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# Blood & Ink: Friday
- URL: https://www.zenmedicine.co/05/
- Published: 2024-10-04T12:35:06.000Z
- Updated: 2025-02-09T15:58:32.000Z
- Description: the secret of bodhidharma’s eyes / intense aliveness / buddha’s journey
- Author: Eric Brown
- Tags: Blood x Ink

## **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. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/62/aa/62aad04f-2df1-446d-b0c9-1b5eb6878fdc/content/images/2025/02/3d2038fa-3daf-4de9-99f9-95624c146334_600x508-jpeg.jpg)

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.*