OriginChapter 88
Just as Tang Sanzang, delighted, had taken leave of the prefect, he said to Wukong from atop his horse: "Worthy disciple, this virtuous deed truly surpasses saving the children in the Kingdom of Bhikṣu—it is all your merit." Sha Seng said, "In the Kingdom of Bhikṣu we saved only one thousand one hundred and eleven little ones—how could that compare to this great rain, pouring down and soaking the earth, giving life to tens of thousands upon tens of thousands of souls? Your disciple also secretly praises Eldest Senior Brother for his supernatural powers that reach Heaven and his benevolence that covers the earth." Bajie laughed and said, "Brother has kindness, yes, and virtue, yes—yet on the outside he displays benevolence and righteousness, while within he harbors a heart of mischief. Whenever he walks with Old Pig, he must torment people." Wukong said, "Where have I tormented you?" Bajie said, "Enough, enough. You're always looking after me—looking after me to be tied up, looking after me to be hung up, looking after me to be boiled, looking after me to be steamed. Now that you've bestowed grace upon tens of thousands in Fengxian Prefecture, we ought to stay there half a year and let me eat a few carefree full meals—yet you keep urging us to travel on." When the elder heard this, he scolded: "You glutton, why do you think only of stuffing your mouth? Hurry along, and stop this bickering." Bajie dared not speak further, pouted his snout, shouldered the luggage, and with a loud ha-ha, the master and disciples set off on the main road.
At this time, time passed like a shuttle, and again the season was late autumn. One could see:
The water's mark recedes, the mountain's bones grow lean.
Crimson leaves fly in profusion, the season of golden chrysanthemums.
Frost-clear skies make the nights feel long; the pale moon pierces through the windows.
Every home has much evening smoke in the sunset; everywhere the lake's light shimmers with cold flowing water.
White duckweed gives off fragrance, red smartweed grows lush.
Green tangerines and yellow oranges—willows wither, grain ripens.
In the desolate village, wild geese descend among broken reeds; at the rustic inn, roosters crow as beans and grains are gathered.
After the four had traveled for quite some time, they again saw the faint outline of city walls. The elder raised his whip and pointed into the distance, calling, "Wukong, look—there is another city ahead. But I wonder what place it is?" Wukong said, "Neither of us has ever been here—how would we know? Let us go to the edge and ask someone." Before he finished speaking, they suddenly saw an old man emerge from a grove of trees, leaning on a bamboo staff, wearing light clothing, with a pair of palm-fiber shoes on his feet and a flat belt tied around his waist. Tang Sanzang hurriedly dismounted, went forward, and gave a greeting. The old man, leaning on his staff, returned the courtesy and said, "From whence has the elder come?" Sanzang put his palms together and said, "Your poor monk is sent from the Great Tang of the East to worship the Buddha and seek scriptures at Thunderclap Monastery. Having now arrived at your precious region and glimpsing city walls from afar, I do not know what place this is. I have come especially to ask the old benefactor for instruction." When the old man heard this, he said, "Virtuous Chan master, this humble place of mine is a subordinate prefecture of Tianzhu, named Yuhua County by place. The city's lord is a clansman of the Tianzhu Emperor, enfeoffed as the Prince of Yuhua. This prince is most virtuous, especially revering monks and Daoists and cherishing the common people. If the old Chan master goes to see him, he will surely receive great honor." Sanzang thanked him, and the old man went straight through the trees and disappeared.
Only then did Sanzang turn around and recount the matter fully to his disciples. The three of them were delighted and helped the master onto his horse. Sanzang said, "It is not far—no need to ride." The four then walked to the edge of the city and looked at the streets. It turned out that the people in the outlying quarters, those buying and selling, had gathered in great numbers, and business was flourishing. Observing their speech and appearance, they were no different from those in the Central Plains. Sanzang instructed, "Disciples, be cautious—do not be reckless." Bajie hung his head, Sha Seng covered his face, and only Sun Wukong supported his master. People on both sides crowded to stare and all called out together: "Here we have only monks who subdue dragons and tame tigers—we have never seen monks who subdue pigs and tame monkeys!" Bajie could not contain himself and pouted his snout, saying, "Have you ever seen a monk who subdues the Pig King?" The people in the street were so startled that they stumbled and fell, scattering to both sides. Wukong laughed and said, "Idiot, hide your snout quickly—stop showing off and watch your step across the bridge." That idiot lowered his head and just laughed. After crossing the drawbridge and entering the city gate, they saw again that on the main street were wine shops and singing houses, bustling and prosperous—truly a divine capital. There is a poem to prove it. The poem says:
The brocade city and iron ramparts stand firm for ten thousand years,
By the water and against the hills, every hue is fresh.
