"Journey to the West" is one of my country's four great classics and a well-known mythological masterpiece in my country. As a literary work written by Wu Chengen, a novelist of the Ming Dynasty, its ability to survive to this day is not as simple as it seems on the surface. The hidden content in "Journey to the West" is thought-provoking.
The story in "Journey to the West" is that Tang Monk took four masters and disciples, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing, to the West to obtain the true scriptures. They went through thousands of difficulties and dangers along the way. After a difficult time, he finally achieved the right result. The story of "Journey to the West" is based on the story of Master Xuanzang, a holy monk of the Tang Dynasty, who went to India to exchange Buddhist teachings and obtain true scriptures. The author Wu Cheng'en added a mythical color to this foundation, making this period of history more dramatic. 1. The origin of the names of Tang Seng’s three disciples
First of all, let’s take a look at the origin of the names of Tang Seng’s three disciples. The names of the three disciples are all carefully chosen, corresponding to their personalities and their needs on the road to becoming a Buddha. "Barriers" to cross.
Sun Wukong
In "Journey to the West", Sun Wukong's name is taken from the sentence "At the beginning of Hongmeng, there was no surname, and it was Wukong who broke the stubbornness."
This sentence is the best answer to the origin of Sun Wukong’s name. The word "surname" in "Hongmengchu originally had no surname" can also be synonymous with the word "xing". To put it simply, at the beginning of the world, there were no rules. The pioneers would create the rules, and then there would be rules.
The word "empty" in "To break the stubborn void requires Wukong" refers to the ontology of all things in the world and is widely used. If we need to break this situation, we can only return to the essence and accommodate all things in order to re-understand the truth.
Putting it on Sun Wukong means a newly born baby. There is no "good" or "evil" in nature, and Sun Wukong is stubborn by nature. If you want to break the stubbornness, you need to "Wukong" and return to the essence. Only by emptying your mind can you find a solution. This is also Sun Wukong’s path to becoming a Buddha.
Let’s look at the answer to Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong himself was transformed from the divine stone dropped by Nuwa to mend the sky. Later, he studied under Patriarch Bodhi and was given the surname "Sun" and the name "Practice". He learned many skills. After completing his studies, he dared to be equal to the sky and was known as the "Great Sage Equaling Heaven". In the end, Sun Wukong made a big fuss in the Heavenly Palace and caused great trouble. He was suppressed by Tathagata Buddha's Five Fingers Mountain for 500 years. After being rescued by Tang Monk, he was officially renamed "Sun Wukong". It can also be seen from Sun Wukong's experience that it can correspond to the name "Wukong". .
Sun Wukong was originally a sacred stone left at the beginning of Hongmeng. His nature was neither good nor evil, and he had no one to guide him. He followed the monkeys and developed a stubborn temperament. Later, he learned a set of skills from the Bodhi Patriarch, but... Sun Wukong disobeyed the management of heaven and earth, so he made a big fuss in the heaven and became equal to heaven, causing great disaster. This is his desire to break the rules.
Afterwards, Sun Wukong was suppressed by Tathagata at the foot of Wuzhi Mountain. After being rescued by Tang Monk, he put on a tight band spell. Being burdened by the tight band spell, he was able to check and balance this powerful Sun Wukong. Guided by Tang Monk, Sun Wukong finally understood the truth of returning to his original nature after going through eighty-one hardships, achieved true enlightenment, and became the "Fighting and Victorious Buddha" in Buddhism.
Zhu Bajie
Before he went down to earth to learn Buddhist scriptures with Monk Tang, he was Marshal Tianpeng in charge of a hundred thousand naval forces in heaven. Later, he was demoted to earth for molesting Chang'e in heaven. In terms of Sun Wukong's ability to reach the heaven and earth, Zhu Bajie is not impressive at all, but Zhu Bajie also helped a lot on the way to the West to learn scriptures and is an indispensable part.
Before meeting Tang Monk, Guanyin Bodhisattva changed the name of Marshal Tianpeng to "Bajie" after he was demoted to earth. Later, he was subdued by Tang Monk and given the name "Zhu Wuneng".
So what does the word "enlightenment" mean?
The word "Wu Neng" means "taking refuge in the Dharma", which mainly refers to the mind that can "enlighten".
After Zhu Bajie was demoted to earth, he should have learned a lesson and corrected his evil ways. But after he was demoted to earth and became a "pig", he still wanted to occupy Gao Cuilian in Gao Laozhuang and refused to change. Therefore, "Wuneng" also hoped that Zhu Bajie could learn to be honest.
The word "Wuneng" also refers to "ability". In "Journey to the West", apart from being lustful, Zhu Bajie corresponds to laziness. Being lazy and eating well is Zhu Bajie's biggest characteristic, but it is also the reason why he became a Buddha. The biggest obstacle on the road.
Tang Monk named him "Wuneng" in the hope that Zhu Bajie could return to the right path, do practical things down-to-earth, improve his abilities, and remind him to abide by the rules and precepts and never do it again.
Sha Wujing
Sha Wujing was originally a curtain-rolling general in heaven, with a respected status. However, because of his carelessness in doing things, he accidentally broke the Jade Emperor's beloved glass lamp. Therefore, he was demoted to earth and entered the Liusha River to become a "monster". The word "Wu Jing" also means that Sha Monk can do things delicately but not rudely, specialize in Buddhism, and have a clear mind and pure energy.
This sand monk, who is honest and conscientious in his work in the TV series "Journey to the West", is actually the one with the most resentment among the three apprentices. After Sha Seng was demoted to the mortal world, he ate Tang Monk's ninth life in Liusha River. The character of Tang Seng was a good man for ten generations, but he was eaten by Sha Monk for nine lives while passing by the Liusha River. In his tenth life, he was accepted as the third disciple by Monkey King because of the protection of Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie.
After Sha Seng was demoted to the mortal world, he resented everyone and had a rough personality. Later, he put his resentment on Tang Seng and devoured Tang Seng for nine lives. The word "Wu Jing" also hopes that Sha Monk can learn to reflect on himself instead of blaming others, so that he can purify his mind and eliminate his resentment. From now on, take refuge in my Buddha, purify your mind, and never commit murder again.
"Sun Wukong", "Zhu Wuneng", and "Sha Wujing", these three names are all well-founded, corresponding to their personal personalities and the challenges they will face on the road to ultimate Buddhahood. test. The names "Sun Wukong", "Zhu Wuneng" and "Sha Wujing" are read together
At the same time, if the three names "Wukong", "Wuneng" and "Wujing" are read together , we can see that this is actually the most important process in cultivating Buddhism. Only by completing these three points can we achieve positive results.
This actually hints at the theme in "Journey to the West". "Wukong", "Wu Neng" and "Wu Jing" are the growth process of understanding Buddhism. This is also Wu Chengen's own view of the Buddha as the author. understanding of Buddhism.
And isn’t life like this? It is this process from "enlightenment" to "enlightenment" and finally to "enlightenment", which corresponds to "take refuge in the Buddha", "take refuge in the Dharma" and "take refuge in the Sangha" in Buddhism. It has to be said that "Journey to the West" 》 is indeed worthy of much scrutiny.