Bodhidharma, Chan Buddhism, and Chan Patriarchs

1. Bodhidharma, Chan Buddhism, and Chan Patriarchs

2. Sinicization/sinification of Buddhism • Pure Land and Chan (or Ch’an) are two schools of Buddhism that best represent the sinicization/sinification of Buddhism • The sinicization/sinification finds its expression in scriptures and practices, among other things • Scriptures: • Pure Land: three Pure Land sutras • Chan (Ch’an): The Lankāvatāra sutra, the Diamond Sutra,the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch

3. Practices:devotional/practicing Buddhism • Devotion and practice take different forms • Pure Land: • calling name of Amitabha; • taking vows and following Amitabha’s instruction, • putting trust and faith in Him; • be mindful of Him; • cultivate three merits and undertake 16 forms of meditation, • repentance • Chan: meditation • On Gong’an (or Kōan) • On master’s words

4. Formation of Chan History and Tradition • Chan scholars and historians in the 10th-11th centuries claimed: • A special transmission outside the teachings/scriptures • With no dependence upon words and letters • A direct pointing into the mind • Seeing there one’s own nature, and attaining Buddhahood

5. Special transmission: Chan, Flower, and Mahakashapa’s smile Mahakashapa is the first Chan patriarch in India

6. Bodhidharma is the first Chan patriarch in China

7. The First Patriarch Bodhidharma The Second Patriarch Huike

8. The Third Patriarch Sengcan The Fourth Patriarch Daoxin

9. The Fifth Patriarch The Sixth Patriarch

10. Three Learnings in Buddhism • Three 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 learnings • Chan 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 baskets • Chan Buddhists were taught to forsake three baskets

11. Buddhist Hagiographies • Biographies and hagiographies • Characteristics of hagiographies • Based on writings of disciples/followers of the saints • Glorify the saints • Shrouded with legends • Mythical, inflated, eulogizing • Pseudo-history or non-history

12. Special Transmission • Chan’s patriarchate tradition: • (Mahā)kaśyapa designated as the 1st patriarch of the Chan tradition • In India, from Mahakasyapa to Bodhidharma, a history of unbroken lineage • Bodhidharma came to China (ca.516-526) and became the 1st Chan patriarch • in China, an unbroken Chan lineage continued • Fifth patriarch—Hongren (Hung Jen) • Sixth patriarch—Huineng (Hui-neng, 638-713) [Shenxiu, Shen-hsiu (606-706) • Huineng’s tradition: Southern Chan school • Shenxiu’s tradition: Northern Chan school • Other lesser Chan traditions

13. The Bodhidharma Myth • Imperial audience • Bodhidharma met Chinese emperor Liang Wudi • Traveled to Mt. Song • Rode a fragile stalk/floating reed across the Yangtze River’s mighty wave • Ended up in Shaolin Temple in Mt. Song where he faced the wall in a cave in meditation • Began the Shaolin martial art tradition • wrote secret manuals—the Mallow-cleansing Classic, Sinews Transformation Classic

14. Began the Chan tradition in China • Transmission of the Dharma directly from mind to mind • Passed dharma-transmission robe to his disciple, Huike, the second patriarch of Chan Buddhism • Continued a non-stop transmission from the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, to the 6th patriarch, Huineng • Traveled back to India barefoot • With one shoe in his hand and the other left in his grave

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