What I do rember reading was how one of the
Buhdas came from India and saw the weak monks in their
temples. Now these monks were getting their butts kicked
by raiders and suck. this buhda was from the warrior
caste ( at the time India was real big with the caste
system). So he taught them some basic exercises that
strengthened them and taught them to defend themselves. Being
monks, they took it to the next step and tried to make a
way of life.