Legacy of Bodhidharma: 10 Questions for Grandmaster

[Markus Kahila]

Dear family and visitors,


As many of you know, Shaolin Nordic has the incredible honor of hosting the special "Legacy of Bodhidharma" -course at the 2012 Winter Camp in Oslo, Norway.

This might very well mark the first time since the burning of the original Shaolin temples that the entire, genuine Bodhidharma's chi kung teaching has been taught in one place, in one continuation. This will truly be a historical course.

Read more about the course here.

To bring awareness to the special courses at next years Winter Camp, Grandmaster Wong has generously offered to answer your questions!

All of you - including visitors - are invited to submit your questions here on this thread regarding Bodhidharma, his legacy in Shaolin Chi Kung and Zen, and related subjects.

Out of all the submitted questions we will choose ten best ones, and the Grandmaster's answers will be published on this forum and on the event website throughout the rest of this year.


You can start submitting questions starting now. Have fun!


Best wishes,

[Tapio Raevaara]

Dear Sifu,

When Bodhidharma originally taught the monks at the Shaolin Monastery, was his intention simply to help them achieve Enlightenment, or was there more to it? Did he realize that his teachings would evolve and be built on, that the Shaolin Legacy would last for a thousand years and more, that millions of people would benefit from his art? Did he know that one day a master like you would take the core of his teachings and openly share it with the entire wolrd? That all this would still be only the beginning?

Thank you so much for teaching this course, Sifu. When I close my eyes, I can see our history: Venerable Jiang Nan, Lam Sai Weng, Chee Seen, Zhang San Feng and all the masters of the past. The lives they had, the fights they had and everything they endured. I have no words for the humility I feel in front of them.

[Omar]

Lineage

In kungfu and chi kung circles lineage is in especially Eastern culture important. In the West this is generally not given as much attention.

We can trace our lineage back to the venerable Bodhidharma not only through historical documentation, but mainly the arts we practise that he taught and initiated at the temple some 1500 years ago.

I'm sure a lot of people in our school are aware, but probably many people do not know that as the Shaolin arts can be traced back to Bodhidharma, his lineage went in a direct line back to the Buddha.

I wonder if we could recieve some insight on why maintaining a lineage is worthwhile, and not vanity and attachment as some people mistakenly think.

Pherhaps in addition some thoughts on how the teachings and arts may have evolved over time from the Buddha to Bodhidharma.

And after the institutionalization of the arts at the Shaolin temples came to an end, have we seen the zenith of the Shaolin arts from Bodhidharma as they are no longer institutionalized and developed in such an environment or could they continue to develop and crystallize further in the future?

Thank you Sifu.

[Markus Kahila]

Dear family,


Excellent start - keep the questions coming!

This is also a good challenge to demonstrate mental clarity and hone your skills as scholar-warriors: Formulate your questions so that they're as clear, concise and to the point as possible.


Let the fun continue!


Best wishes,

[Andrew]

If the Great Bodhidharma were alive today, rather than 1500 years ago, how and what do you think his teaching would be?

[Jani]

Warm Hello to Family and Sifu!

I was just wondering did great and famous masters in the past such as Lam Sai Wing or Wong Fei Hung practice any of these arts you are so kindly going to teach at this historical Legacy of Bodhidharma -course?

Thank you!

Best regards,
Jani

[Chiahua]

Given that many Buddhists feel that the phenomenal realm is an illusion, why is there also emphasis on mindfulness in Zen? What benefit comes from being so keenly aware of an illusion?

Thank you Sifu,
Chia-Hua

[Damian Kissey]

Considering that there were already prior Buddhas ( e.g Lao Tse ) with lineage in China , why did Bodhidharma go East ?

[Markus Kahila]

Thank you Damian Siheng, Andrew Siheng, Jani & Chiahua!


Still, only six questions in one week?!


Since we're talking about the essence of Shaolin Chi Kung here, which has thousands of practitioners all over the world who get amazing benefits every day - thanks to the efforts of our beloved Grandmaster - I'm expecting a lot more. I sure there are still some excellent questions on the way, so let's keep them coming!


Here's a few example questions to get you started:

• Sifu, do you think there are other lineages than ours who practice genuine, high-level chi kung of Bodhidharma's teaching today?
  
  
• Sifu, how would you say the Bodhidharma's arts have changed over time, or have they changed at all?
  
  
• Sifu, what would you regard being of the highest level of the arts taught by Bodhidharma, and what are the possibilities of this art?
  
  
• Sifu, there are fantastic stories of the past practitioners of Sinew Metamorphosis. Do you think it would be possible or feasible for modern practitioners to attain marvelous feats through diligent Sinew Metamorphosis training?
  
  
• Sifu, can I start practicing Zen effectively after attending "The Legacy of Bodhidharma" course?

Shoot!


Best wishes,

[Andrew]

If you had to summarise the Great Bodhidharma's teachings in a single sentence, what would that sentence be?

[Andrew]

Regarding the Arts of Energy and Mind that Bodhidharma transmitted some 1500 years ago, why did it take so long for them to be made available to the general public at the high level taught in Shaolin Wahnam?

[Andrew]

I'll wait for others to post their questions (there must be hundreds ) before adding more ....

[ChristinaB]

Sifu - Did Shaolin Kung fu evolve out of the Qi Gong patterns themselves? Or where they a result of the Qi Flow from these exercises?

[wooden shoes]

Sifu, were the 18 Lohan Hands taught to the monks at a more physical level than what you teach us now?

[Andy]

Damo then and now

When the great Bodhidharma came to Shaolin he found the monks to weak to practice meditation adequately;

- If the great Bodhidharma were alive today, what do you think his opinion would be of the general public's spiritual condition?

- If the great Bodhidharma were alive today, what do you think he would teach openly to the general public?

Many thanks,

Andy