A hundred goods pass through the lake, boats enter the market;
A thousand homes sell wine, shop curtains hang low.
Terraces and towers everywhere, the populace teems;
Lanes and alleys each morning, merchants and travelers clamor.
Not inferior to Chang'an's fine scenery—
Even the crowing of roosters and barking of dogs are all the same.
Sanzang thought secretly with delight: "People say the various foreign lands of the Western Regions—I had never been here before. Looking closely at this scene, how is it different from my Great Tang? Truly this is what is called the Land of Ultimate Bliss." He also heard people say that white rice was four coppers a dan and sesame oil was eight li a jin—truly a place where the five grains flourish.
After walking for quite a while, they at last arrived before the mansion of the Prince of Yuhua. To the left and right of the mansion gate were the Office of the Chief Clerk, the Court of Adjudication, the Kitchen Administration, and the Guest Reception Hall. Sanzang said, "Disciples, this is the princely mansion. Wait while I go in to see the prince and have my passport verified." Bajie said, "If Master goes in, can we stand properly in front of the yamen gate?" Sanzang said, "Do you not see the words 'Guest Reception Hall' on this gate? Go and sit there, and see if there is fodder—buy some to feed the horse. After I see the prince, if he chances to bestow a vegetarian meal, I will come and summon you to share it together." Wukong said, "Master, go ahead without worry—Old Sun will take care of things." Sha Seng carried the luggage into the hall. The attendants in the hall, seeing their ugly faces, dared not ask them questions nor dare to tell them to leave, and so simply let them sit down—but no more of that.
Now the old master changed his robes and hat, took his passport, and went straight to the front of the princely mansion. There he was met by the ceremonial officer, who asked, "From where has the elder come?" Sanzang said, "I am a monk sent by the Great Tang of the East to worship the Buddha and seek scriptures at Great Thunderclap Monastery. Having now arrived at your noble region, I wish to have my passport renewed, and have come especially to pay my respects to His Highness." The ceremonial officer immediately relayed the message. The prince was indeed virtuous and wise, and at once gave the order to summon him in. Sanzang paid his respects below the dais, and the prince invited him up to the dais and offered him a seat. Sanzang presented his passport, and after the prince looked at it and saw the seals and signatures of various countries, he gladly stamped it with his precious seal, affixed his flourished signature, and placed it on the table. He asked, "State Preceptor Elder, from your Great Tang to this place, passing through all those states, how many leagues have you traveled in all?" Sanzang said, "Your poor monk has not kept count of the distance, but in earlier years the Bodhisattva Guanyin appeared before our king and left a verse saying that the Western Region was one hundred and eight thousand li. Your poor monk has been on the road through fourteen cycles of cold and heat." The prince smiled and said, "Fourteen cycles of cold and heat—that is fourteen years. I imagine there were delays along the way?" Sanzang said, "It is hard to tell it all in one breath. Through myriad insects and a thousand demons—I cannot say how many hardships I suffered—before I finally reached your precious region." The prince was greatly pleased and immediately ordered the Kitchen Administration officer to prepare a vegetarian meal to entertain him. Sanzang said, "I beg to inform Your Highness: your poor monk has three little disciples waiting outside, and dare not accept the meal, for fear of delaying the journey." The prince ordered, "Officers of the hall—go quickly and invite the elder's three disciples to enter the mansion and share the meal."
