Bodhidharma Talks
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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 back to the Gautama Buddha himself.
Title | Speaker | |
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Mountain Seat Ceremony RehersalSerial: BZ-02815 Rehersal for Hozan Alan Senauke's Mountain Seat Ceremony. Dragons, Bodhidharma, Bell, Silence, Bowing |
Jan 23 2021 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Living On A Mountain Dragons, Zoom, Bodhidharma, Lay Practice, Dharma Transmission, Ordination, Priest,... |
Oct 24 2020 |
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What Do You Call The World Book of Serenity, Mindfulness, Six Realms, New Year, Teacher-and-Student, Bodhidharma... |
Sep 19 2020 |
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The Three Natures Buddha Nature, Birth-and-Death, War, Bodhisattva Way, Precepts, Dharma Transmission,... |
Apr 25 2020 |
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Choices and Preferences Passions, Eka, Heart Sutra, uchiyama, Attachment, Bodhidharma, confusion,... |
Sep 21 2019 |
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Going Beyond Heart Sutra, Intimacy, Impermanence, Birth-and-Death, Practice Period, Renewal,... |
Aug 24 2019 |
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Man Up A Tree, Talk 3Serial: BZ-02686 Sesshin Day 3
Bodhisattva Vow, Vow, Gratitude, Big Mind, Ego, Renunciation, Bodhidharma, Intuition... |
Jun 21 2019 |
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Man up a Tree Renunciation, Ego, Practice Period, Buddha Nature, Don't Know Mind, Priest,... |
May 18 2019 |
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Practice Period 31st Opening Sesshin Practice Period, Birth-and-Death, Bodhidharma, Practice Position, Bodhisattva Vow,... |
May 11 2019 |
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Cypress Tree in the Garden Bodhidharma, Priest, Greed, Conversation, Buddha Nature, Interview, Oneness,... |
Mar 02 2019 |
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Merit Gathas by Robert Aitken: The Dragon Who Never SleepsSerial: BZ-02651 Rohatsu Day 4
Bell, Vow, Offering, Bodhidharma, Priest-and-Lay, Buddha Mind, Soto Zen, Aspects of... |
Dec 05 2018 |
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Kyogen's Man Up in a Tree Ego, Duality, Peace, Bodhidharma, War, Priest, Oneness, Conversation, Instruction... |
Sep 29 2018 |
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Hyakujo Sits on the Sublime PeakSerial: BZ-02591 Sesshin
BCR-26, Separation, Monastic Practice, Lineage, Bodhidharma, Interview, Bowing,... |
Jan 13 2018 |
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TransiencySerial: BZ-02585 Day 3
Composure, Nirvana, Enemies, Big Mind, Buddha Nature, Ego, Bodhidharma, resistance,... |
Dec 05 2017 |
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Master Ma is UnwellSerial: BZ-02503 Koan Class 1 Birth-and-Death, Bodhidharma, Fox, Book of Serenity, Lineage, Buddha Mind,... |
Oct 10 2016 |
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Yunmen's Body Exposed in The Golden WindSerial: BZ-02467 Class Blue Cliff Record Case 27
BCR-27, Dragons, Buddha Ancestors, Birth-and-Death, Bodhidharma, New Year, Sixth... |
Mar 21 2016 |
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Blue Cliff Record 62, Book of Serenity 92Serial: BZ-02465 Class
BCR-62, SER-92, Buddha Mind, Bodhidharma, Book of Serenity, Ordinary Mind, Fox,... |
Mar 14 2016 |
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Yunmen's JewelSerial: BZ-02463 Koan Class Blue Cliff Record Case 62
BCR-62, Book of Serenity, Buddha Mind, Duality, Subject-and-Object, Soto Zen, Blue... |
Mar 07 2016 |
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Blue Cliff Record Case 53Serial: BZ-02460 Class BCR-53, Buddha Nature, Don't Know Mind, Composure, Heart Sutra, Doubt, Intimacy... |
Feb 27 2016 |
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Hui Neng and the Poetry ContestSerial: BZ-02440 Aspects of Practice
Platform Sutra, Lineage, Heart Sutra, Practice Period, Doubt, Politics, Teacher-and-... |
Oct 17 2015 |
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Nothing Holy About It Silence, Culture, War, Bodhidharma, Bell, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Emotions,... |
Sep 19 2015 |
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What Is Our Self Continuous Practice, Renunciation, Anger, Birth-and-Death, Doubt, Buddha Nature,... |
May 09 2015 |
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Joshu's Newborn Baby Discrimination, Buddha Nature, Ego, Don't Know Mind, Subject-and-Object, Teacher... |
Aug 23 2014 |
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FlexibilitySerial: BZ-02315 Working with Pain, Sesshin Discrimination, Pain, Birth-and-Death, Attachment, Conversation, Bodhidharma, Enemies... |
Jun 21 2013 Berkeley Zen Center |
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SesshinSerial: BZ-02314 zazen, Sesshin Sesshin, Breath, Separation, Mundane Life, Oneness, Daily Life, Conversation, Posture... |
Jun 20 2013 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Wu Wei - Effortless Effort Right Effort, Discrimination, Gaining Mind, Non-discrimination, Harmonizing, Daily... |
Sep 08 2012 |
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Raihai Tokuzui Fox, Bodhidharma, Lotus Sutra, Bowing, Lineage, Culture, Dragons, Transmission, Vow,... |
Sep 01 2012 1 |
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Genjo Koan - Section 10B-Part-2Serial: BZ-02249 Nishiari Bokusan commentary, Sesshin Day 4 Point of non-duality, Zazen-discrete moments in time, Time as Discontinuous
Bodhidharma, Non-duality, Time, Birth-and-Death, Karma, Discrimination, Non-duality,... |
Jun 23 2012 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Question of LoveSerial: BZ-02243 Zen Lesson in the Art of Leadership, Saturday Lecture Partiality and Impartiality
Lovingkindness, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy, Equanimity, Attachment, Big Mind,... |
May 26 2012 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Right Communication Precepts, Practice Period, Bodhidharma, Bodhisattva Precepts, Right Speech, Intimacy... |
May 05 2012 |
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Dogen Zenji's Fukanzazengi Subject-and-Object, Dharma Transmission, Non-duality, Duality, Instruction, Religion... |
Mar 10 2012 |
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The Teaching Just For You Dragons, Culture, Buddha Nature, American, Interdependence, Bodhidharma, Intuition,... |
Dec 09 2011 |
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Who Am I?Serial: BZ-02195 Abhidharma, Saturday Lecture Who Are You? "Don't know" mind.
