Journey to the West: Chronicles of Strange Objects — The "Dharma Boat" Made of Skeletons and Gourds

Brief Introduction

In the grand narrative of the classical masterpiece Journey to the West, besides the Golden Cudgel and the Tight Fillet Spell, there hides a strange object with profound Buddhist philosophical meaning — the Dharma Boat. Although not directly named "Dharma Boat" in the book, in Buddhist doctrine and later interpretations, this river-crossing vessel made of skeletons and gourds is regarded as a dharma vessel that carries living beings across the "Sea of Suffering". It appears when the master and disciples obtain the true scriptures and complete their merit, symbolizing the final leap from the mundane to the sacred realm.

Core Knowledge Points

* Material Composition: This boat is neither gold nor wood, but composed of skull bones and gourds. Skulls symbolize bodily decay and impermanence, while gourds symbolize containment and transformation. Their combination implies "Form is Emptiness".
* Identity of the Ferryman: The book implies the ferryman is actually an incarnation of Tathagata Buddha. He personally sees them off to enlighten Tang Seng and his disciples, ensuring they completely cut off worldly ties and do not look back.
* Buddhist Meaning: In Buddhist terminology, "Dharma Boat" refers to the Dharma as a boat that can carry living beings across the sea of birth and death. The physical Dharma Boat in the book is a concrete expression of this metaphor, representing practitioners relying on the Dharma (skeletons and gourds) to escape the cycle of reincarnation.

Connection to Book Content

This plot appears in Chapter 100 of Journey to the West, "Returning Directly to the Eastern Land, Five Saints Attain Truth". After experiencing eighty-one tribulations and obtaining the true scriptures, Tang Seng and their disciples need to cross the last body of water to return to the Eastern Land. At this time, a boatman appears, claiming this boat is made of "skeletons and gourds".

When Tang Seng and their disciples board the boat, the boatman informs them that this is not an ordinary boat, but a dharma vessel for crossing the sea of suffering. The boat travels on water without getting wet, arriving at the other shore instantly. After landing, the boatman and the boat disappear together, leaving the four of them with sudden enlightenment. This scene marks the physical end and spiritual sublimation of the scripture-fetching mission, serving as the finishing touch of the whole book.

Conclusion

The "Dharma Boat" in Journey to the West is not only a means of transportation but also a touchstone for spiritual cultivation. With its bizarre material (skeletons and gourds), it reveals profound Buddhist philosophies about life, death, and the physical body. For readers, understanding this boat allows one to read the religious core wrapped under the mythological shell by Wu Cheng'en: Only by seeing through the impermanence of the physical body can one ride the boat of Dharma and reach the other shore.