China produced a "Journey to the West", in which there is a Sun Wukong. Before Sun Wukong learned the scriptures, he had checked out the monkey's life and death book in the King of Hell, and the King of Hell could not control him anymore.
? What does Sun Wukong represent? Represents conscious thought. He is not afraid of God, nor is he afraid of the King of Hell. He jumped out of the rocks on an island in Dongsheng Shenzhou, jumping around. Later he went to practice Taoism, and his master was Subhuti, one of the ten disciples of the Buddha and the first to understand the void. Subhuti hated this disciple because he was unruly, but he was very smart. He who does not follow the rules must be smart. So I say, being honest means being stupid, being smart means being cunning; you can’t find people who are both smart and honest. Sun Wukong is very smart and naughty. He quickly learned the transformation of magical powers, but he did not achieve enlightenment. As a result, he was playing with magical powers, and the master kicked him out and told him not to say that he was his disciple outside. If he said that he was his disciple, Sun Wukong's magical powers would be taken away. Subhuti is the same as me, no one is allowed to say outside that he is my student.
When Sun Wukong came out, he went to the King of Hell first and asked him if his name was on the book of life and death. The King of Hell said yes, but in the end he checked off all the boxes and destroyed the computer with a virus, which affected his life and death. There was nothing the King of Hell could do to him.
Later, he jumped to the bottom of the sea and asked the Dragon King to borrow weapons. When the Dragon King opened the weapons arsenal, he didn't even look at it, so the Dragon King had to accompany him to the deepest part of the seabed to look. He saw the sea-fixing needle, soft and hard, big or small. Where is that under the sea? in the human body. This world is made up of seven parts ocean and three parts land, which is also equal to the human body, seven parts water and three parts flesh and blood.
As a result, Sun Wukong took the Dinghai needle and put it in his ear. This is the golden cudgel that can go up to heaven and go down to hell. Everyone has this thing, and it’s that thing in men that can cause havoc in heaven; in Chinese medicine, there is a principle that “the ear connects the air to the sea.”
Sun Wukong is the ideological consciousness that cooperates with this stick to disrupt the world. It is very difficult to conquer Sun Wukong (consciousness) and practice Taoism to become a Buddha. Therefore, his Dharma name is Wukong. He understands that thoughts are impermanent and cannot be grasped, just like fishing for the moon in the water, so he no longer clings to it. Zhu Bajie represents desire, greed and lust, which can be transformed into the energy of spiritual cultivation, so it is called "enlightenment". Monk Sha carries the luggage, which means that he is carrying the burden of karma with him; his name is "Wu Jing", and practice is to purify karma. The white dragon horse represents Qi, carrying Tang Monk all the way to study for Buddhist scriptures. Tang Monk represents nature, so he is the master, and collecting Buddhist scriptures represents the practice of Taoism.
This novel is about the religious thought system of Eastern culture, India and China, and the unity of nature and man. Sun Wukong protected Tang Monk in his quest for Buddhist scriptures. He went through ninety-nine and eighty-one difficulties on the way, and then succeeded. Each kind of hardship represents a phenomenon of social life. Sun Wukong has no way to deal with several monsters. There is a monster living in a bottomless pit, which represents the human esophagus, digestive tract, and excretory system, and also represents our desires, which can never be satisfied.
Westerners have translated "Journey to the West" and only think it is a Chinese mythological story. They do not know that it contains the Indian and Chinese religious concepts of the unity of nature and man, and there are also profound truths hidden in it.
Excerpt from "Nan Huaijin and Peter Senge"
At the beginning of each meditation, Sakyamuni Buddha taught us to "focus on one place" or "focus on the mind" . To "tie the mind", tie the mind and keep it focused.
Why should we "think about it"? Have you all seen Journey to the West? The monkey symbolizes the thoughts of our sixth consciousness. A single somersault cloud traveled a hundred and eighty thousand miles; one moment it went up to the sky, the next moment it fell to the earth; it hit the Dragon Palace and made a big fuss in the Heavenly Palace. Isn’t this what we have in mind? Just now I thought "I'm hungry", and then I immediately thought of "the big shuttle in the United States"... In short, it's a mess, nothing to miss. How annoying! When you meditate, it will cause trouble. If you want to be still and he moves, it's really troublesome!
But having said that, Tang Monk mainly relied on this monkey to protect him when he obtained the scriptures. Although he is disobedient and mischievous, he can both subdue demons and subjugate them. He is very capable! The same goes for the thoughts of our sixth consciousness. Although it thinks about things here and there, you see, movies, televisions, electronics, computers, even artificial satellites, space shuttles, etc., are not all what it thinks about. Come out? The key to becoming a Buddha and becoming an ancestor, and to achieve enlightenment and fruition, is still in it.
You all know that this monkey is also called "Sun Wukong". Why do you call him "Sun Wukong"? "Journey to the West" is not a storybook for children! Now let me tell you, this is a book to fool adults, because adults don’t understand it and think it is a story about gods and monsters. In fact, it is a Taoist book, and many principles of cultivation are hidden in the story. Even their names are not given casually. You see, "Wukong" means realizing emptiness, knowing the mind and seeing nature in theory, and then practicing it honestly, so Sun "Wukong" is also called Sun "Walker", and obediently follows Tang Monk, step by step. Go to the west.
