Chapter 29

The poem says: Delusive thoughts need not be forcibly extinguished; As for the True, why must one seek it? The original source and innate nature were cultivated before the Buddha; How could delusion and awakening have a before or after? Awakening makes one correct in an instant; In delusion, one sinks and drifts for ten thousand kalpas. If one can, in a single thought, unite with true cultivation, All sins and defilements as numerous as the sands of the Ganges are extinguished. It is told that Bajie and Sha Seng battled the monster for some thirty exchanges, with neither victorious nor defeated. You ask, how was it that neither was victorious nor defeated? If it were a contest of skill, let alone two monks—even twenty could not withstand that demon. It was only because Tang Sanzang’s life was not yet fated to end, and secretly the Dharma-protecting deities guarded him; in the air there were also the Liuding and Liujia, the Five-Direction Jiedi, the Four Worthy Gongcao, and the eighteen Qielan who assisted Bajie and Sha Seng. But enough of the battle among those three. It is told that the Elder was inside the cave, weeping sorrowfully. Thinking of his disciples, tears streamed from his eyes as he said: “Wuneng, I wonder in what village you have met a good friend and become greedy for vegetarian offerings? Wujing, I wonder where you are searching for him, and whether you have managed to meet him. How could you know that I have encountered demons and monsters and am suffering here? When will I meet you again, escape this great calamity, and hasten to Spirit Mountain?” Just as he was weeping bitterly in distress, he suddenly saw a woman emerge from inside the cave. Supporting herself against the Soul-Fixing Stake, she called out: “That Elder, where have you come from? Why have you been bound here by him?” Hearing her words, the Elder furtively looked through tear-filled eyes. The woman appeared to be about thirty years old. He then said: “Female Bodhisattva, there is no need to ask. I am already fated to die. I walked into your household myself; if you are going to eat me, then eat me, and why ask further?” The woman said: “I do not eat people. More than three hundred li west of here, my home lies in a place where there is a city called the Kingdom of the Treasure Elephant. I am the king’s third princess of that kingdom, and my childhood name is Baihuaxiu. Only, on the night of the fifteenth day of the eighth month thirteen years ago, while I was admiring the moon, I was carried away by this demon in a furious gust of wind. I have been husband and wife with him for thirteen years, bearing sons and daughters here, with no word ever returning to the court. I think of my parents, whom I cannot see. Where have you come from, and how were you captured by him?” Tang Sanzang said: “This poor monk is one dispatched to the Western Heaven to obtain the scriptures. Unexpectedly, while walking at leisure, I mistakenly blundered into this place. Now he intends to seize my two disciples and steam and eat us all.” The princess smiled and said: “Elder, set your mind at ease. Since you are going to obtain the scriptures, I can save you. The Kingdom of the Treasure Elephant lies on the great road you will take westward. Carry a letter for me, pay your respects to my parents, and I will have him spare you.” Sanzang nodded and said: “Female Bodhisattva, if you can indeed save this poor monk’s life, I am willing to be the bearer of your letter.” The princess hurried to the rear and immediately wrote a family letter, sealed it securely, and made it ready. She came before the stake, released Tang Sanzang, and handed him the letter. Having gained his freedom, Tang Sanzang held the letter in his hands and said: “Female Bodhisattva, many thanks for the grace of saving my life. Once I pass through your honored land, I will certainly deliver it to the king. I only fear that, after many days and years, your parents may refuse to acknowledge you. What then? Do not blame this poor monk if I have spoken falsely.” The princess said: “It will not matter. My royal father has no son; he has only given birth to three daughters. When he sees this letter, he will certainly have the desire to examine it.” Sanzang tucked the family letter tightly into his sleeve, thanked the princess, and started outside. The princess caught hold of him and said: “You cannot leave through the front gate. All those greater and lesser demons are outside, waving flags and shouting, beating drums and striking gongs, assisting the Great King as he fights your disciples. Go out through the rear gate. If the Great King catches you, he may still question you; I only fear that if the lesser demons seize you, they will not