Southern Defense Martial Arts

The creator of the Asian martial arts. He was a buddhist monk who traveled to China to spread Xiao Sheng Buddhism as this was his masters dying request. It is widely beleived that he came from India, he was the 3rd son of a king, and his original name was Jayavarman or Bodhitara. One such reason is because he was supposed to have been a disciple of Prajnatara, the 27th patriarch of buddhism and he was givin the name Bodhidharma from him which means "Highest teaching of enlightenment." According to the Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall he is the 28th patriarch of buddhism. It is said that his 2 older brothers were in fear of him taking over the kingdom and would often try to cause issues between him and his father, and that they even tried to have him assassinated once. Despite this he was not interested in running his fathers kingdom and became a buddhist monk instead. It is said that the brother that did take over the kingdom had a son, and wanting to make a mends because of his admiration for Bodhidharma sent letters ahead of Bodhidharma before his arrival to China asking that the people of China take care of him. It is said from the time he arrived in China he always had crowds of people wanting to know who the monk was that a king in India would think so highly of to want him cared for. There is a play on words this may have meant he was the third disciple of Prajnatara, who could have been seen as a head buddist priest(Brahman king, Brahman meaning priest and king meaning head). It is also said he would often not speak but meditate and go about his way, which would cause great reactions from the people that wanted to meet him. He was said to be quick tempered, and in Chan texts is referred to as "The Blue-eyed Barbarian." There are also stories stating that he was mild tempered, such as his confrontation with Shen Guang at the Flower Rain Pavillion in Nanjing. The date he traveled is varried depending on different texts and legends that speak of him, though he mainly traveled through the Northern Wei territory. Alot of his teaching is said to have been on meditation and fixed movement. He is said to have faced the Wall of a cave for 9 years and not speaking during that time after arriving at the Shaolin temple(which was probably Yongningsi, and the cave was behind the temple facing the breast mountains). After this he was allowed in. Seeing how poor shape the monks were, he taught them exercises to improve there Physical shape. It is said that the Saholin monks were already working on some form of self-defense prior to Bodhidharma by archaeological studies done at the temple. It is said that one of the reasons that martial arts came about is because they needed a way to defend themselves against bandits that plagued the roadway between the temple and the town. Bodhidharma probably took what they had already started learning, his exercise regimen, and probably more techniques he knew to form the first style of Shaolin martial arts. It is said that what he taught them he learned and left with them these teachings in a collection of texts called the Yijin Jing and Xisui Jing(The Xisui Jing disappeared and is believed to have been taken by Dazu Huike)(It is also stated that it was actually always an oral tradition of being passed and that these books were actually written later). There are also legends saying that while on his way to the temple that he would teach martial arts. It is said one of his students by the name of Shen Guang cut off his arm to show his sincerity to Bodhidharma's teachings. Shen Guang later becomes Dazu Huike. He is said to have passed his symbolic robe and bowl of dharma to Dazu Huike before his death. His death would have been between 536 to 554. There is strong belief that he died during the mass executions of Heyin. According to the Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall, he was buried at mount Xionger. There is also a story in the Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall that 3 years after his death a person by the name of Songyun encounters him. He was carrying one sandal and said he was on his way back to India. His tomb was opened and all that was found in the tomb was one sandal. Texts Associated with Bodhidharma include "Two Entrances and Four Practices", "The Bloodstream sermon", "Dharma Teaching of Pacifying the Mind", "Treatise on Realizing the Nature", "Bodhidharma Treatise", "Refuting Signs Treatise" (a.k.a. "Contemplation of Mind Treatise"), and "Two Types of Entrance". There are also stories that instead of him going to the Shaolin temple that he actually built the temple. Bodhidharma's major teaching is that there are two paths to enter Dharma Gate, to study and to practice. The Kata Sanchin is said to have direct relations to Bodhidharma as does the horse stance, as they are both said to be treasures and gateways to enlightenment. This is why alot of the old martial arts would have a practitioner stand in horse stance for hours at a time(Though most histories state it as the time it takes a stick of incense to burn, which is about an hour). Below is different legends and info reguarding Bodhidharma: