The Journey to the West, Revised Edition, Volume 3

by Unknown

  Our Idiot indeed mounted the clouds and rose quickly to the peak of the mountain. “Lord Immortal,” he cried with a loud voice, “please slow your horses and chariots. The Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, wishes to see you.” On hearing this, that holy father gave the order for the six brothers to stop. After they met Eight Rules, he asked, “Where is the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven?” Eight Rules said, “He awaits your summons below there in the mountain.” “Brothers,” said Erlang, “please invite him to come here.” The six brothers, being Kang, Zhang, Rao, Li, Guo, and Zhi, all ran out of the camp and cried, “Elder Brother Sun Wukong, Big Brother requests your presence.”

  Pilgrim went forward and, after he greeted each of them, they went up the mountain together. He was met by the Holy Father Erlang, who extended his hands to him and said, “Great Sage, you were delivered from the great ordeal and received the commandments in the Gate of Sand. The days may be counted when your merit will be achieved and you will ascend your lotus throne. You are to be congratulated!” “Hardly,” said Pilgrim. “I received great kindness from you in the past, and I have yet to repay you. Though I have been delivered from my ordeal and am now journeying toward the West, I have no idea what sort of merit I shall accomplish. We are passing through at this moment the Sacrifice Kingdom, and in order to rescue some priests from their calamity, we have come here to capture fiends and demand the return of a treasure. By accident we saw the noble entourage of Elder Brother, and we make bold to request your assistance. We have no knowledge as to where you have come from or whether you will be pleased to grant us our wish.”

  “Because I had nothing to do,” said Erlang with a smile, “I went hunting with the brothers, from which we were just returning. The Great Sage is most kind in asking us to stop, which is ample proof of how greatly he cherishes an old friend. If you want me to help you defeat some fiends, dare I not obey you? But what fiendish thieves are occupying this region?”

  “You must have quite forgotten, Big Brother,” said one of the six sages. “This is the Scattered-Rock Mountain, and below it is the Green Wave Lagoon, the dragon palace of All Saints.” Somewhat startled, Erlang said, “But the old dragon All Saints doesn’t cause any trouble. How would he dare steal a pagoda treasure?” “He recently took in a son-in-law,” said Pilgrim, “a nine-headed insect who had become a spirit. The two of them conspired together as thieves and brought down a rain shower of blood on the Sacrifice Kingdom, after which they took away the śarīra Buddhist treasure on top of the Golden Light Monastery. Not perceiving the truth of the matter, the king bitterly persecuted and tortured the priests of that monastery instead. My master in mercy was moved to sweep the pagoda during the night, during which I caught two small fiends on the top. They were sent there on patrol, and when we took them into court this morning, they made an honest confession. The king therefore asked our master to subdue the fiends, and that was how we were sent here. During our first encounter, Eight Rules was hauled away by that nine-headed insect when an additional head popped out of his torso. I went into the water by means of transformation and managed to rescue Eight Rules. We had another fierce battle when I slew the old dragon, whose corpse was taken away by that fellow and his cohorts. We were just in the midst of discussing how to provoke battle again when you and your noble companions arrived. Hence our imposition on you.”

  “If you did smite the old dragon,” said Erlang, “this is the best time to attack them. They’ll not be prepared, and we can exterminate the whole nest of them.” “That may be so,” said Eight Rules, “but after all, it’s getting late now.” Erlang replied, “As the military theorist says, ‘An army does not wait for the times.’ Why worry about how late it is?”

  Kang, one of the brothers, spoke up: “There’s no hurry, Big Brother. Since his family members live here, that fellow is not about to run away. Now, since Second Elder Brother Sun is our honored guest, and since Stiff Bristles Hog4 also has returned to the right fruit, we should have a party right now, especially when we have brought wine and food along to our camp. The little ones can start a fire and we can set it up right at this place. We may toast the two of them and enjoy a nice visit together this evening. By morning, we can then provoke battle, and there’ll be still plenty of time.” Exceedingly pleased, Erlang said, “Our worthy brother has spoken well!” and he gave the order at once for the little ones to prepare the banquet. “We dare not decline the noble sentiments of all of you,” said Pilgrim, “but since becoming priests, we have been observing the dietary laws. I hope we’ll not cause any inconvenience.” “But we do have fruits and the like,” replied Erlang, “and even our wines are dietary.” And so, by the light of the moon and the stars, the brothers lifted their cups in friendship, using Heaven as their tent and Earth as their mat.

