Why Did Bodhidharma Bring When He Came From the West?

There was a monk who asked his master, “What did Bodhidharma bring when he came from the West?”

The master replied, “He didn’t bring anything.”

The monk insisted, “Didn’t Bodhidharma bring Buddhadharma, the teaching of Buddha, from the West?”

The master replied, “No, not really. Buddhadharma has always been in China.”

The monk was puzzled, “Well, that’s strange then. If Buddhadharma was already here, why did Bodhidharma bother coming to China?”

The master replied, “Because Buddhadharma was already here, it is for that reason that Bodhidharma had to leave India and come here.”