2
Monkey Studies Magic
AFTER THE MONKEY HAD RECEIVED A NAME, he settled down to study and remained there over six years. Once the Master lectured and taught:
Mysterious are the three Religions
In essence and fruitage all complete
Now preaching, now praying
All unite in one essential
Repentance and sincerity
As the path of life for all.
The Seeker of Secrets, on hearing this, felt like dancing for very joy, and moved his hands in great excitement. The Master asked him what was the matter. He replied, “Please pardon me, it is nothing but inexpressible delight at hearing such joyful tidings from you.” The Master said, “You have now been here seven years. What more do you wish to study? There are hundreds of interesting subjects; which do you want to take up? Do you wish to study the inactive subject, such as the art of calling up genii and obtaining oracles from the gods to avert evil and secure happiness, or do you wish to learn the six Schools of Thought: Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Dualism, the Universal Love of Mozi or the Principles of Medicine? Or do you wish to study Quietism, which means stillness, prayer, and meditation, silence and fasting, sleeping merit, standing merit, and trances? Or do you wish to study various objective activities, such as men and women, inward massage with the breath, the compounding of male and female essences, the use of human milk and such like?” The Monkey asked, “Will any of these show me how not to grow old?” The Master said, “No, not one.” The Monkey King replied, “Not one of them will I study then.” The Master jumped down from his platform and said, “You monkey, what will you learn since you will study none of these?” and he hit the king three times on his head and went inside. The Monkey King thought this was only the Master’s private hint for him to come and see him at the third watch that night, and he would tell him the secret. At the third watch the Monkey King went in and found his Master’s door half open. He went in and waked him. On waking the Master chanted:
Hard it is, hard it is,
Mystery of mysteries to solve.
The Golden Pill give out to man with care.
The faithless ne’er can prize the gift divine.
Your breath is spent, you preach in vain.
At this the Monkey King said, “Since you signaled to me to come and get the secret of religion at this time, I have come here and have been kneeling to receive it for some time.” The Master thought, “What a rare creature I have in this monkey!” He said, “I will tell you this great secret.”
To discover secret doctrine, perfect and profound,
One must train the spirit’s nature, only this the art,
This involves three primal forces, sex, mind, and spirit.
Secret keep this no divulging, fatal to reveal,
Preserve with care your body’s strength,
Your secret strength conserve, increase.
Obey my words, and Truth you’ll find.
Forget them not, the gain is great.
Put off all thoughts of evil lust.
Seek purity, shine bright.
Your secret chambers flood with light.
The moon protects the timid hare,
The sun grows trees for birds to roost.
Birds and rabbits join in revels,
So do dragons have their mates
Have their mates and new life follows.
E’en in fire grows a lily
Differing natures, all converted,
End their work as true Immortals.
The Seeker of Secrets, having learnt the three secrets of Immortality: mind and spirit and abstinence from sex, memorized these carefully, and went on studying alone for three years more. Then the Master again mounted the platform and preached on the Parable of the Great Judgment. Suddenly he asked, “Where is the Seeker of Secrets?” The Monkey King came forward, knelt and said, “I am here.” The Master asked, “What have you been learning all this time?” “Your disciple has mastered the study of the spiritual nature.” The Master said, “Then you know the origin of things. But you must be careful of three great dangers.” The Seeker of Secrets, after pondering over this for a long time said, “I have constantly heard it said that when one has found Truth and Virtue, then one becomes an Immortal and no sickness can befall him; how then do you speak of dangers to be avoided?” The Master said, “What I teach you is not an ordinary doctrine, for it controls the forces of Heaven and Earth and the secrets of the sun, moon, and stars. When one has arrived at this stage, then one is superior to the evil spirits and the ordinary gods. Still after a time there will come a thunderclap to try your soul and spirit. If unmoved and unshaken in the deluge, you will be like Heaven itself. If you doubt, then you perish. After a long practice of religion again, one is tried a second time. This danger does not come from Heaven, nor from man, but from one’s own passions. It burns one’s whole body to ashes, and all one’s long years of practice are in vain like a dream. After another long term of practice, one is tried a third time by the danger of environment, which blows on one like a typhoon and affects one’s whole being. This must be overcome.” When the Seeker of Secrets heard this his body shook and his hair stood on end. “Oh Master, have pity on me, and tell me how to overcome these three dangers, and I shall never forget your kindness.” The Master said, “That is not difficult. There are two ways to avoid them. One has 36 wonders, the other 72; which do you wish to know?” The Seeker of Secrets said, “I wish to know the 72 wonders.” “Come here then, and I will teach you the incantation.” Then he whispered it in his ear. The Monkey King felt influences going through every pore of his body, and began to practice the arts and to learn the whole 72 wonders. Afterwards when they were outside the door of the Three Star Cave, the Master said, “Seeker of Secrets, have you learnt all the arts?” He replied, “Thanks to your great kindness I have, and I can fly among the clouds.” The Master said, “Let me see what you can do.” At this, the Seeker of Secrets bent himself and jumped some 50 or 60 feet in the air and walked on the clouds for about the time it takes one to have a meal, walked for a mile and then descended amongst them. The Master said, “That is not much. It is only creeping on the clouds. The ancient Immortals are said to have mounted in the morning as far as the Northern Ocean, gone round the East, South, and West Ocean, and been back at night.” The Seeker of Secrets said, “This is not easy.” The Master said, “Easy enough if you have a mind to do it.” At this the Seeker of Secrets threw himself on his knees and, declaring he was in earnest, begged his master to be so kind as to show him how to do it again. The Master said, “You jumped when rising, you should only bow and rise. But if you wish I can teach you how to do it by somersaults.” The Seeker of Secrets knelt before him again and begged him to do so. The Master then taught him the incantation. Then with a clenched fist and a spring, the Monkey King was off 107,000 li. As it was late the Master and students retired, while the Seeker of Secrets went