Was bodhidharma a buddhist ?

[LAOLONG]

When i look at the paintings of Bodhidharma with bird and long hair he don't look Buddhist, more like an Indian yogi. And in the book on zen history, seeing through zen, there are finding about his teaching that was mediation on the true mind that seems to me more like Indian Atman, than Buddhist unatman.

Edited July 26, 2015 by cobi

[LAOLONG]

After being aware of Buddha last sutra before nirvana (Mahayana), there is true self,Atman, and Bodhidharma brought this tradition of meditation on true self to china, so Bodhidharma was a Indian Buddhist. Also tilopa the Indian founder of Tibet Buddhism has the idea of meditation on Atman, true self, in the teaching transmit to niropa.

[LAOLONG]

http://www.keithdowman.net/mahamudra/tilopa.htm

Tilopa teaching

[MooNiNite]

Bhodidharma was someone that understood meditation. He practiced correct meditation. He was simply a meditator. 

[soaring crane]

Was Jesus a Christian? :-)

[Apech]

Was Jesus a Christian? :-)

 

Is the pope Jewish?

[Fate]

What difference does it make, really?

[Tibetan_Ice]

http://www.keithdowman.net/mahamudra/tilopa.htm

Tilopa teaching

There is no mention of "true self" in that writing. It is talking about the natural state, not a self.

[thelerner]

If a tree falls in the forest

and hits a bear pooping in the woods..

does it make a sound?

 

The answer is Yes. 

The tree, bear and poop all make a sound.

Likewise you can consider Bodhidharma Buddhist. 

And a very practical one at that.

imqo.

in my quirky opinion.

Edited August 2, 2015 by thelerner