Bodhidharma: The Second Teacher

In the early 6th century AD, Bodhidharma, an Indian Monk and Knight of the Kshatriya Warrior Class, brought preachings of "Zen Buddhism" and Indian fighting techniques from India, to China.

Bodhidharma was an extraordinary being, the prime source for all Martial Arts styles-including Karate--which have traced their roots back to the fabled Shaolin Temple. Today, Bodhidharma is an ongoing source of inspiration to Karate practitioners throughout most of East Asia, and is acclaimed as the spiritual father of 'Zen' Buddhism, which reached Japan in the 12th Century AD.

Known by many names, the monk 'Da Mo' (pronounced Ta Mo), Dharma in 'Sanskrit' and Daruma Daishi to the 'Japanese', Bodhidharma was an enlightened Indian-Hindu responsible for reviving Hindu philosophy in China after the great 'Buddha' himself. Historically, he is regarded as the 2nd Teacher of Buddhism to China, which was originally spread to China by the original Hindu teacher, 'Siddhartha', or 'Buddha'.

While mere fragments of historical record exist on Bodhidharma, it is believed that he was born in 483 AD, the 'Prince of Kanchipura', in Southern India, to the Royal Sardilli family. The third child of King Sugandha, Bodhidharma was a member of the 'Kshatriya Warrior Caste'; until some years later, he was drawn to a small Buddhist province south of Madres. In the midst of his education and training to follow in his father's footsteps as King, Bodhidharma encountered the 'Buddha's' original teachings. He immediately found enlightenment in Buddha's words and decided to forfeit his inheritance and esteemed position as a Prince in order to study with the famous Hindu teacher 'Prajnatra', in religious Hindu teachings.

Under his Master's guidance, the Bodhidharma grew wise and advanced in the way of Buddhist practice-gifted the name, 'Buddha-dharma'.

After the death of his mentor, Prajnatra, some 20-years later, Bodhidharma heard news that Buddhism had resurged in China, but to Buddhism's authentic detriment, in a different form. He resigned himself to the personal mission of travelling to China to correct this. In contrast, other historic records have suggested that this mission was alternatively bestowed to him by Prajnatra while on his death bed.

Bodhidharma arrived at the capital of Liang (Ching-lung), in the Chinese province of Canton in 527 AD. Invited to preach by the Liang Wu Emperor (502-550 AD) during the reign of the Liang Dynasty, the Emperor requested an audience with Dharma, and during their initial meeting, asked Dharma what merit he had achieved for his deeds. Bodhidharma informed him that he had accrued none. Before long, the Chinese Emperor decided he did not like Da Mo's Buddhist theories, and requested that he leave. To no avail and sullen by his attempts, Bodhidharma left 'Liang Palace' and set out for the Loyang Tse River, and climbed Bear's Ear Mountain in the Sung Mountain range before entering China's Hunan Province. This region was the home of the Shaolin Temple of Songshan, where he would go on to make Martial Arts history.

Bodhidharma's depression grew once he reached the famed Shaolin Temple; for Prajnatra's telling was true. The priests were weak and sickly. The Monks had become accustomed to a detrimental practice of long-term meditation, which made them spiritually stronger; however, they did little of anything else, which made them physically weak and unable to finish their meditative journeys. Many of the Monks would often fall asleep in meditation, while others needed assistance in the basic necessities of life-so feeble was their condition.

In order to ponder the Shaolin Temple's problem, Bodhidharma shut himself away for an unknown period of time, and meditated in a cave at the outskirts of the Temple. His goal was to seek a way to renew the feat of Buddha's light, as well as enabling the Monks regain control over their lives.

Nine years later, after years of seclusion, Bodhidharma re-emerged with a system of 18 dynamic tension excercises-and along with a system of self-defense-incorporated mostly punching and fist techniques. The exercises soon evolved into a form of boxing which spread, with Zen, throughout China and later found their way into print in 550 A.D. as the Yi Jin Jing or (Muscle/Tendon Changing) and Xi Sui Jin (Marrow/Brain Washing) Classics.

Upon his return, Bodhidharma instructed the Shaolin Monks into the courtyard-both the strong and the weak-and proceeded to educate them in the art of Shih Pa Lo Han Sho, or the 18 hands of Lohan. The motives of the practice was this art, was physical conditioning, and finally, self-defense as the priests of the Shao-lin-ssu Temple often had to defend themselves against attacks from outside bandits.

The Yi Jin Jing taught the priests how to build their Qi (Chi) to an abundant level and use it to improve health and change their physical bodies from weak to strong. After the priests practiced the Yi Jin Jing exercises, they found that not only did they improve their health, but they also greatly increased their strength. This change marked a remarkable step forward towards the development of the Chinese Martial Art of Qigong (Chi Gung). Shaolin Monks were also able to use their Qi to clean their bone marrow and strengthen their immune system, as well as how to nourish and energize the brain, helping them to attain Buddhahood through extended periods of meditation.

Further included into the exercises given to the Shaolin Monks was the art of breathing. This was a physical activity, Da Mo understood, was essential to the body as a means of body cleansing. Eventually the Monks began to study the animals and form exercises that resembled their ways of fighting. Later, it was known as Chuan-Fa, 'The Art of the Fist'. The five animals included: Dragon, Tiger, Snake, Panther, and Crane. This record confirms that the Five Animal Patterns of Martial Arts originated in the Shaolin Temple.

Martial Arts forms practiced by the Monks became additionally known as "Wai Chia", which consisted the 'external forms' of 'hard' style of Kung Fu, as well as the contrasted 'internal forms' of 'soft' style of Tai Chi Chuan. These notions of both Yin and Yang, hard and soft, became the basis of many of the Martial Arts later practiced in Korea and Japanese forms such as Goju-Ryu in Okinawa.

Bodhidharma's dedication and role in the Shaolin Chinese Temple will forever be remembered in Martial Arts history as the source of many miraculous stories in dedication to "The Way". A popular story in memory of how the 18 Lohan Exercises were incorporated into the Shaolin, was that Bodhidharma became frustrated, once while meditating, because he had fallen asleep. He was so upset by this falter that he cut off his eyelids to prevent this interruption in meditation from ever happening again... A reminder of the true dedication and devotion necessary in meditation practice. A '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 coloured in, and upon completion, the other pupil is painted. The Doll's lesson and the evolution of Martial Arts enlightenment through meditation serve as continuous reminder of Bodhidharma's impact of Buddhism on Martial Arts.
Buried at Xiong Mountain near the Shaolin Temple, Bodhidharma died in 539 A.D., age 57.