Zhu Bajie: Buddhism (personal sacrifice) - Essay Example

3rd April Zhu Bajie: Buddhism Zhu Bajie is one of the characters in a Chinese novel by the Journey to the West. Literally the name Zhu Baije means a pig of the eight prohibitions. He is also referred to as Zhu Wuneng that means awakened to ability. In English, he is simply referred to as a Pig/ pigsy. He was once an immortal in Heaven and a marshal of the Heavenly canopy commanding 800,000 naval soldiers of the Milky Way. He drank too much during a party of gods where he got to flirt with Cheng’e (Goddess of the Moon). As a punishment, he was sent to earth where he was to be reborn again as human. However, due to his stubbornness, he took the wrong road and ended up in the womb of a boar, where he was born half a man, half a pig. He looked very ugly covered with hair, a curly tail and tasks of a pig (Kherdian, 109). The reincarnation took place in the mountain of Fu Ling, and there, he got to live with a certain lady who later passed away. The goddess of mercy happened to pass by and asked him whether he was ready to defend the monk of Tang on his pilgrimage to the west, and he accepted. He waited patiently while keeping the eight prohibitions of Buddhism. Zhu Bajie acceptance to protect the monk and to keep the eight prohibitions of Buddhism portrays his efforts to refrain from his immoral and irritating behaviors (Kherdian, 110). Zhu had special powers/ magical powers. He had the ability to transform into another being 36 times. He could change into mountains, into a buffalo or a rock and into a human being. Zhu had the ability to fly, swim into the deep waters and also fight where by he used a particular rake (Kherdian, 109). Unluckily, he still had not reformed from his lustful behavior. Using his powers, he pretended to be a normal human being and married the youngest girl in the Gao Family. Zhu Bajie never managed to hide the monster like behaviors for long that the family could not cope up anymore. The family suggestion to file for a divorce made Bajie to lock up his wife. This did not continue for long as the other disciples Wu Kong arrived and nailed him down. The outcome of this is that Zhu joined the group and became the second disciple (Kherdian, 112). Zhu’s personality did not in any way change even after his punishment such as being immoral, greedy and lousy. Zhu went spying on eight spider demons with a thought that they were women, when bathing in a puddle. Zhu changed into a monk and requested to bathe with them. As if that was not enough, he turned into a fish and crept between their legs. Initially, four gods had changed themselves into four beautiful ladies. A mother and three daughters, this had been planned as a test to the disciples. Anyone among the disciples who would marry the mother and her three daughters was promised a lot of wealth and a happy life. The three disciples, San Zhang, Wu Kong and Wu Jing ignored the woman, but Zhu Bajie fell into her temptation. He was liable for punishment, but he never learnt (Kherdian 114). Zhu was not just a lustful man but also lousy and a good liar. Zhu always complained of rough terrains, cumbersome tasks, fell asleep when it was his duty to guard. To cover up his mistake, Zhu came up with lies and used them to lie to the other pilgrims. He always threatened to back out whenever they encountered problems. For example, when fighting a strong demon with Wu Kong and felt as if they were loosing the battle, Zhu would give up and ran away in such of safety and live his fellow disciple to save his skin single handedly. This further shows how unreliable he could be (Yu, 302). Zhu was also a greedy person. He was anxious to marry the mother and her three daughters, so that he would be wealthy. Nonetheless, he could eat 20 times more than a sane human being, and still complained of hunger. Despite Zhu’s bad behaviors, he tried hard to overcome them. In addition, he was hard working, fought hard with the demons especially in the water where his tactics exceeded anyone else’s powers. Zhu was also a comedian his humor kept the disciples going. Zhu’s personal attributes overwhelmed the king and everyone else (Yu, 310). The disciples finally reached their destination, and Zhu Bajie got to be prized with the title of the holy cleaner of the holy Altar, whereby thousands of worshippers send offerings to that Altar on daily basis. The character traits of Bajie are a replica of those of a human being. The Chinese have adopted a lot of idioms that are related to Zhu Bajie such as, Zhu Bajie ‘carrying his wife’ Zhu Bajie not ‘knowing the taste at all”. Buddhism categories’ an offence in several grades, each liable to different punishments. The most serious calls for disrobing and the least require an advice. According to the rules of Buddhism, a monk is liable to punishment if one indulges in immoral sexual activities (Bhikku,6). However, this rule applies only to a monk who has accepted to be on the wrong. Immoral sexual behavior means sleeping with a woman and engaging in sexual intercourse, and not just being with a woman. Though Zhu Bajie was a lustful man before his reincarnation, he never slept with the goddess. He was, therefore, not liable to any punishment, in reference to the stipulated rules of Buddhism. He may have flirted, but never slept with the goddess thus he was not yet defeated. A monk may be guilty of many offences, but he cannot be proclaimed as defeated especially when a monk has not accepted his mistakes (Bhikkhu, 8). Zhu Bajie tried all he could to control his lustful behavior. In the case of the mother and the three daughters who were to be married, Bajie might felt tempted, but he tried his level best to refrain from the idea. He tried hard to keep the Buddhism rules, and as his name suggests, he always