OriginChapter 8
試問禪關，參求無數，往往到頭虛老。磨磚作鏡，積雪為糧，迷了幾多年少。毛吞大海，芥納須彌，金色頭陀微笑。悟時超十地三乘，凝滯了四生六道。誰聽得，絕想崖前，無陰樹下，杜宇一聲春曉。曹溪路險，鷲嶺雲深，此處故人音杳。千丈冰崖，五葉蓮開，古殿簾垂香裊。那時節，識破源流，便見龍王三寶。
Try asking at the gate of Chan; countless are those who seek and investigate, yet often in the end they grow old in vain. They grind bricks to make mirrors, heap snow to serve as grain, and lose themselves for how many years of youth. A hair swallows the great sea; a mustard seed contains Mount Sumeru; the golden-headed ascetic smiles. At the moment of awakening, one transcends the Ten Grounds and the Three Vehicles; in stagnation, one is confined among the Four Births and Six Paths. Who can hear it—before the Cliff of Extinguished Thought, beneath the Shadeless Tree, when the cuckoo cries once at spring dawn? The road to Caoxi is perilous, the clouds on Vulture Peak are deep, and here the voice of an old friend is faint. A thousand-zhang ice cliff, the five-petaled lotus in bloom, an ancient hall with its curtain lowered and fragrance curling. When that time comes, the source and stream will be seen through, and one will behold the Dragon King’s Three Treasures.
This lyric is called “Su Wu Man.”
Now, to tell the story: Our Buddha, the Tathagata, took leave of the Jade Emperor and returned to the Thunderclap Treasure Monastery. There he saw the Three Thousand Buddhas, the Five Hundred Arhats, the Eight Great Vajras, and the boundless Bodhisattvas, each holding banners, jeweled canopies, rare treasures, and immortal flowers, arrayed beneath the twin sala trees in the immortal realm of Vulture Mountain to welcome him. The Tathagata halted his auspicious cloud and said to the assembly:
“By means of profound Prajñā, I have surveyed the Three Realms. The original nature and source are ultimately quiescent. They are identical with empty space, possessing nothing at all. The subjugation of the rebellious monkey is a matter that cannot be understood. To name it is the beginning of birth and death; such is the Dharma-nature.”
Having spoken, he released the light of his śarīra. Across the empty sky appeared forty-two white rainbows, linking north and south. The assembly, seeing them, bowed in reverence. In a short while, auspicious clouds and colored mists gathered; he ascended the superior-grade lotus platform and sat down upright. The Three Thousand Buddhas, the Five Hundred Arhats, the Eight Vajras, and the Four Bodhisattvas approached with palms joined, completed their salutations, and asked:
“Who was it that stirred up the Heavenly Palace and disrupted the Peach Banquet?”
The Tathagata said:
“That fellow was a demon monkey born in the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. His sins reached to Heaven and cannot be described. All the heavenly gods and generals were unable to subdue him. Though Erlang captured him and Lao Jun tempered him with fire, neither could harm him. When I went there, he was displaying his might and showing off his prowess in the midst of the thunder generals. I halted the weapons and asked him about his origins. He said he possessed divine powers, knew transformations, and could ride a somersault cloud a hundred and eight thousand li in a single journey. I made a wager with him. He could not escape from my palm; instead, I seized him in one grasp, transformed my finger into the Five-Phases Mountain, and sealed and crushed him beneath it. The Jade Emperor greatly opened the Golden Watchtower and Jade Palace, invited me to take the chief seat, and established the Great Assembly for Pacifying Heaven to thank me. Only then did I take my leave and return.”
The assembly rejoiced upon hearing this and praised him to the utmost.
After giving thanks, they withdrew according to their ranks, each attending to his own duties, all sharing in heavenly bliss. Indeed:
Auspicious haze fills Tianzhu,
Rainbow radiance embraces the World-Honored One.
In the West it is called foremost,
The gate of the Formless Dharma King.
Often one sees the mystic ape offering fruit,
The elk holding flowers in its mouth;
Azure phoenixes dance, colored phoenixes sing;
Spiritual tortoises present longevity, immortal cranes carry fungi.
