OriginChapter 52
Now the Great Sage Sun, having gained the Golden-Banded Staff, burst out through the gate, leaped up onto the high peak, and said to the assembled gods with boundless delight. Heavenly King Li said, "How fared you in this bout?" Pilgrim replied, "Old Sun changed his form and slipped into his cave. That fiend was all the more singing and dancing, flushed with victory wine. I never got to find out where his precious object was kept. But when I turned round to his rear, I suddenly heard horses neighing and dragons roaring, and knew they must be the substances of the Fire Department. Against the eastern wall leaned my Golden-Banded Staff, so Old Sun seized it and fought his way straight out." The gods said, "You have recovered your treasure, but when shall we get ours?" Pilgrim said, "No trouble, no trouble. Now that I have this iron rod, I shall beat him down no matter what and take the treasures back for you."
While they were speaking, they heard from below the slope a simultaneous din of gongs and drums, and shouting that shook the earth. It was the Rhinoceros King leading his host of spirits in pursuit of Pilgrim. When Pilgrim saw them, he cried, "Fine, fine, fine! Just what I wanted. Be seated, all of you, while Old Sun goes to catch him again." The splendid Great Sage raised his iron staff and met them head-on, shouting, "Where do you think you're going, you scurvy fiend? Take this!" The fiend parried with his spear and cursed, "You thieving ape! Utterly insolent! How dare you rob me of my things in broad daylight?" Pilgrim said, "You beast that knows not death! You are the one who laid a snare and robbed me in broad daylight—which of those things is yours? Don't run! Take one blow from your granddaddy!" The fiend whirled his spear to ward it off. Then a fine battle ensued:
The Great Sage displayed his fierce might; the demon was not docile or meek. Both sides joined in brave combat—which one would ever consent to cease? This one's iron staff was like a dragon's tail; that one's long spear was like a python's head. This one's staff came whistling with tricks of wind; that one's spear parried with majesty like flowing water. Colored mists grew dim, darkening the mountain ridges; auspicious clouds drifted thick, saddening the groves. All birds in the sky stopped their wings; all beasts in the wilds drew in their heads. On that side the little demons raised a shout; on this side Pilgrim roused himself to action. One iron staff was matchless, sweeping across all the western lands for ten thousand miles. That long spear was a worthy foe, ever famed as the foremost of Golden Helm Mountain. When these two met, no good parting could be had; without deciding who was higher, neither would ever rest.
The Demon King and the Great Sage Sun fought for three full double-hours, neither winning nor losing, and soon the sky grew late. The demon held his spear and said, "Wukong, stop. The sky is dark and dim—this is no time for a bout. Let each rest a while, and tomorrow we shall fight again." Pilgrim cursed, "Enough of that, you brute! Old Sun's spirit is just rising—what care I for nightfall? I must and will settle victory and defeat with you." The fiend gave a shout, feinted with his spear, saved his life, and led his host of demons to withdraw their arms, retreat into the cave, and shut the door fast.
This Great Sage dragged his staff back, and the heavenly gods on the bank congratulated him, all saying, "Truly a mighty and capable Great Sage Equal to Heaven, with boundless and immeasurable true skill." Pilgrim laughed and said, "Too kind, too kind." Heavenly King Li stepped forward and said, "These words are no flattery—you are indeed a fine fellow. This bout was in no way inferior to the time when you broke through the Net of Heaven and the Snare of Earth." Pilgrim said, "Let us not speak of past affairs. That fiend must be weary after the beating Old Sun gave him. I shall not speak of hardship either; all of you sit at ease, and I will go into the cave again to find out about his ring. I must steal it, capture the fiend, recover your weapons, and return them to you so you can go back to Heaven." The Crown Prince said, "It is already nightfall; why not sleep soundly tonight and go in the morning?" Pilgrim laughed, "This young lord knows nothing of the world. Since when does a thief work in broad daylight? For this sort of pilfering, one must go by night and come by night, unseen and unknown—that is the proper trade." Fire Virtue and Thunder Duke said, "Say no more, Third Prince; we know nothing of this business. The Great Sage is an old hand at such tricks—he must take this opportunity, first because the fiend is weary, and second because the dark night gives no cover. Pray go quickly, quickly."
