Monks

## **BUDDHISM CONDENSED**

**"Long is the cycle of birth and death to the fool who does not know the true path."**

Buddhism is the world's fourth largest religion, and references to it and those who practice can be found all throughout Cyberpunk 2077. Because the D3 Statue has 3 Buddhist monks with unique dialogue, as well as the Zen Master who has 4 side jobs to himself, it is worth having a cursory understanding of Buddhism. Many definitions and key words are vary between Sanskrit and Pali, depending on the origins of that doctrine.

* Theravada (Southern Buddhism, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia) is the oldest school of Buddhism and one of the two main existing branches. Mahayana (East-Asian Buddhism, derived from Chinese Buddhism) is the second main branch.
	+ It should be noted that although there are 2 main branches, it is further expanded by Vajrayāna (esoteric Buddhism) and many sects and subdivisions within each of them.

* Saṃsāra is the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. The purpose of Buddhism is to achieve Nirvana in order to end Saṃsāra, thus ending our own suffering.

* "3 poisons" or "3 unwholesome roots" (sometimes also known as "3 fires") are the three character flaws innate in all people. They are represented by a pig, a bird, and a snake.
	+ "Moha" is delusion or ignorance. Its opposite, wholesome, qualities are Amoha (non-delusion) or Paññā (wisdom).
	+ "Rāga" is attachment or greed. Its opposite, wholesome, qualities are Alobha (non-attachment) or Dāna (generosity).
	+ "Dveṣa" is aversion or hatred. Its opposite, wholesome, qualities are Adveṣa (non-hatred) or Mettā (loving-kindness).

* 3 main doctrines, Anattā (non-self), Anicca (impermanence), and Duḥkha (suffering).
	+ **Anattā** is the idea that there is no immutable or unchanging essence which can be found.
		- The World is a macrocosm that lacks a soul, and so is the case of every living microcosm. It is comprised of billions of individual people.
		- I, as an individual, am a macrocosm comprised of billions of individual cells. If those cells are a microcosm within people that don't have souls (they don't), then we people are a microcosm within the World that don't have souls.
	+ **Anicca** is the idea that all things are continuously changing, and are all subject to decline and destruction.
		- From the moment of my birth/rebirth, everything that I am exists in a constant state of change until it finally ends, and the cycle of Saṃsāra continues.
		- I, as an individual, am comprised exclusively of all my memories and experiences. I am not an essence (or soul) that is attached to a body. When the body dies, my memories and experiences die as well.
	+ ***Duḥkha*** is the idea that regular experiences of a normal life are mundane and painful, thus causing suffering.
		- Every aspect of a mundane life causes "unsatisfactoriness", which is Duḥkha. Saṃsāra causes suffering; not getting what is wanted is suffering; aging is suffering.
		- I, as an individual, experience suffering caused by my very existence. And my existence causes suffering to others. When I die and am reborn, I will continue experiencing Duḥkha.

## Bhikku

At this moment, this page is still in progress and more information and pictures will be added.

   Bhikkhu is not a type of Buddhist school or doctrine, but rather the term for an ordained male in the Buddhist community (Sangha). Females are called Bhikkuni. Bhikkhu translates to "beggar" and is the Buddhist equivalent of the mendicant term "friar".
This first incident that players can encounter bhikkhu in the game is during the quest Sacrum Profanum in Watson. V meets a Bhikku who has had cybernetic implants forced onto him by members of the Maelstrom gang. He gives you a quest to go save his brother Bhikku from the Maelstroms and implores you not to kill anyone. Provided V has not taken too long to save the Bhikku, both monks can be found later at the Cherry Blossom Market in Japantown. At that point they will hold a lengthy conversation with V about what it means to be human, and how digitalization of the consciousness can be viewed.

### Prime Statue monks

* It is currently unknown if bhikkhu are involved in the FF:06:B5 mystery or not. They do not have special interaction options or quest marks.
* Three monks can be seen meditating at the statue in Corpo Plaza twice a day. They have conversations with each other of spiritual nature.
* If V approaches too closely they behave the same as other NPCs with greetings and phrases in varying aggressiveness.

