PS: Zen Buddhism neither advocates reading scriptures, nor advocating cumbersome rituals, abandoning the traditional practice of gradual cultivation, but a kind of understanding of "ultimate existence" when carefully observing and thinking deeply about things, that is, "epiphany to become a Buddha", the so-called "epiphany" refers to the great enlightenment of external things beyond time and space in a moment, so as to form a way of thinking and practice mode of "drinking", "pointing directly to the human heart, seeing nature to become a Buddha", emphasizing intuitive epiphany and light logical analysis. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

The way martial arts themselves are passed down and practiced has many similarities with Zen Buddhism. Therefore, the two can be linked by "enlightenment". The "enlightenment" of "pointing directly to the heart of the Buddha" can be said to be the essence of Shaolin martial arts to learn from Buddhism, thus forming a unique practice mode of Shaolin school martial arts Zen boxing, Zen guiding boxing, and martial arts enlightenment. This common "enlightenment" between the two narrowed the distance between Shaolin Temple and martial arts, and may provide a good psychological identity for the birth of Shaolin martial arts in the Shaolin Temple. The interaction between the two, consciously or unconsciously, inevitably promotes the development and spread of each other.

The formation of Shaolin martial arts has its own historical reasons and its own uniqueness.

1. The commonalities between Zen Buddhism and martial arts

The commonality of Zen Buddhism and martial arts is "enlightenment".

(1) Zen Buddhism

Zen Buddhism is Buddhism introduced from India and has strong Chinese cultural characteristics after being integrated into Chinese culture, and has gained great influence in China as a school of Buddhism. "Do not stand words, touch things is Buddha" long wind, this kind of "do not stand" and "all stand" thinking, Shaolin martial arts has a great inspiration.

1. Enlightenment and Buddhahood

Zen Buddhism does not advocate the reading of the scriptures. It also does not advocate cumbersome rituals and abandons the traditional practice of gradual cultivation, but an understanding of "ultimate existence" when carefully observing and thinking deeply about things, that is, "enlightenment and enlightenment", the so-called "enlightenment" refers to the great realization of external things beyond time and space in a moment. As a result, the way of thinking and practice mode of "drinking with sticks", "pointing directly at people's hearts, seeing nature to become a Buddha", emphasizing intuitive epiphany and ignoring logical analysis.

The way martial arts themselves are passed down and practiced has many similarities with Zen Buddhism. Therefore, the two can be linked by "enlightenment". The "enlightenment" of "pointing directly to the heart of the Buddha" can be said to be the essence of Shaolin martial arts to learn from Buddhism, thus forming a unique practice mode of Shaolin school martial arts Zen boxing, Zen guiding boxing, and martial arts enlightenment. This common "enlightenment" between the two narrowed the distance between Shaolin Temple and martial arts, and may provide a good psychological identity for the birth of Shaolin martial arts in the Shaolin Temple. The interaction between the two, consciously or unconsciously, inevitably promotes the development and spread of each other.

2. The mystery of religion

The mystical nature of religion casts a veil of mystery over Shaolin martial arts, catering to the needs of folk culture. Mythology is the birthplace of religion and the earliest manifestation of religious consciousness. Primitive mythology already contains the germ of a religious theme that has matured and matured later. Zen Buddhism was also not good, although it got rid of cumbersome, advanced theories and strict spiritual precepts, and quickly adapted to Chinese society. However, the vast majority of people do not really understand Zen Buddhism, and people are full of mysteries and fantasies about the "nirvana fruit" of Zen Buddhism. There are many stories about divine help and divine endowment in Shaolin martial arts, such as Seng Chou Xueyi, Bian Cheng Xueyi, and Jinnara Hu Temple. The original reasons for the emergence of these stories may be different, but the same thing is that the Shaolin school of martial arts has a significantly higher status in people's minds than other schools of non-religious influence. The mystification of Shaolin martial arts caters to the psychological needs of Chinese folk culture. It has broadened the space for the development of Shaolin martial arts. Similarly, the development of Shaolin martial arts also played a positive role in promoting and promoting the widespread spread of Buddhism in China.

3. The need for entertainment and fitness

Shaolin Temple is named because it is located in Shaomuro Sanyin, the forest on the mountain is dense, the environment is quiet and elegant, but on the other hand, there are often fierce beasts. For the sake of their own safety, they must adopt effective fighting methods to fight against it, so it provides subjective initiative for the birth of martial arts. The monks' practice method is mainly meditation and epiphany, which will inevitably pose a threat to physical health, coupled with the boring monotony of practice, out of the need for fitness and entertainment, Shaolin monks take martial arts as fun and build themselves with martial arts after eating. It can be said that martial arts was a kind of sports activity in the Shaolin Temple at that time, and some "big competitions" were carried out for the purpose of strengthening the body and entertainment, which promoted the development of Shaolin martial arts. "Continuing the Biography of High Monks" contains: "In the palace, it is said that the king of the hundred monks and his wife eat by themselves. Eat after fasting. Learn martial arts. ”

4. The tolerant and secular nature of Zen Buddhism

The teachings of the Buddhist scriptures require people to cut off contact with family and society during the period of cultivation of "the four great emptiness" and "the six roots are all quiet", and even completely transcend the realm of culture. This state of monasticism can only be used as an ideal, and it is difficult to integrate it with real life, so people also seek the popularization of the Buddha in non-essential situations. After Buddhism was introduced to China, through the determined reforms of Bodhidharma and Huineng, Buddhism, especially Zen Buddhism, had a tolerance and secularity that other religions rarely had. This provides the possibility for Shaolin martial arts to take root and grow in Buddhist monasteries, and also provides an ideological basis for Shaolin martial arts to absorb the essence of folk martial arts and folk martial arts to enter Shaolin. The tolerant nature of Zen Buddhism provided the prerequisites for the survival of martial arts closely associated with Taoism in the monastery; Secularity allowed Shaolin monks to learn from folk martial arts, so that Shaolin martial arts could develop rapidly and comprehensively.

