THE TEN SHAOLIN LAWS

The Ten Shaolin Laws are non-religious, and transcend all cultures and races, i.e. people of any culture and race would agree that they promote values that are worthy and desirable. Laws, in the Shaolin tradition, are not meant to be punitive or restrictive. They are practical means to help followers achieve set aims and objectives; in this case to help them attain the best possible results in practicing Shaolin Arts for combat efficiency, joyful living, mind expansion, and spiritual fulfillment.

The Ten Shaolin Laws are not legally binding and one cannot be prosecuted in a court of law for breaking them. The binding is moral, thus they are not forced upon the follower; the follower accepts them out of choice, believing that they are helpful in promoting physical, emotional, mental and spiritual cultivation. If a student breaks the laws, despite sufficient warnings, he or she may be asked to leave the Shaolin training, not as a punishment, but because the training is not suitable for him/her.

1. Required to respect the master, honour the Moral Way and love fellow disciples as brothers and sisters.

2. Required to train the Shaolin arts diligently, and as a prerequisite, to be physically and mentally healthy.

3. Required to be filial to parents, to be respectful to the elderly, and protective of the young

4. Required to uphold righteousness and to be both wise and courageous.

5. Forbidden to be ungrateful and unscrupulous, ignoring the Laws of man and Heaven.

6. Forbidden to rape, molest, do evil, steal, rob, abduct or cheat.

7. Forbidden to associate with wicked people; forbidden to do any sorts of wickedness.

8. Forbidden to abuse power, be it official or physical; forbidden to oppress the good or bully the kind.

9. Obliged to be humane, compassionate and spread love, and to realise everlasting peace and happiness for all people.

10. Obliged to be chivalrous and generous, to nurture talents and pass on the Shaolin arts to deserving disciples.

People often ask Grandmaster Wong and instructors from the Shaolin Institute what they should do in order to prepare for a course or regular classes. One of the best ways to prepare to learn Shaolin Cosmos Qigong and Wahnam Taijiquan is to spend some time with the 10 Shaolin Laws, discovering how they can apply to your life.

Click here if you would like to read an interesting discussion in the Shaolin Wahnam Institute Discussion Forum concerning the 10 Shaolin Laws.

top