Zoom Rabbit Posted July 19, 2003 Share Posted July 19, 2003 My highest ambition in life is to write inspired literature. Without going to deeply into religion, I'll mention that I'm a lifelong mystic who has carried on a meaningful relationship with what I call 'God.' On rare occasion, this mystic discourse comes to me in the form of a story or text, and I write these down. Because of the inspired nature of these stories, I call them sutras after the hindu/buddhist tradition (coincidentally, 'sutra' means 'thread' in sanskrit) in order to distinguish them from writings of more mundane type. The Monkey Sutra is such a story. While meditating one night, and contemplating this universal problem mankind has of multiple belief systems, a parable came fully into my mind of monkeys in the jungle, looking for the magic banana tree. I went to bed, but when I woke up in the morning, I found that the story was falling into place in my mind with characters and a plot. In a very real way, this story seems to have written itself. Now that everyone thinks I'm bonkers, I will begin the first of four parts. It will take me a few days to get this all posted; to all who will read it, I thank for their time beforehand. The Monkey Sutra 'Teach a man to fish and he eats every day; give a man a monkey, and he can teach it to fish for him.' ACT ONE Thus have I heard--that long, long ago there lived a tribe of monkeys in the sandalwood forest. In those days the world was still young, and the vine and flower-laden treetops still rattled with the cry of wild monkeys, much as they had for uncounted eons. This tribe was unique. They had discovered fire, and how to keep it burning with sticks and leaves. They huddled around the fire together, safe from the bigger animals of the sandalwood forest. For the first time, monkeys were presented with the challenge of living together. As was the ancient, unwritten law of nature, the largest monkey ruled the tribe. The named himself Manu the Monkey King, and tossed aside any monkey who challenged him. Taking responsibility, the first king saw to it that firewood was gathered and food brought to the camp for all to share. He ended squabbles between the other monkeys in the tribe by tossing them...but he began to foresee a day when his aggression would be insufficient to control the tribe. With the passing of time, his mighty ape body was losing its youthful invulnerability, and some day, a bigger monkey would toss him aside. The fire could be lost, the monkeys might return to the treetops...and things would go back to the way they were before. This thought saddened the Monkey King. He wished that he could find a better way to control the tribe, but they were simple monkeys after all, who responded only to intimidation. One day, a strange new monkey came to visit the fire. His fur shined with a silvery light, which cast shadows of the leaves and trees of the forest. Even more strangely, this monkey walked upright, using only his two legs. He smelled of cinnamon and cloves. As the shining monkey approached the tribe, Manu stood his ground. 'Who are you, and why have you invaded our camp?' 'My king, if you had called this your camp, I would have left immediately,' smiled the stranger. 'Since you understand that you and your tribe share the same fate, I will remain long enough to give you the solution to your problems.' With that, he held up a single banana--but such a banana! Unlike the plain, yellow ones that could be found growing in the sandalwood forest, it was striped with all the colors of the rainbow, from its red stem to the purple tip. When he peeled it, the now curious tribe could see that the flesh was silver-colored, and smelled of exotic trees and flowers unknown to monkeys. 'This is a magic banana. Any monkeys who tastes of it will find peace.' Manu took the banana and began breaking it into enough pieces to share with each monkey in the tribe. 'I am the Ghost Monkey,' said the brilliant one. 'I will come back every morning with another magic banana for you.' He bowed, then vanished into thin air. The Ghost Monkey's sudden disappearance caused much screeching agitation in the camp. It took Manu awhile to calm down his people. Once he had them back under control, he passed the magic banana pieces around and watched them eat, saving his piece for last. The magic banana was as delicious as its exotic smell promised--blended within its flavor was every plant and flower in the forest. As the warm fruit settled in Manu's stomache, a comfortable feeling bubbled up within his mind, escaping as a broad grin. He looked around the fire and saw that the rest of the tribe was at ease as well. 'We are like one monkey,' observed the king. 'Instead of fighting amongst ourselves for food and mates, we are all together in peace.' 'Yes, sire.' agreed one monkey. 'I, too, am content,' said another, 'I don't feel like biting any of you, or hurling my feces.' 'The magic banana makes us better,' said Manu. 