Bodhidharma meets Emperor Wu . The Emperor asks him what merit he has accrued from his widespread support of Buddhism, and Bodhidharma replies, “No merit”. The Emperor then asks, “What is the most holy teaching”, and Bodhidharma replies, “There is nothing holy”.

When the Emperor asks who it is that is facing him, Bodhidharma replies, “I don’t know.” Following this meeting, Bodhidharma headed north to the neighbouring Kindom of Wei, where he sat in silent meditation at Shaolin Monastery.

This talk discusses Bodhidharma’s meeting with the Emperor, and the very direct answers which he gives to the Emperor’s questions. These discuss the nature of giving and merit, and reveal Bodhidharma’s understanding of what Buddhist practice is.

Rev. Aiden Hall, Turning Wheel Buddhist Temple This talk was given at the Festival of Achalanatha Bodhisattva at Turning Wheel Buddhist Temple. Achalanatha, whose name means the “immovable one”, is shown sitting in meditation in the midst of the flames of greed, hate and delusion. Through meditation we begin to see the importance of coming to know the nature of these flames, as it is only by knowing how we feed them that we can come to let go of … Continue reading →

Rev. Aiden Hall, Turning Wheel Buddhist Temple This talk was given at the Festival of the Buddha’s Renunciation at Turning Wheel Buddhist Temple in March 2016. Renunciation, or letting go, is central to Buddhist practice, and the story of the Buddha’s Renunciation is a way of conveying the importance of this. In the story, the Buddha makes a big change in his circumstances by leaving his family. Is this what we each need to do? Is the story really about … Continue reading →

Rev. Aiden Hall, Turning Wheel Buddhist Temple This talk was given at the Festival of the Buddha’s Enlightenment at Turning Wheel Buddhist Temple in December 2015. Following on from the first half of the Dharma talk after the festival, on Letting go of ideas about enlightenment, this is a short talk about a section of the chapter Yuibutsu Yobutsu (Only a Buddha together with a Buddha) from Dogen’s Shobogenzo. In this he says that “What you think one way or … Continue reading →