The Bodhidharma Anthology: The Earliest Records of Zen

Translation of the Seven Texts of the Bodhidharma Anthology: Contains the core translated texts, including the Biography of Bodhidharma, the doctrine of the Two Entrances (Principle and Practice), various letters, and three sets of Records consisting of dialogues and Q&As on the nature of mind, emptiness, and liberation. Commentary on the Biography, Two Entrances, and Two Letters: Analyzes the historical context in Luoyang under the Northern Wei, the journey across the Silk Road, and the formation of legends surrounding Bodhidharma based on accounts by T'an-lin and Tao-hsüan. Commentary on the Records: Focuses on themes inherited from the Vimalakirti Sutra, the Madhyamaka philosophy of Nagarjuna, and the significant role of early Zen figures like Master Yüan in these formative Zen dialogues.