When the palace officer went out to invite them, they all said, "We have not seen them, we have not seen them." Some attendants said, "There are three ugly-looking monks sitting in the guest hall—they must be the ones." The palace officer, together with the others, went to the hall and asked the attendant in charge, "Which one is the eminent disciple of the Tang monk who went to fetch scriptures? Our king has decreed that they be invited to a vegetarian meal." Bajie, who was sitting dozing, upon hearing the word "vegetarian," could not help but jump up and answer, "We are, we are." When the palace officers saw him, their souls flew and their spirits fled, and they trembled, saying, "A pig demon, a pig demon." When Wukong heard this, he grabbed Bajie and said, "Brother, be more refined, do not act boorishly." The officers then saw Wukong and said, "A monkey spirit, a monkey spirit." Shaseng bowed with clasped hands and said, "Gentlemen, do not be frightened. We three are all disciples of Tang Monk." When the officers saw him, they said, "Kitchen God, Kitchen God." Sun Wukong then told Bajie to lead the horse and Shaseng to carry the pole, and they entered the Yuhua Prince's palace together with the crowd. The palace officer entered first to announce them.
The prince raised his eyes and saw such ugliness, and indeed felt fear in his heart. Sanzang pressed his palms together and said, "Your Highness, rest assured. Though my wayward disciples are ugly in appearance, they are all good-hearted." Bajie faced the prince and made a bow, saying, "This poor monk gives his greetings." The prince became even more alarmed. Sanzang said, "My wayward disciples were all taken in from the mountains and wilds; they do not know how to observe courtesies. I beg Your Highness to pardon their faults." The prince, suppressing his terror, ordered the officer in charge of meals to invite the monks to the Baosha Pavilion to eat vegetarian fare. Sanzang thanked him for the favor, took leave of the prince, and descended from the hall. When they reached the pavilion, he scolded Bajie, "You blundering oaf, you know not the slightest bit of decorum. It would have been better if you had kept silent; how could you be so crude? With one sentence you nearly toppled Mount Tai." Wukong laughed and said, "It was better that I did not bow; it saved some effort." Shaseng said, "He bowed without waiting for the rest, and puckered his mouth to shout beforehand." Bajie said, "What a nuisance, what a nuisance. Master taught me the other day that when meeting people, making a greeting is proper; today I made a greeting, and he says it is not good—how am I to act?" Sanzang said, "I taught you to make a greeting when meeting people, but I did not teach you to behave so frivolously before the prince. As the saying goes, 'Things have their kinds, and people have their ranks.' How can you not distinguish between noble and humble?" While they were speaking, the meal officer led his staff to set out tables and chairs and laid out the vegetarian meal. The master and disciples then ceased their talk and each ate.
Now the prince withdrew from the hall and entered the palace, where three young princes, seeing his changed expression, asked, "Father King, why are you so frightened today?" The prince said, "Just now there came a monk sent from the Great Tang in the East to worship the Buddha and fetch scriptures, who presented his passport for exchange. He was remarkably handsome. I invited him to eat vegetarian fare, and he said he had disciples in front of the palace. I ordered them to be invited. When they came in shortly after, they did not perform the full obeisance before me but only gave a greeting, which already displeased me; and when I raised my head and looked at them, each one was uglier than a demon, and I felt terrified—hence my changed expression." Now these three young princes were unlike ordinary people; each was fond of martial arts and competitive. They at once rolled up their sleeves and said, "Could they be demons from the mountains disguised as humans? Let us take our weapons and go out to see."
Good princes: the eldest took a staff as high as his eyebrows; the second brandished a nine-toothed rake; the third wielded a pitch-black iron staff. With fierce spirit and high mettle, they strode out of the prince's palace and shouted, "What monks fetching scriptures? Where are they?" At that moment, the meal officers and attendants knelt and said, "Young princes, they are eating vegetarian fare in the Baosha Pavilion." The young princes, without distinguishing good from bad, burst in and shouted, "Are you humans or monsters? Speak quickly and we will spare your lives." Sanzang was so terrified that his face lost all color; he dropped his rice bowl, bowed, and said, "This poor monk is one who came from Tang to fetch scriptures—a human, not a monster." The young prince said, "You still look like a human, but those three ugly ones are certainly monsters." Bajie paid no attention and went on eating. Shaseng and Wukong rose slightly and said, "We are all human; though our faces are ugly, our hearts are good; though our bodies are clumsy, our natures are kind. But you three—where do you come from, that you speak so arrogantly and rashly?" The officers nearby said, "These three are the sons of our king, the young princes." Bajie put down his bowl and said, "Young princes, why do you each carry weapons? Do you want to fight us?"
