Buddhist Shaolin and Taoist alchemy differences

[Maddie]

As may be, however I will tell you now that if you seriously look into the perception and imagery of many things from the past you will find that how we view such things is largely a recent construction and is not accurate regarding the reality of the past.

 

I have found this to be true with many things. Read critically and study old and new writings, make up your own mind.

 

Now you can argue that what is done "in the name of" by people who feel they are, or in fact do legitimately represent something, is not actually representative of the thing they claim to represent.

 

Wars and killing have often occured "in the name of" one religion or another.

Well that part as a general rule I'm well aware of as I was a history major

[寒月 Hanyue]

Well that part as a general rule I'm well aware of as I was a history major

 

Good for you, has it actually helped?

[Maddie]

Good for you, has it actually helped?

I pretty much changed my life path from one that was not working very well for me, to one that works much better, .... so yea, I'd say so lol

[寒月 Hanyue]

Marevlous stuff, you got a better life and you've aquired have the training you need to read critically and find the answers to your question

Edited June 6, 2013 by snowmonki

[Mudfoot]

In many books on Shaolin practice I have found that they are talking just about Ba Duan Jin, Yi Jin Jing and Xi Sui JIng. That they focus on clearing energy blockages from body and packaging energy to tendons, ligaments and bone marrow and lower dan tien, mix water and fire, so they become better "conductors" of energy, hence their inner power.

 

As I read about Taoist practices there are much more detailed "energetic anatomy". They focus on strengthening all 3 dan tiens, central channel, 8 extraordinary channels, nourish heaven (stars, sun, moon), earth (soil, water, wind), man (jing, qi, shen), fire-water, whole Mantak Chia program, etc.

 

Ofc there are also meditations included into these practices as primary practice and as the most crucial.

 

Are these correct information? Do you have something to add to this? Is there anything else that I should consider for understanding better these practices?

Threads drift, like continents ......

 

Shaolin is not one tradition but many, just as the Daoist traditions are many and diverse.

Some of the systems you mention above have been very publicly taught, "folk-qigong", and in these information get lost.

 

So, what differs Shaolin and Daoism when it comes to enlightenment/immortality. Well, from a Daoist point of view (in Quanzhen litterature, for example) the result of Chan meditation is a yin ghost, while the result of Daoist internal alchemy is a yang spirit. Chan meditation cultivates essence only, while internal alchemy cultivates essence and life.

 

If you take a qigong style that came more recently from the actual Shaolin temple, Shaolin Nei Jing Yi Zhi Chan Gong, several different branches have evolved.

All of them teach static postures with finger bending exercises. Some also teach dynamic movements from Shaolin Luohan Zhuang Kung.

In these, you work with the five elements, the three dantiens, extraordinary meridians, and so on (connecting to Heaven and Earth, yes, to the planets, no). You also have fighting methods that developed to healing methods including all levels of healing from physical to basic energetic to emotional to mental and in to the spiritual. Everything that a retiring soldier might need.

Here, it is hard to se major differences between Daoist and Shaolin arts, actually there is greater differences between some daoist arts than it is between Shaolin and some Daoist arts.

 

Da Mo (Bodhidarma) is mentioned with a lot of Shaolin-related stuff. Most of that is probably historically inaccurate.

Da Mo is emphasized because without him there is no Chan lineage, no mind-to-mind transmission going back to Buddha.

 

Similarities, differences.

Do you want to live forever, walk like a Daoist.

If you want to live, this life, not being encumbered by your experiences, and seeing things for what they are, maybe it doesn't matter which way you choose.

 

Or, you can spend a lifetime arguing about it instead of practising.

[Wu Ming Jen]

In my opinion chinese buddhism was soaked in taoism from the start. At first buddhism was an external foreign system and latter accepted as it was blended at Shaolin and the culture welcomed it (Awakened human). Chan was born and zen developed by means of a mens club wearing their meditation cushions out staring at walls(just saying).

 

In the north respect goes to Shaolin in the south Wudang. To separate Shaolin and Wudang would be a mistake to this day the connection remains. Black tiger cave on Wudang is a Shaolin sect. Chang San Feng mastered Shaolin before coming to Wudang and Taught by a taoist sage.

 

Internal methods are inherently Taoist that predates buddhism arrival in China. Religious Taoism may have been in response to buddhist having a formal religion.