Chapter 66

Now the Great Sage Sun Wukong could think of no other plan, so he mounted a propitious cloud, rode his somersault cloud, and went straight back to Southern Jambudvipa to pay homage at Wudang Mountain, to call upon the Demon-Subduing Heavenly Venerable and beg his help to relieve the calamity befalling Tripitaka, Bajie, Sha Seng, and the heavenly troops. He did not pause in midair, and before many days had passed he already glimpsed the Patriarch’s fairy realm. He lightly lowered his cloud, fixed his gaze, and beheld a fine place: The great bulwark of the southeast, the central divine peak of the heavens. The Hibiscus Peak rises steep and outstanding; the Purple Canopy Ridge towers lofty. The waters of the nine rivers stretch far to Jing and Yang; the mountains of the hundred Yue connect with the stars Yi and Zhen. Above it are the jeweled caverns of the Great Void and the numinous terraces of Zhu and Lu. In the thirty-six palaces golden chimes resound; hundreds of thousands of pilgrims come to offer incense. Emperor Shun toured here, King Yu prayed here; jade tablets and golden books. The pavilions and towers fly with green birds; the banners and canopies wave with red skirts. The earth has established this famous mountain, majestic in the cosmos; heaven opens this fairy realm, penetrating the void. Several trees of plum blossoms are just blooming; all over the mountain the jade grass looks comfortable. Dragons lurk at the bottom of the ravines, tigers crouch in the cliffs. The secluded apes seem to speak; gentle deer approach people. White cranes accompany clouds, roosting on old junipers; green luan and red phoenixes sing toward the sun. The true immortal land of the Jade Void Master Minister; the golden palace of benevolent governance, a gate that rules the world. The Sovereign Patriarch was the son of the King of Pure Joy and Queen Virtuous Kindness. The queen dreamed she swallowed the sunlight, and upon waking became pregnant. She carried the child for fourteen months, and in the first year of the Kaihuang era, the year of the Wood Dragon, on the first day of the third month, at noon, he was born in the royal palace. That lord: In youth he was brave and fierce; in maturity he was divine and numinous. He did not ascend the royal throne, but devoted himself only to cultivation. His parents could not restrain him; he abandoned the royal palace. He pursued profound truth and entered meditation, here in these mountains. When his merits were completed and his conduct fulfilled, he rose by daylight and ascended to heaven. The Jade Emperor conferred upon him the title of True Warrior. He answers to the mysterious void above, his form uniting turtle and snake. Throughout the whole compass of heaven and earth, all call him the Myriad Numinous One. No darkness escapes his scrutiny, no manifest thing does he not perfect. At the end and beginning of kalpas, he cuts down demonic essences. As the Great Sage Sun was admiring the fairy scenery, he soon reached the First Heaven Gate, the Second Heaven Gate, and the Third Heaven Gate. When he arrived outside the Taihe Palace, he suddenly saw, amidst the auspicious light and propitious vapors, a crowd of five hundred numinous officers. One of the numinous officers came forward and greeted him, saying, "Who is that coming?" The Great Sage said, "I am Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, and I wish to see the Master Minister." When the numinous officers heard this, they reported it. The Patriarch immediately came down from the hall and welcomed him into the Taihe Palace. The Pilgrim made a bow and said, "I have a matter for which I must trouble you." He asked, "What matter?" The Pilgrim said, "I am escorting the Tang Monk to fetch scriptures from the Western Heaven, and we have encountered perils on the road. In Western Ox Continent there is a mountain called Little Western Heaven, and in the Little Thunder Monastery there is a demon. When my master entered the mountain gate, he saw Arhats, Ghati, Bhikshus, and holy monks arranged in order, and thinking they were true Buddhas, he prostrated himself in worship, but suddenly he was seized and bound. I too was careless, and the demon threw a golden cymbal that trapped me inside, with no crack at all, sealed tight like pliers. Fortunately, the Golden-Headed Ghati petitioned the Jade Emperor, who dispatched the Twenty-Eight Constellations that very night to descend to the mortal world, but they could not pry