Among my country's four major classic novels, "Journey to the West" has a higher awareness rate than the other three. And due to the widespread dissemination of related film and television works, the images of the four Tang Monk masters have become even more widely known.
At the end of the novel, the four masters and disciples experienced ninety-nine and eighty-one difficulties to reach the West to obtain the true scriptures. With the approval of the Buddha and Bodhisattva, due to their different division of labor, they were awarded the right position:
Tang Monk was granted the title of Zhan ( zhān) Tan Merit Buddha, Sun Wukong was named Victory Buddha , Zhu Bajie was named the Messenger of the Pure Altar, Monk Sha was named Namo Eight Treasures Golden Body Arhat .
Buddha? Buddha? Arhat ? King Kong? messenger?
What status do they have in Buddhism?
Based on the relevant materials you have reviewed, I want to clarify this issue.
First of all, we must distinguish Mahayana Buddha from Hinayana Buddha.
There are differences in the outlook on life and the universe between the Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism. The Hinayana specializes in the path of liberation and believes in the only Buddha, Sakyamuni; while the Mahayana specializes in the Bodhisattva path and believes that all living beings can become Buddhas.
Therefore, the two have different divisions of "positions" within the sect. This "position" is often referred to as " and " in various fantasy novels.
Fruition refers to the state that can be achieved when practicing Buddhism. This realm is divided into three stages, from low to high: self-awareness, awareness of others, and perfection of awareness.
According to this standard, Hinayana Buddhism divides four fruition positions, which are Arhat (Arhat), Anagami, Situagami and Sotapanna ; while in Mahayana Buddhism, there are three, namely Buddha , Bodhisattva and Arhat (arhat).
Hinayana Buddhism, because the highest state is Arhat, without seeking to become a Buddha. It is precisely for this reason that the saints of Hinayana Buddhism only seek to enter the realm of Nirvana, and then live in Nirvana, and no longer save sentient beings, so they cannot be called Bodhisattvas, nor can they become Buddhas. Once you reach the state of self-consciousness, there is no follow-up.
Mahayana Buddhism believes that everyone can become a Buddha, so enlighteners are divided into three levels according to their different levels of enlightenment. In short, they are:
Buddha: self-consciousness, awareness of others, and perfect enlightenment; Bodhisattva: self-consciousness, awareness of others (Arhat): Realization.
Buddha, Buddha is the highest achievement of Buddhist practice, an awakened person or an enlightened person, a perfect person.
In Mahayana Buddhism, in addition to Sakyamuni, it also generally refers to all those who have achieved perfect enlightenment. Mahayana Buddhism believes that there are Buddhas everywhere in the three realms and ten directions, as many as the sands of the Ganges River. There were Seven Buddhas and Burning Buddha in the past, Maitreya Buddha in the future, Medicine Buddha in the east, and Amitabha in the west. Speaking of Buddha, there are Dharmakaya Buddha, Sambhogakaya Buddha, and Responding Body Buddha.
In Theravada Buddhism, Buddha generally refers to Sakyamuni.
Bodhisattva, also known as the Bodhisattva Way.
In Mahayana Buddhism, although Bodhisattva enters Nirvana, he is not in Nirvana. Although he is liberated from life and death, he is not separated from life and death. The reason for this is that Bodhisattva makes great vows to save all sentient beings. For example, the four great Bodhisattvas Ksitigarbha , Samantabhadra , Manjusri , and Guanyin each have great aspirations.
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva : "Only when all living beings are saved can Bodhi be realized; before hell is empty, I will never become a Buddha."
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva : It is the right side attendant of the Buddha Sakyamuni, symbolizing the Buddha's principles and virtues, and protecting all living beings. The goal is to recognize virtue.
Manjusri Bodhisattva : He is the great disciple of Sakyamuni. He serves the Buddha and specializes in wisdom. He hopes that everyone in the world will be smart.
Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva : In what body should one be saved, that is, in which body one should appear to preach the Dharma. To help people in the world escape from the plight of labor.
Arhat, that is, Arhat.
In Theravada Buddhism, it is the ultimate goal of Buddhists.
The Arhats in Mahayana Buddhism also have a new position. Arhats no longer aim at their own nirvana and liberation, but take it as their responsibility to save all sentient beings. Once they make great aspirations, they will be promoted to the path of Bodhisattva.
Arhat is undoubtedly the most famous " Eighteen Arhat ". According to folklore, the Eighteen Arhats are all disciples of Sakyamuni Buddha. However, the earliest records of Tang Monk Xuanzang were actually only sixteen, and the other two were added during the spread of Buddhism in later generations.
King Kong, also known as Mingwang, is the "wrathful incarnation" of Buddha.
If the Buddha’s enlightenment is supreme and the Bodhisattva’s relief is compassion, then Vajra Mingwang is the incarnation of anger.
The most famous Ming King should be the Tathagata Buddha in Tantra " The Five Ming Kings ":
The immovable Ming King in the center is the teaching wheel of Great Sun Tathagata , which can subdue all demons.
The of the East surrendered to the Third Ming King as the teaching wheel body of Achurta Tathagata , which can subjugate the great free heaven.
King Taliming of the Southern Army gave birth to the Tathagata's teachings on the wheel body, which can subdue the five evil demons.
The Western Great Mighty Deming King is the teaching wheel of the Tathagata Infinite Life, which can subdue human beings and demons.
King Vajra Yaksha of the North is the teaching wheel body of the Tathagata Achievement, which can subdue the earthly demons.
According to relevant records, Vajra Yaksha Mingwang is also Peacock Mingwang, and is the mother of Buddha. Like the third eldest Dapeng Golden Winged Eagle among the three brothers in Shituoling in "Journey to the West", both were born from the phoenix. Therefore, Dapeng is considered to be Tathagata Buddha's uncle.
The last thing worth mentioning is the identity of Bajie as the Jingtan messenger . At first glance,
does not seem to match the previous identity, as if it is a new one. In fact, the full name of Bajie’s fruition status in the original work is Pure Altar Envoy Bodhisattva.
Although for him, the clean altar is not a big problem, after all, it can be eaten, and the original intention of the messenger was to send a warning or bring good news.
As for the appointment of Bajie as the Bodhisattva who regards it as his duty to save all sentient beings, from the perspective of future generations, Bajie is probably quite awkward. Maybe the mortals who are destined to him are just beautiful girls.
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