達摩，全稱菩提達摩，在中國史實上，是活躍於六世紀的南北朝時代的外國僧侶 。但是隨著歷代的僧傳、語錄、燈綠等撰述人的任意增添附會，達摩不但成為印度西天二十 八祖的最後一祖、中國禪宗的初祖，而且深具神異能力，口中常出玄妙禪語。到了十世紀左 右，所有屬於達摩的傳說事蹟，已幾近完成。宋初（景德傳燈錄）的登錄入藏，達摩的傳記 也成為定論。至於圖像，雖早在八世紀的盛唐，已有達摩像的創作，不過外形上和一般羅漢 、比丘沒有多大差別，直到南宋以後隨著禪餘水墨畫的興起，各式的達摩圖像便不斷出現， 那種頭戴風帽、雙目炯然、額頭高廣、腮絡鬚、大耳環等的梵僧模樣，便成了達摩祖師的特 殊標記了。本文首先引述宋元之際達摩圖像創作的興起、圖像內容的史實依據、再提到北宋 以前的達摩圖像實例，最後再舉重要的宋元達摩書蹟（如貫休、石恪、梁楷、牧谿等諸名家 ）為例證，而就梵相外形、坐立姿勢、一葦渡江、面壁禪坐相、慧可斷臂、隻履西歸等諸種 表現形式，而討論其圖像源流和畫風特徵等。在方法學上是結合宗教史學與美術史學二大端 為討論依據，既探討達摩事蹟在宋元禪宗史的地位，也論及達摩圖像在宋元美術史的價值。

　　　　　Bodhidharma was, historically, a foreign monk active in China during the sixth century, that is, during the Six Dynasties period. But over the centuries, with narrative changes and additions in monastic biographies, "recorded sayings" (yu-lu) and "lamp histories" (teng-lu), Bodhidharma not only became the last of the twenty-eight Indian patriarchs and first Ch'an patriarch in China, but also acquired divine powers and a collection of clever Ch'an sayings. By approximately the tenth century, the evolution of Bodhidharma's hagiography was more or less complete. The Transmission of the Lamp of the Ching-te Era (Ching-te ch'uan- teng-lu), and the biography of Bodhidharma it contains, entered the official canon. At this point the biography of Bodhidharma was closed to further innovation. Although images of Bodhidharma circulated already in the High Tang, in the eighth century they were little different in appearance from standard portraits of arhats and monks. With the emergence of Ch'an water-color painting in the Southern Sung, various types of Bodhdharma portraits appeared. It was at this time that the image of a foreign monk with burning eyes, wide forehead and heavy jowls, wearing a cowl and arm bracelet became the distinctive portrait of the monk. In this article I begin by describing the rise of the Bodhdharma portrait, and the historical sources for the elements of this portrait. Then I discuss precedents for the portrait preceding the Northern Sung. Finally, I explore the origin and style of key motifs in Sung-Yuan portraits of Bodhidharma, including the characteristics of the foreign monk, Bodhdharma's posture, Bodhdharma "crossing the river on a reed," "facing the wall in meditation," "Hui-k'o cutting off his arm," and "the single sandal and the return to the West." With respect to methodology, I draw on techniques of religious studies and art history to explore the position of the legend of Bodhidharma in Sung-Yuan Ch'an history, as well as the place of portraits of Bodhidharma in art history of the Sung- Yuan period.