Bodhidharma
There is a famous quatrain attributed to Bodhidharma in his
meeting with Emperor Wu.
The emperor asked Bodhidharma, the toothless old monk with big wide open eyes: "Since I ascended the throne, I have promoted the building of temples, the transcription of Sutras (scriptures), ordination of monks; serving and donating money to temples and preachers. What merit have I obtained? "
The Master replied, "No merit at all."
The Emperor asked: - "Why no merit?"
The Master said: - "All these things are nothing but unclean for merit reasons; at the most they ripen the meager fruit of a human rebirth or Deva (god). They are like shadows that follow the forms, lacking their own reality."
The Emperor asked: - "Why no merit?"
The Master said: - "All these things are nothing but unclean for merit reasons; at the most they ripen the meager fruit of a human rebirth or Deva (god). They are like shadows that follow the forms, lacking their own reality."
The emperor asked: - "So, what kind is the real merit?"
The Master said: - "It is the pure, wonderful and perfect knowledge (Gyana). Its
essence is emptiness. You cannot win a spiritual merit through worldly
means..."
Then the emperor asked: - "What is the first principle of sacred truth?"
Bodhidharma replied: - "Vast emptiness, nothing else; absolutely
nothing."
Excerpts from: 'Bodhidharma and his spiritual legacy'
By Dokushô Villalba.
Very inspiring - thanks.
ReplyDelete