#### Phrases

You can usually hear only two phrases: *"Ommmmm"* and *"My apprentice! Your throat chakra is blocked! Activate the meridians on the roof of your mouth."*

But a deep study of the monk leader lines showed that his full-fledged monologue should look like this:

* *"Ommmmmmm..."*
* *"My apprentice! Your throat chakra is blocked! Activate the meridians on the roof of your mouth."*
* *"Remember, all of you. As we sing, we stimulate the energy channels."*
* *"You must toss aside whatever is holding you back, focus only on the healing vibrations."*

Audio files for those can be found in the above link

## Appearance

If V scans the monks, their names do appear to change daily. It's confirmed that if the player attacks and kills them, identical monks still come to the statue to meditate at the appropriate times, but their names are different. A small but detailed album can be found here.

* The head monk sits in front and carries an altar, which can be obtained by completing the Zen Master sidequest. He also wears a golden Jinguji ring. He has short hair and wears sunglasses. He has tattoos on his right arm. Unlike the other two monks, he does not have the same scar pattern on his left arm.

* The monk on the left has lighter colored hair and wears a reflective infovisor. Of the three monks, he is the only one whose robe is different. While the robes of the other two can be considered *informal*, the left monk has an additional, rigid piece that is fastened together.

* The monk on the right has a shaved head with tattoos on top. He also appears to have cybernetic or prosthetic eyes, as the have a large black X where the pupils should be.

### Deviations from Buddhism

All three of the monks that are seen at the Prime statue have at least one type of violation of the Buddhist monastic code and traditions.

* Head monk
	+ has tattoos on his arm. Ornamentation of the skin are prohibited. However, if someone had tattoos prior to having their ordination, then the tattoos are allowed.
	+ He wears a ring in addition to the Altar. Once again, no ornamentation is allowed. Exception are granted if the reason for wear is anything other than ornamental. Implying that the Altar is important for wear at the Prime statue for meditative purpose, and the ring serves a practical purpose.
* Left monk
	+ His upper robe uses multiple fasteners to hold it together. This is not allowed above the waist.
	+ His hair length is longer than the width of two fingers
* Right monk
	+ Has tattoos on his face and head
	+ His choice for eye prosthetics/cyberware design seems to be for aesthetic reasons (since regular appearing cybernetics are common).
	+ He also has a band on his left wrist, but this could be for practical or health purposes.

All of these things could potentially be attributed by oversite in character design. But these three NPC models are used over and over again at the Prime statue, so their design was chosen. And CDPR reportedly hired real city planners to make sure Night City wasn't cutting corners on design. These reasons imply that the decision to violate the Bhikkhu Buddhist traditions was intentional.

## Zen Master

After "The Heist", V can encounter a Zen Master for the Side Job located in Reconciliation Park who offers a guided meditation. This begins the "Imagine" side job, which is followed by 3 additional side jobs later. Each job with him gives V the option of paying for the meditation or paying nothing.

The 4 job quest line with analysis is as follows:

* **"Imagine", Earth Element**
	+ By John Lennon, released 11 Oct 1971. Song length is 3:03
	+ V can pay $144, the 12th number in the Fibonacci sequence
	+ Reconciliation Park

`Meditation text:`

*Spirit of nature, Mother Earth, I send you greetings. We are of one blood. I am you, you are me. Cleanse my body and soul from pain, sickness, impurity and the negative energy from negative people, worlds and dimensions. Give me the energy of life give me health, youth, wisdom, knowledge, strength, joy, happiness and inner peace. We sense joy, tranquility, lightness, purity our heart and soul. Warmth and joy surrounds us. Our legs absorb the earth's energy, filling every cell of our bodies. Our souls and spirits are cleansed. We thank you, Mother Earth, with our mind, body and soul. There is no life without you, or the other elements. №We walk the earth, through meadows, nature in full bloom. O, Mother Earth, I and all other creatures from you created. We remove our shoes, feel our bare feet touch the soil. We absorb the earth's energy. We walk the earth a butterfly rests on blooming flower, bees are gathering nectar.*

* **"Stairway to Heaven", Water Element**
	+ By Led Zeppelin, released 08 Nov 1971. Song length is 7:55
	+ V can pay $233, the 13th number in the Fibonacci sequence
	+ Japantown, between some buildings

