The Ten Shaolin Laws

[Kaijet]

ethic

Hello all,

for me it is essential to have moral or ethic guidance on the world otherwise we would live like in the very past were only the live instinct was important not the social living together or the community.
Or everybody is allready a God, Buddha, Sufi etc. then of course no need for it.

[Emiko H]

Putting the Ten Shaolin Laws into Practice

Dear Shaolin Family and Friends,

I'd like to thank everyone (both active and silent) for their participation in this thread so far.

While it has been some time since this thread was active, as Sifu Kai has already stated, the meaningful development of "moral or ethic guidance" is vital for quality of life and should always remain active.

For this reason, I would like to take this opportunity to revive this thread in two ways:

Step One
a) I'd like to invite family members and guests to post stories/ anecdotes/hypothetical scenarios that they feel stand as good examples of any of the Ten Shaolin Laws.

This will give us the chance to actively practise applying the Ten Shaolin Laws in our daily lives. If we can identify the applications of these laws in our lives, then it means that we are successfully "living" the benefits of the Shaolin arts.


Step Two
b) As an extension to the first Shaolin Law on the topic of respect (for which an excellent discussion has already been led by Sifu Andrew in the thread entitled "1st Shaolin Law - 'Required to Respect the Master"), I will begin a new thread entitled, "Shaolin Etiquette".

This thread will help to provide answers to questions that Shaolin Wahnam junior members (and guests) may have had for some time regarding topics such as 'how to treat one's Sifu well during a group meal', 'whose job is it to pour the tea?', 'how to greet and address one's Shaolin grandfather/uncle/aunt' etc.

All right, everyone, please feel free to jump in and share with us your story-example of the Ten Shaolin Laws put into practice!

I look forward to reading them and to enjoying further discussions with you.

Warmest wishes,

Emiko

[pete]

Dear Sikuma,

Thank you for reviving this thread, it is a very important topic and I have enjoyed re-reading it.

I eagerly await your thread on "Shaolin Etiquette", I think it is something many of us junior westerners have difficulty with.

When in Malaysia on the intensive kung fu course, I was the most junior. I remember being a little apprehensive when, after a lot of practice, I was still more than a little clumsy at washing and passing a teacup with chopsticks.

Recently, many of the students from Edinburgh have been regularly meeting up to eat, drink and practice together.
I think this is an important aspect of loving "fellow disciples as brothers and sisters".
Meeting socially outside of class gives us a chance to talk about other parts of our lives, (and of course a lot of kung fu chat!), and get to know each other better. I have noticed that this has an impact on the atmosphere within the class too, which feels like a weekly family gathering!
Without sounding cheesy I think there is a lot of truth in the old saying:
'A family that eats together, stays together'

warmest regards,

pete

[Hubert]

Dear Sije,

Thank you too for re-injecting some nice Chi in this thread.

To me the Ten Shaolin laws are a reflection of our Kung Fu development. When we practice diligently and correctly, then we naturally live up to them. Whenever we find we are not respecting one of the Shaolin Laws, it's a good indication that we are deviating.

On a personal note, I recently realized that I couldn't lie anymore. Not that I think it's forbidden, but I actually *cannot* lie. It is kind of weird. I have never been a big liar or made things up wildly, but in everyday life it is very common to slightly alter the truth or do small insignificant lies. Things like "Oh, yes, I've seen that movie 5 times!", when it was 3 times, or "yes, I've heard of him", when talking about someone you've never heard of.
Well, now whenever I'm about to do so, I suddenly become very aware of it, and I have to tell the actual truth. It's not some moral obligation or because I know it's "wrong", it just happens.

I then came to realize that with correct practice all the Shaolin laws should manifest spontaneously in a similar way. Then they come alive!

[joko]

Dear Hubert,
Congratulation for your achievement.
In relation to your post above, I'd like to quote Sifu's Answer 8 in Q&A Series February 2007 part1:

From our perspective in Shaolin Wahnam, learning our Ten Shaolin Laws and practicing them in our daily life is more important than learning the Shaolin techniques and applying them in combat. It is also more rewarding.

Dear Emiko-san Sijie,
Thanks also from your brother from South.