The second prince stepped forward, brandishing his rake with both hands, intending to strike Bajie. Bajie grinned and said, "That rake of yours is only fit to be the grandson of my rake." He then lifted his robe, took out his rake from his waist, shook it, and it emitted a thousand beams of golden light. He displayed his techniques, sending forth myriad streaks of auspicious vapor. The prince was so terrified that his hands went weak and his sinews numb; he dared not wield it further. Wukong saw the eldest using a staff as high as his eyebrows, hopping about, so he took out his Golden Cudgel from his ear, shook it, and it became as thick as a bowl, about twelve or thirteen feet long. He thrust it into the ground, making a hole three feet deep, and stood it upright. He laughed and said, "I will give you this staff." The prince, upon hearing this, dropped his own staff and went to take that one. He pulled with all his strength with both hands, but could not move it in the least; he then tried to lift it and shake it, but it seemed rooted to the ground. The third, giving way to his reckless nature, raised his pitch-black staff and struck. Shaseng pushed it aside with one hand, drew out his Demon-Subduing Precious Staff, twisted it, and it shone with brilliant light and flashed with rosy clouds. The meal officers and others were all dumbstruck, unable to speak. The three young princes prostrated themselves together and said, "Divine masters, divine masters—we mortals are ignorant. We beg you to display your skills, so that we may reverently learn from you." Wukong approached, lightly picked up the staff, and said, "This place is too cramped for easy movement. Let me leap into the air and perform a routine for you to see."
Good Great Sage: with a whistle, he shook his somersault cloud, and with both feet stepping on five-colored auspicious clouds, he rose into the air, about three hundred feet above the ground. He whirled the Golden Cudgel, performing "Scattering Flowers Over the Head" and "Yellow Dragon Turns Around"—up and down, left and right, spinning. At first, man and staff seemed like flowers embroidered on brocade; later, no man was visible, only a sky full of whirling staff. Bajie below called out in applause, and being unable to restrain himself, shouted, "Let Old Pig go and have some fun too." Good idiot: he mounted the wind and also rose into the air, brandishing his rake—up three, down four, left five, right six, front seven, back eight—displaying all his skills, with only the sound of whistling wind. While he was in the midst of his performance, Shaseng said to the elder, "Master, let Old Sha also go and practice." Good monk: with a jump of both feet, he twirled his staff and also rose into the air. One could see dense auspicious vapors and ethereal golden light. With both hands he wielded the Demon-Subduing Staff, performing "Danfeng Facing the Sun" and "Starving Tiger Pouncing on Its Prey"—meeting quickly and parrying slowly, turning swiftly and dashing nimbly. The three brothers all displayed their great divine powers, there in midair, together showing off their might. This truly was:
The true Zen vision is not of common kind,
The course of the Way fills all the void.
Metal and Wood display their might throughout the Dharma-realm,
The Elixir and the Knife turn and merge in perfect penetration.
Divine weapons shine forth whenever needed,
Elixir vessels bloom and are revered everywhere.
Though Heavenly Tushita is high, still discipline is kept,
The Yuhua princes all return to the center.
The three young princes were so terrified that they knelt in the dust. All the people in the Baosha Pavilion, from the highest to the lowest, as well as the old prince in the palace, and all the soldiers, civilians, men and women, monks, nuns, Daoists, and laypeople in the whole city—every household recited the Buddha's name and kowtowed, and every family burned incense and paid homage. Truly:
Seeing the image and returning to truth, they saved the multitude of monks,
In the human world they cultivated blessings and enjoyed peace.
From now on, their fruit is perfected on the Bodhi path,
All are people who practice meditation and worship the Buddha.
The three of them, each displaying his extraordinary talent, went through a bout of martial arts, then lowered their auspicious clouds and put away their weapons. They went before Tang Sanzang, paid their respects, thanked him for his gracious teaching, and each sat down—no more of that for now.