Of course, the ups and downs on the road are not to mention, but the most terrible thing is his hard-to-change monkey nature, which is the so-called "remaining habit is hard to get rid of". Once he loses his temper, he quits and runs back to his hometown to live with his monkey grandchildren. Eat, drink, have fun, have fun!
What should you do if you encounter such a Monkey King with great magical powers and untamable monkey nature? ha! It doesn't matter, there is the "Golden Hoop Curse". As soon as he recited the curse, Lao Sun had to return to Tang Monk obediently and continue this arduous journey. This is the "recitation method" of Guanyin Bodhisattva, using the "Golden Hoop" "Mantra" to tie the monkey. The "mindfulness method" of this Zen secret method is to use the "White Bone View" to tie our "mental monkey", whether it is Pure Land Sect, Tiantai Sect, any Zen or Tantric Sect Yes, as for the Huayan Sect, each has its own special practice. Very few people know that, and the great Bodhisattvas here are certainly no exception. I won’t go into details about these. In short, the various practices of each sect are based on " "Thinking together" is the basic rule.
Excerpted from "Research on the Right Pulse of Zen Contemplation"
Using another metaphor, the "heart" is like a plate, and the "mind" is like a plate on the plate. A round bead. "Intelligence" is like the light radiating from the plate and the bead, illuminating itself internally and externally. But the whole plate is contained in a skin bag made of flesh and blood, which is the human body. It's just a forced metaphor, not the truth. In Chinese novels, the ancients already had very interesting metaphors, that is, the four or five characters in "Journey to the West". The author evolved his mind and body consciousness into a novel, and transformed his thoughts into representatives. The grandson of "Heart" is a dragon horse. Zhu Bajie represents the great desire of men and women. An unlucky Sha Seng represents the mood of having no opinion and can only carry the baggage. The skin follows the monkey and Zhu Bajie. The person who represents the complete physical and mental life is Tang Seng. On the surface, he is the most honest fool, kind person, and good person in the world, although he encountered difficulties everywhere along the way. The obstacles were all monsters, and accompanied by these three or four ghosts and elves, he walked through a period of life, but because of his "sincerity, integrity, and self-cultivation", he succeeded!
Excerpt Since "Original University Weird Words"
"Journey to the West" has said that the two most powerful things are Sun Wukong and the Bull Demon King. They have never had any enmity, but the Bull Demon King's wife and Sun Wukong are mortal enemies. The two brothers were provoked by their wives and became enemies, but Wukong and the Bull Demon King did not become enemies. Wukong is the sixth consciousness, the heart is like a monkey, and the horse is the dragon horse, and the seventh consciousness is Sha Monk, who specializes in carrying luggage. Yes, it is that "I", our "I" carries this body on his back, and is the best and worst with Sun Wukong. Zhu Bajie is emotional, likes messiness, likes the relationship between men and women, likes to eat, and has a big belly. Therefore, "Journey to the West" is about the entire practice, ninety-nine and eighty-one difficulties, and you must overcome every demonic obstacle in practice to become a Buddha.
Zen Buddhism is most related to Taoism and cattle. In the novel, Taoist priests are called Niubi Laozi, because I ride a green ox, and our character and personality cannot be changed. It is just a cow. Therefore, there is a "Cow Herding Picture" in Zen Buddhism. I will tell you how to manage this cow well tomorrow. Enlightenment. So the Bull Demon King and Sun Wukong are in opposition. This is said in the novel. The founder of Zen tells many stories about cows. Only by taming a cow can you achieve samadhi.
As for the Bull Demon King’s wife, she is really powerful, her name is Princess Iron Fan. Sorry, female comrades, the child born to Princess Iron Fan and the Bull Demon King was called Red Boy. Later, Guanyin Bodhisattva took him in and became Guanyin Bodhisattva's attendant. Red Boy has hot wheels on his feet and a flame gun in his hand. No one can do anything to him. The most powerful one represents the kundalini of the mind. Now everyone has read "Journey to the West" and it is said that the place that Iron Fan was in charge of was a little past Xinjiang. There was a Flame Mountain there and it was very hot. Sun Wukong and his master could not cross the Flame Mountain because Princess Iron Fan was here and would not let him pass. The magic weapon of Princess Iron Fan is a fan. If the fan is like this, the Flame Mountain will become a cool world; if you turn it over, the fan will be full of fire, and no one can pass it. All the Arhats and gods can't pass this level. When she opened her fan and shook it, the whole universe was set on fire. Put it in the gap between the teeth in your mouth. A woman's mouth is like a fan. If you fan it like this, it will cool you down. If you fan it like this, your man will be ruined. Sun Wukong is most afraid of Princess Iron Fan, and there is nothing he can do if he encounters her. Sister-in-law, don’t slap me with your fan! The monkey was covered in fur, and when the fire burned away the fur, he ran as fast as he could. The only option is to find Guanyin Bodhisattva, first take in her son, and then take in Princess Iron Fan. Sun Wukong couldn't steal this fan even if he wanted to. Once it was stolen by Sun Wukong, which only made him even more angry, so he quickly threw it away. Therefore, the novel "Journey to the West" is all about kung fu, which is very interesting.
