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Bodhidharma (also known as Pu Tai Ta Mo in Sanskrit and Daruma Daishi in Japanese) was an Enlightened Buddhist Master who is credited with reviving Buddhism in China and founding martial arts.
Bodhidharma began his life as a royal prince in Southern India in the Sardilli family in 482 A.D. In the midst of his education and training to continue in his father's footsteps as king, Bodhidharma encountered the Buddha's teachings. He immediately saw the truth in Lord Buddha's words and decided to give up his esteemed position and inheritance to study with the famous Buddhist teacher Prajnatara. Bodhidharma rapidly progressed in his Buddhist studies, and in time, Prajnatara sent Bodhidharma to China, where Buddhism had begun to die out, to introduce the Sarvastivada sect Buddhist teachings to the Chinese. Bodhidharma arrived in China after a brutal trek over Tibet's Himalayan Mountains surviving both the extreme elements and treacherous bandits.
Upon arrival in China, the Emperor Wu Ti, a devout Buddhist himself, requested an audience with Bodhidharma. During their initial meeting, Wu Ti asked Bodhidharma what merit he had achieved for all of his good deeds. Bodhidharma informed him that he had accrued none whatsoever. Bodhidharma was subsequently unable to convince Wu Ti of the value of the teachings he had brought from India. Bodhidharma then set out for Loyang, crossed the Tse River on a leaf, and climbed Bear's Ear Mountain in the Sung Mountain range where the Shaolin Temple was located. He meditated there in a small cave for nine years.
Bodhidharma, in true Mahayana spirit, was moved to pity when he saw the terrible physical condition of the monks of the Shaolin Temple. The monks had practiced long-term meditation retreats, which made them spiritually strong but physically weak. He also noted that this meditation method caused sleepiness among the monks. Likening them to the young Shakyamuni, who almost died from practicing asceticism, he informed the monks that he would teach their bodies and their minds the Buddha's dharma through a two-part program of meditation and physical training.
Bodhidharma created an exercise program for the monks which involved physical techniques that were efficient, strengthened the body, and eventually, could be used practically in self-defense. When Bodhidharma instituted these practices, his primary concern was to make the monks physically strong enough to withstand both their isolated lifestyle and the deceptively demanding training that meditation requires. It turned out that the techniques served a dual purpose as a very efficient fighting system, which evolved into a marital arts style called Gung Fu. Martial arts training helped the monks to defend themselves against invading warlords and bandits. Bodhidharma taught that martial arts should be used for self-defense, and never to hurt or injure needlessly. In fact, it is one of the oldest Shaolin axioms that "one who engages in combat has already lost the battle."
Bodhidharma, a member of the Indian Kshatriya warrior class and a master of staff fighting, developed a system of 18 dynamic tension exercises. These movements found their way into print in 550 A.D. as the Yi Gin Ching, or Changing Muscle/Tendon Classic. We know this system today as the Lohan (Priest-Scholar) 18 Hand Movements, the basis of Chinese Temple Boxing and the Shaolin Arts.
Some historians dispute the date, but legend states that Bodhidharma settled in the Shaolin Temple of Songshan in Hunan Province in 526 A.D. We do know the first Shaolin Temple of Songshan was built in 377 A.D. for Pan Jaco, "The First Buddha", by the order of Emperor Wei on the Shao Shik Peak of Sonn Mountain in Teng Fon Hsien, Hunan Province. The Temple was for religious training and meditation only. Martial arts training did not begin until the arrival of Bodhidharma in 526 A.D. Bodhidharma died in 539 A.D. at the Shaolin Temple at age 57.
Bodhidharma was an extraordinary being who remains an example and an inspiration to practitioners today. He is the source of many miraculous stories of ferocity and dedication to the Way. One such legend states that Bodhidharma became frustrated once while meditating because he had fallen asleep. He was so upset that he cut off his eyelids to prevent this interruption in meditation from ever happening again. Yet another legend states that Bodhidharma meditated for so long that his arms and legs eventually fell off. This is a reminder of the true dedication and devotion necessary in meditation practice. The Bodhidharma doll was developed as a symbol of this dedication. In Japan and other parts of the world, when someone has a task they wish to complete, they purchase a red Bodhidharma doll that comes without pupils painted on the eyes. At the outset of the task one pupil is colored in, and upon completion, the other pupil is painted. The dolls and the evolution of martial arts and meditation, are a continuous reminder of Bodhidharma's impact on Buddhism and martial arts.
Entrance to Bodhidharma's
meditation cave
Ananda
The Buddha's attendant. He was instrumental in allowing women to become monks during the life of the Buddha.
Visitors pay homage at
the shrine in the cave
Bodhidharma
Bodhidharma brought Zen from India to China and lived in the Shaolin Temple that ironically became famous for Kung Fu hundreds of years later. He was an Indian person so his facial features were quite dramatic, to the Chinese. Accordingly, he is heavily stylized when depicted.
