Dharma and Shakyamuni are two different characters. Although they are all important figures in Buddhism, their identities and roles are different.
First of all, Shakyamuni was the founder of Buddhism, also known as Buddha. He lived in India around the 6th century BC and was once a prince before leaving the court to practice asceticism and reach the realm of "enlightenment". He taught a series of teachings and practices and became the founder and leader of Buddhism. His teachings, known as the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, emphasize the existence of suffering, the causes of suffering, the termination of suffering, and the means leading to the end of suffering. Buddhism is widely spread in China and other Asian countries and has become one of the most important religions in the world.
Secondly, Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, came to China from India in the early 5th century AD. He was a prince in India who later became a Buddhist monk, and his name means "enlightenment" in Sanskrit. When Dharma came to China, his main task was to teach the teachings and practices of Zen Buddhism, which emphasized attaining enlightenment through meditation and meditation. Dharma's teachings are called "zazen" and advocate attaining inner peace and enlightenment through meditation and concentration.
Although Dharma and Shakyamuni are different people, there are some similarities in their teachings. Both emphasize the state of inner peace and enlightenment, but their methods and practices differ. Buddhism emphasizes the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path, while Zen Buddhism advocates attaining enlightenment through zazen.
In short, Dharma and Shakyamuni are both important figures in Buddhism, but their identities and roles are different. Shakyamuni was the founder of Buddhism, and his teachings are called the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, emphasizing the existence of suffering, the causes of suffering, the termination of suffering, and the means leading to the termination of suffering. Dharma is the founder of Zen Buddhism, and his teachings are called "zazen," which advocates achieving inner peace and enlightenment through meditation and concentration.
"Dharma crosses the river" is a metaphor, which means that in difficult situations, as long as you grasp a glimmer of hope, you can successfully overcome difficulties and achieve your goals. A reed crossing the river is not like stepping on a reed to cross the river directly in a Hong Kong movie.
This allusion stems from a story from the legend of Dharma. Legend has it that Dharma was too weak during meditation, so he decided to go to the river at Songshan Temple to take a bath to strengthen his body. When he reached the river, he saw an old fisherman rowing on the river. The old fisherman told Dharma that he had been rowing for decades, but he had never met a person who could go all at once, and it took many attempts to succeed. When Dharma listened, he decided to challenge himself, borrowed a bamboo pole from the old fisherman, and began to try to cross the river. He didn't grab the bamboo pole at first, jumped into the river and swam back. The second time, he grabbed the bamboo pole, but the river was too rapid, the bamboo pole was washed away, and Dharma swam back. The third time, he supported his body with a bamboo pole, moved forward step by step, and finally successfully crossed the river. The old fisherman was impressed by Dharma's perseverance and determination, so he asked him for advice on Zen Buddhism.
This story tells us that as long as there is a glimmer of hope, we must strengthen our faith, keep working hard, even in difficult situations, we must face it bravely, keep trying, and finally succeed.
Let's tell me a few more stories!
Dharma, the third prince of Nantianzhu Xiang, also known as Bodhidharma, is one of the ancestors of Zen Buddhism. According to legend, he was a native of the ancient kingdom of Goryeo (present-day Potoga in India) in eastern India, born in the early 5th century AD. There are many legends about Dharma's life, and here are some of the more popular ones:
1. Dharmose Line
According to legend, Dharma was a monk at a temple in southern India and was instructed by a senior monk that Buddhism could not be spread in India and should be spread in China. So Dharma traveled west to China.
2. Dharma Face Wall
After Dharma arrived in China, he came to the Shaolin Temple in Songshan, but the monks in the monastery did not recognize his teachings. To show his resolve, Dharma sat in front of a wall on the back hill of the monastery for nine years, hardly eating or drinking, but meditating in silence. Nine years later, a monk saw Dharma's perseverance and asked him for Dharma and became his disciple.
3. Dharma crosses the river with one reed
It is said that on one occasion, Dharma's disciples followed him when they wanted to get his true biography, but Dharma kept chanting Buddhist sutras by the river. The disciple asked impatiently, "Master Dharma, what is the use of you chanting here?" Dharma picked up a reed, placed it on the surface of the water, and said, "If you have faith, you can cross the river as easily as this reed." After hearing this, the disciple had confidence in his heart, and he really crossed the river with ease.
Dharma was one of the founders of Zen Buddhism, and his emphasis was on inner practice and enlightenment. The Zen ideas he taught had a profound impact on both Chinese Buddhism and world Buddhism.