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Bodhidharma in Chinese / Japanese...

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Personalize your custom “Bodhidharma” project by clicking the button next to your favorite “Bodhidharma” title below...


  1. Dharma / Damo / Daruma

  2. Bodhidharma

  3. Shaolin Temple

  4. Zen Buddhism

  5. Bodhidharma

  6. Facing the Wall Nine Years


Dharma / Damo / Daruma

 dá mó
 daru ma
Dharma / Damo / Daruma Scroll

達摩 is the Chinese and Japanese title for Dharma (a short name for Bodhidharma).

He's known in Chinese as Damo and in Japanese as Daruma.


Note: In Japanese, they tend to write the last character as 磨 versus 摩. If you choose the Japanese master calligrapher, expect it to be written in the Japanese version.

 pú tí dá mó
 bo dai daru ma
Bodhidharma Scroll

菩提達摩 is the Chinese Bodhidharma.

This refers to a man commonly known as Damo, reputed as the founder of Chan (Zen) Buddhism. His original name is believed to be Bodhitara (菩提多羅).


Note: Often, the last character is written as 磨 versus 摩.

Shaolin Temple

 shào lín sì
 shou rin ji
Shaolin Temple Scroll

少林寺 is the full title of the Shaolin Temple.

This refers to the Buddhist monastery famous for its kung fu monks.

少林寺 is also known in Japanese, where they use the same characters but romanize them as Shourinji or Shōrinji.

Some believe this monastery and temple represent where Bodhidharma sat with his face to a wall for nine years, leading to his discovery of enlightenment and the establishment of Buddhism in China.

Zen Buddhism

 chán zōng
 zen shuu
Zen Buddhism Scroll

禪宗 is one way to title “Zen Buddhism.” Because the original pronunciation of Zen in Chinese is Chan, you'll also see this expressed as Chan Buddhism.

From the Buddhist Dictionary:
The Chan, meditative or intuitional, sect is usually said to have been established in China by Bodhidharma, the twenty-eighth patriarch, who brought the tradition of the Buddha-mind from India. This sect, believing in direct enlightenment, disregarded ritual and sūtras and depended upon the inner light and personal influence for the propagation of its tenets, founding itself on the esoteric tradition supposed to have been imparted to Kāśyapa by the Buddha, who indicated his meaning by plucking a flower without further explanation. Kāśyapa smiled in apprehension and is supposed to have passed on this mystic method to the patriarchs. The successor of Bodhidharma was 慧可 Huike, and he was succeeded by 僧璨 Sengcan, 道信 Daoxin, 弘忍 Hongren, 慧能 Huineng, and 神秀 Shenxiu, the sect dividing under the two latter into the southern and northern schools: the southern school became prominent, producing 南嶽 Nanyue and 靑原 Qingyuan, the former succeeded by 馬祖 Mazu, the latter by 石頭 Shitou. From Mazu's school arose the five later schools.

 pú tí dá mó
 bodai daruma
Bodhidharma Scroll

菩提達磨 is the title Bodhidharma in Chinese and Japanese.

Bodhidharma, commonly known as Damo, is reputed as the founder of the Chan (Zen) or Intuitional or Mystic School.

He likely came from south India and spread Mahayana Buddhism throughout China (even meeting the Emperor) and his disciples likely spread this all the way to Korea, Japan, and beyond in the 5th and 6th centuries.

Sometimes the last character varies in Chinese to 摩 instead of 磨 - let me know if you need a certain variation when you order.

Facing the Wall Nine Years

 miàn bì jiǔ nián
 menpeki kyunen
Facing the Wall Nine Years Scroll

面壁九年 is a Buddhist term that means “facing a wall for nine years.”

This refers to the Bodhidharma who stared at a wall in meditation at the Shaolin Temple (or in a cave) for nine years until reaching full enlightenment.


Not the results for bodhidharma that you were looking for?

Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your bodhidharma search...

