Origin of Ch'an
At first, Bodhidharma's teaching of meditation-based Buddhism was very unpopular and was rejected by the Chinese. Having nowhere to preach his teaching, Bodhidharma went to the Henan Province and chose to live in a cave near the Shaolin Temple where he practiced meditation by facing a wall for nine long years.
The Shaolin monks were so impressed with his dedication that he was eventually granted entry to the monastery. He taught his ‘wall-facing” meditation to the monks, but he quickly realized that they were not robust enough to endure the rigorous and long sessions of meditation. They were so weak that they would often fall asleep during meditation or get sick. Bodhidharma tried to bolster their stamina and willpower by teaching them various breathing exercises as well as martial arts that he practiced during his nine-year meditation. This form of practice was later incorporated into their studies of martial arts and has become the core philosophy of Shaolin Kung Fu.
The Meaning of Ch'an
The word "Ch'an" itself emphasizes seeking one's own Buddha nature through meditation. In Shaolin Kung Fu, Ch'an represents the ultimate level of clarity. Every movement, no matter how routine, is undertaken with mindfulness by staying in the present rather than letting the mind wander to past or future.
Ch'an and Shaolin
Shaolin Kung Fu aims at reaching "Chan Wu He Yi." Practicing martial arts and meditation intertwine with each other. As one strengthens the physical body through practicing martial arts, Ch'an regulates the mind and cleanses the inner world. The total understanding of this concept is the ultimate spiritual realm, and it is the Shaolin Monks' lifelong quest in attaining this highest level of Shaolin training.
How The Two Combined
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