Lineage of Bodhidharma
Dharma transmission
Lineage of Bodhidharma
12 teachers and ancestors, 5 students and descendants traced through transmission.
Bodhidharma stands 28 generations from Shakyamuni Buddha in the Early Chan line, receiving transmission from Prajnatara (b. 450). The line above runs back through Simha, Vasasita, Punyamitra and their predecessors to Shakyamuni Buddha.
This line belongs to Early Chan. Every name below links to that master’s own record, with the sources for each transmission.
Line of succession to Bodhidharma
The single line of formal transmission, root first. Where a master had several teachers this follows the one carrying the succession; the fuller set of ancestors is listed below.