They peacefully enjoy the Pure Land and Jeta Grove,
And partake of the Dharma-realm of the Dragon Palace.
Flowers bloom each day, fruit ripens at every season.
They practice stillness and return to truth, investigate Chan and attain the Right Fruit.
Neither extinguished nor born, neither increased nor diminished.
Mist and rosy clouds drift with their comings and goings;
Neither cold nor heat intrudes, and they reckon not the years.
The poem says:
To come and go freely, at ease and roaming,
Without fear and without sorrow.
Within the realm of supreme bliss, all is open and untroubled;
Throughout the great thousand worlds, there is neither spring nor autumn.
The Buddha Patriarch dwelt within the Great Thunderclap Treasure Monastery on Vulture Mountain. One day he summoned the Buddhas, Arhats, Gatis, Bodhisattvas, Vajras, and the assembled monks and nuns, and said:
“Since subduing the rebellious ape and pacifying Heaven, I have dwelt here without knowing the months or years. I suppose that in the mortal world five hundred years have passed. Today is the Full Moon of the First Month of Autumn. I have a jeweled basin, in which are arrayed a hundred kinds of marvelous flowers and a thousand sorts of extraordinary fruits, among other things. Shall I share this Ullambana Assembly with you all?”
The whole assembly joined their palms, saluted the Buddha three times, and received his instruction. The Tathagata then had Ānanda hold the flowers, fruits, and other offerings from the jeweled basin, while Kāśyapa distributed them. The assembly, deeply moved, each offered a poem of thanks.
The poem of Blessing says:
The Blessing Star shines before the World-Honored One,
Blessings gather ever deeper and extend ever farther.
Blessed virtue is boundless, enduring as earth itself;
Blessed affinity brings celebration, joining Heaven.
Blessing-fields widely sown flourish year after year;
The sea of blessings, vast and deep, grows firm with every age.
Blessings fill Heaven and Earth, bringing abundant shade;
Blessings increase without measure, forever complete.
The poem of Rank says:
Rank weighs as heavily as a mountain, and colored phoenixes sing;
Rank follows the prosperity of the times—may the Star of Longevity be blessed.
Rank adds ten thousand hu, while the body remains healthy;
Rank enjoys a thousand bells, while the world enjoys peace.
The salary of rank reaches Heaven and remains forever secure;
The fame of rank is like the sea, ever clearer and purer.
The grace of rank is passed down far, inviting many to look up;
The titles of rank are boundless, bringing glory to ten thousand kingdoms.
The poem of Longevity says:
The Star of Longevity offers splendor before the Tathagata;
The radiant domain of longevity opens from this moment.
The longevity fruits fill the tray, raising auspicious haze;
Newly gathered longevity flowers are placed upon the lotus platform.
The poem of longevity is pure and elegant, full of marvelous wonders;
The longevity song is tuned to beautiful and skillful notes.
Longevity extends as far as the sun and moon;
Longevity, like mountains and seas, is leisurely and unending.
When the Bodhisattvas had finished offering their poems, they asked the Tathagata to make clear the root, explain the source and stream. The Tathagata slightly opened his benevolent mouth, unfolded the Great Dharma, and proclaimed the Right Fruit. He spoke of the wondrous scriptures of the Three Vehicles and the Lengyan teaching of the Five Aggregates. There were dragons and devas surrounding him, and flowers raining in profusion. Indeed:
The Chan mind shines clear like the moon over a thousand rivers;
The true nature is pure, containing the sky for ten thousand li.
After the Tathagata finished speaking, he said to the assembly:
“I observe the Four Great Continents. Among living beings, good and evil differ from place to place. Those of Eastern Victory Divine Continent reverence Heaven and honor Earth; their hearts are fresh and their spirits even. Those of Northern Kuru, though fond of killing living things, do so only to fill their bellies; their natures are dull and their feelings sparse, and they cause little harm. Those of Western Ox-Ho Continent neither covet nor kill; they cultivate their vital energies and conceal their spiritual essence. Though they have not attained the Supreme Truth, each person naturally enjoys a firm longevity. But those of Southern Jambudvīpa are greedy for lust and delight in calamity; they kill and contend in abundance. It is truly a field of violence in speech and a sea of evil in disputes. I now possess the Three Baskets of True Scriptures, by which people may be urged toward goodness.”
