by Unknown
He said he was leaving, and the next instant he was already out of sight. In a moment, he arrived at the South Sea, where he stopped his cloud to look around. He saw
A vast expanse of ocean,
Where water and sky seemed to merge.
Auspicious light shrouded the earth;
Hallowed air brightened the world.
Endless snow-capped waves surged up to Heaven;
Layers of misty billows washed out the sun.
Water flying every where;
Waves churning all around.
Water flying every where rolled like thunderclaps;
Waves churning all around boomed like cannonade.
Speak not merely of water;
Let’s look more at the center.
The treasure-filled mountain of five dazzling colors:
Red, yellow, green, deep purple, and blue.
If this be Guanyin’s scenic region true,
Look further at Potalaka of South Sea.
What a splendid place!
The tall mountain peak
Cut through airy space.
In its midst were thousands of rare flowers,
A hundred kinds of divine herbs.
The wind stirred the precious trees;
The sun shone on the golden lotus.
Glazed tiles covered the Guanyin Hall;
Tortoiseshell spread before the Tidal-Sound Cave.
In the shades of green willow the parrot spoke;
Within the bamboo grove the peacock sang.
On rocks with grains like fingerprints,
The guardians fierce and solemn.
Before the cornelian foreshore,
Mokṣa strong and heroic.
Pilgrim, who could hardly take his eyes off the marvelous scenery, lowered his cloud and went straight to the bamboo grove. The various deities were there to receive him, saying, “The Bodhisattva told us some time ago about the conversion of the Great Sage, for whom she had nothing but praise. You are supposed to be accompanying the Tang Monk at this moment. How do you have the time to come here?” “Because I am accompanying the Tang Monk,” said Pilgrim, “I had an incident on our journey about which I must see the Bodhisattva. Please announce my arrival.” The deities went to the mouth of the cave to make the announcement, and the Bodhisattva asked him to enter. Obeying the summons, Pilgrim went before the bejeweled lotus platform and knelt down.
“What are you doing here?” asked the Bodhisattva. “On his journey my master came across one of your Chan halls,” said Pilgrim, “where you receive the services of fire and incense from the local people. But you also permitted a Black Bear Spirit to live nearby and to steal the cassock of my master. Several times I tried to get it back but without success. I have come specifically to ask you for it.” The Bodhisattva said, “This monkey still speaks insolently! If the Bear Spirit stole your cassock, why did you come to ask me for it? It was all because you had the presumption, you wretched ape, to show off your treasure to sinister people. Moreover, you had your share of evildoing when you called for the wind to intensify the fire, which burned down one of my way stations down below. And yet you still want to be rowdy around here?” When Pilgrim heard the Bodhisattva speaking like that, he realized that she had knowledge of past and future events. Hurriedly he bowed with humility and said, “Bodhisattva, please pardon the offense of your disciple. It was as you said. But I’m upset by the monster’s refusal to give us back our cassock, and my master is threatening to recite that spell of his at any moment. I can’t bear the headache, and that’s why I have come to cause you inconvenience. I beseech the Bodhisattva to have mercy on me and help me capture that monster, so that we may recover the garment and proceed toward the West.”
“That monster has great magical power,” said the Bodhisattva, “really just as strong as yours. All right! For the sake of the Tang Monk, I’ll go with you this time.” When Pilgrim heard this, he bowed again in gratitude and asked the Bodhisattva to leave at once. They mounted the blessed clouds and soon arrived on the Black Wind Mountain. Dropping down from the clouds, they followed a path to look for the cave.
As they were walking, they saw a Daoist coming down the mountain slope, holding a glass tray on which there were two magic pills. Pilgrim ran right into him, whipped out his rod, and brought it down squarely on his head, with one blow causing the brains to burst and blood to shoot out from the neck. Completely stunned, the Bodhisattva said, “Monkey, you are still so reckless! He didn’t steal your cassock; he neither knew nor wronged you. Why did you kill him with one blow?”
