55. BODHIDHARMA: The road to freedom
Bodhidharma (approx 5th/6th century CE) was a legendary Buddhist monk well known in both Chinese and Japanese buddhist lore. Some of his mythic feats including meditating in a cave, facing a wall for nine years. Yes, nine years. He was so angered that he fell asleep during the seventh year that he cut off his eyelids to prevent it from happening again. He also once ordered one of his disciples to cut off his left arm to prove his dedication. Yikes. According to legend, Bodhidharma is also responsible for creating Chinese martial arts. Having arrived at the Shaolin Temple, he was disturbed by the monks poor physical fitness which were preventing them from meditating for long periods. He taught them a system of exercises to strengthen their body which eventually evolved into Shaolin kung-fu. Can someone explain to me that why, if Bodhidharma was such a high practitioner of Buddhism, is he always depicted as grumpy and with an angry face?
- This was created as a companion piece to the Buddha (44) poster. That was pretty popular so I thought of doing a similar print.
ABOUT THIS SITE:
MOST POPULAR COMICS
- 50. NEIL GAIMAN: Make good art
- 100. CARL SAGAN: Pale blue dot
- 98. ALAN WATTS: What if money was no object?
- 90: IRA GLASS: Advice for beginners
- 52. PHIL PLAIT: Welcome to science
- 104. MALALA YOUSAFZAI: I have the right
- 116. CAITLIN MORAN: We’re all dying
- 94. The Two Wolves
- 92. CHRIS GUILLEBEAU: 11 ways to be average
- 108. SOPHIE SCHOLL: The fire within
- 42. NEIL deGRASSE TYSON: The most astounding fact
- 60. ROBERT FROST: The road not taken
- 97. CHARLES BUKOWSKI: Air and light and time and space
- 17. FRANK HERBERT: Litany against fear
- 89. STEPHEN FRY: Ultimate self-help book
Best of the rest
- 106. CHRIS HADFIELD: An astronaut's advice
- 12. CARL SAGAN: Make the most of this life
- 33. EDGAR MITCHELL: A global consciousness
- 36. BRUCE LEE: There are no limits
- 56. HENRY ROLLINS: Who's the crazier man?
- 65. MARIANNE WILLIAMSON: Our deepest fear
- 73. MARK TWAIN: An educational journey
- 8. THEODORE ROOSEVELT: The man in the arena
- 83. HOWARD THURMAN: Ask yourself
- 91. BILL HICKS: It's just a ride
HOSTED BY:
I was actually wondering that, I believe it has to do with all the Koan jazz and the way that “things aren’t what they are” but i’ve never quite got my head wrapped around the subject. On a different topic, I stumbled upon your website and let me tell you: you’ve been a great inspiration this last days. You have no idea how much your comics have changed the way I look at the world, people and art itself. Thank you, thank you very much for takin’ the risk of doing what you love, words cannot express the admiration i feel for you as a person and an artist.
That’s great to hear LDL, appreciate the comment.
Hummm… maybe the reason why he’s so grumpy is that he cut his own eyelids off and there’s no way back from that? (At least not when he was alive).
Imagine never being able to close your eyes!
Great art by the way.
Yeah, that’s kind of what I was thinking.
I’m not sure they had koan practice when Bodhidarma was around, if he was around. I expect he is less angry and grumpy than serious. Anybody that can tell the emperor that just footed the bill for a big temple that it did zero towards getting him to nirvana is pretty serious in his practice.
Does being grumpy exclude being enlightened? Gives you something to work on anyway. “I must be mindful of what side of the bed I get up on in the morning.”
I don’t think I’d look all that great after walking from India and sitting in a cave for nine years.
Maybe it’s because he wasn’t Chinese so they weren’t exactly sure how to draw him? “Oh yeah, and put in that bit about no eyelids, that’s great stuff!”
I would think that being enlightened.. well it’s like when you know something and nobody else seems to get it, you know what I’m saying?
Enlightened doesn’t mean pleasant, after all.
Why is he a grump? Possibly because (looks at quote) he practices what he preaches?
Bodhidharma may have founded, not just the Shaolin school of Kung Fu, but the school of method acting as well!
i dont know what buddhism is. but after look your art, i think… buddhism is similiar to science thinking. maybe :p
This is the most basic teaching in Buddhism:
“Do not accept anything by mere tradition … Do not accept anything just because it accords with your scriptures … Do not accept anything merely because it agrees with your pre-conceived notions … But when you know for yourselves — these things are moral, these things are blameless, these things are praised by the wise, these things, when performed and undertaken, conduce to well-being and happiness — then do you live acting accordingly.” – Lord Buddha.
To me and my belief it’s simple.
Act as if everyone was watching, especially when they’re not.. be good, do good things.
But that is my one interpenetration. I don’t claim it to be right, that’s just the way I am and how I choose to be.
Love this! I want to buy this poster.
Another beautiful illustration and engaging quote. You are the highlight of my rss feed.
The story of cutting off one’s arm as a sign of dedication seems odd, though I see the point. The way its framed, and I haven’t gone off to google this story, it makes the sacrifice sound like a great loss endured to show one’s commitment. Very Judeo-Christian Old Testament. From a (zen) buddhist perspective, the ideal being expressed is probably to devalue your sense of self to a point where the loss of an arm would be worthless to you, meaning that you have truly let go of your own ego and beliefs with an acceptance of reality as it is, renouncing your attachment to natural human existence. From an angry guy (anger usually being a negative emotion derived from a self-valued judgement), I would probably take that order as a sign the guy was an introspective jerk.