Excerpted from "Zen and the Cognition of Life: A Preliminary Lecture"
"Conquering demons is a Taoist temple, so don't move it." People who study religion are very superstitious, saying that there are demons! There is a ghost! It seems true that the Tao is as high as the devil. Where is the devil actually? The devil is in your heart, you are the one causing the trouble. So when we talk about the thoughts that stir in the heart, we call them heavenly demons. If you forcefully suppress your thoughts and don't stop thinking about them, you are called Yin demons. Or you may not be able to get up, and sometimes you have thoughts and sometimes there are no thoughts, which is the devil of trouble. What is or cannot afford? That is, "If you keep cutting and the things are still messy, it is the sadness of separation, and you will have a different feeling in your heart."
There was a scholar in the Qing Dynasty, Jiang Tan. One day he heard rain hitting banana trees, and he felt sad, so he wrote a sentence on the banana leaves in the garden: "Who is busy growing bananas? Xiaoxiao in the morning and Xiaoxiao in the evening." There was a young lady. When I saw it, I continued to write: "You are too bored, so you plant bananas and blame bananas." In fact, no matter whether you are a monk or a householder, you plant bananas and blame bananas, so everything is self-made. .
In "Journey to the West", it is described that Sun Wukong was tied with a golden hoop on his head by Guanyin. He was most afraid of Tang Monk reciting the tight hoop curse. Sun Wukong would have a headache when he recited the curse, so he had to obey. Finally, when they arrived in the West, Tang Monk also took the sutra. Sun Wukong thought that the golden hoop on his head had not been taken off yet, so he ran to Tathagata Buddha and asked the Buddha to help him take it off. The Buddha laughed and asked him: "Monkey, who put this golden hoop on your head?" Sun Wukong replied: "It's Guanyin!" The Buddha asked him to touch his head to see if there was a golden hoop. Sun Wukong touched it. , really, I didn’t wear it at all. This is "planting bananas and then complaining about bananas." Sun Wukong became enlightened and the monkey became a Buddha. The rings that cause headaches in life are all worn by oneself. Everyone has to find a way to find a ring to wear on their head. After putting it on, they have a terrible headache. It’s so annoying! Then he tries his best to take off the trap, and tells others how capable he is to be able to take off the trap. Within three days of taking it off, my head no longer hurt, but I felt uncomfortable, so I put another loop on my head.
Back to conquering the devil, where is the devil? Do you think the scary ghosts you see while meditating are demons? Those demons are not scary. Even if that demon wants to eat you, if you eat it and dig it out with both hands, won't it just dig out a hole? Sun Wukong is most accustomed to using this method. After being eaten, he will come out as soon as he is stabbed. It’s okay to be killed by a ghost! If he dies, turn into a ghost and fight with him. There is nothing to be afraid of. The most terrifying thing is the demon in your own heart, the demon of troubles. well! Planted bananas, but blamed the bananas. This is difficult to do. Therefore, Vimalakirti said, "Conquering demons is the Taoist temple." What is the true subjugation of demons? It means not thinking, "not moving". If you don’t plant bananas, of course you won’t blame them!
Excerpted from "Vimalakīrti's Raining Flowers in the Sky"
The first meaning is difficult to understand. Everyone has read Journey to the West: Tang Monk's Pursuit of Buddhist Scriptures. Tang Monk arrived in the West and saw the Buddha. The Buddha called for his great disciple, Venerable Kassapa, and said that they came from Eastern China. They had worked very hard and had perfect merits. You should open the library and bring them the best Buddhist scriptures back.
When Tang Monk led his three disciples to the library door to collect scriptures, the gatekeeper said: Bring the red envelope. Sun Wukong had no choice but to pick up a stick and want to hit him. Tang Seng said: Don't be violent, this is the last step, otherwise wouldn't all our hard work be in vain? We had no money, but we had a cassock. We pawned it in a pawn shop and gave him a red envelope.
Sun Wukong was so angry and scolded that Venerable Kassapa was embarrassed, so the statues of Venerable Kassapa in the temple all had their necks crooked and their heads shrunk. In fact, Journey to the West is just a novel. In the end, I got the classic and arrived at the mountain gate. Sun Wukong quarreled with his master, saying that the old monk was unreliable and wanted us to give him a red envelope. He wanted to open the sutra and read it, but found that there was not a word in the sutra, just blank paper. Sun Wukong immediately made a fuss, and when the Buddha heard it, he called Venerable Kassapa to ask. Venerable Kassapa said: Your old man told them to give them the best sutras! I'll give them the best. Buddha said: Alas! Those sentient beings don’t understand! If they can't understand a sutra without words, you might as well exchange it with the one with words and the one with a slightly different shape. Therefore, the repetition is almost the same, and it is a sutra with words.