it open. Fortunately, the Kang Dragon General thrust his horn into the cymbal and got me out, and I smashed the golden cymbal, startling the monster. In the fight that followed, he threw out a white cloth sack and captured me, along with the Twenty-Eight Constellations and the Five Direction Ghatis, all bagged up and then tied with ropes. That night I escaped, freed the stars and the rest, as well as my master and the others. Later, when I went to recover our robes and bowl, I again startled the monster and fought with the heavenly troops. The monster again produced his bag, and while he was busy with it, I knew what was coming from before, so I got away. The rest were again bagged by him. Having no plan left, I have come especially to beg your aid, Master Minister." The Patriarch said, "In former years I was revered as the mighty guardian of the north, holding the position of the True Warrior, and I cut down all the demonic evils under heaven by the decree of the Jade Emperor. Later I let my hair down, went barefoot, trod on the Flying Snake and Divine Turtle, led the Five Thunder Generals, the great dragons, lions, fierce beasts, and venomous dragons, and subdued the black vapors and demonic auras of the northeast, by the summons of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable. Now I enjoy a quiet rest on Wudang Mountain, at ease in the Taihe Hall, and for a long time the seas and mountains have been peaceful, the cosmos clear and tranquil. But it happens that in the lands of Southern Jambudvipa and Northern Kuru, the demons have been subdued and the evil ghosts have gone into hiding. Now that the Great Sage has descended upon me, I cannot but act. However, without a decree from the upper realm, I dare not rashly move my troops. If I were to dispatch all my gods, I might incur the Jade Emperor’s displeasure; yet if I refuse the Great Sage completely, that would go against human sentiment. I reckon that even if there are demons on that western road, they are not a great threat. I will now order the Generals Turtle and Snake, along with the Five Great Divine Dragons, to lend you their strength, and they will surely capture the demon and save your master from disaster." The Pilgrim made his bows of thanks to the Patriarch, and immediately left with the generals Turtle and Snake and the dragon gods, each leading their elite troops, and turned back to the borders of the Western Continent. In no time they arrived at the Little Thunder Monastery, lowered their clouds, and went straight to the mountain gate to challenge battle. Now the Yellow Brow Great King had gathered his mob of demons under the precious pavilion and was saying, "That Sun Pilgrim has not come for two days; I wonder where he has gone to borrow troops." Before he finished, a little demon at the front gate reported, "The Pilgrim has brought a few dragon, snake, and turtle ministers, and is outside the gate shouting for battle." The demon said, "How did that monkey get dragons, snakes, and turtles? Where do such creatures come from?" He then donned his armor, strode out of the mountain gate, and shouted loudly, "Which dragon gods are you, that you dare invade my fairy realm?" The five dragons and the two generals, fierce in appearance and full of spirit, shouted back, "You vile monster! We are the five dragon gods and the two generals Turtle and Snake from before the Taihe Palace on Wudang Mountain, in attendance on the Great Fount of Creation, the Demon-Subduing Heavenly Venerable. Now, at the invitation of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven and by the summons of our Celestial Worthy, we have come to capture you. You fiend, quickly release Tripitaka and the heavenly stars, and you will be spared death; otherwise, we shall hack every demon on this mountain to pieces, and burn every room to ashes." When the monster heard this, he flew into a rage and said, "You brutes, what magic power have you, that you speak such big words? Don't run – take my staff!" The five dragons churned clouds and summoned rain, the two generals cast up dust and sand, and all of them, wielding spears, swords, sabers, and halberds, charged forward together; the Great Sage Sun also followed with his iron staff. It was a fine battle: The fierce demon employed his martial might; the Pilgrim sought reinforcements. The fierce demon employed his martial might, arrogantly seizing the precious tower and displaying Buddha images; The Pilgrim sought