The statue above is a very standard depiction, while the round, red ball thing on the top right is a unique, Japanese version. In Japan temples sell wooden versions in this style without eye pupils. You take it home and paint one pupil in before starting a big task, such as studying for a test. when the task is successfully completed, you paint the seconds pupil in and return him to the temple.
This is why you are sometimes greeted by hundreds of Daruma Dolls when entering the external shrine of a Japanese temple. You will also see Daruma when Japanese win and election. They usually paint the second pupil in at the press conference when they announce their victory.
Bodhidharma's years of meditation
in the cave are said to have
left his shadow on this rock,
removed from the cave and
on display in the Shaolin Temple.
Daruma meets the King
When he arrived in China, Daruma had to meet the King. The King was well known for spending on Buddhist temples, hospitals, schools and other public works. He asked Daruma "What merit have I accumulated for all my works?"
Daruma replied "None."
"Ok then, what is the meaning of the Dharma (Buddhist teachings)?"
"Only emptiness, nothing sacred."
"Who stands before me?"
"I don't know."
This became a famous Zen dialogue with many interpretations. One of the best is: Good works make karma for your wealth, but wisdom is needed if you to are escape Samsara .
In any case the king must have been a great guy, because almost any other king in history would have cut Daruma's head off for being cheeky.
Daruma invigorates the Shaolin Temple
Next Daruma travelled north, eventually arriving at the Shaolin Temple. A popular legend claims he crossed the Yangtze River on a reed to get there. This is often depicted in images of him including the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) figurine on the left.
At Shaolin he spent nine years meditating while facing a wall. He took no disciples until one monk cut off his arm to prove his sincerity in relieving his suffering. This disciple was Master Hui Ko, who became Daruma's successor.
There's an interesting legend that 3 years after Daruma died he met a Chinese official in central Asia. According to the legend, he told the official he was retuning to India and carrying a single shoe. The resulting controversy caused the monks to open Daruma's grave where only a single shoe was found. Whatever the actual facts are, this led to yet another popular depiction of Daruma as travelling with a single show in toe, as in the Qing Dynasty figure on the right.
YOU CAN SEE BODHIDHARMA STATUES ALLOVER CHINA
DOWNLOAD THE MOVIE BELOW, ENJOY A MOVIE ABOUT BODHIDHARMA - dont miss it -- i doesnt mean to say it boasts indian pride---- it is an entertaining movie -- thats why.being my first post id doesnt allow me to post links.it needs 5 posts min to post links.my first post guys.
TYPE "7AAM ARIVU" IN ********.EU YOU"LL GET A DVD RIP OF THE MOVIE THAT SAYS ABOUT BODHIDHARMA AND AN ENTERTAINING MOVIE.
Bodhidharma began his life as a royal prince in Southern India in the Sardilli family in 482 A.D. In the midst of his education and training to continue in his father's footsteps as king, Bodhidharma encountered the Buddha's teachings. He immediately saw the truth in Lord Buddha's words and decided to give up his esteemed position and inheritance to study with the famous Buddhist teacher Prajnatara. Bodhidharma rapidly progressed in his Buddhist studies, and in time, Prajnatara sent Bodhidharma to China, where Buddhism had begun to die out, to introduce the Sarvastivada sect Buddhist teachings to the Chinese. Bodhidharma arrived in China after a brutal trek over Tibet's Himalayan Mountains surviving both the extreme elements and treacherous bandits.
Upon arrival in China, the Emperor Wu Ti, a devout Buddhist himself, requested an audience with Bodhidharma. During their initial meeting, Wu Ti asked Bodhidharma what merit he had achieved for all of his good deeds. Bodhidharma informed him that he had accrued none whatsoever. Bodhidharma was subsequently unable to convince Wu Ti of the value of the teachings he had brought from India. Bodhidharma then set out for Loyang, crossed the Tse River on a leaf, and climbed Bear's Ear Mountain in the Sung Mountain range where the Shaolin Temple was located. He meditated there in a small cave for nine years.
Bodhidharma, in true Mahayana spirit, was moved to pity when he saw the terrible physical condition of the monks of the Shaolin Temple. The monks had practiced long-term meditation retreats, which made them spiritually strong but physically weak. He also noted that this meditation method caused sleepiness among the monks. Likening them to the young Shakyamuni, who almost died from practicing asceticism, he informed the monks that he would teach their bodies and their minds the Buddha's dharma through a two-part program of meditation and physical training.
Bodhidharma created an exercise program for the monks which involved physical techniques that were efficient, strengthened the body, and eventually, could be used practically in self-defense. When Bodhidharma instituted these practices, his primary concern was to make the monks physically strong enough to withstand both their isolated lifestyle and the deceptively demanding training that meditation requires. It turned out that the techniques served a dual purpose as a very efficient fighting system, which evolved into a marital arts style called Gung Fu. Martial arts training helped the monks to defend themselves against invading warlords and bandits. Bodhidharma taught that martial arts should be used for self-defense, and never to hurt or injure needlessly. In fact, it is one of the oldest Shaolin axioms that "one who engages in combat has already lost the battle."
