MORE SUBLIME DEFEAT: BODHIDHARMA
Posted on Feb 3rd, 2007
by 
jhalifax
jhalifax
more from the book by kazuaki tanahashi and roshi joan halifax: SUBLIME DEFEAT
Don’t Know
Legend has it that Bodhidharma, a monk from India, arrived in the southern part of China in the sixth century AD. He was brought to the Imperial Palace of Emperor Wu, where he greeted the Emperor. The Emperor told the Buddhist monk: “I have build temples, sponsored the copying of sutras, and approved the ordination of monks. There are so many monks, I cannot count how many. What kind of good results do you think I can get in the future?”
And Bodhidharma then told Emperor, “There will be no results.”
The Emperor was shocked and said, “What do you mean?”
And Bodhidharma said, “There are minor achievements of humans and devas. What you have done is like creating shadows of the real virtue.”
Emperor asked, “What is the real virtue?”
Bodhidharma said, “The real virtue is empty and serene. You cannot achieve that through worldly actions.”
Then the Emperor asked, “What should I look for?”
Bodhidharma replied, “Vast emptiness and nothing holy about it.”
The Emperor then asked, “Who is speaking to me?”
And Bodhidharma replied, “Don’t know.”
The Emperor was very confused. He did not understand Bodhidharma at all. Bodhidharma knew that time was not right for him to teach there, so in silence he traveled north, crossed the Yangtze River, went to the Northern Kingdom of Wei, and arrived at Mount Song to sit in silence and face the wall for nine years.
Sometimes the time is not right, but sublime defeat makes the story live forever. After all, Bodhidharma could have compromised and tried to explain what he meant in a series of meetings with the Emperor to make him understand. But he did not choose to do so. Often words cannot explain but the action expresses the true intention.
Later, this story or exchange became the first case of the Blue Cliff Record. And many, many practitioners of Zen try to find teachings in this story.
Bodhidharma’s “don’t know” is certainly different from Emperor Wu’s “don’t know” or not getting it. Emperor Wu’s “not knowing” was based in wanting to know. Bodhidharma’s “not knowing” was based in not knowing.
People in our world often want to know, because they are so hungry for acknowledgement. That means that they are really asking for a teacher to say that they great and exceptional. Often teachers encourage their students. But often it does not mean anything and is actually harmful. This habitual praising weakens others as people begin to expect this praising. Particularly those who use achievement as a way to validate a superficial identity. This is Emperor Wu problem who needed superficial acknowledgement in response to his so-called achievements.
Bodhidharma’s silence still inspires us. And we do well to remember that he walked away, turning his back on the world and his front to a wall. How wonderful that Bodhidharma turned his back to the world and front to a wall!
Don’t Know
Legend has it that Bodhidharma, a monk from India, arrived in the southern part of China in the sixth century AD. He was brought to the Imperial Palace of Emperor Wu, where he greeted the Emperor. The Emperor told the Buddhist monk: “I have build temples, sponsored the copying of sutras, and approved the ordination of monks. There are so many monks, I cannot count how many. What kind of good results do you think I can get in the future?”
And Bodhidharma then told Emperor, “There will be no results.”
The Emperor was shocked and said, “What do you mean?”
And Bodhidharma said, “There are minor achievements of humans and devas. What you have done is like creating shadows of the real virtue.”
Emperor asked, “What is the real virtue?”
Bodhidharma said, “The real virtue is empty and serene. You cannot achieve that through worldly actions.”
Then the Emperor asked, “What should I look for?”
Bodhidharma replied, “Vast emptiness and nothing holy about it.”
The Emperor then asked, “Who is speaking to me?”
And Bodhidharma replied, “Don’t know.”
The Emperor was very confused. He did not understand Bodhidharma at all. Bodhidharma knew that time was not right for him to teach there, so in silence he traveled north, crossed the Yangtze River, went to the Northern Kingdom of Wei, and arrived at Mount Song to sit in silence and face the wall for nine years.
Sometimes the time is not right, but sublime defeat makes the story live forever. After all, Bodhidharma could have compromised and tried to explain what he meant in a series of meetings with the Emperor to make him understand. But he did not choose to do so. Often words cannot explain but the action expresses the true intention.
Later, this story or exchange became the first case of the Blue Cliff Record. And many, many practitioners of Zen try to find teachings in this story.
Bodhidharma’s “don’t know” is certainly different from Emperor Wu’s “don’t know” or not getting it. Emperor Wu’s “not knowing” was based in wanting to know. Bodhidharma’s “not knowing” was based in not knowing.
People in our world often want to know, because they are so hungry for acknowledgement. That means that they are really asking for a teacher to say that they great and exceptional. Often teachers encourage their students. But often it does not mean anything and is actually harmful. This habitual praising weakens others as people begin to expect this praising. Particularly those who use achievement as a way to validate a superficial identity. This is Emperor Wu problem who needed superficial acknowledgement in response to his so-called achievements.
Bodhidharma’s silence still inspires us. And we do well to remember that he walked away, turning his back on the world and his front to a wall. How wonderful that Bodhidharma turned his back to the world and front to a wall!
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July 2008 