In today session, The Monkey King lived happily with his fellow monkeys on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit, but one day, he began to worry about the inevitability of aging and death. Upon voicing his concerns, a wise gibbon congratulated him on his enlightenment, sharing knowledge of three immortal beings. Inspired, the Monkey King set out the very next day, crossing oceans and continents to seek the Way of Immortality.
Session Focus:
In Session 3, we’ll delve into themes of mortality and enlightenment, joining the Monkey King as he embarks on his journey to uncover the secrets of liberation from the wheel of reincarnation.
Key Questions for Reflection:
The Monkey King said, “But the time will come when we are old and weak, and the underworld is controlled by the King of Hell. When the time comes for us to die, we won't be able to go on living among the Blessed, and our lives will have been in vain.”
Q: Have you ever contemplated the reality of aging and mortality? When did this thought first come to you, and how did it affect you?
The gibbon remarked, “If Your Majesty is thinking so far ahead, this is the beginning of enlightenment.”
Q: Why do you think the gibbon equates “thinking so far ahead” with the beginning of enlightenment? What does enlightenment mean to you?
“Buddhas, the Immortals and the Sages are free from the Wheel of Reincarnation. They are not born and they do not die.”
Q: What is reincarnation, and how would you explain it in simple terms?
The Monkey King declared, ”I shall leave you all tomorrow, and go down the mountain. If I have to, I'll roam the corners of the oceans and go to the edge of the sky to find these three kinds of beings and discover the secret of eternal youth that will keep us out of the clutches of the King of Hell for ever.”
Q: What character traits do you see reflected in the Monkey King’s words? How do these traits propel him on this journey?
The host of monkeys ushered the Handsome Monkey King to the seat of honour and sat down below him according to age.
Q: Is this an example of hierarchy, etiquette, or conformity? How would you elaborate on the differences between these concepts?
The Money King didn’t need to submit to the law and regulations of human kings, but he decided to travel far to find a kindred spirit to explain the laws of nature.
Q: How do the laws of nature differ from human laws, and why might he be more drawn to natural laws?
Share your reflections and insights as we continue our journey together in Reading Session 3! Also it s great way to Document our inner journey: "What have I understood or realized today?"
In this part of Journey to the West, the Monkey King has a big realization. Even though he and his fellow monkeys are living carefree in their mountain paradise, there’s this unavoidable truth hanging over them: eventually, they’ll all face death. He starts worrying about it and sighs, “When the time comes for us to die, we won’t be able to live among the Blessed, and our lives will have been in vain.” Once he hears that Buddhas, immortals, and sages can escape reincarnation, he wastes no time and sets off on a journey to find immortality—not just for himself, but for his kindred too.
That’s the main story for session 3, and we had some really great discussions around it. Questions like “What…
Hello, everyone! I’m Crystal, the organizer of this book club.
This episode of Journey to the West resonates deeply with me, particularly the moment when the Monkey King realizes that he, too, would age and die. His immediate decision to embark on a journey to uncover the secret of mortality and immortality mirrors a pivotal experience in my own life.
In 2004, twenty years ago, my beloved grandmother who raised me from birth until I was seven, was diagnosed with cancer. Just three months later, she passed away. Her sudden death shocked me profoundly. What unsettled me most was not her passing itself, but my complete ignorance about death. Despite being an educated person, I realized for the first time in my…
Hello, this is Irene from NZ.
I appreciated the opportunity to read the book with you all together. One takeaway that impressed me last week is the idea of "Faith without work is fake." Enlightenment without action is merely an idea in our minds. This raises the question: why do we accumulate so much knowledge yet remain slow to act?
One lesson I learned about bridging the value-action gap is the importance of responsibility. When the Monkey King decided to leave immediately, he didn't just think of himself; he considered how his actions would benefit the entire group of monkeys. If our pursuits extend beyond personal interests to encompass the greater community, this intention fosters courage and momentum for action.
I am Chuan, living in Prague of Czech Republic.
The life of the Monkey King in the water curtain cave is what many of us aspire nowadays: a life of no worries, and he could actually live like that for the rest of his life, longer than the life of a normal person. But when he feels the impermanence of life, he also feels sad. He knows that he will die one day, and he wonders where he will go after death. When an ape told him that there were actually three types of beings that could free him from the cycle of birth and death, he became enlightened. On the next day he wanted to set out to find…
Dear all, it's Monica from Paris.I'm so happy to joint the reading club, connecting and sharing with more friends on our own Journey to the West. Today, I will share my first inner journal for session one "Unlocking the Hidden Power of Numbers in Journey to the West". 《 Without small steps, one cannot journey far 不积跬步，无以致千里》
Today kicked off our year-long journey through JOURNEY TO THE WEST, and we dove into the fascinating power of numbers hidden within the tale.
For instance，the pilgrimage involved overcoming 81 trials and tribulations, traveling 108,000 miles over 14 years, and bring back 5,048 sutras from India to Chian. Each number carries rich significance, like secret codes that have the potential to unlock our souls.
Notably,…