The splendid Great Sage, chuckling, hid his iron staff, leaped down from the high peak, and reached the cave mouth again. He shook his body, changed, and turned into a cricket. Truly:
Hard-mouthed, long-whiskered, black of skin; bright-eyed, with clawed and forked feet. In clear wind and bright moon it cries by the wall; in the still night its voice sounds like human speech.
Its notes mingled with dew in the desolate scene, its broken chirps worthy of praise. The traveler by his inn window dreads to hear it, especially when it chirps beneath the empty steps and by his bed.
He stretched his thighs and in three or five hops reached the door, squeezed in through the crack, crouched at the foot of the wall inside, and faced the lamplight to observe carefully. He saw the great and small demons, all wolfing and gulping their food. Pilgrim chirped and creaked once or twice. After a while they cleared away the utensils and went to arrange their sleeping places, each settling down to rest.
When about one watch had passed, Pilgrim went to the rear chamber and heard the old demon give orders: "You lesser guards at every gate, stay awake, lest Sun Wukong change into something else and sneak in to steal." Some of those on night duty clattered and clanked, and gongs and rattles sounded together. This made it all the easier for the Great Sage to act. He slipped into the chamber and saw a stone bed, with mountain-sprites and tree-ghosts painted and powdered standing left and right, spreading bedclothes to attend the old demon—some pulling off his boots, some undressing his clothes. The Demon King loosened his garments, and on his left forearm was that ring, gleaming white—it looked like a linked bracelet. Note that he did not take it off, but pushed it up twice and bound it tight around his arm, then lay down to sleep. When Pilgrim saw this, he changed again into a yellow flea, leaped onto the stone bed, burrowed into the covers, crawled onto the fiend's arm, and bit down hard. The fiend, stung, turned over and cursed, "You good-for-nothing slaves! You didn't shake the quilt or brush the bed—some creature has bitten me!" He pushed the ring up twice more and lay down again. Pilgrim climbed onto the ring and bit once more. The fiend could not sleep; he turned over again and said, "You're tormenting me to death!"
Seeing that the fiend kept strict guard, carried the treasure on his person, and would not take it off, Pilgrim knew he could not steal it. He jumped off the bed, changed back into a cricket, left the chamber, and went straight to the rear. There he heard dragons roaring and horses neighing. It turned out that the inner door was tightly locked, and the Fire Dragons and Fire Horses were suspended inside. Pilgrim resumed his true form, approached the door, used the unlocking spell, muttered the incantation, and rubbed his hand over it. With a crack, the double rings of the lock fell away. He pushed the door open and charged in to look—inside, the fire-arms blazed so brightly it was like daytime. Suddenly he saw several weapons leaning against the east and west walls: the Crown Prince's Demon-Slaying Saber and the rest, along with Fire Virtue's fire-bows and fire-arrows. Pilgrim looked all around by the firelight, and then saw behind the door, on a stone table, a bamboo-tray with a bundle of hair. The Great Sage was overjoyed. He picked up the hair, blew two puffs of warm breath on it, and cried, "Change!" It turned into thirty or fifty little monkeys. He ordered them all to take the swords, halberds, pestles, ropes, chakrams, bows, arrows, spears, carts, gourds, fire-crows, fire-rats, and fire-horses—all the things that had been carried off—and to mount the Fire Dragons, set the fire ablaze, and burn outward from the inside. There came a roaring, crackling, and booming, like thunder and cannon-fire together. The great and small fiends, startled out of their wits, half-clad and dazed, shouted and wept, finding no way to flee, and more than half were burned to death. The Victorious Monkey King returned in triumph, and it was only about the third watch.
But to resume: on the high peak, when the heavenly king Li and the others suddenly saw the blaze of fire flickering, they surged forward together. There they saw the Great Sage riding the dragon, shouting and whooping, urging the little monkeys along, and riding straight up to the peak, where he cried out in a stern voice: “Come collect your weapons, come collect your weapons.” Fire Virtue and Nezha answered in assent. The Great Sage gave his body a shake, and those hairs all returned to his body. The crown prince Nezha recovered his six weapons, and the star lord Fire Virtue had the various fire divisions collect the fire dragons and other items; all were smiling and praising the Great Sage—but no more of that.