In response to your Step One above, I'd like to present the following:

Before reading this thread, this morning I happened to read a brief news in my local Indonesian newspaper, quoted from AP with the source from Kyodo; the news can be regarded as a good example of people in Japan upholding the Ten Shaolin Laws.
I cannot find the original news from the web, so here it is, briefed and translated into English:

"Kyodo reported on Wedenesday 28March that in the river of Sakai, at the border between Tokyo and Kanagawa, bulks of bill notes in Japanese Currency Yen were found floating. What did the local people do? Instead of picking up the cash, they reported it to the police! Police soon came to the site, and had to use fisherman's nets to collect the money. The amount was estimated 2.7 billion Yen, that's more than US $ 22 million.
The local police then keep the money in safe place, and, if within six months nobody makes claim, then the cash will be declared as property of the country."

That's really something! The above news shows the uphold of Laws no.4 and 6 of the Ten Shaolin Laws:
4. Required to uphold righteousness, and to be both wise and courageous.
6. Forbidden to rape, molest, do evil, steal, rob, abduct or cheat.

No wonder Japan has become prosperous country.

Joko

[Emiko H]

Dear Pete, Hubert and Joko-san,


Thank you all for helping to resurrect this discussion!


Dear Shaolin Family and Friends,

I very much enjoyed reading the story about Pete's challenges with the "teacup washing" and think that his comments regarding the value of social gatherings is key to setting the foundation for a community based on mutual friendship and respect.

Often, the idea of "laws" sounds grave and serious, such that we forget that "living" laws are not heavy or serious at all, but rather meaningful yet full of laughter and joy. One of the best ways to experience the "living" aspect of the laws is through fellowship.

Hubert's story about his recent realisation that he is unable to lie any more is a wonderful example of how the Ten Shaolin Laws are a natural extension of our Shaolin training. When our motives are pure and when we are committed to using our powers only for noble purposes, then these laws come "alive" in us. Deviation is an interesting occurrence that can happen even to those who are long-time practitioners. As Hubert has pointed out, if we are not honouring one of the Shaolin Laws, then "it's a good indication that we are deviating".

One of the safeguards against deviation is simply to do two things: i) smile from the heart; ii) practice consistently. Gratitude, wisdom, pure intent are all a natural extension of "smiling from the heart". Through consistent practice, a person with moral issues or deviated views will find him/herself flowing naturally back into harmony with the laws. This is how we can know that the laws are real. Conversely, this is also how we can know that the Shaolin arts are authentic - they have the power to wash away deviated views!

Joko-san's summary of the floating money in Japan is a heartwarming example of what humans are capable of. Too often, we spend time dwelling on all the things that have gone "wrong" in society.

What I find amazing is how this story was found by Joko-san in a newspaper. Normally, newspaper articles seem to focus on the 'doom and gloom' of human suffering. This is one of the few newspaper articles I have heard about where the story has had a positive twist to it. Yes, Joko-san, you are right in that Japan is one of the few places where you can accidentally leave your wallet on the subway train, call for it a few hours later at the "Lost and Found" and stand a 90% chance of retrieving the wallet with everything intact (including any cash). Thank you for sharing this story.

Well, thanks to the contributions of Pete, Hubert and Joko-san, this thread on the "Ten Shaolin Laws" is underway again.

For the upcoming thread on "Shaolin Etiquette" to be meaningful, i.e. avoid falling into rule and ritual, it is vital that we keep the discussion of the "living" aspects of the Ten Shaolin Laws alive and well.

So, I hope all of you will feel encouraged to come and post your experiences of "living" the Ten Shaolin Laws here.

Warmest wishes,

Emiko

[barrys]

Emiko Sije,

Thanks for the chance to spend time contemplating this.

Recently, I was approached by a man I work with who asked me to teach him about selling. He is just over 30, been selling for a while in small companies and had heard I had worked in big organisations selling high value deals. He is very polite and very eager to learn. I have been spending time helping him with some of his deals and passing on some of my experience. It has been life experience, encompassing my sales experience and experiences in Shaolin Wahnam. He says it has been really helpful (he surpassed his latest quarterly target) and it has been really helpful for me. I have no doubt that this man has the potential to go on and be a much better salesman than I was.

