Peter Skrzypczak
January 22, 2007
Copyright © 2007 Peter Skrzypczak, MSM. All rights reserved.
A friend asked me if I knew anything about from where came the Bodhidharma and the practice of Qi Gong [Chi Kung].
Siddhartha Gautama is born in Lumbini, near the Nepalese-Indian border to his father, King Suddhodana, ruler of the Sakya tribe, and his mother, Queen Mayadevi. The father, an adherent to Hinduism, gives his son the name of Siddhartha Gautama and spared all knowledge of suffering in the world by his father through isolation within the castle keep. Prince Siddhartha is trained in Indian Martial Arts and Archery, and athletics, where he excels. Despite his the King’s intention to spare his son all pain from the knowledge of suffering, Siddhartha ventures out beyond the palace walls of his father’s castle at Kapilavastu, Southern Nepal. Young Prince Siddhartha sees the suffering of aging and poverty and wept. He decides that his mission in this life would be to find a path to end all suffering, and against his father’s desire to spare Siddhartha the experience of suffering in observing others suffer, Siddhartha left the confines of the royal castle, shaves his head, and leaves his royal clothes and trappings, and his wife and son behind. He first spends time with a group known as the Ascetics who renounced all worldly pleasures and dwelt in suffering. After spending many years with this group, Siddhartha decides to sit under a Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa) and meditate upon the problem of suffering until he came upon the answer to end this horrible thing of suffering. One day he realizes upon some thoughts which he felt were the answer, and leaves the ascetics to teach this to others. These insights are known as the Four Noble truths. They are:
1. Life means suffering.
2. The origin of suffering is attachment.
3. The cessation of suffering is attainable.
4. The path to the cessation of suffering.
Note: "A common misconception among Westerners views Buddha as the Buddhist counterpart to “God”; Buddhism, however, is non-theistic (i.e., in general it does not teach the existence of a supreme creator god (see God in Buddhism) or depend on any supreme being for enlightenment; Buddha is a guide and teacher who points the way to nirvana)." (Buddha, 2007)
At the point of understanding these “four noble truths”, Siddhartha is thought to have become enlightened, he was known as “the Buddha", meaning The Enlightened One” [p.p. of the verb bujjhati, meaning “awakened”, “knowing”, “understanding”]. The Lotus Sutra of the Buddha’s teachings explains the importance of not forming attachments in reaching enlightenment and not confusing knowledge and wisdom as one and the same; it also explains the powers of wisdom of "immeasurable [mercy], unlimited [eloquence], power, [and] fearlessness" (LS-2, 24).” This “paramita” wisdom is used to help guide those that wish it into happiness for themselves.
Many years later another Buddhist monk, Da Mo, a practitioner of Buddhist meditation and yoga (knowing pranha energy healing techniques), received a similar calling.
Da Mo is known by many other names, including Bodhidharma or Darumo. Da Mo was a strong advocate of the teachings of unattachment, and later became known as the “father of” Zen Buddhism.
Born: circa 440 A.D. in Kanchi, the capital of the Southern Indian kingdom of Pallava.
“He was a Brahman by birth, the third child of King Sugandha, was a member of the Kshatriya or warrior caste, and had his childhood in Conjeeveram (also Kanchipuram or Kancheepuram), a Buddhist province south of Madras. He received his religious training from the Dhyana Master Prajnatara, and was considered very wise in the way of Dhyana or Zen practices.” (Lin, S., n.d.)
“Da Mo is said to also have been proficient in Kalaripayat (an ancient karate-like art that was influenced itself by vajramushti) which while including some weaponry included weaponless forms that were practiced in conjunction with the controlled breathing techniques of pranayama. Pranayama is part of the "Eightfold Path of Discipline" in Astanga yoga.” (Lin, S., n.d.)
“In most of East Asia, today, Da Mo is revered as the spiritual father of Zen Buddhism, having been the twenty-eighth patriarch after Sakyamuni (the historic Buddha) and the first patriarch of Zen Buddhism in China. He started what eventually became the Ch'an school of Buddhism in China.” [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.] “He is also the founder of a weaponless fighting art that was the precursor of modern-day martial arts.” [Lin, S., n.d.]
