Bodhidharma's comments

Bodhidharma says, “What we call asankhyeya, you call ‘infinite. ’ Within these three poisoned states of mind are infinite evil thoughts. And every thought lasts a kalpa. Such an infinity is what the Buddha meant by ‘asankhyeya kalpa.’ ” (The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, p. 85)

Bodhidharma says, “People of this final age are the densest of fools. They don’t understand what the Tathagata really meant by asankhyeya kalpas. They say enlightenment is only achieved after endless kalpas and thereby mislead disciples to retreat on the path to buddhahood.” (The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, p. 85)

When Hui-k’o asked Bodhidharma to help him make his mind stop, the First Patriarch said, “Show me this mind of yours, and I’ll make it stop.” Hui-k’o answered, “I’ve looked everywhere for the mind, but I can’t find it.” Bodhidharma said, “There. I’ve stopped it for you.” With that, Hui-k’o realized the birthless nature of all dharmas. And thus began the transmission of the Zen tradition in China.

Bodhidharma says, “Since what is real includes nothing worth begrudging, we give our bodies, our lives, and our property in charity, without regret, without the vanity of giver, gift, or recipient, and without bias or attachment. To get rid of obstructions, we teach others, but without becoming attached to appearances. Thus, while we ourselves practice, we are able to help others as well as to glorify the Path to Enlightenment. And as with charity, so do we also practice the other five paramitas. But while practicing the six paramitas to eliminate delusion, we practice nothing at all. This is what is meant by practicing the Dharma.” (The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, p. 7)

Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty asked Bodhidharma, “I have built so many monasteries and copied so many sutras and supported so many monks, how great would you say is my merit?” Bodhidharma replied, “No merit.” (Chuantenglu: 3)

As for this bodhi (enlightenment) they shoulder, Bodhidharma says, “Buddhas of the past and future only talk about this mind. The mind is the buddha, and the buddha is the mind. Beyond the mind there is no buddha, and beyond the buddha there is no mind.” (The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, p. 11)

Bodhidharma says, “The karma of the Three Realms comes from the mind alone. If your mind isn’t within the Three Realms, it’s beyond them. The Three Realms correspond to the Three Poisons: greed corresponds to the Realm of Desire, anger to the Realm of Form, and delusion to the Formless Realm. And because karma created by the poisons can be light or heavy, these Three Realms are further divided into six places known as the Six States of Existence.” (The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, p. 83)

Bodhidharma says, “You should realize that all karma, painful or otherwise, comes from your own mind. If you can just concentrate your mind and transcend its falsehood and evil, the suffering of the Three Realms and Six States of Existence will automatically disappear. And once free from suffering, you’re truly free.” (The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma: p. 85)

Bodhidharma says, “What we call asankhyeya, you call ‘infinite. ’ Within these three poisoned states of mind are infinite evil thoughts. And every thought lasts a kalpa. Such an infinity is what the Buddha meant by ‘asankhyeya kalpa.’ ” (The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, p. 85)