Session 19: The Monkey King is Pressed Under the Five-Element Mountain
- liz zhang
- Mar 13
- 2 min read
This session covers one of the most iconic moments in Journey to the West! The Grate Sage, who had been invincible against celestial forces, believed himself capable of surpassing the Buddha, only to find that he could not leap beyond the palm of his hand. Ultimately, the Buddha subdues him by pressing him under the Five-Element Mountain, marking a significant turning point in his journey.
Session Focus:
We will discuss:
✔ Why Sun Wukong could not leap beyond the Buddha’s palm.
✔ Why the Buddha pressed him under the Five-Element Mountain.
✔ The deeper symbolism of the Five-Element Mountain and its relevance to life today.
Key Questions for contemplation:
Q: In his self-introduction to the Buddha, what key message does Sun Wukong convey about himself?
The Buddha said, “The Jade Emperor has trained himself since childhood, and suffered hardship for one thousand, seven hundred and fifty kalpas. Each kalpa is 129,600 years, so you can work out for yourself how long it has taken him to be able to enjoy this great and infinite Way.”
Q: How do you interpret the Buddha’s response?
Q: How did Sun Wukong respond to the Buddha’s explanation?
What does this reveal about Sun Wukong’s understanding of power?
Q: What was the bet the Buddha make with the Monkey King?
Q: Why did the Buddha use a challenge rather than force?
Q: Why did Sun Wukong believe he would win the bet?
Q: How did Sun Wukong try to prove he reached beyond the palm of the Buddha?
What does this reveal about his character?
Q: What was his reaction of the Great Sage when he discovered the truth?
Why did he refuse to believe it at first?
Q: What did the Buddha do to subdue Sun Wukong?
Q: Why couldn’t the Monkey King fly by somersault beyond the palm of the Buddha?
Q: What is the connotation of the Five-Element Mountain?
What is the Five-Element Mountain that traps us or deprives us of freedom in today's world?
I am Nobu, currently living in Prague.
Sun Wukong's refusal to acknowledge that he couldn't escape Buddha's palm taught me a valuable lesson: a fixed mindset is akin to a frog living in a well—a prisoner of its own skills and knowledge.
In the story, when Sun Wukong worried about death, an ape advised him, "The Buddhas, the Immortals, and the Sages are free from the Wheel of Reincarnation." Sun Wukong was fortunate to encounter one such Sage, Patriarch Subhuti. After seven years of training, he believed he had mastered the secrets of immortality. Yet, upon meeting one of the Buddhas and realizing he couldn't get away from Buddha's palm, he struggled to accept his limitations. His unwillingness to acknowledge…
I am Chuan, living in Prague of Czech Republic.
I still remember that when Sun Wukong fled from the Heavenly Palace back to Flower and Fruit Mountain for the second time, the demons prepared coconut toddy to welcome him. However, he immediately found it was awful. Having tasted celestial wine, divine delicacies, and elixirs in the Heavenly Palace, he now felt that heavenly food was far superior in comparison.
From a stone monkey to the king of Flower and Fruit Mountain, Sun Wukong kept advancing—learning the 72 transformations and the technique of immortality. Later, he entered the Heavenly Palace, protecting the Horses and later as the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, taking care the Peach orchard.His desires grew step by…