Name: The tale of the Monkey King and the Buddha - Ji Hao
Uploaded: 2026-05-08T04:11:24.657Z
Duration: 5 min 59 s
Description: After wreaking havoc across the heavens and being captured in a white-hot prison cell, the Monkey King freed himself once more and was itching for a fight. Desperate, the Jade Emperor called on the supreme power in all the heavens: the Buddha himself. But even in the face of this almighty opponent, Sun Wukong was not cowed. Ji Hao follows the Monkey King's quest to outwit the Buddha.

Whisper

The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know.

Aristotle

The tale of the Monkey King and the Buddha - Ji Hao | Whisper

Transcript (reveals the answers)

00:09After wreaking havoc across the heavens, pilfering a potion of immortality,
00:15and defeating the strongest warriors in the Jade Emperor’s court,
00:19the Monkey King had finally been captured in a white hot prison cell.
00:26But rather than cooking him to a crisp, the sweltering cage had inflamed its captive’s strength.
00:33Now he was free once more and itching for a fight.
00:38Desperate, the Jade Emperor called on the only being stronger than he,
00:43the supreme power in all the heavens: the Buddha himself.
00:49Even in the face of this almighty opponent, Sun Wukong was not one to grovel.
00:55He began boasting of his many talents and demanded the Emperor's crown.
00:59Smiling, the Buddha declared he would grant that wish, if Sun Wukong could somersault out of his palm.
01:08The Monkey King gladly pranced onto the Buddha’s hand and shot into the air, landing in a far off region
01:15where five pink pillars seemed to mark the edge of the Heavens.
01:20Cackling with glee, Sun Wukong proudly marked his territory.
01:25Returning to the Buddha, he demanded his new title, but he was distracted by a familiar odor.
01:33Looking back, he was shocked to find he'd never left the Buddha's hand.
01:38Suddenly, those five fingers transformed into a mountain range, which flipped and pinned Sun Wukong to the ground.
01:48Using a sacred seal, the Buddha secured the prison, trapping the Monkey King for good, unless he could learn to change.
01:57Seeing the mystical tag, Sun Wukong knew he couldn’t escape unaided.
02:03But it took centuries before he truly admitted defeat.
02:08After 500 years of imprisonment, he'd grown increasingly desperate, finally vowing to mend his ways.
02:16So when the Bodhisattva Guanyin happened by his prison on a sacred journey,
02:22he promised to pursue enlightenment if she would end his torment.
02:26The goddess of compassion was skeptical of Sun Wukong's change of heart, but decided to give him an opportunity to prove himself.
02:35At that time, the goddess was overseeing another sacred quest, pursued by a righteous monk named Tripitaka.
02:43He had set out to retrieve scriptures from the West, but the path was too long and dangerous to travel alone.
02:51So Guanyin promised to arrange Sun Wukong’s freedom if he would serve as a monk’s faithful disciple.
02:59The Monkey King agreed without hesitation, and Guanyin directed Tripitaka to his mountain prison.
03:07After centuries of waiting, Sun Wukong was finally free, but he knew he had to behave himself.
03:16While the pair walked peacefully at first, they were soon accosted by fearsome bandits and Sun Wukong’s old habits bubbled up.
03:26Tripitaka scolded the Monkey King, but this only enraged him further.
03:31Being good was far more boring than he had imagined, so he swiftly abandoned his companion.
03:38Unable to continue alone, Tripitaka sat dejected, until a strange woman approached him.
03:45She gave him a sumptuous silk shirt and a cap hiding a band of gold alongside a mysterious spell.
03:54It was only when she vanished that Tripitaka recognized her as his holy patron.
04:00Meanwhile, Sun Wukong was having second thoughts.
04:05He'd sought refuge in the Dragon King's lair, where he discussed his troubles over tea.
04:11But the Dragon King only scoffed at his guest’s wounded pride.
04:16He told Sun Wukong that if he truly wanted to attain enlightenment, he would have to abandon his ego, however painful that might be.
04:26His determination renewed, Sun Wukong Kong returned to Tripitaka to apologize, but quickly spotted the luxurious shirt and cap.
04:39They fit the Monkey King perfectly, prompting Tripitaka to recite the spell out of curiosity.
04:47Suddenly, the golden band tightened around Sun Wukong’s head, causing explosive pain.
04:55He became too weak to use his cudgel or somersault away.
05:00Only now did Tripitaka recognize the spell’s power.
05:05Until Sun Wukong could control himself, Guanyin had given him control of the Monkey King.
05:15Both parties were uneasy about this new arrangement.
05:21But they agreed it was for the good of their mission.
05:25Finally, the Monkey King was ready for his greatest challenge yet: an epic journey to the West.
05:33And perhaps, to redemption.

Command Palette

The tale of the Monkey King and the Buddha - Ji Hao

About this lesson