My guiding buddhist quote is “The fundamental delusion of humanity is to suppose that I am here and you are out there.” – Yatsutani Roshi. It helps me cope with certain coworkers, drivers, and small children.
Thanks again for brightening my Tuesdays and Thursdays.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30185539@N05/3993974846
To believe that strongly.. I don’t know how i feel about it. On one hand, I respect the courage and firmness of belief needed to immolate yourself.
On the other hand.. the only difference between that and a suicide bomber is that the monk didn’t take anyone else with him.
A Buddhist does not see it as “believing.”
Another great one!
How about another buddhist one and you sell them as a three pack?
Great work!
What a lot of people don’t know however is that Bodhidharma was the founder of Chan Buddhism (Chinese spelling), which became Seon in Korea, which in turn became Zen in Japan. “Zen” is also widespread in Vietnam nowadays. The reason why the word “Zen” is so well-known is because of Japanese monks in the United States…
I like your cartoons a great deal!
check out this Bodhidharma video in youtube…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmeqG4Oc_Kg
Love this one!
As a former graphic artist, take a look at a book called ‘Zen Speaks: Shouts of Nothingness’. Very distinctive art style, and lots of Zen to Pencil.
http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Speaks-Tsai-Chih-Chung/dp/0385472579/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339657753&sr=1-1&keywords=zen+cartoons
Who says monks can’t be grumpy?
His grumpy appearance has roots in aesthetics. The idea is for him to look fierce or dedicated. This is the same reason why lots of warriors from ukiyo-e have crossed eyes, slight fangs, wild hair, etc.
IIRC, the Japanese learned that from the Chinese art forms, but I may well be mistaken.
Ruminator — that’s correct. Scowling like someone just took the last swig of tea when your throat has a riceball stuck in it, is a staple in depictions of warriors both Chinese and Japanese. ;D Bodhidharma has another legend where he sat for so long his limbs fell off, hence the red scowling Daruma coin banks in Japan.
Another beautiful one! I’ve been following this site a LOT lately, I StumbledUpon it, and I am oh-so-glad to have discovered this absolutely brilliant website. You have the ability to bring words to life, you really do. Your art is just pure genius, what you do is so inspiring, yet so vibrant and fun.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful work with us!
I would buy a print of that Bodhidharma, even without the rest of the comic. That’s a great drawing of the grizzled old master. The rest is great too, of course.
Wasnt bodhi dharma a prince?
Maybe the anger is a representation of the fire within him. I think its represents his passion for enlightenment.
Also Gav really good work. I hope you can post one everyday. I know I am asking too much but I am really addicted to your work.
Cheers
Well, he was a human being after all. Everyone gets angry and grumpy. Even HHDL.
Absolutely. Even Shakyamuni Buddha repeatedly said he was not a god or higher being of any kind, just a human who got angry, sad and joyful like any other human. Just one that found a way to wake up and open his eyes… and even you could be next.
if u cut ur eyelids, your eyeballs will dry out and u will go blind.
so drawings should show a blind idiot man.
Could you please do one about dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants?
Thanks!
I’m glad to see a companion piece to the Buddha poster, WHICH I LOVE AS WELL.
Thank you for another great work!
Bodhidharma did not force his disciple (Hui Ke) to cut off his arm to show his dedication, but to help him attain Enlightenment. Enlightenment is about giving up attachment. So if you can be detached of your arm, chances are good you give up attachment completely. Hui Ke later attained Enlightenment and carried on Bodhidharma’s teaching as the second Patriarch of Zen after Bodhidharma had passed away.
It is said that the first tea plant grew from Bodhidharma’s eye lids.
Carry on your wonderful work!
Best wishes, Leo
There was a recent film in tamil based on him, but with more other stuff.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7aum_Arivu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhidharma
An additional fact on bodhidharmar is he is not a budhist monk he is the prince of Pallava dynasty of south India
this bodhidharma sounds like Ta Mo or Da Mou im not sure of the correct name but he’s the one who meditate against wall for nine years
No one can tell you or give better answer than Osho……you can download free ebook at the link below.
peace.
http://www.oshoworld.com/e-books/eng_discourses.asp?page_id=2
Oh, maybe the eyelid issue has a simple, more practical answer.
Think about it, if your eyelids had been cut off, what would happen when you had to walk in the direction of the sun on your way down to the shops?
I don’t think “grumpy” describes it. His sight is fierce because of his determination (and also because of having no eyelids
), but he wasn’t angry at people. He was very compassionate, but was harsh because he knew only those who can surmount the harshest will make it, not because he wanted to be harmful.
To a monk, pain is not a fetter; not their physical body.
Also Huike cut his arm because he had killed many people with it. One of the legends say that Bodhidharma told him that he would accept him as a disciple once there was red snow. Realising this was a “never” from Bodhidharma, Huike decided to cut his arm to show his determination and paint the snow red.
Bodhidharma after seeing such determination accepted him.
Here’s a movie that talks about their legends:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kOvLb4YnRI&feature=share