The Bodhisattvas, hearing this, joined their palms and took refuge, asking before the Buddha:
“Does the Tathagata possess the Three Baskets of True Scriptures?”
The Tathagata said:
“I have one basket of Dharma, which speaks of Heaven; one basket of discourse, which speaks of Earth; and one basket of sutras, which delivers ghosts. The three baskets together comprise thirty-five divisions and a total of fifteen thousand one hundred and forty-four scrolls. They are scriptures for cultivating the Truth and the gate of perfect goodness. I wish to send them to the Eastern Land, but unfortunately the living beings there are foolish and dull. They slander the true words, do not understand the essentials of my Dharma gate, and neglect the orthodox lineage of Yoga. How shall I find someone with Dharma power to go to the Eastern Land and seek a faithful believer, teach him to undergo hardship across a thousand mountains and inquire through ten thousand waters, and have him come here to obtain the True Scriptures? They could then be transmitted forever to the Eastern Land and used to exhort and transform its living beings. That would indeed be a mountain-high blessed affinity and a sea-deep auspicious merit. Who is willing to make such a journey?”
At this, Bodhisattva Guanyin stepped forward to the lotus platform, saluted the Buddha three times, and said:
“Though your disciple is unworthy, I am willing to go to the Eastern Land and seek a scripture pilgrim.”
The assembly raised their heads and looked. That Bodhisattva was:
Perfect in the Four Virtues, wisdom filling her golden body.
Pearled and emerald necklaces hung down; fragrant rings were bound with jeweled radiance.
Black clouds were artfully piled into a coiled-dragon coiffure;
An embroidered sash drifted lightly like the wings of a colored phoenix.
Buttons of green jade, a plain gauze robe, auspicious radiance enveloping her;
A brocaded velvet skirt, golden cords, and propitious qi concealing and welcoming her.
Her brows were like a small moon, her eyes like paired stars.
Her jade-like face was naturally joyful; a single point of red marked her vermilion lips.
The sweet dew in her Pure Vase was abundant year after year;
The drooping willow branch set askew remained green through every year.
She dispels the Eight Difficulties, delivers all living beings, and embodies great compassion:
Thus she guards Mount Tai, dwells in the Southern Sea, and saves the suffering by answering every cry.
Ten thousand calls, ten thousand responses; a thousand sages, a thousand spiritual manifestations.
Her heart is like an orchid, delighting in purple bamboo; her nature like sweet grass, loving fragrant vines.
She is the compassionate sovereign upon Mount Luojia,
The Living Guanyin within the Cave of Tidal Sound.
When the Tathagata saw her, he was greatly pleased and said:
“No other can go. It must be the Venerable Guanyin, whose divine powers are vast, who can make this journey.”
The Bodhisattva said:
“Your disciple is going to the Eastern Land. What instructions does the Tathagata have for me?”
The Tathagata said:
“On this journey, you must inspect the roads. You must not travel through the heavens. You must go half through cloud and half through mist, letting your eyes pass over the mountains and waters, carefully remembering the distances and the nearness or remoteness of the roads, and earnestly admonishing that scripture pilgrim. Yet I fear the faithful believer may find the journey difficult, so I shall give you five treasures.”
He immediately ordered Ānanda and Kāśyapa to bring out one brocade kasaya and one nine-ringed tin staff, and said to the Bodhisattva:
“This kasaya and staff may be used personally by the scripture pilgrim. If he is willing to maintain a steadfast heart and come here, then by wearing my kasaya he will not fall into transmigration; by carrying my staff he will not suffer poisonous harm.”
The Bodhisattva took refuge, bowed, and accepted them. The Tathagata then brought out three fillets and handed them to the Bodhisattva, saying:
“These treasures are called the Tightening Fillets. Though all three are alike, each has a different use. I possess three spells of golden tightening and restriction. If on the road you encounter a demon of vast divine powers, you must persuade him to learn goodness and become a disciple of the scripture pilgrim. If he refuses to obey, you may place one of these fillets upon his head; it will naturally take root in his flesh. Recite the appropriate spell, and his eyes will swell, his head will ache, and his skull will split. Thus you will surely make him enter my gate.”
