The tale of Monkey and his journey deep into the Buddhist heartland of India is

an elaborate tale filled with adventure, allegory, and spiritual insight.

Monkey tricks his way in and out of many stressful situations. He is a deviant,
mischievous little fellow who can never be trusted. The story itself is quite unlike
any traditional Western tale. However, this highly unlikeable protagonist is loved
dearly by the Chinese people.
Monkey is a sinner - and yet, he paves his own path in a constant quest toward
self-enlightenment. Many people can surely relate to this situation as they go
through their own lives. Not everyone makes the most morally or ethically sound
decisions one hundred percent of the time, but nonetheless they are still
searching, deep down, for answers to the really hard questions.

Spiritual Influences
For Monkey and his companion Xuanzang, the answers to these questions
were contained in the Buddhist scriptures they both so eagerly
sought. Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are the three Chinese spiritual
traditions that appear in this text.1
Buddhism originated in India; Taoism and Confucianism in China. However, the
lines that define these three religions become increasingly blurred as Monkey’s
journey progresses. It would seem evident to the reader that Buddhism is the
favored religion of Monkey and Xuanzang. They both deeply adore the Buddha
and seek to learn about his mysterious and enlightened ways. But it is important
to consider that during the time Monkey was written (presumably by Wu
Cheng’en in the 16th century2), the dominant spiritual affiliation in China was
actually Taoism.3
Perhaps this means that Monkey’s authorship was mocking Buddhist ways,
making a satire of the religion with Monkey’s foolish and clumsy antics.
Regardless, the presence of three religious traditions in Monkey could be an
illustration of the idea that there is not one specific path toward enlightenment;
instead, there are many different spiritual paths that can be chosen in life to
achieve the same means.
Confucianism appears in this tale in far less direct ways. Confucianism is less of
a religion and more of a belief system centered around ethics, values and
morals. This is because during the time of Confucius, it was “a time of moral
chaos, in which common values were widely rejected or simply disregarded...,
government was routinely corrupt and distrusted by the people, who didn't fail to
observe the lack of productivity among the rich and powerful.”
Monkey personifies these problems in different ways throughout the story. He is
continuously loyal to Xuanzang even though Xuanzang wrongly punished him,
in the same way that the Chinese people were loyal to their government even
though it plagued them with so many injustices.

Monkey's Minions

Reincarnation
One of the most prominent themes throughout the story revolves around the
Buddhist belief of reincarnation. In Chapter 11 of Monkey the Emperor is
summoned to the Underworld. Once he is there he begs the First Judge to be
let back into the natural world, and the Judge eventually obliges him.
Reincarnation maintains that the human soul repeatedly manifests itself in
various forms over and over again until spiritual enlightenment has been
achieved, and this is a perfect illustration of that belief.
Chinese Taoism also openly teaches the belief of reincarnation to its
followers. The Chuang Tzu, an important Taoist scripture, states:
"Birth is not a beginning; death is not an end. There is existence without
limitation; there is continuity without a starting point. Existence without limitation
is space. Continuity without a starting point is time. There is birth, there is death,
there is issuing forth, there is entering in. That through which one passes in and
out without seeing its form, that is the Portal of God" 4
It is curious, then, knowing that both Buddhism and Taoism support the belief of
reincarnation, that Monkey was largely concerned with finding a way to cheat
the reincarnation process. In one part of his journey, when he is heaven and
one day aimlessly wanders into Lao-Tzu’s laboratory. Lao Tzu is understood to
be the father of Taoism.5
Lao Tzu is a sage, and is busy packing immortality elixir pills. Monkey steals
and eats as many pills as he can possibly find. The trick ends up backfiring
though, and Monkey is forced to stay under a mountain for 500 years.

Bodhisattvas
Another Buddhist ideology that reoccurs in Monkey is the practice of
worshipping Bodhisattvas. Monkey befriends the “Great Compassionate
Bodhisattva Kuan-yin” (or Guanyin) on his journey. A Bodhissatva is essentially
an “enlightened existence” or one who seeks to be enlightened. 6
The Bodhisattva Kuan-yin plays a very important role in Monkey’s journey. She
is the one who convinced him to bring the Buddhist holy scriptures to the people
of China, so that Monkey can attain salvation and be allowed back into heaven.
The Bodhisattva Kuan-Yin is extremely forgiving and helpful to Monkey and his
companions. In India, the Kuan-yin is represented in male form, and goes by
the name “Avalokiteshvara,” meaning “the lord who looks upon the world with
compassion.”7
Scholars believe this is “probably because of Kuan Yin's great compassion, a
quality which is traditionally considered feminine, most of the bodhisattva's
statues in China since the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618 - 907) have appeared as
female figures. In India, however, the bodhisattva is generally represented as a
male figure.” This is an excellent example of how a fundamental concept shared
by Buddhism and Taoism has been altered to each religion’s specific beliefs.

Does Monkey Learn His Lesson?

It is hard to tell if Monkey experiences any positive change or spiritual growth
during his journey. His is quite obtuse in his thoughts and actions and offends
others everywhere he goes. This behavior continues for basically the entire
story.
At the end of Monkey’s long journey to India and back, Monkey explains, “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.”8
This is the only time Monkey embraces all three religions, demonstrating that he
may have actually taken a valuable lesson from his adventure.

El cuento de Monkey y su viaje profundamente en el corazón budista de la India es un cuento

elaborado lleno de aventuras, alegorías y discernimiento espiritual.