reinforcements, traveling far to the jeweled realm to borrow dragon gods. Turtle and Snake produced water and fire; the monster moved his weapons. The five dragons, by imperial command, came to the western road; the Pilgrim, because of his master, followed behind. Sabers and halberds glittered, shaking with colored lightning; spears and knives shone, flashing with rainbow hues. This one had a wolf-tooth club, strong and flexible; that one had the golden-banded staff, obedient to the heart. Only the thudding sounds like bursting firecrackers, and the clang of metal-like knocking gold. Water and fire together came to attack the monster; swords and weapons clustered around the spirit. The shouting and killing frightened wolves and tigers; the clamor shook gods and ghosts. The fierce fight was at a stalemate, when the demon again took out his treasure. The Pilgrim led the five dragons and two generals in battle against the demon for half an hour, when the fiend untied his bag and held it in his hand. When the Pilgrim saw this, he was alarmed and cried out, "Gentlemen, be careful!" But the dragon gods and Turtle and Snake did not know what to be careful of, so they all halted their advance and came forward to resist. The fiend gave a swish and threw his bag up into the air. The Great Sage Sun could not look after the five dragons and two generals; he mounted his somersault cloud and leaped into the ninth heaven to escape. But the fiend bagged the dragon gods, Turtle, and Snake all in one bundle and carried them off. The demon returned in triumph to the monastery, bound them with ropes, and carried them into the cellar, covering it over – but of that we shall not speak for now. Look at the Great Sage, who descended from the clouds and leaned askew atop the mountain peak, utterly dejected and spiritless, vexed to the point of self-reproach: "This monster is exceedingly formidable." Unwittingly he closed his eyes, as if drowsing. Suddenly he heard someone call out: "Great Sage, do not feign sleep; hasten forthwith to seek aid—your master's life hangs by but a thread." The Pilgrim quickly opened his eyes, sprang up, and looked—it was the Day Duty Officer. The Pilgrim roared: "You paltry spirit, where have you been all this while, greedily feasting on blood sacrifices, failing to report for roll-call? Today you come to startle me. Stick out your shin and let old Sun give you a couple of blows to relieve his boredom." The Officer hastily bowed and said: "Great Sage, you are the Immortal of Joy in the mortal world—what boredom could you have? We long ago received the Bodhisattva's decree, commanding us to guard Tang Sanzang in secret; together with the Earth Deities and other spirits, we dare not leave his side for even an instant. Thus we have been unable to pay our respects regularly—how can you blame us instead?" The Pilgrim said: "Since you are protecting him, then where are the host of stars, the Guardians, the Temple Protectors, and my master now, trapped by the demon? What suffering are they enduring?" The Officer said: "Your master and your junior disciples are all suspended beneath the corridor of the precious hall, while the stars and other celestial beings have been confined in the underground vault to suffer torment. For these past two days we heard no news of you, Great Sage; only just now, when the demon captured the Divine Dragon, the Turtle, and the Serpent and also sent them into the vault, did we realize that you had summoned these troops. This humble spirit has come especially to find you, Great Sage. Do not begrudge the toil and weariness—hasten again with all speed to seek reinforcement." When the Pilgrim heard these words, he could not help but shed tears before the Officer, saying: "I am now too ashamed to go to the Heavenly Palace, too humiliated to visit the Oceanic Treasuries; I dread to ask the Bodhisattva the reason, and am too mortified to gaze upon the Tathagata's jade image. Those just taken were the True Warrior Martial Lord's Turtle, Serpent, and the Five Dragon Saints. They have left me without any recourse for aid—what can I do?" The Officer laughed and said: "Great Sage, set your mind at ease. This humble spirit recalls a force of elite troops; if invited, they can certainly subdue him. The place you just went, Wudang, is in the Southern Jambūdvīpa continent. These troops are also in Southern Jambūdvīpa, at Mount Xuyi in the city of Bincheng—what is now Sizhou. There dwells the Great Sage State