Output:
Sanzang told the Great Sage and the other two to pass on some more martial skills quickly so as not to delay their journey. The three of them all swung their weapons in the palace yard as they taught the secrets one by one. Within a few days the three young princes were all skilled performers. They also mastered all the seventy-two routines of attack, retreat and fast and slow fighting. This was firstly because the princes were all thoroughly determined, and secondly because the Great Sage Sun had given them the divine strength beforehand that enabled them to lift and move the thousand-pound cudgel and the eight-hundred-pound rake and staff. There was all the difference in the world between their present skills and those they had had before, and there is a poem that goes:

When they celebrated their fortune in finding divine teachers

They never expected their studies to alert a lion spirit.

With evil destroyed the country was at peace;

The frontier was settled as all were devoted to the one


Output:
Entity. Ninefold Numinosity’s powers lasted through their many clashes

Till the Way was achieved with all-round expertise.

The brilliant teaching would be passed on for ever,

And Yuhua know eternal peace and joy.

The prince then gave another great banquet to thank the three teachers, and a huge dish of gold and silver was brought out as a reward. “Take it straight back inside,” Monkey said with a smile, “take it straight back. We’re monks, and that’s no use to us.”


Output:
“We really can’t take gold or silver,” put in Pig who was standing beside him, “but the lion spirits tore our clothes to ribbons. If you could give us a change of clothing that would be very kind of you.” The prince ordered his tailors to fetch some bolts of blue, red and brown brocade and make each of them a garment after the style and colours of their old ones. The three of them were delighted to accept and put on their new brocade tunics, after which they packed up the luggage and set off on their way again. Everyone inside and outside the city, whether young or old, exclaimed that they were arhats and living Buddhas come down to earth. Crowds packed the streets to the sound of drums and music, and banners flew overhead. Indeed:

From the gate of every family the incense smoke arose;

At every household’s door coloured lanterns hung in rows.


Output:
The people only went back after seeing them for a long way along their journey. Only then did the four travelers manage to leave the city and head West. By leaving they shook off all thought and immersed their hearts in the True Achievement. Indeed:

Free from thought and worry, the Buddha’s land they seek,

Going faithfully, sincerely, towards the Vulture Peak.

If you do not know how much further the journey was to be or when it was to end, listen to the explanation in the next installment.

Chapter Ninety-one

Admiring the Moon Festival Lanterns in Jinping

The Tang Priest Confesses in Dark Essence Cave

Where should one strive to practice dhyana?

Swiftly to extirpate the misdeeds of the thought-horse and the mind-ape.

When they are firmly tethered they give off radiance,

But whoever halts falls to the three paths of suffering.

If one allows the divine elixir to leak away,

The jade-pure nature will wither as one slackens.

Anger, joy and worry must all be swept away:


Output:
Anger, joy and worry must all be swept away:

When the wonderful mystery is gained it seems like nothing.

The story tells how the Tang Priest and his three disciples left the city of Yuhua and had a very easy journey in what really was a land of paradise. When they had been travelling for five or six days another city appeared.

“Where is this?” the Tang Priest asked Brother Monkey.


Output:
“It’s a city,” Monkey replied, “but there are no flags on the poles above the city wall and I don’t know this area, so I’ll ask when we get closer.” When they reached the Eastern suburb they found it noisy with bars and tea-houses and bustling with a rice market and oil shops. Some idlers who were wandering in the streets with nothing better to do crowded round for a better look when they saw Pig’s long snout, Friar Sand’s black face and Monkey’s red eyes, but they dared not come any closer to question the travelers. The Tang Priest was sweating with the worry that they would provoke trouble as they crossed several more streets and had still not yet reached the city wall. Then they saw a monastery gate over which were the words CLOUDS OF COMPASSION MONASTERY.

“What about going in here to give the horse a rest and take a meal?” the Tang Priest suggested, to which Monkey replied, “Splendid, splendid.” The four of them then went inside, and this is what they saw:

Splendid, towering buildings,


Output:
Splendid, towering buildings,

Gleaming bases for statues..

The Buddha hall rise above the clouds;

The monks’ cells lie in the moonlit silence.

Red mists circle the stupas;

In the shade of jade-green trees the scripture-wheel is cool.

This is a true Pure Land,

Another Naga Palace,

Where purple mists surround the Mahavira Hall.

The cloisters are never empty of people enjoying the sights,

And visitors climb the pagoda that is always open.

Incense burns in the stand at every moment,

And lamps shine on the altar through the night.

A golden bell rings rhythmically in the abbot’s lodgings

As monks worship the Buddha by reciting sutras.

As the four of them looked around a monk came along the cloister and said to the Tang Priest with polite gestures of greeting, “Where have you come from, Teacher?”


Output:
“From the Tang Court in China,” the Tang Priest replied, at which the monk went down on his knees to kowtow, only to be quickly helped up by the Tang Priest, who asked, “Why do you perform this great courtesy, reverend abbot?”

“All the lovers of goodness here who read the sutras and recite the name of the Buddha hope to achieve rebirth in your land of China, so that when I saw you coming in your magnificent mitre and robes I was certain that your present splendor must be the result of your successful cultivation in earlier lives. That’s why it is right to kowtow to you.”


Output:
“It alarmed me,” said the Tang Priest with a smile, “it alarmed me. I am only an itinerant monk, and know no splendor at all. To be able to live at your leisure and ease as you do, abbot, is real bliss.” The monk then led the Tang Priest to worship the Buddha statues in the main hall. It was only now that Sanzang called for his disciples. After seeing their master start talking to the monk, Monkey and the other two had been standing in a group with their faces averted, holding the horse’s bridle and looking after the luggage, so that the monk had not noticed them.

But when they turned round on hearing the Tang Priest’s call the sight of them so frightened the monk that he called out, “My lord, why are your distinguished disciples so hideously ugly?”

“Ugly they may be,” the Tang Priest replied, “but they do have some magical powers. I have been very grateful for their protection all the way along the journey.”


Output:
As they were speaking more monks came out to greet them. The monk who had been the first to welcome the visitors explained to the others, “This teacher has come from Great Tang in China, and these three gentlemen are his distinguished disciples.”

“Teacher,” said the others with mixed pleasure and apprehension, “why have you come here from Great China?”

“I have been commanded by the Tang emperor to worship the Buddha and seek the scriptures in the Western Heaven,” Sanzang replied. “As I was passing this way I have come to your monastery to ask where we are and take a vegetarian meal before setting out again.” The monks were all delighted, and they invited the visitors into the abbot’s lodgings, where there were some more monks who were performing ceremonies on behalf of benefactors.


Output:
The monk who had met them first went on to explain to the others, “Come and have a look at what people from China are like: some are handsome and some are ugly. The beauty of the handsome ones could never be caught in a painting or drawing, and the ugly ones look really weird.” Both the monks and the benefactors all came to greet them, after which everyone sat down.

When tea had been drunk the Tang Priest inquired, “What is this fine country called?”

