Bodhidharma, also known as Da Mo in Chinese, was the 28th patriarch of Indian Buddhism and the first patriarch of Chinese Chan Buddhism.
Da Mo traveled to China by ship to spread the Dharma and was received by the Emperor Wu of Liang. There is a famous historical dialogue between him and Emperor Wu, which reflects the profound meaning of Buddhism and Bodhidharma’s unique understanding of cultivation.
Emperor Wu of Liang (Xiao Yan), the founding emperor of the Southern Liang Dynasty, was a devoted Buddhist. During his reign, he vigorously promoted Buddhism by building many temples, ordaining numerous monks and nuns, sponsoring sutra translations, and promoting vegetarianism, believing that he had accumulated immense merit.
When he heard that Master Bodhidharma had arrived in Jiankang (present-day Nanjing), he summoned him and asked: “Since I ascended the throne, I have built temples, written sutras, and ordained countless monks—what merit have I gained?” Bodhidharma replied, “No merit at all.” The emperor then asked, “Why is there no merit?” Bodhidharma explained, “These are merely small results of human and heavenly rewards—causes with outflows. Though they exist, they are not real.”
In other words, although what Emperor Wu had done helped promote Buddhism, these were only external forms or ritual merit. True merit comes from inner awakening and spiritual cultivation, not from superficial religious acts alone.
While this story is a foundational Chan legend, historical evidence suggests Bodhidharma and Emperor Wu likely never met. Nonetheless, it remains a cultural touchstone, embodying Chan’s rejection of conventional views.
After this meeting, due to differences in their views, Bodhidharma left Jiankang and went to Shaolin Temple on Songshan Mountain (Song Mountain). There, he sat facing a stone wall in meditation for nine years, laying the foundation for Chinese Chan Buddhism.
His dialogue with Emperor Wu has become a celebrated story passed down through generations, reminding people that true cultivation lies in the refinement of one’s mind and nature, rather than mere outward practices.
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