Preceptor King Bodhisattva, whose supernatural powers are vast and far-reaching; beneath him is a disciple named Little Prince Zhang, along with four great divine generals. In years past they subdued the Lady Water Mother. If you go in person to invite him now, he will come and bestow his aid, and you can certainly capture the demon and rescue your master." The Pilgrim rejoiced and said: "You go and protect my master—do not let him be harmed. Wait while old Sun goes to invite him." The Pilgrim launched himself upon his Somersault Cloud, fled from the demon's lair, and sped straight toward Mount Xuyi. In less than a day he arrived. He looked closely—truly a fine place: To the south near the river crossing, to the north bordering the Huai waters, east reaching to the seaward peaks, west adjoining Fengfu. Upon the mountain top rose towering halls and belvederes; in the mountain hollows, streams and springs gushed forth in abundance. Lofty and precipitous strange rocks, curling and elegant tall pines. All manner of fruits appeared in season, a thousand varieties of blossoms opened to the sun. Men came and went like swarming ants; boats sailed to and fro like flights of geese. Up above stood the Ruiyan Abbey, the Dongyue Palace, the Five Manifestations Shrine, the Guishan Monastery—where the sound of bells and the smoke of incense soared to the azure heavens; there were also the Glass Spring, the Five Pagoda Valley, the Eight Immortals Terrace, and the Apricot Blossom Garden—where mountain light and tree colors reflected upon Bincheng. White clouds drifted across but did not pass; weary birds, though tired, still sang. Why speak of the splendors of Tai, Song, Heng, and Hua—this fairy scene here was like Penglai and Yingzhou. The Great Sage could not take in all the sights; he crossed the Huai River directly, entered Bincheng, and arrived outside the mountain gate of the Great Sage Chan Monastery. There he saw the halls and palaces lofty and magnificent, the long galleries brilliantly colored, and a precious pagoda towering skyward. Truly: Piercing the clouds, leaning against the Han, a thousand zhang high; Looking up, the golden vase gleams through the azure void. Above and below, light congeals throughout the cosmos; East and west, no shadows fall upon the curtained windows. Wind chimes ring out—one hears celestial music; Sunlight glints on icy dragons facing the Brahma palace. Perching spirit birds at times speak in whispers; Gazing far, the Huai's waters stretch boundless and vast. The Pilgrim walked as he looked, until he reached beneath the second gate. The State Preceptor King Bodhisattva already knew of his coming, and came out with Little Prince Zhang to welcome him. After they had exchanged greetings and completed the courtesies, the Pilgrim said: "I am escorting Tang Sanzang to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures. On the way there is a Little Thunderclap Monastery, where a Yellow-Browed Monster falsely poses as the Tathagata. My master could not distinguish truth from falsehood and bowed down to him, whereupon he was seized. He then covered me with a golden cymbal, and only thanks to the celestial stars descending to rescue me was I freed. I broke the golden cymbal and engaged him in combat, but he produced a cloth satchel and stuffed into it all the heavenly deities, the Guardians, the Temple Protectors, as well as my master and junior disciples. I went to Wudang Mountain to invite the Dark Heaven Supreme Lord to aid me; he dispatched the Five Dragons, the Turtle, and the Serpent to capture the monster, but they too were packed away in that satchel. This disciple is now without support or reliance, and thus has come humbly to implore the Bodhisattva to exert his mighty power, to employ that supernatural ability with which he subdued the Water Mother—that wondrous art which saves the common folk—and go with this disciple to rescue my master from this calamity. When the scriptures are retrieved and brought back, they shall be transmitted forever through China, exalting the Buddha's wisdom and advancing the Prajñā Pāramitā." The State Preceptor King said: "Your matter today truly concerns the flourishing of our Buddhist teaching, and I ought in reason to go in person. But it happens that early summer has arrived, precisely the season when the Huai River swells. I have only recently subdued the Great Sage Water Ape; that creature rises with the water, and I fear that if I leave, he may seize