  Truly the lonely watches are long, but a happy night is all too short. Soon, the east turned pale with light. A few goblets of wine had given Eight Rules enormous inspiration, and rousing himself, he said, “It’s about dawn. Let old Hog go into the water to provoke battle.” “Do be careful, Marshal,” said Erlang. “Just trick him into coming out and we brothers will do our part.” “I know! I know!” said Eight Rules, laughing. Look at him! Tightening his clothes and gripping the rake, he used the water-division magic and leaped down there. The moment he arrived before the towered gateway, he gave a shout and fought into the palace hall.

  At the time, the dragon son, having draped himself with a mourning gown of hemp, was standing guard over his father’s corpse and weeping. The dragon grandson and that son-in-law were busily preparing a coffin in the back. Shouting abuses, our Eight Rules rushed forward and his upraised hands delivered a heavy blow with his rake. Nine gaping holes at once appeared on the head of that dragon son. The dragon dame was so aghast that she ran madly inside, wailing, “That long-snout monk has killed my son also!” When he heard this, the son-in-law immediately took up his crescent-tooth spade and led the dragon grandson out to do battle. Lifting his rake to oppose them, our Eight Rules fought as he retreated, and soon they arrived on the surface of the water. All at once, the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven and the seven brothers swarmed all over them, and in no time at all, the showering blows of swords and spears reduced the dragon grandson to a few meat patties.

  When that son-in-law saw that things were going badly, he rolled on the ground immediately and changed back into his original form. Spreading his wings, he soared into the air. Erlang took out his golden bow, affixed a silver pellet, and sent it hurtling toward the insect. The fiend quickly flapped his wings and darted down, wanting to bite Erlang. Just when another head popped out from the middle of his torso, however, the small hound of Erlang leaped into the air with a terrific bark and bit it clean off. In great pain, the fiend fled toward the north sea. Eight Rules was about to give chase, but he was stopped by Pilgrim, who said, “Let’s not follow him. As the proverb has it, ‘The desperate fugitive should not be chased.’ One of his heads has been bitten off by the small hound, and it’s unlikely that he’ll survive. Let me change into his appearance instead, and you open up a path in the water. Chase me into his palace. After we find the princess, we can wangle back the treasure.” Erlang said, “I suppose it’s all right that we don’t track him down. But if this kind of creature remains in the world, it will undoubtedly bring great harm to people in posterity.” Thus we have even today the blood-dripping nine-headed insect, which is, in fact, the descendant of that creature.5

  Eight Rules, meanwhile, agreed to what Pilgrim told him and opened up a path in the water. Pilgrim, having changed into the appearance of the fiend, ran ahead while Eight Rules followed behind, shouting and hollering. As they drew near the dragon palace, they were met by the princess All Saints, who asked, “Son-in-law, why are you in such a panic?” “That Eight Rules has defeated me,” replied Pilgrim, “and is chasing me here. I don’t think I can resist him anymore. You’d better hide the treasures quickly.” In such a hurry the princess, of course, could not distinguish truth fro
m falsehood. She immediately took out from the rear hall a golden box to hand over to Pilgrim, saying, “This is the Buddhist treasure.” After that, she took out also a white jade box and gave it to Pilgrim, saying, “This is the nine-leaf divine agaric. You take these treasures and hide them. Let me battle Zhu Eight Rules for a few rounds just to slow him down. After you have put away the treasures, you can come out and fight with him again.”

  Having taken over the boxes, Pilgrim gave his face a wipe and changed back into his original form, saying, “Princess, take a good look and see if I’m the son-in-law!” Thoroughly shaken, the princess tried to make a grab for the boxes, but Eight Rules rushed in and one blow of the rake on her shoulder sent her to the ground.