observed the eight prohibitions of Buddhism. Other Chinese sources campaign for men refraining from sexual activities, and maintaining calmness, even to the young males who still had no fatherly responsibility. However, medieval Chinese medical manuals cautioned that abstaining from sex for a man was unsafe (Kieschnick, 6). For example, Kumarajiva the son of a monk was at two occasions pressurized to marry a Kuchean princess two times. As if this was not enough, the Northern ruler of china forced him to cohabit with about 10 women with a reason that his seeds will bear no offspring (Kieschnick, 19). This clearly indicates how important sex was among the monks (Kieschnick, 20). Though Zhu Bajie was lustful, in relation to this Chinese belief, he committed no sin (as per the medieval Chinese) that paved way for him to be a god. Zhu was not the only disciple that might have been accused of sexual immorality. Bianji and the daughter of Tang Taizong (Gaoyang Princess) had been having an affair in for about nine years. However, Bianji was executed as a form of punishment for having committed an unforgivable sin as per the monks’ rules and regulation. Many pornographic materials were also found in the houses of the monks as well as romantic novels (Kieschnick, 20). This means that Zhu was not be rebuked for he was not the only one again he tried his best to refrain from the act. Zhu Bajie was a greedy fellow, and though, he had an appetite for eating meat, he stuck to being a vegetarian. He strictly obeyed the rules and regulation of Buddhism that ordered him not to eat the five rotten foods that include; garlic, leeks, green onions, scallions as well as spices, and the three forbidden meats that included; the meat of a wild dog, an ordinary dog and a snake-fish. Zhu’s refusal to eat meat demonstrates his behavior of a respectable and admirable monk in the Chinese society. This character enabled him to be easily loved by the community, and his positive character led him to become one of the Gods in the Buddhism society. According to the rules and regulations of the Buddhists, stated that ordinary monks had they could eat whatever that was given to them, in addition to meat although not that for the human, dogs, snakes, fowls, pork, monkeys, and that of an elephant. However, they were not to consume the meat that they suspected to have been killed to please them. Zhus character of not eating meat and sticking to being a vegetarian may have acted as an example to many people just like Sui monk. He advised even the ordinary person not to eat meat, and he witnessed fishermen cast their nets out, butchers close their businesses and the hunting dogs released free. This was as a result of the excellent behavior laid down by the Buddhists. Bajie was willing to change his negative characters to positive ones. He chose not only to offer protection to his monk, but also to keep the pilgrims. He refrained from eating meat and the prohibited foods. This led an exemplary life and many people are believed to have followed into his footsteps. Zhu Bajie used his fighting skills to get food and protect his master. According to the Buddhist law, it entails that if a pilgrim refrains from sexual activities he should then eat a lot. Eating, however, does not include taking the forbidden foods. His glutton’s behavior during the journey prevented him from being lustful. Dazhi a Buddhist wept when their emperor decided to put a perimeter to the growth of the Buddhist. He burnt his hand, peeled of his fresh, exposed the bones beneath and later tossed off the bones themselves. He only did this for the interest of the Buddhists. This is an example of self-immolation of the early monks with an aim of saving other people (Benn,4). Bajie was also a dedicated willing pilgrim who accepted to guard his monk. He did this for the benefit of all Buddhists. He joined his fellow disciples and dedicated himself to protect no matter how challenging the journey was. By doing this, he was refraining himself from the worldly pressures that he had a lust for. Buddhism teaches people to find happiness by opening to the richness of the everyday life. People are encouraged to be true to their hearts. This is explained in the story the young Prince Siddharta and his encounter with the old, sickness, death, and his left to marvel in deep thought. He found this as complete horror and based his hopes on the forest life as his only refuge. His family and friends tried to destruct his mind with other perception, but they advices fell on deaf years. He decided to be candid to his feelings, and through this, he was able to get on the path that led from the normal ethics of the public to an incomparable beginning of life. Siddharta finally became a Buddha, and he always advised his followers to always follow their hearts. Zhu Bajie is an example of a disciple who kept this law and always followed his heart. Everything that he did, he chose do it willingly. He willing accompanied the rest of the pilgrims and fearlessly fought the demons during the journey to the west. He was an exemplary character who got to win the heart of many and his character also made him become a God. The Chinese immolation was not only a local tradition for them, but was also used to convert themselves into wise people. Monks who committed suicide or even burnt their hands and fingers, did that to either save them selves or secure something that they never had in religious terms. They also did that to reduce their desire of worldly pressures. An example of a person who did this is Wuran who was a monk. He went for a long pilgrimage in search of bodhisattva. In his journey to search Manjusri, he comes across an area with a lot of several Indian monks and to his surprise meets with Manjusri. Manjusri tells him that he