the opportunity to run wild, and there would be no spirit able to control him. I will now order my young disciple to lead the four generals and go with you to lend strength, to refine the demon and subdue him." The Pilgrim expressed his thanks, and immediately, together with the four generals and Little Prince Zhang, mounted the clouds and returned to Little Western Heaven, straight to Little Thunderclap Monastery. Little Prince Zhang brandished a white paper-mulberry spear, and the four great generals whirled four Kunwu swords; together with the Great Sage Sun they advanced and shouted their challenge. The little demons went in to report, and the demon king once again led his horde out with a great clamor, saying: "Ape, whom have you invited now?" Before he finished, Little Prince Zhang directed the four generals and shouted: "Outrageous demon! There is no flesh on your face—do you not recognize us here?" The demon king said: "What young general from what quarter dares to come and assist him?" The Prince said: "I am a disciple of the Great Sage State Preceptor King Bodhisattva of Sizhou, leading the four great divine generals, and by command I have come to capture you." The demon king laughed and said: "What martial skill does a mere child like you possess, that you dare come here and act so impudently?" The Prince said: "If you wish to know my martial skills, hear me relate: My ancestors dwelt in the Land of Flowing Sands in the West, My father was once the king of that Sand Kingdom. From youth I suffered many illnesses, My fate beset by malignant stars of ill fortune. Because my master yearned for the secrets of long life, By fate I met him and he gave me a remedy. Half a pill of cinnabar drove out my sickness, And I chose to cultivate the Way rather than be king. I learned immortality and share the same age as Heaven, My countenance ever youthful as a young lad. I have hastened to the Dragon-Flower Assembly, I have ridden the clouds to the Buddha's hall. I seize mist and grasp wind, subduing water monsters; I capture dragons and tame tigers, guarding the mountain passes. To comfort the people I raised high the Stūpa Pagoda; To calm the deep seas I made bright the Śarīra light. The white spear's point can bind strange creatures; The pale-black silk sleeves can subdue demons. Now I dwell in tranquil Bincheng, My fame resounds throughout the land—I am Little Zhang!" When the demon king heard this, he gave a faint cold laugh and said: "You, Prince—you abandoned your kingdom and followed that State Preceptor King Bodhisattva—just what sort of immortality art have you cultivated? At best you can catch water monsters in the Huai, yet you listened to the false ravings of Sun the Pilgrim, traversed a thousand mountains and ten thousand waters, and came here to offer up your life. Let us see whether you can truly be immortal and never age!" When Little Zhang heard this, fury blazed in his heart; he thrust his spear forward and struck straight at the face. The four generals swarmed in to attack together; the Great Sage Sun wielded his iron staff and joined the fray. But the fiend—utterly unafraid—brandished his short, soft wolf-tooth mace, parrying left and warding right, lunging straight and charging horizontally. This was a fine battle: The little crown prince, the white wood spear, Four Kunwu swords were even stronger. Wukong again wielded the Golden-Banded Staff, Together they surrounded and slew the demon king. The demon king truly had vast supernatural powers, Not fearing in the least, he parried left and right. The wolf-tooth club was a treasure of the Buddha, Sword cuts and spear thrusts could not harm it. Only the howling of fierce winds was heard, And again one saw foul vapors swirling vast and dim. That one had the mind to show off his mortal skills, This one focused wholeheartedly on bowing to Buddha and taking the scriptures. Several times they charged, Many times they raged. Spouting clouds and mists, blotting out the sun, moon, and stars, Each harbored anger and resentment, none were kind. For long they practiced the supreme Dharma of the Three Vehicles, Which caused all manner of arts to clash bitterly. They fought for a long time without deciding victory or defeat. The demon spirit again untied his carrying-sack. Wukong called out again: “All of you, be careful.” The crown prince and the others did not understand the meaning of “be careful.” With a whoosh, the fiend bundled up the four great generals and