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The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma (English and Chinese Edition) Paperback – November 1, 1989

Chinese Edition by Bodhidharma (Author), Red Pine (Translator)

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A fifth-century Indian Buddhist monk, Bodhidharma is credited with bringing Zen to China. Although the tradition that traces its ancestry back to him did not flourish until nearly two hundred years after his death, today millions of Zen Buddhists and students of kung fu claim him as their spiritual father.

While others viewed Zen practice as a purification of the mind or a stage on the way to perfect enlightenment, Bodhidharma equated Zen with buddhahood and believed that it had a place in everyday life. Instead of telling his disciples to purify their minds, he pointed them to rock walls, to the movements of tigers and cranes, to a hollow reed floating across the Yangtze.

This bilingual edition, the only volume of the great teacher's work currently available in English, presents four teachings in their entirety. "Outline of Practice" describes the four all-inclusive habits that lead to enlightenment, the "Bloodstream Sermon" exhorts students to seek the Buddha by seeing their own nature, the "Wake-up Sermon" defends his premise that the most essential method for reaching enlightenment is beholding the mind. The original Chinese text, presented on facing pages, is taken from a Ch'ing dynasty woodblock edition.

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About the Author

Bodhidharma (c. early fifth century CE) was the Buddhist monk traditionally credited as the transmitter of Chán to China.

Red Pine lives and work in Taiwan. He is the translator of The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain andof The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma

By Bodhidharma

North Point Press

Copyright © 1989 Bodhidharma
All right reserved.
ISBN: 9780865473997
The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma
Outline of PracticeMANY roads lead to the Path,1 but basically there are only two: reason and practice. To enter by reason means to realize the essence through instruction and to believe that all living things share the same true nature, which isn't apparent because it's shrouded by sensation and delusion. Those who turn from delusion back to reality, who meditate on walls,2 the absence of self and other, the oneness of mortal and sage, and who remain unmoved even by scriptures are in complete and unspoken agreement with reason. Without moving, without effort, they enter, we say, by reason.To enter by practice refers to four all-inclusive practices:3 suffering injustice, adapting to conditions, seeking nothing, and practicing the Dharma.First, suffering injustice. When those who search for the Path encounter adversity, they should think to themselves, "In countless ages gone by, I've turned from the essential to the trivial and wandered through all manner of existence, often angry without cause and guilty of numberless transgressions. Now, though I do no wrong, I'm punished by my past. Neither gods nor men can foresee when an evil deed will bear its fruit. I accept it with an open heart and without complaint of injustice." The sutras say, "When you meet with adversity don't be upset, because it makes sense." With such understanding you're in harmony with reason. And by suffering injustice you enter the Path.Second, adapting to conditions. As mortals, we're ruled by conditions, not by ourselves. All the suffering and joy we experience depend on conditions. If we should be blessed by some great reward, such as fame or fortune, it's the fruit of a seed planted by us in the past. When conditions change, it ends. Why delight in its existence? But while success and failure depend on conditions, the mind neither waxes nor wanes. Those who remain unmoved by the wind of joy silently follow the Path.Third, seeking nothing. People of this world are deluded. They're always longing for something--always, in a word, seeking. But the wise wake up. They choose reason over custom. They fix their minds on the sublime and let their bodies change with the seasons. All phenomena are empty. They contain nothing worth desiring. Calamity forever alternates with Prosperity.4 To dwell in the three realms5 is to dwell in a burning house. To have a body is to suffer. Does anyone with a body know peace? Those who understand this detach themselves from all that exists and stop imagining or seeking anything. The sutras say, "To seek is to suffer.To seek nothing is bliss." When you seek nothing, you're on the Path.Fourth, practicing the Dharma.6 The Dharma is the truth that all natures are pure. By this truth, all appearances are empty. Defilement and attachment, subject and object don't exist. The sutras say, "The Dharma includes no being because it's free from the impurity of being, and the Dharma includes no self because it's free from the impurity of self." Those wise enough to believe and understand this truth are bound to practice according to the Dharma. And since that which is real includes nothing worth begrudging, they give their body, life, and property in charity, without regret, without the vanity of giver, gift, or recipient, and without bias or attachment. And to eliminate impurity they teach others, but without becoming attached to form. Thus, through their own practice they're able to help others and glorify the Way of Enlightenment. And as with charity, they also practice the other virtues. But while practicing the six virtues7 to eliminate delusion, they practice nothing at all. This is what's meant by practicing the Dharma.Copyright © 1987 by Red Pine

Continues...
Excerpted from The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma by Bodhidharma Copyright © 1989 by Bodhidharma. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ North Point Press; Bilingual edition (November 1, 1989)
Language ‏ : ‎ English, Chinese
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 144 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0865473994
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0865473997
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.35 x 0.4 x 8.2 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #148,344 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #55 in Buddhist Sacred Writings (Books)
- #126 in Zen Philosophy (Books)
- #160 in Zen Spirituality

