From The West, Popular In The East

---

When you get to Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, ask anyone over there if they know Da Mo Cho Si (Da Mo Patriarch or Bodhidharma). Most of them knew him. In Guangzhou, there is a big temple built just for him. In 1998, I was there and saw a statue of him in a single shrine just for him. Last year I revisited Guangzhou, I almost could not find him, because Guangzhou has change tremendously, a city so modern, from two lane roads, has become four, lots of new buildings, mainly shopping complexes and office lots. The old China is hidden behind the modern city like the giants over shadowed them. Those days, all Jade vendors displayed their jades all over the pavements or five foot path in every corner I went through, jade shops were then small and congested exactly like Chinatown I used to know and now, they are in proper shops, some big some small, just cater for Jade business owners. In the midst of this jade galore there lies a temple, still the same size I used to know, but in addition of a big temple built for Da Mo. The old shrine still remains.

I could not tell much about Da Mo, for many has come out with many stories. I have not met anyone with concrete history or write-up of true story about Da Mo. I for one cannot accept what was written in the internet or from a movie made about him, except that Da Mo actually came from Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India. He is the third son to the throne of Tamil King Pallava. He is the Founder of the Shaolin Temple, The Shaolin Martial Art (Shaolinquan) and the teacher of Meditation; the Chinese called it Zen (The Mahayana). The story from movies and write ups I gathered from the internet showed when he arrived China 526 CE, some monks were delighted by his arrival, some were doubtful and some were angry. In the story, he arrived and went into meditation without saying a word or even says “Hello”. Soon after his meditation, he walked away and that really made people talk of his rudeness towards the host of the temple. Emperor Wu, ruler of the Southern Kingdom of China, soon found out about his popularity, invited him to the palace. He asked if there is Buddha. Da Mo replied “No”. Emperor Wu said he had erected temples and statues devoted to Buddhism and provided wealth to the temples but Da Mo replied, "this is just accomplishments, for you will not get merits out of these but only receive credit from your people". Da Mo was told to leave the palace, for the Emperor who was enraged by Da Mo’s replies. Da Mo also has a story that he sat in one cave, facing the wall in meditational state for nine years. His meditation was so intense that his image from the shadow of him was engraved or imprinted on the cave wall before him. I have heard from Buddhist friends and also watching the movie, he actually did not die, as he was last seen and spoken with the farmer after his burial. The farmer told his friends he just spoke with Da Mo, but his friends could not believe him. They dug up his grave and found empty leaving behind one sandal in his grave.

He is the first Patriarch to the Chinese. After him there were five more that I know of. Da Mo and Hui Neng (6^th patriarch) are my favorite patriarchs. I have no records and pictures of the five patriarchs even though I have visited the fourth patriarch’s temple in Wubei, China in Nov 16 1998. Wish I can visit all the temples of the patriarchs this lifetime of mine, would be an extra bonus to my photograph collections and travelblog.

You can see the statue of Da Mo chiseled from big block of tree trunk and displayed in most Chinese temples. One good statue of him can be seen in Genting Highlands midway tourist attraction whereby there is a hotel just above Ching Sui Temple. A bearded Indian monk with simple cloak wrapped around him, with sharp piercing eyes fiercely staring, holding a slim crooked tree root/trunk as tongkat (cane) with a single sandal hanging on it.

This year, the Indians made a movie about him, quite interesting, bringing in the ancient story of Da Mo in China and today’s Da Mo (handsome Indian actor)who worked in the circus, fell in love (love at first sight with Tamil love song) with the scientist or a science researcher who wants to have his DNA for her good books and the magic powers flares, fighting evil to stop the New Virus (Biological Warfare)created by the evil minded power crazy people who have the notions to control the world demanded for million rupees and an evil kung fu sidekick from Vietnam/Thailand who is equivalent good in his role that made the movie more exciting, that I thought to myself, WOW so much to absorb in one movie, wish it could be made simple for my clouded mind.

Before the actual movie starts, there were interviews questioning people from China, Hong Kong and India whether they have heard of Da Mo……………..only the Chinese knew him.

Watch for DVD 7aam Arivu, Da Mo in Tamil version.

In my conclusion, I only know Da Mo came from the West to plant some seeds of wisdom, meditation and taught the art to good health. Today we all know, Shaolin was long ago existed, Buddhism was flourishing ever since the times when Da Mo came into picture. There were some monks even went to India and Tibet to gather some teachings and brought back to the eager learners of Buddhism. These are the simple truth I can write about. He was destined to go to China and it was China's blessing to have someone to give teachings.

Maybe someday I will go back to Hualin Temple and search the actual story for my readers. It will be a challenge task for me to fulfil. Cross my fingers.

---

Photos

Da Mo Or Bodhidharma
This is the old statue I saw in 1998. The statue remain in the small single shrine in the hualin temple in Guangzhou.

Da Mo Or Bodhidharma
the new Da Mo statue in Hualin Temple