“This is Jinping, one of the outer prefectures of India,” the monks replied.

“How far is it from this prefecture to Vulture Peak?” the Tang Priest asked. “It is about seven hundred miles from here to the capital,” the monks replied, “and we have walked that distance. As we haven’t gone further West to Vulture Peak we don’t know how far that is and would not like to make a wild guess.” The Tang Priest thanked them.


Output:
A little later a vegetarian meal was provided, after which the Tang Priest wanted to be on his way, only to be pressed to stay by the monks and the benefactors who said, “Teacher, you must stay for a couple of days or so. Enjoy the Full Moon Festival before you go on your way.”

“On my journey I have only been aware of mountains and rivers and the danger of running into ogres or monsters,” the Tang Priest replied, “and I have lost my sense of time. I don’t know when Full Moon is.”


Output: “It’s because your heart is so set on worshipping the Buddha and on enlightenment that you have not thought about it, Teacher,” the monks replied. “Today is the thirteenth of the first month and the lanterns will be tried out tonight. The day after tomorrow is the fifteenth, when the festival begins, and it goes on till the lanterns are put away on the eighteenth or nineteenth. We enjoy celebrations here and our prefect, who cares for the people, has lanterns set out everywhere and music played all night. We also have a Bridge of Golden Lamps—it’s an ancient tradition that still flourishes. If you will stay for a few days, my lords, our monastery can certainly afford to entertain you.” The Tang Priest had no choice but to stay. As the bell and drum in the Buddha hall resounded to the skies the faithful came in from the streets bringing lanterns to present to the Buddha. The Tang Priest and the rest of them came out of the abbot’s lodgings to look at the lanterns, after which everyone turned in.


Output:
The next day, when they had eaten the vegetarian breakfast the monks of the monastery brought them, they strolled in the garden at the back. It really was a lovely place:

It is the first month of the year,

The beginning of the spring.

The wooded garden is quiet and elegant;

The beauty of the scene subdued.

Throughout the four seasons flowers and trees contend;

Turquoise peaks rise behind each other.

Fragrant flowers are growing before the steps,

And scent comes from the plum-tree’s branches.

Where there is red it joins the tender peach blossom;

Where there is green it mingles with the willows’ fresh green.

Forget about the splendor of the Gold Valley Garden;

Say nothing of the Wang River landscapes painted by Wang Wei.

In the flowing stream

The wild ducks bob and rise;

Among bamboos by the thousand

Poets ponder their choice of words.

Tree and herbaceous peonies, myrtle, fleeting-smile flowers,

That waken when their time is due;

Camellias, red plum blossom, winter jasmine and daphne,


Output:
All early to open out their beauty.

The snow piled by the hidden cliff seems frozen solid still;

The clouds that drift by the distant trees already bring early traces of spring.

The deer sees its reflection beside the pool;

Cranes come to hear the lute beneath the pines.

A few halls and pavilions to East and West,

Where travelers may stay;

Buildings and pagodas to North and South

Where monks may meditate in peace.

Among the flowers

Are one or two houses to nourish one’s nature,

Where double eaves rise above each other.

Amid the hills and streams

Are three or four cells in which to reline magic, Peaceful and light.

This is indeed a natural spot for a recluse:

Why look elsewhere for the earthly paradise?

After a day enjoying the garden they inspected the lanterns in the Buddha hall before going to look at the lantern festival. This is what they saw:

A splendid city of agate,

A fairyland of glass;

Palaces of crystal and mica,

Like layer upon layer of brocade,


Output:
Like layer upon layer of brocade,

Openwork carving behind openwork carving.

The dazzling bridge of stars moved heaven and earth

While trees of fire made waves of red

Flutes and drums played in the streets.

A moon like a ring of jade hung over a thousand gates;

Fragrant breezes blew through ten thousand homes.

There were giant turtle peaks soaring on high,

Fishes and dragons emerging from the sea,

Phoenixes sporting in the sky.

As all admired the moon and the lanterns

The atmosphere was full of harmony.

Among the crowds dressed in fine silks

All enjoyed the songs and panpipes.

Carriages rumbled along.

There was no end of beautiful faces,

Dashing gallants, And marvellous sights.

When Sanzang and the others had looked at the lanterns in the monastery they wandered around the streets of the Eastern suburb, not going back to bed till the second watch in the middle of the night.


Output: The next day Sanzang said to the monks, “I made a vow to sweep pagodas, and on the occasion of tonight’s Moon Festival I would like to ask the reverend abbot to open the doors of the pagoda to allow me to fulfil this vow.” The monks opened the doors, and when Friar Sand fetched his cassock and brought it to him on the ground floor he put it over his shoulders and prayed to the Buddha. Then he swept the ground floor with a broom, took the cassock off and gave it back to Friar Sand. He swept the second story next, and so on story by story till he reached the top. In every story there was a Buddha, and in each one he opened all the windows, swept the floor, and enjoyed the splendid views. By the time he had finished sweeping and come down again it was late and all the lamps had been lit.


Output:
It was now the night of the full moon. “Venerable teacher,” the monks said, “last night you only saw the lamps in our humble monastery and the outskirts of the city. As tonight is the main festival why don’t we go into the city to see the golden lamps there?” The Tang Priest was glad to follow this suggestion, and he went with his three disciples and the monks of the monastery into the city to see the lanterns. Indeed:

On the festive fifteenth night

The harmony of spring begins with the first full moon.

Decorated lanterns hang in the busy markets

As all sing the songs of a world at peace.

Over the lantern light in streets and markets

The moon’s round mirror rises in the sky

Like a silver dish, driven by the charioteer Ping Yi.

The lanterns were like a brocade carpet woven by fairies;

The lanterns were reflected by the moon,

Doubling its brilliance;

The moon shone on the lanterns,

Making them resplendent.

There was no end of iron-chain star bridges,

Lantern flowers and trees of fire.


Output:
Lantern flowers and trees of fire.

Snowflake lanterns,

Plum-blossom lanterns,

Like fragments of ice in spring;

Embroidered screen lanterns,

Painted screen lanterns,

Made up from every color.

Walnut lanterns,

Lotus lanterns,

Hung high on lantern towers;

Blue lion lanterns,

White elephant lanterns,

Fixed on lofty frames.

Shrimp lanterns,

Terrapin lanterns,

Placed in front of awnings;

Goat lanterns,

Hare lanterns,

Bringing the eaves to life.

Eagle lanterns,

Phoenix lanterns,

Lined up next to each other;

Tiger lanterns,

Horse lanterns,

Being carried along together.

Red-crowned crane lanterns,

White deer lanterns,

Carrying the Star of Longevity;

Goldfish lanterns,

Whale lanterns,

On which rode the poet Li Bai.

Giant turtle mountain lanterns,

Where gods and immortals gathered;

Revolving horse lanterns

On which warriors joined combat.

The towers of lanterns on thousands of houses

Made a world of clouds and smoke for several miles.


