The ShinsungHwa of Bodhidharma (2019) – Spiritual Traces of Nine Years Facing the Wall
A Brief Description of Bodhidharma’s ShinsungHwa
In most ShinsungHwa works, the path to the spiritual core typically originates from the subject’s head and flows upward. However, Bodhidharma’s path to the spiritual core moves in the opposite direction. His spiritual core features a prominent symbol of the cosmic principle, with the same symbol appearing beneath his feet.
Bodhidharma’s symbol of the cosmic principle manifests across both spiritual and material realms. His form is enveloped in luminous energy, while flickering currents of power surge around his body. Most striking is the double helix that pierces through the center of his being.
“Not thinking about anything is Zen. Once you know this, walking, sitting, or lying down, everything you do is Zen.”
_Bodhidharma
Blue-Eyed Monk
A bearded monk with striking blue eyes once made his way into ancient China after a long and difficult journey through the mountains. He didn’t fit the usual image of a spiritual teacher, but this unexpected visitor would go on to leave a lasting mark on Buddhism. This was Bodhidharma—the figure credited with founding Zen Buddhism, whose simple yet direct approach changed the tradition in profound ways.
“All know the way; few actually walk it.”
_Bodhidharma
From Prince to Wandering Monk
Long ago in 5th-century South India, there lived a prince named Bodhidharma in the Pallava Kingdom. Born into luxury as the king’s favorite son in Kanchipuram, he seemed destined for power and privilege. But fate had other plans. His two older brothers, consumed by jealousy over their inheritance, constantly badmouthed their younger sibling to their father. They even tried having him assassinated, though their attempts mysteriously failed—good karma was apparently already at work.
Rather than fight for his royal birthright, Bodhidharma made a choice that would echo through centuries. He walked away from palace life, traded his silk robes for simple monk’s garments, and began studying under the 27th Indian patriarch, Prajnatara. When his teacher was imprisoned and executed during one of Buddhism’s periodic persecutions, Bodhidharma inherited something far more valuable than any crown—the Buddha’s symbolic robe and bowl, representing an unbroken teaching lineage stretching back 28 generations to the Buddha himself.
“To seek is to suffer. To seek nothing is bliss.”
_Bodhidharma
The Journey That Started a Revolution
Around 520 CE, Bodhidharma set out for China carrying this precious legacy. The trek through Central Asian mountains was brutal, leaving him weathered and road-weary by the time he reached the Chinese court. What happened next became one of Buddhism’s most famous encounters.
Emperor Wu of Liang, a devoted Buddhist who had built countless temples and supported thousands of monks, eagerly awaited this legendary teacher. Surely such a holy man would validate his religious achievements and answer his deepest questions. Instead, he got the shock of his imperial life.
The Emperor’s Rude Awakening
When the dusty, unimpressive-looking 22-year-old stood before him, Emperor Wu could barely hide his disappointment. Still, he maintained composure and asked what seemed like a profound question: “I have built temples, supported monks, and copied scriptures. What merit have I gained?”
Bodhidharma’s response was swift and brutal: “No merit at all.”
Stunned but persistent, the emperor tried again: “What is the first principle of the holy teaching?”
“Vast emptiness, nothing holy,” came the monk’s reply.
Growing frustrated, the emperor asked about the source of existence itself. Bodhidharma laughed and called it a foolish question. When pressed about enlightenment, the monk stood up, glared down with those famous piercing eyes, and told the emperor he would “burn in the seventh hell” for keeping score of his good deeds.
This wasn’t the validation Emperor Wu expected—it was a complete demolition of everything he thought he knew about spiritual achievement.
“Vast emptiness, nothing holy.”
_Bodhidharma
Nine Years Facing a Wall
Bodhidharma left the shocked court and headed to the Shaolin Monastery, where he did something extraordinary—he sat facing a wall in meditation for nine years. This wasn’t ordinary meditation; it was a deep dive into consciousness itself. Legend says that during this time, he achieved the profound realizations that would reshape Buddhism forever.
But the monk wasn’t alone in his cave. A determined seeker named Shen Guang (later called Huike) kept vigil outside in the freezing snow for weeks, desperate to become Bodhidharma’s student. When the master continued ignoring him, Huike made a shocking gesture—he cut off his own left arm to demonstrate his sincerity. Only then did Bodhidharma accept him as a disciple.
“If you use your mind to study reality, you won’t understand either your mind or reality. If you study reality without using your mind, you’ll understand both.”
_Bodhidharma
The Heart of Zen Wisdom
What made Bodhidharma’s teaching so revolutionary? He distilled all of Buddhism into four simple lines that became Zen’s foundation:
“A special transmission outside the teachings,
Not dependent on words and phrases,
Directly pointing to the human heart,
Seeing into its nature and awakening.”
This wasn’t about rejecting Buddhist scripture—it was about not getting lost in intellectual complexity at the expense of direct experience. Bodhidharma saw Buddhism becoming weighed down by elaborate philosophies and rituals that could actually prevent authentic insights.
His approach was refreshingly direct: skip the middleman of endless texts and look straight into your own mind. This “direct pointing” became Zen’s trademark—cutting through spiritual complexity to find the simple truth that was always there.
Before returning to India (or dying, depending on which story you believe), Bodhidharma tested his disciples’ understanding. Each student offered their interpretation of his teaching, but only Huike truly grasped the essence—he simply bowed in silence and stood straight. “You have attained my marrow,” the master declared, passing on his robe and bowl to continue the lineage.
Today, Bodhidharma’s influence extends far beyond monastery walls. In Japan, he’s known as Daruma, inspiring the famous red Daruma dolls that bounce back when knocked over—a perfect symbol of resilience reflecting the saying “fall down seven times, get up eight.” These dolls were even used as protection against smallpox, showing how deeply this blue-eyed monk’s spirit penetrated popular culture.
