by Wu Cheng-En
Nirvana sutra 748 rolls
Bodhisattva sutra 1,021 rolls
Akasagarbha sutra 400 rolls
Surangama sutra 110 rolls
Collection of sutras on the meaning of grace 50 rolls
Determination sutra 140 rolls
Ratnagarbha sutra 45 rolls
Avatamsaka sutra 500 rolls
Sutra on Worshipping Bhutatathata 90 rolls
Mahaprajnaparamita sutra 916 rolls
Mahaprabhasa sutra 300 rolls
Adbhuta-dharma sutras 1,110 rolls
Vimalakirti sutra 170 rolls
The Three Sastras 270 rolls
Diamond sutra 100 rolls
Saddharma sastra 120 rolls
Buddhacaritakavya sutra 800 rolls
Pancanaga sutra 32 rolls
Bodhisattva-vinaya sutra 116 rolls
Mahasamnipata sutras 130 rolls
Makara sutra 350 rolls
Saddharma-pundarika sutra 100 rolls
Yoga sutra 100 rolls
Precious Eternity sutra 220 rolls
Sutra on the Western Heaven 130 rolls
Samghika sutra 157 rolls
Samyukta-Buddhadesa sutra 1,950 rolls
Mahayana-sraddhotpadasa sutra 1,000 rolls
Great Wisdom sutra 1,080 rolls
Ratna-prabhava sutra 1,280 rolls
Original Pavilion sutra 850 rolls
Principal vinaya sutra 200 rolls
Ananda and Kasyapa led the Tang Priest to read the titles of all the scriptures.
“You have come here from the East, holy monk,” they said to him. “Have you brought us any presents? Hand them over right now, then we can give you the scriptures.”
When Sanzang heard this he said, “Your disciple Xuanzang has come a very long way, and I did not bring any with me.”
“That's very fine,” the two arhats said with a laugh. “If we hand the scriptures over for nothing, they'll be passed down through the ages and our successors will have to starve to death.” Monkey could not stand hearing them talking tough like this and refusing to hand the scriptures over, so he shouted, “Let's go and report them to the Tathagata, Master. We'll get him to give me the scriptures himself.”
“Shut up!” said Kasyapa. “Where do you think you are, acting up like this? Come here and take the scriptures.” Pig and Friar Sand, who were keeping their own tempers under control, calmed Monkey down. They turned back to accept the scriptures, which were packed one by one into the luggage. Some of it was put on the horse's back, and the rest tied up as two carrying-pole loads that Pig and Friar Sand shouldered. They all then returned to the Buddha's throne, kowtowed, thanked the Tathagata and went straight out. They bowed twice to every Buddha and every Bodhisattva they met. When they reached the main entrance they bowed to the bhiksus, the bhiksunis, the laymen and the laywomen, taking their leave of each one. Then they hurried back down the mountain.
The story tells not of them but of the Ancient Buddha Dipamkara, who had been quietly listening in the library when the scriptures were handed over. He understood perfectly well that Ananda and Kasyapa had handed over wordless scriptures. “Those stupid monks from the East didn't realize that those were wordless scriptures,” he thought with a smile to himself. “The holy monks journey across all those mountains and rivers will be a complete waste. Who is in attendance here?” he called, and the arhat Suklavira stepped forward. “Use your divine might,” Dipamkara instructed him, “and go after the Tang Priest like a shooting star. Take the wordless scriptures from him and tell him to come back to fetch the true scriptures.” The arhat Suklavira then flew off on a storm wind that roared away from the Thunder Monastery as he gave a great display of his divine might. That splendid wind really was
A warrior from the Buddha's presence,
Greater than the two wind gods of the Xun quarter.
The angry roars from his divine orifices
Were more powerful by far than the puffs of a young girl.
This wind made
Fish and dragons lose their dens,
While the waves flowed backwards in rivers and seas.
Black apes could not present the fruit they carried;
Yellow cranes turned back to the clouds as they sought their nests.
Ugly rang the song of the red phoenix;
Raucous were the calls of the multicolored pheasants.