Output:
On one side, shining reins and flying jade saddles;

On the other, rumbling carriages leave fragrance behind.

On the red balcony,

Leaning against the railings,

Behind the curtains,

Shoulder to shoulder,

Hand in hand,

Pairs of beauties were eager for the fun.

By the bridge over green waters,

Noisy,

Many-coloured,

Drunken,

Laughing

Couples enjoyed the brilliant sights.

All of the city’s flutes and drums were playing;

Panpipes and songs went on all night.

There is also this poem as evidence:

Amid the fine brocades, of lotus were the songs;

This blessed land at peace was full of many throngs.

The lanterns and the moon upon this festive night

Foretold rich harvests after rain and wind just right.


Output:
This was a night when the curfew was relaxed, so that there were huge crowds and a great commotion. People were dancing, walking on stilts, wearing masks and riding elephants, pushing and crowding to East and to West as they looked all around. When they reached the bridge of golden lamps the Tang Priest and the monks pushed forward for a look and saw that it consisted of three golden lamps each the size of a water vat and shaped like a two-storied pavilion with a light shining out through intricate gold and silver filigree openwork. Glazed ceramic tiles inside the lamps reflected their light. They were so bright they outshone the moon, and their oil was very fragrant.

“What sort of oil do those lamps burn?” the Tang Priest asked the monks, “and why does it smell so remarkably good?”


Output:
“You wouldn’t know that, Teacher,” the monks replied. “There is a county near this prefecture called Mintian. In the whole county there are 240 wards, and when we have our annual assignment of jobs to be done for the state, 240 households have to provide oil. All the other jobs assigned by the prefecture or county are reasonable enough, but these oil households have a very hard time. Every household has to take it on for a year, and it costs them over two hundred ounces of silver. The oil isn’t ordinary oil but perfumed refined butter oil. One ounce costs two ounces of silver and a pound costs thirty-two ounces. Each of the lamps holds five hundred pounds of oil, making 1,500 pounds for the three of them, costing 48,000 ounces of silver. With other miscellaneous expenses it comes to over 50,000 ounces. And that only lasts three nights.”

“How can so much oil be used up in only three nights?” Monkey asked.


Output:
“In each lamp there are forty-nine big wicks about the size of an egg made of rushes wrapped in silk floss,” the monks explained. “When they have burned for one night the Lord Buddhas appear, the oil all vanishes and the lamp goes out.”

“I suppose the Lord Buddhas take all the oil,” said Pig with a grin as he stood at one side.

“That’s right,” the monks replied, “that’s what everyone in the city has always said ever since ancient times. If the oil runs dry they say that the Buddhas have taken the oil and the crops will certainly be bountiful; but if it doesn’t dry up on one occasion there will be famine, drought and the wrong weather at the wrong time in that year. That’s why everyone makes this offering.”


Output:
As they were talking there was the howling of a wind up in the air, sending everyone who was admiring the lanterns fleeing in terror. The monks could not hold their ground either. “Let’s go back, venerable teacher,” they said, “the wind’s here. It’s the Lord Buddhas bringing blessings. They’re here to see the lanterns.”

“How can you tell that?” the Tang Priest asked.

“It’s the same every year,” the monks replied. “The wind blows up before the third watch. Everybody gets out of the way as they know that it is the Lord Buddhas bringing down blessings.”

“I am one who thinks of, invokes and worships Buddhas,” the Tang Priest said. “If the Buddhas are honoring us with their presence on this festive occasion it would be wonderful to be able to worship them.” He rejected the monks’ repeated urgings to go back, and a little later the forms of three Buddhas appeared in the wind and approached the lamps. The Tang Priest was so excited that he ran to the top of the lamp bridge and threw himself down worship.


Output:
Brother Monkey rushed forward in alarm to drag him to his feet and say, “They’re no good, Master. I’m sure they’re evil.” Before the words were even out of his mouth the lamps all went out as with a great whoosh the Tang Priest was swept up by the wind. It was terrible! Who knew what evil monsters from what cave in what mountain had been posing as Buddhas to watch the golden lamps?

Pig and Friar Sand were thrown into such panic that they rushed all about, searching and calling for their master. “Brothers,” called Monkey, “no use shouting here. The master’s bliss has turned to disaster. He’s been carried off by evil spirits.”

“How can you tell that, my lord,” the appalled monks asked.


Output:
“You’re just a bunch of mortals,” Monkey replied with a grin, “so you haven’t realized what’s been happening all these years. The evil spirits have fooled you into thinking they’re true Buddhas coming down to accept the offerings of lamps. The Buddhas that appeared when the wind blew just now were three evil spirits. My master didn’t realize who they were, so he went up on the top of the bridge to worship them. They covered up all the lights and carried him off together with the oil in the lamps. As I was a bit too late the three of them got away by wind.”

“Brother,” said Friar Sand, “Whatever are we to do?”

“Not a moment to lose,” said Monkey. “You two go back the monastery with the monks and look after the horse and the luggage. I’m going after them while this wind’s still blowing.”


Output:
The splendid Great Sage then shot up by his somersault cloud into mid air, picked up the stench of the wind and headed Northeast in pursuit, carrying on till all of a sudden the wind dropped at dawn. A great mountain could be seen, a most steep, towering and splendid mountain:

Many a foothill and ravine,

Twisting and bending streams.

Creepers hang from the beetling precipice,

Pine and cypress rise from the lonely rock.

Cranes cry in the morning mists,

Wild geese call among the clouds at dawn.

Jutting peaks like a row of halberds,

Jagged crags of interlocking rocks.

The summits rise to eighty thousand feet,

And sheer-walled ridges make a thousand angles.

Wild flowers and noble trees all flourish with the spring;

Cuckoo and oriole respond to the scenery with song.

Majestic beauty,

Towering grandeur,

Steep, grotesque crags hard to climb.

One will stay there long in silence:

All that can be heard are tigers and leopards breathing.

River deer and white deer wander around;


Output:
River deer and white deer wander around;

Jade-coloured hares and gray wolves come and go.

The stream in the deep ravine will flow for a million miles;

Twisting torrents splash loud against the rocks.

While the Great Sage was on the top of a scar looking for his way he saw four people coming from the Western slopes driving three goats and all shouting, “New Year.” Monkey’s fiery eyes with their golden pupils flashed as he took a closer look to see that they were the four Duty Gods of the year, the month, the day and the hour in disguise.

The Great Sage then pulled out his iron cudgel, shook it till it was as thick as a ricebowl and about twelve feet long and sprang down from the cliff with a shout of, “Where are you skulking off to like that, trying to hide your faces?”

When the four Duty Gods realized that he had rumbled them they at once turned back into their normal selves, kowtowed beside the path and said, “Forgive us, Great Sage, forgive us.”


Output:
“Just because I haven’t had any jobs for you recently you thought I was getting lax and so you’ve all become very casual,” Monkey said. “You didn’t even greet me. It’s outrageous! Why aren’t you giving my master your secret protection? Where are you going?”

