According to Japanese folklore, monkeys have the ability to live long lives, as the Japanese word for "monkey" also refers to fate or good fortune. This work represents abundance and may represent a wish for longevity or good fortune.
As known, Zen is a branch of Buddhism that encourages meditation. Zen priests use koans (riddles or puzzles) to express their understanding and guide the student's thoughts. This work illustrates such a koan: a monkey observes myriads of emerging ideas of own nature with the third eye. But upon realizing an altered state of mind, it disappears into the fractal nature of the ripples. Glittering faces symbolize the unreal nature of the impermanent world and warn students not to strive for the unattainable.
