Bodhidharma

From Karate, Kungfu, Wrestling, Mixed Fighting Information Source

Bodhidharma (Ta Mo or Da Mo in Chinese) was an Indian Buddhist monk who is regarded by many as the grandfather of most of what is today called Chinese Kung Fu. He was also the founder of Chan Buddhism, better known by its Japanese name, Zen Buddhism. Born in 440 CE, the third son of a king in southern India, Ta Mo received the standard education of an Indian prince of that time, including lessons in Indian martial arts and an upbringing in Buddhism, which at the time was as widespread in India as Hinduism. An extremely ascetic and devout monk, he soon became famous throughout India, and was appointed the 28th Patriarch of Indian Buddhism by Prajnatara, the 27th Patriarch.

Some time in the early 6th century CE, he journeyed to China to help spread Buddhism there and arrived at the Shaolin monastery in Henan Province in northern China. He found that the monks, who spent all their time translating texts or meditating, had become fat, weak, and unhealthy from lack of physical activity. He decided to teach the monks his knowledge of Indian martial arts with all their physical training, combined with imitations of the fighting styles of various animals which he had observed during his travels through the forests of India and China. This combination of Indian martial arts, native Chinese martial arts and mimicry of animal fighting formed the basis of what is commonly known as Kung Fu.

Continuing his strict lifestyle, Ta Mo is said to have meditated in a cave by staring at a wall for nine years, taking time out only for bodily demands and to practice his exercises and martial arts. He was eventually acknowledged as the first Patriarch of Chinese Chan (Zen) Buddhism. He died some time in the 530s CE.

One legend has it that some time after his death, Ta Mo was seen walking down a road in Henan Province, carrying only a sandal. When the witness asked him where he was headed, he replied, "Back to India." When told of this story, the monks at the temple opened his tomb: they found no corpse, but did find the other sandal.