Characters

If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese

Pronunciation
Romanization
Simple Dictionary Definition

坐禪


坐禅

see styles
zuò chán
    zuo4 chan2
tso ch`an
    tso chan
 zazen

More info & calligraphy:

Sit in Meditation
to sit in meditation; to meditate
To sit in dhyāna, i.e. abstract meditation, fixed abstraction, contemplation; its introduction to China is attributed to Bodhidharma (though it came earlier), and its extension to Tiantai.

禪宗


禅宗

see styles
chán zōng
    chan2 zong1
ch`an tsung
    chan tsung
 Zenshū

More info & calligraphy:

Zen Buddhism
Zen Buddhism
The Chan, meditative or intuitional, sect usually said to have been established in China by Bodhidharma, v. 達, the twenty-eighth patriarch, who brought the tradition of the Buddha-mind from India. Cf. 楞 13 Laṅkāvatāra sūtra. This sect, believing in direct enlightenment, disregarded ritual and sūtras and depended upon the inner light and personal influence for the propagation of its tenets, founding itself on the esoteric tradition supposed to have been imparted to Kāśyapa by the Buddha, who indicated his meaning by plucking a flower without further explanation. Kāśyapa smiled in apprehension and is supposed to have passed on this mystic method to the patriarchs. The successor of Bodhidharma was 慧可 Huike, and he was succeeded by 僧璨 Sengcan; 道信 Daoxin; 弘忍 Hongren; 慧能 Huineng, and 神秀 Shenxiu, the sect dividing under the two latter into the southern and northern schools: the southern school became prominent, producing 南嶽 Nanyue and 靑原 Qingyuan, the former succeeded by 馬祖 Mazu, the latter by 石頭 Shitou. From Mazu's school arose the five later schools, v. 禪門.

少林寺

see styles
shào lín sì
    shao4 lin2 si4
shao lin ssu
 shourinji / shorinji
    しょうりんじ

More info & calligraphy:

Shaolin Temple
Shaolin Temple, Buddhist monastery famous for its kung fu monks
(place-name) Shaolin Temple (China); Shourinji
The monastery at 少室 in 登封 Dengfeng xian, Henanfu, where Bodhidharma sat with his face to a wall for nine years.

菩提達磨


菩提达磨

see styles
pú tí dá mó
    pu2 ti2 da2 mo2
p`u t`i ta mo
    pu ti ta mo
 bodaidaruma
    ぼだいだるま

More info & calligraphy:

Bodhidharma
{Buddh} (See 達磨・2) Bodhidharma
Bodhidharma, commonly known as Damo, v. 達; reputed as the founder of the Chan (Zen) or Intuitional or Mystic School. His original name is given as 菩提多羅 Bodhitara.

面壁九年

see styles
miàn bì jiǔ nián
    mian4 bi4 jiu3 nian2
mien pi chiu nien
 menpekikunen
    めんぺきくねん

More info & calligraphy:

Facing the Wall Nine Years
(yoji) {Buddh} facing a wall for nine years in meditation (by Bodhidharma at Shaolin Temple)
nine years facing the wall

七祖

see styles
qī zǔ
    qi1 zu3
ch`i tsu
    chi tsu
 shichiso
(1) The seven founders of the 華嚴 Huayan School, whose names are given as 馬鳴 Aśvaghoṣa, 龍樹 Nāgārjuna 杜順 (i.e. 法順) , Zhiyan 智儼, Fazang 法藏, Chengguan 澄觀 and Zongmi 宗密; (2) the seven founders of the 禪Chan School, i.e. 達磨 or 菩提達磨 Bodhidharma, Huike 慧可, Sengcan 僧璨, Daoxin 道信, Hongren 弘忍, Huineng 慧能 and Heze 荷澤 (or Shenhui 神曾); (3) The seven founders of the 淨土 Pure Land School, i.e. Nagarjuna, 世親 Vasubandhu, Tanluan 曇鸞, Daochuo 道綽, Shandao 善導, Yuanxin 源信 and Yuankong 源空 (or Faran 法然), whose teaching is contained in the Qizushengjiao 七祖聖教.