The branches of hoary pines were broken
As the flowers of the udumbara blew away.
Every cane of green bamboo bowed low;
All the blooms of golden lotus swayed.
The sound of the bell was carried a thousand miles
While the chanting of sutras flew lightly up the ravines.
Ruined was the beauty of flowers under the crag;
The tender shoots of plants were laid low by the path
The brilliant phoenixes could hardly spread their wings;
White deer hid beneath the cliffs.
The heavens were heavy with fragrance
As the clear wind blew right through the clouds.
The Tang Priest was walking along when he smelt the fragrant wind, but he paid no attention to it, taking it for an auspicious sign of the Lord Buddha. Then a noise could be heard as a hand reached down from midair to lift the scriptures lightly off the horse's back, which gave Sanzang such a shock that he beat his chest and howled aloud. Pig scrambled along in pursuit, Friar Sand guarded the carrying-poles loaded with scriptures, and Brother Monkey flew after the arhat. Seeing that Monkey had almost caught up with him, and frightened that the merciless cudgel would make no bones about wounding him badly, the arhat tore the bundle of scriptures to shreds and flung it into the dust. When Monkey saw the bundle falling in pieces that were being scattered by the fragrant wind he stopped chasing the arhat and brought his cloud down to look after the scriptures. The arhat Suklavira put the wind and the clouds away, then went back to report to Dipamkara.
When Pig, who was also in pursuit, saw the scriptures falling he helped Monkey to collect them up and carry them back to the Tang Priest. “Disciples,” the Tang Priest exclaimed, tears pouring from his eyes, “even in this world of bliss evil demons cheat people.” After gathering up the scattered scriptures in his arms Friar Sand opened one of them up and saw that it was as white as snow: not a word was written on it.
Quickly he handed it to Sanzang with the remark, “There's nothing in this scroll, Master.” Monkey opened out another scroll to find that it had nothing written in it either. Pig opened another and it too had nothing in it.
“Open them all for us to examine,” said Sanzang. Every single scroll was blank paper.
“We Easterners really do have no luck,” he said, sighing and groaning. “What point is there in fetching wordless scriptures like these? How could I ever face the Tang emperor? I will have no way of avoiding execution for the crime of lying to my sovereign.”
Monkey, who already understood what had happened, then said to the Tang Priest, “Say no more, Master. Ananda and Kasyapa gave us these scrolls of blank paper because we hadn't got any presents to give them when they asked for them. Let's go back, report them to the Tathagata and get them accused of extortion.”
“That's right,” shouted Pig, “that's right. Let's report them.” The four of them then hurried up the mountain again, and after a few steps they were rushing back to the Thunder Monastery.
Before long they were once more outside the gates of the monastery, where everyone raised their clasped hands in greeting. “Have you holy monks come to exchange your scriptures?” they asked with smiles. Sanzang nodded and expressed his thanks. The vajrapanis did not block them, but let them go straight in to the Mahavira Hall.
“Tathagata,” yelled Monkey, “our master and the rest of us have had to put up with endless monsters, demons, troubles and hardships to get here from the East to worship you. You gave the orders for the scriptures to be handed over, but Ananda and Kasyapa didn't do so because they were trying to extort
things from us. They conspired and deliberately let us take away blank paper versions without a single word written on them. But what's the point in taking those? I beg you to have them punished, Tathagata.”
“Stop yelling,” replied the Lord Buddha with a smile. “I already know that they asked you for presents. But the scriptures cannot be casually passed on. Nor can they be taken away for nothing. In the past bhiksus and holy monks went down the mountain and recited these scriptures to the family of the elder Zhao in the land of Sravasti. This ensured peace and safety for the living and deliverance for the dead members of the family. All that was asked for was three bushels and three pecks of granular gold. I said they had sold the scriptures too cheap, so I saw to it that Zhao's sons and grandsons would be poor. You were given blank texts because you came here to fetch them empty-handed. The blank texts are true, wordless scriptures, and they really are good. But as you living beings in the East are so deluded and have not achieved enlightenment we'll have to give you these ones instead. Ananda, Kasyapa,” he called, “fetch the true scriptures with words at once. Choose a few rolls from each title to give them, then come back here and tell me how many.”