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Bill Porter (aka "Red Pine") is widely recognized as one of the world's preeminent translators of Chinese poetry and religious texts; he assumes the pen name "Red Pine" for his translations.
Bill Porter was born in Los Angeles in 1943 and grew up in the Idaho panhandle. He served a tour of duty in the U.S. Army (1964-67), graduated from the University of California with a degree in anthropology in 1970, and attended graduate school at Columbia University. Uninspired by the prospect of an academic career, he dropped out of Columbia and moved in 1972 to a Buddhist monastery in Taiwan. After four years with the monks and nuns, he struck out on his own and eventually found work at English-language radio stations in Taiwan and Hong Kong, where he produced over one thousand programs about his travels in China. In 1993 he returned to America with his family and has lived ever since near Seattle, Washington.
Writing as Bill Porter, he is the author of several travelogues, including Road to Heaven, which focuses on his interactions with Taoist hermits in the mountains of China; Zen Baggage; and his Guggenheim project, Finding Them Gone: Visiting China's Poets of the Past.
Writing as Red Pine, he was the first translator to ever translate the entirety of Han-shan's oeurve into English, published as The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain. Red Pine was also the first to translate into English the entirely of The Poems of the Masters. He has also translated several of the major Buddhist sutras, including the Heart Sutra, Diamond Sutra, and Platform Sutra.
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Customers say

Customers find the book easy to read and well-written. It provides a clear understanding of the principles of Shaolin Buddhism and presents useful directions. The translation is considered clear and accessible, with a straightforward approach. Readers appreciate the deep understanding of both Chinese culture and Buddhism presented in the book.

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29 customers mention "Readability"29 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and engaging. They say it's a fundamental read for anyone interested in Chan or Zen Buddhism. The notes on terms are helpful for new readers, and the sermons are concise and to the point.

"This is a wonderful book, containing sermons from ancient Ch'an sifu Bodhidharma (or someone else..it really doesn't matter) ....I gotta say, I love..." Read more

"The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma This is a very worthwhile contribution to the literature of "enlightenment"...." Read more

"...A thouroughly edifying and enjoyable read." Read more

"This is a very enlightening read. The Bodhidharma is to the point, and it is reasonable and stands, for the most part, in reality...." Read more

22 customers mention "Clarity"22 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's clear and concise approach. They find it provides a fundamental understanding of Shaolin principles and eases beginners' minds with its explanations and practical information. The perspective offers useful directions and explanations, not just more words. Readers praise the great teachings and insight provided by the translation.

"...Simple and meaningful. Not plugged with concepts unfathomable. In all my 70 years of reading, Bodhidharma is a standout...." Read more

"...I gotta say, I love all of them, mainly because they're all concise and to the point, but the "Wake-up" sermon is worth building a life..." Read more

"...While I continue to find the voice of Red Pine himself clear, informative, and welcome, I struggled with the voice of Bodhidharma...." Read more

"...This is the big picture simplified and straight forward. I suggest reading this before looking at different sects and practice in Zen." Read more

20 customers mention "Translation quality"16 positive4 negative

Customers find the book's translation clear and easy to read. They appreciate the straightforward language and straightforward approach. The book contains both original Chinese writing and English on the opposite page.

"...While I continue to find the voice of Red Pine himself clear, informative, and welcome, I struggled with the voice of Bodhidharma...." Read more

"I'm no expert, but it seems like a great translation. Fairly short book but I will be returning to some passages as well as full re-readings...." Read more

"...I truly enjoy this book, it comes across as very plain spoken and is quite accessible, even to those who aren't particularly familiar with common..." Read more

"...Stop looking outside your own mind for the Buddha! Very easy to read...." Read more

15 customers mention "Zen teachings"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the book provides an essential understanding of Zen Buddhism and its connection to Taoism. It contains sermons from ancient Ch'an sifu Bodhidharma. Readers appreciate the author's deep knowledge of Chinese culture and Buddhism.

"This is a wonderful book, containing sermons from ancient Ch'an sifu Bodhidharma (or someone else..it really doesn't matter) ....I gotta say, I love..." Read more

"This classic work is just what I needed to have a big picture understanding of Zen...." Read more

"...The text itself is a very valuable contribution to Buddhism in the West, like so much of what Red Pine does." Read more

"...It's the essentials of Zen Buddhism, seems like a lot of overlap with Taoist principles...." Read more

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Joseph P. Reel
Brilliant...but beware of one stumbling block!
Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2009
Verified Purchase
Within the text we are no doubt given Bodhidharma's "marrow of Zen" and although he is known to have been a formidable presence, we receive the teaching without the infamous shouts and sticks of subsequent iconoclastic teachers like Lin-chi, Yunmen, Hakuin, et al. Yet, as pure as these teachings are, I encountered a disturbing stumbling block along the way that reminded me of a Tibetan saying about mixing gold dust with yak dung and how even gold dust can be blinding if it sticks in the eye.