the crown prince into his sack again. Only Wukong had foreseen it and escaped. The demon king returned to the temple in triumph, and again ordered ropes to bind them, And sent them into the dungeon, securely locked and sealed — no more of that for now. This Wukong rode his somersault cloud, rising into the air, And saw the fiend withdraw his troops and close the gates. Only then did he descend on his auspicious light and stand on the western hillside, Gazing sorrowfully and weeping bitterly, saying: “Master, ah, I— Ever since I received the teachings and entered the monastery, Deeply grateful to Bodhisattva for delivering me from misery, I have escorted you west to seek the great Way, Aiding you together to reach Thunderclap Monastery. We thought only of the smooth and winding paths, But who would have expected towering monsters to invade? With a hundred schemes and a thousand plans I cannot save you, Seeking help east and begging west is all in vain.” Just as the Great Sage was in this woeful state, He suddenly saw a patch of colorful clouds descend from the southwest, And heavy rain showered all over the mountain. Someone called out: “Wukong, do you recognize me?” The Great Sage hurried forward to look — and there was a person: With large ears, a broad jaw, and a square face, Broad shoulders, a full belly, and a stout frame, Radiant with spring warmth and brimming with joy, His eyes gleaming with limpid waves. His flowing sleeves fluttered with abundant fortune, His straw sandals were free and easy, his spirit robust. The foremost venerable in the Land of Ultimate Bliss— Homage to the Laughing Monk Maitreya. When the Great Sage saw him, he at once bowed low and said: “Buddha of the Eastern Come, where are you going? Your disciple failed to withdraw in time — a thousand faults, ten thousand offenses.” The Buddha said: “My coming here is specially for this Little Thunderclap monster.” Wukong said: “I am deeply grateful for your great virtue and kindness. May I ask, what manner of fiend is that monster, from what place and what essence? I do not know what sort of treasure his carrying-sack is — I beg the honored Buddha to instruct me.” The Buddha said: “He is a yellow-browed boy attendant who keeps the chime before me. On the third day of the third month, I went to attend the Primordial Beginning Assembly, And left him in charge of the palace. He stole these several treasures of mine and falsely assumed the form of a Buddha to become a demon. That carrying-sack is my Posterior Heaven Bag, commonly called the ‘Human-Seed Bag.’ That wolf-tooth club is a chime-hammer.” When Wukong heard this, he cried out loudly: “Well, you laughing Buddha, you let this boy slip away, And he deceived others into calling himself a Buddha and brought calamity upon your old Sun. I am afraid that shows some negligence in household discipline.” Maitreya said: “On the one hand, it was my carelessness that lost a person; On the other, it is because the demonic obstacles of you masters and disciples are not yet finished, Thus all sorts of spirits descend to the world, and you should undergo this ordeal. I have now come to subdue him for you.” Wukong said: “This demon spirit’s supernatural powers are vast. And you have no weapons — how will you subdue him?” Maitreya laughed and said: “I shall set up a thatched hut at the foot of this hillside, And plant a field of melons and fruits here. Go and challenge him to battle. When you fight, you are permitted to lose but not to win — Lure him to my melon patch. All my other melons are raw, But you must transform into a large ripe melon. When he comes, he will certainly want to eat a melon, And I will give you to him to eat. Once you are inside his belly, you may torment him as you please inside. Then I will take his carrying-sack and pack him up to take back.” Wukong said: “This plan is clever indeed, But how will you recognize the ripe melon that I have become? And why would he be willing to follow me here?” Maitreya laughed and said: “I am the honored one who governs the world, My wisdom-eye is clear and penetrating — how could I not recognize you? Whatever you may transform into, I will know it. But I fear the fiend will not be willing to follow you. I will teach you a magic art.” Wukong said: “He will certainly use his carrying-sack to pack me up — How could he be willing to follow? What magic art can make him come?” Maitreya laughed and said: “Stretch out your hand.” Wukong extended his left hand