SELECTION OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
DECEMBER 2023 PART 2
Running up the pyramid at Tikal, Guatemala
Question 1
— Sifu Rama Robeto, Shaolin Wahnam Costa Rica
Answer
It is kind of you to say that I am young. Actually I am more than 75, but I feel young. You feel young too. I guess you are about 30.It was great running up the steps of the pyramid and felt like walking up. I remember I was not tired nor panting for breaths.
It will be great meeting Dr Elsa Lucia. Please send her my regards. She must look very young.
Question 2
— James, England
Answer
Taijiquan is kungfu or Chinese martial arts. There are many branches of kungfu. Shaolin Kungfu is the most famous. Taijiquan is the next.
Other famous branches of kungfu are Lohan Kungfu, Eagle Claw and Praying Mantis, which spread from the northern Shaolin Monastery; and Hoong Ka Kungfu, Wing Choon Kungfu, Wuzuquan, Choy-Li-Fatt Kungfu which spread from the two southern Monasteries at Quanzhou and Jiulinshan.
My third sifu, Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, was from Quanzhou; and my first sifu, Uncle Righteousness, was from Jiulinshan. My second sifu, Sifu Chee Kim Thong, was a patriarch of Wuzuquan, and my fourth sifu, Siifu Choy Hoong Choy was a patriarch of Wing Choon Kungfu. We came from very distinguished sifus.
Wuzuquan is interesting. It is difficult to classify whether it came from the northern Monastery at Henan, or the two southern Monasteries at Quanzhou and Jiulinshan.
It was first practiced at Henan, but my second sifu, Sifu Chee Kim Thong, called it Southern Shaolin because a patriarch popularized it in Fujian Province in southern China.
A Taijiquan practitioner always puts his opponent in a disadvantageous position. "Immortal Waves Sleeves" is one pattern to do so. When you are very skilful, you can use any pattern.
A Taijiquan class in Sabah, Malaysia
Question 3
I see that I was going too deeply into a chi kung state of mind.
Answer
It is utmost important that we must not over-train. In our practice, if we practice the way of regional courses or intensive courses, we will over-train.Remember that chi kung takes years, but because we have to keep a time schedule and other factors, we practice chi kung in regional courses in hours or in intensive courses in days. It is excellent for those in regional courses and intensive courses, but in our regular practice we have to practice far below our potential at 30% or less.
Question 4
It will allow time to go through the Taijiquan 12 combat sequences.
Answer
You have to go slow in the 12 combat sequences of Taijiquan. It is skills not techniques that are important. You have to practice the 12 combat sequences as if you are taking Taijiquan.
Actually you don't have to repeat the 12 combat sequences of Taijiquan; your 16 combat sequences of Shaolin Kungfu is sufficient. Our combat sequences are very advanced.
You can handle any combat sequences competently be they in the forms of striking, kicking. felling and chin-na. I remember that when I first taught, many people suggested that we named our combat sequences "Advanced Kungfu", but I told them that they were our basics.
A Shaolin Kungfu class in Penang, Malaysia
Question 5
Would it be beneficial to recite the Heart Sutra just before meditation?
Would a Shaolin Wahnam student, or anyone, benefit from reciting the Heart Sutra? Does it have a specific purpose or various purposes when recited daily?
Answer
Anyone can benefit from reciting the "Heart Sutra". I recite it every day because it was from Guan Yin Bodh Satt, the main Bodh Satt in my altar.
Zen monks from many monasteries recite the "Heart Sutra" every day.
It is good to recite the "Heart Sutra" before meditation. In fact it can be recited at any suitable time.
"Mani Padme Hum" is a mantra of great protection. It is popular in Vajrayana Buddhism. The "Heart Sutra" is different.
If you are interested in the "Heart Sutra" you should read "Introduction to the Heart Sutra" which can be assessed at https://shaolin.org/general-2/unfinished-manuscripts/heart/heart01.html . In Sanskrit the "Heart Sutra" is called "Prajna Paramita Hrdaya".
I recite the "Heart Sutra" every day in Cantonese as follows:
Khoon Zi Choi Bohd Satt Harng Sam Bun Yeok Po Lo Meik Toh Si. Chew Yin Yi Sai Kai Hung Sei Li Zi Zik Chak Si Hung Hung Chak Si Sik Sau Seong Harng Sik Chik Foh Yu Si ..... Get Tei, Get Tei, Para Sang Get Tai Bodhi Sa Bo Ha
You may be more familiar with the English version as follows:
In his deep meditation whereby he attains prajna-paramita, or the transcendental wisdom leading to perfect Enlightenment, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva or Guan Yin Bodh Satt perceives that the five skandhas, or the five aggregates that constitute a human being, are actually all empty. In achieving Enlightenment, Guan Yin Bodh Satt overcomes for herself as well as for all beings, all suffering and calamity.
