Buddhist shaolin monks and their practice
score:6
Shaolin Buddhism
"Action Meditation"
Basically Shaolin martial arts come from the idea of “action meditation” of Chan (dhyana – Sanskrit, Jhana – pali) Buddhism (Mahayana).
The first Shaolin temple was started by an Indian Theravada monk called Buddhabhadra and the next Abbot of the temple was the famous Indian Mahayana monk called Bodhidharma who brought Chan Buddhism to China.
The Shaolin Temple was founded in 495 by the Indian monk Batuo, or Buddhabhadra. After traveling to China, he received permission from Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei dynasty to build a temple at the foot of Shaoshi mountain in the Song mountain range in the Henan province. The word Lin means forest in Chinese, thus the temple was named Shaolin for the forest at the foot of Shaoshi mountain.
Batuo preached the orthodox teachings of Hinayana, or Nikaya Buddhism (Xiao Sheng in Chinese). In this type of Buddhism, which closely follows the teachings of Shakyamuni, there are 250 rules for monks and 500 rules for nuns. Batuo had two disciples named Sengchou and Huiguang, who were both martial artists before becoming monks. They were the first ones to bring martial arts to the temple.
Bodhidharma (PutiDamo or just Damo in Chinese) was another prince of a clan in what is now India. He also chose to leave the royal life to become a monk. When Bodhidharma came to the temple in 527, he brought the teachings of Chan Buddhism, part of the Mahayana (Da Cheng) school. This understanding had been passed down directly from Mahakasyapa to Bodhidharma's master Prajnatara, who was the 27th in the lineage. Bodhidharma was the 28th, and the first patriarch of Chan in China.
Bodhidharma created 4 integral parts of Shaolin Kungfu, also sutras. They were
- 2 qigong (Chi Kung) forms; the Yijin Jing (Muscle Tendon Changing Sutra) and the Xisui Jing (Bone Marrow Washing Sutra)
- The Wuxing quan, the 5 original animal forms (Dragon, Tiger, Leopard, Crane, and Snake)
- The Luohan Shiba Shou, The 18 Luohan Palms
Bodhidharma's disciple Huike was, like Sengchou and Huiguang, a military man before becoming a monk, and also brought martial arts knowledge to the temple. Huike became Damo's successor, and after him there were four more before the lineage ended. They were Sengcan, Daoxin, Hongren, and Huineng.
More on Shaolin Martial Arts
Upvote:4
Shaolin monks practice Ch'an Buddhism. They say that the teachings of Ch'an Buddhism are inseperable from Shaolin martial arts, and that to reach the highest level both are required.
Often it is said that Bodhidharma visited the temple and found that the monks were not physically fit to make progress in meditation. This is why he created the chi kung forms Yi Jin Jing (Muscle Tendon Changing Sutra) and the Xi Sui Jing (Bone Marrow Washing Sutra). It is said that his teachings formed the basis for Shaolin martial arts. Martial arts were practiced in China long before this time, and other traditions including Taoism no doubt influenced the development of Shaolin.
In Western culture it is very natural to talk a lot and ask lots of questions. Also in the West, if someone wants to learn about Buddhism they often start to read lots of sutras and books. But Shaolin Buddhism in common with other types of "Zen" Buddhism places an emphasis on experience. It is "A transmission outside of the scriptures, not relying on words, pointing directly to one's mind. The attainment of Buddhahood by seeing into one's nature."
Shaolin Buddhism is an esoteric form of Buddhism which incorporates a thorough knowledge of internal energy (chi). Skill in cultivating this energy can lead to feats that appear superhuman. It is used both for healing and for martial arts. Also internal energy is considered essential for deep states of meditation.
Shaolin monks practice both mindfulness meditation and concentration meditation. There is also the philosophy that everything you do can be a form of meditation. Sometimes students are given a koan (gong'an), or a hua tou. The master is able to tell which methods of meditation are best for the student at their particular stage of practice.
Shaolin Buddhism has now spread worldwide with temples in many countries.
