I just wish for people to understand that, contrary to the countless mentions in this past Spectrum article "Fast as lightning," the performers of the "Shaolin Warriors" show are not monks.
The essential spirit of Shaolin Buddhist philosophy is to cultivate our heart through compassion toward all beings; many times these "Shaolin Warriors" are seen eating meat after a show, leaving people all throughout the world with a skewed understanding of Buddhist monks. Monks are not performers who travel the world in large groups to perform, they are spiritual guides for those seeking to end the suffering of living beings.
If you review the "Shaolin Warrior" promotional materials, flyers, and announcements you will see no mention of them being monks, or even students of the Buddha.
This is because they are merely performers; one of hundreds of performing troops who tour the world. There are more than 100 schools for "Shaolin Martial Arts" performance in and near Shaolin in China, where young Chinese kids and teens train in the hopes of becoming a performer who can make ends meet. This all of course takes nothing away from their athletic prowess and ability to do a ten-foot somersault!