“Because your master somewhat forgot his dhyana nature and was so eager to enjoy himself in the Clouds of Compassion Monastery in Jinping Prefecture,” the Duty Gods said, “he met with evil at the height of splendor, his joy turned to disaster, and he was captured by the evil spirits. The Defenders of the Faith are looking after him at the moment. We realized that you would be coming after him this very night, Great Sage, and we came here to report to you in case you did not know the mountains and forests here.”

“If you were here to report,” said Brother Monkey, “why did you disguise your identities, why were you driving three goats, and what were you shouting and yelling for?”

“The three goats were for luck at the beginning of the year.


Output: They are to drive away the evil that’s obstructing your master.”


Output: Monkey had been absolutely determined to beat them, but on hearing this explanation he let them off and put his cudgel away as his fury turned to delight. “Are there evil spirits on this mountain?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “yes. This mountain is called Green Dragon Mountain and there’s a cave in it called the Dark Essence Cave where three evil spirits live. The oldest is called King Cold-avoider, the second is called King Heat-avoider and the third is called King Dust-avoider. They’ve lived here for a thousand years and have been fond of refined butter oil since they were children. Ever since they became spirits some years ago they’ve been pretending to be Buddhas to trick the officials and people of Jinping into setting out those golden lamps full of the refined butter oil that they take in their Buddha guises in the middle of every first month. When they saw your master this time they realized that he was a holy monk and carried him off to the cave too. Any day now they’ll slice off his flesh to fry


Output: Any day now they’ll slice off his flesh to fry in the refined butter. You must use your skills to save him as soon as possible.”


Output:
On hearing this Monkey dismissed the four Duty Gods with a shout and went round the mountain looking for the cave. Within a mile or two he saw a rock face by a gill, at the foot of which was a stone building with a pair of stone doors that stood ajar. Beside the doors was a stone tablet on which was inscribed

GREEN DRAGON MOUNTAIN

DARK ESSENCE CAVE

Not daring to go in uninvited, Monkey stopped and called, “Give me my master back at once, monster.” With a great noise the doors burst wide open, and out rushed a crowd of bull-headed demons who glared as they asked, “Who are you, yelling here like that?”

“I’m the senior disciple of the holy monk Tang Sanzang who’s come from Great Tang in the East to fetch scriptures,” Monkey replied. “He was looking at the lanterns in Jinping along our way when your chief demons carried him off here. Give him back at once if you want me to spare your lives. If you don’t I’ll turn our den upside-down and turn all you demons into just pus and blood.”


Output:
As soon as the junior demons heard this they rushed inside to report, “Disaster, Your Majesties, disaster!” The three old evil spirits had taken Sanzang into the depths of the cave and with no further ado were telling their underlings to strip him and wash him with water from the torrent. They were just about to have him sliced and diced into tiny pieces to fry in the refined butter when they heard the report of disaster from outside. The oldest demon king asked with some alarm what had happened.

“There’s a hairy-faced monk who looks like a thunder god outside,” the junior devils replied. “He’s shouting that Your Majesties carried his master here and wants him given back straight away if our lives are to be spared. Otherwise he’ll turn our den upside-down and turn us all into pus and blood.”


Output:
This news shocked the demon kings, who all said, “We’ve only just caught the wretch, and haven’t even asked him his name and his background. Little ones, dress him again and bring him here to be questioned. We must find out who he is and where he’s from.”

A crowd of devils untied the Tang Priest, put his clothes back on and pushed him to before the thrones, where he fell to his knees, trembling with fear, and pleaded, “Spare my life, Your Majesties, spare my life.”

“Where are you from, monk?” the three evil spirits said, all talking at once, “and why did you rush into the way of our clouds instead of avoiding the Buddha images?”


Output:
“I have been sent by the Great Tang Emperor in the East to worship the Lord Buddha and fetch the scriptures from the Great Thunder Monastery in India,” Sanzang replied with kowtows. “When I went into the Clouds of Compassion Monastery for a vegetarian meal the monks there pressed me to stay to see the lanterns at the Moon Festival. Seeing Your Majesties appearing as Buddhas from the bridge of golden lamps I kowtowed to you because my mortal eyes took you for real Buddhas. That’s why I got in the way of your clouds, Your Majesties.”

“How long was the journey from your country in the East to here?” the evil spirits asked. “How many people have you got with you? What are they called? Tell us the truth straight away and we’ll spare your life.”


Output: “My secular name was Chen Xuanzang,” the Tang Priest replied, “and I was a monk in the Jinshan Monastery from boyhood. Later I was given official rank as a monk in the Hongfu Monastery in Chang’an. When the minister Wei Zheng beheaded the Dragon King of the River Jing in his dream and the Tang emperor came back to life after his travels in the underworld, a Great Land and Water Mass was held for the rebirth of souls. The Tang emperor chose me to officiate at this ceremony and expound the great principles. The Bodhisattva Guanyin appeared during the mass and informed me that in the Thunder Monastery in the Western Heaven there are three stores of true scriptures that can carry the dead up to Heaven. I was sent to fetch them and given the title Sanzang, or “Three Stores.” As I use Tang as my surname people call me Tang Sanzang. I have three disciples. The first one is called Sun Wukong the Novice, and he is the Great Sage Equaling Heaven who has been converted to the truth.”


Output:
This news came as a shock to the evil spirits, who asked, “Did this Great Sage Equaling Heaven make great havoc in Heaven five hundred years ago?”

“Yes, yes,” the Tang Priest said. “The second one is called Zhu Wuneng or Zhu Bajie. He is Marshal Tian Peng come down to earth. The third is Sha Wujing, or Friar Sand, the Curtain-lifting General in mortal reincarnation.”

“It’s as well we haven’t eaten him yet,” the evil spirits all exclaimed in horror. “Little ones, lock the Tang Priest in iron chains at the back. When we’ve caught his three disciples we’ll eat them together.” They then mustered a force of armed yak, water-buffalo and ox spirits to go outside carrying bugles, waving banners and beating drums.

Once the three evil spirits were fully clad in their armor they went out and shouted, “Who’s that who dares come here shouting like that?” Monkey slipped round behind the scar to have a good look, and this is what the evil spirits were like:

Multi-coloured faces, round eyes,

Towering horns.


Output:
Towering horns.

Four sharp-pointed ears,

Neat and shining bright.

Bodies patterned like a painting,

Covered with brocades that shine like fireflies.

The first one wore a hat of foxes’ fur

And hot steam rose from the long hairs of his face.

The second wore a flaming cloak of lightest gauze

And had four gleaming, jade-like hooves.

The third had a mighty roar like thunder;

His sharp and pointed fangs were just like silver needles.

Each was brave and fierce

As they carried their three weapons;

One used a battle-axe,

One was an expert in the cutlass,

And the third had a knotted flail resting on his shoulders.