(2) The role of war in promoting Shaolin martial arts

Shaolin Temple has been rewarded by the royal since the establishment of the temple, with a large amount of land and property, "the temple to seize the people's houses, three points and one", the continuous expansion of the privileged power of Buddhism, the owner of the temple must be strict with the peasants and low-level monks who enter the temple. Shaolin Temple, as a ** or semi-** nature of the "Buddha country" is essentially a landlord group, which must represent the interests of the landlord class. Due to the change of dynasties or the frequent wars during the government ** period, the harsh government and the tiger, the peasants' lives are difficult, "fake Mushamen, actually avoid the transfer of service", tens of thousands of people poured into the Buddhist monasteries, coupled with the continuous emergence of peasants and monks in the Northern Wei Dynasty, such as the peasant uprising led by Dingzhou Wang Jingou in the second year of the founding of the temple (497 AD), in such an objective historical background, the consistency of Shaolin Temple and national interests will inevitably prompt Shaolin monks and soldiers to participate in the class struggle and act as a tool of class rule. Based on the historical background of the time, it is entirely possible to draw such conclusions. After the establishment of Shaolin Temple, the practice of martial arts by monks led by Seng Chou is completely a need of the times and a universal demand for Buddhism. Therefore, during the Northern Wei Dynasty, and even postponed to the end of the Sui Dynasty, the martial arts practices of Shaolin monks were not special to other temples at that time, so Shaolin Temple could not be regarded as different from other temples. And Seng Chou is not a representative of Shaolin Boxing, as Cheng Chongdou said in "Shaolin Stick Law Interpretation": "There are no warrior monks in the sea, only those in Shaolin Temple, and they are also important to protect the religion." ”。 However, the motives and behaviors of the Shaolin Temple to resist thieves, protect the temple, and protect its interests and status have played an important role in promoting the formation of Shaolin martial arts, and also show that class struggle is an important external factor for the formation of Shaolin martial arts. 2. National struggle. Shaolin monks and soldiers participated in the national struggle in the Ming Dynasty, especially in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, and repeatedly made many awards, which shocked China for the reputation of Shaolin Temple, Shaolin monks and soldiers, and Shaolin martial arts. This is an important turning point in Shaolin martial arts, and an important opportunity for the real development and promotion of Shaolin martial arts.

Second, chivalrous culture

The Shaolin martial arts school has a close internal relationship with the chivalrous culture with Chinese characteristics, which is mainly manifested in the following three aspects

First, Shaolin martial arts are broad and profound, no one can exhaust them, it is the largest martial arts treasure house in the world, and it is worthy of being the first major school of martial arts, so in the rivers and lakes, the Shaolin school often acts as the defender of "morality", the referee and the leader. For example, Shaolin in Jin Yong's "No Dragon Babu", the ultimate realm of martial arts in the world lies in Shaolin; The leading brother who attacked the Liao people in front of Yanmen Pass, out of Shaolin, used compassion Buddhism to make Wang Baxiong and the sea of blood and hatred return to the dust, and resolve grievances, which lies in Shaolin. Of course, sometimes Shaolin also has a situation where excessive tolerance leads to greed, such as "Heaven and Dragon Slayer" Yuanzhen (Cheng Kun) does evil rivers and lakes, which has a lot to do with Shaolin's connivance, they think that people's hearts can be transformed, but they don't know that some villains are difficult to change, and so on.

Second, from the origin legend of Shaolin, a number of chivalrous literary and artistic works have been produced. One of the most famous is the movie starring Jet Li, "Shaolin Temple", which tells the legend of "Thirteen Stick Monks Saving the Tang King" and Shaolin began to carry forward during the Sui and Tang Dynasties, about Bodhidharma's creation of Shaolin and the pioneering contributions made by senior monks in the past dynasties to Shaolin, and some chivalrous literary works reflect it.

Third, Shaolin plays an important role in opposing the Qing Dynasty and resisting foreign aggression, Shaolin has had heroic deeds against the Japanese, and it is said that the Qing Dynasty is engaged in the secret activities of "anti-Qing and Ming", and the chivalrous cultural legend of Shaolin has been produced here. Yu Da Ying, a famous anti-Japanese general in the Ming Dynasty, is said to have a great relationship with Shaolin; Hongmen Tiandi will be said to originate from Shaolin; In literary and artistic works, there is a "Fang Shiyu series" with the theme of Shaolin lay disciples, and so on.

Shaolin is the sect of Chinese martial arts and also occupies an important position in chivalrous culture. (To be continued......)