Bodhidharma, Chan Buddhism, and Chan Patriarchs

Sinicization/sinification of Sinicization/sinification of BuddhismBuddhism

Pure Land and Chan (or ChPure Land and Chan (or Ch’’an) are two an) are two schools of Buddhism that best represent schools of Buddhism that best represent the sinicization/sinification of Buddhismthe sinicization/sinification of Buddhism

The sinicization/sinification finds its The sinicization/sinification finds its expression in scriptures and practices, expression in scriptures and practices, among other thingsamong other things

Scriptures:Scriptures:Pure Land: three Pure Land: three Pure Land sutrasPure Land sutrasChan (ChChan (Ch’’an): The an): The Lankāvatāra sutra, Lankāvatāra sutra,

the Diamond Sutra,the Diamond Sutra, the Platform Sutra the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarchof the Sixth Patriarch

Practices:Practices: devotional/practicing Buddhismdevotional/practicing Buddhism– Devotion and practice take different formsDevotion and practice take different forms– Pure Land: Pure Land:

calling name of Amitabha; calling name of Amitabha;

taking vows and following Amitabha’s instruction, taking vows and following Amitabha’s instruction,

putting trust and faith in Him; putting trust and faith in Him;

be mindful of Him; be mindful of Him;

cultivate three merits and undertake 16 forms of cultivate three merits and undertake 16 forms of meditation, meditation,

repentancerepentance

– Chan: meditation Chan: meditation On Gong’an (or KOn Gong’an (or Kōōan) an)

On master’s wordsOn master’s words

Formation of Chan Formation of Chan History and TraditionHistory and Tradition

Chan scholars and historians in the 10Chan scholars and historians in the 10thth-11-11thth centuries claimed:centuries claimed: A special transmission outside the A special transmission outside the

teachings/scripturesteachings/scriptures With no dependence upon words and lettersWith no dependence upon words and letters A direct pointing into the mindA direct pointing into the mind Seeing there oneSeeing there one’’s own nature, and attaining s own nature, and attaining

BuddhahoodBuddhahood

Chan, Flower, and Mahakashapa’s smile

Special transmission:

Mahakashapa is the first Chan patriarch in India

Bodhidharma is the first Chan patriarch in China

The First PatriarchBodhidharma

The Second PatriarchHuike

The Third PatriarchSengcan

The Fourth PatriarchDaoxin

The Fifth Patriarch The Sixth Patriarch

Three Learnings in BuddhismThree learnings:

Wisdom, Morality, Mediation• Right view, right resolve; right speech, right action, right

livelihood; right effort, right mindfulness, right meditation

Traditional ideal Buddhists practiced three learningsChan Buddhists were taught to stress meditation

Three baskets: (Tripitaka)Vinaya pitaka (basket of discipline)Sutra pitaka (basket of discourses)Abidharma pitaka (basket of higher philosophy)Traditional ideal Buddhists mastered three basketsChan Buddhists were taught to forsake three baskets

Buddhist Buddhist HagiographiesHagiographies

Biographies and hagiographiesBiographies and hagiographiesCharacteristics of hagiographiesCharacteristics of hagiographies

Based on writings of Based on writings of disciples/followers of the saintsdisciples/followers of the saints

Glorify the saintsGlorify the saintsShrouded with legendsShrouded with legendsMythical, inflated, eulogizingMythical, inflated, eulogizingPseudo-history or non-historyPseudo-history or non-history

Special TransmissionSpecial Transmission

Chan’s patriarchate tradition:Chan’s patriarchate tradition:– (Mahā)kaśyapa designated as the 1(Mahā)kaśyapa designated as the 1stst patriarch of the patriarch of the

Chan traditionChan tradition– In India, from Mahakasyapa to Bodhidharma, a history of In India, from Mahakasyapa to Bodhidharma, a history of

unbroken lineageunbroken lineageBodhidharma came to China (ca.516-526) and became the 1Bodhidharma came to China (ca.516-526) and became the 1stst Chan patriarchChan patriarch

– in China, an unbroken Chan lineage continuedin China, an unbroken Chan lineage continuedFifth patriarch—Hongren (Hung Jen)Fifth patriarch—Hongren (Hung Jen)

Sixth patriarch—Huineng (Hui-neng, 638-713) [Shenxiu, Shen-Sixth patriarch—Huineng (Hui-neng, 638-713) [Shenxiu, Shen-hsiu (606-706)hsiu (606-706)

Huineng’s tradition: Southern Chan schoolHuineng’s tradition: Southern Chan school

Shenxiu’s tradition: Northern Chan schoolShenxiu’s tradition: Northern Chan school

Other lesser Chan traditionsOther lesser Chan traditions

The Bodhidharma MythThe Bodhidharma MythImperial audienceImperial audience– Bodhidharma met Chinese emperor Liang Bodhidharma met Chinese emperor Liang

WudiWudi

Traveled to Mt. SongTraveled to Mt. Song– Rode a fragile stalk/floating reed across the Rode a fragile stalk/floating reed across the

Yangtze River’s mighty waveYangtze River’s mighty wave– Ended up in Shaolin Temple in Mt. Song where Ended up in Shaolin Temple in Mt. Song where

he faced the wall in a cave in meditationhe faced the wall in a cave in meditation

Began the Shaolin martial art tradition Began the Shaolin martial art tradition – wrote secret manuals—the wrote secret manuals—the Mallow-cleansing

Classic, , Sinews Transformation Classic Sinews Transformation Classic

Began the Chan tradition in ChinaBegan the Chan tradition in China– Transmission of the Dharma directly from mind Transmission of the Dharma directly from mind

to mindto mind– Passed dharma-transmission robe to his Passed dharma-transmission robe to his

disciple, Huike, the second patriarch of Chan disciple, Huike, the second patriarch of Chan BuddhismBuddhism

– Continued a non-stop transmission from the 2Continued a non-stop transmission from the 2ndnd, , 33rdrd, 4, 4thth, 5, 5thth, to the 6, to the 6thth patriarch, Huineng patriarch, Huineng

Traveled back to India barefootTraveled back to India barefoot– With one shoe in his hand and the other left in With one shoe in his hand and the other left in

his gravehis grave

Possessed a “Dharma Robe”---a symbol of his transmission of the dharma, which was followed by later patriarchs