Output:
The other evil spirits, tall and short, fat and thin, senior and junior, were all cattle-headed monsters carrying spears or clubs. There were three big banners clearly inscribed with the words “King Cold-avoider,” “King Heat-avoider” and “King Dust-avoider.” After looking at all this for a while Monkey lost his patience and went up to them with a shout of, “Can you recognize Monkey, thieving damned ogres?”

“Are you the Sun Wukong who made havoc in Heaven?” the evil spirits shouted back. “It really is a case of

I heard your name before I saw your face:

The sight of that would bring the gods disgrace.

So all you are is a macaque.”

“I’ll get you, you lamp-oil thieves,” Monkey retorted in high dudgeon. “Don’t talk such rubbish, you smooth-tongued monsters. Give my master back at once.” With that he advanced and swung his iron cudgel, to be parried by the old demons who raised their weapons to meet the blow. A splendid fight ensued in the mountain hollow:

Battle-axe, cutlass and flail


Output:
Battle-axe, cutlass and flail

Met by the Monkey King’s lone cudgel.

Cold-avoider, Heat-avoider and Dust-avoider

Had heard of the Great Sage Equaling Heaven.

When the cudgel rose it scared demons and gods;

Axe and cutlass hacked and flew.

A primal dharma image of true emptiness

Holding off three demons masquerading as Buddhas.

Their noses all greasy with this year’s stolen oil,

They tried to snatch the monk sent by the emperor.

One for his master’s sake feared not the lengthy road;

The others in their greed had lamps offered every year.

All that could be beard was clash of axe and cutlass

And the noisy clatter of the cudgel.

With clashes and lunges three fought against one

As each showed his skill with blocks and parries.

They fought from dawn till almost nightfall

And a victor had yet to emerge in the struggle.


Output:
And a victor had yet to emerge in the struggle.

By the time Monkey’s cudgel had gone 150 rounds with the three demons it was nearly evening and the outcome was still in doubt. Then Dust-avoider sprang forward from the ranks with a swing of his flail and waved a flag, whereupon the crowd of cattle-headed demons swarmed round Monkey, encircling him and swinging wildly at him with their weapons. Seeing that things were going badly, Monkey set off his somersault cloud and fled in a whoosh. The demons did not go after him but called their devils back so that everyone could have an evening meal. They told the junior devils to take a bowl of food to Sanzang as well: he was not to be dealt with until Monkey had been caught. As the master was a lifelong vegetarian and was besides feeling miserable he sobbed and let none of the food touch his lips.

The story tells how Monkey rode his cloud back to the Clouds of Compassion Monastery and called, “Brothers.”


Output: On hearing this Pig and Friar Sand, who were waiting for him and discussing what to do, came out together to greet him with the words, “Brother, why are you only back now after being away all day? What’s happened to the master?”


Output: “I followed the smell of the wind right through the night till we got to a mountain and it disappeared,” Monkey replied with a smile. “Luckily the four Duty Gods told me that the mountain’s called Green Dragon Mountain and that there’s a Dark Essence Cave on it where three evil spirits live: King Cold-avoider, King Heat-avoider and King Dust-avoider. They’ve been stealing the oil here for years on end by disguising themselves as Buddhas to trick the officials of Jinping Prefecture. When they came across us this year they wickedly carried our master off with them. I told the Duty Gods and the rest of them to give the master some secret protection while I shouted insults at them from outside their doors. When the three demons came out they all looked like bullheaded demons. The first of them fought with a battle-axe, the second with a cutlass and the third with a flail. They had a whole gang of cattle-headed monsters with them, waving banners and beating drums. The fight went on all day and was still in the


Output: The fight went on all day and was still in the balance when one of the demon kings waved a flag to bring all the junior devils forward. As it was late and I was worried that I couldn’t beat them I came back by somersault cloud.”


Output:
“I reckon it must be the Demon King of Fengdu who’s making trouble for you,” said Pig.

“What makes you guess that?” Friar Sand asked. “I can tell because our big brother said they were all cattle-headed monsters,” replied Pig with a laugh.

“No, no,” said Monkey. “I saw them and they were all rhinoceros spirits.”

“If they’re rhinos we’ve just got to catch them and saw their horns off,” said Pig. “They’ll be worth quite a bit of silver.”

As they were talking the monks all asked Monkey if he had eaten any supper. “I’ll have something if it’s no trouble,” Brother Monkey replied, “but I can do without just as well.”

“Surely you’re hungry after fighting all day, my lord,” the monks said.


Output:
“You can’t get hungry in a mere day,” Monkey laughed. “I once went without food for five hundred years.” The monks did not know whether he was telling the truth or joking, and a little later food was brought in that Monkey ate, after which he said, “Tidy up and go to sleep. We’ll go and fight them again tomorrow and capture the demon kings so as to rescue the master.”

“What nonsense, brother,” said Friar Sand, who was standing to one side. “As the saying goes, ‘Delay brings wisdom.’ It’ll be terrible if that monster stays awake tonight and murders the master. We’d better go there right now and make such a row that he can’t do anything. It may go badly wrong if we lose a single moment.”

When Pig heard this he braced himself and said, “Friar Sand’s right. Let’s go and put down those demons. The moon’s bright enough.” Accepting their advice, Monkey left his instructions with the monks of the monastery.


Output:
“Look after the luggage and the horse. When we’ve captured the evil spirits we’ll bring them back here to prove to the prefect that they’re imposters. Then he can end the oil levy and relieve the common people of this hardship. That’ll be a good thing, won’t it?” The monks all accepted their orders while the three of them left the city by auspicious cloud. Indeed:

Idleness and unrestraint

Threw the dhyana into confusion;

Danger and catastrophe

Led the Way-heart into delusion.

If you don’t know who was to win this encounter listen to the explanation in the next installment.

Chapter Ninety-two

Three Monks Wage a Great Fight on Green Dragon Mountain

Four Stars Seize the Rhinoceros Monsters


Output:
Four Stars Seize the Rhinoceros Monsters

The story tells how after the Great Sage Monkey took his two brother disciples by gale and cloud to the Northeast they were soon bringing their cloud down at the entrance to the Dark Essence Cave on Green Dragon Mountain. Pig was just about to smash the doors in when Monkey said, “Wait a moment. I’ll go in and find out whether the master’s still alive before we have it out with him.”

“But the doors are shut very tightly,” said Friar Sand. How will you get in?”

“I’ve got my methods,” Monkey replied.

The splendid Great Sage then put his cudgel away, made a spell with his fingers while saying the magic words, called “Change!” and turned into a fire-fly. He was really nimble. Just look at him:

Wings that shine like shooting stars:

The ancients say fire-flies grow from rotting plants.

His powers of transformation are truly great,

And he loves to wander all around.

When he flies to the stone doors to look within

A draft blows through the crack beside him.


Output:
A draft blows through the crack beside him.

A single jump and he is in the dark courtyard,

Watching the movements of the evil spirits.

