History
Introduction of Physical Exercise
Ba Tuo was invited to China to preach by the Liang Wu emperor. When he arrived, it is said that the Emperor showed him great courtesy. The Emperor also showed Ba Tuo how much good he was doing through his chartable work and sought confirmation that this would ensure a good after life. Ba Tuo assured the Emperor that his works were good but also said that he would need to live the life of the 4 noble truths and the 8 Fold path to really achieve his goal. The emperor decided he did not like Ba Tuo's Buddhist theory and asked him to leave.
During his time at court, Ba Tuo had heard of the Shaolin temple and now, where his 'presence' was no longer welcome, he decided to make the journey to Shaolin. When Ba Tuo's arrived he was not readily accepted, especially where he commented on the priests weak and sickly conditions. Long periods of inactive meditations and very little physical work had made Shaolin monks unwell and weak.
Not making himself popular with Shaolin either, with his criticism, he was either asked to leave or chose to do so of his own accord, to Meditate the problem.
Just a little ways away from the Shaolin Temple, 15 to 20 minutes walk and the 20 minute climb up the mountain was a grotto and cave. It is said that he retreated to live there for 9 years. In seclusion he wrote two texts; Yi Jin Jing (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic) and Xi Sui Jin (Marrow/Brain Washing Classic. The Yi Jin Jing is the foundation of Shaolin Kung Fu and was also naming the 18 Hands of Lo Han (Lo Han meaning Enlightened One).
How and why this found acceptances in Shaolin is a mystery but it did. The priests practiced the Yi Jin Jing exercises and found that not only did they improve their health, but they also greatly increased their strength. In about 527 ad, a Indian Buddhist and former Prince named Bodhidharma (later called Ta Mo by the Chinese) left his monastery in Southern India to spread the Buddhist faith to China; later called Ch'an Buddhism. ( Ch'an is the Chinese translation for the Sanskrit word "dhyana" meaning Yogic concentration, also known as Zen in Japanese when it was introduced from China.). After travelling hundreds of miles to reach Northern China and crossing the Himalayan mountains and the Yangtze River, he headed north to Loyang, the capital of Henan Province.
There of course he found the Shaolin Ssu (Temple). It was ABOUT 30 years after it was founded, and it had become famous for scholarly translations of Indian Buddhist scripture into Chinese. Bodhi Dharma sought entrance to Shaolin but the abbot of the day, Fang Chang would not let him into the temple ( many sought entrance for various reasons ).
Bodhi Dharma was determined to enter and see the Shaolin Ssu. He located to a nearby cave on the side of a mountain (this cave can be visited when in Henan/Shaolin as well as climbing to the top where a 40 foot Buddha is erected in honour of Ta Mo ) where (it is said) he sat in meditation facing a stonewall. Many versions of this event exist, including;
· That he sat facing a wall for most of the next nine years at the end of which Bodhi Dharma 's deep blue piercing eyes h CE apparently drilled a gaping hole in the cliff wall. ( we did not find such a hole but we did find what seemed to be a permanent shadow )
Ba Tuo was invited to China to preach by the Liang Wu emperor. When he arrived, it is said that the Emperor showed him great courtesy. The Emperor also showed Ba Tuo how much good he was doing through his chartable work and sought confirmation that this would ensure a good after life. Ba Tuo assured the Emperor that his works were good but also said that he would need to live the life of the 4 noble truths and the 8 Fold path to really achieve his goal. The emperor decided he did not like Ba Tuo's Buddhist theory and asked him to leave.
During his time at court, Ba Tuo had heard of the Shaolin temple and now, where his 'presence' was no longer welcome, he decided to make the journey to Shaolin. When Ba Tuo's arrived he was not readily accepted, especially where he commented on the priests weak and sickly conditions. Long periods of inactive meditations and very little physical work had made Shaolin monks unwell and weak.
Not making himself popular with Shaolin either, with his criticism, he was either asked to leave or chose to do so of his own accord, to Meditate the problem.
Just a little ways away from the Shaolin Temple, 15 to 20 minutes walk and the 20 minute climb up the mountain was a grotto and cave. It is said that he retreated to live there for 9 years. In seclusion he wrote two texts; Yi Jin Jing (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic) and Xi Sui Jin (Marrow/Brain Washing Classic. The Yi Jin Jing is the foundation of Shaolin Kung Fu and was also naming the 18 Hands of Lo Han (Lo Han meaning Enlightened One).
How and why this found acceptances in Shaolin is a mystery but it did. The priests practiced the Yi Jin Jing exercises and found that not only did they improve their health, but they also greatly increased their strength. In about 527 ad, a Indian Buddhist and former Prince named Bodhidharma (later called Ta Mo by the Chinese) left his monastery in Southern India to spread the Buddhist faith to China; later called Ch'an Buddhism. ( Ch'an is the Chinese translation for the Sanskrit word "dhyana" meaning Yogic concentration, also known as Zen in Japanese when it was introduced from China.). After travelling hundreds of miles to reach Northern China and crossing the Himalayan mountains and the Yangtze River, he headed north to Loyang, the capital of Henan Province.
There of course he found the Shaolin Ssu (Temple). It was ABOUT 30 years after it was founded, and it had become famous for scholarly translations of Indian Buddhist scripture into Chinese. Bodhi Dharma sought entrance to Shaolin but the abbot of the day, Fang Chang would not let him into the temple ( many sought entrance for various reasons ).
Bodhi Dharma was determined to enter and see the Shaolin Ssu. He located to a nearby cave on the side of a mountain (this cave can be visited when in Henan/Shaolin as well as climbing to the top where a 40 foot Buddha is erected in honour of Ta Mo ) where (it is said) he sat in meditation facing a stonewall. Many versions of this event exist, including;
· That he sat facing a wall for most of the next nine years at the end of which Bodhi Dharma 's deep blue piercing eyes h CE apparently drilled a gaping hole in the cliff wall. ( we did not find such a hole but we did find what seemed to be a permanent shadow )