六祖

see styles
liù zǔ
    liu4 zu3
liu tsu
 rokuso
The six patriarchs of the Ch'an (Zen) school 禪宗, who passed down robe and begging bowl in succession i. e. Bodhidharma, Huike, Sengcan, Daoxin, Hongren, and Huineng 達摩, 慧可, 僧璨, 道信, 弘忍, and 慧能.

北宗

see styles
běi zōng
    bei3 zong1
pei tsung
 kitamune
    きたむね
(surname) Kitamune
The northern school of the Chan (Zen) sect; from Bodhidharma 達磨 to the fifth patriarch 弘忍 Hongren the school was undivided; from 慧能 Huineng began the division of the southern school, 神秀 Shenxiu maintaining the northern; it was the southern school which prevailed.

南宗

see styles
nán zōng
    nan2 zong1
nan tsung
 nanshū
The Southern sect, or Bodhidharma School, divided into northern and southern, the northern under 神秀 Shen-hsiu, the southern under 慧能 Hui-nang, circa A.D. 700, hence 南能北秀; the southern came to be considered the orthodox Intuitional school. The phrase 南頓北漸 or 'Southern immediate, northern gradual' refers to the method of enlightenment which separated the two schools.

壁觀


壁观

see styles
bì guān
    bi4 guan1
pi kuan
 hekkan
The wall-gazer, applied to Bodhidharma, who is said to have gazed at a wall for nine years. Also a name for the meditation of the Chan school.

少室

see styles
shǎo shì
    shao3 shi4
shao shih
 Shōshitsu
Shaoshi, a hill on the 嵩山 Sungshan where Bodhidharma set up his 少林寺 infra.

慧可

see styles
huì kě
    hui4 ke3
hui k`o
    hui ko
 eka
    えか
(person) Huike (487-593 CE)
Huike, the successor of Bodhidharma, v. 達; he previously cut off his arm in appeal to be received as disciple, and finally inherited his mantle and alms-bowl.

折蘆


折芦

see styles
zhé lú
    zhe2 lu2
che lu
 setsuro
    せつろ
(given name) Setsuro
The snapped-off reed on which Bodhidharma is said to have crossed the Yangtsze from Nanking.

祖師


祖师

see styles
zǔ shī
    zu3 shi1
tsu shih
 soshi
    そし
founder (of a craft, religious sect etc)
founder of a sect; (surname) Soshi
A first teacher, or leader, founder of a school or sect; it has particular reference to Bodhidharma.

禪法


禅法

see styles
chán fǎ
    chan2 fa3
ch`an fa
    chan fa
 zenpō
Methods of mysticism as found in (1) the dhyānas recorded in the sūtras, called 如來禪 tathāgata-dhyānas; (2) traditional dhyāna, or the intuitional method brought to China by Bodhidharma, called 祖師禪, which also includes dhyāna ideas represented by some external act having an occult indication.

禪門


禅门

see styles
chán mén
    chan2 men2
ch`an men
    chan men
 zenmon
The meditative method in general. The dhyāna pāramitā, v. 六度. The intuitional school established in China according to tradition by Bodhidharma, personally propagated from mind to mind as an esoteric school.

胡子

see styles
hú zǐ
    hu2 zi3
hu tzu
 koko
    ここ
(female given name) Koko
Hun, or Turk, a term applied to the people west and north of China; a nickname for Bodhidharma.

達摩


达摩

see styles
dá mó
    da2 mo2
ta mo
 daruma
    だるま
Dharma, the teaching of Buddha; Bodhidharma
(surname) Daruma
(Skt. dharma)