  There was only an old dragon dame left; she turned and tried to flee, only to be caught hold of by Eight Rules. He was about to hit her with the rake, too, but was stopped by Pilgrim, who said, “Wait a moment. Let’s not kill her. We should take a live one back to the capital so that we may announce our merit.” Eight Rules, therefore, dragged her up to the surface of the water, followed by Pilgrim holding the two boxes. He said to Erlang, “We’re indebted to the authority and power of Elder Brother. We have recovered the treasures and wiped out the fiendish thieves.” Erlang said, “We owe this rather to the excellent luck of the king in the first place, and to the boundless magic power of you two worthy brothers in the second. What have I done?” His brothers also said, “Since Second Elder Brother Sun has accomplished his merit, we should leave at once.” Pilgrim could not stop thanking them; he would have liked to get them to go see the king, but they steadfastly refused. The sages thus left and returned to the River of Libation.

  Pilgrim took up the boxes while Eight Rules dragged along the dragon dame; moving midway between cloud and fog, they reached the kingdom in an instant. Those priests who had been freed in the Golden Light Monastery, you see, were waiting outside the city. When they saw the two of them stopping their cloud and fog, they went forward, bowing, to receive them into the city. At that time, the king and the Tang Monk were conversing. Forcing himself to be bold, one of the monks ran ahead and went into the gate of the court to memorialize: “Your Majesty, the two venerable fathers, Sun and Zhu, have returned, bringing with them the treasures and the thief.” On hearing this, the king left the hall quickly with the Tang Monk and Sha Monk. As he met the two disciples and praised them repeatedly for their divine merit, he also gave the command that a thanksgiving banquet be prepared. “There’s no need for you to bestow on us food and drink as yet,” said Tripitaka. “Let my humble disciples restore the treasure to the pagoda first. Then we may drink and feast.” He then turned to Pilgrim to ask, “You two left the kingdom yesterday. How was it that you did not return until today?” Whereupon Pilgrim gave a detailed account of how they fought with the son-in-law and the Dragon King, how they met the lord immortal, how they defeated the monster-spirits, and how they finally wangled the treasures. Tripitaka, the king, and all his civil and military officials could not have been more pleased.

  “Does the dragon dame know human speech?” asked the king. Eight Rules said, “She is the wife of the Dragon King who has given birth to many sons and grandsons. How could she not know human speech?” “If she does,” said the king, “let her give us a complete account of the robbery.”

  The dragon dame said, “I know nothing of stealing the Buddhist treasure. It was entirely the work of my deceased husband and our son-in-law, Nine-Heads. When they discovered that the radiance on top of your pagoda was emitted by a Buddhist relic, they brought down a rain shower of blood three years ago and therewith stole the treasure.”

  “How did you steal the divine agaric plant?” asked the king. The dragon dame said, “That was the work of my daughter, Princess All Saints, who sneaked into Heaven and stole from before the Hall of Divine Mists the nine-leaf divine agaric planted by the Lady Queen Mother of the West. Nourished by the divine breath of this plant, the śarīra would remain indestructible for a thousand years and luminous in all ages. Even if you just wave it slightly on the ground or in the fields, it will emit myriad shafts of colored rays and a thousand strands of auspicious beams. Now you have seized these things, and moreover, you have slaughtered my husband and my sons, you have done away with my son-in-law and my daughter. I beg you to spare my life.”

  “We’re not about to spare you, of all persons!” said Eight Rules. Pilgrim said, “Guilt cannot be borne by an entire family. We’ll spare you. But you are required to be the perpetual guardian of the pagoda for us.” “Even a good death is not as good as a wretched existence!” replied the dragon dame. “If you spare my life, you can do whatever you please with me.” Pilgrim at once asked for an iron chain. After the attendant before the throne brought it out, Pilgrim pierced the lute bone of the dragon dame with the chain before saying to Sha Monk, “Invite the king to witness how we secure the pagoda.”

