To clarify the origins of Zen founder Boddhidarma

[Blue totem]

Boddhidarma was actyally a Persian (which is modern Iran). He traveled to India where he learned martial arts and yoga focusing on Dhyana, which means meditation. Then he traveled to China to end up at the Shaolin temple, where he founded Chan and Shaolin kung-fu. He then whent to Japan and founded Zen and the budos. Zen, Chan and Dhyana all mean the same thing, these words all mean ''meditation'' in their respective language.
Zazen, which mean ''sitting meditation'', is practiced in the lotus position. This position comes from yoga, originating in India
Boddhidarma was a meditation master, and a martial arts master. Its is said that all martial arts in Asia originate from him. It is said he had pale eyes, and had a tendency to be a little over weight, he also had a heart condition. It is said he was 100 years old when he arrived at the Shaolin. Korea also has Zen, which is called Seon.
Monks from the Shaolin temple traveled to many parts of Asia, and spreaded martial arts. They actually had to escape persecusion from the Chinese government. The Shaolin temple was destroyed and rebuilt many times.

[Vrill]

Thanks BT.  Did he actually make it to Japan?  I wasn't aware of the Persian connection.   It's thought he originally came from South India, which might explain his connection to Mahayana, which probably originated in South India.  Then again there seem to be a number of versions and stories.
Also the origins of Mahayana are very obscure as well.

[Guest]