Hearing this, the Bodhisattva joyfully bowed and withdrew. She immediately summoned the Novice Huian to accompany her. Huian wielded a rod of solid iron weighing a thousand jin, and served at the Bodhisattva’s side as a mighty warrior who subdued demons. The Bodhisattva wrapped the brocade kasaya into a bundle and ordered him to carry it on his back. She concealed the Golden Fillet, took up the tin staff, and went straight down from Vulture Mountain. This journey had its appointed meaning:
The Buddha’s disciple returns to fulfill his original vow;
The Elder Golden Cicada wraps the sandalwood.
When the Bodhisattva reached the foot of the mountain, the Golden-Crested Great Immortal of the Jade Truth Abbey received her at the abbey gate and invited her to tea. The Bodhisattva did not dare to linger and said:
“I have received the Tathagata’s Dharma decree and am going to the Eastern Land to seek a scripture pilgrim.”
The Immortal said:
“When will the scripture pilgrim arrive?”
The Bodhisattva said:
“It is not yet determined. Perhaps in two or three years; he may possibly arrive here.”
She then took leave of the Immortal and proceeded half through cloud and half through mist, keeping account of the distance traveled. A poem serves as proof.
The poem says:
Across ten thousand li I search for another, saying nothing;
Yet who could say that what one desires can be made complete?
When seeking someone suddenly proves so difficult,
How could this be an accident in all my life?
To transmit the Way by methods becomes an empty claim;
To explain it without faith is likewise a false tale.
I would pour out heart and gall to seek one who understands;
I expect there must surely be an affinity ahead.
As master and disciple were traveling, they suddenly came upon three thousand li of Weak Water—the boundary of the River of Flowing Sand. The Bodhisattva said:
“Disciple, this place is difficult to cross. The scripture pilgrim will possess a mortal body of turbid bones. How shall he cross?”
Huian said:
“Master, look and see how far the river extends.”
The Bodhisattva halted her cloud-steps and looked. She saw only this:
To the east it joined the sandy wastes, to the west it reached the various foreign lands; to the south it extended to Wuge, and to the north it connected with Dada. It was eight hundred li across, while above and below it stretched ten thousand li. The current flowed as though the earth had turned over; the waves rolled like mountains rising upon their backs. Vast and boundless, misty and immeasurable, from ten li away one could hear the floods surging ten thousand zhang high. An immortal raft could not reach this place; a lotus leaf could not float upon it. Withered grass and slanting sun lined the winding banks; yellow clouds and reflected sunlight darkened the long embankments. Where could traveling merchants come and go? When had an old fisherman ever made his dwelling there? No wild geese descended upon the level sands; on the distant banks, apes cried. Only the profusion of red knotweed flowers knew the scenery, while the fine fragrance of white duckweed drifted gently on.
While the Bodhisattva was carefully observing the scene, there came a loud splashing sound from the river, and a demon sprang out of the waves, exceedingly ugly. He looked like this:
Neither blue nor blue, neither black nor black, his face the color of gloom;
Neither long nor short, his sinewy body barefoot.
His eyes flashed like twin lamps beneath a stove;
The corners of his mouth forked like a butcher’s brazier.
Fangs braced like sword edges; red hair wild and disheveled.
One shout roared like thunder; his two feet raced like rolling wind.
The monster held a treasured staff. As soon as he reached the bank, he seized at the Bodhisattva, but Huian drew his rod of solid iron and blocked him, shouting:
“Do not run!”
The monster raised his treasured staff to meet him. The two fought a vicious battle beside the River of Flowing Sand, truly a startling sight:
Muzha’s solid-iron rod—
The Dharma protector displays his divine powers;
The monster’s demon-subduing staff—
With all his strength he flaunts his heroism.
Two silver pythons danced beside the river;
A pair of divine monks charged upon the bank.
One, awe-inspiring upon Flowing Sand, displayed his prowess;
The other, exerting his strength to protect Guanyin, accomplished great merit.
One turned waves and leapt upon the billows;
The other breathed mist and sprayed wind.
Turning waves and leaping upon billows darkened Heaven and Earth;
Breathing mist and spraying wind dimmed sun and moon.
