The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma (English and Chinese Edition) Paperback – November 1, 1989

The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma is a profound yet compact book that dives into the essence of Zen. It contains the teachings of Bodhidharma, the legendary monk who brought Zen to China. The book is minimalistic—no fluff, just direct, thought-provoking wisdom. It challenges the reader to look beyond words and seek understanding through experience.The translation is clear, but the text itself can be dense, requiring deep reflection. If you’re looking for practical Zen advice, this may not be a step-by-step guide. However, if you appreciate raw, unfiltered spiritual insight, this book delivers. It’s a short but powerful read, perfect for those interested in Zen’s core philosophy. A must-have for serious seekers of enlightenment.

The Zen Teaching of BodhidharmaThis is a very worthwhile contribution to the literature of "enlightenment". The book covers 4 items: Outline of Practice; Bloodstream Sermon; Wake-up Sermon & Breakthrough Sermon. By far the most interesting are the Bloodstream & Wake-up Sermons. The 4th item is of marginal interest since it simply presents a more or less standard view of the Mahayana Dharma in relation to mind and form. The wake-up sermon provides many clues for use by the "somnambulant" designed to make them aware of their status and the Bloodstream contains useful viewpoints concerning states of mind.Perhaps the most striking thing about these two chapters (shorn of Buddhist terminology) is the extent to which the material parallels comments made by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. There is the same sense of spontaneity and freedom about the statements and it makes one wonder why the last chapter of the book is so different from the others. It is almost as it the last chapter represents the tendering of Bodhidharma's dues to the Mahayana group with which he was associated and, in turn perhaps he was permitted to teach a Dharma based almost exclusively on his own insights. Who is to know?Highly recommended, 5 stars.The Journey To Enlightenment

This is a wonderful book, containing sermons from ancient Ch'an sifu Bodhidharma (or someone else..it really doesn't matter) ....I gotta say, I love all of them, mainly because they're all concise and to the point, but the "Wake-up" sermon is worth building a life around.The author/speaker gives useless (and exclusionary and divisive) questions from attending monks short shrift (I paraphrase): "How can someone possibly create karma by butchering for meat and still become a Buddha?" Bodhidharma's answer: ""I only talk about seeing your nature"."Another was: "These laymen have sex all the time, how can THEY possibly become buddhas?" Answer: "I only talk about seeing your nature".Red Pine has given the world a gift, that stands with the Dhammapada in its elegant simplicity.That said, those poor folks who require ritual, hierarchy, pecking order and the trappings and minutiae of organized religion to give their lives meaning will ignore it..There's not much here to argue, discuss, pick-apart, write theses on, etc, etc...ad infinitum.Why we have chosen to muddy the waters of such a razor-sharp, perennial and crystal clear philosophy as Gautama's seems to have been ("Correct your mental defects through your own efforts") is beyond me.This book is a welcome reminder for me to return to simplicity.

A delight to read. Why, indeed, isn’t more popular.

"The Zen Teachings of Bodhidharma"This writing got through to me in an unusual waySimple and meaningful.Not plugged with concepts unfathomable.In all my 70 years of reading, Bodhidharma is a standout.I urge you to read it and be open to awareness!

To confess upfront, while a long-time meditator, I have not beena student of Zen. My first reading of a Red Pine translation wasThe Heart Sutra, which I very much enjoyed. The current translation (actually published a number of years prior to theHeart Sutra) was a rougher go for me. While I continue to find the voice of Red Pine himself clear, informative, and welcome, Istruggled with the voice of Bodhidharma. There is no question these sermons are essential reading capturing the transition from India to China, and I continue to admire Red Pine's skill executing this bilingual edition. However, I have to place myself in the category he mentions at the end of the introduction, those with whom the sermons are not "popular". There are two main reasons for this. One, I take my meditation reading in small doses and live with the ideas for a time. I didn't find any ready breaks in the presentation of the sermons, and to read any one of them at one sitting was a bit much for me. Second, I found the voice in the sermons to be, for lack of a better term, crabby. Someone who was tiredof explaining this over and over to people deluding themselves in alternative ways of thinking. This was offputting. Again, asI read reviews from other readers as well as Red Pine's introduction, my reaction may be attributed purely to my ignorance of barebones Zen. I look forward to keeping the book in my library, returning to it through the years, and seeing how my reaction shifts as I grow. And I do thank Red Pine for his important contribution.

Very easy to read and understand