In the last eight or so years I have been lucky enough to come across a number of older people who have passed on invaluable things to me. They have been prepared to spend time with me and care about me. This phenomenon seems to be directly related to me opening myself up to this possibility and offering them respect, which I had trouble doing before.

I am lucky that when I met Sifu I had already stepped onto the path with Harry, my tai chi chuan instructor. I had dabbled with training diligently and less diligently and found that diligently seemed to yield better results. Now I had heard this many times over the years but it has only been in the last 3.5 years that I have put it into practice. It has meant me practising when I didn't want to practise. It has meant me taking things progressively and following instructions - from starting with only 15 mins chi kung a day gradually through stages to where I now spend c. 1.5 hours a day in two sessions. Now I say this not to demonstrate how wonderful I am in practising but because I consider myself lucky to have got this opportunity.

Gratitude works for me too. There have been points in my life when I would have been happy never to wake up again. Sometimes, when I was lucky, I remembered to look at what I had to be grateful for. Sometimes the list had to start with functioning arms and legs, and I wasn't too wild about them , but just time spent on the practice of noticing things helps.

I am much more courageous than I used to be. I look at courage as being the ability to do things even when I am frightened. I am also wiser in the sense that before, my courage would sometimes manifest as heedless recklessness. So, now if I feel something needs to be done/said in a scary or uncomfortable situation I can a) more easily go ahead and do things, b) put it into more of a global/cosmic perspective c) think about the best way of doing it without causing harm to myself or others. There have been a few examples in the psychiatric hospital recently where some things were going on that it seemed people were reluctant to notice. I played my part in helping bring these things to people's attention without too many hurt feelings i.e. in a way that we could use constructively.

It has been really useful to go through this exercise .

With metta,

Barry

[Emiko H]

The 10 Shaolin Laws in Barry's life

Dear Shaolin Family and friends,

I enjoyed reading Barry’s heartwarming post, and appreciate the effort he has made in creating this detailed account. Thank you, Barry.

I have no doubt that this man has the potential to go on and be a much better salesman than I was.

This person is very fortunate to have met Barry who is willing to “pass on” the skills and information (i.e. the “secrets”) without worry of being surpassed. (cf. 10th Shaolin Law)

I find that this is something that all teachers/seniors/mentors can aspire to. Fear of being surpassed is often the root to “hoarding” or “telling falsehoods”. If we hang on to our hard-earned “secrets”, it is the same as refusing to empty one’s cup. In practicing generosity, we ensure that our hearts do not become mean-spirited and that we can make room for newer, deeper teachings to come our way.

I think part of this willingness on Barry’s part to “pass on” the skills must come from his ability to retain gratitude:

In the last eight or so years I have been lucky enough to come across a number of older people who have passed on invaluable things to me... This phenomenon seems to be directly related to me opening myself up to this possibility and offering them respect ..

(cf. 3rd and 5th Shaolin Laws)

It is interesting to note that these people invested in Barry first:

They have been prepared to spend time with me and care about me…

By example, they have shown Barry how to do what he is now doing for this young salesman.

Barry goes on to comment that:

Gratitude works for me too. There have been points in my life when I would have been happy never to wake up again. Sometimes, when I was lucky, I remembered to look at what I had to be grateful for. Sometimes the list had to start with functioning arms and legs, and I wasn't too wild about them , but just time spent on the practice of noticing things helps.

Here, Barry is adhering to the 5th law:

Forbidden to be ungrateful and unscrupulous, ignoring the Laws of man and heaven.

Isn’t it interesting that the first word is “forbidden”? This is a strong word indicating that gratitude is not only a good practice in life, but that it is the bare minimum for leading a decent life. Without gratitude, life is, literally, not decent. This is not to say that the person is not decent. This is to say that the quality of life is not decent.

Barry’s point about courage being

…the ability to do things even when I am frightened.

is insightful in that he clearly indicates that being courageous does not mean ‘absence of fear’. It simply means that one chooses to act/move forward regardless of what appears to stand in the way.

Most of our obstacles, whether they are mental or physical, can be traced back to one thing: fear.