The three young princes hurried back to the palace and reported to the old king, saying, "Your Majesty, ten thousand blessings! Now there is a deed of incomparable merit. Did you just now see them performing in midair?" The old king said, "I just saw the colorful light in the sky and, together with your mother and the others in the palace, burned incense and bowed in worship, but I did not know which immortals from where had descended and gathered here." The young princes said, "They are no immortals from elsewhere; they are the three ugly disciples of the monk who fetches scriptures. One wields an iron staff with golden rings, one a nine-pronged rake, and one a demon-subduing precious staff—our own weapons were utterly inferior to theirs, without the slightest comparison. We asked them to perform a bout, and they said, 'The ground here is too narrow and cramped to handle it properly; allow us to rise into the air and show you a bout.' Thereupon they each mounted their clouds, and the whole sky was filled with drifting auspicious clouds and swirling propitious vapors. They have just now descended and are all seated in the Baosha Pavilion. Your sons are overjoyed and wish to bow to them as masters, learn their skills, and protect our kingdom. This is truly a deed of incomparable merit. We wonder what Your Majesty thinks of it?" When the old king heard this, his heart was convinced and he assented to their wish.
Thereupon the father and his four sons, without mounting a carriage or unfurling canopies, walked on foot to the Baosha Pavilion. The four travelers were packing their luggage, intending to enter the palace to thank them for the meal and take leave of the king to resume their journey, when they happened to see the Prince of Yuhua and his sons come up to the pavilion and prostrate themselves in obeisance. The elder monk was so startled that he straightened up and returned the bow, prostrating himself on the ground; Wukong and the others stepped aside and smiled coldly. When the obeisances were completed, they invited the four travelers to enter the main hall and take their seats. The four travelers gladly entered. The old king rose and said, "Elder Master Tang, I have one matter to beg of you—I wonder if your three eminent disciples would be willing to consent?" Sanzang said, "Whatever Your Highness commands, my humble disciples would not dare to disobey." The old king said, "When I first saw you gentlemen, I merely took you for traveling monks who had come from far away in Tang; being truly of mortal eyes and ordinary flesh, I repeatedly showed you slight disrespect. But just now, when I beheld Master Sun, Master Zhu, and Master Sha performing their arts in the sky, I realized that they are immortals or buddhas. My three worthless sons have spent their whole lives fond of martial arts. Now they sincerely wish to bow to them as disciples and learn some martial skills. I beg the master to open your heart of heaven and earth, broadly extend your compassionate ferry, and transmit your arts to my young sons. We will certainly repay you with all the wealth of the city as thanks." When Wukong heard this, he could not help but laugh out loud and say, "Your Highness, you really do not understand affairs. We who have left home could not be more eager to take on a few disciples. Since your sons have a heart inclined toward goodness, you must not speak of the slightest profit; only dealing with one another in friendship is more than enough as an expression of affection."
When the princes heard this, they were greatly delighted. They immediately ordered a great feast to be spread out in the main hall of the residence. Alas! With one word of command, everything was ready in an instant. One could see:
Colored draperies fluttered and waved,
Fragrant incense smoke swirled richly.
Gilt tables hung with gauze and silk, dazzling to the eye;
Painted lacquer chairs spread with brocade embroidery, adding splendor to the seats.
Fruits on the trees fresh and new, tea and soups fragrant and steaming.
Three or five courses of light refreshments, sweet and clear;
One or two servings of steamed buns, plentiful and fine.
Steamed pastries and honey-fried delicacies—how marvelous!
Deep-fried and sugar-glazed—truly excellent!
There were several bottles of fragrant plain vegetarian wine,
Which, when poured out, surpassed the nectar of the immortals;
Several presentations of Yangxian immortal tea,
Which, when held in hand, surpassed the osmanthus in fragrance.
Every sort and variety was completely prepared,
Each kind and every arrangement all extraordinary.
On one side, they called for musicians, singers, dancers, and performers to entertain. The master and his disciples, together with the king and his sons, enjoyed themselves for a full day.
Before they knew it, evening had come, and the banquet was dismissed. They then ordered bedding to be arranged in the Baosha Pavilion and invited the masters to rest for the night. In the morning, they would burn incense with utmost sincerity, bow again, and beg to be taught martial skills. All complied. They prepared fragrant hot water and invited the masters to bathe, after which everyone retired to sleep. At that time:
The myriad birds roosted high, all sounds sank deep;
The poet retired to his couch, his chanting done.
The Milky Way's light shone, the sky grew bright;
Wild paths lay desolate, the grass grew deeper still.