'We are like one monkey now, with the strength of many! Never again will I have to toss monkey to keep order in the camp. Today the Ghost Monkey has truly delivered us from the ignorance of being wild monkeys.' The Monkey King then noticed that not all of his people had eaten their share of the magic banana. A slow and dim-wiited creature known as Fool Monkey, who prefered digging in the mud for roots over sitting around the fire, had left his piece sitting uneaten on a rock. 'Fool Monkey! You had better eat this before a bird comes and takes it from you...!' Fool Monkey looked up from his digging. 'Another monkey could use that, sire. I don't need any magic banana.' He went back to work. Manu shook his head. 'I will force no one to eat the magic banana if they don't wish it. A fool monkey you truly are, though, if you don't at least try it.' 'Thank you, sire.' Fool Monkey kept digging. The Monkey King picked up the piece and walked away. A fool would always be a fool, it seemed. (To be continued.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alia Posted July 19, 2003 Share Posted July 19, 2003 Hmm, I'm not the only one who writes weird monkey/banana stuff..... The Island - 5/19/03 A haibun concerning monkeys and bananas. At the Island they whispered, at the Island they called, their primal tongue bouncing over the land. Who were they, and what were they doing? What was this Place where all was right? Over the palm trees Swinging in the tropic breeze Happier than clams The monkeys were joyous on their very own Island where nothing could reach them that they wouldn't like. There was food, and there were friends, and the jewel-like warm ocean, and the pale and soft sand. But Something was there Something creeped there from here Here where Evil waits It settled - no, not on the monkeys - but where they always were. The Banana Trees Bananas fall to ground There's plenty for all Closer, closer..... It waited and struck Where it would be felt by all Whilst the Island slept The monkeys awoke, and started to play, and played right over to the Banana Trees....where else would they go? but there they found-- Nothing. Not a plant, nary a plant, carried the fruit Where there were so many before.... A year later, the monkeys had gone. The breezes did not seem to blow so much, and ocean grew dark and cold. The quiet and the dust fell thick and heavy on the place where the Island was perfect. The quiet old night Seemed like it was always night Nightmares don't sleep tight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted July 19, 2003 Share Posted July 19, 2003 Hmm. A religion to rival the Church of Tim! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoom Rabbit Posted July 19, 2003 Author Share Posted July 19, 2003 Okay...why was this moved to 'fan stuff?' I've never even played the video game--hardly a fan. I'm not sure who moved this to a dead forum, or why...but I'll be casting no pearls before swine today. If anyone truly is interested in following this story, I'm moving it myself to Yoda's Swamp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alia Posted July 19, 2003 Share Posted July 19, 2003 Aww, don't be sulky, Zoom. It isn't dead. Everybody comes and looks in here, they just sometimes don't have much to say. Right guys? If you put it in Yoda's Swamp, it will get dirty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoom Rabbit Posted July 19, 2003 Author Share Posted July 19, 2003 This isn't sulking, Andy. It's vive la resistance. Look...moving my thread to a less visited forum anonymously, and without explanation is uncool in my book. The story is therefore leaving. If by it getting dirty you mean to say that more people will see it and feel more open with what they have to say about it...absolutely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Jones Posted July 19, 2003 Share Posted July 19, 2003 *looks around* hey .. where is it gone hmm.. footprints.. *off to the swamp* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alia Posted July 19, 2003 Share Posted July 19, 2003 *is mad that she has to get her shoes all swamp-muddy* Oh well, I'll just fill this bucket while I'm there... Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between vive la resistance and pouting. And we who frequent *ahem* ALL of this forum probably resent being called swine. Meany. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoom Rabbit Posted July 20, 2003 Author Share Posted July 20, 2003 Andy: I never meant to call you swine, dear... And no, I'm not really *pouting.* I just want to put the story in a forum where people will actually see it. Not to slight the folks who do visit here, but I'd really rather see a philosophical discussion develop of the type which is more likely to happen in a busier off-topic forum. Please, follow this link if you wish to see the story through: http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=105981 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted July 20, 2003 Share Posted July 20, 2003 Well I guess this is the MI equivalent of a story forum? Nice story, Zoomie. Although I'm going to have to reread it when I'm fully awake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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