The demon-subduing staff was like a white tiger emerging from the mountain;
The solid-iron rod was like a yellow dragon lying across the road.
One swung it forth, seeking snakes and parting grass;
The other cast it out, striking hawks and splitting pine branches.
They fought until all was dim and indistinct, though the stars shone brilliantly;
Mist rose thickly, and Heaven and Earth grew hazy.
One had long dwelt in Weak Water and was fierce indeed;
The other had newly emerged from Vulture Mountain, achieving his first great merit.
The two came and went, fighting for several dozen exchanges without victory or defeat. The monster blocked the iron rod and said:
“What sort of monk are you, daring to oppose me?”
Muzha said:
“I am the Second Prince of the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, the Novice Muzha Huian. I am now protecting my master as he goes to the Eastern Land to seek a scripture pilgrim. What sort of monster are you, daring to block the road?”
Only then did the monster awaken to the truth and say:
“I remember that you practiced in the Purple Bamboo Grove with Guanyin of the Southern Sea. Why have you come here?”
Muzha said:
“Is that not my master upon the bank?”
Hearing this, the monster repeatedly assented, putting away his treasured staff. He let Muzha seize him and take him before Guanyin, then bowed with his head to the ground and said:
“Bodhisattva, forgive my offense. Allow me to explain: I am no evil demon. I was the Curtain-Raising General who attended the imperial carriage beneath the Hall of the Golden Firmament. Only because I accidentally smashed a crystal goblet at the Peach Banquet did the Jade Emperor have me beaten eight hundred times and banish me to the lower world, transforming me into this appearance. He also commanded that once every seven days a flying sword be sent to pierce my chest and ribs more than a hundred times before returning. Thus have I suffered such torment. With hunger and cold unbearable, every two or three days I emerge from the waves to find a traveler to eat. Unexpectedly, today, in my ignorance, I collided with the Greatly Compassionate Bodhisattva.”
The Bodhisattva said:
“You were guilty in Heaven. After being banished below, you now continue to take lives. Is this not adding crime to crime? I have received the Buddha’s decree and am going to the Eastern Land to seek a scripture pilgrim. Why not enter my gate, take refuge in the good fruit, and become a disciple of that scripture pilgrim as he goes west to worship the Buddha and seek the scriptures? I shall have the flying sword cease piercing you. When the work is accomplished and your guilt removed, your former office will be restored. What do you say?”
The monster said:
“I am willing to take refuge in the Right Fruit.”
Then he stepped forward and said:
“Bodhisattva, I have eaten countless people here. Several scripture pilgrims have come before, and I ate them all. Whenever I ate someone, I cast his head into the River of Flowing Sand, where it sank to the bottom. In this water even a goose feather cannot float. Only the skulls of nine scripture pilgrims have floated upon the surface and could not sink. Thinking them strange objects, I threaded them together with a cord and played with them in my spare time. On this journey, however, I fear the scripture pilgrim may never reach this place. Would that not instead ruin my prospects?”
The Bodhisattva said:
“How could he fail to arrive? You may hang the skulls beneath your head and neck and wait for the scripture pilgrim. They will have their use.”
The monster said:
“If that is so, I willingly receive your instruction.”
The Bodhisattva then rubbed his crown and gave him the precepts. Pointing to the sand, she made it his surname, so he took the surname Sha; she gave him a Dharma name, calling him Sha Wujing. At once he entered the Buddhist order. He escorted the Bodhisattva across the river, cleansed his heart and purified his thoughts, never again taking a life, and devoted himself to waiting for the scripture pilgrim.
The Bodhisattva took leave of him and, with Muzha, hurried toward the Eastern Land. After traveling for some time, they again saw a high mountain. An evil aura spread across its summit, making it impossible to ascend. Just as they were about to ride their clouds over the mountain, a violent wind arose, and another demon flashed into view. He was exceedingly fierce and dangerous. They saw that he had:
A filthy, lotus-root snout and drooping mouth;
Ears like palm fans, with golden eyes revealed.
Sharp fangs like steel files;
A long snout opened like a brazier of fire.
