The resent Tamil film "7 am arivu" (meaning 7th sense) catching imagination of even common man about Bodhidharma, curious readers are all looking for more on his personality and findings.Really amused after all this years the brief story of a Tamilian called Bodhidharma had hit the silver screen cinema in Tamil Nadu.Although this is only a brief sketch of his life but it's really mean something for this generation to ponder on the great yogi who been worshiped in a place like Greater China,Japan and others part of the world. The base of famous Shaolin Temple and kung Fu fighting which we use to watch in Hong Kong Chinese movies.For this I had decided to post some of his life stories which can shade some light to us on this remarkable person or yogi which been lost in Tamil mind.
In 495 AD, the Indian monk Ba Tuo, or Buddhabhadra, came to China teaching a form of Buddhism known as Xiao Sheng Buddhism. He was given land at the foot of Shaoshi mountain by Emperor Shao Wen and founded the Shaolin Temple on this land.
Around the time that Ba Tuo was founding the Shaolin Temple there was an Indian prince named Bodhidharma. Bodhidharma was very intelligent and was the favorite son of the king of India. Bodhidharma had two older brothers who feared that their father, the king, would pass them over and bequeath the kingship to Bodhidharma. In their jealousy, the two older brothers often disparaged Bodhidharma while talking with their father, hoping to turn him against their younger brother. The older brothers also attempted to assassinate Bodhidharma but Bodhidharma had very good karma and so the attempts were not successful. Despite being the favorite son of the king, Bodhidharma realized that he was not interested in a life of politics. He chose instead to study with the famous Buddhist master Prajnatara and become a Buddhist monk.
Bodhidharma is credited with bringing Zen Buddhism to China and he is the First Patriarch of Chinese Zen Lineage.Bodhidharma's Buddhist Master, Prajnatara, was the 27th Patriarch of Indian Buddhism, taught Bodhidharma for many years, gave him Mind Transmission, made him the 28th Patriarch, and gave him the name Bodhidharma. Following the instruction of his Master to transmit Dharma to China, Bodhidharma traveled east to Southern China in 526 A.D. When he arrived in Kwang Chou, he was ceremoniously welcomed and greatly honored by the local military official named Shao Yang.
The same year, he was invited to the Capitol, Nanjing, to meet Emperor Wu Di of the Liang dynasty. Because the communication between the Emperor and Bodhidharma was mutually unsatisfactory, Bodhidharma left the palace, crossed the Yangtzu River, and continued north until he arrived at the Shao Lin Temple in Ho Nan Province. It was here that Bodhidharma became famous for meditating 9 years facing a wall.After he gave his disciple, Hui K'o, the Robe, Begging Bowl, Lankavatara Sutra, and Mind Transmission, Bodhidharma went to Chen Sung (One Thousand Saints) Temple to propagate the Dharma. He passed into Nirvana in 536 A.D., was buried in Shon Er Shan (Bear Ear Mountain) in Ho Nan, and a stupa was built for him in Pao Lin Temple. Later, the Tang dynasty Emperor, Dai Dzong, bestowed on Bodhidharma the name Yuen Che Grand Zen Master, and renamed his stupa as Kong Kwan (Empty Visualization).
left his shadow on this rock,removed from the cave and
on display in the Shaolin Temple.
From there the Tamil Prince Bodhidharma become alien to Tamil world like what been shown in the first hour scene of this Tamil film "7 am arivu.Interesting to note that none knew that he is a Tamilian from Kanchipuram.Anyway we need to thanks the Tamil cine world to give us such a movie and knowledge of the past.Of cause movies make to believe and with added spices in the story line to make it more interesting and imaginary.
Zen was initiated by Buddha but evolved by Bodhidharma when he got the right environment and experience.In other words Bodhidharma attained his seventh sense by learning the theories of Buddhism and combining them with Yoga, Medicine and Physical arts as practiced by Sidhars in Tamil nadu.
Bodhi Dharma was both a Buddha and Siddha.
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