Opening the Path of Bodhidharma
Bodhidharma's Cave
In a cave
on Mt Shaolin
The Great Master
Sat
And life
revealed
itself to itself
in all its glory and ferocity
haunting and peaceful
when one allows life to show up
as it is
what wondrous freedom!
what great love!
Bodhidharma's cave is a cave of illusion
A magic show
of color and form
the play
of creation
Face the walls
of your life, the great teacher instructs
Look into their nature
make friends with your enemies
and enjoy
the play!
We are undertaking a study into the life, practice & teachings of Bodhidharma–a legendary figure in the Zen tradition. Bodhidharma has captured the collective imagination of many, he is the founder of the Zen tradition, the founder of Chinese martial art Qi Gong and according to some the tea plant was born from his eye-lids, as he ripped them out one night to prevent himself from dozing off in zazen.
Bodhidharma represents determination, fierce compassion, wakefulness, authenticity, creativity, he’s a trickster, who also embodies the spirit of the fool and the sage. One who is constantly beginning anew and one who is complete–simultaneously.
Bodhidharma’s teachings and life is one of spontaneity and wonder, one of living authentically the life that he was given to live. And perhaps that is the great teachings of all the ancestors.
To live and awaken in this life that we have.
Stories are a teaching tool in Zen, as they have been across cultures throughout human history. They let us embellish certain qualities, and invite us into the mind and spirit of our Zen ancestors. These stories in Zen, tend to contain trap-doors and swords and poison words, that have the potential to take away our preciously held beliefs about ourselves & the world.
You know, those beliefs that cause us so much friction and suffering in our lives…
There is much mystery shrouded in the stories of Bodhidharma. Some scholars believe that Bodhidharma’s teacher was a yogini (female practitioner) by the name of Prajnatara–Prajna being the name of Prajna Paramita, the mother of all buddhas and Tara the goddess of Great Compassion in the Indo-Tibetan schools of Buddhism.
The first encounter that Bodhidharma had with his teacher was when he was still a young prince. Prajnatara had received a precious jewel from the king and was asking Bodhidharma and his brothers if “anything compares to the jewel.”
Bodhidharma gave a short dharma teaching about how nothing is as precious as the jewel of the dharma, for when we have the treasure of the Way, the treasure of the Mind opens.
When Prajnatara heard these words from the young Bodhidharma she knew a sage had been born.
Both the Buddha and Bodhidharma, and many other great teachers often have stories of their youth depicting them as being born wise.
Is this a teaching tool as well? A reminder that our nature is unborn and does not die. That our own knowledge of this freedom is only covered by habits of conditioning.
That it is possible to see through our conditioning and habits of mind and realize the unborn freedom and love that is our nature.
Perhaps stories like this also remind us of our own youthful innocence. Or how children seem to have access to a natural freedom + love. I know many people who have a memory from childhood where they discovered meditation, or slipped below the seams of consensus reality, encountering a more durable and trust-worthy truth. And others who remember the poignant questions they would ask, and how they would quietly, curiously–let that question lead.
Whether you have a memory like this or not. We still practice. The Buddha did, as did Bodhidharma.
The years of Bodhidharma’s practice life with Prajnatara are sparsely recorded in his hagiography. One account we have is when Bodhidharma entered samadhi for seven days after his father died. He then went to Prajnatara, received ordination and was instructed to sit for seven more days. It was during these seven days of receiving intensive instruction on zazen that his mind opened to the supreme wisdom.
This story also mimics the Buddha’s time under the Bodhi tree, which was said to have been seven days. Seven days– being a complete weekly cycle and the number of chakras in the Indian system of yoga– may have more a symbolic meaning of completion, passing through each slice of the mandala of experience, than an actual reference to linear time.
Bodhidharma receives a premonition from Prajnatara. Prajnatara predicts that Bodhidharma will teach in India for the sixty-seven years following her death, before traveling to China to continue to teach. She predicts he will meet the Emperor in the South, but that he should continue North for it is there that he will meet people receptive to his teachings.
Bodhidharma does become a Great Teacher in India. And as the years go by, and he totals 67 years of teaching in India, he begins to prepare to leave it all behind and make the journey to China–as Prajnatara predicted.
I’m not sure if legends of Bodhidharma’s teachings still exist in India. Some scholars feel there is a MahaSiddha in the Tibetan tradition that seems to resemble Bodhidharma. That information is for another talk. Here in the Zen telling of this story, we have the letting go of one life, in order to follow… a calling, a premonition, faith, vow. One that is over 67 years old!
We often admire Bodhidharma’s determination. I admire his faith.
I wonder what kind of relationship Bodhidharma had with his teacher Prajnatara after her death. One common practice in the Tibetan tradition is the practice of guru-yoga. Here one visualizes their heart-teacher or root-teacher in the space above them. And then images dissolving the essence of their teacher’s wisdom and compassion into their own heart-mind.
It was also common for teachers once passed, to continue to appear to students in dreams and meditations. Whether or not Prajnatara continued to teach Bodhidharma after her death, he did honor her premonition. And went to China. After a three year journey by boat, Bodhidharma arrives in the South of China and meets emperor Wu.
Then we have the famous encounter
Emperor WU: What is the highest of the holy truths?
BD: Vast emptiness, nothing holy
WU: Who is it that I am speaking to?
BD: I don’t know.
Bodhidharma’s Underworld Journey
Bodhidharma traveled for three years by boat, to arrive in China. Here is someone who let go of everything–success, role, status, place, language. All that was known and familiar.
This is something refugees and immigrants face.
I call this an underworld journey, because his life which had this visible external process of being a Great Teacher–is now underground, hidden. Maybe he continued teaching on his journey. But I imagine even if he was teaching, he was shedding, incubating, becoming something new.
I think of the recent story of Mingyur Rinpoche, who snuck out of his temple complex one night, to spend three years on the streets, being no-body for the first time in his life. He had a profound realization experience living on the streets, which is recorded in his book In Love with the World.
Sometimes in order to fulfill the next piece of our life’s vows, we must return to being no one. Actually on the spiritual path, this is essential. The fallow periods are times when the soul deepens, when we enter a new, more inclusive place of integration or awareness. Though never what we expect or even want, to truly not-know ourselves is where we come to truly know ourselves.
This is Zazen. Where we come to that Vast Emptiness of Mind’s Nature. And let-go of the habitual identification with our roles, responsibilities, views, beliefs, our narrative self. And begin to know our true self before protections, inflations, identifications.
The deep inner gnosis of changeless, dimensionless, spacious, presence that does not come or go. Was not born, and does not die.
Bodhidharma’s underworld journey doesn’t end with Emperor Wu, he again follows Prajnatara’s advice and goes north, finds a cave and sits for nine more years.
We will return to the cave years in the next few weeks. As we get to know this dynamic character of the Zen tradition.