The two arhats then led the four pilgrims to the foot of the library building and once again asked the Tang Priest for a present. Having nothing else to offer, he ordered friar Sand to bring out the begging bowl of purple gold and presented it with both hands. “Your disciple is poor and has come a very long way,” he said, “and I did not bring any presents with me. This bowl was given to me by the Tang emperor with his own hands to beg for food with on my journey. I now offer it to you as a token of my heartfelt feelings. I beg you arhats not to despise it but to keep it. When I return to my court I shall report this to the Tang emperor, who will certainly reward you richly. I only ask you to give me the true scriptures that have words to save me from failing in my imperial mission and making this long, hard journey for nothing.”
Ananda accepted the bowl with no more than a hint of a smile. The warriors guarding the precious library building, the kitchen staff responsible for the spices and the arhats in charge of the library rubbed each other's faces, patted each other's backs, flicked each other with their fingers and pulled faces.
“Disgraceful,” they all said with grins, “disgraceful. Demanding presents from the pilgrims who've come to fetch the scriptures!” A moment later Ananda was frowning with embarrassment but still holding the bowl and not letting go. Only then did Kasyapa go into the library to check the scriptures through one by one and give them to Sanzang.
“Disciples,” called Sanzang, “take a good look at them, not like last time.” The three of them took the rolls and examined them one by one. All had words. 5,048 rolls were handed over, the total in a single store. They were neatly packed up and put on the horse, and those left over were made into a carrying-pole load for Pig to take. Friar Sand carried their own luggage, and as Brother Monkey led the horse the Tang Priest took his staff, pushed his Vairocana mitre into position, shook his brocade cassock, and went happily into the presence of the Tathagata. Indeed:
Sweet taste the True Scriptures of the Great Store,
Created fine and majestic by the Tathagata.
Remember what Xuanzang suffered to climb this mountain:
Ananda's greed was something ridiculous.
What they did not notice at first Dipamkara helped them to see;
Later the scriptures were real and they then found peace.
Successful now, they would take the scriptures to the East;
Where all could be refreshed by their life-giving richness.
Ananda and Kasyapa led the Tang Priest to see the Tathagata, who ascended his lotus throne and directed the two great arhats Dragon-queller and Tiger-subduer to strike the cloud-ringing stone chimes that summoned all the Three Thousand Buddhas, Three Thousand Protectors, Eight Vajrapanis, Four Bodhisattvas, Five Hundred Arhats, Eight Hundred Bhiksus, the host of laymen, bhiksunis, laywomen, and the greater and lesser honoured ones and holy monks of every cave, every heaven, the blessed lands and the magic mountains. Those who were supposed to sit were asked to ascend their precious thrones, and those who were supposed to stand stood on either side. All of a sudden heavenly music rang out from afar and magical sounds wafted around. The air was full of countless beams of auspicious light and of aura upon aura as all the Buddhas gathered together to pay their respects to the Tathagata.
“How many rolls of scripture have you given them, Ananda and Kasyapa?” the Tathagata asked. “Please tell me the numbers one by one.”