Now in the Golden Helmet Cave the flames blazed high, terrifying the Rhinoceros King so that his spirit fled his body. Hastily he rose and opened the cave gate, holding the ring in both hands; he pushed east and the eastern fires died, pushed west and the western fires vanished. Amidst smoke and flames throughout the air, he ran about clutching his precious treasure, until the smoke and fire on all four sides were extinguished. Then he rushed to rescue his horde of demons, but more than half had been burned to death; of men and women, he could gather no more than a hundred or so. He also checked the arsenal and found every piece missing. Going to the rear quarters, he saw that Eight Rules, Sha Monk, and the elder were still bound and not yet released; the white dragon horse was still at the trough, and the luggage pole was still in the room. The demon was filled with hatred and said: “I wonder which little demon was careless and started this fire, bringing us to such a pass.” An attendant nearby reported: “Great King, this fire was not the doing of our own household. It must have been some thief raiding our camp and burning our stockade, who set loose those fire-division objects and stole the divine weapons.” The old demon then realized: “There is no one else; it must be that villain Sun Wukong. No wonder I felt uneasy before going to sleep last night. That accursed monkey must have changed and sneaked in, biting me twice on the arm. He surely wanted to steal my treasure, but because I had it fastened too tightly he could not lay hands on it, so instead he stole our weapons and set loose the fire dragons, with such cruel intent—wishing to burn me to death. You cursed monkey! You waste your schemes, not knowing my abilities. When I carry this treasure, I cannot be drowned even in the great ocean, nor burned even in a pool of fire. If I catch that villain this time, I shall have him minced and chopped up, to satisfy my heart.”
As he spoke, he fumed for a long while; before he knew it, the cock crowed and dawn broke. On the high peak, the crown prince had recovered the six weapons and said to the Great Sage: “Great Sage, the sky is bright; we must not delay. While that demon’s spirit is broken, with the fire divisions to aid you, let us join battle again—perhaps this time we can capture him.” The Great Sage laughed and said: “Well said. Let us unite our hearts and go have some sport.” Each of them shook out his might and displayed his martial skill, marching straight to the cave mouth. The Great Sage called out: “Come out, vile demon, and fight with Old Sun!”
Now the two stone gates had been turned to ash by the fiery vapors, and inside the gate a few little demons were sweeping up debris. Suddenly seeing all the sages arriving together, they were so frightened that they dropped their brooms, abandoned their rakes, and ran inside to report: “Sun Wukong has brought many heavenly spirits, and they are outside the gate again, challenging us to battle.” The Rhinoceros monster was greatly alarmed at the report; his steel teeth ground together with a crunch, and his round eyes glared wide. Gripping his long spear and carrying his treasure, he went out the gate and cursed in a torrent of abuse: “You thieving monkey who set fire to our camp! How great are your powers, that you dare look down on me like this?” The Great Sage laughed scornfully and cursed back: “You vile monster! If you want to know my powers, come up here and I will tell you:
From birth my strength was great,
Through heaven and earth my fame spread wide.
I learned the Way and grasped immortality,
Received the arts of eternal life.
I journeyed to the Square Inch Mountain,
And with sincere heart bowed to the Sage’s hall.
There I mastered transformations without end,
And roamed the cosmos free as I pleased.
At leisure I subdued tigers on the mount,
In idleness I tamed dragons in the sea.
My home is Flowers-and-Fruit Mountain, where I reign as king,
And in Water Curtain Cave I show my might.
More than once I schemed against the Heavenly Realm,
And several times I rashly seized the upper courts.
By imperial grace I was named Great Sage Equal to Heaven,
And further titled Handsome Monkey King.
Because the Peach Festival was held,
And I was not invited—my temper flared.
I stole into Jade Pool and drank the jade nectar,
Secretly entered the precious pavilions and quaffed the ambrosia.
Dragon liver and phoenix marrow I have stolen and eaten,
All rare delicacies I have sampled.
The thousand-year peaches I enjoyed at will,
And the ten-thousand-year elixirs filled my gut.
Every rare thing in Heaven’s palaces I took,
Every precious treasure in the sacred mansions I hid.