When we sincerely make the choice not to let ourselves be paralysed by fear, a surge of energy emerges through to carry us forward. Without awareness, this surge of energy could be termed by another name: brashness or foolhardiness.
But, tempered with the light of awareness and wisdom, this surge of energy is transformed into the manifestation of courage.

In this way, we can overcome not only what we are afraid of, but also ensure that how we overcome it will benefit not only us, but also those around us.

Thank you again, Barry, for posting your story-examples of the Ten Shaolin Laws.

Any one else care to give the gift of their perspective?

Best wishes,

Emiko

[TheGreenKnight]

thankfullness

Hello all,

I really appreciated Joko's posts regarding gratefulness. They ring true to my life's experiences.

As a youngest child in my family and do to my father being a bit lenient in some ways, I was a bit spoiled. Since then, there is a tendency to want more and not be very thankful for what I already have, and also consequently, not be very thankful what I am receiving.

I find that if I am not thankful for what I already have whether it is material or spiritual, it is easy to not be happy with the current state of affairs. Once in this state, it is easy slip into a 'want want want' mentality because of this uneasiness with the current situation. Paradoxically enough, although I may want more, it is also easier to belittle any other good things that come to me, material or spiritual. Thus, a negative spiraling cycle begins and it can be difficult to see what is going on.

Gratefulness brings an fairly immediate halt to this rediculous situation. I find that in my prayers, it is very important for me to explicitly mention 3 things that I am thankful for each day. I make sure to do this before I ask for any petitions. This way, it helps me keep a better perspective on what I already have, and it gives me a better perspective from which to ask for help in my life, and for help in the lives of others.

I must admit, this was a bit challenging at the start, but this little act each day has helped tremendously and has allowed to see many more things that I should be grateful for.


Alex

[Maxime]

Kindness

Dear All,

In our school we are required to follow the Ten Shaolin Laws.

I think it is easy to misunderstand ‘following’ with merely reading or understanding. It is easy to act with certainty. The Laws are deep, and their application multiple. It takes some practice to really follow them.

In other words, following is not only reading, or understanding, or agreeing, by an act of logic or intellect.

Following is practicing, i.e putting actively into practice those Laws in our daily life.

It is so easy to talk, more difficult to walk. Our inner weaknesses are sometimes trying to push us toward facility (talk) rather than difficulty (walk).

I sincerely thought I was ‘following’ the Ten Shaolin Laws until recently. I acted with certainty. I was not humble enough.

I faced an emotional blockage, manifesting in the form of a slight feeling of being lost. With some insight I felt lost because for some reason I diminished my connection with people around me. I was losing generosity. Thus I tensed myself and started to slightly close my heart.

Then one night I realised that I had to practice Kindness. Kindness is an integral part of the Laws, although not specifically mentionned but, in my view, acting as a blue-print. (any thought on this is welcome ).

The next morning I filled my heart with Kindness and went to my work (where my nerves are really tested on a daily basis by co-workers with very bad manners). With my heart (both Shen and intent) filled, my hands (thoughts, deeds and words) acted with kindness.

I spend a nice day. I felt lighter, more calm yet powerful. I noticed that my behaviour relaxed tension in other people too. I am fine now.

Once we understand that the Laws are for our benefits, we simply have to put them into practice. In my opinion we must guard over intellectualisation and ‘certainty’. Practice is the secret.

First step, realise that the Laws are for our benefits. Then, put them into practice. And by reaping the benefits from their application, we will realise more deeply that the Laws are for our (and others) own good.

I am sorry this is not a life-changing post, but it comes from the heart,

Maxime

[Pierre]

Questions, questions, and questions

Dear Shaolin Wahnam brethren and sistern,
Dear fellow posters on the forum,

It's been a long while since I've been on, and I'd like to begin by greeting all my siheng and sije with a deep bow. If you're affiliated with Wahnam in any way, I consider you my siheng or sije simply because you have much to teach me, and because I have much to learn from you. If you aren't a Wahnam student, allow me to respectfully bow to you as well and express my gratitude for that which you will also, undoubtedly, teach me, be it directly or otherwise.

