Bodhidharma apparently Meditated for 9 Years Straight, Was this 'before or after enlightenment' ??

zenmyste

I have few more questions about Bodhidhrama..

1.Was bodhidharma considered enlightened?

2. if so, what was his reasons for meditating for 9 years straight if he was already enlightened? What was his thoughts on this?

3. Apparently he was very ill tempered. But isnt an enlightened person supposed to be calm, compassionate, understanding etc etc.. So can someone be enlightened and also ill tempered at the same time? (i always assumed that an enlightened person was the very opposite to ill tempered)

4. are all enlightenments the same? So if bodhidharma was enlightened, does that mean he understood the 'same' thing as buddha?

5. Was bodhidharma a buddha or just an enlightened man. What the difference?

Thats all for now,

cheers. x

PrairieGhost

Please don't cut your eyelids off!

Monks create mythical, superhuman examples to inspire us.

zenmyste

Monks create mythical, superhuman examples to inspire us.

Thought so.

Just what I needed to hear.

Thanks. x

Jeffrey

Somewhat enlightened beings can still be ill tempered. It is called Crazy Wisdom by Trungpa Rinpoche. Think of some ill tempered people you know that also have wisdom and can be loveable.

I don't think Bodhidharma was a Buddha, but it's very possible. Buddha meditated, according to one story which I have no link, just to set an example. In reality his mind was already perfectly enlighted.

lamaramadingdong

Zazen is enlightenment.

Songhill

Bodhidharma's meditation was lit. "wall-vipasyana (pi-kuan)" which by Tibetans is translated:

"Rejects discrimination and abides in brightness" (rtogs pa spangs te| lham mer gnas na).

There is not much of a literal 'wall' here. Bodhidharma lived in this state which wasn't dependent on posture.