The pounding of washing mallets rang out from other courtyards;
Distant mountain passes stirred thoughts of home.
The clear chirping of autumn crickets knew men's hearts;
By the bedside, their piercing cries shattered dream-souls.
The scene of that one night passed. In the morning, the old king and his sons came again to pay their respects. The day before, the elder monk had still received them with royal courtesy, but today they performed the rites of disciples. The three young princes knelt before Wukong, Bajie, and Shaseng, kowtowed, and asked with reverence, "We beg to borrow our masters' weapons for a look." When Bajie heard this, he cheerfully took out his rake and threw it down on the ground. Shaseng threw out his precious staff and leaned it against the wall. The second and third princes leaped forward to seize them, but it was like mayflies trying to shake a stone pillar—each struggled until his face was red, but could not move them in the slightest. When the eldest prince saw this, he called out, "Brothers, do not waste your strength. Our masters' weapons are all divine weapons; who knows how heavy they are." Bajie laughed and said, "My rake is not all that heavy—it weighs just one canonical number, with the handle, five thousand and forty-eight catties." The third prince asked Shaseng, "Master, how heavy is your precious staff?" Shaseng laughed and said, "Also five thousand and forty-eight catties." The eldest prince asked to see Wukong's Golden Cudgel. Wukong took a needle-like object from his ear, shook it in the wind, and it became as thick as a bowl, standing upright before them. The king and his sons were all terrified, and all the officials were alarmed. The three young princes bowed and said, "Masters Zhu and Sha's weapons are carried on their persons under their clothes and can be taken out at once. But why does Master Sun take his from his ear, and why does it grow as soon as it meets the wind?" Wukong laughed and said, "You do not know that this staff of mine is not something to be found casually in the mortal world. This staff:
At the first division of chaos, iron was smelted and forged;
Great Yu, the divine man, himself set it in place.
Of lakes, seas, rivers, and streams, shallow and deep,
He once used this staff to know them all.
When the mountains were opened and the waters tamed, in times of peace,
It drifted to the Eastern Ocean to guard the sea-gate.
As years and ages passed, it emitted colored light,
Able to shrink, able to grow, able to shine bright.
Old Sun had the fortune to fetch it forth,
Its transformations limitless, following a spoken formula.
When large, it fills the space between heaven and earth;
When small, it is no more than a needle's point.
Its name is Ruyi, the Golden Cudgel—
In heaven and on earth, it is called unparalleled.
Its weight should be thirteen thousand five hundred catties;
Sometimes thick, sometimes thin, it can arise and disappear.
It once helped me raise havoc in the Heavenly Palace;
It once followed me in assaulting the Earthly Pass.
It subdued tigers and vanquished dragons wherever it went;
It refined demons and dispelled monsters in every direction.
Lift it high, and one point dims the sun itself—
Heaven, earth, ghosts, and spirits all grow fearful.
From the primal chaos it was passed down to the present—
Know that it is no common iron of the mortal world."
When the princes heard this, they all made endless prostrations. The three stepped forward and bowed repeatedly, sincerely begging to be instructed. Wukong said, "You three do not yet know which martial arts you wish to learn?" The princes said, "Those who wish to use a staff shall learn the staff; those accustomed to the rake shall learn the rake; those fond of the cudgel shall learn the cudgel." Wukong laughed and said, "To teach is easy enough, but you do not have the strength to wield our weapons, and I fear that if you cannot learn them thoroughly, it will be like trying to paint a tiger and ending up with a dog. The ancients said: 'If instruction is not strict, the master is remiss; if learning bears no fruit, the fault lies with the disciple.' Since you have sincere hearts, you may go burn incense and worship Heaven and Earth. I will first transmit to you some divine strength, and only then can I teach you martial arts."