The two arhats then reported, “We are now handing over for the Tang court the
Nirvana sutra-400 rolls
Bodhisattva sutra-360 rolls
Akasagarbha sutra-20 rolls
Surangama sutra-30 rolls
Collection of sutras on the meaning of grace-40 rolls
Determination sutra-40 rolls
Ratnagarbha sutra-20 rolls
Avatamsaka sutra-81 rolls
Sutra on Worshipping Bhutatathata-30 rolls
Mahaprajnaparamita sutra-600 rolls
Mahaprabhasa sutra-50 rolls
Adbhuta-dharma sutras-550 rolls
Vimalakirti sutra-30 rolls
The Three Sastras-42 rolls
Diamond sutra-1 rolls
Saddharma sastra-20 rolls
Buddhacaritakavya sutra-116 rolls
Pancanaga sutra-20 rolls
Bodhisattva-vinaya sutra-60 rolls
Mahasamnipata sutras-30 rolls
Makara sutra-140 rolls
Saddharma-pundarika sutra-10 rolls
Yoga sutra-30 rolls
Precious Eternity sutra-170 rolls
Sutra on the Western Heaven-30 rolls
Samghika sutra-110 rolls
Samyukta-Buddhadesa sutra-1,638 rolls
Mahayana-sraddhotpadasa sastra-50 rolls
Great Wisdom sutra-90 rolls
Ratna-prabhava sutra-140 rolls
Original Pavilion sutra-56 rolls
Principal vinaya sutra-10 rolls
Mahamayuri-vidyarajni sutra-14 rolls
Vynaptimatra-tasiddhi sastra-10 rolls
Abhidharma-kosa sastra-10 rolls
From the thirty-five scriptures in all of the stores we have selected 5,048 rolls to give to the holy monk. These will be kept and handed down in Tang. They have now all been packed neatly and put on the horse or made into carrying-pole loads. The pilgrims are only waiting to express their thanks.”
Sanzang and his three followers then tethered the horse, put down the loads, joined their hands in front of their chests and bowed in worship.
“The achievement of these scriptures is immeasurable,” the Tathagata said to the Tang Priest, “Although they are the source of foreknowledge and reflection for my school they are truly the origin of all Three Schools. If they reach your Southern Continent of Jambudvipa they must not be treated with disrespect when they are shown to all living beings. Nobody who has not bathed, avoided eating meat and observed the prohibitions may open the rolls. Treasure them. Honour them. They include the esoteric mysteries of the way of immortality and wonderful methods for discovering all transformations.” Kowtowing in thanks, Sanzang faith fully accepted these instructions and determined to carry them out, did three more circuits of homage round the Lord Buddha then with dutiful and sincere obedience accepted the scriptures and went out with them through the third of the monastery gates, where he thanked all the holy beings one by one again. Of him we will say no more.
After sending the Tang Priest on his way the Tathagata dissolved the assembly that had been called to pass on the scriptures. The Bodhisattva Guanyin then stepped forward from the side, put her hands together and submitted to the lord Buddha, “It has been fourteen years from the time when your disciple went to the East that year to find the man who would fetch the scriptures to his success today. That makes 5,040 days. May the World-honoured One allow the holy monks to go back East from the West within eight
days, so as to complete the number of rolls in one store, and then your disciple may report his mission as completed.”
“What you say is quite right,” replied the Tathagata with delight. “You are permitted to report the completion of your mission.” With that he instructed the Eight Vajrapanis, “You are to use your divine might to escort the holy monks back to the East, where they will hand the true scriptures over to be kept there. After escorting the holy monks back, you may return to the West. This must be done within eight days in order to match the number of rolls in one store. There must be no disobedience or delay.” The vajrapanis caught up with the Tang Priest. “Come with us, scripture-fetchers,” they called; and the Tang Priest and the others became light and strong as they floated up on clouds after the vajrapanis. Indeed:
Nature revealed and mind made clear, they visited the Buddha;
Actions complete and all achieved, they flew aloft.
If you do not know how they passed on the scriptures after returning to the East, listen to the explanation in the next installment.
Chapter 99
When the Nine Nines Are Complete the Demons Are All Destroyed
After the Triple Threes Are Fulfilled the Way Returns to Its Roots
The story goes on to tell how the Eight Vajrapanis escorted the Tang Priest back to their country, but we will not go into that now.
Outside the gates the Protectors of the Four Quarters and the Centre, the Four Duty Gods, the Six Dings, the Six Jias and the Guardians of the Faith went up to the Bodhisattva Guanyin and said, “We, your disciples, have given secret help to the holy monk in obedience to your dharma command, Bodhisattva. Now that they have fulfilled their deeds and you have reported your mission accomplished to the Lord Buddha, we would like to report the completion of our mission.”