I have only questions and questions – and those in abundance. Having read this thread for a short time now, it seems fit that it is here that I begin to humbly put forth a few of the aforementioned questions. It also seems appropriate, considering that this thread has been quiet for nearly twenty days. The Ten Shaolin Laws are as much practice as any other aspect of Shaolin Wahnam teaching, and there are several points upon which I have long reflected. Before so doing, I would like to thank Anthony Siheng for his insightful re-write of the Ten Shaolin Laws.

My first questions are all concerned with the seventh law.

What is wickedness? How do we define it? Who are “wicked” people?

If we are going to label individuals as “wicked” (excluding the current, positive English slang meaning because that would just make things ridiculously confusing), by what criteria do we gauge wickedness? I understand not associating with my neighbour if he happens to be Tony Soprano (self-preservation alone would urge one not to do so), but when I was working in the corporate world, I met many people in authority who had no compassion for their underlings, fellow colleagues, or even clients. Often, people in the highest levels of that world lack compassion and empathy. Does this make them wicked? Should I avoid them as much as I should avoid a yakuza boss? (Right now, I’m leaning toward the “yes” side of this particular question). “The yakuza or mafia boss engages in illegal and harmful activities, and knows that he does so,” you might postulate. How many times has one seen or read news items about companies and executives who have, knowingly and quite deliberately, engaged in illegal and harmful activities? Should we not take a moment to reflect that those about which we are informed are but a small percentage? Should we not consider that there are so many more such instances of which we have no awareness whatsoever?

What of lawyers? I do not mean to malign their profession, but let’s look for a moment at criminal defence lawyers. Their professional responsibility entails defending their client to the best of their ability. If a lawyer is presented with a client, the guilt of whom she is certain, she nevertheless has an obligation to defend the client, or she can refuse the client and go hungry. Naturally, situations like this aren’t completely black and white; nevertheless, is it wicked for a defence lawyer to plea bargain on behalf of or to defend a client whose guilt is clear? “The nature of the justice system also demands that a defence lawyer must defend the client to the best of his or her ability so that every accused has the benefit of a fair trial,” you say. If that is so, then does this mean that most Western societies have created a social justification for that which might be considered wickedness?

If an action that could be deemed “wicked” should be the practice of a given society, can that action no longer be considered wicked? (Hannibal Lecter might say, “Yes,” citing many instances of societies in which cannibalism is practised; of course, when did the social acceptance or condemnation of cannibalism ever stop Dr. Lecter, anyway?) I’ll come back to that question (no, not the Hannibal one) again and again.

Going back to lawyers for a moment, what of tax lawyers who use their knowledge to find loopholes for their clients so that their clients can avoid paying taxes which are ultimately for public benefit? (That question assumes that the government in power is responsible and actually concerned with the benefit of its electorate – which is, I admit, a naïve assumption.) What are we to make of the profession of tax lawyers, and of accountants who do the same thing in their own way? Is it not institutionalized cheating? Is it not wickedness? Or is it something else? (And yes, this touches on the nature of the Laws of Man and the Laws of Heaven, which I’ll save for a subsequent post.)

What of soldiers who kill in the name of their country? “Oh,” you say, “They are fighting to protect their country?” Oh, indeed? Is THAT what the soldiers in Iraq are doing? How did I miss that point? “Oh,” you say, “They are fighting to keep peace.” Really? Why is there now in Iraq an ever-increasing cycle of violence? Have you seen some of the videos of these so called “peacekeepers” revelling and delighting in their killing? Is this decent, good, or justifiable? Is not the way in which does something equally as important as the action itself? Is not motivation just as important as action? “Oh,” you say, “They are acting under orders.” Well, that brings us back to the question about the way in which an action is performed. Then there is another question: Weren’t many Nazis “acting under orders” during that time? What do we make of a soldier who, knowing his side is fighting an unjust war or is committing heinous crimes against humanity, continues to do so, regardless? Is that not wicked? Should we avoid association with such individuals, or should we praise them as national heroes or as heroes of peace?

What of those people who spend so much of their day contemplating sacred writings, the higher powers, and the greater good? Religiously devout people who live lives full of prayer and joyful worship of their god or gods? These are people with whom we should associate are they not? What if they are good, God-fearing people like the Westboro Baptist Church, who also fervently preach that “God hates f-a-g-s,” using that very word without the hyphens. Are they righteous or wicked? (Certainly they are self-righteous.) Should we associate with them? What of those who preach no hatred, but are either blinded by their own zeal or simply ignorant? Are they wicked? Should we or should we not avoid them?