Bodhidharma, a member of the Indian Kshatriya warrior class and a master of staff fighting, developed a system of 18 dynamic tension exercises. These movements found their way into print in 550 A.D. as the Yi Gin Ching, or Changing Muscle/Tendon Classic. We know this system today as the Lohan (Priest-Scholar) 18 Hand Movements, the basis of Chinese Temple Boxing and the Shaolin Arts.
Some historians dispute the date, but legend states that Bodhidharma settled in the Shaolin Temple of Songshan in Hunan Province in 526 A.D. We do know the first Shaolin Temple of Songshan was built in 377 A.D. for Pan Jaco, "The First Buddha", by the order of Emperor Wei on the Shao Shik Peak of Sonn Mountain in Teng Fon Hsien, Hunan Province. The Temple was for religious training and meditation only. Martial arts training did not begin until the arrival of Bodhidharma in 526 A.D. Bodhidharma died in 539 A.D. at the Shaolin Temple at age 57.
Bodhidharma was an extraordinary being who remains an example and an inspiration to practitioners today. He is the source of many miraculous stories of ferocity and dedication to the Way. One such legend states that Bodhidharma became frustrated once while meditating because he had fallen asleep. He was so upset that he cut off his eyelids to prevent this interruption in meditation from ever happening again. Yet another legend states that Bodhidharma meditated for so long that his arms and legs eventually fell off. This is a reminder of the true dedication and devotion necessary in meditation practice. The Bodhidharma doll was developed as a symbol of this dedication. In Japan and other parts of the world, when someone has a task they wish to complete, they purchase a red Bodhidharma doll that comes without pupils painted on the eyes. At the outset of the task one pupil is colored in, and upon completion, the other pupil is painted. The dolls and the evolution of martial arts and meditation, are a continuous reminder of Bodhidharma's impact on Buddhism and martial arts.
Entrance to Bodhidharma's
meditation cave
Ananda
The Buddha's attendant. He was instrumental in allowing women to become monks during the life of the Buddha.
Visitors pay homage at
the shrine in the cave
Bodhidharma
Bodhidharma brought Zen from India to China and lived in the Shaolin Temple that ironically became famous for Kung Fu hundreds of years later. He was an Indian person so his facial features were quite dramatic, to the Chinese. Accordingly, he is heavily stylized when depicted.
The statue above is a very standard depiction, while the round, red ball thing on the top right is a unique, Japanese version. In Japan temples sell wooden versions in this style without eye pupils. You take it home and paint one pupil in before starting a big task, such as studying for a test. when the task is successfully completed, you paint the seconds pupil in and return him to the temple.
This is why you are sometimes greeted by hundreds of Daruma Dolls when entering the external shrine of a Japanese temple. You will also see Daruma when Japanese win and election. They usually paint the second pupil in at the press conference when they announce their victory.
Bodhidharma's years of meditation
in the cave are said to have
left his shadow on this rock,
removed from the cave and
on display in the Shaolin Temple.
Daruma meets the King
When he arrived in China, Daruma had to meet the King. The King was well known for spending on Buddhist temples, hospitals, schools and other public works. He asked Daruma "What merit have I accumulated for all my works?"
Daruma replied "None."
"Ok then, what is the meaning of the Dharma (Buddhist teachings)?"
"Only emptiness, nothing sacred."
"Who stands before me?"
"I don't know."
This became a famous Zen dialogue with many interpretations. One of the best is: Good works make karma for your wealth, but wisdom is needed if you to are escape Samsara .
In any case the king must have been a great guy, because almost any other king in history would have cut Daruma's head off for being cheeky.
Daruma invigorates the Shaolin Temple
Next Daruma travelled north, eventually arriving at the Shaolin Temple. A popular legend claims he crossed the Yangtze River on a reed to get there. This is often depicted in images of him including the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) figurine on the left.
At Shaolin he spent nine years meditating while facing a wall. He took no disciples until one monk cut off his arm to prove his sincerity in relieving his suffering. This disciple was Master Hui Ko, who became Daruma's successor.
There's an interesting legend that 3 years after Daruma died he met a Chinese official in central Asia. According to the legend, he told the official he was retuning to India and carrying a single shoe. The resulting controversy caused the monks to open Daruma's grave where only a single shoe was found. Whatever the actual facts are, this led to yet another popular depiction of Daruma as travelling with a single show in toe, as in the Qing Dynasty figure on the right.
YOU CAN SEE BODHIDHARMA STATUES ALLOVER CHINA
DOWNLOAD THE MOVIE BELOW, ENJOY A MOVIE ABOUT BODHIDHARMA - dont miss it -- i doesnt mean to say it boasts indian pride---- it is an entertaining movie -- thats why.being my first post id doesnt allow me to post links.it needs 5 posts min to post links.my first post guys.
TYPE "7AAM ARIVU" IN ********.EU YOU"LL GET A DVD RIP OF THE MOVIE THAT SAYS ABOUT BODHIDHARMA AND AN ENTERTAINING MOVIE.
