If we paid attention to what was said about the monks where doing during Bodhidharma’s time, we see that they were practicing meditation techniques incorrectly and they did not get the full benefit of meditation, which is what the word Dhyana (Ch’an) actually means.
what was said? who said it? what were they doing incorrectly? what are your sources?
anyone can make a statement on the Internet. i have provided sources, what are yours?
understand that, by Bodhidharma’s arrival, Buddhism had been in China for almost 500 years. many major developments in Chinese Buddhism had already occurred. many of the important sutras had already been translated into Chinese. numerous foreign monks had made immense contributions to the spread of Buddhism in China – An Shikao, Lokaksema, Dharmaraksa, Kumarajiva, they all had many disciples, and their activities and writings have been recorded in many sources and included in the Buddhist Canon.
Why is it not possible for the Chinese people back then learned or practiced half-ass Budhism? How can we presume that everyone fully understood the foreign teahers and their languages with a foreign religion [re: concepts and all] at a time when academic pursuit wasn’t even affordable to all.
see above. Buddhism had been in China already 500 years when Bodhidharma got there, how stupid do you think the Chinese people are? many sutras had been translated, annotated, commented upon numerous times, numerous other monks had come from India bringing teachings and practices with them.
It is also understandalbe that some religious inclined folks would want the Hindu root seperates from Budhist practice to fit their own agenda.
it’s equally understandable that people seeking to add mystique to the legends concerning the origins of Shaolin would like to claim that CMA originated from India to fit their own agenda.
From most of the accounts that talk about the monks points to that they were often not physically fit or falling asleep during meditations that indicates inproper practice in my mind. Inporper meditaion techniques or practice will make one sick too. Now I am not saying I have iron clad proof that’s what happened. How many generations would have passed during 500 years and can we be sure nothing got lost during that 500 years? It only takes more or less 50 years to get people to think Modern Wushu is the real deal. Now it is even in the walls of Shaolin. In the 80, there was a visit from Japanese Shaorinji Kempo (?). The abbot then “immediately” recognize the founder of that style who supposedly was studying in the temple as a young man in his teens. That was like 1940s. Now if this is recorded in the Shaolin book of records. What would the SCHOLARS say in the future 500 years from now? Regarding the sutras, as many as millions of people have heard of or even read the Vajra Pranja Paramita (AKA Diamond sutra) how many people actually understand the parable that it was based upon? Just the title alone has the rich meaning of becoming Arhat or Lohan. Why of all things, the sutra’s title has to do with the powerful weapon of the Indian King of the lesser Gods - Indra? Like all other religions, rationalism and mysticism are 2 forces that drive the debate. It is human to be a little bit of both. You might blindside yourself by just taking one approach. But that’s your believe, I respect that.