What of the media personalities we admire? Let’s take a look at what 50 Cent, Ludacris, and Eminem, to name a few, are saying (admittedly, I’m picking them because they’re the most obvious). Let’s really look at the messages they send. Do we agree with such messages? If we buy their CDs, are we not saying that we do agree with their messages? When we buy their CDs and merchandise, we’re giving them our money so that they can ultimately continue to say what they’re saying and live the excessive (and in some cases, openly criminal) lifestyles that they live. (I’ll touch on the music and entertainment industries in a subsequent post about avoiding wickedness, as well as in a post about the laws of man and heaven, and on one about one’s personal conduct).

What of politicians? Oh, here we go! “Labelling politicians as ‘wicked’ is easier than making fun of Americans or kicking a baby!” you say. In so doing, you misunderstand my point. First, and this may come as a shock to many of you, there are good politicians. I have known some, personally. (I even had an ear in the very office of Canada’s former Prime Minister, Jean Chrétien – don’t ask; I’ll never tell.) There is a very good reason to respect politicians – many of them are doing a needed job that the vast majority of us would never want. It is a dirty, dirty business, and even a good, ethical politician is going to have to decide which issues are the most important to her, and which she will have to compromise in order to get higher-priority issues addressed. She must balance loyalty to her party with loyalty to her constituents (if we’re dealing with a democracy). Then there is her personal ideology, which may not be in-line with the party that she has joined, or which may not be in-line with the mood of the times. Who, then, is a wicked politician? Is it only a politician who abuses his power? What of one who betrays his ideals to get elected? Or one who betrays them to rise to prominence within his party? Or one who, in order to push his own ideals and agenda forward, betrays his constituents? These questions about politicians are but the beginning of what would be a separate, and rather pithy post, so I’ll leave it for a later post asking about wickedness and politics.

And there it is: my first post in an aeon. I feel that have but skimmed the surface, here. There are so many more questions and examples I have. It is my sincere hope that you, my siheng and sije, and you, fellow posters who are not members of the Wahnam family, will be able to shed some small light of your own on them. Perhaps you may have your own questions, better delineated and better written than these. I look forward to your replies.

Your sidai and fellow poster,

- P.

"The apparation of these faces in the crowd,
Petals on a wet, black bough."
- Ezra Pound

[Markus Kahila]

Hey, Pierre!


Here's a slightly re-edited quote of an earlier reply of mine that may help with your questions:

The Ten Shaolin Laws are there to help lay the best possible groundwork for developement as a person, as a Shaolin practicioner, and as a spiritual being.

The seventh Shaolin law, as all of them, aims for spiritual cultivation. It's purpose is to lay the foundation for the practicioner for ideal emotional and spiritual growth, to help one reach his/her potential, rather than to set limitations. The seventh law helps one to find the ideal surroundings, the ideal people to inspire and to encourage fulfilling his/her aims. This is what the Shaolin Wahnam family, for instance, does so wonderfully.

One example would be planting a tree. Once you set it to a spot with good soil, right amount of light and sufficent moisture, the sapling will surely grow up to be a beautiful, blossoming tree. Another spot with less than optimal circumstances will not be as favorable to growth, and the tree will suffer.

Before I was concerned that following the seventh law might mean willingly separating oneself from certain people, who may even be friends or family, whose actions bring harm to others or themselves. Now I see it differently, I see it as an encouragement for a person to find the best possible place for spiritual growth. And in no way does it rule out showing compassion, or giving guidance, or doing charitable actions towards those who may have lost their way, nor does it encourage us to abandon our friends and family. And it certainly is not about passing judgment to others.

Practicing these laws will bring benefits to all who practice them. Why? Because they're not based on "truths" that are relative to situations, persons practicing them, to different cultural frameworks, but because they ultimately draw strenght from cosmic wisdom. Just as with the tenet mentioned before - "Avoid all evil, Do good, Purify the mind" - these laws are not goals in themselves, but they're there to help a practicioner towards personal fulfillment, cosmic awareness, and eventually towards enlightenment.

