Bodhidharma Talks
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 all the way back to the Gautama Buddha himself.
Title | Speaker | |
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The Fifth Grave Precept: Do Not Misuse DrugsSerial: SF-04058 Duplicate Precepts, true dharma, Giving-and-Taking, Buddha Nature, Sangha, Lay, Bodhidharma,... |
Oct 08 1984 SFZC |
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The Fifth Grave Precept: Do Not Misuse Drugs Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts, true dharma, Giving-and-Taking, Sangha, Lay,... |
Aug 09 1983 Green Gulch |
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The Third Grave Precept: Do Not Misuse Sex Precepts, Teacher-and-Student, Sangha, Commitment, training, Rinzai, Attachment,... |
Aug 08 1983 SFZC |
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The Nature of the Precepts Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts, Mahayana, realization, Lay, Sangha, Bodhidharma,... |
Aug 03 1983 1 |
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The Nature of the Precepts Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts, Mahayana, Lay, Bodhidharma, Emptiness, Daily Life,... |
Aug 03 1983 SFZC |
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Hakuin Bodhidharma, Demons, training, Greed, Concentration, Passions, Bell, Lay, Hate... |
Mar 23 1978 Tassajara |
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1973, Serial No. 03016Serial: SF-03016 8411-2 Dragons, Bodhidharma, Light-and-Darkness, First Principle, Ceremony, Instruction,... |
1973 Unknown |
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OLD - The Boss of EverythingSerial: SF-06096 Jan 16 1971 one tape - original copied - missing Big Mind, Bodhidharma, Precepts, confusion, Observe, Delusion |
Jan 16 1971 City Center |
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Zazen Practice and Listen to the Right TeacherSerial: SF-05631 ===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #24, by Shundo David Haye ===== In the last years of Suzuki Roshi's life, very few talks were lost from the collections... Sesshin, Dogen, Bodhidharma, Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts, Observe, Precepts, Faith... |
Aug 03 1970 City Center |
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The True DragonDogen, Baso, Dragons, Freedom, Soto Zen, Emptiness, Bodhidharma, soto, Instruction,... |
Oct 12 1968 B Sokoji |
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BodhidharmaSerial: SF-05081 ===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #22, by Shundo David Haye ===== In this second tape made by Dan Gourley at Tassajara in the summer of 1968,... Beginner’s Mind, First Principle, Time, First Principle, Bodhidharma, Describe, Faith... |
Jul 29 1968 Tassajara |
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What is Soto and what is Rinzai?Serial: SF-05144A SR024 Tass July 26/68 Roshi Sectarianism copied; July 21 Chino Sensei; July 24 Chino Sensei - also many handwritten notes on the content Soto Zen, Rinzai, Buddha Nature, Bodhidharma, Evil, Bowing, Mahayana, Gratitude, Ego... |
Jul 26 1968 Tassajara |
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Shuso CeremonySerial: SF-05143C SR023 Last 2/3 side 2 Philip's discussion ceremony - copied 2 tapes [there are also photographs of hand-written notes on missing portions of Q&A - per tape operator... Sesshin, Shuso Ceremony, Big Mind, Bell, Bodhidharma, Gratitude, Buddha Nature,... |
Apr 23 1968 C Tassajara |
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Lotus Sūtra No. I-2Serial: SR-00111 February 1968 Lotus Sutra, Building, Wisdom, Evil, Monks, Priest, Patience, Bodhidharma, Offering,... |
Feb 1968 Series 1, Talk 2 Tassajara |
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Putting Power In Your HaraSerial: SF-05133-A Afternoon Sesshin Lecture Sesshin, Dogen, Fukanzazengi, Buddha Mind, Big Mind, Separation, New Year,... |
Dec 01 1967 A Tassajara |
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Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-05428 TS-65-08-01 Bodhidharma, Buddha Nature, Beginners, Concentration, Hate, Faith |
Aug 01 1965 Sokoji |
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Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-05102 Tape X side 1 - Sunday lectures of Bishop Sumi Bodhidharma, Buddha Nature, Concentration, Happiness, Hate, Freedom, Faith |
Aug 01 1965 Sokoji |
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Don't Be Bothered By Your Mind / Science of Philosophy is Like a DissectionSerial: SF-05104C Tape 5 Summer sesshin 1965 Thursday July 29th Side 2: 5:45 meditation, 9:00 AM lecture [Case replaced 12/95. Original notes were transcribed verbatim - WKR] Sesshin, Peace, Buddha Nature, Current Events, Bodhidharma, Passions, Instruction,... |
Jul 30 1965 A-B Sokoji |
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OLD - If Our Teaching Is A Special TeachingSerial: SF-05834B SR-67-09-00-A -2 (continued) (conclusion) [This tape is a continuation of SR-67-09-00-A-1] Bodhidharma, Karma, training, Religion |
[field_wisdom_date]
Unknown |
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OLD - BodhidharmaSerial: SF-05783 SR-68-06-00-1 (start) (continued) - duplicate Bodhidharma, First Principle, Faith, Interview, Describe, Priest, Freedom |
[field_wisdom_date]
Tassajara |
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The Fourth Grave Precept (Not Lying) Precepts, Subject-and-Object, Silence, Karmic Consciousness, Four Noble Truths,... |
[field_wisdom_date]
Unknown |
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The Third Grave Precept (do not misuse sex) Precepts, Teacher-and-Student, Commitment, Attachment, training, realization, Lay,... |
[field_wisdom_date]
Unknown |
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Do You Do It? Politics, Ego, Birth-and-Death, Religion, Humility, Faith, Oneness, Bodhidharma,... |
[field_wisdom_date]
Unknown |
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Reflecting the MirrorSerial: SF-03045B #12 Faith, Freedom, Ego, Bodhidharma, training, Enemies, Instruction, realization... |
[field_wisdom_date]
Unknown |