Records of Mysterious Things in the Southern Dynasties

Chapter 483 Bodhidharma
"Please," the Fifth Divine General stepped aside, saying, "The two lords are waiting for the master."

“Alright.” The Western monk nodded and led his disciples up the cloud ladder into the clouds.

Upon seeing the two deities, the Western monk put his palms together and smiled, saying, "This humble monk is Bodhidharma, greetings to the two esteemed beings."

The young monk behind him also put his palms together, but when he saw the appearance of the two deities, he couldn't help but open his mouth wide.

But remembering that his master had instructed him to practice silent meditation, he quickly covered his mouth.

Fortunately, the two gods ignored him and focused their attention on Bodhidharma.

“Master Bodhidharma, it’s been ten years since we last met.” The witch returned the greeting with a smile, “You are even more radiant than before.”

"It's just an old man's body, you jest, fortune teller." Bodhidharma smiled amicably.

The aloof Wu Yang had no reason to be angry; he simply looked coldly at Bodhidharma and asked, "Did you encounter a true Buddha in the Northern Dynasty?"

“Hehe…” Bodhidharma laughed: “Dream God, please forgive me. Back then, I didn’t know that Buddha was your imposter. Otherwise, you would have been more polite in your speech.”

"Hmph!" Wu Yang snorted, clearly dissatisfied with the Western monk leader.

This person was from India and claimed to be the twenty-eighth patriarch of the Chan (Zen) school of Buddhism. He was sent by his master to China to spread the wonderful teachings of Buddhism and to "connect with the roots here".

He landed in Guangzhou by boat at the end of the Liu Song dynasty, and then spread Buddhism and preached in various parts of the Southern Dynasties, accumulating a great reputation.

When Emperor Wu of Han (Xiao Yan) abandoned Taoism for Buddhism, he heard of the emperor's reputation and issued an edict to the governor of Guangzhou: "Properly escort the imperial carriage to the capital, where I will meet with him in the main hall."

Therefore, Bodhidharma was invited to Jiankang, and Emperor Xiao Yan immediately sent people to bring him into the palace, where he was warmly received and asked him to teach him Buddhist teachings.

Emperor Wu of Liang (Xiao Yan) asked him, "I have built temples, copied scriptures, and ordained countless monks. What are the merits of this?"

Bodhidharma, however, said, "There is no merit in it."

Xiao Yan asked, "Why is there no merit?"

Bodhidharma said, "If you do good deeds and expect rewards, then it is not true merit."

Emperor Xiao Yan asked, "What is true merit?"

Bodhidharma said: "Pure and wondrous enlightenment is inherently perfect, and its merits are empty of inherent existence. It cannot be obtained through worldly conditioned phenomena."

These words greatly shocked Xiao Yan, who asked in a deep voice, "What is the first principle of the Holy Truth?"

Bodhidharma replied, "There is no saint in the vast expanse."

Xiao Yan's expression grew increasingly shocked, and he solemnly asked, "Who is speaking to me?"

Bodhidharma shook his head and said, "I don't know."

~~
Simply put, the emperor asked him, "How much merit have I accumulated from all those deeds?" He replied that they were all deliberate and didn't count as merit. The emperor then asked, "And who are you?" He replied, "I don't know..."

The fact that Xiao Yan didn't cut off his head shows that his self-cultivation was among the best in the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

However, the two still couldn't agree on anything and parted on bad terms.

After presenting his memorial, Bodhidharma left Jiankang with the words, "There are no kindred spirits here," intending to travel to the Northern Dynasties.

Upon hearing the news, Emperor Wu of Liang immediately dispatched men in pursuit. When they reached the middle section of Mount Mufu, the mountain peaks suddenly closed in on either side, trapping the group between them. They could only watch helplessly as Bodhidharma broke off a reed by the riverbank, threw it into the river, and it transformed into a small boat, drifting across the river, never to be heard from again…

This case was widely known in the Southern Dynasties and is still talked about by the people today. But most people only watch the spectacle; only those who were involved truly understand the witty exchanges between the emperor and Bodhidharma, as well as the dangers of the time.

