Using Monkey King to Understand Chinese Religious Life
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Background information
- Three Spiritual Traditions of China
- Confucianism
- Buddhism
- Taoism
- Ways the Monkey Illustrates these Traditions
Three Spiritual Traditions of China
At the end of his journey, Monkey says “Now that the evil has been destroyed you will realize that there is a Way in the Buddha’s faith. From now on you must have no more foolish beliefs. I hope that you will combine the three teachings by honoring both the Buddhist clergy and the Way of Taoism, and by also educating men of talent in the Confucian tradition. I can guarantee that this will make your kingdom secure for ever.”
At the end of the Journey to the West, Buddha says the scriptures that they find are not only the mirror of our faith but also the source and origin of all three religions.
Confucianism
Confucianism has guided China’s moral and political life for over 2000 years. Confucian values underlie the respect generally accorded to parents, teachers, old people as a whole, and ancestors in particular. The days in which Confucius lived were, compared to the past, a time of moral chaos, in which common values were widely rejected or simply disregarded. Crime was on the rise, with robbery and theft increasing in the countryside and murder a serious problem in the cities and at court; there was a general lack of interest in trying to reintegrate criminals into society. The gulf between rich and poor was broad and growing, with the rich living extravagantly in enormous mansions while an abundance of food somehow failed to reach the hungry who needed it. Government was routinely corrupt and distrusted by the people, who didn't fail to observe the lack of productivity among the rich and powerful.
The economy was changing as well. The productive class—mostly farmers—was shrinking, while the mercantile sector was growing. The marketplaces were flooded with goods described as being costly and of "no real utility." Part of the growing middle class was a sector of scholars, who had great difficulty finding employment.
While reformers such as Confucius existed, they were a minority. Even in such apparently barren philosophical ground, Confucianism not only took root, but flourished, eventually transforming Chinese society with its values, and dominating it for centuries.
The primary source for introducing Confucianism is the Analects, a collection of sayings by or about Confucius put together by his disciples sometime after his death.
Buddhism
Buddhism is the name given to the teachings expounded by Shakyamuni Buddha. Unlike other religious philosophies or systems of religious thought, Buddhism makes no clear distinction between divinity and humanity. Its teachings enable people to attain enlightenment, to become Buddhas themselves. The Buddha can in no way be defined as a transcendental or supreme being. The title Buddha means “Enlightened One”; a Buddha is a person who perceives within her- or himself the essence, or reality, of life, often referred to as one’s true nature. Buddhists view this ultimate reality as supporting and nourishing all living beings in their interconnectedness with one another and with all of existence. Those who have perceived this inherent ultimate reality truly know themselves; they are Buddhas.
Taoism
Taoism is a philosophy or way of life that may have been started by a man named Lao Tsu (or Lao Tzu) who lived a little before Confucius, about 600 BC. Tao means the "way" or the "path." According to the traditional story, Lao Tsu worked as a librarian in the emperor's library.
Lao Tsu believed that the way to happiness was for people to learn to "go with the flow." Instead of trying to get things done the hard way, people should take the time to figure out the natural or easy way to do things, and then everything would get done more simply. This idea is called wu-wei, which means "doing by not doing."
Lao Tsu also thought that everything alive in the universe (plants, animals, and people) shares a universal life-force. There were two sides to the life-force, which are called Yin and Yang. This image shown here is often used to symbolize how the forces of yin and yang are intertwined with each other, and that neither can exist without the other.
The Yin (the dark side) is the side of women, the moon, things that are still like ponds, and completion and death. The Yang (the light side) is the side of men, the sun, things that move like rivers, and creation and birth. Everyone has some Yin and some Yang in them, and Taoism says that it is important to keep them balanced. Chinese doctors believed that a lot of illnesses were caused by too much Yin or too much Yang.
The most famous Taoist book is a volume of 81 brief chapters, consisting of short pieces of prose. This is called the Daodejing (or Tao Teh Ching) and is the third most translated book in the world, after the Bible and the Bhagavad Gita. One main idea in the Daodejing is that there are feminine and masculine powers in the universe (each of us has both within us).
Feminine power is at the root of creation. In the universe of nonbeing and being, the creation and nurturing of being is done primarily by feminine power, which “opens and loosens the gate of heaven,” “lies low,” and in its stillness and lowness “overcomes” masculine power.
Masculine power in the Daodejing is at work when states are organized, power is distributed among rulers and their aides, armies go to war, and soldiers kill each other. The Daodejing believes that if one follows the way of the universe and maintains balance and harmony between male and female power, there is enough for every living thing.
Ways the Monkey Illustrates these Traditions
The Monkey story is rich with examples of living one’s life according to the three philosophies, for instance:
Confucianism
- Monkey’s continued loyalty to Tripitaka throughout novel, even when he is wrongly punished.
- A woodcutter that Monkey meets initially can not go learn to the secret of immortality with him, because he has to stay and take care of his widowed mother.
Buddhism
- Buddha teaches Monkey some humility when, thinking he has somersaulted thousands of leagues, he realizes he is still in the Buddha’s hand.
- Importance of Kuan-yin, the Bodhisattva of Mercy. She rounds up the pilgrims, and repeatedly aids them.
- Having arrived at the Jade Truth Temple of the Holy Mountain, the pilgrims must cross a river to reach the Buddha. They are too fearful to walk on the slippery one-log bridge, so they go by the bottomless boat that is the conductor of souls. “Empty the boat. Empty it will travel faster,” meaning that the moment there is self-control and discipline, the boat moves freely.
Daoism
- There is a yin-yang aspect to most of the Monkey stories. All is well, then danger strikes and there is much fighting, then all is well again, until danger strikes, etc.
- Subodhi, the Daoist Immortal, teaches Monkey transformations and gives him the name “Aware of Vacuity.” He sends Monkey away when Monkey boasts of his powers by changing into a tree. Anyone can achieve great skill and transformations through long and hard training.
Lesson Plans
| Title | Standard met in curriculum / Concepts and themes |
| The Analects of Confucius |
Language Arts
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Helpful Links
- http://www.sgi-usa.net/buddhism/introtobuddhism.html
an introduction to Buddhism. - http://www.chinapage.com/gnl.html