達磨


达磨

see styles
dá mó
    da2 mo2
ta mo
 daruma(p); daruma
    だるま(P); ダルマ
(1) (kana only) daruma; tumbling doll; round, red-painted good-luck doll in the shape of Bodhidharma, with a blank eye to be completed when a person's wish is granted; (2) (kana only) Bodhidharma; (3) prostitute; (personal name) Daruma
dharma; also 達摩; 達麼; 達而麻耶; 曇摩; 馱摩 tr. by 法. dharma is from dhara, holding, bearing, possessing, etc.; and means 'that which is to be held fast or kept, ordinance, statute, law, usage, practice'; 'anything right.' M.W. It may be variously intp. as (1) characteristic, attribute, predicate; (2) the bearer, the transcendent substratum of single elements of conscious life; (3) element, i.e. a part of conscious life; (4) nirvāṇa, i.e. the Dharma par excellence, the object of Buddhist teaching; (5) the absolute, the real; (6) the teaching or religion of Buddha; (7) thing, object, appearance. Also, Damo, or Bodhidharma, the twenty-eighth Indian and first Chinese patriarch, who arrived in China A.D. 520, the reputed founder of the Chan or Intuitional School in China. He is described as son of a king in southern India; originally called Bodhitara. He arrived at Guangdong, bringing it is said the sacred begging-bowl, and settled in Luoyang, where he engaged in silent meditation for nine years, whence he received the title of wall-gazing Brahman 壁觀婆羅門, though he was a kṣatriya. His doctrine and practice were those of the 'inner light', independent of the written word, but to 慧可 Huike, his successor, he commended the Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra as nearest to his views. There are many names with Dharma as initial: Dharmapāla, Dharmagupta, Dharmayaśas, Dharmaruci, Dharmarakṣa, Dharmatrāta, Dharmavardhana, etc.

金鷄


金鸡

see styles
jīn jī
    jin1 ji1
chin chi
 kinkei
The golden cock (or, fowl), with a grain of millet in its beak, a name for Bodhidharma.

鉢多


钵多

see styles
bō duō
    bo1 duo1
po to
 hatta
(鉢多羅) pātra, a bowl, vessel, receptacle, an almsbowl; also 鉢呾羅; 鉢和羅 (or 鉢和蘭); 波怛囉 (or 播怛囉); in brief 鉢. The almsbowl of the Buddha is said to have been brought by Bodhidharma to China in A. D. 520.

面壁

see styles
miàn bì
    mian4 bi4
mien pi
 menpeki
    めんぺき
to face the wall; to sit facing the wall in meditation (Buddhism); (fig.) to devote oneself to study, work etc
(n,vs,vi) meditation facing a wall; (surname) Omokabe
To sit in meditation with the face to a wall, as did Bodhidharma for nine years, without uttering a word.

佛心宗

see styles
fó xīn zōng
    fo2 xin1 zong1
fo hsin tsung
 Busshin Shū
The sect of the Buddha-heart, i.e. the Chan (Zen) or Intuitive sect of Bodhidharma, holding that each individual has direct access to Buddha through meditation.

天台宗

see styles
tiān tái zōng
    tian1 tai2 zong1
t`ien t`ai tsung
    tien tai tsung
 tendaishuu / tendaishu
    てんだいしゅう
Tiantai school of Buddhism
Tendai sect (of Buddhism); (personal name) Tendaishuu
The Tiantai, or Tendai, sect founded by 智顗 Zhiyi. It bases its tenets on the Lotus Sutra 法華經 with the 智度論, 涅盤經, and 大品經; it maintains the identity of the Absolute and the world of phenomena, and attempts to unlock the secrets of all phenomena by means of meditation. It flourished during the Tang dynasty. Under the Sung, when the school was decadent, arose 四明 Ciming, under whom there came the division of 山家 Hill or Tiantai School and 山外 the School outside, the latter following 悟恩 Wuen and in time dying out; the former, a more profound school, adhered to Ciming; it was from this school that the Tiantai doctrine spread to Japan. The three principal works of the Tiantai founder are called 天台三部, i. e. 玄義 exposition of the deeper meaning of the Lotus; 文句 exposition of its text; and 止觀 meditation; the last was directive and practical; it was in the line of Bodhidharma, stressing the 'inner light'.

