Red Boy
Encyclopedia
Red Boy was a character featured in the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West
. Red Boy was also known as the Boy Sage King (聖嬰大王), and had been the son of Princess Iron Fan
and the Bull Demon King, a former sworn brother of Sun Wukong
. Through the orders of his father, Red Boy was told to be the protector of the Fiery Mountains due to his supreme abilities when it came to fire, abilities he had cultivated for over 300 years.
Through this, Red Boy had developed True Samādhi
Fire (三昧眞火, Pinyin: Sānmèi-zhēnhuǒ), which enables him to shoot fire inextinguishable by water and smoke from his eyes, nostrils and mouth. Samādhi is the Sanskrit
word for concentration.
. Red Boy did not believe Wukong's statement that Red Boy's father (the Bull Demon King) was his sworn brother, which technically made Wukong a relation of his.
Red Boy then tried to kill Wukong by controlling five carts (each one representing one of the Five Elements
) that emitted in great amount of fire that had the power to blotted out the heavens, but Wukong cast a fire resistance spell and chased after Red Boy, who came back into his cave, thinking he had defeated Wukong.
Sun Wukong at first asks for some rain from the Eastern Dragon King to counter Red Boy's Samadhi Fire, to no avail (the Dragon King's rain can only extinguish normal fires, but Red Boy's fire is inextinguishable) with the rain in fact intensifying the flames. Caught directly by the flames, Sun Wukong is ultimately burned almost to death by the flames and he finally resorts to asking for the help of the Bodhisattva Guanyin.
As Red Boy is fighting Wukong in a forest, he found Guanyin's (empty) lotus throne, and then in irreverence sat in it imitating Guanyin's posture. Suddenly the lotus throne transformed into swords which pierced and wounded Red Boy; as he attempted to take them out, the swords then transformed into halberds, which trapped him. In pain, Red Boy then pleaded for Guanyin to release him. In return, Red Boy would have to also become Guanyin's permanent disciple, and was given the name 'Shancai
' (善財).
She then withdrew the blades and healed Red Boy's wounds, but Red Boy then attempted to attack the Bodhisattva once more. She then threw a golden band which multiplied into five and fixed it around his head, wrists and legs (which were similar to the magical band around Wukong's head, in that it also tightened after Guanyin recited the mantra "oṃ maṇipadme hūṃ
", causing pain to Red Boy), thereby subduing him.
Red Boy then found out that he could not remove these bands, and after being jibed by Wukong, took his spear and attempted to attack him, only to have Guanyin recite yet another mantra, which made Red Boy put his hands together in front of his chest, unable to pull them apart; Red Boy, now with his arms immobilized, could do nothing than lower his head in a bow.
Journey to the West
Journey to the West is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. It was written by Wu Cheng'en in the 16th century. In English-speaking countries, the tale is also often known simply as Monkey. This was one title used for a popular, abridged translation by Arthur Waley...
. Red Boy was also known as the Boy Sage King (聖嬰大王), and had been the son of Princess Iron Fan
Princess Iron Fan
Princess Iron Fan is a fictional character from the Chinese classic novel Journey to the West. She is the wife of the Bull King and mother of Red Boy. She is a beautiful goddess living in an underground cave awaiting her husband's return, but also angry at him for his affair with a foxy vixen...
and the Bull Demon King, a former sworn brother of Sun Wukong
Sun Wukong
Sun Wukong , also known as the Monkey King is a main character in the classical Chinese epic novel Journey to the West . In the novel, he is a monkey born from a stone who acquires supernatural powers through Taoist practices...
. Through the orders of his father, Red Boy was told to be the protector of the Fiery Mountains due to his supreme abilities when it came to fire, abilities he had cultivated for over 300 years.
Through this, Red Boy had developed True Samādhi
Samadhi
Samadhi in Hinduism, Buddhism,Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools is a higher level of concentrated meditation, or dhyāna. In the yoga tradition, it is the eighth and final limb identified in the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali....
Fire (三昧眞火, Pinyin: Sānmèi-zhēnhuǒ), which enables him to shoot fire inextinguishable by water and smoke from his eyes, nostrils and mouth. Samādhi is the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
word for concentration.
Part in Journey to the West
Sun Wukong had battled against Red Boy in hopes of returning his master XuanzangXuanzang (fictional character)
The fictional character Xuanzang is a central character of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West.For most of the novel he is known as Táng-sānzàng, the title Sānzàng referring to his mission to seek the Sānzàngjīng, the "Three Collections of Scriptures"...
. Red Boy did not believe Wukong's statement that Red Boy's father (the Bull Demon King) was his sworn brother, which technically made Wukong a relation of his.
Red Boy then tried to kill Wukong by controlling five carts (each one representing one of the Five Elements
Five elements
Five elements may refer to: In philosophy: *Five elements *Mahabhuta*Pancha Tattva *Five elements In science:*Boron, element 5*Group 5 element*Period 5 element-See also:...
) that emitted in great amount of fire that had the power to blotted out the heavens, but Wukong cast a fire resistance spell and chased after Red Boy, who came back into his cave, thinking he had defeated Wukong.
Sun Wukong at first asks for some rain from the Eastern Dragon King to counter Red Boy's Samadhi Fire, to no avail (the Dragon King's rain can only extinguish normal fires, but Red Boy's fire is inextinguishable) with the rain in fact intensifying the flames. Caught directly by the flames, Sun Wukong is ultimately burned almost to death by the flames and he finally resorts to asking for the help of the Bodhisattva Guanyin.
As Red Boy is fighting Wukong in a forest, he found Guanyin's (empty) lotus throne, and then in irreverence sat in it imitating Guanyin's posture. Suddenly the lotus throne transformed into swords which pierced and wounded Red Boy; as he attempted to take them out, the swords then transformed into halberds, which trapped him. In pain, Red Boy then pleaded for Guanyin to release him. In return, Red Boy would have to also become Guanyin's permanent disciple, and was given the name 'Shancai
Sudhana
Sudhanakumâra , mainly known as Sudhana, translated as Child of Wealth, is the main protagonist in the next-to-last and longest chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra. Sudhana appears in Buddhist, Taoist and folk stories; in most of them he is one of the acolytes of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara and is...
' (善財).
She then withdrew the blades and healed Red Boy's wounds, but Red Boy then attempted to attack the Bodhisattva once more. She then threw a golden band which multiplied into five and fixed it around his head, wrists and legs (which were similar to the magical band around Wukong's head, in that it also tightened after Guanyin recited the mantra "oṃ maṇipadme hūṃ
Om mani padme hum
is the six syllabled mantra particularly associated with the four-armed Shadakshari form of Avalokiteshvara , the bodhisattva of compassion...
", causing pain to Red Boy), thereby subduing him.
Red Boy then found out that he could not remove these bands, and after being jibed by Wukong, took his spear and attempted to attack him, only to have Guanyin recite yet another mantra, which made Red Boy put his hands together in front of his chest, unable to pull them apart; Red Boy, now with his arms immobilized, could do nothing than lower his head in a bow.