9781422286692

K U N G F U

THE VALUE OF KUNG FU Kung fu is an art form. It is also a method of self-defense—not offense. There are many stories about the legendary power held by kung fu masters. It is useful to remember, however, that although hard training in kung fu brings skill and power, with that power comes responsibility—the responsibility not to be a show-off or a braggart and not to misuse your kung fu skills. EXERCISE Kung fu also has a long tradition of being used to entertain people. During the Ching Dynasty (1644–1911), medicine sellers would use kung fu to attract crowds. The martial arts book Barefoot Zen describes a staged fight between two medicine sellers: “During the long journey from Sichuan to the misty peaks of Honan Province, Chu found that the food, language, customs, people, and villages varied considerably. In one village, the name of which he could not pronounce, he saw two medicine sellers fighting in the street. They growled at each other, leapt high into the air, clashed, and landed. One of them came down with a mock expression of pain on his face, and the other immediately went on the offensive. The action was terrific: kicks, flips, dodges, punches, and counterpunches, all executed with precision

THE GREATER HAPPINESS

“If by renouncing a lesser happiness one attains to a happiness that is greater, then let the wise pursue that happiness which

is greater.” Dhammapada: 290

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