A golden helmet tightly fastened by straps beside his cheeks;
Armor bound with silken cords, its scales like a retreating python.
In his hands he held a nine-toothed rake, like a dragon’s probing claw;
At his waist hung a bent bow, shaped like half a moon.
His bristling might bullied the Grand Marshal of the Year;
His towering spirit pressed down upon the heavenly gods.
He rushed forward without distinguishing good from bad and raised his nine-toothed rake to strike the Bodhisattva. The Novice Muzha blocked him and shouted:
“You insolent monster, show no discourtesy! Look at my rod!”
The demon said:
“This monk does not know whether he will live or die. Look at my rake!”
The two charged and clashed beneath the mountain, gambling upon victory and defeat. It was a truly splendid battle:
The demon was fierce; Huian’s might was formidable.
The iron rod thrust toward the heart; the nine-toothed rake met it face-on.
Soil scattered and dust rose, darkening Heaven and Earth;
Flying sand and rolling stones startled ghosts and gods.
The nine-toothed rake shone brightly, its twin rings ringing;
The single rod was black and dim, flying in both hands.
One was the Heavenly King’s prince; the other, a marshal’s spirit.
One served as a Dharma protector at Putuo;
The other made his lair as a demon in a mountain cave.
When these two met, contending for superiority,
Who could know which would lose and which would win?
As the two fought at the height of the battle, Guanshiyin cast a lotus flower down from midair, separating the rake and the staff. Seeing it, the monster was startled and asked:
“What sort of monk are you, daring to play some flower trick before my eyes to deceive me?”
Muzha said:
“You blind-eyed, mortal-bodied brute! I am a disciple of the Bodhisattva of the Southern Sea. This is the lotus flower my master cast down. You do not even recognize it!”
The monster said:
“The Bodhisattva of the Southern Sea—is that the Guanshiyin who sweeps away the Three Calamities and saves from the Eight Difficulties?”
Muzha said:
“If he is not, who is?”
The monster threw down his nine-toothed rake, bowed with his head to the ground, and said:
“Elder Brother, where is the Bodhisattva? I trouble you to introduce me.”
Muzha looked up and pointed:
“Is she not there?”
The monster kowtowed upward and called loudly:
“Bodhisattva, forgive me! Forgive me!”
Guanyin lowered her cloud and came forward to ask:
“What kind of wild boar have you become a demon? From what place have you come to make trouble, you old swine, daring to block my way?”
The monster said:
“I am neither a wild boar nor an old swine. I was originally Marshal Tianpeng of the Milky Way. Only because, while drunk, I teased Chang’e did the Jade Emperor have me beaten two thousand times with a hammer and banish me into the mortal world. My one true spirit went straight to seize a body and enter a womb, but I took the wrong road and was born into a sow’s womb, becoming this form. I bit the sow to death, killed the whole herd of pigs, seized this mountain ground for myself, and ate people to survive. Unexpectedly, I encountered the Bodhisattva. I beg you to save me, save me!”
The Bodhisattva said:
“What is this mountain called?”
The monster said:
“It is called Fuling Mountain. Within the mountain is a cave called Cloud-Pathway Cave. The cave originally belonged to a certain Egg Second Sister. Seeing that I possessed some martial skill, she took me as head of the household, also calling me the Backward-Stepping Gate. Before a year had passed, she died, and all the household possessions in the cave fell to me to enjoy. After dwelling here for a long time, I had no means of supporting myself, and so, following my former nature, I ate people to survive. I beg the Bodhisattva to forgive me.”
The Bodhisattva said:
“The ancients said, ‘If you wish to have a future, do not do what leaves you no future.’ You violated the law in the upper realm, and now you still refuse to change your savage heart, taking lives and creating evil. Are you not therefore to be punished for both offenses?”
The monster said:
“Future, future! If I follow you, am I to drink wind? As the saying goes: ‘Follow the official law and you are beaten to death; follow the Buddhist law and you are starved to death.’ Go away, go away! I might as well catch a traveler and eat his fat, greasy mother—who cares about two crimes or three crimes, a thousand crimes or ten thousand crimes!”