and offered it. Maitreya dipped the index finger of his right hand in divine water from his mouth, And wrote a “Forbid” character on Wukong’s palm. He told him to clench his fist, And when he faced the demon and let go of his hand openly, the fiend would follow. Wukong clenched his fist, gladly receiving the instruction. With one hand wielding his iron staff, he went straight to the mountain gate And called out loudly: “Demon, your grandfather Sun is here again — Come out quickly and let us see who is better.” The little demon hurriedly ran in to report. The demon king asked: “How many troops has he brought to challenge?” The little demon said: “There are no other troops — only him alone.” The demon king laughed and said: “That monkey has exhausted his schemes and strength, With nowhere to seek help — he has certainly come to throw away his life.” Then he dressed himself properly, carried his treasures, Raised his light and supple wolf-tooth club, and came out the gate, Calling out: “Sun Wukong, this time you cannot struggle free.” Wukong cursed: “You vile monster, why can I not struggle free?” The demon king said: “I see you have exhausted your schemes and strength, With nowhere to seek help, you come alone to put up a desperate fight. Now that I capture you, there will be no divine soldiers to rescue you — That is why I say you cannot struggle free.” Wukong said: “This fiend does not know life from death. Stop boasting — take my staff!” When the demon king saw him wielding the staff with one hand, He could not help laughing and said: “Look at this monkey — See how he makes a clever trick, using only one hand to wield the staff?” Wukong said: “Son, you cannot withstand two hands of mine. If I did not use the carrying-sack, even three or five more of you Could not match your old Sun’s one hand.” When the demon king heard this, he said: “Very well, very well, I shall not use my treasure now, but only fight you in earnest, To see who is the better.” He raised his wolf-tooth club and came forward to battle. Sun Wukong faced him, opened his fist, And wielded the staff with both hands. The demon, under the prohibition, did not think of retreat — Indeed, he did not use the carrying-sack, But only pressed forward with his club in pursuit. Wukong feinted once, then fled in defeat. The demon pursued him straight to the western hillside. When Wukong saw the melon patch, he rolled over, Dived into it, and at once transformed into a large ripe melon, Both ripe and sweet. The demon stopped and looked all around, Not knowing where Wukong had gone. He then went to the side of the hut and called out: “Who planted these melons?” Maitreya had transformed into an old melon-grower, Came out of the thatched hut and answered: “Great King, the melons were planted by this humble one.” The demon king said: “Are there any ripe melons?” Maitreya said: “There are ripe ones.” The demon king ordered: “Pick a ripe one and bring it — I want to quench my thirst.” Maitreya at once took the melon that Wukong had transformed into, And handed it to the demon king with both hands. The demon king, without any suspicion, took it, Opened his mouth and bit into it. At that opportunity, Wukong curled up and dived straight down his throat, And without waiting for anything, began to work his hands and feet: He grabbed his intestines, scraped his stomach, Turned somersaults, stood on his head — Inside he did whatever he pleased. The demon was in such agony that he gnashed his teeth and twisted his mouth, Tears streaming down his face, And rolled over that melon-planting ground Until it was like a threshing floor. He could only cry: “Enough, enough — who will save me?” Maitreya then revealed his true form, Smiling cheerfully, and called out: “Wretched creature, do you recognize me?” The demon looked up, saw him, and fell to his knees in panic, Pressing his belly with both hands, Bumping his head on the ground, and only crying: “Master, spare my life, spare my life — I dare not do it again.” Maitreya stepped forward, seized him firmly, Untied his Posterior Heaven Bag, And took away his chime-hammer. He called out: “Sun Wukong, for my sake, spare his life.” The Great Sage was extremely grieved and bitter, yet he punched left and kicked right, wildly groping and pounding about inside. The monster, suffering unbearable pain, collapsed to the ground. Maitreya said again, "Wukong, he has had enough; spare him." The Great Sage then called out, "Open your mouth wide