…this. And the guru is a person who knows that he's there, but he doesn't claim to know what it is. That's why when Bodhidharma was asked by the emperor Wu of liang: who are you who stand before me Bodhidharma said: I don't know you don't know. But…

…to know what it is. That's why when Bodhidharma was asked by the emperor Wu of liang: who are you who stand before me Bodhidharma said: I don't know you don't know. But you know that you're what's going on, what's going on the whole scheme that's what…

…way of understanding the sense of life by getting rid of silly quests and questions. The archetypal situation was when hueyka asked Bodhidharma how to attain peace of mind. Bodhidharma said: bring your mind out and I will pacify it but when I look for…

…life by getting rid of silly quests and questions. The archetypal situation was when hueyka asked Bodhidharma how to attain peace of mind. Bodhidharma said: bring your mind out and I will pacify it but when I look for it said hueyka I can't find it. In…

…not knowing. That's why there's always a kind of parallel between the sage and the fool, between the saint and the idiot. So when Bodhidharma is asked by the emperor, who is it that stands before me he says I don't know. You may wish to ask where the…

…to explain this I must tell you something of its history. There is a legendary history of tea, and the legend is that Bodhidharma, who was the one who was supposed to have brought Zen to china, fell asleep during meditation one night and when he woke…

…to wander and wander and wander in search of a man who would answer the question. So one of the first stories is that when Bodhidharma or dharma, who you see all over Japan as the man with big eyes a bushy beard, usually dressed in red, with no legs,…

…you see all over Japan as the man with big eyes a bushy beard, usually dressed in red, with no legs, he came to where Bodhidharma was meditating and said: master I have no peace of mind, please pacify my mind. Of course he didn't even get in for a…

…no peace of mind, please pacify my mind. Of course he didn't even get in for a long time to ask the question, because Bodhidharma refused to see anybody. Finally when he cut off his left arm as a token of his sincerity and presented it to the master,…

…refused to see anybody. Finally when he cut off his left arm as a token of his sincerity and presented it to the master, Bodhidharma said: you know all right what do you want? Well he said: I have no peace of mind. The mind in Chinese is shin…

…got a headache you may have a heartache too. It's a more inclusive word you might call it the center of psychic activity. So Bodhidharma said to this man whose name was ekar: bring out your mind here before me I'll pacify it. And ekar said: when I…

…fascinating story. Some of you may remember that, according to the legend, there was a certain fierce Indian Gentleman by the name of Bodhidharma who about the year 527 or 526 a d is supposed to have brought the tradition of the Zen School of Buddhism…

…a d is supposed to have brought the tradition of the Zen School of Buddhism from India to china. And in art, Bodhidharma is always represented with his eyes wide open and in this respect he differs very much from other representations of buddhas whose…

…of buddhas whose eyes are either closed or half closed in a very peaceful and attitude serene, whereas the Face of Bodhidharma is always staring intently. This is because of a certain myth that one day when Bodhidharma was, or rather one night…

…attitude serene, whereas the Face of Bodhidharma is always staring intently. This is because of a certain myth that one day when Bodhidharma was, or rather one night when Bodhidharma was plunged deep in meditation, he fell asleep and on waking up he was…

…is always staring intently. This is because of a certain myth that one day when Bodhidharma was, or rather one night when Bodhidharma was plunged deep in meditation, he fell asleep and on waking up he was so furious with himself that he cut off…

…such terrific agony studying this Zen. I lost everything and gained nothing. But this gained nothing is wonderful. I am satisfied. When Bodhidharma came to china, the emperor Wu Di of the liang dynasty asked him a question I am building many temples and I…

…a man to become a monk. Many men and women have been converted to Buddhism. Does my doing so bring any benefit? Bodhidharma answered: no benefit, there is none. We are still chewing this question as a koan. Many students study it. Why did Bodhidharma…

…answered: no benefit, there is none. We are still chewing this question as a koan. Many students study it. Why did Bodhidharma say no benefit? There is none. Gaining benefit by doing something is an entirely human problem. If I am gaining something,…

…of you: what value is there in passing your nights in a nightclub? And then there is another excerpt here, a talk on Bodhidharma, the legendary figure of the bearded barbarian, a man from India who is supposed to have brought Zen to china. And he said:…

…supposed to have brought Zen to china. And he said: a car, a Confucian Taoist Scholar came to make an interview with Bodhidharma. As Bodhidharma paid no attention to him, he went away. Three years later he came back, but again Bodhidharma paid no…

…way of understanding the sense of life by getting rid of silly quests and questions. The archetypal situation was when hoeke asked Bodhidharma how to attain peace of mind. Bodhidharma said: bring your mind out and I will pacify it. But when I look for…

