Bodhidharma’s teaching, which later came to be known as Chan or Zen, set itself apart by insisting on a direct realization of mind, or Buddha‑nature, rather than dependence on scriptural study or elaborate doctrine. It is often summarized as a “special transmission outside the scriptures; no reliance on words and letters; directly pointing to the human mind; seeing one’s nature and becoming Buddha.” In contrast to schools that centered on scholastic commentary and philosophical debate, this approach treated texts as secondary aids rather than the primary vehicle of awakening. The emphasis fell on experiential insight rather than conceptual understanding, so that even Buddhist ideas themselves were not to be clung to. This gave Bodhidharma’s lineage a strongly practice‑centered, anti‑conceptual orientation that sought to cut through intellectualization.

Meditation occupied the heart of this path, but in a distinctive way. Bodhidharma advocated an intense, formless meditation sometimes described as “wall‑gazing,” a mode of resting in non‑discriminating awareness rather than following graded visualization or analytical techniques. This style of practice aimed at an all‑at‑once seeing of reality, rather than a carefully staged progression through defined levels. Sustained seated meditation was not just one practice among many but the primary means of realizing one’s original nature. In this sense, the method mirrored the goal: simple, direct, and stripped of ornament.

Another major point of difference lay in the understanding of awakening itself. Bodhidharma’s teaching stressed sudden enlightenment—a direct, immediate insight into one’s inherent Buddha‑nature—over the purely gradual accumulation of merit and wisdom through long sequences of stages. While discipline and effort were not denied, the decisive factor was a breakthrough in seeing, not the slow construction of spiritual attainment. This stood in contrast to approaches that placed heavy weight on detailed maps of the path, such as enumerations of stages and perfections.

Correspondingly, Bodhidharma downplayed ritual, devotionalism, and conventional merit‑making. Practices such as elaborate offerings, ceremonial activities, and recitation for the sake of accumulating merit were treated as ultimately empty if they did not lead to direct insight. The focus shifted from seeking external blessings or favorable rebirths to transforming the mind here and now. His teaching also highlighted inner qualities—accepting suffering, adapting to conditions, seeking nothing, and acting in accord with the Dharma—as the real field of practice, lived out in the midst of changing circumstances rather than confined to formal observances.