The meditative state allows you to perceive reality in its most empty form. Knowledge and understanding of things emerge from that emptiness, and the Zhan Zhuang is a tool to find the emptiness and transform the raw force into internal/intelligent one. It is necessary to reach the limit of thoughts where there are no more thoughts. To get to the limit of body consciousness, where the body disappears. But it is not possible to explain it by words.
Although we can also practice Zhan Zhuang in an absolutely pragmatic way, thinking about structure and alignment, Master Wang Xian Zhai suggests something much more. In 意拳 正軌 [The Correct Way of Yi Quan] he shows us a beautiful parallelism between the practice of Chan Buddhism and martial training.
Although we can also practice Zhan Zhuang in an absolutely pragmatic way, thinking about structure and alignment, Master Wang Xian Zhai suggests something much more. In 意拳 正軌 [The Correct Way of Yi Quan] he shows us a beautiful parallelism between the practice of Chan Buddhism and martial training.
Here is a part that I have translated:
欲求技擊妙用，須以站樁換勁為根始。所謂使其弱者轉為強，拙者化為靈也。若禪學者，始於戒律，而後精於定慧，証於心源，了悟虛空，窮於極處，然後方可學道，禪功如此，技擊猶然。蓋初學時，樁法頗繁，如降龍樁、伏虎樁、子午樁、三才樁等，茲去繁就簡，採取各樁之長，合而為一，名曰渾元樁，利於生勁，便於實搏，精打顧、通氣學，學者鍛鍊旬日，自有效果，亦非筆墨所能表達其神妙也。
If you want to use your fighting skills in an excellent way, you have to start from the practice of Zhàn Zhuāng and the transformation of strength. This is what is called transforming weakness into strength and transforming clumsiness into effectiveness. The practitioners of Chan Buddhism, begin with monastic discipline, then they become skillful in meditation and wisdom [See Note 1], then they discover the fountain of the mind [The origin of mind], they realize the reality of emptiness, until they reach the edge of extremity is where they find The Way.
The practice of Chán Buddhism is like this, and so are martial arts.
In the beginning of the study, there are many standing methods, such as Xiáng Lóng Zhuāng, Fú Hǔ Zhuāng, Zǐ Wǔ Zhuāng, Sān Cái Zhuāng, and so on. Here, take away the complexity and realize simplicity. You have to take the essence of each position and then merge them into one, into what is called Hùn Yuán Zhuāng [The primordial position]. This practice is beneficial for the vital force and the real fighting.
It is a way to master the ability of attack-defense and the Qì circulation. After a short period of training, it will produce such extraordinary results that words cannot describe.
NOTES:
1 - 顶慧 Dìng Huì : meditation/concentration and wisdom - two of the six transcendental virtue of the Buddhism (Pāramitā)
Translated by Mauro Antonino D'Angelo
欲求技擊妙用，須以站樁換勁為根始。所謂使其弱者轉為強，拙者化為靈也。若禪學者，始於戒律，而後精於定慧，証於心源，了悟虛空，窮於極處，然後方可學道，禪功如此，技擊猶然。蓋初學時，樁法頗繁，如降龍樁、伏虎樁、子午樁、三才樁等，茲去繁就簡，採取各樁之長，合而為一，名曰渾元樁，利於生勁，便於實搏，精打顧、通氣學，學者鍛鍊旬日，自有效果，亦非筆墨所能表達其神妙也。
If you want to use your fighting skills in an excellent way, you have to start from the practice of Zhàn Zhuāng and the transformation of strength. This is what is called transforming weakness into strength and transforming clumsiness into effectiveness. The practitioners of Chan Buddhism, begin with monastic discipline, then they become skillful in meditation and wisdom [See Note 1], then they discover the fountain of the mind [The origin of mind], they realize the reality of emptiness, until they reach the edge of extremity is where they find The Way.
The practice of Chán Buddhism is like this, and so are martial arts.
In the beginning of the study, there are many standing methods, such as Xiáng Lóng Zhuāng, Fú Hǔ Zhuāng, Zǐ Wǔ Zhuāng, Sān Cái Zhuāng, and so on. Here, take away the complexity and realize simplicity. You have to take the essence of each position and then merge them into one, into what is called Hùn Yuán Zhuāng [The primordial position]. This practice is beneficial for the vital force and the real fighting.
It is a way to master the ability of attack-defense and the Qì circulation. After a short period of training, it will produce such extraordinary results that words cannot describe.
NOTES:
1 - 顶慧 Dìng Huì : meditation/concentration and wisdom - two of the six transcendental virtue of the Buddhism (Pāramitā)
Translated by Mauro Antonino D'Angelo