distinguish good from bad, and in their haste to take you alive they may injure your life. Wait while I go before him and ask him to make an accommodation. If the Great King releases you, then ask your disciples for instructions, find them, and leave together.” Hearing this, Sanzang knocked his head to the ground, carefully followed her instructions, took leave of the princess, slipped outside the rear gate, and, not daring to go on by himself, hid his body in a thicket of brambles. It is told that the Princess Consort conceived a clever plan. She hurried to the front, went outside the gate, and parted the gathered demons, great and small. All one could hear was the clanging and clashing of weapons. It turned out that Bajie and Sha Seng were battling the monster in midair. The princess cried out in a stern voice: “Yellow-Robed Fellow!” When the Demon King heard the princess calling, he immediately abandoned Bajie and Sha Seng, lowered his cloud-head, seized his steel saber, and supported the princess as he said: “Wife, what is it you wish to say?” The princess said: “My lord, just now I was sleeping inside the gauze curtains. In my dream-soul, I suddenly saw a golden-armored deity.” The demon said: “What golden-armored deity? What did he come to my gate for?” The princess said: “When I was young, in the palace, I secretly made a vow before others: if I could marry a worthy husband and prince, I would ascend famous mountains, pay homage at immortal abodes, give alms to monks, and distribute charitable offerings. Since I was matched with you, and husband and wife have enjoyed our pleasures together, I have never mentioned it until now. That golden-armored deity came to demand fulfillment of my vow and shouted me awake, but it was only a Nanke dream. Therefore I hurried to arrange my appearance and came to tell my lord. Unexpectedly, there was a monk bound to the stake. I earnestly beg my lord, in your mercy, and for the sake of my slight sentiment, to spare that monk. Let it count as my giving alms to a monk and fulfilling my vow. I wonder whether my lord is willing?” The monster said: “Wife, you are being too thoughtful. What serious matter is this? If I want to eat people, where can I not drag in a few to eat? What place does this one monk occupy? Let him go.” The princess said: “My lord, let him leave through the rear gate.” The demon said: “What a nuisance! Let him go and be done with it. Why bother about rear gate or front gate?” He then brandished his steel saber and shouted: “You, Zhu Bajie, come here. It is not that I fear you and will not fight you; for the sake of my wife, I will spare your master as well. Hurry and go to the rear gate to find him, and go westward. If you come again and trespass upon my domain, I will absolutely not spare you.” When Bajie and Sha Seng heard this, it was as though they had been released from the Ghost Gate Pass and returned to life. They immediately led the horse and shouldered the luggage, scurrying away like mice. Turning past the rear gate of Wave-Moon Cave, they called: “Master.” The Elder recognized the voice and answered from within the brambles. Sha Seng cut open a path through the grass, supported his master, and hurriedly helped him mount the horse. Here is the poem: Through venom and peril he nearly fell to the Green-Faced Ghost; Fortunately, through Baihuaxiu’s gracious care, he escaped. The ao fish has slipped free from the golden hook’s snare; Wagging its tail and shaking its head, it chases the waves and swims. Bajie led the way in front, Sha Seng followed behind, and they left the pine woods and reached the main road. Look at the two of them, chattering noisily and grumbling with resentment, while Sanzang merely mediated between them. At evening they first sought lodging; at cockcrow they rose early and watched the sky. Journey after journey, past long pavilions and short pavilions, before they knew it they had traveled two hundred and ninety-nine li. Suddenly lifting his head, he saw a fine city. It was the Kingdom of the Treasure Elephant. What an excellent place it was indeed: The clouds are misty, misty; the road is distant, distant. Though the land lies a thousand li away, its scenery is equally abundant. Auspicious haze and propitious smoke envelop it; clear winds and bright moons beckon and sway. The lofty, precipitous distant mountains spread open like a painted scroll; the murmuring, rippling waters splash and scatter jade. The fields fit for cultivation stretch from path to path; the dense orchids and fresh seedlings are enough to provide food. In the winding bends of three ravines are several households that fish and angle; among the peppers of two peaks are those who gather firewood and herbs, one