The “Three Wise Monkeys” (also called the “Three Mystic Apes”) is a sacred ancient story lost in time. Knowing the secret truth of the story and symbol’s directive of “See no Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil” can empower you in ways you never thought possible and change your life forever. In this article, I’ll share the story and uncover the symbol’s authentic ancient meaning…
There was a time long ago when the god of Fire Mountain was mad and the earth was shaking and quaking. It was the time before the end of the world…
All feared; all but three young proud and brave monkey brothers.
The three started a very loud argument, who will be the one to climb on top of Fire Mountain and talk to the mountain’s God as to convince him to forgive them for their sins and save the earth.
Hearing them, their mother decided to teach them some life lessons.
The Lake of Truth
Their mother found one of them sitting beside the Lake of Truth.
“My dear son, I know how brave and proud you are. This Lake is named ‘Lake of Truth’ as when looking inside one can find the answers he seeks for,” said the mother and added, “Be brave my son, look inside and see if you are ready to climb Fire Mountain, but don’t touch the water or you will never know the truth”.
“Ho, there is a monkey here,” said the son, much to his surprise and exposed his teeth with anger at the monkey inside the water, challenging him and trying to scare him off – to see that the monkey inside the water is just as brave and scary as he is.
“I can’t win, Mom,” said the son after long hours and many attempts to scare off the stranger.
“Maybe I don’t deserve to climb that mountain, Mother.”
“Now try to be friends with him,” said his mother.
“You see, seeing violence causes us to act more violently and eventually the evil cause damage on our bodies and minds and on everyone around us. However, when you smile at the other, he smiles back; and when you laugh, all laugh with you.”
“Now I understand mother, I should go find my brothers and apology to them,” said the Monkey.
In the Valley of Lost Souls
Then, the mother went to the Valley of Lost Souls to find her second son.
“My dear son, I know how brave and proud you are. This valley is named the Valley of Lost Souls. The story tells that in this place one can find the answers he seeks for,” said the mother and added, “Be brave my son, call at them and see if you are ready to climb Fire Mountain”.
The second son started screaming with anger calling loud until after sunset to hear that whatever he said the lost souls of the valley shouted back at him louder.
“I can’t win, Mom,” said the son after long hours and many attempts to scare off the lost souls.
“Maybe I don’t deserve to climb that mountain, Mother.”
“Now try to speak gently and use kind words,” said his mother.
“You hear, when evil words go inside our ears they go inside our body and the evil becomes a part of us. Then, we need to release it in some way, which often has negative results. However, when you speak kind calm words, they return at you.”
“Now I understand mother, I should go find my brothers and apology to them,” said the Monkey.
The Bananas Pitch
Then, the mother went to the Bananas Pitch to find her third son.
“My dear son, I know how brave and proud you are. Here is a test for you to see how ready you are to climb Fire Mountain” and she told her son to pick some green bananas and eat them.
After eating many bananas, the son spit, saying, “My tummy aches, Mom. I can’t eat anymore.”
“When you eat green bananas, it goes inside your body; you digest it and get sick from it. Your body absorbs it, and when your body realizes it’s not good, it needs to release it quickly, so you spit it out. Same with evil; when we put evil words inside our mouth, it goes inside our body and the evil becomes a part of us. Then, we need to release it in some way, which often has negative results.”
“Now I understand mother, I should go find my brothers and apology to them,” said the Monkey.
The story tells that after the three apologized to each other, they STILL decided to compete to the top of Fire Mountain and on the way all three were crashed by hot lava and burnt to their feet.
The story was lost in time as there was no one to ever see, hear or speak of these three monkeys.
It was the end of the world.
WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!
Is this how you wish your life to end? Being burnt by hot lava?
There is another version to that story. Some say that these three brothers had a forth brother. This brother was the only one to remain calm and at peace with oneself and with all.
Whereas all feared for their lives, this brother used to climb up each day to the summit of the trees and sit by himself. The three brothers knew they could count on his honesty so they went to seek for him asking him for his advice, “Who will be the one to climb of top of Fire Mountain?”.
The forth brother led them through the forest. Along the way, they asked him, “Tell us, brother, what is the point in sitting up on the tree tops all alone? What good does it bring?”
The forth brother said nothing. It wasn’t that he had nothing to say. He knew that his three brothers were confused and proud now. However, he chose to wait before he answered. Indeed, the right time arrived.