The Jade Emperor heard of my skill,
And sent heavenly troops to battle me.
The nine luminaries’ evil stars I banished,
The five directions’ fierce constellations I wounded.
All the heavenly generals were no match for me,
A hundred thousand valiant troops dared not face me.
I forced the Jade Emperor to issue his decree,
And the Little Sage of River-Guan was sent with his army.
We fought with seventy-two transformations,
Each displaying his full strength.
The South Sea Guanyin came to aid,
With her pure vase and willow branch.
Old Lord Laozi then used his diamond snare,
And captured me, taking me to the upper realms.
Bound, I was brought before the Jade Emperor,
And the judges condemned me to death.
They sent the mighty executioner with his blade,
But the sword bounced off my head in a flash of flame.
By a thousand schemes they could not kill me,
So they sent me to Lord Lao’s hall.
There in the six-ding divine fire I was refined,
Until my whole body became hard as steel.
After forty-nine days they opened the furnace,
And I leaped out, more savage than before.
All the gods shut their doors, none could stop me,
The sages conferred and called on the Buddha.
Truly Tathāgata has vast powers,
His wisdom is immeasurable.
We made a wager—he turned his palm into a mountain,
And pressed me down so that I could not prevail.
Then the Jade Emperor held the Peace-Sealing Feast,
And the Western Land was called the Land of Bliss.
I was trapped beneath the mountain for five hundred years,
Not a drop of tea or bite of food did I taste.
Then the elder Golden Cicada descended to the mortal world,
Sent from the East to worship the Buddha’s land,
To fetch the true scriptures back to his great country,
So that the Tang emperor might redeem his ancestors.
Guanyin persuaded me to turn to goodness,
And with faithful instruction I gave up my wild ways.
She freed me from the root of the high mountain’s trouble,
And now I journey west to fetch the scriptures.
Vile demon, cease your fox-like cunning,
Return my master Tang to worship the Dharma King.”
When the monster heard this, he pointed at the Great Sage and said: “So you are nothing but a great thief who stole from Heaven! Don’t run—take my spear!” The Great Sage wielded his staff to meet him. As the two were locked in combat, on this side the crown prince Nezha grew angry and the star lord Fire Virtue became fierce, hurling the six divine weapons and the fire-division objects at the demon’s body. The Great Sage Sun pressed his attack even harder. Meanwhile the Thunder Duke wielded his chisel, the Heavenly King raised his blade—they all rushed forward together, no distinction of rank. The demon lord gave a cold, lofty laugh, secretly took out his treasure from his sleeve, flung it into the air, and cried: “Catch!” With a swoosh, he swept away the six divine weapons, the fire-division objects, the Thunder Duke’s chisel, the Heavenly King’s blade, and the Great Sage’s staff—all of them back into his grasp. All the spirits were once again barehanded, and the Great Sage Sun again empty-fisted. The demon, victorious, turned back and shouted: “Little ones, move stones to seal the gate, dig earth and repair the building, and refurbish the halls from scratch. When all is ready, we will slaughter the three monks of Tang to thank the earth, and everyone shall share in the blessings and enjoy themselves.” The little demons accepted the orders and set to work—but no more of that.
But to return to Li Tianwang, who led his host back up the high peak. The Fire Virtue Star complained that Nezha was too rash; the Thunder God grumbled that the Heavenly King had been difficult; only the Water Earl stood by in silence. When the Pilgrim saw that they could not look one another in the face and that all were entangled in anxious thoughts, he had no help for it. Harboring resentment yet forcing cheerfulness, he laughed and said to the assembled deities, "Worthy lords, you need not fret. There is an old saying: 'Victory and defeat are the common lot of the warrior.' If one judges by skill in arms, he and I are about evenly matched; but the trouble is that he has this extra circlet, which causes the harm and has carried off our weapons again. Set your minds at ease—let old Sun go once more and look into his origins."
The Crown Prince said, "You previously submitted a memorial to the Jade Emperor and investigated throughout the entire heaven and earth without finding a single trace. Now where are you going to look?"
