Is “The six-eared macaque is an original monster in Journey to the West, with no basis in classical texts.” true?

novel invention

In Chapter 058 of 'Journey to the West', a six-eared macaque appears that is indistinguishable from Sun Wukong, ultimately exposed by Tathagata Buddha. This setup is purely fictional, with no record of such a macaque in traditional Buddhist scriptures or history. Original text: "我观假悟空乃六耳猕猴也。" (Chapter 058 of 'Journey to the West')

Six-Eared Macaque

The six-eared macaque is purely a fictional creation of the novel, with no such record in Buddhism.

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