Legends of Kung Fu
According to legend, Kung Fu was invented at Shaolin temple in China by an Indian monk named Bodhidharma (Da Mo), who also is the founder of Zen. This is his story:
Bodhidharma was born the son of the king of a region in southern India. At a young age he realized that he was not interested in a life of politics, so he chose instead to study with the famous Buddhist master Prajnatara and become a Buddhist monk. Bodhidharma trained with his master for many years. One day he asked his master, “Master, when you pass away, where should I go? What should I do?” His master replied that he should go to Zhen Dan, which was the name for China at that time.
In 527 AD, 32 years after Ba Tuo’s founding of the Shaolin temple, Bodhidharma traveled to China where he became known as Da Mo. Emperor Wu, who ruled over the southern kingdom of China, invited Da Mo to come to his palace. According to Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall, this was their conversation.
Emperor Wu: “How much karmic merit have I earned for ordaining Buddhist monks, building monasteries, having sutras copied, and commissioning Buddha images?”
Da Mo: “None. Good deeds done with worldly intent bring good karma, but no merit.”
Emperor Wu: “So what is the highest meaning of noble truth?”
Da Mo: “There is no noble truth, there is only emptiness.”
Emperor Wu: “Then, who is standing before me?”
Da Mo: “I know not, Your Majesty.”
Da Mo’s answers enraged Emperor Wu and he ordered Da Mo to leave his palace and never return. Da Mo simply smiled, turned and left.
Da Mo continued north until he reached the Yangzi river. Legend says Da Mo took a single reed, placed it upon the surface of the Yangzi river and stepped onto the reed. He was carried across the Yangzi river by the force of his chi.
At this point, Da Mo was nearing the location of the Shaolin Temple. According to some stories, he was refused entrance due to the disrespect he had shown the emperor. Others say when he arrived, the Shaolin monks greeted him and invited him to come stay at the temple, but he declined. Either way, Da Mo went to a cave on a mountain behind the Shaolin Temple, sat down, and began meditating.
Da Mo’s concentration was so strong that he literally burned holes in the walls of the cave with his piercing eyes; other stories suggest that while meditating, the sun burned his silhouette directly onto the rock.
Da Mo sat facing a wall in the cave and meditated for nine years. He is said to have fallen asleep seven years into his nine years of wall-gazing. Becoming angry with himself, he cut off his eyelids to prevent it from happening again. According to the legend, as his eyelids hit the floor the first tea plants sprang up, and thereafter tea would provide a stimulant to help keep students of Chan (Zen) awake during zazen meditation.
After these 9 years, Da Mo came down from his cave and began teaching the monks at Shaolin.