The Pilgrim replied, "I have been thinking that the Buddha's law is boundless. For the moment I shall go to the Western Heaven and ask our Buddha Tathagata to direct his divine eye to observe the four great continents and see in what region this monster was born, in what place he dwells, and what sort of treasure that circlet is. Whatever it takes, I must capture him, to vent your anger and restore your joy so you may return to heaven."
The assembled deities said, "Since you have this intention, do not delay—go quickly, go quickly."
Excellent Pilgrim! The moment he said he would go, he mounted his somersault cloud and was soon at Spirit Mountain. Descending his auspicious light, he looked about in all directions—what a fine place it was:
The Spirit Peak, sharply towering,
Ranges upon ranges clear and fair,
Immortal summits scraping the blue heavens.
Gazing west at this mighty stronghold,
Its very aspect overshadows Central Lands.
Primal energy circulates, reaching far through heaven and earth;
Mighty winds sweep through, scattering blossoms over all terraces.
From time to time the long sound of bells and stone chimes is heard;
Ever and again the clear tones of sutra-chanting arise.
There, beneath the green pines, upāsikās expound the Dharma;
Among the emerald cypresses, arhats walk.
White cranes, full of feeling, come to Vulture Peak;
Green phoenixes, with fixed intent, stand by the idling pavilions.
Mysterious apes, in pairs, present immortal fruits;
Long-life deer, in couples, offer purple blossoms.
The frequent calls of rare birds are like words of speech;
The brilliant hues of wondrous flowers have no known names.
Returning ridges wind about, layer upon layer;
Ancient paths curve and bend, every level smooth and even.
Truly this is a place of pure emptiness and spiritual beauty—
The solemn and majestic style of the Great Enlightened Buddha's house.
As the Pilgrim was gazing at the mountain scenery, he suddenly heard someone call, "Sun Wukong, where do you come from? Where are you going?" He whirled around and saw that it was the尊者 Bhikṣuṇī. The Great Sage made a respectful bow and said, "I have a matter for which I wish to see Tathagata."
The Bhikṣuṇī said, "You naughty one! Since you wish to see Tathagata, why do you not enter the jeweled monastery, but stay here looking at the mountain?"
The Pilgrim said, "This is my first visit to this noble ground, hence I took the liberty."
The Bhikṣuṇī said, "Come quickly with me." The Pilgrim followed closely to the foot of the gate of Thunderclap Monastery, where he saw the eight great Vajras standing in fierce array, blocking the way on both sides. The Bhikṣuṇī said, "Wukong, wait a moment while I go in and announce you." The Pilgrim had no choice but to stand outside the gate. The Bhikṣuṇī went before the Buddha, pressed her palms together, and said, "Sun Wukong has business and wishes an audience with Tathagata." Tathagata issued a decree to admit him, and only then did the Vajras step aside and let him pass.
After the Pilgrim had bowed low and paid his respects, Tathagata asked, "Wukong, I heard recently that the Bodhisattva Guanyin delivered you from bondage, that you took refuge in the Dharma of Śākya, and that you are escorting the Tang monk here to seek scriptures. Why have you come here alone? What is the matter?"
The Pilgrim knocked his head to the ground and said, "I report to my Buddha. Since your disciple received the precepts and journeyed westward with the Tang master from the Land of the East, we came to Jindou Mountain and Jindou Cave, where we encountered a fearsome demon chieftain named Great King Si. His powers are vast and great; he seized my master and my younger brothers into the cave. When your disciple sought their return, he had no good intentions, and we came to blows. He took my iron staff with a gleaming white circlet. Fearing that he might be a heavenly general who had fallen to earth, I hurried up to the upper realm to investigate, but found no trace. By the Jade Emperor's decree, Heavenly King Li and his son were sent to assist, but he seized the Crown Prince's six weapons as well. Then I invited the Fire Virtue Star to burn him, but he took the fire implements too. Then I invited the Water Virtue Star to drown him, but not a drop could touch him. Your disciple exhausted much spirit and effort to steal back the iron staff and other objects, then went out to challenge him again, only to have him take them all once more with that same circlet—there is no way to subdue him. For this reason I have come especially to report to my Buddha, hoping you will extend your compassion and examine for your disciple what this creature truly is, and of what origin, so that I may seize his family and neighbors, capture this demon chieftain, rescue my master, and with utmost reverence and sincerity, worship and seek the true fruition."
