Of What Bodhidharma Said to his Disciples before Death?

Bodhidharma’s selection of the disciple to run his mystic school after him throws light on the true spirit of teaching and learning and remains for ever the best guide for the attainment of fulfillment in one’s inner journey.

At the age of 90, Bodhidharma decided to leave for the Himalayas from China to end up his journey on the earth there and he asked all his disciples openly -Who among you is capable of running my mystic school after me?

None of his hundreds of disciples but five stood up.  He asked them to get out of the school and told that they were not at all his disciples.  Why?

Their response implied their ego,  their pride that they know more than others , their desire to be recognized by the world next to Bodhidharma. They don’t even learn the ABC of Bodhidharma’s teaching. (Modern people would have appreciated their self confidence and courageousness to standup  first, but not the spiritual master Bodhidharma).

He then walked through his disciples looking deep into the eyes of everyone and finally chose four among them. He asked only one question and conditioned that their answer should be very brief. His simple question  was: What is the essence of my whole teaching and this mystic school?

The First Disciple said,  “Meditation”.
Bodhidharma told,  “You have my skin. Go back to your seat. “

Why is the first disciple rejected?   Of course Meditation is the Way. It is the Key to open all your inner treasures. It is the only answer for all questions about the mystery of life. But to Bodhidharma Meditation is the beginning. It’s the Entry. There is much remains beyond this.  It matters more for the beginners of spiritual journey but not for those who have traveled long. Hence Bodhidharma says,  the disciple’s answer is only his skin deep.

The Second Disciple said,  “Enlightenment.”
Bodhidharma said,  “You have my bones. Go back to your seat. “

All his other disciples got shocked.  Can there ever be any better answer than this? Enlightenment,  also known as Moktsha, Mukthi, Salvation, Gnana, Fulfillment and Nirvana is the aim of almost all seekers. All renounce all only for this enlightenment. But, to Bodhidharma, even the desire for enlightenment is a desire that should be renounced.  His mystic school is not for those seekers of enlightenment who have the desire for it. The essence of his teaching is still deeper than this. Hence, he says,  the disciple’s answer is his bones-deep,  but deeper than the previous answer that is skin-deep.
The Third Disciple replied, “I really don’t know. “

Bodhidharma said to him,  “You have my marrow. Go back to your seat. “
Knowledge is power that is what the world generally thinks.  But to Bodhidharma, knowledge, too much of learning is the greatest obstacle to realise truth.  Christians are filled with too much about the Bible but that itself becomes the barrier to understand truth in the Gita and the Koran. And the same applies to followers of other religions.  Your belief and knowledge about something prevents you from accessing the valuable in others’ treasure house. Unlearn to learn is the greatest teaching of Bodhidharma. Be empty to be full that is his profound message that is this disciple’s answer. He can  more quickly learn than other disciples the essence of his teachings. Bodhidharma rejects him because he knows something when he says,  he doesn’t know.  He still knows to the extent that he doesn’t know.  He’s still not empty, fully. But he has gone deeper than other disciples in understanding his teachings and hence Bodhidharma says,  the disciple’s answer is marrow-deep.

The Fourth Disciple came to Bodhidharma and fell at his feet. He had no answer.  He remained in utter silence and tears of gratitude for the master and his teachings rolled down from his cheeks.

Bodhidharma said,  “You have my being.” He selected him.

The essence of all teachings of Bodhidharma and his mystic school is Silence. Every soul comes Home only in eternal silence.  It is only Silence that takes you to the Centre of yourself while all worldly affairs takes you fat away from your centre and makes you roam around the circumference of your being.  Silence is where God is.  Silence is where truth is.  Silence is where you are.  Be silent to be yourself is the essence of Bodhidharma’s teachings.

The Fourth Disciple’s answer is the profoundest of all and it implies and includes the answers of other three disciples as well: Meditation is for the silence of your heart to realise yourself.  Enlightenment is the silence of your heart after realisation of yourself. Eternal silence at heart zeroes your  thoughts which are but reflections of your so called knowledge and all learnings and brings you to the Supreme state: I don’t know.