“Bodhisattva,” said Pilgrim, “you may not recognize him, but he is a friend of the Black Bear Spirit. Yesterday he was having a conversation with a white-robed scholar on the grass meadow. Since they were invited to the cave of the Black Bear Spirit, who was going to give a Festival of the Buddha Robe to celebrate his birthday, this Daoist said that he would first go to celebrate his friend’s birthday today and then attend the festival tomorrow. That’s how I recognized him. He must have been on his way to celebrate the monster’s birthday.” “If that’s how it is, all right,” said the Bodhisattva. Pilgrim then went to pick up the Daoist and discovered that he was a gray wolf. The tray, which had fallen to one side, had an inscription on the bottom: “Made by Master Transcending Void.”
When Pilgrim saw this, he laughed and said, “What luck! What luck! Old Monkey will benefit; the Bodhisattva will save some energy. This monster may be said to have made a confession without torture, while the other monster may be destined to perish today.” “What are you saying, Wukong?” said the Bodhisattva. “Bodhisattva,” said Pilgrim, “I, Wukong, have a saying: plot should be met with plot. I don’t know whether you will listen to me or not.” “Speak up!” said the Bodhisattva.
“Look, Bodhisattva!” said Pilgrim. “There are two magic pills on this little tray, and they are introductory gifts that we shall present to the monster. Beneath the tray is the five-word inscription ‘Made by Master Transcending Void,’ and this shall serve as our contact with the monster. If you will listen to me, I’ll give you a plan that will dispense with weapons and do away with combat. In a moment, the monster will meet pestilence; in the twinkling of an eye, the Buddha robe will reappear. If you do not follow my suggestion, you may go back to the West, and I, Wukong, will return to the East; the Buddha robe will be counted as lost, while Tripitaka Tang will have journeyed in vain.”
“This monkey is pretty clever with his tongue!” said the Bodhisattva, laughing. “Hardly!” said Pilgrim. “But it is a small plan!” “What’s your plan?” asked the Bodhisattva. “Since the tray has this inscription beneath it,” said Pilgrim, “the Daoist himself must be this Master Transcending Void. If you agree with me, Bodhisattva, you can change yourself into this Daoist. I’ll take one of the pills and then change myself into another pill—a slightly bigger one, that is. Take this tray with the two magic pills and present them to the monster as his birthday gift. Let the monster swallow the bigger pill, and old Monkey will accomplish the rest. If he is unwilling to return the Buddha robe, old Monkey will make one—even if I have to weave it with his guts!”
The Bodhisattva could not think of a better plan and she had to nod her head to show her approval. “Well?” said Pilgrim, laughing. Immediately the Bodhisattva exercised her great mercy and boundless power. With her infinite capacity for transformation, her mind moved in perfect accord with her will, and her will with her body: in one blurry instant, she changed into the form of the immortal Master Transcending Void.
Her crane-down cloak swept by the wind,
With airy steps she’d pace the void.
Her face, aged like cypress and pine,
Shows fair, fresh features never seen.
She moves with freedom without end,
A special self-sustaining Thus!
In sum all return to one Form,
But from bodies perverse set free.
When Pilgrim saw the transformation, he cried,
“Marvelous, Marvelous! Is the monster the Bodhisattva, or is the Bodhisattva the monster?” The Bodhisattva smiled and said, “Wukong, the Bodhisattva and the monster—they both exist in a single thought. Considered in terms of their origin, they are all nothing.” Immediately enlightened, Pilgrim turned around and changed at once into a magic pill:
A rolling-pan steadying pearl—
Round, bright, of no known recipe.
Fused “three time three”12 at Mount Goulou;13
Forged “six times six,” with Shao Weng’s14 help.
Like glazed tiles and yellow gold flames
It shines with sun and mani’s light.
Its coat of mercury and lead
Has power not with ease assessed.