`Meditation text:`

*We are in the forest, before us is a waterfall. Give me youth, wisdom, knowledge, health, strength, joy, happiness, and lasting inner peace. We draw the spirit of water into ourselves. Together, we are one body. Wash me of sickness, pain, the impurity of my body and soul, the negative energy of negative people, worlds and dimensions. We thank you, Spirit of Water, with our mind, body and soul. There is no life without you. Spirit of Water, I send you greetings! Eighty per cent of our flesh and blood is made of you. One moment you are liquid, the next you are ice another you are snow, vapor and fog. One minute you heal, the next you drown. O! What a mystery you are, Spirit of Water! We are water. We are the ones who flow over the waterfall's edge. We honor the beauty hidden within you and the other elements...*

* **"Poem of the Atoms", Fire Element**
	+ Poem by the 13th century Persian poet Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī
	+ V can pay $377, the 14th number in the Fibonacci sequence
	+ Phoenix statue roundabout

`Meditation text:`

*We are in the forest. We see rays of sunlight pierce the canopy, dancing and weaving into the tongues of flame below. I am you, and you are me. There is no life without you. From you I was created, and to you I will return. Spirit of the Sun, Primordial Fire, burn all impurity from my body and soul, and the negative energy of negative people, worlds and dimensions. Cleanse every cell of my body. Give me the energy of life, health, youth, wisdom, knowledge, strength, joy and happiness. Through our eyes, the energy of fire, of the sun, touches our heads and flows down through every organ, until it arrives at our toes. And from within us, light emerges. We thank you, Spirit of the Sun, element of Fire, with our mind, body and soul. Spirit of Fire, Spirit of the Sun – I send you greetings. You give beauty to all other things. Give me lasting inner peace, so that no one may shake me from my sacred equilibrium. Through half-closed eyes, we absorb the sun's divine energy. Each and every cell within our body, including the subtle and etheric, is replenished with the sun's energy. We are the sun.*

* **"Meetings Along the Edge", Air Element**
	+ By Philip Glass and Ravi Shankar, released 1990. Song length is 8:10
	+ V can pay $610, the 15th number in the Fibonacci sequence
	+ Southeast of Night City on a ledge in the Badlands

`Meditation text:`

*We are in the mountains, heading toward the peak. We squeeze between two boulders. Spirit of the Air, Primordial Wind – I send you greetings. We are of one blood, you and I. O! Great Spirit of the Air, please – cleanse my body and soul, relinquish pain, sickness, the negative energy from negative people, worlds, and dimensions. Give me the energy of life. Give me health, wisdom, knowledge, strength, joy, happiness, and lasting inner peace. I am an eagle. The wind cushions my wings, caresses my feathers, enters every fiber of my body, fills the spaces of every atom and molecule. Circling upwards, we rise up high. We thank you, Spirit of the Air, with our mind, body and soul. On the first boulder sits an eagle. The spirit of the Air passes through every fibre of this eagle. You are within me, and I am within you. Without you, life would not last even a few minutes, so vital are you to us. The wind cleanses the body, the soul, and the subtle body. We feel lightness, purity, joy. Our body is filled with happiness, peace and harmony.*

The total amount of money paid by V (if V pays each time) is $1,364 which isn't on the Fibonacci sequence. It is, however, a Lucas number which is a pattern that is very close to and has a relationship with the Fibonacci sequence

Pawel Sasko has been asked about the Zen Master several times during his streams and has made comments about it. A viewer asked about why Johnny didn't appear to see the Zen Master after the final Side Job, asking if that's because the Zen master doesn't have a soul. Pawel remarked that the viewer is probably on to something.

The Zen Master is potentially based on a real Buddhist named Soyen Shaku. He was a Roshi of the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen Buddhism.

* Bhikku for several years
* Responsible for Zen Buddhism's spread to the West
* Taught the first American to study Koan
* Taught throughout California before travelling through the US

Rinzai is known as "Samurai Zen" because the primary practitioners were of the Samurai class. Many practitioners even went on to combine elements of Budo with Zen. Meditation in Rinzai is seated with an emphasis on Koan (hypotheticals meant to create a "great doubt" in the student).

* Koan would test a student's Satori (awakening) and their Kensho (Understanding of one's true nature). Satoria being the name of the iconic sword in Saburo Arasaka's AV on top of Konpeki plaza.
* An example of a Koan is "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"