Bodhidharma

1500 years ago, King Wu of China was a devout Buddhist who eagerly awaited the arrival of a genius teacher from India to disseminate the teachings of Buddha. Despite dedicating significant efforts to promoting Buddhism throughout his kingdom, no such teacher ever appeared during his reign.

Bodhidharma, a prince born in the Pallava kingdom of South India and son of the king of Kanchipuram, left his royal status and became an ascetic at a young age. Fully enlightened at the age of 22, he and his disciple were chosen to be sent as ambassadors to China.

As King Wu approached the age of 60, he received word that two highly enlightened teachers, Bodhidharma and one of his disciples, were making their way across the Himalayas to bring the message of Buddha to China. Excited by this prospect, the king organized grand celebrations in anticipation of their arrival. After a few months of waiting, the two finally reached the border of the Chinese Empire.

Bodhidharma, a prince born in the Pallava kingdom of South India and son of the king of Kanchipuram, left his royal status and became an ascetic at a young age. At 22, he attained full enlightenment and was subsequently sent as an envoy to China. Upon his arrival, a grand reception was organized and King Wu personally greeted him at the border of the country.

A disappointed Chinese king, it could be assumed that he had high hopes or expectations that were not met, leading to his disappointment. The cause of the disappointment is not specified in this context.

The two monks, Bodhidharma from Tamil Nadu and his disciple, were tired from the long journey, so King Wu was greatly disappointed when he saw them both. He had come with some expectation when he was told that an enlightened man would come, but these two were young men of 22 years. Bodhidharma's appearance was not striking, due to the fatigue of traveling in the mountains for months. Despite his disappointment, King Wu welcomed the two monks and provided them with a place to rest and food to eat. Eventually, King Wu had the opportunity to ask Bodhidharma a question, to which Bodhidharma replied, "Ask generously.

Father-in-law Wu asked Bodhidharma, "What through creation?"

Bodhidharma, from Tamil Nadu, in response to the question, laughed and said, "What a foolish question! Ask something else." with this answer, he demonstrated his characteristic wit and directness, which are often associated with Bodhidharma's answers.

Bodhidharma, found a mountain called Thai or Sai as his dwelling place. It was there that the monks discovered certain leaves that when boiled and drank, helped them to stay awake.

King Wu was quite embarrassed, he had a list of questions to ask Bodhidharma, which he considered as very profound and meaningful. He had many arguments and debates on this particular question. But now this young man from somewhere dismissed it as a stupid question. He felt shame and rage, but controlled himself and said, "Well, let me ask the second question, what is the source of my existence?" he asked.

Bodhidharma laughed even louder and said, "This is a very foolish question. Ask something else." The king was disappointed and had to accept that Bodhidharma's answers were not what he expected. If the king would have asked him about the seasons in India, or about Bodhidharma's health, he would have answered it. But he refused to answer the question about creation and source of existence

Now Father-in-law Wu was furious, but restrained himself and asked a third question. He listed all the good deeds he had done in his life, such as how many people he had fed, the charitable acts he had performed, and how he had built many meditation halls, planted hundreds of gardens, and trained thousands of translators to spread the Dharma and the message of the Buddha. He asked, "Will I attain salvation with all the good things I have done?"

Then the smile on Bodhidharma's face disappeared. He stood up and looked at Uncle Wu with anger in his eyes and said, "What, Mukti? You? You will burn in the seventh hell."

But Father-in-law Wu didn't understand this. Enraged, he expelled Bodhidharma from the country. Bodhidharma saw no difference between being inside and outside the country, so he continued his journey. But Father-in-law Wu missed the only chance he had in life. What Bodhidharma meant was that in the Buddha's way of life, the mind has seven layers. When one focuses on counting and keeping track of one's good deeds, instead of just doing what is necessary, one is in the lowest stratum of one's mind, and therefore suffering is unavoidable. The expectation of others to treat him well as a result of his actions, and the disappointment when they don't, leads to great mental torment, which will become the seventh hell for him.

Bodhidharma is credited with bringing Zen to China, as it was Gautama Buddha who originally taught the practice of dhyan or meditation. Over time, the teachings of Chan were spread by Bodhidharma to China and eventually to other East Asian countries, including Indonesia and Japan, where it became known as Zen.

The story of the birth of tea

The story of the birth of tea is rooted in the legend of Bodhidharma, a monk who brought Zen to China. According to the tale, Bodhidharma was driven out of his country by his father-in-law Wu and went to the mountains to recruit disciples to meditate in mountain caves. However, one of the biggest challenges for a meditator is staying awake. In one instance, Bodhidharma himself fell asleep while meditating, and in his frustration, he is said to have cut out his eyelids. According to legend, his severed eyelids fell to the ground and became the first tea plants. From that point on, tea was given to the monks to help them stay awake during their meditations. This story is said to originate from the mountain named Tai or Sai, where Bodhidharma stayed after his encounter with Wu, and where the monks discovered the leaves. Bodhidharma found that boiling these leaves in water and drinking them helped to stay awake, and after that, the monks were able to meditate all night without sleeping. This is how tea or chai was invented