As he flew in he saw some cattle sprawled around on the ground, fast asleep and snoring like thunder. In the main hall nothing was moving, and all the doors were closed. Not knowing where the three evil spirits were sleeping, he went through the hall and shone with his light into the back, where he heard sobs. The Tang Priest was chained to a pillar under the eaves at the back and weeping. Monkey kept out of sight as he listened to what he was crying about, and this is what he heard:

“Since I left Chang’an in China some ten years back and more,

I have had to suffer much crossing all those rivers and mountains.

I came out to the West at a very happy season,

Arriving in the city for the festival of lanterns.

“I failed to understand that the Buddhas were impostors

All because my fate seems to doom me to distress.


Output:
My disciples gave pursuit and will use their mighty powers:

I pray they will be able to achieve a great success.”

Delighted to hear this, Monkey spread his wings and flew closer to his master, who wiped away his tears and observed, “Goodness, the West really is different. This is only the first month of the year, when dormant insects are just beginning to wake up. Fancy seeing a fire-fly now!”

“Master,” said Brother Monkey, unable to keep quiet any longer, “I’m here.”

“I was just wondering how there could be a fire-fly at this time of year, and it’s you,” the Tang Priest replied with delight.


Output:
“Master,” said Monkey, turning back into himself, “the journey’s been held up so long and so much effort has been wasted because you can’t tell true from false. All the way along I’ve told you demons are no good, but you will kowtow to them. When those devils covered up the lamps to steal the refined butter oil they carried you off too. I told Pig and Friar Sand to go back to the monastery and keep an eye on our things while I followed the smell of the wind here. I didn’t know what the place was called, but luckily the four Duty Gods told me that this is Dark Essence Cave on Green Dragon Mountain. I fought the monsters all day long till I went back at evening, told my brother-disciples the full story, and came back here with them instead of going to bad. As I thought it was too late at night to fight and didn’t know where you were I transformed myself to come in and find out what’s going on.”

“Are Pig and Friar Sand outside?” the happy Tang Priest asked.


Output:
“Yes,” Monkey replied. “I’ve just had a look around and seen that the evil spirits are all asleep. I’ll unlock you, smash the doors down and get you out.” The Tang Priest nodded his head in gratitude.

Using his unlocking magic, Monkey made the lock open at a touch. He was just leading his master to the front of the cave when the demon kings could be heard shouting from their bedrooms, “Shut the doors tight, little ones, and be careful of fire. Why can’t we hear the watchmen calling the watches? Where are the clappers and bells?”

After a day’s hard fighting the junior demons were all asleep, exhausted; and they only woke up when they heard the shout. To the sound of clappers and bells several of them came out from the back holding weapons and beating gongs, and they just happened to bump into Monkey and his master.


Output:
“Where do you think you’re going, my fine monks, now you’ve broken the locks?” the junior devils all shouted together, and with no further argument Monkey pulled out his cudgel, shook it to make it as thick as a rice bowl and struck, killing two of them at a blow. The rest of them dropped their weapons, went to the central hall, beat on the doors and shouted, “Disaster, Your Majesties, disaster. The hairy-faced monk’s got inside and he’s killing people.”

The moment the three demons heard this they tumbled out of their beds and ordered, “Catch them! Catch them!” This gave the Tang Priest such a fright that his hands and legs turned weak. Monkey abandoned him and stormed his way forward, swinging his cudgel.

The junior devils could not stop him as, pushing two or three aside here and knocking two or three over there, he smashed several pairs of doors open and rushed straight out, shouting, “Where are you, brothers?”


Output:
Pig and Friar Sand greeted him, rake and staff raised for action, with the question, “What’s up, brother?” Monkey told them all about how he had transformed himself to rescue the master, been found by the spirits when they woke up, and been forced to abandon him and fight his way out.

Now that they had recaptured the Tang Priest, the demon kings had him locked up in chains again and questioned him in the glare of lamplight, as they brandished cutlass and axe. “How did you open the lock, damn you,” they asked, “and how did that ape get inside? Confess this moment and we’ll spare your life, or else we’ll cut you in half.”


Output:
This so terrified the Tang Priest that he fell to his knees shivering and shaking and said, “Your Majesties, my disciple Sun Wukong can do seventy-two kinds of transformations. Just now he turned into a fire-fly and flew in to rescue me. We never realized that Your Majesties would wake up or that we would bump into Their Junior Majesties. My wicked disciple wounded a couple of them, and when they all started shouting and going for us with weapons and torches he abandoned me and escaped.”

“If we’d woken up earlier he’d never have got away,” the three demon kings said with loud guffaws. They then told their underlings to fasten the doors firmly at front and back and stop shouting.

“As they’ve shut the doors and stopped shouting I think they must be going to murder the master,” said Friar Sand. “We must act.”


Output:
“You’re right,” said Pig. “Let’s smash the doors,” The idiot showed off his magical powers by smashing the stone doors to smithereens with a blow from his rake then shouted at the top of his voice, “Thieving, oil-stealing monsters! Send my master out right now!”

This gave the junior devils inside the doors such a fright that they tumbled and ran inside to report, “Disaster, Your Majesties, disaster. The monks have smashed the front doors.”

“They’re outrageous, damn them,” the three demon kings said in a great fury, and when they had sent for their armor and fastened it on they took their weapons and led their underlings into battle. It was now about the third watch of the night, and the moon in the middle of the sky made all as bright as day. As they led their forces out they wasted no more words and started fighting. Monkey held off the battle-axe, Pig blocked the cutlass, and Friar Sand took on the flail.

Three monks with cudgel, staff and rake;

Three evil monsters both brave and angry.


Output:
Three evil monsters both brave and angry.

The battle-axe, the cutlass and the flail

Made howling winds and set the sand flying.

In their first clashes they breathed out baleful mists,

Then as they flew around they scattered coloured clouds.

The nailed rake went through its routines round the body,

The iron cudgel was even more splendidly heroic,

And the demon-quelling staff was something rarely seen on earth;

But the unrepentant ogres would not yield a foot of ground.

The bright-bladed axe had a sharp-pointed butt,

The whirling flail made a pattern of flowers,

And the flashing cutlass swung like a painted door;

But the monks were their match.

One side was fighting with fury for their master’s life;

The other hit at their faces so as not to release the Tang Priest.

The axe hacked and the cudgel blocked in the struggle for mastery;

The rake swung and the cutlass struck as they fought;

The knotted flail and the demon-quelling staff,

Coming and going in a splendid display.


Output:
Coming and going in a splendid display.

When the three monks and the three monsters had been fighting for a long time without either side coming out on top King Cold-avoider shouted, “Come on, little ones!” The monsters all charged at Pig, quickly tripping him up and bringing him to the ground. Several water-buffalo spirits dragged and pulled him inside the cave, where they tied him up. When Friar Sand saw that Pig had disappeared and heard the mooing of all the cattle he then raised his staff, feinted at King Dust-avoider and tried to flee, only to be rushed by another crowd of spirits who pulled at him, sending him staggering. However hard he struggled he could not get up, and he too was carried off to be tied up. Realizing that he was in an impossible situation, Monkey escaped by somersault cloud.