Tathagata, hearing this, cast his divine eye afar and already knew. He said to the Pilgrim, "I do know of that monster, but I cannot tell you. You monkey have a loose tongue—if you pass it on that I named him, he will refuse to fight you and will surely raise a clamor up to Spirit Mountain, which would instead bring misfortune upon me. I will use my power to help you capture him."
The Pilgrim bowed again and thanked him, saying, "What power will Tathagata lend to aid me?"
Tathagata thereupon ordered the eighteen arhats to open the treasure vault and fetch eighteen grains of golden cinnabar sand to lend Wukong their aid.
The Pilgrim said, "How does the golden cinnabar sand work?"
Tathagata said, "Go to the mouth of the cave and call that demon out to spar with you. Lure him forth, then have the arhats cast the sand to trap him, so that he cannot move his body or lift his feet, and you may beat him as you please."
The Pilgrim laughed and said, "Excellent, excellent, excellent—let us go at once!"
The arhats did not dare delay; they took the golden cinnabar sand and went out. The Pilgrim again thanked Tathagata. As he went along checking, he saw only sixteen arhats. The Pilgrim cried out, "What place is this, that you would cheat me by letting someone off?"
The arhats said, "Who has been let off?"
The Pilgrim said, "The original commission was for eighteen arhats—why are there only sixteen now?"
Before he finished speaking, the two arhats Dragon-Subduing and Tiger-Taming came out from within, stepped forward, and said, "Wukong, why are you so difficult? We two were behind, hearing Tathagata's instructions."
The Pilgrim said, "Too clever by half, too clever by half! If I had yelled a little later, you might not have come out at all." The arhats laughed heartily and mounted the auspicious clouds.
Before long they reached the bounds of Jindou Mountain. When Heavenly King Li saw them, he led his host forward to welcome them and recounted the previous events. The arhats said, "No need for lengthy talk—quickly call him out."
The Great Sage clenched his fists and went to the mouth of the cave, cursing, "You fat, vile monster—come out quickly and meet your match with your old grandpa Sun!" The little demon again flew in to report. The Demon King, angered, said, "That thieving monkey has invited someone else again to make trouble!"
The little demon said, "There are no other generals—he is alone."
The Demon King said, "I have already taken that staff—why does he come here alone again? Dare he want to try his fists again?" He took his treasure, seized his spear, and ordered the little demons to move aside the stones. He leaped out of the gate and cursed, "Thieving monkey! You have gained no advantage time and again, so you ought to withdraw—why do you come again to yell?"
The Pilgrim said, "You vile demon have no sense of what is good or bad! If you want your old grandpa not to come, that can only happen if you submit, offer apologies, and send out my master and my younger brothers—then I might spare you."
The monster said, "Those three monks of yours have already been washed clean and will soon be slaughtered. You still do not know which way the wind blows—be off with you!"
When the Pilgrim heard the word "slaughtered," fire blazed from his cheeks and he could no longer suppress the rage in his heart. Abandoning all formality, he swung his fists, sidled sideways, and aimed a face-strike at the demon. The monster extended his long spear and met him head-on. The Pilgrim leaped left and right, tricking the demon, who, unaware of the ruse, gave chase and left the mouth of the cave to the south. The Pilgrim immediately signaled the arhats to cast the golden cinnabar sand at the demon all at once. Excellent sand! It was this:
Like mist, like smoke, at first they scattered and spread; in dense drifts they descended to the ends of the earth. A vast white blur, everywhere blinding the eyes; dim and obscure, in their flight they made one lose the way. The woodcutter lost his companion; the fairy herb-gathering lad could not find his home. Fine and light they drifted like wheat flour; coarse and tumbling they turned over like sesame seeds. The world became hazy, the mountaintops dark; the long sky was obscured, the sun hidden. Not to be compared with the dusty whirls stirred up by galloping steeds; hard to describe as soft and light enough to cushion fragrant carriages. This sand was originally an inanimate thing, yet it covered earth and sky to seize the monster. Only because the evil demon had encroached upon the true Way did Arhats, in observance of the Law, display such magnificence. In their hands the radiant pearls appeared, but in a moment the sand made their eyes smart and see flowers.