The Bodhisattva said:
“When a person makes a good vow, Heaven must follow it. If you are willing to take refuge in the Right Fruit, there will naturally be a place for you to sustain yourself. The world possesses the five grains, which can relieve hunger. Why eat people to survive?”
Hearing this, the monster seemed to awaken from a dream and said to the Bodhisattva:
“I wish to follow the Way, but unfortunately, ‘Having offended Heaven, there is nowhere to pray.’”
The Bodhisattva said:
“I have received the Buddha’s decree and am going to the Eastern Land to seek a scripture pilgrim. You may become his disciple and make a journey to the Western Heaven. In this way you may atone for your crimes through merit, and I guarantee that you will escape calamity and miasma.”
The monster answered repeatedly:
“I am willing to follow! I am willing to follow!”
The Bodhisattva then rubbed his crown and gave him the precepts. Pointing to his body, she made it his surname, so he took the surname Zhu; she gave him a Dharma name, calling him Zhu Wuneng. Thus he accepted the decree and returned to the true path, abstaining from grain and observing a vegetarian diet, severing himself from the five pungent foods and three meats, and devotedly awaiting the scripture pilgrim.
The Bodhisattva took leave of Wuneng and Muzha, proceeding amid clouds and mist. As they traveled, they suddenly saw a jade dragon calling out in midair. The Bodhisattva approached and asked:
“What dragon are you, suffering punishment here?”
The dragon said:
“I am the son of Ao Run, Dragon King of the Western Sea. Because I set fire to the bright pearl upon the palace hall, my father memorialized the Heavenly Court and accused me of rebellion. The Jade Emperor had me hung in midair and beaten three hundred times; soon I am to be executed. I beg the Bodhisattva to save me!”
Hearing this, Guanyin immediately went with Muzha into the Southern Heavenly Gate. There, the Celestial Masters Qiu and Zhang received them and asked:
“Where are you going?”
The Bodhisattva said:
“This poor monk wishes to see the Jade Emperor.”
The two Celestial Masters promptly submitted the report. The Jade Emperor then descended from the hall to receive her. The Bodhisattva stepped forward, completed her salutation, and said:
“This poor monk has received the Buddha’s decree to go to the Eastern Land to seek a scripture pilgrim. On the road I encountered a sinful dragon hanging in punishment, and have come especially to submit a petition: spare his life and bestow him upon this poor monk, so that he may serve as the mount for the scripture pilgrim.”
Hearing this, the Jade Emperor immediately issued a decree of pardon, ordered a heavenly general to release him, and sent him to the Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva gave thanks and departed. The young dragon kowtowed and thanked her for saving his life, agreeing to obey her commands. The Bodhisattva sent him to a deep ravine, where he was to await the scripture pilgrim, transform into a white horse, and go west to establish merit. The young dragon received the command and concealed himself; this matter is not pursued further.
The Bodhisattva led the Novice Muzha across this mountain and continued toward the Eastern Land. Before long, they suddenly saw myriad rays of golden light and thousands of strands of auspicious qi. Muzha said:
“Master, the place emitting that radiance is the Five-Phases Mountain. I see the Tathagata’s seal posted there.”
The Bodhisattva said:
“This must be the Great Sage Equaling Heaven who disrupted the Peach Banquet and caused a great disturbance in the Heavenly Palace. He is now pressed beneath that mountain.”
Muzha said:
“Indeed, indeed.”
Master and disciple both climbed the mountain and examined the seal. Upon it were the six words of the true speech:
“Om Maṇi Padme Hūṃ.”
After looking at it, the Bodhisattva sighed deeply in pity and composed a poem.
The poem says:
How lamentable that the demon monkey would not serve the public good,
In those years recklessly displaying his heroism.
Deceiving his own heart, he disrupted the Peach Banquet;
Boldly and privately he entered the Tusita Palace.
Among a hundred thousand troops he had no equal;
Above the ninefold heavens he possessed awe-inspiring might.
Now he has been trapped by my Buddha, the Tathagata;
On what day will he stretch himself forth and display his merit again?
As master and disciple were speaking, they had already startled the Great Sage. Beneath the mountain’s root, the Great Sage called loudly:
“Who is that up on the mountain, reciting a poem and exposing my shortcomings?”