load on their shoulders. Walls upon walls, cities upon cities, firm as metal and a moat; households upon households, doors upon doors, each vying only in carefree ease. The lofty pavilions of the ninefold heights are like palace halls; the layered terraces of ten thousand zhang resemble brocade standards. There are also the Taiji Hall, the Huagai Hall, the Incense-Burning Hall, the Guanwen Hall, the Xuanzheng Hall, and the Yan ying Hall—before hall after hall, jade steps and golden stairs, stand the civil coronets and military caps; there are also the Daming Palace, the Zhaoyang Palace, the Changle Palace, the Huaqing Palace, the Jianzhang Palace, and the Weiyang Palace—within palace after palace, bells, drums, pipes, and flutes scatter the grievances of the inner chambers and the sorrows of spring. There are flowers glistening with dew in the forbidden park, evening the tender faces; there are willows in the imperial canal, dancing their slender waists in the wind. On the great thoroughfares, there are those who wear caps and girdled robes, displaying splendid bearing as they ride five-horse carriages; in secluded places, there are those who carry bows and bear arrows, parting the clouds and mists and piercing twin eagles. Flower-and-willow lanes and towers of pipes and strings—spring wind yields nothing to Luoyang Bridge. The elder who went to fetch the scriptures, looking back, had his heart and gall split at the Great Tang; the disciples accompanying their master, resting their shoulders at a small post station, had their dream-souls fade away. They could not take in all the scenery of the Kingdom of Baoxiang. The three teachers and disciples gathered their luggage and horses and rested in the hostel station. Tang Sanzang walked to outside the court gate and said to the Chief Secretary of the Gate Pavilion: “There is a monk from the Great Tang who has come especially to appear before Your Majesty, to exchange the travel document. I beg you to transmit and report this, transmit and report this.” That Yellow Gate official who reported affairs hurried to the front of the white-jade steps and reported: “Long live Your Majesty, the Great Tang has a lofty monk who wishes to seek an audience and exchange the travel document.” When that king learned that it was the great nation of the Great Tang, and moreover that he was said to be a holy monk from the western regions, he was greatly pleased in his heart and immediately approved the report. He called: “Announce him to enter.” Sanzang was announced to the golden steps, and after completing the rites of dancing and calling “Long live,” the many civil and military officials on both sides could not help sighing: “The people of the superior state possess such dignified and harmonious rites and music.” That king said: “Elder, for what matter have you come to my kingdom?” Sanzang said: “This humble monk is a Buddhist disciple of the Great Tang. Having received the imperial edict of our Son of Heaven, I have journeyed westward to fetch the scriptures. I originally bear a travel document; having arrived at Your Majesty’s superior kingdom, propriety requires that it be exchanged. Thus, not knowing how to advance or withdraw, I have disturbed the dragon countenance.” The king said: “Since you have the document of the Tang Emperor, bring it up for me to see.” Sanzang held it up with both hands, unfolded it, and placed it upon the imperial desk. The document said: The document issued by the Great Tang Kingdom of Nandvipa, under Heaven and bearing the mandate of Heaven, the Tang Emperor, declares: We consider that We, of shallow virtue, have inherited the great foundation, serve the spirits and govern the people, and, standing at the edge of the deep and treading upon thin ice, are fearful both morning and night. Previously, having failed to save the old dragon of the Jing River, We received punishment from Our august and glorious Sovereign Lord Above. Our three hun and seven po souls suddenly went to the Department of Darkness, and We had already become a guest of impermanence. Because Our allotted years in the world had not yet ended, We were moved by the Nether Lord, who sent Us back to life. We broadly proclaimed assemblies of goodness and established rites for delivering the dead. We were grateful to receive the appearance of the golden body of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, Who indicated that in the West there are a Buddha and scriptures capable of delivering the dead in darkness and liberating solitary souls. We therefore specially appointed the Dharma Master Xuanzang to journey far across a thousand mountains in search of the scriptures and verses. Should he arrive in the various western kingdoms, let