Now let's translate the slang they used back then—

The historical context was that Emperor Wu of Liang (Xiao Yan) was a devout Buddhist who suppressed Taoism, destroying all Taoist temples and forcing Taoist priests to return to secular life and convert. Therefore, Xiao Yan's first question was, "I have built temples, copied scriptures, and ordained countless monks. What are the merits of these deeds?"

The real question is, is there really any benefit to doing these things?
Bodhidharma said, 'There is no merit in this.' He was telling him that there was no benefit to it. He explained that this was not true merit, so he could not attain Buddhahood through it.

Emperor Xiao Yan was stunned. This was not what the Buddha had promised.

The Buddha was right; after the rise of Buddhism and the suppression of Taoism, he too could attain Buddhahood through this great merit…

But Bodhidharma bluntly told him, 'Things done for the sake of reward are not true merit.'

This made Xiao Yan doubt the authenticity of the Buddha statue on Zijin Mountain, which is why he asked, "What is true merit?"

Bodhidharma told him that true merit cannot be obtained by abandoning Taoism for Buddhism and building numerous Buddhist temples. It is "not something that can be obtained through worldly conditioned methods," but rather comes from one's own cultivation and self-perfection.

Emperor Wu of Han (Xiao Yan) felt as if he had been struck dumb, realizing that he had been led astray by the Buddhist sect. He then asked cryptically, "What is the first principle of the Holy Truth?"

The Buddha proclaimed himself "the only one worthy of respect in heaven and on earth," and the "first principle of the Noble Truth" is naturally the Buddha's true meaning.

Bodhidharma, however, told him with four words, "vast and without holiness," that the Buddha had already passed away and there was no longer a Buddha in the world...

Xiao Yan was stunned after hearing this. If the Buddha had already passed away, then who was the one I was worshipping on Zijin Mountain?

That's why he asked Bodhidharma: 'Who is facing me?'

The real question isn't "Who are you?" but rather "Whom am I facing?"

When Bodhidharma said "I don't know," he didn't mean he didn't know who he was, but rather that he didn't know who the Buddha statue on Zijin Mountain was.

Since he claims to be the 28th generation true disciple of Buddha, isn't that clearly telling Xiao Yan that the deity is definitely not Buddha?
This was also the purpose of his visit to Jiankang to meet the emperor: to expose the fraud of the Buddhist sect impersonating the Buddha to spread their teachings!

Although Emperor Xiao Yan and Bodhidharma didn't get along at the time, he really wanted to keep him and make him his own. But Bodhidharma was very clear-headed and knew that exposing the deity's mask would surely bring about his death, so he immediately packed up his bucket and ran away.

The people who later chased him were not sent by Xiao Yan at all. Rather, it was the Dream God who, after learning of the dialogue between the two, ordered Zhen Di to go and capture Bodhidharma under Xiao Yan's name.

Unexpectedly, Bodhidharma's magical power was even greater than Paramartha's. After a battle of magic, Bodhidharma escaped to the Northern Dynasty by crossing the river on a reed.

~~
Although Bodhidharma left the Southern Dynasties, the damage he caused was immense. Emperor Wu of Liang and the Buddhist sect lost their foundation of mutual trust, becoming outwardly united but inwardly estranged, constantly undermining each other until their conflicts became irreconcilable…

Therefore, Wu Yang harbored deep resentment towards the guy who exposed his true colors. If the guy hadn't already become a god, he would have slapped him to death long ago.

"You were allowed to escape back then, but instead of finding a place to hide and live out your remaining years, you dare to come and see me?"

"Hehe, after I came to the Northern Dynasty, I spent nine years meditating in the Shaoshi Mountains, and finally I have gained some understanding." Bodhidharma said with a smile that was neither humble nor arrogant: "Only then do I dare to come and pay my respects to the God of Dreams."

"You think you can be so presumptuous in front of me just because you've become a god?" Wu Yang raised an eyebrow, exuding domineering aura.

"How dare I?" Bodhidharma shook his head and laughed, "Your Excellency has already become an ancient god, how could I, a mere minor god who only achieved this at the age of one hundred and fifty, be compared to you?"

"Good to know." Wu Yang sneered, "What brings you here today? You're not just here to show off, are you?"

"Of course not." Bodhidharma smiled, then said seriously, "This old monk has come to make a deal. I beg you, sir, to be lenient and let Benefactor Chen and his party cross the river."

(End of this chapter)