Sariputra, form is not different from emptiness; and emptiness is not different from form. Moreover, form is emptiness; and emptiness is form. In the same way, the other four of the five skandhas -- i.e. feeling, thought, activity, and consciousness -- are also empty. Hence, what is regarded as self, which is a transient collection of the five aggregates, is actually empty.
Sariputra, all phenomena are emptied of characteristics. There are in reality no such characteristics as arising or ceasing of phenomena. Phenomena are neither defiled nor pure. Phenomena are neither added nor subtracted from reality. Therefore, reality is transcendentally empty.
Regarding self, in transcendental reality, there is no form, no feeling, no thought, no activity, and no consciousness. Regarding phenomena, in transcendental reality, there is no eye-consciousness, no ear-consciousness, no nose-consciousness, no tongue-consciousness, no body-consciousness, and no intellect-consciousness. As a result of the absence of these six kinds of consciousness, there are no form, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch and no phenomena.
Thus, the six realms of defilement -- which are present in the phenomenal world, and are caused by the six kinds of consciousness, from eye-consciousness till intellect-consciousness -- are not found in transcendental reality.
The doctrine of dependent origination -- which explains how the phenomenal world originates from the twelve conditions of ignorance, activity, consciousness, modality, six entries, contact, feeling, desire, attachment, karma, birth, and age-death -- does not operate in transcendental reality experienced in Enlightenment. Hence, in Enlightenment there are no conditions or termination of conditions: from the first condition, i.e. no ignorance as well as no termination of ignorance, till the twelfth condition, i.e. no age-death as well as no termination of age-death.
In transcendental cosmic reality, the four noble truths do not operate: thus, there is no suffering, no cause of suffering, no extinction of suffering, and no noble eightfold path to extinguish suffering.
The six paramitas, or the six perfections of wisdom, also do not operate: thus, there is no perfection of charity, of discipline, of tolerance, of perseverance, of meditation, and of transcendental wisdom. The latter three perfections pertain to wisdom, while the first three pertain to merits. Hence, there is no wisdom and no merits in transcendental cosmic reality.
Bodhisattvas realize that originally there is Enlightenment, so there is actually no new attainment of Enlightenment. This realization is due to prajna-paramita or the transcendental wisdom of Buddhism. Thus the mind of a Bodhisattva has no obstruction, and as a result of this, there is also no obstruction in phenomenal existence. So a Bodhisattva has no fear whatsoever, and he is free from delusion and illusion, therefore attaining perfect nirvana.
All Buddhas of the three time dimensions, i.e. Buddhas of the past, present and future, attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, or the supreme perfect wisdom, because of their understanding and experience of prajna-paramita.
This Heart Sutra therefore is the great mantra of gods, the great mantra of wisdom, the supreme mantra, the mantra that surpasses whatsoever other mantras, and is able to eliminate all suffering. It is such a wonderful mantra because whatever is said in it is really true, without any falsehood. If you wish to recite this prajna-paramita mantra, recite as follows: gate, gate, para gate, para samgate, bodhi svaha.
Question 6
I was very interested in Sifu's recent post about the 72 Arts in the featured articles section of the Shaolin Wahnam website.
— John, Ireland
Answer
The "Art of Flexibility" is important as it makes you agile. Most people lose their flexibility as they reach 45. You should practice the "Art of Flexibility" before 30. If you maintain your practice, you can be very agile.
Iron-Plank-Bridge of Sifu Ho Fatt Namm
Question 7
Answer
You can practice the "Black Tortoise Method" by practicing any force training method. A good way is to go into the Horse-Riding Stance and perform "Double Dragons Emerge from Sea". You should perform the patterns very slowly.
Question 8
How can one train the Art of Dodging in solo-practice?
Answer
For the "Art of Dodging" you can prepare three sticks about an inch in diameter to about 2 feet in length each. Hang them up and practice hitting the string of three sticks. Try to avoid being hit by the third stick (from top to bottom).
When I was learning from Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, it was a secretive art. I was the only one taught this art. I don't know whether my sifu taught anyone else.
The Art of One-Finger Gold is like One-Finger Zen except that you harden the index fingers whereas in One-Finger Zen you leave the index fingers natural. One good way to harden the index fingers is to hang weights on them.
I taught this art to Ong Kong Beng during the time of Shaolin Wahnam Association at my house.
LINKS
Selected Reading
- Difference between Chi Kung and Tai Chi
- The Form of Carrying the Moon
- The Philosophy of Weapons and How to Capture Them
- Improvished Weapons
- Taijiquan for Health, Combat and Spiritual Cultivation