Shaolin Kung Fu by Donn F. Draeger

Author:Donn F. Draeger
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing

The Lohan Pattern

General

One of the bases for both northern and southern styles of shaolin is the spirit and actions that are attributed to the Lohan. The Lohan was originally a bandit type of character who roamed freely over the Chinese countryside making his living by device and sheer cunning. Stealing, lying, and cheating, the Lohan included the worst possible traits in bis personal character. Foul play was the Lohan’s specialty, making him truly a professional thug.

Traditional legends tell how a certain notorious Lohan was befriended by a Chinese Buddhist monk and given food and shelter. Impressed with the hospitality and generosity of the monk, the Lohan determined to mend his bad ways. He undertook a complete personal reform. He studied such academic subjects as religion and philosophy and eventually became an honest and upright citizen. Today, Chinese still revere this Lohan as a man of scholarly and religious attainment and admire his put-down-the-sword-and-turn-to-prayer action. Below is a short summary of the religious significance of the Lohan. This explanation may help the modern shaolin exponent appreciate the importance of the Lohan to shaolin teachings.

Chinese Buddhism recognizes three types of spiritually perfected beings: (1) Buddhas, who perceive the truth for themselves and teach it to others, (2) Pratyeka-Buddhas, or private Buddhas, who perceive truth but keep it to themselves, and (3) Arhats, or Worthies, who learn the truth from others, but realize it only for themselves. In Mandarin Chinese, the Arhat is called Lohan.

The Lohan belongs to the third class of the Buddhist hierarchy. He is a being who, through his earnest belief in the teachings of Buddha and his aspiration to become a Lohan, is a perfected form of being for whom there is no rebirth. He already enjoys Nirvana, but will only enter fully into that blissful state after death, with all vestiges of his personality negated. The road to becoming a Lohan is a hard one. This status can only be attained by he who dedicates his life to the attainment of personal virtue based on self-sacrifice. The Lohan is endowed with certain special qualities, such as the Three Insights:

1. Insight into the mortal conditions of Self and others in previous lives

2. Supernatural Insight into future mortal conditions

3. Nirvana Insight into present mortal sufferings, allowing the Lohan to overcome all passions or temptations

But a Lohan also possesses Six Supernatural Powers:

1. Instantaneous view

2. Ability to hear any sound anywhere

3. Ability to know the thoughts of all minds

4. Knowledge of all former existences of Self and others

5. Power to be anywhere or to do anything at will

6. Supernatural Consciousness of the waning vicious propensities

Original Lohan shaolin technique is believed to have consisted of Shih-pa Lohan Shou (Lohan eighteen hands). The number of techniques comes from the number of basic exercises attributed to the genius of Ta Mo. The primary purpose of original Lohan technique was to provide monks with a method of self-practice by which their general health could be improved. Through the use of the Lohan technique, monks sought to

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