There’s a well-known koan in our Zen custom about Bodhidharma assembly Emperor Wu. This unusual fellow from India blows in on a big Dharmakaya wind and presents himself at court docket. He should have minimize an odd determine in his ragged robes and sandals amidst the formality and finery of the Emperor’s palace.
The Emperor was a religious Buddhist and had used his energy and wealth to construct many Buddhist establishments akin to monasteries and temples.
The Emperor asks Bodhidharma what’s the important teachings of Chan (Zen), and Bodhidharma replies, “Huge vacancy, no holiness.” In a single model of the story the Emperor then asks Bodhidharma if there’s any good benefit gained from doing charitable works, and Bodhidharma replies, “No benefit”. At this level the Emperor should be feeling non-plussed and barely irritated with this unusual man who has no credentials and isn’t even Chinese language. So he asks him, “Who’re you?” And Bodhidharma replies “I don’t know.” That is the icing on the cake. The Emperor has heard sufficient and instantly dismisses this offensive fellow.
Because the story goes, Bodhidharma then leaves and crosses the Yangze river to depart to the north.
Later the Emperor is muttering to his attendant about this when the attendant says, “Don’t you realize who that was? That was the very embodiment of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.” When the Emperor hears this he feels deep regret as a result of he realizes he missed a golden alternative to have a deep dialog with such an important religious and gifted human being. So he suggests to his attendant that somebody ought to go fetch Bodhidharma, however the attendant tells the Emperor that isn’t doable. The ship has already sailed. The chance is misplaced. The dialog didn’t happen. And Bodhidharma just isn’t going to return once more.
In our vows we are saying “Dharma gates are boundless, I vow to open them.” But, each day, just like the Emperor we’re assembly Avalokitesvara head to head with out recognizing her or him. The dialog doesn’t happen. The chance is misplaced due to our lack of curiosity, our self-preoccupation, insecurity, worry and glued concepts. So subsequent time you meet Bodhidharma don’t squanter the chance for face-to-face transmission.