them not extinguish this good affinity, but, in accordance with this document, permit him to pass. This document must be honored. A lucky day in autumn, the thirteenth year of Zhenguan of the Great Tang, the imperial-front travel document. (Above are nine precious seals.) The king, seeing this, took the jade treasure of his own kingdom, affixed his signature mark, and handed it to Sanzang. Sanzang thanked him for the favor, put away the document, and again reported: “This poor monk has come, first, to exchange the travel document, and second, to deliver a family letter to Your Majesty.” The king was greatly delighted and said: “What letter?” Sanzang said: “Your Majesty’s third imperial princess, Her Ladyship, was seized and carried away by the Yellow-Robed demon of the Wave-Moon Cave on Wanzi Mountain. This poor monk happened to encounter her, and therefore brings this letter.” When the king heard this, tears fell from his eyes as he said: “For thirteen years I have not seen the princess. I do not know how many civil and military officials of the two ranks have been demoted or dismissed; nor do I know how many palace maids and eunuchs, great and small, within and without the palace, have been beaten to death. It was only said that she had walked out of the imperial palace, lost her way, and could not be found. Throughout the entire city, the households of the common people were interrogated countless times, yet there was no further trace. How could we know that a demon had seized and carried her away? Today, suddenly hearing these words, I am therefore grieved and shed tears.” Sanzang took the letter from his sleeve and presented it. The king received it and saw the two characters “Peace.” His hands at once became weak, and he could not open the letter. An edict was transmitted to summon the Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy to the hall to read the letter. The academician immediately proceeded to the hall. Before the hall were many civil and military officials; behind the hall were the empresses, consorts, and palace maids. All inclined their ears to listen to the letter. The academician opened it and read aloud. It was written: The unfilial daughter Baihua Xiu bows her head and pays a hundred obeisances before the ten-thousand-years Dragon-Phoenix Hall of the greatly virtuous Father King, and below the Zhaoyang Palace of the three palaces’ royal mothers, as well as before the ranks of worthy ministers, civil and military, throughout the court: Your unworthy daughter was fortunate to be entrusted to the Kun Palace and is grateful for the ten thousand kinds of toil and labor. I was unable to exert myself to bring joy to Your Majesty’s countenance or devote my heart to filial obedience. Then, thirteen years ago, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, on that auspicious night and fine day, by the gracious decree of Father King, each palace arranged a banquet to admire the moonlight and share the joyful gathering beneath the clear heavens. In the midst of our delight, we unexpectedly encountered a gust of fragrant wind, from which flashed a demon king with golden eyes, a blue face, and green hair. He seized your daughter, rode auspicious radiance, and carried her straight to an uninhabited place amid the Half-Wild Mountain. It was impossible to distinguish or discern anything; relying upon force, the demon tyrannically took me as his wife. Thus, helplessly, I have endured thirteen years and given birth to two demon children, both the offspring of demons and monsters. In truth, this ruins human relationships and injures morality and custom, and it is improper to transmit such a letter and bring disgrace. But I fear that after my death the matter will not be made clear. Just as I was harboring resentment and thinking of my parents, unexpectedly the holy monk of the Great Tang was also seized by the demon king. Your daughter, shedding tears, composed this letter and boldly released him, specially entrusting him with this sheet of paper to express the feeling of my humble heart. I humbly hope that Father King will have pity and dispatch a great general to reach Wanzi Mountain and the Wave-Moon Cave at the earliest moment, capture the Yellow-Robed Monster, and rescue your daughter back to court. I shall be deeply mindful of this kindness. Hastily written and lacking due reverence; in person I would say more. The rebellious daughter Baihua Xiu again bows her head, bows her head. When that academician had finished reading the family letter, the king wept loudly, the three palaces shed tears, and the civil and military officials grieved. Before and behind, there was no one who did not mourn and pity her. After the king had wept for a long