“During the Chinese Southern Liang dynasty [502-557 A.D.] the Emperor Liang Wu invited the Buddhist monk Da Mo to preach Buddhism in China. Da Mo arrived in China around 520 A.D., although accounts have it that he arrived during the Sung dynasty (420-479 A.D.), and eventually met Emperor Wu at Chin-ling (now Nanking).” (Lin, S., n.d.)
When Da Mo met Emperor Wu, the Emperor asked, "What is the holy ultimate truth?" Da Mo answered, "It is Emptiness itself and there is nothing holy." The Emperor Wu Liang (Di Wu Liang) decided he did not like Da Mo's Buddhist theory/answer, Da Mo withdrew to a Shaolin Temple, in Honan Province.
Entering the temple he saw that the priests in an emaciated condition, were weak and sickly, so he shut himself away to ponder the problem.
Da Mo's teachings instructed the Shaolin priests how to gain health and change their physical bodies from weak to strong (muscle/tendon changing), and, knowing of the healing ways of a Buddhist monk, taught the priests how to use Chi (pranha) to strengthen the blood and immune system, and to energize the brain and attain enlightenment. (Lin, S., n.d.). He incorporated Qi Gong techniques along with yoga (pranha energy work) techniques to form the Chi Kung methods that he decided to use to solve their health problem(s).
“Qigong originated before recorded history. Scholars estimate qigong to be 5000–7000 old years. Tracing the exact historical development of qigong is difficult, because it was passed down in secrecy among monks and teachers for many generations. Qigong survived through many years before paper was invented, and it also survived the Cultural Revolutions in China of the 1960s and 1970s, which banned many traditional practices. (Dupler, D., 2007)
There are considered four “eras” (ASI, 2003) of Chi Kung [Qi Gong], so it is important to know about which era one is referring.
1.
The Ancient Era -- Natural Qi Gong (1100 B.C - 206 B.C.)
In Ancient Times, a breathing method of Qi circulation was used by Taoists.
In the Chin and Han dynasties (circa 220 A.D.), there are several references to
Qi Gong in the literature, including the Nan Jing (Canon of Difficulties) and
Prescriptions from the Golden Chamber where the use of breathing and
acupuncture for good Qi flow are described. (ASI, 2003)
2.
The Classical Era -- Religious Qi Gong (206 B.C. - 500 A.D.)
In China, Buddhists taught many Qi Gong practices, including the meditation
of Chan (Zen). This created a new period of Chinese Qi Gong. With the training
directed at cultivating Enlightenment, the theory and practices were written in
secret scrolls. For centuries, Qi Gong was never taught to laymen. Not until
the late 20th century was it available to the public.
Tibetan Buddhists were also invited to China. Over time, their practices were
also absorbed into what may be called Oriental Qi Gong.
The religious practitioners trained their Qi at ever deeper levels, working to
obtain complete control of their bodies, minds, and spirits with the goal of
escaping from the cycles of incarnation.
While most Qi Gong practices and meditations were being secretly practiced in
the monasteries, some scholar-physicians conducted their own Qi Gong research.
(ASI, 2003)
3.
The Historical Era -- Martial Qi Gong (500 A.D. - 1911 A.D.)
This is characterized by the development and incorporation of QiGong [Chi
Kung] into the Shaolin Temples by Da Mo (Bodhidharma, a monk from India).
4.
The Modern Era -- Healing Qi Gong (1911 A.D. - Present)
This period is from the overthrow of the Ching Dynasty forward.
Qigong has influenced and been influenced by many of the major strands of Chinese philosophy. The Taoist philosophy states that the universe operates within laws of balance and harmony, and that people must live within the rhythms of nature—ideas that pervade qigong. When Buddhism was brought from India to China around the seventh century A.D., yoga techniques and concepts of mental and spiritual awareness were introduced to qigong masters. The Confucian school was concerned with how people should live their daily lives, a concern of qigong as well. The martial arts were highly influenced by qigong, and many of them, such as t'ai chi and kung fu, developed directly from it. Traditional Chinese medicine also shares many of the central concepts of qigong, such as the patterns of energy flow in the body. Acupuncture and acupressure use the same points on the body that qigong seeks to stimulate. In China, qigong masters have been renowned physicians and healers. Qigong is often prescribed by Chinese physicians as part of the treatment.” (Dupler, D., 2007)
The basis of these works of Da Mo, the physical drills of which are called Shihpa Lohan Shou, or Eighteen Hands of the Lohan (Buddha), were incorporated into the Shaolin Chi Kung and martial arts (what became known as Kung Fu - which is pronounced gung-fu, or, Shaolin ch'uan fa in Mandarin and which in Japanese is Shorinji kempo) training of the times. (Lin, S., n.d.)
