The first Zen patriarch Bodhidharma brought Zen to China from India in the sixth century. According to his biography recorded in the year 1004 by the Chinese teacher Dogen after nine years in China Bodhidharma wished to go home and gathered his disciples about him to test their apperception.
Dofuku said: 'In my opinion truth is beyond affirmation or negation, for this is the way it moves.’
Bodhidharma replied: ‘You have my skin.’
The nun Soji said: ‘In my view, it is like Ananda’s sight of the Buddha-land – seen once and for ever.’
Bodhidharma answered: ‘You have my flesh.’
Dofuku said: ‘The four elements of light, airiness, fluidity, and solidity are empty (i.e. inclusive) and the five skandas are No-things. In my opinion, No-thing (i.e. spirit) is reality.’
Bodhidharma commented: 'You have my bones'
Finally Eka bowed before the master - and remained silent.
Bodhidharma said: 'you have my marrow.’
Old Zen was so fresh it became treasured and remembered. Here are fragments of its skin flesh bones but not its marrow – never found in words. The directness of Zen has led many to believe it stemmed from sources before the time of Buddha, 500 BC. The reader may judge for himself, for he has here for the first time in one book the experiences of Zen, the mind problems, the stages of awareness and a similar teaching predating Zen by centuries.
The problem of our mind, relating conscious to preconscious awareness takes us deep into everyday living. Dare we open our doors to the source of am being? What are flesh and bones for?
