Journey to the West Questions

[alina_cantha]

So - I'm an Asian Languages and Literatures major at the University of Minnesota. Thing is, my focus is in Japanese language and literature, and the class I'm in, while it counts for my major, is largely focused on Chinese

Comments

[mingqi]

Yes, it is an allegory, and not a jataka tale. They are allowed to be themselves. Is Tripitaka really holy? Can we say that he is a Buddhist saint? No, he plays the saint, Sun Wukong plays the soul on the path to the enlightment. "Journey" is like medieval miracle-plays. And at the same time this is typical adventure story, with its own rules.

[anonymous]

I've always been under the impression that Monkey, Pigsy, and Sandy were all manifestations of different vices. So it's not that vice can ever really change, even according to Chan Buddhist soteriology it's always present. Rather, engagement with the vices eventually ceases. I'm not sure if this helps, and its been a long while since I read monkey.

[mamculuna]

I've read it as an allegory of different aspects of one person: Tripitaka is the intention or the soul, Monkey is the "Monkey mind," Pigsy the pig-like body. And it would make sense that they wouldn't change, really--at least as I understand Buddhism, the "jewel of Nivana is found in the dung-heap of Samasara"--ultimate reality is not something separate from ordinary reality.