Translator's Note
The Bloodstream Treatise is one of four treatises by Bodhidharma, the First Patriarch of Chan Buddhism. Concise in words and profound in meaning, it belongs to the highest doctrinal tradition in Buddhism, along with Mahamudra and Dzogchen. Its core concept throughout is the nature of mind. Our nature is the mind, the mind is the buddha, the buddha is the path, and the path is Chan. Seeing our buddha nature is enlightenment.
The word Chan is one that is hard for ordinary people to understand. Beginners may not fully grasp the connotation of the Bloodstream Treatise, but just listening and studying it has merit. In the opening statement, Bodhidharma proclaims: “All appearances in the three realms arise from the mind and return to the mind.The buddhas before and after teach mind to mind without establishing words.” Our mind is the basis of all phenomena – this is the fundamental principle of the pith-instruction school in Mahayana Buddhism. Everything that appears in the three realms is a mere projection of the mind, that is, it arises and ceases in the mind. Because Chan Buddhism has always advocated communicating from mind to mind without relying on words, there is not much in the way of books and documents. The words that were eventually established due to various considerations are just to point people in a direction. The true meaning cannot be expressed in words. So, what is “mind”? What is its nature? When we understand the nature of mind, we will also comprehend the essence of all things.
The root text in this book, written in the language of more than 1,500 years ago, is the version edited by Shi Zong Jing of Hua Yen Temple in Yuzhou (in present day Chongqing, China). Khenpo Tsultrim Lodro Rinpoche goes to great length to explain the root text, verse by verse. The translation of this book would not have been possible without the depth and extent of his interpretation of its true meaning. People who are familiar with Khenrinpoche’s style will recognize the same sense of urgency and purpose in his teachings. As always, he brings great clarity to a difficult topic and explains the profound in simple terms so that it can be readily understood.
The importance of translating and elucidating this treatise cannot be overemphasized. I am most grateful for the opportunity to participate in the effort. A special thanks to Dekyi Drolma for her valuable comments and meticulous review of the translation, and to Thinley Chodron for her very helpful suggestions on the publication of the book.
It is my sincere hope that all who read this English edition gain insight into the true nature of reality and, with this understanding, find genuine happiness and peace of mind.
Lorraine Wu Chen
Taipei,Taiwan
September 2025