When the three young princes heard this, they were filled with joy. They personally raised the incense table, washed their hands, burned incense, and made obeisance to Heaven. After finishing their bows, they asked the master to transmit the Dharma. The Pilgrim turned around and saluted Tang Sanzang, saying, "I beg pardon of my honored master; forgive your disciple his offense. Since that year at the Two-Boundary Mountain, when by the master's great virtue I was delivered from peril and received into the Buddhist Order, I have ever journeyed westward. Though I have not yet heavily repaid my master's kindness, I have nonetheless forded rivers and scaled mountains, exhausting heart and strength. Now that we have come to the Land of Buddha, we have been fortunate to meet the three worthy princes of this royal house, who have cast themselves before us, wishing to learn martial arts. Since they are to be our disciples, they are also my master's great-disciples. I respectfully report this to my master, so that it may be proper to transmit the teachings." Sanzang was greatly pleased. When Bajie and Sha Seng saw the Pilgrim make his salute, they too turned and kowtowed to Sanzang, saying, "Master, we are dull and clumsy of tongue, unable to speak well. We beg that Master will sit high in the Dharma-seat and allow each of us to take on a disciple for our own amusement—it would also be a fond remembrance of this Western Road." Sanzang gladly gave his consent to all.
Only then did the Pilgrim have the three princes all go to a quiet chamber behind the Leisurely Bower, where he drew the diagrams of the celestial net. He made the three prostrate themselves inside, each closing his eyes and calming his spirit. Then he quietly recited the true words and chanted the incantations, blowing his immortal breath into the hearts and bellies of the three, causing their primordial spirits to return to their proper abodes. He transmitted oral formulas and bestowed upon each a strength of thousands of catties, regulating the internal fire, as though by a method of exchanging bone and remolding the body. After circulating through the complete sub-cycle and celestial circuit, the three young princes at last awoke, rose together, rubbed their faces, and stood spirited and vigorous, each with sturdy bones and strong sinews: the eldest prince could now wield the Golden-Banded Staff, the second could swing the Nine-Tooth Rake, and the third could lift the Demon-Subduing Staff.
When the old king saw this, his joy knew no bounds. He again set out a vegetarian feast to thank the four master-disciples. Right there at the banquet each taught his own art: those learning the staff practiced the staff, those learning the rake practiced the rake, those learning the staff (of Sha Seng) practiced that staff. Though they could turn about and display several feints, after all they were but mortal men, and it cost them great effort: after one round they panted heavily, unable to endure long. For those weapons all had their transformations—advance and retreat, attack and parry, ebb and flow—each possessing natural subtlety. Being mortals, how could they suddenly attain to that? That day the feast was concluded.
The next day the three princes came again to give thanks, saying, "We are deeply grateful that the divine masters have bestowed upon us this strength. Yet though we can now wield the masters' weapons, turning and handling them remains difficult. We wish to order smiths to make for us replicas of the divine masters' weapons, but with reduced weight—would the masters permit this?" Bajie said, "Good, good, good—well spoken. Our implements, for one thing, you cannot handle; for another, we must guard the Dharma and subdue demons—it is fitting that new ones be made." The princes thereupon summoned iron-smiths, purchased ten thousand catties of steel and iron, and set up a forge in the front courtyard of the royal palace, erecting a furnace for casting. The first day they smelted the steel until it was ripe. The next day they invited the three Pilgrims to bring out the Golden-Banded Staff, the Nine-Tooth Rake, and the Demon-Subduing Staff, all placed in the shed for inspection and copying. Thus they worked day and night without cease.
Alas! These weapons were their personal treasures, never to be parted from them for a moment; each kept on the person, they emitted many halos to protect the body. Now that they lay in the courtyard for several days, their rosy light shot up in ten thousand beams to Heaven, and their auspicious vapors covered the earth in a thousand folds. That night there was a demon-spirit, some seventy li from the city, at a mountain called Leopard-Head Mountain and a cave called Tiger-Mouth Cave. As he sat in the night, he suddenly saw the rosy light and auspicious vapors, and rode a cloud to look. Seeing that the light arose from within the royal palace, he lowered his cloud and drew near to observe—it was these three weapons emitting radiance. The demon-spirit, both delighted and enamored, said, "Fine treasures, fine treasures! Who uses them, and why are they placed here? This too is my karmic fate—I shall take them, I shall take them!" His fondness stirred, he summoned his mighty wind and swept up all three weapons in one clutch, carrying them straight back to his cave. Just as it is said:
The Way is never to be left for an instant;
What can be left is not the Way.
The divine weapons all fell into emptiness,
All the cultivation and practice spent in vain.
But you shall hear in the next chapter how these weapons were recovered.