When that demon saw the flying sand blur his eyes, he lowered his head a little, and beneath his feet there was already over three feet deep. In alarm, he leaped up, springing to the topmost layer. Before he could stand steady, in a moment it was another two feet deep. The monster, frantic, pulled out his feet, promptly took up the bracelet, tossed it upward, and cried, "Hit!" With a whoosh, he again completely trapped the eighteen grains of Golden Elixir Sand, pulled back his step, and went straight back to his own cave.
Those Arhats all stopped their clouds with empty hands. Pilgrim drew near and asked, "All you Arhats, why do you not lay down the sand anymore?" The Arhats said, "Just now there was a sound, and the Golden Elixir Sand disappeared." Pilgrim laughed, "That thing has trapped them again." Heavenly King Li and the others said, "If he is so hard to subdue, how then can we capture him? When will we return to Heaven, and with what face will we see the Jade Emperor?" Beside them, the two Arhats Dragon-Subduing and Tiger-Taming said to Pilgrim, "Wukong, do you know why the two of us came out late?" Pilgrim said, "Old Sun only blamed you for hiding and not coming, but I did not know there was some matter to discuss." The Arhats said, "Tathāgata instructed us two, saying, 'That demon has vast supernatural powers. If you lose the Golden Elixir Sand, then tell Sun Wukong to go to the Tushita Palace in the Lihen Heaven on the thirty-third heaven, to the place of the Most High Elder Lord, and seek his traces; then perhaps you can capture him in one stroke.'" When Pilgrim heard this, he said, "Hateful, hateful! Tathāgata has indeed tricked Old Sun. He should have told me then, and not have made you travel so far." Heavenly King Li said, "Since Tathāgata has given this clear instruction, Great Sage should start early."
Good Pilgrim! With a cry of "Gone!" he shot up on a somersault cloud and went straight into the Southern Heavenly Gate. At that time the Four Great Marshals raised their fists and saluted, saying, "How goes the monster-capturing?" Pilgrim walked on and answered, "Not yet, not yet. Now there is a place to find the root of it." The four marshals dared not detain him, and let him enter the Heavenly Gate. He did not go to the Hall of Lingxiao, nor enter the Palace of the Dipper and Ox, but went straight to the Tushita Palace in the Lihen Heaven beyond the thirty-third heaven. Before the gate he saw two immortal boys standing in attendance, but he did not announce his name and went straight in. The two boys, startled, pulled him back and said, "Who are you? Where are you going?" Only then did Pilgrim say, "I am the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, and I wish to see Elder Lord Li." The immortal boys said, "Why are you so rude? Stop here, let us announce you." Pilgrim would not allow any argument; with a shout he went straight in. Suddenly he saw the Elder Lord coming out from inside and collided with him head-on. Pilgrim bowed and made a salutation, saying, "Old Officer, I have not seen you for a long time." The Elder Lord laughed, "You monkey, not going to fetch scriptures, what business have you here?" Pilgrim said, "Fetching scriptures, fetching scriptures, without stop day and night. But there are some obstructions, so I came here to walk about." The Elder Lord said, "The Western Heaven road is blocked, what has that to do with me?" Pilgrim said, "Western Heaven, Western Heaven, you need not speak yet. When I find the traces, then I will wrangle with you." The Elder Lord said, "This is the supreme immortal palace of the highest transcendence, what traces can there be to seek?"
Pilgrim entered, his eyes never ceasing, looking east and west. Passing through several levels of corridors and halls, he suddenly saw by the ox pen a boy sleeping soundly, and the green ox was not in the pen. Pilgrim said, "Old Officer, the ox has run away, the ox has run away." The Elder Lord was greatly startled and said, "When did this cursed creature run off?" As they were shouting, the boy awoke and knelt before them, saying, "Grandfather, your disciple fell asleep and does not know when it left." The Elder Lord scolded, "You wretch, how could you sleep so soundly?" The boy kowtowed and said, "Your disciple found a pellet in the elixir room and ate it then, and fell asleep right there." The Elder Lord said, "I suppose it was the Seven-Turn Fire Elixir I refined the other day; one pellet fell and this fellow picked it up and ate it. One pellet of that elixir makes one sleep for seven days. That cursed creature, because you were asleep and no one watched it, took the chance to go down to the lower world, and now it has also been seven days."
