Who is Bodhidharma?
From Bright On Buddhism by Nicholas Bright Haight
May 29, 2026 · 19 min · Episode 140
About this episode
This episode explores the significance of Bodhidharma in East Asian Buddhism and discusses various legends surrounding him.
Bright on Buddhism - Episode 140 - Who is Bodhidharma? What is his significance to East Asian Buddhism? What are some legends about him? Resources: charya, Raghu (2017), Shanon, Sidharth (ed.), Bodhidharma Retold – A Journey from Sailum to Shaolin, New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-4152-9 Broughton, Jeffrey L. (1999), The Bodhidharma Anthology: The Earliest Records of Zen, Berkeley: University of California Press, ISBN 0-520-21972-4 Buswell, Robert E., ed. (2004), Encyclopedia of Buddhism, vol. 1, Macmillan, ISBN 0-02-865718-7 Cole, Alan (2009), Fathering Your Father: The Zen of Fabrication in Tang Buddhism, Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of California Press, ISBN 978-0-520-25485-5 Dumoulin, Heinrich; Heisig, James; Knitter, Paul F. (2005). Zen Buddhism: India and China. World Wisdom, Inc. ISBN 978-0-941532-89-1. Faure, Bernard (1986), "Bodhidharma as Textual and Religious Paradigm", History of Religions, 25 (3): 187–198, doi:10.1086/463039, S2CID 145809479, archived from the original on 2007-09-28, retrieved 2007-02-13 Ferguson, Andrew (2000), Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and their Teachings, Somerville: Wisdom Publications, ISBN…
People in this episode
Host: Nicholas Bright Haight
Topics covered
- Bodhidharma
- East Asian Buddhism
- Zen Buddhism
- Buddhist legends
- Buddhist history
Keywords
- Bodhidharma
- East Asian Buddhism
- Zen
- Buddhist legends
- Buddhist history
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: University of California Press, Motilal Banarsidass, World Wisdom, Inc., Wisdom Publications, Journal of the Chenstyle Taijiquan Research Association of Hawaii
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