign of real awakening.
Redefining Chinese Buddhism
Bodhidharma's arrival was a turning point. He shifted the focus in Chinese Buddhism.
He moved attention away from scholarship, intellectual debate, and ritual based on earning merit. He pointed directly to the human mind as the source of both bondage and freedom. His teaching was simple, direct, and firm: "A special transmission outside the scriptures; No dependence on words and letters; Direct pointing to the mind of man; Seeing into one's nature and attaining Buddhahood."
An Unwavering Mind
The world Bodhidharma entered was one of trouble and change, much like our own. His life and teachings offer a timeless message.
The core of his practice—whether called "wall-gazing" or "abiding in principle"—is the growth of an unwavering mind. It is a mind that can accept hardship, adapt to conditions, seek nothing, and act from a place of deep wisdom. In our modern world, full of distraction and uncertainty, the path of Bodhidharma Zen Buddhism offers a deep and practical way to find stability, clarity, and true freedom within ourselves.
