The most reliable story about Bodhidharma was written by Dao Xuan around the year 650, in the Continued Biographies.

The most reliable story about Bodhidharma was written by Dao Xuan around the year 650, in the Continued Biographies.  

He wrote:

Bodhidharma:  A Brahman from South India. His spiritual wisdom was expansive. All who heard him became enlightened. He was devoted to the Mahayana practice of the profound solitary mind. He attained high comprehension of all aspects of meditation. 

Through compassion for this place (China) he taught the Yogacara. He first arrived in South China during the Liu-Song Dynasty (before the year 479). At the end of his life, he again travelled to live under the Wei (the dynasty that ruled North China). 

Wherever he went he taught Zen. During this time he taught throughout the entire country. 

Upon first hearing the Samadhi (meditation) teaching there were many who reviled him. (But) there were two monks named Daoyu and Huike who became his disciples. Although they were older (than typical new disciples) they were highly astute. Upon first hearing the teaching they immediately realized the Way and took their vows (became Bodhidharma's disciples). They studied closely with him for four or five years, receiving his instruction. 

Bodhidharma understood their sincerity and conveyed to them the true Dharma, such as pacifying the mind (by the method of) meditation while facing a wall, such as undertaking the practice known as the "Four Methods," such as liberating beings in the face of criticism, and such as not using (demons to scare people) as an expedient. (Bodhidharma said,) 

"There are many paths to enter the Way, but essentially there are only two, which are entering through principle and entering through practice. 

(The first is) accepting the enlightened doctrine that all beings possess the same true nature which is obstructed from our view by worldly attachments.  

(This doctrine) leads us to forsake the false and return to the true by sitting and facing a wall, with no self or other, 

(and where) sacred and mundane are the same; resolute and unmoving, not pursuing some external teaching, remaining solitary in non-action in accordance with the mysterious Way, this is called "entering the Way through principle."  Entering the Way through practice entails four essential practices from the ten thousand ...

1.  Accepting your karmic conditions,

2.  Endeavouring to practice with the conditions one encounters,

3.  Seeking nothing more than this, and

4.  Adhering to Buddhist teachings.

"... Bodhidharma, with these methods, converted the people of the Wei dynasty.  The noble who recognized the truth honoured him and turned to enlightenment.  Records of his teachings circulate in the world. He personally said he was one hundred and fifty years of age. 

It's not known where he died."

Photo:  Bodhidharma and 2nd Patriarch Huike