…life by getting rid of silly quests and questions. The archetypal situation was when hoeke asked Bodhidharma how to attain peace of mind. Bodhidharma said: bring your mind out and I will pacify it. But when I look for it said hoeke I can't find it. In…

…way of understanding the sense of life by getting rid of silly quests and questions. The archetypal situation was when hoeke asked Bodhidharma how to attain peace of mind. Bodhidharma said: bring your mind out and I will it said hoeke I can't find it.…

…by getting rid of silly quests and questions. The archetypal situation was when hoeke asked Bodhidharma how to attain peace of mind. Bodhidharma said: bring your mind out and I will it said hoeke I can't find it. In that case, the master concluded it's…

…thinker other than thoughts, a feeler other than feelings, a sensor other than sensations. That's the meaning of the dialogue between Bodhidharma and Eka, when Eka said: I haven't any peace of mind please pacify my mind and Bodhidharma said: bring out your…

…That's the meaning of the dialogue between Bodhidharma and Eka, when Eka said: I haven't any peace of mind please pacify my mind and Bodhidharma said: bring out your mind in front of me and I will pacify it. Eka said: when I look for it I can't find…

…said: bring out your mind in front of me and I will pacify it. Eka said: when I look for it I can't find it. Bodhidharma said: there it is pacified. So Eka, you know, was looking for his mind. It's like who are you? The question that the Maharshi…

…Zen School of Buddhism was introduced into china in about the year 527 a d, by a sage from India whose name was Bodhidharma, and Bodhidharma is always represented in the art of the far east as a fierce gentleman with a bushy beard and staring bright…

…of Buddhism was introduced into china in about the year 527 a d, by a sage from India whose name was Bodhidharma, and Bodhidharma is always represented in the art of the far east as a fierce gentleman with a bushy beard and staring bright eyes. In…

…with a bushy beard and staring bright eyes. In Japan at the present time, children's toys are made to represent Bodhidharma. They're little fellows, rather like the American Shmoo, same sort of shape, and they're weighted inside. You know they're legless…

…lived in china between 1183 and 1260. The first story I'm going to read you is the story of the encounter between Bodhidharma and his first disciple, whose name was Eka. Bodhidharma was sitting facing the wall. His future successor, Eka, stands in the…

…story I'm going to read you is the story of the encounter between Bodhidharma and his first disciple, whose name was Eka. Bodhidharma was sitting facing the wall. His future successor, Eka, stands in the snow and presents his severed arm to Bodhidharma. I…

…there is the idea of the liberated man who knows who he is as the man who can't be fazed. You know for example that Bodhidharma, Who's supposed to have brought Zen to china is made into a toy in Japan which is like a shmoo, only it's this shape and…

…in Hindu Literature of the tightrope walker the man walking the path of the razor's edge. It's the balance again you see, but the Bodhidharma is in a way more flexible he can be pushed right to the floor but the minute you let go he's back up. Or…

…I ask I go right down to the question to be started with: what do I want? The answer is: I don't know. When Bodhidharma was asked who are you which is another form of the same question he said: I don't know planting flowers to which the butterflies…

…who are you which is another form of the same question he said: I don't know planting flowers to which the butterflies come. Bodhidharma says: I know not, I don't know what I want. When you don't know what you want you've reached the state of…

…complete concentration. Now according to legend, Zen was brought from India to china, probably around 500 a d by a person called Bodhidharma, who is always depicted as a rather fierce looking fellow with a bushy beard and big wide awake eyes. You can see…

…wide awake eyes. You can see he's thoroughly all there he is thoroughly alert and although this may be a legendary character, Bodhidharma is credited with introducing Zen into china as I said about 500 years a d. In relation to Bodhidharma There's rather…

…a legendary character, Bodhidharma is credited with introducing Zen into china as I said about 500 years a d. In relation to Bodhidharma There's rather an important story about his interview with his first and only disciple. This was a Chinese by the name…

…an important story about his interview with his first and only disciple. This was a Chinese by the name of Huike, who came to Bodhidharma with the usual trouble that afflicts us all. He said, master I have no peace of mind and the word he used was…

…most of the time, and he wanted it set at peace. So he said: master I have no peace of mind please pacify my mind. And Bodhidharma, who was a gruff old boy said: bring your mind out here before me I'll pacify it. And Huike said: but when I look for…

…are releasing people from this bind is to put them into it harder. In other words, there was a Zen Buddhist Sage called Bodhidharma. He was actually an Indian, according to legend, and he came to china and was asked by one of his well his only…

