Does Bodhi-Dharma Bring Enlightenment?
[25] Given that the mandala is a tool for attaining Enlightenment, one may ask what impact the mandala-like Bodhi-Dharma has on the spectator. Michael Gillespie considers this question and concludes that although the film provides something that is important, “it provides something less than Enlightenment.”18 [26] There are various types of Enlightenment experiences, some of which are relatively minor compared with Kensho (a glimpse into the true nature of existence) and Satori (permanent Enlightenment). However, even the minor experiences—such as visions, intense experiences of joy—are still highly valuable. According to Chinese Zen Master Sheng-yen, “they may represent positive signs of spiritual progress and, at the very least, they may deepen the practitioner’s commitment to the spiritual path.”19 [27] The list of relatively minor Enlightenment experiences should surely include aesthetic responses to works of art, including films. Certainly, by the end of Bodhi-Dharma, spectators a
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