while, he asked the civil and military officials of the two ranks: “Who dares raise troops and lead generals, capture the demon for Us, and rescue Our Princess Baihua?” He asked several times, yet not a single person dared answer. Truly, they were military generals carved from wood and civil officials molded from clay. The king’s heart filled with vexation, and his tears poured like a spring. Then the many officials all prostrated themselves and reported: “Your Majesty, please set aside your vexation for the moment. The princess was lost, and for thirteen years until now there has been no news. She happened to encounter the holy monk of the Great Tang, who sent this letter here, yet we do not know whether it is true. Moreover, we ministers are all ordinary men with ordinary horses. Having studied military books and martial strategies, we can only deploy formations and establish camps, protecting the kingdom from the calamity of invasion. That demon is one who comes with clouds and departs with mist; we cannot meet him face-to-face. How then could we mount a campaign to rescue her? We think that this seeker of scriptures from the Eastern Land is a holy monk of a superior state. This monk’s Way is lofty enough to subdue dragons and tigers, and his virtue is weighty enough to command the reverence of ghosts and spirits. He must possess the arts for subduing demons. As the old saying goes: ‘The one who comes to speak of right and wrong is himself a person of right and wrong.’ You may simply invite this elder to subdue the demons and save the princess; that will perhaps be the most complete plan.” Hearing this, the king hurriedly turned his head and said to Sanzang, “If the Elder has the means to display his Dharma power, capture the demon, and rescue my child back to the court, then there will be no need for you to go west to worship the Buddha. You may keep your long hair and remain a layman; I shall become sworn brothers with you, and we shall sit together upon the dragon bed and share wealth and honor. How would that be?” Sanzang hurriedly replied, “This poor monk knows only a little about reciting the Buddha’s name; in truth, I do not know how to subdue demons.” The king said, “Since you do not know how to subdue demons, how dare you go west to worship the Buddha?” The Elder could conceal it no longer and told him that he had two disciples. He reported, “Your Majesty, it would truly be difficult for this poor monk to reach here alone. This poor monk has two disciples, who are skilled at opening roads when they meet mountains and piling bridges when they meet water; they protected this poor monk in coming here.” The king said in surprise, “You monk are most unreasonable. Since you have disciples, why did you not bring them in together to see Us? Once they arrive at court, even if there is no reward suited to Our wishes, there must at least be a vegetarian offering appropriate to their station.” Sanzang said, “This poor monk’s disciples are ugly and dare not enter the court on their own, for fear they might frighten and injure Your Majesty’s dragon body.” The king laughed and said, “Listen to the way you speak, monk. Surely you do not mean that We are afraid of them?” Sanzang said, “I would not dare say so. My first disciple’s surname is Zhu, and his name is Wuneng Bajie. He was born with a long snout and fangs, stiff bristles and fanlike ears; his body is coarse and his belly large, and the wind rises when he walks. My second disciple’s surname is Sha, and his Dharma name is the monk Wujing. He was born twelve chi tall, with arms three spans broad; his face is like blue indigo, his mouth like a basin of blood, his eyes flashing and glittering, and his teeth lined up like nails. They both look like this, and so I did not dare bring them into court on my own.” The king said, “Since you have already described them in this way, why should We fear them? Summon them in.” He immediately sent a gold tablet to the station to invite them. When the Idiot heard that they had come to invite him, he said to Sha Seng, “Brother, did I not tell you to send down a letter? Now you see the benefit of sending a letter. Surely after the Master sent down the letter, the king said, ‘The letter bearer must not be treated negligently,’ and therefore prepared a banquet to receive him. His appetite cannot bear it, and he has thoughts of you and me, so he has brought up our names; for this reason he sent the gold tablet to invite us. Let us all eat a meal; tomorrow we can travel.” Sha Seng said, “Brother, who knows what the reason is? Shall we go and see?” They accordingly entrusted the luggage and horses entirely to the station clerk, took only their personal weapons, and followed the gold tablet