In an earlier post, we explained how the Monkey King measure time without clocks on Lingtai Fangcun Mountain. We found that his master Subhuti’s “Three Watches Agreement” actually draws inspiration from a Chan (Zen) Buddhist parable, the secret dharma transmission to the Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng. Today, we will delve deeper into this topic to uncover more intriguing narratives and contextualize more undisclosed details.
The Story of Zen Patriarch Hui Neng’s Path to Enlightenment
Hui Neng was born into a impoverished family and earned his livelihood as a woodcutter from a young age. One day, while delivering firewood to a client, he overheard the client reciting passages from the Diamond Sutra, which profoundly moved him. This narrative parallels a pivotal scene in the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, where Sun Wukong (the Monkey King) encounters a woodcutter who guides him to the sage Subhuti—a key figure in the Diamond Sutra’s teachings.
The client informed Hui Neng that the Fifth Patriarch, Hongren, was the one expounding the sutra. Inspired, Hui Neng resolved to journey north to seek Hongren and deepen his understanding of Buddhism.
Parallels with Sun Wukong’s Training
Hui Neng’s apprenticeship mirrored Sun Wukong’s spiritual apprenticeship in structure and symbolism.
Secret Dharma Transmission
Though other disciples possessed greater seniority and credentials, the Fifth Patriarch secretly chose Hui Neng as his successor, entrusting him with the Diamond Sutra and the patriarchal robe and alms bowl. This clandestine initiation echoes Subhuti’s private instruction of Sun Wukong in immortality arts- the Supreme Formula of Celestial Immortal.
Three Knocks of the Staff
The Fifth Patriarch struck his staff three times, signaling Hui Neng to visit him at the third watch (midnight). This ritualistic gesture is nearly identical to Subhuti’s cryptic three knocks on Sun Wukong’s head in Journey to the West, which instructed the Monkey King to seek esoteric teachings at midnight.
When the Patriarch heard this, he uttered a cry and jumped down from the high platform. He pointed the ruler he held in his hands at Wukong and said to him: “What a mischievous monkey you are! You won’t learn this and you won’t learn that! Just what is it that you are waiting for?” Moving forward, he hit Wukong three times on the head. Then he folded his arms behind his back and walked inside, closing the main doors behind him and leaving the congregation stranded outside. Those who were listening to the lecture were so terrified that everyone began to berate Wukong. “You reckless ape!” they cried, “you’re utterly without manners! The master was prepared to teach you magic secrets. Why weren’t you willing to learn? Why did you have to argue with him instead? Now you have offended him, and who knows when he’ll come out again?” At that moment they all resented him and despised and ridiculed him. But Wukong was not angered in the least and only replied with a broad grin. For the Monkey King, in fact, had already solved secretly, as it were, the riddle in the pot; he therefore did not quarrel with the other people but patiently held his tongue. He reasoned that the master, by hitting him three times, was telling him to prepare himself for the third watch; and by folding his arms behind his back, walking inside, and closing the main doors, was telling him to enter by the back door so that he might receive instruction in secret.
— Journey to the West, Chapter 2
Nighttime Departure
After transmitting the Dharma, the Fifth Patriarch ordered Hui Neng to flee the temple secretly under cover of darkness—a motif paralleling Sun Wukong’s expulsion from Subhuti’s sanctuary after mastering supernatural powers.
“Go away, all of you,” the Patriarch said. “You, Wukong, come over here! I ask you what sort of exhibition were you putting on, changing into a pine tree? This ability you now possess, is it just for showing off to people? Suppose you saw someone with this ability. Wouldn’t you ask him at once how he acquired it? So when others see that you are in possession of it, they’ll come begging. If you’re afraid to refuse them, you will give away the secret; if you don’t, they may hurt you. You are actually placing your life in grave jeopardy.” “I beseech the master to forgive me,” Wukong said, kowtowing. “I won’t condemn you,” said the Patriarch, “but you must leave this place.” When Wukong heard this, tears fell from his eyes. “Where am I to go, Teacher?” he asked. “From wherever you came,” the Patriarch said, “you should go back there.”
— Journey to the West, Chapter 2
Journey to the West ingeniously adapts Chan Buddhist motifs, framing Sun Wukong’s journey as a folkloric retelling of Hui Neng’s enlightenment narrative.
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