楞伽經


楞伽经

see styles
lèng qié jīng
    leng4 qie2 jing1
leng ch`ieh ching
    leng chieh ching
 Ryōga kyō
The Laṅkāvatāra sūtra, a philosophical discourse attributed to Śākyamuni as delivered on the Laṅka mountain in Ceylon. It may have been composed in the fourth or fifth century A.D.; it "represents a mature phase of speculation and not only criticizes the Sāṅkhya, Pāśupata and other Hindu schools, but is conscious of the growing resemblance of Mahāyānism to Brahmanic philosophy and tries to explain it". Eliot. There have been four translations into Chinese, the first by Dharmarakṣa between 412-433, which no longer exists; the second was by Guṇabhadra in 443, ca11ed 楞伽 阿跋多羅寶經 4 juan; the third by Bodhiruci in 513, called 入楞伽經 10 juan; the fourth by Śikṣānanda in 700-704, called 大乘入楞伽經 7 juan. There are many treatises and commentaries on it, by Faxian and others. See Studies in the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra by Suzuki and his translation of it. This was the sūtra allowed by Bodhidharma, and is the recognized text of the Chan (Zen) School. There are numerous treatises on it.

熊耳山

see styles
xióng ěr shān
    xiong2 er3 shan1
hsiung erh shan
 Yūji san
Mt Xiong'er national geological park in 棗莊|枣庄[Zao3 zhuang1], south Shandong
Bear's ear mount, the place, where Bodhidharma was buried.

碧眼胡

see styles
bì yǎn hú
    bi4 yan3 hu2
pi yen hu
 Hekigenko
The blue-eyed barbarian, Bodhidharma.

祖師禅

see styles
 soshizen
    そしぜん
(See 如来禅) Zen Buddhism based on the teachings of Bodhidharma

穿耳僧

see styles
chuān ěr sēng
    chuan1 er3 seng1
ch`uan erh seng
    chuan erh seng
 senni sō
Pierced-ear monks, many of the Indian monks wore ear-rings; Bodhidharma was called 穿耳客 the ear-pierced guest.

達磨宗


达磨宗

see styles
dá mó zōng
    da2 mo2 zong1
ta mo tsung
 darumashuu / darumashu
    だるましゅう
(1) (rare) (See 禅宗) Zen (Buddhism); (2) (derogatory term) (archaism) (See 達磨歌) confusing style of middle-age Japanese poetry
The Damo, or Dharma sect, i.e. the 禪宗 Meditation, or Intuitional School.

Click here for more bodhidharma results from our dictionary

The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...

Title CharactersRomaji (Romanized Japanese)Various forms of Romanized Chinese
Dharma
Damo
Daruma
達摩 / 達磨
达摩 / 达磨
daru ma / darumadá mó / da2 mo2 / da mo / damota mo / tamo
Bodhidharma菩提達摩 / 菩提達磨
菩提达摩 / 菩提达磨
bo dai daru ma
bodaidaruma
pú tí dá mó
pu2 ti2 da2 mo2
pu ti da mo
putidamo
p`u t`i ta mo
putitamo
pu ti ta mo
Shaolin Temple少林寺shou rin ji
shourinji
sho rin ji
shào lín sì
shao4 lin2 si4
shao lin si
shaolinsi
shao lin ssu
shaolinssu
Zen Buddhism禪宗
禅宗
zen shuu / zenshuu / zen shuchán zōng
chan2 zong1
chan zong
chanzong
ch`an tsung
chantsung
chan tsung
Bodhidharma菩提達磨
菩提达磨
bodai daruma
bodaidaruma
pú tí dá mó
pu2 ti2 da2 mo2
pu ti da mo
putidamo
p`u t`i ta mo
putitamo
pu ti ta mo
Facing the Wall Nine Years面壁九年menpeki kyunen
menpekikyunen
miàn bì jiǔ nián
mian4 bi4 jiu3 nian2
mian bi jiu nian
mianbijiunian
mien pi chiu nien
mienpichiunien
In some entries above you will see that characters have different versions above and below a line.
In these cases, the characters above the line are Traditional Chinese, while the ones below are Simplified Chinese.


Dictionary

Lookup Bodhidharma in my Japanese & Chinese Dictionary


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A nice Chinese calligraphy wall scroll

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A professional Chinese Calligrapher

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A high-ranked Chinese master calligrapher that I met in Zhongwei

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