More post
- 📝 Lethargy: Short Versus Long Sessions
- 📝 How does Buddhism explains rebirth and law of Karma?
- 📝 What are the positions of the different schools on a primordial mind?
- 📝 How can the term "spirit" be translated into Buddhist doctrine?
- 📝 Fate and karma same or different?
- 📝 Do you know of a Buddhist text explaining why living in a community?
- 📝 In what order should I read the various Buddhist scriptures?
- 📝 Anatta a tool or reality?
- 📝 Dukkha Nana - deep knowledge of our own suffering
- 📝 What are the soteriological aims of different traditions?
- 📝 Buddhist Cosmology
- 📝 Buddhism broke up my marriage
- 📝 Some daily-life examples to help explain what 'mindfulness' and 'mindless activity' are?
- 📝 Noumenon and "mind only"
- 📝 What are the differences between sex cults and the tantric tradition?
- 📝 What is access concentration?
- 📝 Does "Connected Causes" mean the same thing as Dependent Origination?
- 📝 Inferiority and being judged by other
- 📝 When the obstacles are abandoned does one experience dharma everywhere?
- 📝 fundamental level of existence in Buddhism
- 📝 Duty of Student
- 📝 How can we make sense of the Universe from the Buddhist perspective?
- 📝 Dependent Origination, 'here-&-now' & 11th & 12th link
- 📝 For contact, can eye, sights, and eye-consciousness arise but NOT meet?
- 📝 The feeling that one is constantly one step away from enlightenment
- 📝 Attacking others with words such as they are weapons
- 📝 Negation and the middle way
- 📝 Who gives a person wealth?
- 📝 Is there any Proof of No-Rebirth?
- 📝 What is appropriate usage of medicines that are intoxicating?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Buddhist shaolin monks and their practice
- 📝 Software programming/Art and Buddhist Practice - Pursuing creative activity
- 📝 Buddhist practice and physical exercises
- 📝 What type of Buddhist monks are only allowed to eat two meals per day and why?
- 📝 How are Buddhist Sacred Texts used in practice and historically, given the questioned authenticity of some of them
- 📝 Do monks have big ups and downs in their life?
- 📝 How would Buddhist monks organize countries and the world?
- 📝 A question regarding Buddhist world view and sense organs and their objects
- 📝 If a buddhist should not kill a mouse living in their home, what justification do they have to rid themselves of a parasite such tapeworms
- 📝 As a Buddhist with a Muslim family, community, and background... how do you integrate/cope?
- 📝 Buddhist view on Art and being an Artist
- 📝 Attachment is a poison. Why is attachment to the Buddha and to Buddhist philosophy not a problem?
- 📝 What is the difference between relative and absolute truth in Buddhist philosophy?
- 📝 Isn't Buddhist insight practice more scientific than the so-called scientific method?
- 📝 Difference in Buddhist meditation and meditation in other religions
- 📝 Did Buddha practice group meditation with bhikkhus, bhikkhunis and laymen, just like in today's meditation center?
- 📝 Is there a tradition or practice involving fasting in Buddhism or Buddhist countries?
- 📝 Buddhist path X Romantic Relationships and Sons
- 📝 Does hosting guests at home with meat and alcohol (because they are fond of it) amount to aiding the guests break their Sila?
- 📝 If there are no past and future lives, why should we practice Buddhism?
- 📝 Do monks not have responsibility towards parents and family?
- 📝 When and why did monks stop meditating?
- 📝 Is there any mention of child adoption in any Buddhist writings and what is the view on child adoption with regard to Buddhism?
- 📝 How do Buddhists justify or explain that monks and/or temples amass and use wealth?
- 📝 Is it possible to adhere to the practices and beliefs of both Buddhist and Christianity?
- 📝 When and how should someone practice Patikulamanasikara meditation (reflections of replusiveness)
- 📝 Buddhist logic and Nagarjuna
- 📝 Drunk monks and the 5th precept
- 📝 What is the difference between concentration and mindfulness practice ?
- 📝 Practice of Dhamma and loss of masculinity