Question

• What are the restrictions in the life of a Shaolin Monk? What are the problems they must go through?

Answer 1

Sol. Laws & Rules: (Restriction in the life of a Shaolin Monk)

The aims of training in 72 Shaolin Arts are to improve health, be strong and sturdy, withstand external forces, eliminate inner diseases, protect oneself against attacks. Training should be treated seriously, do not be in a hurry. Success should be gradually achieved. When exercising, one must observe Five Demands: (i) be serious, (ii) be conscientious, (iii) the spirit should conform the will, (iv) take care of one's honor and (v) strictly follow the methods.

There are Ten Bans for those who train oneself: laziness, conceit, haste, excessiveness, a weakness for string drinks, folly, slander, hypocrisy, lack of respect for teachers and oppression of the young. There are also Ten Harms: sexual desires that harm the soul. the violent rage that harms QI, excessive thoughtfulness that harms nerves, sorrow that harms heart, the wine that harms blood, laziness that harms sinews, hurry that harms bones, smoking that harms lung, spicy food that harms stomach, excessive drinking that harms spleen

The Problems in the life of Shaolin Monk: It is comparatively difficult to train oneself in 72 Arts. One should make gradual progress step by step for a long time. Ten years fly by as one day as you go on training. Usually, it is unbearable for people. Beginners who have no appreciable effects in several months or half a year stop halfway. Others are already close to success but are full of vanity, they also stop training. There are people with a strong will who persistently train themselves and gain success. If immoral people are trained by specialists with poor professional skills, it is difficult for them to get a good result. And there are virtuous people of high moral standards who strictly follow all instructions of their masters, they are modest and friendly, loved by all masters, but they have little strength and poor health and can not bear a great amount of training. For, them it is also difficult to gain the aim and, therefore, achieve success and become a master.