The pill into which Pilgrim had changed was slightly larger than the other one. Making a mental note of it, the Bodhisattva took the glass tray and went straight to the entrance of the monster’s cave. She paused to look around and saw
Deep gorges, parlous cliffs,
Clouds rising from the peaks;
Green pines and cypresses,
And wind rustling in the woods.
Deep gorges, parlous cliffs:
A place truly made for monsters and not for man!
But green pines and cypresses
Might seem fit for pious recluse to seek the Way.
The mountain has a stream,
And the stream has water,
Its current murmurs lightly as a lute
Worthy to cleanse your ears.
The cliff has deers,
The woods have cranes,
Where softly hums the music of the spheres
To lift your spirit.
So it was the bogus immortal’s luck that Bodhi came:
To vouchsafe boundless mercy was her vow.
After looking over the place, the Bodhisattva was secretly pleased and said to herself, “If this cursed beast could occupy such a mountain, it might be that he is destined to attain the Way.” Thus she was already inclined to be merciful.
When she walked up to the cave’s entrance, some of the little demons standing guard there recognized her, saying, “Immortal Transcending Void has arrived.” Some went to announce her arrival, while others greeted her. Just then, the monster came bowing out the door, saying, “Transcending Void, you honor my humble abode with your divine presence!” “This humble Daoist,” said the Bodhisattva, “respectfully submits an elixir pill as a birthday gift.” After the two of them had bowed to each other, they were seated. The incidents of the day before were mentioned, but the Bodhisattva made no reply. Instead, she took up the tray and said, “Great King, please accept the humble regard of this little Daoist.” She chose the large pill and pushed it over to the monster, saying, “May the Great King live for a thousand years!” The monster then pushed the other pill over to the Bodhisattva, saying, “I wish to share this with Master Transcending Void.” After this ceremonial presentation, the monster was about to swallow it, but the pill rolled by itself right down his throat. It changed back into its original form and began to do physical exercises! The monster fell to the ground, while the Bodhisattva revealed her true form and recovered the Buddha Robe from the monster. Pilgrim then left the monster’s body through his nose, but fearing that the monster might still be truculent, the Bodhisattva threw a fillet on his head. As he arose, the monster did indeed pick up his lance to thrust at Pilgrim. The Bodhisattva, however, rose into the air and began reciting her spell. The spell worked, and the monster felt excruciating pain on his head; throwing away the lance, he rolled wildly all over the ground. In midair, the Handsome Monkey King nearly collapsed with laughter; down below the Black Bear Monster almost rolled himself to death on the ground.
“Cursed beast.” said the Bodhisattva, “will you now surrender?” “I surrender,” said the monster without any hesitation, “please spare my life!” Fearing that too much effort would have been wasted, Pilgrim wanted to strike at once. Quickly stopping him, the Bodhisattva said, “Don’t hurt him; I have some use for him.” Pilgrim said, “Why not destroy a monster like him, for of what use can he be?” “There’s no one guarding the rear of my Potalaka Mountain,” said the Bodhisattva, “and I want to take him back there to be a Great Mountain-Guardian God.” “Truly a salvific and merciful goddess,” said Pilgrim, laughing, “who will not hurt a single sentient being. If old Monkey knew a spell like that, he’d recite it a thousand times. That would finish off as many black bears as there are around here!”
So, we shall tell you about the monster, who regained consciousness after along time. Convinced by the unbearable pain, he had no choice but to fall on his knees and beg: “Spare my life, for I’m willing to submit to Truth!” Dropping down from the blessed luminosity, the Bodhisattva then touched his head and gave him the commandments, telling him to wait on her, holding the lance. So it was with the Black Bear:
Today his vaulting ambition is checked;
This time his boundless license has been curbed.
“You may return now, Wukong,” instructed the Bodhisattva, “and serve the Tang Monk attentively. Don’t start any more trouble with your carelessness.” “I’m grateful that the Bodhisattva was willing to come this far to help,” said Pilgrim, “and it is my duty as disciple to see you back.” “You may be excused,” said the Bodhisattva. Holding the cassock, Pilgrim then kowtowed to her and left, while the Bodhisattva led the bear and returned to the great ocean. We have a testimonial poem:
Auspicious light surrounds the golden form:
What maze of colors so worthy of praise!