Several decades after Da Mo's death, a ch'uan fa [“way of the fist”] master named Chueh Yan Shang-jen combined and increased Da Mo's original eighteen hand-and-foot positions to seventy-two. Ch'uen then met with a Shensi Province martial arts master, Li-shao. The two further enlarged Ch'uen's 72 "strokes" to 170 and gave the best of them names such as the tiger, leopard, dragon, snake and crane. (Lin, S., n.d.)
Later these were instantiated in the Tai Chi Ch’uan [ch’uan meaning “fist”], Hsing I, and Ba Gua artforms. As many as 180 million people are thought to practice Tai Chi every day.
“Also based directly on Da Mo's Shaolin ch'uan fa is Kosho-ryu (or "Old Pine Tree Style") kempo. In essence, the ideals of Zen Buddhism as expounded by Da Mo are fundamental to the physical manifestations of the Kosho-ryu fighting art. The development of restraint, propriety, humbleness and integrity are the cornerstones of Kosho-ryu kempo, with the actual combat techniques merely one of the many modes of reaching these goals.” (Lin, S., n.d.)
The Shaolin Temples’ Qi Gong also progressed later into other temples’ major schools, including Shaolin, (founded by Bodhidharma), Fukien, and Emei (founded by Grandmaster Bai Yun, focused on medical applications and libraries of medicine). The Shaolin Temples throughout history were periodically attacked and sacked, and rebuilt. “There are currently more than 3,300 different styles and schools of qigong.”
“Da Mo is thought to have died around 534 A.D”, but some place the date earlier (Lin, S., n.d.).
Zen Buddhism is one of the many branches of Buddhism, which also include Tibetan Buddhism. Interpretation of writings, and actions, as one might imagine, varies from sect to sect.
“Live in joy, in love, in health, in peace.” – Buddha
Karate's History and Traditions, revised, Bruce A. Haines, Tuttle
The Tao of Tai Chi Chuan, Jou, Tsung Hwa, Tai Chi Foundation
The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, translated by Red Pine, North Point Press
Zen and Japanese Culture, by Daisetz T. Suzuki, Princeton University Press,
The Root of Chinese Chi Kung, by Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming, YMAA Publication Center
Lin, Shao. [n.d], “Ch’an Buddhism”, Buddhamind.info. Retrieved January 10, 2007 from http://www.buddhamind.info/beam_up/Shao/
“Buddha”. (2007). Wikipedia.Org. Retrieved January 5, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha
Knierim, T. (2006, December) “Life of Buddha”, TheBigView.Com. Retrieved January 10, 2007 from http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/buddhasresume.html
Dupler, D., “QiGong”, Encyclopedia of Medicine, Answers.Com. Retrieved January 10, 2007 from http://www.answers.com/topic/qigong
ASI, (2003) “The Third Scroll: Qi Gong; Chinese Physical Therapy”. Academic Services International. Retrieved January 10, 2007 from http://www.angelfire.com/ca6/asi/gong03.htm
Lui, Dr. Hong, and Paul Perry. Mastering Miracles: The Healing Art of Qi Gong as Taught by a Master. New York: Warner Books, 1997.
MacRichie, Mames. Chi Kung: Cultivating Personal Energy. Boston: Element, 1993.
Reid, Daniel. A Complete Guide to Chi Gung. Boston: Shambhala, 1998.
Tzu, Lao. The Tao Te Ching: A New English Version, translated by Stephen Mitchell. New York: HarperCollins: 1988.
Qi: The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness. PO Box 221343. Chantilly, VA 22022. (202) 378 3859.
Qigong Magazine. PO Box 31578. San Francisco, CA 94131. (800) 824-2433.