What makes Robin Hood a Zen Warrior and what really is a Zen Warrior or Bodhisattva?
An important aspect of Buddhism is the concept of the Bodhisattva which in simple terms can be defined as a person who gains his enlightenment by helping others gain their enlightenment or in the context of the Dharmapalas (Protectors of the Faith) like the Shaolin monks and Samurai warriors a Buddhist warrior who gains enlightenment by saving the weak and oppressed. The Lotus Sutra sees it as a Buddhist warrior who can protect himself and others the basic concept being the same you are prepared to sacrifice your own nirvana or even peace of mind in order to help those who cannot fend for themselves. Bodhisattvas can be spiritual and many Buddhists believe that great teachers are Bodhisattvas be it Jesus Christ or the Dalai Lama. However, in a martial arts context, the Shaolin monks and the Samurai warriors were Bodhisattva Warriors as they were devout Buddhists who practiced the highest level of the Dharma and yet were invincible in battle. However they only used their superior skills