“Be careful!” he cried at them, but it was too late. All three fell into a muddy, swampy pool that nearly took their lives. As just when the three were about to drawn, a hand reached at them and pulled them out of the mud.
“Oh no, we must get ourselves cleaned now!”
The forth brother pointed at them and said, “Tell me brothers. What is the point getting cleaned if you’re still going to get all dirty?”
“Ah, this is obvious,” said all three. “You must wash yourself to stay clean!”
“That is exactly the point I wanted to make,” said the forth brother. “It is the same when I sit all alone on the tree tops to adore nature and reflect about life. One must clean his soul to stay healthy and sane and do it all over again given the circumstances that we experience in life!”
“Thank you brother; you saved our lives and thought us an important lesson,” said all three.
“Dear brothers, what about we climb the mountain together? United we can achieve anything,” said the forth brother and they all laughed with joy.
At night they all had the same dream, of a fish that was in the Lake of Truth; an eagle that was in the Valley of Lost Souls; and of a tiger that was in the Bananas Pitch. They all heard them and went to speak to the God of Fire Mountain.
In the morning when the five brothers woke up the earth was quite.
A remark: Dear readers, I know you must be asking many questions now such as which version is true and who the fifth brother…is.
Well, it is for you to find out.
THE END
In the 3 Wise Monkeys story all feared that this is the end.
How to deal with fear?
Recognize it as only a thought and consciously ask yourself: Why am I afraid? Is the cause of fear an immediate threat to your safety or well-being? If we allow this fear to persist, we will likely attract the very things we fear. Push past these thoughts and concentrate, in fact meditate, on exactly the positive things you wish to occur.
Start thinking from the perspective of the eternal truths and principles of life and not from a perspective of fear, ignorance and superstition; do not let others think for you. Choose your thoughts from a place of love.
A person is what he is thinking during the day – in fact the smallest thoughts have the greatest importance!
When we change the way we see something, what we looked at changes in response.
A simple basic rule is – a positive thinking attracts a chain of positive situations. And vice versa, negative thoughts will do the opposite – fear, worry, stress, lack of confidence and doubts are the major obstacles preventing us from success.
It is true, there is real evil in the world (terrorists with bombs, murders with guns, laws that take away our freedoms and genuine economic difficulties), but always remember that we have the power to change these events and that power lies in changing ourselves. As such, we each possess immense power. This was exactly the lesson the mother tried to teach her sons.
See no evil – hear no evil – speak no evil
How admirably simple and pure this philosophy is. To turn one’s back on destructive negativity, to guard one’s eyes from images and impressions that are not constructive to one’s spiritual growth.
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” 23 A Psalm of David.
“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” – Confucius.
Job said: “What I had feared came to me.” That is to say, “What I feared from has happened to me, my fears have come true.” There are many people who fear that they will not find a partner, who are afraid of old age and fear of the future, because they expect the mental and physical deterioration to come over the years. The things they anticipate and feel will be realized. When you lose interest in life, stop dreaming and seek for new worlds to conquer, you get older. When your mind is open to new ideas, new interests and new inspiration – You are young and full of life.
Aging can be considered a tragic process. I prefer to call it a challenging process. An old man is full of knowledge and wisdom, and old age can be the start of a fertile, active and productive life than those you have experienced in the past. If you believe so – so be it.
The fourth Wise Monkey. It’s said that its meaning is ‘think no evil’ and ‘do no evil’. In the story, not only that the forth monkey taught his three brothers to think no evil but he also united them.
The story has a power of persuasion that might overshadow any probability of success, which by its nature is low. The need in universal morality is real. Mankind’s survival is closely related to solidarity and cooperation among all people.
Our development starts inside us before it can be seen in our actions and it becomes visible to others. So now is the time for you to discover how you want to “Think wisely” every day.
How can a universal morality arise and spread in society?
Traditionally, determining rules of morality was provided by religions. The Ten Commandments of the Jewish and Christian, tenets and principles of Muslim and life of Buddhism are just examples. Nowadays, hegemony of science has reduced the power of the religious teachings instructing humans how to behave, and many look up to science to receive a practical guidance. Surely the time has come to consider seriously the new values accepted by everyone, regardless of faith, religion or origin.
With playful regards,
Galorian
