10 LESSONS FROM THE FATHER OF ZEN GREAT
BODHIDHARMA
The Dharma Master (c. 440 AD - 528 AD) was a South Indian of the Western
Region. He was the
third son of a great Indian king of the Pallava dynasty. His ambition lay in the
Mahayana path,
and so he put aside his white layman's robe for the black robe of a monk. He
subsequently
crossed distant mountains and seas, traveling about propagating the teaching
in China.
Bodhidharma was said to be originally named Bodhitara.
His surname was Chadili. His Indian Dhyana teacher,
Prajnatara , is said to have renamed him to
Bodhidharma.
“Bodhidharma’s name appears sometimes truncated as Bodhi,
or more often as Dharma (Ta-mo).”
Here are 10 Life Lesson from him :
Lesson 1 : Be utterly present
Be present with the things that are already present. Your body, your breath, the
tingling in your hands, the sense of sound, the sense of sight when you
simply experience and not divide or label, a plant, a flower, the sky…these are
utterly present. Awareness does not need the seer or the seen; it is just pure
seeing. If you don’t get this, start with Observing Thought.