  Hurriedly asking for his carriage, the king left the court hand in hand with Tripitaka. Accompanied by many civil and military officials, they went to the Golden Light Monastery and ascended the pagoda. The śarīra was placed carefully inside a treasure vase on the thirteenth floor of the pagoda, while the dragon dame was chained to a pillar in the center. Pilgrim recited the magic words to summon together the local spirit of the capital, the city deity, and the guardian spirits of that monastery. Food and drink were to be brought to the dragon dame once every three days, they were told, but if she ever dared misbehave, she would be executed at once. The various gods obeyed in silence. The Pilgrim used the agaric plant as a broom and swept each of the thirteen layers of the pagoda clean before returning it to the vase to nourish the śarīra. Thus it was the old had become the new once more, with myriad shafts of colored beams and a thousand strands of auspicious air. Once more the eight quarters could witness the radiance, and the four surrounding nations could wonder at the treasure. After they walked out of the pagoda’s door, the king said, “If the old Buddha and the three Bodhisattvas had not come this way, how could we ever get to the bottom of this affair?”

  “Your Majesty,” said Pilgrim, “the two words, Golden Light, are not the best, for neither of these is a thing of permanence. Gold, after all, is an unstable substance, and light is air that flickers. Since this humble priest has already exerted such efforts for you, he would suggest that you change the monastery’s name to Dragon-Subduing Monastery. It will last forever, I assure you.” At once the king ordered the name be changed, and a new plaque, bearing the words Dragon-Subduing Monastery Built by Imperial Command, was hung across the main gate in front. He asked for an imperial banquet also and for the painter to make portraits of the four pilgrims. Their names, too, were recorded in the Five-Phoenix Tower. Thereafter, the king took the pilgrims personally in his own carriage out of the city to see them off. When they were offered gold and jade as a reward, master and disciples refused to take even a penny. Truly it was that

  Fiends extirpated, all realms are cleansed;

  The pagoda light’s restored, the great earth is bright.

  Then they departed. We do not know what their journey ahead will be like; let’s listen to the explanation in the next chapter.

  SIXTY-FOUR

  At Bramble Ridge Wuneng exerted great effort;

  At Shrine of Sylvan Immortals Tripitaka discusses poetry.

  We were telling you about the king of the Sacrifice Kingdom, who expressed his thanks to Tripitaka Tang and his disciples for recovering the treasure and capturing the fiends by offerings of jade and gold to them, which they refused to accept. The king therefore ordered the attendant before the throne to have two suits of clothing made for each of the pilgrims, according to the style that they had been wearing. Two pairs of shoes and socks and two silk sashes were also made for each person. In addition to these, dried goods—both baked and roasted foods—were also prepared. After their travel rescript had been certified, the king called for the imperial cortege; many civil and military officials, the people of
the entire capital, and the monks of the Dragon-Subduing Monastery followed him to send the four out of the city, accompanied by the sonorous sounds of pipes and drums. When they had gone for some twenty miles, they took leave of the king first, while the rest of the officials and people retired after another twenty miles. Those priests from the Dragon-Subduing Monastery, however, refused to turn back even after walking with the pilgrims for some fifty or sixty miles, a few insisting that they would travel with the pilgrims to the Western Heaven, and a few others saying that they would practice austerities while serving the pilgrims on their way. When Pilgrim saw that none of them was willing to turn back, he had to use his magic. Pulling off some thirty strands of his hair, he blew a mouthful of divine breath on them, crying, “Change!” They changed at once into a herd of ferocious striped tigers, prowling and growling, which had the main road completely blocked. Only then did these monks become frightened and dared not proceed, so that the Great Sage could tell his master to urge his horse forward. In a little while, they faded in the distance, and the monks burst into loud wailing, all crying, “Most gracious and kind fathers! You’re unwilling to save us because we have no affinity!”

  Leaving those monks behind, we tell you instead about the master and his three disciples who headed toward the West. Only after they had gone for quite a distance did Pilgrim retrieve his hairs. Truly the seasons were quick to change, and soon it was the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Neither too hot nor too cold, it was a pleasant time to travel. As they walked along, they came upon a long ridge over which the main road had to pass. When Tripitaka reined in his horse to look at the place, he saw that the ridge was covered with brambles and clogged with creepers and vines. Though there was a faint trace of the road, it was flanked by the prickly thorns of brambles crowding in from left and right. “Disciples,” the Tang Monk called out, “how could we walk through this road?” “Why not?” asked Pilgrim.