Skip to content

Details

The Great Immortal catches the pilgrims after the baby-like fruit incident; Wukong’s magic saves them from severe punishment, a lesson in power, responsibility and consequence.

When the Great Immortal returns to Wuzhuang Temple and discovers the baby-like fruits tree has been uprooted, he remains composed. The pilgrims try twice to flee but are effortlessly gathered into the Great Immortal’s sleeve and brought back to the temple. Once more Wukong uses his magic to avoid flogging and the pot of boiling oil. This episode exposes how even powerful beings can be easily outwitted and calls us to reflect on responsibility and restraint.

Session Focus:
We will explore why Wukong, Pig and Friar Sand, each endowed with special powers, are so easily apprehended by the Great Immortal, and what this episode teaches about authority, humility, and accountability. We’ll also review the trials the pilgrims have faced so far.

Key Questions for contemplation:

The Great Immortal did not lose his temper when he heard their story, "Don't cry," he said, "don't cry. What you don't realize is that Monkey is an Immortal of the Supreme Monad, and that he played tremendous havoc in the Heavenly Palace. He has vast magic powers. But he has knocked our tree over….”
Q1:The Great Immortal remains calm when he hears the story. What does his reaction tell you about his character, and what leadership lessons do you notice in how he handles the situation?

The Great Immortal did a "Wrapping Heaven and Earth in His Sleeve" trick, waving his sleeve gently in the breeze as he stood amid the clouds, then sweeping it across the ground and gathering up the four pilgrims and their horse in it.
"Hell," said Pig, "We're all caught in a bag."
"It isn't a bag, you idiot," said Monkey, "he's caught us all in his sleeve."
"It doesn't matter, anyhow," said Pig. "I can make a hole in it with a single blow of my rake that we can all get through. Then we'll be able to drop out when he relaxes his grip on us." But however desperately he struck at the fabric he could make no impression on it: although it was soft when held in the hand it was harder than iron when hit.
The Great Immortal turned his cloud round, went straight back to the Wuzhuang Temple…he took the Tang Priest out of his sleeve as if he were a puppet and had him tied to one of the pillars of the main hall. After that he took the other three out and tied each of them to a pillar.
Q2: Earlier Wukong fought fierce battles and often triumphed. Why are the pilgrims so easily captured in the Great Immortal’s sleeve?

Splendid Monkey made himself smaller, slipped out of his bonds, and said, "Let's go, master.” Monkey then freed Sanzang, Pig and Friar Sand, straightened his tunic, tightened his belt, saddled the horse, collected their luggage from under the eaves, and went out through the temple gates with the others.
Then Monkey recited a spell, bit the tip of his tongue open, and spat blood over the trees. At his shout of "Change!" one of the trees turned into Sanzang, one turned into Monkey, and the other two became Friar Sand and Pig. They were all perfect likenesses; when questioned they would reply, and when called by their names they responded.
… …
When the junior came to flog Monkey, the real Monkey on the road shuddered and said, "Oh, no!"
"What do you mean?" Sanzang asked.
"When I turned the four willow trees into the four of us I thought that as he had me flogged twice yesterday he wouldn't flog me again today, but now he's lashing the magic body, my real body is feeling the pain. I'm putting an end to this magic." With that he hastily recited an incantation to break the spell.
Q3: Wukong uses magic repeatedly to avoid punishment. Where is the ethical line between skillful use of power and self-serving evasion? How should we judge Wukong’s actions here?

Q4: How many trial and tribulations have the pilgrims gone through?
Let’s go through them one by one!

Take your time with these questions. Bring your insights, personal reflections, and discoveries into our circle for shared contemplation.

📚 Self-Study & Preparation:
https://chine.in/fichiers/jourwest.pdf
Chapter 25 (page 361 - 368).

💰 Participation Fee:
Pay-as-you-go: AUD $5 per session (via PayPal)

📝 Members’ Blogging Space:
Share your reflections and learnings:
https://www.hellosuliving.com/blog

Members are also interested in