When Pig and Friar Sand were dragged to him the Tang Priest said with tears welling up in his eyes at the sight of them, “Poor things! You two have been caught too. Where’s Wukong?”


Output:
“When he saw we’d been caught he ran away,” Friar Sand replied.

“Wherever he has gone he will certainly have gone to fetch help,” said the Tang Priest. “But who knows when we will be delivered?” Master and disciples felt thoroughly miserable.

The story tells how Brother Monkey rode his somersault cloud back to the Clouds of Compassion Monastery, where the monks met him with the question, “Have you been able to rescue Lord Tang?”

“It’s difficult,” said Monkey, “very difficult. Those three evil spirits have tremendous magical powers, and when we three had fought them for a long time they called up their underlings to capture Pig and Friar Sand. I was lucky to get away.”

“My lord,” said the monks with horror, “if someone who can ride mists and clouds as you can couldn’t catch them, your master is bound to be killed.”


Output:
“No problem,” Monkey replied, “no problem. My master’s under the secret protection of the Protectors, the Guardians, the Dings and the Jias. He has besides eaten Grass-returning Cinnabar. I’m sure his life will be safe. The only trouble is that those demons really know their stuff. You people look after the horse and the luggage while I go up to Heaven to get some troops.”

“Can you go up to Heaven, my lord?” asked the terrified monks.

“I used to live there,” replied Monkey with a smile. “Because I wrecked the Peach Banquet when I was Great Sage Equaling Heaven, our Buddha subdued me, so that now I’ve no option but to redeem my crimes by guarding the Tang Priest while he fetches the scriptures. All along the journey I’ve been helping the good and fighting against the evil. What you don’t realize is that the master is fated to have these troubles.” When the monks heard this they kowtowed in worship, while Monkey went outside and disappeared with a whistle.


Output: The splendid Great Sage was soon outside the Western Gate of Heaven, where the Metal Planet, Heavenly King Virudhaka and the four spirit officers Yin, Zhu, Tao and Xu were talking to each other. As soon as they saw Monkey coming they hastily bowed to him and said, “Where are you going, Great Sage?”


Output: “After we reached Mintian County in Jinping Prefecture on the Eastern borders of India,” Monkey replied, “my master, the Tang Priest who I’m escorting, was being entertained by the monks of the Clouds of Compassion Monastery for the Full Moon Festival. When we went to the Bridge of Golden Lamps there were three golden lamps full of over fifty thousand ounces of silver’s worth of scented refined butter oil that the Buddhas came down to take every year. While we were admiring the lamps three Buddha images did come down to earth, and my master was gullible enough to go on the bridge to worship them. I told him they were a bad lot, but by then the lamps had been covered up and the master carried off with the oil by a wind. When I’d followed the wind till dawn I reached a mountain, where the four Duty Gods fortunately told me that it was called Green Dragon Mountain with a Dark Essence Cave in it where three monsters lived: King Cold-avoider, King Heat-avoider and King Dust-avoider. I hurried to their doors to


Output: King Dust-avoider. I hurried to their doors to demand the master and fought them for a while without success, so I got in by transforming myself to find the master locked up but unharmed. I released him and was just taking him out when they woke up and I had to flee again. Later I fought hard against them with Pig and Friar Sand, but the two of them were both captured and tied up. That’s why I’ve come up to inform the Jade Emperor, find out about the monsters’ background and ask him to give orders to have them suppressed.”


Output:
At this the Metal Planet burst out laughing and said, “If you’ve been fighting the monsters why can’t you tell where they’re from?”

“I can see that,” Monkey replied. “They’re a bunch of rhino spirits. But they have such enormous magical powers that I can’t beat them and I’m desperate.”


Output:
“They are three rhinoceros spirits,” the Metal Planet explained. “Because their form is seen in heaven they cultivated their awareness for many years and became true spirits able to fly on clouds and walk in mists. Those monsters are fanatical about cleanliness and don’t like the look of their own bodies, and are always going into the water to bathe. They have lots of different names: there are she-rhinos, he-rhinos, gelded rhinos, spotted rhinos, humao rhinos, duoluo rhinos and heaven-connected brindled rhinos. They all have a single nostril, three types of hair and two horns. They roam the rivers and seas and can travel through water. It looks as though Cold-avoider, Heat-avoider and Dust-avoider have nobility in their horns, which is why they call themselves kings. If you want to catch them, they will submit to the four beast stars belonging to the element wood.”

“Which four wood stars?” Monkey asked. “Could I trouble you, venerable sir, to spell it out for me?”


Output:
“Those stars are spread out in space outside the Dipper and Bull Palace,” the planet replied with a smile. “If you submit a memorial to the Jade Emperor he will give you detailed instructions.” Raising his clasped hands as he expressed his thanks, Monkey went straight in through the heavenly gates.

He was soon outside the Hall of Universal Brightness, where he saw the heavenly teachers Ge, Qiu, Zhang and Xu, who asked, “Where are you going?”

“We’ve just reached Jinping Prefecture,” Monkey replied, “where my master relaxed his dhyana nature by going to enjoy the Moon Festival lanterns and was carried off by evil monsters. As I can’t subdue them myself I’ve come to ask the Jade Emperor to save him.” The four heavenly teachers then took Monkey to the Hall of Miraculous Mist to submit his memorial, and when all the ceremonials had been performed he explained his business. The Jade Emperor then asked which units of heavenly soldiers he wanted to help him.


Output:
“When I arrived at the Western Gate of Heaven just now,” Monkey replied, “the Metal Planet told me they were rhinoceros spirits that could only be subdued by the four beast stars belonging to the element wood.” The Jade Emperor then told Heavenly Teacher Xu to go to the Dipper and Bull Palace with Monkey to fetch the four beast stars and take them down to the lower world to make the capture.

By the time they arrived outside the Dipper and Bull Palace the Twenty-eight Constellations were there to greet them. “We are here by imperial command to order four beast stars belonging to the element wood to go down to the lower world with the Great Sage Sun,” the heavenly teacher explained. The Wooden Lesser Dragon of the Constellation Horn, the Wooden Unicorn of the Dipper, the Wooden Wolf of the Strider, and the Wooden Hyena of the Well all stepped forward from the side to ask, “Where are you sending us to subdue demons, Great Sage?”


Output:
“So you’re the ones,” said Brother Monkey with a smile. “That old man Metal Planet kept your names secret, and I didn’t realize what he was driving at. If he’d told me before that it was you four wooden animals from the Twenty-eight Constellations I’d have come here to invite you myself: there’d have been no need to trouble His Majesty for an edict.”

“What a thing to say, Great Sage,” the four wooden animals replied. “We’d never have dared to leave on our own authority in the absence of an imperial decree. Where are they? Let’s go right away.”

“They are rhinoceros spirits in the Dark Essence Cave in Green Dragon Mountain to the Northeast of Jinping Prefecture.”