Specifically, given that Buddhism has a strong prohibition against killing sentient beings, and proclaims that all sentient beings have an innate potential for realizing enlightenment or liberation, what are we to make of Bodhidhama's quote from the Mahaparinirvana Sutra on page 37? Here he agrees with the passage, "Since icchantikas are incapable of belief, killing them would be blameless." Icchantika is a Sanskrit term referring to the most base and spiritually deluded of all types of being.

We could simply choose to dismiss it as an inconsistency and move on, or we can defer drawing any conclusions until we first explore the historical background leading to this inclusion in Bodhidharma's teaching. I have opted for the latter choice.

Perhaps we can use the rationale that ancient Zen teachers often used shocking and sometimes violent hyperbole merely to make an impression on their students, e.g., Lin-chi's oft-quoted, "Followers of the Way...never be misled by others. Whether you're facing inward or outward, whatever you meet up with, just kill it! If you meet a buddha, kill the buddha." Obviously, this is a metaphor referring to not becoming attached to conceptual obstructions. No true follower of the Way would interpret the quote literally.

In Scripture, however, we find two different perspectives on icchantikas. Bodhidharma is apparently quoting from the shortest version of the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra translated by Fa-xian (416 C.E.). The full-length Dharmakshema version of the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra, (421 C.E.) in contrast, takes the position that since all phenomena are impermanent, even the icchantika, has the potential to change and eventually attain liberation. Other scriptures, such as the Lankavatara Sutra, also suggest a similar perspective. Thus, I can only conclude that the concept of the irredeemable icchantica was a short-lived cultural phenomenon, since the term doesn't appear elsewhere in Buddhist scripture. Comments from other reviewers would be most welcome.

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37 people found this helpful

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Calvin L. Chase
The Zen Teachings of Bodhidharma
Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2024
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"The Zen Teachings of Bodhidharma"
This writing got through to me in an unusual way
Simple and meaningful.
Not plugged with concepts unfathomable.
In all my 70 years of reading, Bodhidharma is a standout.
I urge you to read it and be open to awareness!

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4 people found this helpful

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runchuckrun
Go deep into Zen. . . .
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2024
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I have re-read this book several times and it never ceases to amaze me. Bloodstream Sermon included.

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Nobody
Possibly the most valuable book I've ever owned, for many reasons.....
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2013
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This is a wonderful book, containing sermons from ancient Ch'an sifu Bodhidharma (or someone else..it really doesn't matter) ....I gotta say, I love all of them, mainly because they're all concise and to the point, but the "Wake-up" sermon is worth building a life around.

The author/speaker gives useless (and exclusionary and divisive) questions from attending monks short shrift (I paraphrase): "How can someone possibly create karma by butchering for meat and still become a Buddha?" Bodhidharma's answer: ""I only talk about seeing your nature".

"Another was: "These laymen have sex all the time, how can THEY possibly become buddhas?" Answer: "I only talk about seeing your nature".

Red Pine has given the world a gift, that stands with the Dhammapada in its elegant simplicity.

That said, those poor folks who require ritual, hierarchy, pecking order and the trappings and minutiae of organized religion to give their lives meaning will ignore it..There's not much here to argue, discuss, pick-apart, write theses on, etc, etc...ad infinitum.

Why we have chosen to muddy the waters of such a razor-sharp, perennial and crystal clear philosophy as Gautama's seems to have been ("Correct your mental defects through your own efforts") is beyond me.

This book is a welcome reminder for me to return to simplicity.

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14 people found this helpful

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Biloba
Constant Companion
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2018
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Given that the teachings of the Lankavatara Sutra were the only words of interest to Bodhidharma.. and these are the teachings of Bodhidharma following a lifetime of study.. this book is of great value to anyone looking for either a companion piece to the Sutra, or a stand-alone nicely packaged summary. The Sutra is obviously a wordy epic that some find off-putting [distracting] and may not translate well to some minds.. this is the bare bones gist, and is how I prefer my teachings. This in combination with the Zen teachings of Huang Po could easily be the only text you need. I have recommended this book several times to several people.. and is always at the top of my list, it is in my hands numerous times a day [nearly memorized], I only wish it came in a more sturdy hardcover.

*There aren't many available.. but if you can find an original copy [hand bound soft cover] get it! It is lovely, feels great, double folded pages that are hand stitched! I have purchased numerous copies to give away, sorry about the now limited supply :)

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27 people found this helpful

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Yahaya Abbas
Very good
Reviewed in Canada on July 17, 2024
Verified Purchase
Like this dharma book very much.

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Juan
Excelente material
Reviewed in Mexico on August 27, 2022
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Excelente material para entender la filosofía de Bodhidharma.

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Sourangshu Sarkar
A Book of Profound Wisdom.
Reviewed in India on December 8, 2023
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Engaging translation by Red Pine, but Bodhidharma's teachings are densely philosophical, making it challenging to grasp for the average reader. Requires patience and multiple readings for deeper understanding.

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Micha Linssen
basic teachings from the root source
Reviewed in the Netherlands on May 16, 2022
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must have to understand zen

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Leopoldo Granieri
Excelente, excepcional
Reviewed in Brazil on December 6, 2019
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Excelente, excepcional

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