Reading Notes: Part B for Week 9: The Monkey King - The Destiny of Sun Wu Kung
This story begins with the Buddha arriving in heaven to calm the energetic and troublesome Sun Wu Kung. The Monkey King, boasting of his mystical powers and mastery of transformations, refuses to leave heaven until the Lord of the Heavens yields the throne to him.
Yet, the Buddha proclaims that Sun Wu Kung lacks the infinite wisdom and virtues of the Lord of the Heavens. As a rebuttal, the Monkey King proclaims that his cloud somersaults can help him travel eighteen thousand miles, making him fit to rule over the heavens.
Buddha replies with a smile, challenging Sun Wu Kung to perform a somersault out of the palm of his hand. Upon his success, he will be appointed as the new Lord of the Heavens, but his failure will cause his utter demise.
So, Sun Wu Kung leaps onto the out-reached palm of the Buddha, preparing to best his challenger. He turned somersault after somersault, seeing five tall, reddish columns rising to the skies. Upon reaching his summit, he pulled out a hair, transformed it into a brush and wrote out his self-proclaimed title onto the middle of the five towers.
Upon his return, he leaped with glee as he proclaimed that he had bested the Buddha, for he had written his title on the column which towered above. At this outburst, the Buddha scolded that Sun Wu Kung had never left his palm and that he had written his self-proclamation on his middle finger. Seeing that this was indeed true, Sun Wu Kung attempted to escape from the heavens.
However, the Buddha stopped him with his hand and covered Sun Wu Kung with a massive mountain of water, fire, wood, earth, and metal to bound him. He was incanted to remain trapped for hundreds of years, and upon his freedom be bound to serve the Monk of the Yangtze-kiang.
Sun Wu Kung was induced to put on a golden circlet, which grew into his flesh so that it could not be removed. The circlet could be enchanted to constrict as Sun Wu Kung grew disobedient, but he was polite and respectful from then on.
This story tells of how the troublesome, ill-mannered, and arrogant Sun Wu Kung was able to be bested in his own challenge and be tamed by the Buddha. His overconfidence and arrogance angered the gods so much that his capture was ordered. Yet, he was boastful and proclaimed to be respected with the highest honor. So, with the outcome of this challenge, he was forced to serve the Monk, and was induced with a mystical circlet that warranted his obedience.
Bibliography: The Destiny of Sun Wu Kung from The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921)
Yet, the Buddha proclaims that Sun Wu Kung lacks the infinite wisdom and virtues of the Lord of the Heavens. As a rebuttal, the Monkey King proclaims that his cloud somersaults can help him travel eighteen thousand miles, making him fit to rule over the heavens.
Buddha replies with a smile, challenging Sun Wu Kung to perform a somersault out of the palm of his hand. Upon his success, he will be appointed as the new Lord of the Heavens, but his failure will cause his utter demise.
So, Sun Wu Kung leaps onto the out-reached palm of the Buddha, preparing to best his challenger. He turned somersault after somersault, seeing five tall, reddish columns rising to the skies. Upon reaching his summit, he pulled out a hair, transformed it into a brush and wrote out his self-proclaimed title onto the middle of the five towers.
Upon his return, he leaped with glee as he proclaimed that he had bested the Buddha, for he had written his title on the column which towered above. At this outburst, the Buddha scolded that Sun Wu Kung had never left his palm and that he had written his self-proclamation on his middle finger. Seeing that this was indeed true, Sun Wu Kung attempted to escape from the heavens.
However, the Buddha stopped him with his hand and covered Sun Wu Kung with a massive mountain of water, fire, wood, earth, and metal to bound him. He was incanted to remain trapped for hundreds of years, and upon his freedom be bound to serve the Monk of the Yangtze-kiang.
Sun Wu Kung was induced to put on a golden circlet, which grew into his flesh so that it could not be removed. The circlet could be enchanted to constrict as Sun Wu Kung grew disobedient, but he was polite and respectful from then on.
This story tells of how the troublesome, ill-mannered, and arrogant Sun Wu Kung was able to be bested in his own challenge and be tamed by the Buddha. His overconfidence and arrogance angered the gods so much that his capture was ordered. Yet, he was boastful and proclaimed to be respected with the highest honor. So, with the outcome of this challenge, he was forced to serve the Monk, and was induced with a mystical circlet that warranted his obedience.
Sun Wu Kung in the Palm of the Buddha - Courtesy of China-on-site
Bibliography: The Destiny of Sun Wu Kung from The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921)
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