so Old Sun can come out." Though the monster's bowels were in agony, his heart was not yet wounded. As the saying goes: "If the heart is not wounded, one does not die; when flowers wither and leaves fall, it is because the roots are dry." Hearing the command to open his mouth, he endured the pain and opened it wide. The Great Sage then leaped out, resumed his true form, and was about to snatch up his staff and strike again when the Buddha had already put the demon in his sack and slung it diagonally at his waist. Holding the chime mallet in his hand, he scolded, "Wretched beast! The golden cymbals were stolen—where have they gone?" The monster, now only pleading for his life, whimpered and grumbled from inside the Heaven-traversing Sack, saying, "The golden cymbals were broken by Sun Wukong." The Buddha said, "The cymbals are broken; give me back the gold." The monster said, "The shattered gold is piled on the lotus platform in the hall." The Buddha, carrying the sack and holding the chime mallet, chuckled merrily and called out, "Wukong, come with me to find the gold and return it to me." Seeing such dharma power, how could the Great Sage dare to delay or disobey? He could only lead the Buddha up the mountain and back to the monastery to gather the broken gold. As they arrived, they found the mountain gate tightly shut. The Buddha pointed with his mallet, and the gate opened. Entering, they saw that the lesser demons, having learned that their elder demon had been captured, were each packing their belongings and scattering in all directions to escape. The Great Sage, seeing them, struck down one at a time—when he saw one, he struck one; when he saw two, he struck two—and killed all five to seven hundred lesser demons. Each reverted to their original forms—all were mountain spirits, tree monsters, beast fiends, and fowl demons. The Buddha gathered the scattered gold together, blew a breath of immortal air upon it, recited a spell, and in an instant it returned to its original state, restoring the pair of golden cymbals. He then took leave of the Great Sage, mounted an auspicious cloud, and headed straight back to the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Only then did the Great Sage untie Tang Sanzang, Bajie, and Sha Seng. The idiot, having been suspended for several days and weak from hunger, did not thank the Great Sage first, but instead bent over and scurried to the kitchen to look for food. It turned out that the monster had prepared the noon meal but had not yet eaten it because the Great Sage had come to challenge him. The idiot, seeing it, immediately ate half the pot. Then he brought out two bowls and had his master and fellow disciples each eat two bowlfuls. Only then did he thank the Great Sage. When asked about the origin of the monster, the Great Sage recounted in detail how he had first invited the Patriarch, the Turtle, and the Snake, then later invited the Great Sage to borrow the Crown Prince, and finally how Maitreya had subdued the demon. On hearing this, Tripitaka thanked him endlessly, bowed to all the devas, and asked, "Disciples, where are these divine beings confined?" The Great Sage said, "Yesterday the Day Duty Officer told Old Sun that they are all in the underground vault." He called out, "Bajie, come with me to release them." The idiot, with food in his belly and renewed strength, roused himself, found his rake, and together with the Great Sage went to the rear, opened the underground vault, untied the ropes of all those confined, and led them out from beneath the precious pavilion. Tripitaka donned his cassock and bowed to each one in thanks. Only then did the Great Sage escort the Five Dragons and the Two Generals back to Wudang, escort the Little Prince Zhang and the Four Generals back to Bin City, and later escort the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions back to the Heavenly Palace, sending the Revealers and the Ganas back to their respective realms. The master and disciples then rested comfortably for half a day. They fed the white horse well, packed their luggage, and set out again at dawn the next day. Before leaving, they set a fire, burning to ashes all the precious pavilions, jeweled thrones, lofty towers, and lecture halls. And so: With no bonds or cares, they fled from peril; Dispelling disasters and obstacles, they made their escape. But when they would reach the Great Thunderclap Monastery, that remains to be told in the next installment.