Mono trampa su camino dentro y fuera de muchas situaciones estresantes. Es un tipo

pequeño, desviado y travieso, que nunca se puede confiar. La historia en sí es bastante
diferente a cualquier cuento occidental tradicional. Sin embargo, este muy desagradable
protagonista es muy querido por el pueblo chino.

El mono es un pecador - y, sin embargo, él pavimenta su propio camino en una búsqueda

constante hacia la auto-iluminación. Muchas personas seguramente pueden relacionarse con
esta situación a medida que pasan por sus propias vidas. No todo el mundo toma las
decisiones más moralmente o éticamente sanas el cien por ciento del tiempo, pero sin
embargo siguen buscando, en el fondo, respuestas a las preguntas realmente difíciles.

Influencias espirituales

Para Monkey y su compañero Xuanzang, las respuestas a estas preguntas estaban contenidas
en las escrituras budistas que ambos tan ansiosamente buscaron. El budismo, el taoísmo y el
confucianismo son las tres tradiciones espirituales chinas que aparecen en este texto.

El budismo se originó en la India; Taoísmo y Confucianismo en China. Sin embargo, las líneas
que definen estas tres religiones se vuelven cada vez más borrosas a medida que avanza el
viaje de Monkey. Parecería evidente al lector que el budismo es la religión favorecida de Mono
y Xuanzang. Ambos profundamente adoran al Buda y buscan aprender acerca de sus formas
misteriosas y iluminadas. Pero es importante considerar que durante el tiempo en que
Monkey fue escrito (presumiblemente por Wu Cheng'en en el siglo XVI2), la afiliación espiritual
dominante en China era en realidad Taoísmo.3

Quizás esto signifique que la autoría de Monkey se burlaba de los caminos budistas, haciendo
una sátira de la religión con las travesuras tonto y torpe de Monkey. Sin embargo, la presencia
de tres tradiciones religiosas en Mono podría ser una ilustración de la idea de que no hay un
camino específico hacia la iluminación; En cambio, hay muchos caminos espirituales diferentes
que pueden ser elegidos en la vida para lograr los mismos medios.
El confucianismo aparece en esta historia de maneras mucho menos directas. El confucianismo
es menos una religión y más un sistema de creencias centrado en la ética, los valores y la
moral. Esto se debe a que durante el tiempo de Confucio, fue "un tiempo de caos moral, en el
que los valores comunes fueron ampliamente rechazados o simplemente ignorados ..., el
gobierno era rutinariamente corrupto y desconfiado por el pueblo, que no dejaba de observar
la Falta de productividad entre los ricos y poderosos ".

Monkey personifica estos problemas de diferentes maneras a lo largo de la historia. Él es leal

continuamente a Xuanzang aunque Xuanzang lo castigó incorrectamente, de la misma manera
que el pueblo chino era leal a su gobierno a pesar de que los plagó con tantas injusticias.

Los Minions del mono

Reencarnación

Uno de los temas más prominentes a lo largo de la historia gira en torno a la creencia budista
de la reencarnación. En el Capítulo 11 de Mono el Emperador es convocado al Inframundo.
Una vez que él está allí, pide al Primer Juez que sea devuelto al mundo natural, y el Juez
eventualmente lo obliga. La reencarnación sostiene que el alma humana se manifiesta
repetidamente en diversas formas una y otra vez hasta que se alcanza la iluminación espiritual
y esto es una ilustración perfecta de esa creencia.

El taoísmo chino también enseña abiertamente la creencia de la reencarnación a sus

seguidores. El Chuang Tzu, una importante escritura taoísta, dice:

"El nacimiento no es un principio, la muerte no es un fin, existe la existencia sin limitación, hay
continuidad sin un punto de partida, la existencia sin limitación es el espacio, la continuidad sin
punto de partida es el tiempo, el nacimiento, la muerte. Está saliendo, está entrando. A través
del cual uno entra y sale sin ver su forma, que es el Portal de Dios "4

Es curioso, entonces, sabiendo que tanto el budismo como el taoísmo apoyan la creencia de la
reencarnación, que Monkey estaba en gran medida preocupado por encontrar una manera de
engañar al proceso de reencarnación. En una parte de su viaje, cuando es el cielo y un día
vagabundea sin rumbo al laboratorio de Lao-Tzu. Se entiende que Lao Tzu es el padre del
taoísmo.

Lao Tzu es un sabio, y está ocupado empacando píldoras de elixir de inmortalidad. El mono
roba y come tantas píldoras como pueda encontrar. Sin embargo, el truco termina con un
contratiempo, y Monkey se ve obligado a permanecer bajo una montaña durante 500 años.

Bodhisattvas

Otra ideología budista que se repite en el Mono es la práctica de adorar a los Bodhisattvas.
Monkey hace amistad con el "Gran Bodhisattva Compasivo Kuan-yin" (o Guanyin) en su viaje.
Un Bodhissatva es esencialmente una "existencia iluminada" o alguien que busca ser
iluminado.

El Bodhisattva Kuan-yin juega un papel muy importante en el viaje de Monkey. Ella es la que lo
convenció de llevar las sagradas escrituras budistas a la gente de China, para que el Mono
pueda alcanzar la salvación y ser permitido volver al cielo.
El Bodhisattva Kuan-Yin es extremadamente indulgente y útil para Monk