Bodi Dharma

**lumumba12** · Posted On: 10/05/2006 9:15am

I really didn't mean to cause all these racist and mean-spirited comments. I simply saw something on the discovery channel i wanted more info on and thought this was a great place to get some answers. anybody who took offence to that is just an asshole. My question did not come from the Nation of Islam I don't belong to any organization, Black nationalist or otherwise. I'm just someone very interested in the history of the martial arts, history in general and I happen to watch the fucking Discovery channel.

**burningmonk** · Posted On: 5/19/2007 4:29pm

Bodi Dharma/Bodiharma was a legendary figure. He is very popular as a saint in much of Asia, particularly in Korea and Japan as he is closely connected with Chan/Zen Buddhism. There are recordes to suggest that he was a historical person, but very little is known other then that. He was sent from India to China to 'check up' on the state of Chinese Buddhism.

**demonhanzo** · Posted On: 6/03/2007 3:16am

The claims that Bodhidharma was the founder of shaolin comes under serious scrutiny. There are simple and logical explainations as to why he might have gained so much popularity. Let's look at just one example that claims he created shaolin. The Yi Jin Jing or I Chin Ching the qigong manual of muscle tendon changing credits him with shaolin kungfu creation however however it is appearantly discredited by historians Chiefly Tang Hao, Xu Zhen and Matsuda Ryuchi.

This link here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yi_Jin_Jing
gives an account of his role in the creation of this book

Secondly: The book itself the Yin Jin Jing's creation date is debated some stating the 1600s to the 1800s this is many years after Bodhidharma appears on the scene

Thirdly : Two of shaolins first monks are recorded as having martial arts skills prior to Bohidharma arriving on the scene.

Forthly : There are so many different accounts of him in meditation alone some say he cuts his eyelids off, his legs atrophied, he studied animals movements, fell into death.

All of these found at the following link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhidh...artial_arts.3F

So why then do people mystify and claim he has done so much? I have no evidence to back up my claim but only an assumption that I make. I believe it has to do with early propagation of wuxia. For those who dont know it is a literary genre of martial arts and is quite popular even today in manga. It literally translates to martial arts hero.

for a link view

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuxia#Earlier_precedents

My assumptions stem from early precedents during the ming dynasty, and this article

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaolin_kung_fu

I am mostly interested in the ming dynasy when the shaolin monks decide to build new buddhist lore. My point is not that the monks have never practiced martial arts before this time, but the fact that they are starting to justify there martial arts. Though surviving wuxia from this period is hard to come by as per the articles the fact that both new buddhist lore and wuxia novels being written lead me to believe that shaolin borrowed some ideas from wuxia. They have to justify their martial arts and they see an opportunity to embelish some historical events.

Just my two scents.

If any one can further or disprove my claims please do.

**AAAhmed46** · Posted On: 6/03/2007 3:47am

Making your mark on bullshido now Owais? Keep it up!!!!!!!!!!

***DerAuslander*** · Posted On: 6/03/2007 10:55am

Bodhidharma is the progenitor of Dhyana.

That is all.

Move along.

**demonhanzo** · Posted On: 6/03/2007 3:00pm

Had to look up exactly what Dhyana was. That's all well and good but you added nothing I could take to prove or disprove my assumptions.

***DerAuslander*** · Posted On: 6/03/2007 3:21pm

Originally Posted by demonhanzo

Had to look up exactly what Dhyana was. That's all well and good but you added nothing I could take to prove or disprove my assumptions.

Yeah I did.

Stop using wikipedia as a reference.

Oh your whole wuxia assertion lacks any proof, so I don't have to disprove it at all.

You have to prove it.

And you clearly know jack about wuxia.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 6/03/2007 3:22pm

Here is a thread you must read.

http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/foru...ht=Bodhidharma

**EmetShamash** · Posted On: 6/10/2007 9:04pm

Originally Posted by Matt Bernius

For example there is currently a movement in India to try and prove that Ayurvedic Acupuncture is the root of Chinese Acupuncture (even though its a completely different system with few similiaries).

I gotta jump back here for a minute.
Although there are many similarities and they both began to develop around the same time. There is no clear way of knowing where accupuncture started, but clearly India and China developed two distinct styles over the years with many differences. Its not like the whole of either traditions just popped up one day, they evolved over many years. Being as they are very close to each other, information was traded back and forth. It is not clear who started it because it took some time to formulate things into a coherent curriculum.

Modern use of traditional Chinese medicine is still evolving to this day with incorporation of western medicine.

By the way, Aiyaa might be a little racist but the "Nation of Islam", Farakhan, and Elija Muhamed are all big time racist fucktards that deserve no respect.

**demonhanzo** · Posted On: 6/10/2007 10:25pm

Where exactly did you add to my assumptions? I'm litterally not trying to be an asshole though it may have inadvertently come off that way, I was just wondering if you had any literature or links that I could use to prove or disprove my assumption. I mean assumption in the fact that I'm taking for granted my theory may be wrong.

You told me to stop using wiki as a source, Ok, but since you seem to know more about the subject may I ask what sources you are using, it would be of great help.