If you're unsure about what is the right thing to do, just ask. You can ask your conscience, or you can ask God. You will be answered. The sincere intention to do good, along with the best methods and the best teaching (in this case, the Shaolin Way), is what brings the best benefits.

We will get lost in a sea of questions without answers if we intellectualize every moral action we ourselves or those around us take. If our conscience is clear, our heart sincere in our wish to do good and avoid evil, and we follow a wise teaching, we never have to doubt knowing the difference between good and bad. We will know. And our questions will be answered.


Here's my favourite quote from Sifu that I feel is always relevant when discussion the Ten Shaolin Laws:

" 'You may cheat heaven and earth, but you can never cheat your own conscience. No matter what you do, you must be clear in your conscience.'
This is the best teaching my sifu, Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, taught me."

[Pierre]

Dear Markus Siheng,

Thank you for your reply. It did help me to clarify my understanding of the "forbidden to associate with wicked people" aspect of the Seventh Law. Sigung Ho Fatt Nam's words, as transmitted through Sifu, are indeed a great gift... they resounded very deeply as I read them, and my eyes are moist as I recall them now, typing this reply.

Please forgive me, Siheng, but I must disagree with you somewhat...

We will get lost in a sea of questions without answers if we intellectualize every moral action we ourselves or those around us take.

... on this point, I'll get to that in a moment. Let me say that I wholeheartedly agree with your statement that:

If our conscience is clear, our heart sincere in our wish to do good and avoid evil, and we follow a wise teaching, we never have to doubt knowing the difference between good and bad. We will know. And our questions will be answered.

Going back to the first quote, were I strictly ego-bound, I would resent the suggestion that I am intellectualizing. I understand, however, that this was not your intent, and I have taken no offence whatsoever. My questions are not simple, idle intellectualization; they are the product of looking beyond the confines of my own life. I could very easily lose sight of the world in the beautiful, peaceful, Japanese countryside in which I am now living. I could focus on my day-to-day life, on the lovely people in and around it, on the natural beauty all around me, and I could easily think that since I'm living a near-perfect life, everything is fine. Doing so, however, I think I would do a great injustice not only to the world around me, but the teachings that I have received from Sifu.

Allow me to quote Joss Whedon at his best:

"Nothing in the world is the way it ought to be. It's harsh, and cruel. But that's why there's us. ...It doesn't matter where we come from, what we've done or suffered, or even if we make a difference. We live as though the world were as it should be, to show it what it can be."

And that is why I ask the questions that I do.

Your post, however, has given me the answers to half of them in one fell -- ahem -- sweep. So I thank you, Siheng.

Bowing from the heart,

-P.

[Zhang Wuji]

What of lawyers? I do not mean to malign their profession, but let’s look for a moment at criminal defence lawyers. Their professional responsibility entails defending their client to the best of their ability. If a lawyer is presented with a client, the guilt of whom she is certain, she nevertheless has an obligation to defend the client, or she can refuse the client and go hungry. Naturally, situations like this aren’t completely black and white; nevertheless, is it wicked for a defence lawyer to plea bargain on behalf of or to defend a client whose guilt is clear? “The nature of the justice system also demands that a defence lawyer must defend the client to the best of his or her ability so that every accused has the benefit of a fair trial,” you say. If that is so, then does this mean that most Western societies have created a social justification for that which might be considered wickedness?
Going back to lawyers for a moment, what of tax lawyers who use their knowledge to find loopholes for their clients so that their clients can avoid paying taxes which are ultimately for public benefit? (That question assumes that the government in power is responsible and actually concerned with the benefit of its electorate – which is, I admit, a naïve assumption.) What are we to make of the profession of tax lawyers, and of accountants who do the same thing in their own way?

Let me quickly speak for lawyers.

Defence lawyers have a crucial role to play. I often find people outside the courtroom making judgements about accused persons before the verdict is delivered, and I am frankly puzzled. All the information they get are from the newspaper reports and they feel competent to determine in their minds if a person is guilty.

The truth is, no one really knows whether the accused is guilty or not, except maybe himself (and even then, not always). How can one ever say the guilt of an accused person is clear, unless one was the eyewitness? And eyewitnesses can be wrong.