…of his well his only disciple that he ever had. The disciple said: I have no peace of mind. Please pacify my mind. And Bodhidharma said: bring your mind out here I'll pacify it. And the disciple said: when I look for my mind, I can't find it.…

…said: bring your mind out here I'll pacify it. And the disciple said: when I look for my mind, I can't find it. Bodhidharma said: there it's pacified. In other words look for your mind if you think you see you are the separate agent, the separate…

…It's only when you stop to think about it that it's difficult. I referred in a previous program to that astonishing gentleman Bodhidharma the sage who's supposed to have been one of the people who introduced Buddhism from India into china. Let's look at a…

…the sage who's supposed to have been one of the people who introduced Buddhism from India into china. Let's look at a picture of Bodhidharma again. This is here. He is in rather odd form. You can see him there looking like a kind of a roly poly and…

…the bearded barbarian come from the west? Because Zen is supposed to have been brought into china by a Hindu named Bodhidharma, and Bodhidharma is always represented as having a huge bushy beard and very fierce eyes. Now Bodhidharma always insisted that he…

…barbarian come from the west? Because Zen is supposed to have been brought into china by a Hindu named Bodhidharma, and Bodhidharma is always represented as having a huge bushy beard and very fierce eyes. Now Bodhidharma always insisted that he had nothing…

…china by a Hindu named Bodhidharma, and Bodhidharma is always represented as having a huge bushy beard and very fierce eyes. Now Bodhidharma always insisted that he had nothing to teach and so why did he come? That's one of the fundamental questions you…

…a hundred years old and it says: I don't understand, I don't know anything about it. So that goes back to the story of Bodhidharma that when he first came to china sometime a little before 500 AD. He was interviewed by the emperor Wu of liang and he…

…built, monks and nuns to be ordained and the scriptures to be translated into Chinese. What is the merit of this? And Bodhidharma said: no merit whatever. Well that really set the emperor back because the popular understanding of Buddhism is that you do…

…anything, this is what is aimed at in Zen. This is also symbolized sometimes in the figure of the legendary founder of Zen, Bodhidharma, and Japanese Toy makers represent him as a little tiny toy figure like a shmu, weighted in such a way that however…

…supposed to have been brought from India to china around somewhere between 400 and 500 AD by a fierce looking gentleman called Bodhidharma. You can see him in this picture by the Japanese painter Soga Yasoku. He's always drawn as a very fierce fellow with…

…painter Soga Yasoku. He's always drawn as a very fierce fellow with a twinkle in his eye at the same time. And when Bodhidharma came to china, he didn't have very many disciples, but there was one fellow who sought him out and his name was Eka.…

…didn't have very many disciples, but there was one fellow who sought him out and his name was Eka. And Eka came to Bodhidharma and said: sir I want you to accept me as your disciple. And Bodhidharma replied: I have nothing to teach. What I understand…

…out and his name was Eka. And Eka came to Bodhidharma and said: sir I want you to accept me as your disciple. And Bodhidharma replied: I have nothing to teach. What I understand is an experience, in other words and I can't put it into words and…

…the snow. And if you look in the picture by sesshu you can see Eka standing out there and Eka got so persistent, and Bodhidharma so persistent in his refusal to teach him that at last Eka cut off his arm and handed it to Bodhidharma saying: look, here…

…of Zen. Then apparently about shortly before 500, as the dates now check out another Indian came to china whose name was Bodhidharma, and Bodhidharma was the person who touched off Zen as a specific movement. Bodhidharma had a pupil by the name of Eka…

…Then apparently about shortly before 500, as the dates now check out another Indian came to china whose name was Bodhidharma, and Bodhidharma was the person who touched off Zen as a specific movement. Bodhidharma had a pupil by the name of Eka Kuei Ke…

…another Indian came to china whose name was Bodhidharma, and Bodhidharma was the person who touched off Zen as a specific movement. Bodhidharma had a pupil by the name of Eka Kuei Ke in Chinese, Eka is the Japanese Pronunciation like Zen is the Japanese…

…the Japanese Pronunciation like Zen is the Japanese Pronunciation of the Chinese Chun. And the story is that when Eka came to Bodhidharma, Bodhidharma refused to accept him as a student. All Zen masters do this. They reject you and this stimulates you, you…

…Japanese Pronunciation like Zen is the Japanese Pronunciation of the Chinese Chun. And the story is that when Eka came to Bodhidharma, Bodhidharma refused to accept him as a student. All Zen masters do this. They reject you and this stimulates you, you see…

…almost like spinach soup, and that really keeps you awake. I recommend it instead of methadrine. The legend is, of course that Bodhidharma, who is supposed to have brought the Zen type of Buddhism from India to china somewhere after 450 AD perhaps if he…

