Buddhist Martial Arts (Bupmudo - Somatic Buddhism)
"My martial art is spirituality in physical form; somatic dharma. It's easy to teach someone to injure, maim and kill others, but it's much harder to learn to kill your own ego. The latter is the path we take in Bupmudo!" ~Venerable Master Joshua Wanji Paszkiewicz
At first glance, Buddhism and martial arts may seem like two pursuits at odds, rather than existing in kindred harmony. After all, Buddhism is a spiritual practice espousing the tenets of compassion and non-violence, whereas the very word martial (by means of its etymology) conveys a sense of war and destruction. In spite of the seeming dichotomy between the two, Buddhism and Martial Arts have a long history as complimentary endeavors oft engaged congruently by Buddhist Monastics in China, Korea and Japan.
Some 1500 years ago it is said that an Indian monk known as Bodhidharma traveled to China, taking up residence in what is commonly known to English speaking world as the Shaolin Temple (Korean: Sorimsa / Japanese: Shorinji). As legend has it, upon Bodhidharma's arrival at Shaolin he found the body of monks practicing there in a condition lacking both physical stamina and mental clarity. In answer to the lethargic state of the monks of Shaolin, Bodhidharma is said to have introduced a set of physical exercises that began the codification of martial arts as we know it today, in addition the experiential insight based teachings that eventually came to be known as Zen (Korean: Seon / Chinese: Chan) Buddhism.
At first glance, Buddhism and martial arts may seem like two pursuits at odds, rather than existing in kindred harmony. After all, Buddhism is a spiritual practice espousing the tenets of compassion and non-violence, whereas the very word martial (by means of its etymology) conveys a sense of war and destruction. In spite of the seeming dichotomy between the two, Buddhism and Martial Arts have a long history as complimentary endeavors oft engaged congruently by Buddhist Monastics in China, Korea and Japan.
Some 1500 years ago it is said that an Indian monk known as Bodhidharma traveled to China, taking up residence in what is commonly known to English speaking world as the Shaolin Temple (Korean: Sorimsa / Japanese: Shorinji). As legend has it, upon Bodhidharma's arrival at Shaolin he found the body of monks practicing there in a condition lacking both physical stamina and mental clarity. In answer to the lethargic state of the monks of Shaolin, Bodhidharma is said to have introduced a set of physical exercises that began the codification of martial arts as we know it today, in addition the experiential insight based teachings that eventually came to be known as Zen (Korean: Seon / Chinese: Chan) Buddhism.
In
the present day, the feats of mental skill and martial prowess
demonstrated by the Shoalin monks have been immortalized through world
tours, pop culture and martial arts media coverage.
The fighting monks of Korea’s past and the Zen savvy warriors of
Japan’s past are known to almost all martial
arts practitioners of any tenure. Yet, while the legends of Bodhidharma
and the Buddhist temple origins of martial arts are propagated
in the histories of almost all traditional styles, the actual practice
of Buddhist Martial Arts in the west remains virtually unknown.
Whilst a great many teachers today pay lip service to the promise if developing the trifecta of mind, body and spirit through pugilistic tutelage; the connection between executing numerous techniques, forms and kihaps and any inkling of spiritual development is oft tenuous at best, and anything but always completely ancillary. In this line of consideration, our Founding Master (Ven. Joshua Wanji Paszkieiwcz) developed the contemporary art of Bupmudo in 2006, to combat the practical ignorance of Buddhist Martial Arts in the west.
Whilst a great many teachers today pay lip service to the promise if developing the trifecta of mind, body and spirit through pugilistic tutelage; the connection between executing numerous techniques, forms and kihaps and any inkling of spiritual development is oft tenuous at best, and anything but always completely ancillary. In this line of consideration, our Founding Master (Ven. Joshua Wanji Paszkieiwcz) developed the contemporary art of Bupmudo in 2006, to combat the practical ignorance of Buddhist Martial Arts in the west.
Our Bupmudo (Buddhist Martial Arts) program is fully
accredited through the South Korean Ministry of Culture via the World
Kido Federation/Hanminjok Hapkido Association under President and
Chairman In Sun Seo.
We offer Bupmudo classes three times a week, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30pm in Lee's Summit Missouri. Contact Ven. Master Wanji directly for more information!
We offer Bupmudo classes three times a week, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30pm in Lee's Summit Missouri. Contact Ven. Master Wanji directly for more information!