Hearing this, the Bodhisattva went straight down the mountain to investigate. Beneath the rocky cliff she saw the local earth spirit, the mountain god, and the heavenly generals charged with guarding the Great Sage. They all came to bow and receive the Bodhisattva, leading her before the Great Sage. Looking at him, she saw that he was pressed within a stone casket: his mouth could speak, but his body could not move.
The Bodhisattva said:
“Sun, do you recognize me?”
The Great Sage opened his fiery eyes and golden pupils, nodded, and called loudly:
“How could I not recognize you? You are the Southern Sea Putuo Luojia Mountain’s Saviouress from Suffering, Savior from Distress, Greatly Compassionate and Greatly Merciful Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva. I am indebted to your care, indebted to your care. I have spent my days here as though each were a year, and not one acquaintance has come to see me. Where have you come from?”
The Bodhisattva said:
“I have received the Buddha’s decree and am going to the Eastern Land to seek a scripture pilgrim. I passed this way and specially halted my steps to look in on you.”
The Great Sage said:
“The Tathagata deceived me and pressed me beneath this mountain. It has been more than five hundred years, and I have been unable to stretch or move. I beg the Bodhisattva to show me a little compassion and save your old Sun!”
The Bodhisattva said:
“Your offenses and karma are exceedingly deep. If I save you, I fear you will again create calamities, which would not be good.”
The Great Sage said:
“I already know my error. I only ask that your great compassion point out a path. I am willing to cultivate the Way.”
This is the truth:
When the human heart gives rise to a single thought,
Heaven and Earth know it all.
If good and evil brought no recompense,
Heaven and Earth would surely harbor partiality.
Hearing these words, the Bodhisattva was filled with joy and said to the Great Sage:
“The Sacred Scripture says: ‘If the words one utters are good, they will be answered a thousand li away; if the words one utters are not good, they will be opposed a thousand li away.’ Since you have conceived this thought, wait until I reach the Great Tang Kingdom in the Eastern Land and find a scripture pilgrim. I shall teach him to save you. You may become his disciple, uphold and maintain the teaching, enter the gate of my Buddha, and cultivate the Right Fruit anew. What do you say?”
The Great Sage said again and again:
“I am willing to go! I am willing to go!”
The Bodhisattva said:
“Since you have attained a good fruit, I shall give you a Dharma name.”
The Great Sage said:
“I already have a name. I am called Sun Wukong.”
The Bodhisattva was even more pleased and said:
“I have already received two others into submission, and they are ranked under the character ‘Wu.’ You too bear the character ‘Wu,’ which accords with them. Very good, very good. There is no need for further admonition. I am going.”
The Great Sage, having seen his nature, awakened his mind, and returned to the Buddha’s teaching; the Bodhisattva, moved by compassion, kept in mind the search for the holy monk.
She and Muzha left that place and came directly eastward. Before a day had passed, they arrived at the Great Tang Kingdom of Chang’an. Drawing in the mists and gathering the clouds, master and disciple transformed themselves into two wandering monks covered with sores and entered the city of Chang’an. Before they realized it, evening had fallen. They walked beside the great market street and saw a shrine to the local earth spirit. The two went straight inside.
The earth spirit was terrified, the ghost soldiers trembled, and, recognizing the Bodhisattva, they kowtowed and ushered her in. The earth spirit hurried to report to the City God, the Altar Commandant, and all the gods of the temples throughout Chang’an. All learned that the Bodhisattva had arrived and came to pay their respects, saying:
“Bodhisattva, forgive us gods for being late in receiving you.”
The Bodhisattva said:
“Not the slightest word of this may be leaked. I have received the Buddha’s decree and have come specially to seek and inquire after a scripture pilgrim. Lend me your shrine; I shall stay here temporarily for several days and return as soon as I have found the true monk.”
The gods each returned to their own places. They sent the local earth spirit to stay temporarily in the City God’s temple, while the master and disciple concealed their true forms.
In the end, who would they find to become the scripture pilgrim? Let us listen to the explanation in the next installment.
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Chapter Seven: The Great Sage Escapes from the Eight-Trigram Furnace; the Mind-Ape Is Settled Beneath the Five-Phases Mountain
Journey to the West / Chapter 008