…deeds in the hope that you will be rewarded in the next life. So when the emperor Wu of liang interviewed Bodhidharma. The emperor said: we've endowed monasteries and ordered scriptures to be translated and done all this what merit? And Bodhidharma said…

…Bodhidharma. The emperor said: we've endowed monasteries and ordered scriptures to be translated and done all this what merit? And Bodhidharma said none whatever. And the emperor was horrified because he thought the whole point of Buddhism was acquiring merit.…

…whole point of Buddhism was acquiring merit. So he said then: what is the first principle of the sacred doctrine? And Bodhidharma replied: in vast emptiness there is nothing sacred. So that vast emptiness you see again implies the idea of spiritual poverty…

…the answer that the Zen master makes to you is: show me your ego, I want to see this thing that has a problem. When Bodhidharma, the legendary founder of Zen, came to china, a disciple came to him and said: I have no peace of mind please pacify my…

…legendary founder of Zen, came to china, a disciple came to him and said: I have no peace of mind please pacify my mind. And Bodhidharma said: bring out your mind here before me and I'll pacify it. Well he said: when I look for it I can't find it.…

…bring out your mind here before me and I'll pacify it. Well he said: when I look for it I can't find it. So Bodhidharma said: there it's pacified, see because when you look for your own mind, that is to say your own particularized center of being…

…the Zen School of Buddhism was introduced into china in about the year 527 a d by a sage from India whose name was Bodhidharma. And Bodhidharma is always represented in the art of the far east as a fierce gentleman with a bushy beard and staring bright…

…of Buddhism was introduced into china in about the year 527 a d by a sage from India whose name was Bodhidharma. And Bodhidharma is always represented in the art of the far east as a fierce gentleman with a bushy beard and staring bright eyes. In…

…with a bushy beard and staring bright eyes. In Japan at the present time, children's toys are made to represent Bodhidharma. They're little fellows rather like the American Shmoo, same sort of shape, and they're weighted inside. You know they're legless…

…lived in china between 1183 and 1260. The first story I'm going to read you is the story of the encounter between Bodhidharma and his first disciple, whose name was Eka. Bodhidharma was sitting facing the wall. His future successor, Eka, stands in the…

…story I'm going to read you is the story of the encounter between Bodhidharma and his first disciple, whose name was Eka. Bodhidharma was sitting facing the wall. His future successor, Eka, stands in the snow and presents his severed arm to Bodhidharma. I…

…the bearded barbarian come from the west? Because Zen is supposed to have been brought into china by a Hindu named Bodhidharma. Bodhidharma is always represented as having a huge bushy beard and very fierce eyes. Now, Bodhidharma always insisted that he had…

…bearded barbarian come from the west? Because Zen is supposed to have been brought into china by a Hindu named Bodhidharma. Bodhidharma is always represented as having a huge bushy beard and very fierce eyes. Now, Bodhidharma always insisted that he had…

…into china by a Hindu named Bodhidharma. Bodhidharma is always represented as having a huge bushy beard and very fierce eyes. Now, Bodhidharma always insisted that he had nothing to teach and so why did he come? That's one of the fundamental questions you…

…a hundred years old and it says: I don't understand. I don't know anything about it. So that goes back to the story of Bodhidharma that when he first came to china, sometime a little before 500 a d, he was interviewed by the emperor Wu of liang and…

…built, monks and nuns to be ordained and the scriptures to be translated into Chinese. What is the merit of this? And Bodhidharma said: no merit whatever. Well that really set the emperor back because the popular understanding of Buddhism is that you do…

…wander and wander and wander in search of a man who would answer the question. So one of the first stories is that when Bodhidharma, or dharma, who you see all over Japan as the man with big eyes a bushy beard, usually dressed in red, with no legs,…

…you see all over Japan as the man with big eyes a bushy beard, usually dressed in red, with no legs, he came to where Bodhidharma was meditating and said: master I have no peace of mind, please. Finally, when he cut off his left arm as a token of…

…no peace of mind, please. Finally, when he cut off his left arm as a token of his sincerity and presented it to the master, Bodhidharma said: you know all right what do you want? Well he said: I have no peace of mind. The mind in Chinese is shin and…

…got a headache you may have a heartache too. It's a more inclusive word you might call it the center of psychic activity. So Bodhidharma said to this man whose name was Eka, bring out your mind here before me I'll pacify it. And Eka said: when I look…

…Eka, bring out your mind here before me I'll pacify it. And Eka said: when I look for my mind, I can't find it. Bodhidharma said: there it's pacified now somehow this answered Eka's question. And all Zen is stories like that. Now one thing I must tell…