Blood & Ink: Friday

the secret of bodhidharma’s eyes / intense aliveness / buddha’s journey

As the story goes, Bodhidharma (the first patriarch of Zen) sat in a cave in meditation for nine years, the hours passing glacially. He began to tire, eyes drooping, and fell asleep. 

Then and there—in a great act of defiance—he cut out his eyelids!

No more interruptions.

This is my kind of spirituality.

No quasi-mystical manifestation rituals. No spiritual materialism with shiny rock collections. No exaltation of low energy, low agency passivity.

Ferocious, intense aliveness.

Total commitment to the path. Unwavering dedication to the craft.

This is the face of Zen. 

Bodhidharma is always depicted with wild, unblinking eyes because of this.

Alert. Present. Awake.

Until you desire what you want as great as this, you will remain stuck.

“Ah, yes, but the Buddha said desire is the root of all suffering.”

My brother, the Buddha left his entire family, abandoned his familial inheritance as a Prince, and spent decades engaging in every possible technique and practice to the point of near-death starvation and insanity.

No excuses,
Eric Brown.

P.S.: Fun addendum — it is also said that from his eyelids the first tea leaves grew, which when prepared with water, prevented sleep.