into court. They soon reached the white jade steps, stood to the left and right, gave a formal greeting toward the court, and then did not move again. None of the civil and military officials was unafraid. They all said, “It is bad enough that these two monks are ugly, but they are exceedingly uncouth. How is it that, upon seeing our king, they do not bow The two of them soon reached the entrance of the cave and pressed down their cloud-head. Bajie drew out his rake and, with all his strength, struck the gate of Wave-Moon Cave, breaking a hole in the stone gate about the size of a dou. The little demon guarding the gate was so frightened that he opened it, and, seeing that it was the two of them, ran inside to report: “Great King, this is bad! That long-mouthed, big-eared monk and that dark-faced monk have come again and smashed the gate to pieces.” The monster was startled and said: “These are still the two, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing. I spared their master—how dare they come back and strike my gate again?” The little demon said: “Perhaps they forgot some object and have come to retrieve it.” The old monster gave a sharp cry and said: “Nonsense! If they had forgotten an object, would they dare strike at the gate? There must be some reason.” He hurriedly fastened his armor, took up his steel saber, and came out, asking: “Monk, since I spared your master, how dare you come again to strike my gate?” Bajie said: “You wicked monster, you have done a fine thing!” The old demon said: “What thing?” Bajie said: “You deceived the Third Princess of the Kingdom of Baoxiang into coming into the cave, relying on your strength to seize her and make her your wife. You have kept her here for thirteen years; it is time you returned her. I have come by order of the king to seize you. Quickly go inside, bind yourself with rope, and come out. Then you will spare this old Zhu from having to lay hands on you.” Hearing this, the old monster flew into a great rage. Behold him: standing stiffly, he bit his steel teeth until they rang; his round, ringed eyes opened wide; with fierce bearing, he raised his saber; redly flashing, he brought it straight down upon them. Bajie turned aside and dodged it, then brought his iron rake head-on to meet him. After that, Sha Wujing also raised his precious staff and came forward to strike together with him. This battle on the mountaintop was different from the one before. It was truly: Words misspoken and phrases wrong make people resentful; Poisonous intent and wounded feeling give rise to angry fury. The Demon King’s great steel saber came straight down upon his head; That of Bajie, the nine-toothed rake, met him face-to-face. Sha Wujing cast out his precious staff; the Demon King warded off the divine weapons. One fierce monster, two divine monks, coming and going, battled without pause. “This deception of the Kingdom deserves the death penalty,” said one. “You meddle in idle matters and seek to right injustice,” said the other. “You forced the princess into marriage and injured the dignity of the kingdom,” said one. “It is none of your affair; do not contend idly,” said the other. In the end, it was all because of the letter he had carried, Which caused monk and demon alike to find no peace. They battled before that mountain slope for eight or nine rounds. Bajie gradually became unable to hold his own; the iron rake grew difficult to lift, and his strength failed him. You may ask how it was that he could not defeat the monster in this battle. When they had first fought, the various Dharma-protecting gods were in the cave with Tang Monk and secretly aided Bajie and Sha Wujing, so the two sides were merely evenly matched. At this time, however, all the gods were in the Kingdom of Baoxiang guarding Tang Monk, and therefore the two men were unable to withstand him. That dullard said: “Sha Wujing, you go forward and fight him for a while. Let this old Zhu go relieve himself.” He paid no further heed to Sha Wujing and made straight for the weeds, kudzu vines, brambles, thorns, and creepers, burrowing into them without regard for anything. Never mind that his scalp was scraped and his mouth and face were stabbed; he rolled over and fell asleep, never daring to come out again. He merely left half an ear outside to listen for the sound of the wooden clapper. When the monster saw that Bajie had gone, he rushed at Sha Wujing. Sha Wujing was caught unprepared, and the monster seized him in one grasp and captured him, taking him into the cave. The little demons bound Sha Wujing with all four limbs gathered together. In the end, what became of his life or death is not yet known. Let us listen to the explanation in the next chapter.