Skandas, Bodhidharma, Big Mind, Karma, Bodhidharma, Discrimination, Buddha Mind,... |
Jul 30 2011 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Dharma TransmissionSerial: BZ-02188 Teacher/Disciple Relationship, Sesshin Day 4 Lineage, Transmission, Dogen, Transmission, Branching Streams, Buddha Ancestors,... |
Jun 18 2011 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Suzuki Roshi's Eko LectureSerial: BZ-02186 Encoragement of Practice, Sesshin Day 2 Chanting, Eko, Offering, Offering, Funeral, Chanting, Religion, Priest, Bodhidharma,... |
Jun 16 2011 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Zazenshin Class Transmission, Discrimination, Culture, Book of Serenity, Fundraising, Instruction,... |
Jun 02 2011 4 |
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Daitzu Jisho BuddhaSerial: BZ-02180 Zazen, Saturday Lecture Ordinary Mind, Gaining Idea, Perfect Wisdom, Bodhidharma, Intuition, resistance, Hate... |
May 28 2011 Berkeley Zen Center |
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You Can't Make a Date with EnlightenmentSerial: BZ-02149 Not Always So, Rohatsu Day 7 Sangha, Duality, Intuition, Composure, Buddha Nature, Humility, Continuous Practice,... |
Dec 11 2010 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Commentary on True ConcentrationSerial: BZ-02148 Not Always So, Rohatsu Day 6 Suzuki Roshi, Zazen, Mudra, Posture, Concentration, Four Noble Truths, Posture,... |
Dec 10 2010 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Empty Mindfulness Mindfulness, Big Mind, Aspects of Practice, Instruction, Buddha Mind, Bodhidharma,... |
Oct 09 2010 |
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Lay Ordination and Bodhisattva PreceptsSerial: BZ-02106 Saturday Lecture Precepts, Evil, Gratitude, Lineage, Conversation, Priest, Bodhidharma, Equanimity,... |
Jun 19 2010 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Sanctuary Sanctuary, Book of Serenity, Five Ranks, Silence, Buddha Nature, Interdependence,... |
May 01 2010 |
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What the Holy Ones Did Not PreachSerial: BZ-02078 Essence of Mind, One-Day Sitting BCR-28, First Principle, Intuition, Don't Know Mind, Passions, Buddha Mind,... |
Jan 24 2010 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Advantage of New Years New Year, Happiness, Bodhidharma, Emotions, Impermanence, Precepts, Culture, Fox, Vow... |
Jan 02 2010 |
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Zazen to Become a BuddhaSerial: BZ-02022 Sitting for 10 Kalpas and Not Attaining Buddha, Saturday Lecture Bodhisattva, MM-9, Karma, Bodhisattva Way, Lotus Sutra, Peace, Bodhidharma, Big Mind... |
Mar 28 2009 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Bicycle Wheel Dharma, Serial No. 01089 Birth-and-Death, Ordinary Mind, Ego, Obstacles, Composure, Soto Zen, Daily Life,... |
Jan 31 2009 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Platform Sutra: Serial No. 01077Serial: BZ-01077 Rohatsu Day 1, side B Buddha Nature, Platform Sutra, Don't Know Mind, Lay, Buddha Ancestors, Evil,... |
Dec 07 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Traditional Zen Spirit Right Effort, Monkey Mind, Posture, Buddha Nature, Karma, Practice Period, Teacher-... |
Nov 01 2008 |
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The Brain and EnlightenmentEnlightenment, Dependent Origination, Monkey Mind, Peace, Bodhisattva Vow, Subject-... |
Aug 02 2008 Berkeley Zen Center |
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March 15th, 2008, Serial No. 01120 Don't Know Mind, Emotions, Vow, Precepts, Culture, Anger, Forgiveness,... |
Mar 15 2008 |