SELECTION OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
NOVEMBER 2023 PART 3

The Buddha

The Buddha

Question 1

Taiwan is a comfortable place, but on the other hand the government and society have become more Western oriented. My opinion is that while Western culture has brought some good things, people here have basically been weakened by it.

— Sifu Mark Blohm, Shaolin Wahnam Taiwan

Answer

I am glad that Yu Hua is doing well. You have to love her dearly.

You certainly deserve a bigger house with a bigger yard.

It may be good to check up with "feng shui" (or energy of the environment). Perhaps she might not agree with some factors of the environment.

Westernization is widespread. Today Western medicine means world medicine. However, there are just too many diseases Western medicine fails to address, whereas traditional Chinese medicine treats a person according to physical and psychological functions.

Chi kung Healing uses traditional Chinese medicine. Wherever there is chi, there is life, and chi permeates the whole universe. You just have to wait for the right time

Question 2

I was in South Korea 100s of feet above the city of Seoul.

— John, Ireland

Answer

It was lovely that the Great Dipper was over South Korea.

The "Three Levels to the Ground" as the name implies is for the leg. I was at first not clear about its functions, but then I realized why Bodhidharma was great as many people cannot walk properly or have problems with their legs.

The Wudang San Feng Set is one of my favourites. It showed why Zhang San Feng was great. He was the one who integrated the physical, the energy and the mind. We have Zhang San Feng to thank as we all have triple-cultivation.

Without anything else, when we train a kungfu set, we develop internal force and have mental clarity. Of course we can use other chi kung or kungfu methods.

Three Levels to the Ground

Three Levels to the Ground

Question 3

Now that Russia is attacking so close to us, all these fear arise and many Finnish people are afraid Russia will attack Finland as well. Especially older people are affected by the fear.

— Sifu Nessa Kahila, Shaolin Wahnam Finland

Answer

The Shaolin arts are great.

There is no need to be afraid. Many people are leaving Russia and Russia is aiming for peace.

Question 4

Why did Buddhism leave India?

— Bala, India

Answer

Buddhism left India to become a world religion. It spread to China, Japan, Mongolia, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal and Malaysia.

It was a principal religion in India for many centuries.

Adi Shankaracharya

Adi Shankaracharya, taken from a picture at https://vivekavani.com/works-adi-shankaracharya

Question 5

Is it because of Hindu monks like Shankaracharya?

Answer

Adi Shankaracharya lived many centuries after the Buddha.

It was not true that Hindu monks like Adi Shankaracharya that Buddhism left India, though Abi Shankaracharya was a great religious teacher.

He built 4 temples -- north, south, east and west -- following the Buddhist temples.

Question 6

Have you read about Hindu philosophy like Advaita Vedanta?

Answer

Yes, I have read about Hindu philosophy like Advaita Vedanta.

Jaluka, a son of Asoka the Great, built a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, where Adi Shankaracharya later had his Enlightenment.

Chi kung

Chi kung

Question 7

Did the Buddha believe in God? Did he believe in a soul?

Answer

The Buddha did not believe in God, but he believed in Gods.

The King of Gods is the Jade Emperor. The Buddha is above the King. (Hsung Zhang was so great that Emperor Harsha kissed his feet.)

There was a long debate between the Buddhists on one hand and the Confucianists and the Taoists on the other. The Buddhists advocated heaven and hell. Those whose efforts in this world and past lives were good would go to heaven, those whose efforts were evil would go to hell.

The idea came from India.

Question 8

According to Ambedkar, a Brahmin, became vegetarian in order to defeat Buddhism.

Answer

In the 20th century, B.R.Ambedkar headed a committee drafting the Constitution of India. He was the Law and Justice Minister in the first cabinet of Jawaharial Nehru.

He was a Buddhist. He was not a Brahmin but an "untouchable".

LINKS

Overview

Selected Reading

Courses and Classes