Even assuming that there is no lack of evidence that a person had actually pulled the trigger that killed the victim, any lawyer practising criminal law will tell you there are different shades of liability.

The lawyer's job, contrary to popular belief is not to "get the bad guy off". It is to represent the client in court in a way that the client would not have been able to on his own. The lawyer presents the client's side of the story, in the framework of the legal rules and precedents developed over many centuries.

Consider this scenario:

A man creeps behind another man in the bedroom and without warning, smashes a baseball bat on the victim's head repeatedly until blood and brain matter splatter everywhere and the victim thrashes around in death throes. There is a camera in the bedroom, and a witness to the killing.

Quite a clear case of guilt, one might say.

Consider this next:

The "victim" was carrying a knife in his hand, and approaching the bed where the other man's wife has been tied up, and her eyes wide open in fear as she is about to be raped and then killed. The husband had come home just in time, finding his front door broken. He picked up a baseball bat and rushed silently to the bedroom where he had only one chance to take the intruder out.

It puts a different spin on things, doesn't it? And the scenario above is from a reported case. The killer was acquitted.

Had the husband been unrepresented in court, he may not have been aware of the defence of private defence available to him. He may have admitted that he bashed in the victim's head from behind without being attacked by the victim, thereby making out a case of murder. He may have, in his layman's manner, tried to explain he was only trying to save his wife, but he may not have been convincing, just as some truthful witnesses unfortunately seem like they are lying in court. It is the lawyer's job to present the accused's story using established procedures and rules of evidence which have been time-tested to be fair and impartial.

A person can be guilty as hell of the criminal act, but the law makes concessions for certain states of mind. A layman may not be aware of such subtleties.

What is the concept of a fair trial? The basic premise is that the person who stands accused is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty. The converse would be horrendous. Imagine the state dispensing with defence lawyers because it has already decided you are guilty.

Even if the prosecution has overwhelming evidence, such as a crowd of survivors who escaped a massacre by the accused person, the case must be built against the accused. Assuming that defence lawyers just get accused persons off the hook is also assuming that the accused persons are guilty to start with.

One easy way to look at this issue is this - if you were picked up by the police for a crime and you were convinced you were innocent, would you not want to have a chance to protest your innocence in court? Even if you were caught red-handed shoplifting, is it not possible that you had simply forgotten to pay for the item and slipped it into your pocket by accident?

The criminal justice system is terribly flawed and many lawyers are indeed crooks, but it is useful to keep a clear perspective on things and not be misled by emotional statements. There are reasons why our governance systems have been designed the way they are, imperfect though they may be.

[Damian Kissey]

Doing ones best with what's available

Dear Shaolin Wahnam brethren and sistern,
Dear fellow posters on the forum,

I have only questions and questions – ....
The Ten Shaolin Laws are as much practice as any other aspect of Shaolin Wahnam teaching, and there are several points upon which I have long reflected.
.....

Your sidai and fellow poster,

- P.

Sifu's linked QA here is relevant http://shaolin.org/answers/ans05b/jul05-2.html

Ideally , take action after ALL data is available . Only God or Buddha , being ALL knowing , can Act perfectly . Being imperfect/ignorant but aspiring to the highest Truth but at the same time being realistic , we take action after some data is available : we have no choice.

But we in Shaolin Wahnam have a pragmatic guideline : "Avoid all evil and do good" by following the Ten Shaolin Laws , "Cultivate the Mind " by doing Chi Kung .

What is wickedness ? Wickedness is anything which brings us away from God or Perfection.
How to know whether we are moving away or nearer to Truth ? Practise chi kung .

In a Yoga school i knew , a trainee yogi who is a government criminal defence lawyer exasperated to the Enlightend Guru Yogi about guilt feelings in defending criminals ; The Guru's advise : " Do not worry whether your client is guilty or not guilty ; Just fight your case in court based on the available filed evidence ; Your client is the file ; Leave the rest to God ".

Good or bad , reality and appearance .....
"To see a world in a grain of sand
And heaven in a wild flower.
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour"

Wishing All the best with whatever is available in living towards the highest Shaolin ideal , Zen