Bodhidharma is considered the founder of Zen Buddhism in China. An Indian tradition regards Bodhidharma to be the third son of a Pallava king from Kanchipuram. While much of his biography may be the material of legend and his historicity is still in question, various early records speak of him (or someone by the name of Bodhidharma) as a wise and compassionate monk. He was the person who knew to talk through the brain, without using the mouth to throw words.

According to Chinese legend, he also began the physical training of the monks of Shaolin Monastery that led to the creation of Shaolin Kungfu. In Japan, he is known as Daruma. His name means "Dharma of awakening (bodhi)" in Sanskrit.

why is Bodhidharma considered the first ancestor of Chinese Zen? While there were many Buddhist monks from India at that time and a lot of Buddhism in China, Bodhidharma was the first to introduce the specific teachings that defined the Zen school. Much of his renown comes from famous four-line teaching attributed to him:

A special transmission outside the scriptures,
Not depending on words and letters;
Directly pointing to the mind,
Seeing into one’s true nature and attaining Buddhahood.

It is said that Bodhidharma was born as the third prince of an Indian kingdom. Less is known about his youth, but he eventually moved to China as a missionary-monk in the late fourth or early fifth century. By water or by land, there are different opinions over this, "how he came?" In any type of his journey, he suffered setbacks and deprivations.

Eventually, Bodhidharma arrived and settled in China where he met Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty, a devout Buddhist. Their famous meeting is recorded in the Blue Cliff Record, a collection of Buddhist Koans compiled in 1125.

“How do I understand the merit I have accrued in building temples and making donations to monks?” the emperor asked.

Bodhidharma replied, “There is no merit.”

The emperor was confused because he understood karma to mean good generates good and bad generates bad, but Bodhidharma knew his intentions were not generous. The emperor made donations to improve karma and boost his ego.

“If there is no merit, then what is the principle of Buddhism?” The emperor asked.

“Empty, nothing holy,” Bodhidharma said.

Shocked, the emperor asked, “Who addresses me thus?”

“I don’t know,” Bodhidharma told him.

The emperor wasn’t impressed with these answers and Bodhidharma was disgruntled by the emperor’s failure to understand the depth of his teachings. He left the emperor’s court, and they never spoke again.

Bodhidharma traveled to the monastery of Shaolinsi on Songshan mountain in northern China. Legend holds that along the way, he crossed the Yangtze River on a reed, a scene frequently depicted in East Asian art.

In many accounts, a Chinese monk called Huike came to Bodhidharma on a cold winter’s day while Bodhidharma was sitting and pleaded to become his student. Although Bodhidharma didn’t accept him, Huike refused to leave. Finally, Huike cut off his arm at the elbow and presented it to Bodhidharma as an offering. Influenced by his determination, Bodhidharma asked Huike what he sought from him.

“Please pacify my mind,” he pleaded.

Bodhidharma told Huike to bring him his mind and he would pacify it.

After a long moment, Huike said, “I can’t find my mind.”

“See,” he said, “I have already pacified it.” After hearing this, Huike became enlightened and joined Bodhidharma as his first disciple.

There are more about him, how he transmitted Ayurved and Kaliyarpattu fighting techniques. I will write about them in the next blog.