would get a prize if he persists. Wuran followed Marjusi’s suggestion, to serve the clergy. When he served a million monks, he cut his finger. Finally, he had serverd ten million people, thus: he had no finger left. After the accomplishment, he expressed his satisfaction to the congregation, of having travelled seventy two sacred places where most people had never reached. However, he had one wish to go to the peak of the central patio to burn a stick, where loudly called the name of Buddha. Finally, he requested one of the disciples to burn his body at midnight. Most of the Buddha had to pass through this to finally become Buddhas and gods and got to be praised by many ordinary people for their braveness to burn for the good of all people (Kieschnick, 38). Also in self sacrifice, other monks offer themselves to the beasts in the forest. For example, Wenshuang who presented himself to a wolf since it was hungry. He said that he was offering himself to the wolf so that he could acquire another body that was much stronger, and added that it would be a general benefit to them both. Another similar sacrifice was that of Shouxian. He announced to his disciples that he had a debt that needed to be paid since it was bothering him. The next day they only found his legs in his trousers, and the other part of his corpse had been consumed the tigers. In addition, monks self sacrificed them selves for the good of all people. Fajin who was a monk sacrificed himself to a village, which was suffering from hunger. However, the villagers were unable to adhere to his command; thus, he proceeded to cut himself into several pieces until he died. Another monk, in another different village saved them from the mouth of a tiger by sacrificing to die instead of them. He lay down in front of the tiger, and it ate him up instead. Monks went ahead to rite scriptures with the use of their blood, and drawing holy images with their blood. Diglan had initially sacrificed himself to the mosquitoes, leaches and insects. He also went ahead and punched his body so that he could write the scriptures down by using their blood, burnt his body and finally cut off his ears and bolted out his eyes that he later fed to the birds and beasts (kieschnick, 40). Zhu Bajie was willing to accompany their monk and refrain from doing everything that was being considered wrong, despite his fear and lousiness, with an idea that his sins were going to be forgiven. His belief can be compared or even drawn from the Chinese monk inspirational scriptures. The Chinese monks had a belief that if they made an offering of their fresh then they would be reborn directly into a pure world. An explanation to this is given in the biography of the pure-land patriarch Shandao. Shandao told people that they could be reborn again in a pure world if they could keep calling Buddha’s name. One of the people climbed up on a tree and called his name as directed, and confirmed it to be the truth (kieschnick, 43). Nevertheless in the personal histories of the well-known monks, there was a famous finger of a Buddha housed in the Famen Monastery, in the country side of a monk whose status had elevated to a place in the Palace chamber all in the name of setting his fingers on fire. Several other people burnt their fingers in front of the Buddha, with the hope that they would be reborn in a pure world (kieschnick, 44). Zhu Bajie ascetic nature can be equated to the villagers who divided the body of monk Puyuan all with the quest of redeeming themselves. The villagers split up the body of the monk into various pieces to make sure that every village had a part that they could burry. This people only acted with a motive of saving their skin, even if it meant dividing the corpse of the sanctified dead body. Monks sacrificed them selves to be born as another stronger person and for the good of all people. CONCLUSION Zhu Bajie might have acquired bad characters, but he always tried his level best to refrain from doing bad. He had a vision of doing the right and attaining the best fruit as he focused on the small gains in daily life. His undemanding character, trustworthy, obedience and flexible character finally made him to be rewarded as a god in the Buddhist society. Refraining one-self from doing wrong was essentially a social practice that was significant in respect to the society rules. For the monks like Zhu, it separated them from the rest of the society, making them to appear different from the rest of the people. Zhu Bajie accepted to join the other disciples to for the journey, since he had a belief that his sins were going to be forgiven. To transform from the evil person he was, he had to keep the eight pilgrims, and in addition he might have sacrificed, himself and born as another strong man that enhanced him to be a god in the Buddha kingdom. Bajie acted as an example to the rest of the society, he was a champion in the prohibition of meat eating. He may have followed the ways of the weak and the unrespectable, but inside he was a beautiful man with are a lot of teaching to give to his people. He followed the ways of a believer despite all bad behaviors that he was associated with. WORK CITED Benn, James, Burning for the Buddha: Self-Immolation in Chinese Buddhism. Studies in East Asian. Buddhism. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2007. Print Bhikku, Pesala, The Heart OF Buddhism, 21st March 2012. http://www.aimwell.org/Books/Pesala/Heart/heart.html [accessed on 3rd May 2012] Print Kherdian, David, “Monkey: AJourney to the West”, Shambhala. April 12, 2005. Print Kieschnick, John, “The Eminent Monk, Buddhist Ideals in Medieval Chinese Hagiography”. Honolulu, Kurando Institute Book. Print Yu, Anthony,” Journey to the West”, university of Chicago Press, vol 1, February, 1980. Print Read More