Legendary Buddhist monk Bodhidharma who traveled to China around 495 AD is generally credited with the founding of Chan Buddhism...the original Chinese expression of Zen. Bodhidharma, as the tale is told, set up shop at the northern Shaolin Temple, got the unhealthy monks in shape, invented Kung Fu and Zen and then wandered off into the misty valleys of myth and tall tale.
I suspect that Bodhidharma's accomplishments were not limited to the brilliant ministrations outlined above. In a shop near the entrance of the Forest of Steles in Xian many years ago I purchased a rubbing depicting Bodhidharma made from one of the centuries old steles that I had noticed inside. A photograph of the rubbing is presented above for your perusal, analysis, edification and amusement. Since the image clearly...to my admittedly untrained eye...shows the fabled monk holding a bowling ball, not a begging bowl, I am going to jump to the unprecedented conclusion that Bodhidharma...undoubetedly a dude to the core...also was an early contributor to the Dudeist creed...the Pin Dudeist form in particular.
Alternative interpretations entertained...
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