I have a not-so-serious question for all the Zen history buffs out there ...
Apart from the fact that the whole "Bodhidharma" story is seemingly a lovely "paradigm", a meaningful (and timeless) myth cooked up, polished up and embellished up by later generations ...
http://www.thezensite.com/ZenEssays/Phi ... adigm.html
... how do we reconcile the Bodhidharma who sat so long that his legs vanished (as captured in the rolly-polly "Daruma Doll" of Japan) ...
... and who cut off his own eyelids lest he close them and fall asleep (turning to the first tea leaves, thus helping to explain the long connection of Zen and Caffeine) ...
http://www.theteafaq.com/tea/informatio ... elids.html
... with the Bodhidharma who is the founder of Kung Fu at Shaolin Temple (home of Master Caine, and depicted in this drawing ... apparently by the same guy who does the Elvis on Velvet paintings) ...
... not to mention this wonderful Bodhidharma Action Figure. Dig the 6-Pack Abs! You don't get those just by sitting on a Zafu! Not without sit-ups too!
Anyway, so here is my really serious-not question. Somebody asked me, and I was stumped:
How do you teach Kung Fu if always sitting, let alone if your legs fall off?
Now, I know all about
Wu Wei ... moving while sitting still, the legs that need no legs. After all,
Zen is the most effective of martial arts, for there is ultimately
nobody in need of defending, nothing which ever can be snatched away. True 'Karate', for the Hand of Thought is Empty. That is -not- what I mean.
I am asking for a logical explanation for how a guy with no legs, and fully occupied for 9 years with sitting could find time and legs to teach a Karate class? Like, did he take breaks during the 9 years for lessons each Wednesday over at the temple, maybe with a pair of prosthetics? Levitation? You don't get Abs like that just by sitting on a Zafu! Not without sit-ups too!
Any thoughts?
Gassho, Stumped