She shows great mercy to succor mankind,
To reveal gold lotus as she scans the world.
She comes all because of scripture seeking;
Then she withdraws, as ever chaste and pure.
The fiend converted, she leaves for the sea;
A Buddhist regains a brocade-cassock.
We do not know what happened afterwards; let’s listen to the explanation in the next chapter.
EIGHTEEN
At Guanyin Hall the Tang Monk leaves his ordeal;
At Gao Village the Great Sage casts out the monster.
Pilgrim took leave of the Bodhisattva. Lowering the direction of his cloud, he hung the cassock on one of the fragrant cedars nearby. He took out his rod and fought his way into the Black Wind Cave. But where could he find even a single little demon inside? The fact of the matter was that when they saw the Bodhisattva’s epiphany, causing the old monster to roll all over the ground, they all scattered. Pilgrim, however, was not to be stopped; he piled dried wood around the several doorways in the cave and started a fire in the front and in the back. The whole Black Wind Cave was reduced to a “Red Wind Cave”! Picking up the cassock, Pilgrim then mounted the auspicious luminosity and went north.
We now tell you about Tripitaka, who was impatiently waiting for Pilgrim’s return and wondering whether Bodhisattva had consented to come and help, or whether Pilgrim on some pretext had left him. He was filled with such foolish thoughts and wild speculations when he saw bright, rose-colored clouds approaching in the sky. Dropping at the foot of the steps and kneeling, Pilgrim said, “Master, the cassock is here!”
Tripitaka was most delighted, and not one of the monks could hide his pleasure. “Good! Good!” they cried. “Now we’ve found our lives again!” Taking the cassock, Tripitaka said, “Wukong, when you left in the morning, you promised to come back either after breakfast or sometime around noon. Why do you return so late, when the sun is already setting?” Pilgrim then gave a thorough account of how he went to ask for the Bodhisattva’s help, and how she in her transformation had subdued the monster. When Tripitaka heard the account, he prepared an incense table at once and worshipped, facing south. Then he said, “Disciple, since we have the Buddha robe, let us pack up and leave.” “No need to rush like that,” said Pilgrim. “It’s getting late, hardly the time to travel. Let’s wait until tomorrow morning before we leave.” All the monks knelt
down and said, “Elder Sun is right. It is getting late, and, moreover, we have a vow to fulfill. Now that we are all saved and the treasure has been recovered, we must redeem our vow and ask the venerable elders to distribute the blessing.1 Tomorrow we shall see you off to the West.”
“Yes, yes, that’s very good!” said Pilgrim. Look at those monks! They all emptied their pockets and presented all the valuables they had managed to salvage from the fire. Everyone made some contribution. They prepared some vegetarian offerings, burned paper money to request perpetual peace, and recited several scrolls of scriptures for the prevention of calamities and deliverance from evil. The service lasted until late in the evening. The next morning they saddled the horse and took up the luggage, while the monks accompanied their guests for a great distance before turning back. As Pilgrim led the way forward, it was the happiest time of spring.
You see
The horse making light tracks on grassy turfs;
Gold threads of willow swaying with fresh dew.
Peaches and apricots fill the forest gay.
Creepers grow with vigor along the way.
Pairs of sun-warmed ducks rest on sandy hanks;
The brook’s fragrant flowers tame the butterflies.
Thus autumn goes, winter fades, and spring’s half gone;
When will merit be made and the True Writ found?
Master and disciple traveled for some six or seven days in the wilderness. One day, when it was getting late, they saw a village in the distance. “Wukong,” said Tripitaka, “look! There’s a village over there. How about asking for lodging for the night before we travel again tomorrow?” “Let’s wait until I have determined whether it is a good or bad place before we decide,” said Pilgrim. The master pulled in the reins as Pilgrim stared intently at the village. Truly there were