He immediately checked to see if any treasure had been stolen. Pilgrim said, "No other treasure, but I saw he had a bracelet, extremely formidable." The Elder Lord hastily examined, and found everything there, except that the Vajra Bracelet was missing. The Elder Lord said, "This cursed creature has stolen my Vajra Bracelet!" Pilgrim said, "So it was that treasure. It was that which struck Old Sun back then. Now it runs wild in the lower world, and has trapped many of our objects." The Elder Lord said, "Where is this cursed creature?" Pilgrim said, "He now dwells in the Golden Helm Mountain, in the Golden Helm Cave. He captured my master Tang Sanzang and took him inside, and seized my Golden-Banded Staff. I invited heavenly soldiers to help, and he seized the divine weapons of the prince. Then I invited the Planet of Fire, and he seized his fire implements. As for the Earl of Water, though he could not drown him, at least he did not have his things seized. Finally I invited Tathāgata to send Arhats down with sand, and he seized the Golden Elixir Sand as well. Now, you, Old Officer, let loose this monster, who robs and harms people—what crime do you deserve?" The Elder Lord said, "That Vajra Bracelet of mine is the implement I used when I went through the Hangu Pass to convert the barbarians; it is a treasure I refined in my youth. No weapon, water, or fire can approach it. If he had stolen my Plantain Fan, even I could not have done anything to him."
The Great Sage then, delighted, followed the Elder Lord. The Elder Lord took up the Plantain Fan, rode a propitious cloud, and traveled with him, leaving the immortal palace. Outside the Southern Heavenly Gate, they lowered their clouds and went straight to the Golden Helm Mountain region. There they saw the eighteen Arhats, the Duke of Thunder, the Earl of Water, the Planet of Fire, and Heavenly King Li and his son, and related the whole matter once again. The Elder Lord said, "Sun Wukong, go and lure him out, so that I may capture him."
This Pilgrim leaped down from the peak and shouted loudly again, "You fat, cursed beast! Come out quickly and meet your death!" The little demon went in again to report. The old demon said, "This thieving monkey has invited someone again." He quickly grabbed his spear and his treasure and went out to meet him. Pilgrim cursed, "You accursed demon, this time you are certainly dead! Don't run, take this palm of mine!" He leaped up and threw himself right against him, slapped him across the face, then turned and ran. The demon whirled his spear and gave chase. Just then a voice from the high peak called out, "You ox, why don't you return home? What day are you waiting for?" The demon looked up, and seeing it was the Most High Elder Lord, was so terrified that his heart leaped and his liver trembled. He said, "This thieving monkey is truly a ghost of the earth—how did he manage to find my master?"
The Elder Lord recited a spell and waved the fan once. The monster threw the bracelet, but the Elder Lord caught it with one hand. He waved the fan again, and the monster's strength failed and his sinews went slack, and he revealed his true form—it turned out to be a green ox. The Elder Lord blew a breath of immortal air on the Vajra Bracelet, threaded it through the monster's nose, untied his own girdle cord, tied it to the bracelet, and took it in hand. To this day there remains the nose-ring for leading oxen, also called "binlang"—this is the origin of that name. The Elder Lord took leave of the assembled gods, mounted the green ox's back, rode on colorful clouds, and went straight back to the Tushita Court; he bound the monster and ascended high to Lihen Heaven.
Sun the Great Sage then joined the Heavenly King and the others in storming into the cave, where they beat to death all the hundred or so little demons and took their weapons. He thanked the Heavenly King and his son, who returned to Heaven; the Thunder God returned to his mansion, the Fire Virtue Star returned to his palace, the Water Lord returned to his river, and the Arhat went back to the West. Only then did he release Tang Monk, Eight Rules, and Sand Monk, and take up his iron staff. The other three thanked the Walker again, tidied the horses and luggage, and the master and disciples left the cave and set out along the main road.
As they were walking, they suddenly heard someone by the roadside call out: "Holy Monk Tang, have a vegetarian meal before you go." The elder was startled.
But after all, it is not known who it was that called out; hear the explanation in the next installment.