ONE FINGER ZEN AND SOME INCREDIBLE STORIES
(Sceptics can choose to believe I talk non-sense)
Grandmaster Ho's specialty was One Finger Zen
Question
Did the One Finger Zen hand form originate with Bodhidharma's teachings at the Shaolin Temple?
The One Finger Zen is used in many force training arts: One Finger Shooting Zen, Iron Wire and Golden Bridge to name a few. What is the significance of One Finger Zen in force training and generally what effects does it have on ones daily life/combat/spiritual training?
I believe Sigung Ho's favourite art was One Finger Shooting Zen. Over other treasures such as Sinew Metamorphosis, Small Universe and meditation, what makes One Finger Shooting Zen such an amazing art?
Finally, we've read some interesting stories about Sigung Ho's expertise in One Finger Zen. Do you perhaps have any more stories to share with us?
-- Ish
Answer
I am not sure whether the One-Finger Zen hand form originated from Bodhidharma's teaching. One of the patterns in the Eighteen Lohan Hands, "Shooting Arrows", uses the One-Finger Zen hand form, but I am not sure whether this pattern was originally taught by Bodhidharma at the Shaolin Temple or it was developed later. The many pictures in kungfu and chi kung classics showing the Eighteen Lohan Hands and Sinew Metamorphosis that I have, do not show the One-Finger Zen hand form.
The One-Finger Zen is a very high level technique in force training. Only those who are quite advanced in internal force can appreciate it. I remember that in my young days when I went looking for black belts for free sparring, Taekwondo masters often told their students to always hold their fists.
When I asked why, they said that firstly their fingers would be sprained by kicks, and secondly fists were more powerful than fingers. I was discrete enough not to argue with them that if their opponents could kick their fingers, their opponents could also kick other parts of their body, and that according to kungfu philosophy the fingers were the most powerful, followed by the palms, and then only the fists.
The lung meridian runs through to the tip of the index finger used for One-Finger Zen. According to Chinese medical philosophy, the lungs are the organs for generating energy. When one uses the One-Finger Zen in training, he enhances the lung meridian, thus generating a lot of energy.
Hence, its training which results in a lot of energy enhances every aspect of daily life and combat. When one is well trained in One-Finger Shooting Zen, it doesn't mean that only his index finger is powerful. His palms, his fist, his arms, in fact his whole body is powerful.
A lot of energy will strengthen the spirit, thus contributing to spiritual training. Not many people realize that spiritual cultivation demands a lot of energy.
My sifu, Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, once told me that lower spirits were very scared of the One-Finger Zen. He advised me not to use it on them unless it was absolutely necessary as it would cause them much injury.
I used the One-Finger Zen once on a monster, which was many times more powerful than lower spirits. It was troubling a student. I asked it to go away but it refused. I pointed my One-finger Zen at it, and immediately it flew away in a hurry.
A very special feature of One-Finger Shooting Zen is that besides being very effective for combat, it is also very effective for healing. I believe that a main reason why I could help many people relieved from their suffering and recover from their so-called incurable diseases is my long training in One-Finger Shooting Zen.
The application is not necessary direct. In fact, if I wish to transmit chi I often use the sword-finger instead of the One-Finger Zen. The application is indirect. Because of the tremendous internal force I have developed in my One-Finger Shooting Zen training, I become a more efficient healer.
Here are two short stories about my sifu and his One-Finger Zen, the first told to me by my sifu himself, and the second told to me by my siheng, Ah Heng, who practiced Taoist cultivation from my sifu.
A strong, big-sized man insulted my sifu's mother. When my sifu intervened and advised the man to stop, he attacked my sifu. My sifu dotted a vital point at the base of his throat with One-Finger Zen. The man immediately collapsed and white foam issued continuously from his mouth.
My sifu jokingly said, "It caused me more trouble than him." My sifu had to carry the big-sized man upstairs to a room to revive him.
One day my sifu was invited to a house troubled by a monster. When my sifu and Ah Heng arrived the monster had entered the body of a woman. On-lookers could see that the face of the woman changed immediately and her eyes became fiery red.
My sifu reasoned with the monster, asking it to leave. Suddenly the monster attacked my sifu, attempting to slap my sifu with its right hand. Instantly my sifu gripped the monster's right wrist with his left tiger-claw. Immediately the monster attempted to slap my sifu with his other hand. My sifu gripped it with his right tiger-claw.
I still remember the occasion my siheng told me this story. The incident must be quite funny as my siheng was quite amused when relating it. But the next instant was not amusing. The monster changed into a gigantic black spider, filling the whole room. (It is understandable that many people may not believe it. They can choose to believe that I talk non-sense.)
My sifu immediately used his One-Finger Zen to dot the navel of the gigantic spider. The monster immediately fled away. This incident was witnessed by many people.
-- Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit
One Finger Shooting Zen is a treasure of Shaolin Wahnam
The above is reproduced from the thread 10 Questions for Grandmaster: Legacy of Bodhdharma in the Shaolin Wahnam Discussion Forum.
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