Bodhidharma Chan Buddhism

bodhidharma dazu huike. painting sesshū tōyō, 15th century.

the establishment of chan in china traditionally credited buddhist monk bodhidharma, recorded having come china during time of southern , northern dynasties teach special transmission outside scriptures did not stand upon words .

little contemporary biographical information on bodhidharma extant, , subsequent accounts became layered legend. there 3 principal sources bodhidharma s biography: record of buddhist monasteries of luoyang yáng xuànzhī s (楊衒之, 547), tan lin s preface long scroll of treatise on 2 entrances , 4 practices (6th century ce), , dayi daoxin s further biographies of eminent monks (7th century ce).

these sources vary in account of bodhidharma being either persia (547 ce), brahman monk south india (645 ce), third son of brahman king of south india (c. 715 ce). traditions describe bodhidharma third son of pallava king kanchipuram.

the long scroll of treatise on 2 entrances , 4 practices written tan lin (曇林; 506–574), contains teachings attributed bodhidharma. text known dunhuang manuscripts. 2 entrances enlightenment entrance of principle , entrance of practice:

the entrance of principle become enlightened truth on basis of teaching. 1 must have profound faith in fact 1 , same true nature possessed sentient beings, both ordinary , enlightened, , true nature covered , made imperceptible [in case of ordinary people] false sense impressions .

the entrance of practice includes following 4 increments:

this text used , studied huike , students. true nature refers buddha-nature.

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