3 Wise Monkeys

 I am sure the title itself gave up the intent of the essay, I am not good at keeping surprises. In a way that is good as it saves me from having to give a lengthy introduction to something that has attained a folk-lore stardom in India (err Bharat)-"Gandhi ji key teen Bandar."

The 3 monkeys where one is holding his hands to his eyes. the other to his ears and the 3rd to his mouth translate into "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil." The statue of 3 monkeys made of China clay was gifted to Gandhi by a Japanese monk named Nishidatsu Fuji and are famous in Japan as Mizaru, covering his eyes, who sees no evil; Kikazaru, covering his ears, who hears no evil ; and Iwazaru, covering his mouth, who speaks no evil. Gandhi names these 3 monkeys as Bapu, Ketan and Bandar and this statue is prominently displayed at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

This concept has been attributed to be developed by Confucius and then adopted by the Japanese. They were the first to use monkeys to explain this philosophy. But then the question that begs to be answered is -Why monkeys???

In Chinese (or Mandarin to be precise), two similar phrases exist; one in the Analects of Confucius (4th-2nd century B.C.) that reads "Look not at what is contrary to propriety; listen not to what is contrary to propriety; speak not what is contrary to propriety; make no movement which is contrary to propriety. The other is in the book Xunzi (3rd century B.C.)  which reads "The gentleman makes his eyes not want to see what is not right, makes his ears not want to hear what is not right, makes his mouth not want to speak what is not right, and makes his heart not want to deliberate over what is not right."

Again we will come back to the question of why monkeys??? and explore if we find anything resembling this thought emerging from these lands, from the laboratories of Brahmrishis and Rajrishis or does it qualify as imported wisdom as we are taught.

In the Upanishads, the mind is compared to an inebriated monkey that has drunk wine, then bitten by a scorpion and has been assaulted by a hive of bees. And so the famous connotation-Monkey Mind. So it is only natural to use the analogy of a monkey to tame some of the basal animal instincts. 

May I refer to the Shanti Mantra found in many Upanishads-Maandukya Upanishad, Prashna Upanishad, & Kaivalya Upanishad and so on. The first part of the Shanti Mantra which is relevant here goes as -

"Om Bhadram Karnebhih Shrnnuyaama Devaah, Bhadram Pashyema-Akssabhir-Yajatraah,

 Sthirair-Anggais-Tussttuvaamsas-Tanuubhih, Vyashema Deva-Hitam Yad-Aayuh"

 meaning "O Devas-May we hear with our ears what is auspicious, O Devas(who are worthy of worship), may we see with our eyes what is auspicious, with sense organs steady and body praying (due to hearing and seeing the auspicious), may we attain the lifespan allotted by the devas(thus finding fulfillment in our lives).

Thus we see a difference in this shanti mantra at not stopping at some body actions only but also answering the causal action as to what will result from that which the 3 monkeys never told us. We see how how our bodies and sense organs will be stable due to seeing and hearing the auspicious (that is why great stress is placed on participating and hearing the good word in Satsang and kirtan in Sanatan). And we also see how that is invoked to finding the fulfillment in our lives. 

It is hard to resist one more difference where the Shanti Mantra trumps over the 3 monkeys. Did you see a negative word like "NO" or "EVIL" in the Santi Mantra? Ask yourself-does the mere mention of a negative word not conjure up negative emotions, feelings in you. I will leave the answer with you.

Not that I am trying to take the credit away from Japanese or Confucius or Shintoism. etc. No, that would be very childish. Yes different people can reach the same conclusion following paths independent of each other. As the famous Rig Vedic phrase goes "Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vaddanti" (lest it also be hijacked by a pseudo liberal foreign impostor, but that is for another day).

Then why do I make you read all this. I will still have to yield to the person who conquered the summit first, listen to his anecdotes, pay heed to which path he wants me to take and which to avoid so that there are no potholes in it and I may reach my destination safely.

And then there is also a stage in your evolution when you can claim-"I don't care where the news came from as long as it added value to my life." For a realized being, it really won't matter. But for all us ordinary souls, let us not try to feign realization without having arrived and let us bask in the glory of ordinariness.

And (they tell me not to start a sentence with an "and" and when did I oblige) also it is highly improbable that a person of the caliber of Gandhi; like him or not; with a seemingly good knowledge of Sanatani precepts (it is another topic that he tweaked much of it to further his political ambitions in a bid to become the Mahatma) did not know that the same philosophy is embedded in a Shanti Mantra. He could have and should have given it its due credit lest he be accused of plagiarism. 

Clearing the smokescreen makes more sense in view of the constructs, narratives that are out there blurring the real picture.