“If they’re really rhinoceros spirits,” said the Wooden Unicorn of the Dipper, the Wooden Wolf of the Strider and the Wooden Lesser Dragon of the Horn, “you’ll only need Wooden Hyena from the Well Constellation. He can eat tigers on mountains and capture rhinos in the sea.”


Output:
“But these aren’t ordinary rhinos who gaze at the moon,” replied Monkey. “They have cultivated their conduct and found the Way and are a thousand years old. All four of you gentlemen must come: no excuses. If one of you can’t capture them single-handed it’ll be wasted effort.”

“You people are talking nonsense,” the heavenly teacher added. “The imperial command is that all four of you go, so go you must. Fly there at once while I report back.” The heavenly teacher then took his leave of Monkey and went.

“Delay no more, Great Sage,” the four wooden ones said. “You challenge them to battle and lure them out so we can come from behind you and get them.” Monkey then went up to the cave and shouted abusively, “Oil-thieving ogres! Give my master back!” The doors, which Pig had smashed open, had been barricaded with a few planks by a number of junior devils, and when they heard his insults they rushed inside to report, “Your Majesties, the monk Sun is outside insulting us again.”


Output:
“We beat him and he ran away,” said Dust-avoider, “so why’s he back again today? I think he must have got some reinforcements from somewhere.”

“We’re not scared of any reinforcements he could get,” said Cold-avoider and Heat-avoider scornfully. “Let’s get into our armor at once. Little ones, surround him carefully and don’t let him get away.” Not caring about their lives, the evil spirits came out of the cave holding spears and swords, with banners waving and drums beating. “Back again, are you, macaque?” they shouted at Brother Monkey. “Not afraid of another beating?”

Nothing infuriated Monkey so much as the word “macaque,” and he was grinding his teeth in rage as he lifted his cudgel to hit them. The three demon kings brought their junior devils up to surround him, at which the four wooden beasts who were waiting to one side swung their weapons with shouts of, “Don’t move, animals!”


Output: The three demon kings were of course most alarmed at the sight of the four stars, and they all said, “This is terrible, terrible. He’s found the people who can beat us. Run for your lives, little ones!” With that there was much roaring, lowing, panting and sighing as the junior devils all resumed their original appearances as yak, water-buffalo and ox spirits running all over the mountain. The three demon kings also turned back into their true selves, put their hands down to become four-hoofed creatures like iron cannons, and galloped off to the Northeast, to be followed hard by the Great Sage leading the Wooden Hyena of the Well and the Wooden Lesser Dragon of the Horn. While they were not going to relax for a moment, the Wooden Unicorn of the Dipper and the Wooden Wolf of the Strider were mopping up all the cattle spirits among the hollows, summits, ravines and valleys of the Eastern mountain. Some were killed and others taken alive. They then went into the Dark Essence Cave to free the Tang Priest, Pig


Output: Dark Essence Cave to free the Tang Priest, Pig and Friar Sand.


Output:
Recognizing the two stars, Friar Sand bowed to them in thanks and asked, “What brought you two gentlemen here to rescue us?”

“We came to rescue you because the Great Sage Monkey submitted a request to the Jade Emperor that we be sent,” the two stars replied.

“Why has my disciple Wukong not come in?” the Tang Priest asked with tears in his eyes.

“The three old demons are rhinoceroses,” the stars explained, “and when they saw us they fled for their lives to the Northeast. The Great Sage Sun has gone after them with the Wooden Hyena of the Well and the Wooden Lesser Dragon of the Horn. We two wiped out the oxen then came here to rescue you, holy monk.” The Tang Priest once again kowtowed in thanks then kowtowed to heaven.


Output:
“Master,” said Pig, “overdone courtesy is hypocrisy. Stop kowtowing all the time. The four star officers came at the Jade Emperor’s command and as a favour to big brother. The ordinary demons have all been wiped out, but we still don’t know how the senior demons are to be put down. Let’s clear all the valuables out of the cave, wreck the place so as to dig out their roots, then go back to the monastery to wait for Monkey.”

“Marshal Tian Peng, your suggestion is right,” said the Wooden Wolf of the Strider. “You and the Curtain-lifting General escort your master back to the monastery to sleep while we head Northeast to fight the enemy.”


Output:
“Yes, yes,” said Pig. “With you two to help you’re bound to wipe them all out. Then you’ll be able to report back on your mission.” The two star officers immediately joined the chase. After Pig and Friar Sand had found a bushel of valuables in the cave—there was much coral, agate, pearls, amber, precious shells, jade and gold—they carried them outside and invited the master to sit on the top of a crag while they started a fire that burned the whole cave to ashes. Only then did they take the master back to the Clouds of Compassion Monastery in Jinping Prefecture. Indeed:

The classic says, “Disaster comes at the height of success.”

Indeed one can meet with evil in happiness.

For love of the lanterns the dhyana nature was disturbed;

The heart set on the Way was weakened by a beautiful sight.

The great elixir has always had to be permanently guarded;

Once it is lost one always comes to grief.

Shut it up tight; bind it fast; never idle.

A moment’s lack of care can lead one astray.


Output:
A moment’s lack of care can lead one astray.

We will tell not of how the three of them went back to the monastery, their lives saved, but of how the Wooden Unicorn of the Dipper and the Wooden Wolf of the Strider were riding their clouds Northeast in pursuit of the demons when they lost sight of them in mid air. On reaching the Western Ocean they saw the Great Sage Monkey down by the sea a long way away, shouting.

“Where have the monsters gone, Great Sage?” they asked, bringing their clouds down. “Why didn’t you two come after them and help put them down?” Monkey replied. “How can you have the nerve to ask that question?”


Output:
“When we saw that you and the stars from the Well and the Horn had routed the demons and were going after them, Great Sage,” the Wooden Unicorn of the Dipper replied, “we were sure you’d capture them, so we two wiped out the rest of the devils, rescued your master and fellow-disciples from the cave, searched the mountain, burned the cave out, and entrusted your master to your two fellow-disciples to take back to the Clouds of Compassion Monastery in the city. We only came after you this way when you had been gone for such a long time.”

“In that case you did very well,” said Brother Monkey, his wrath now turned to pleasure. “Thank you for going to so much trouble. The only thing is that when we’d chased the three ogres this far they plunged into the sea. The two stars from the Well and the Horn followed close behind them while I stayed on the shore to cut off their escape. Now you’re here you can block them on the shore while I go there.”


Output:
The splendid Great Sage then swung his cudgel and made a spell with his fingers as he cleared a way through the waters, plunging deep into the waves, where the three monsters were locked in a life-and-death struggle with the Wooden Hyena of the Well and the Wooden Lesser Dragon of the Horn.

“Monkey’s here,” he shouted, springing forward. The evil spirits could barely hold off the two star officers, so when they heard Monkey’s great yell at this moment of crisis they turned and fled for their lives into the middle of the sea. Their horns were very good at parting the waters, and they cleared their way through the sea with a whooshing noise, the two star officers and the Great Sage Monkey chasing after them.


Output: A yaksha who was patrolling the Western Ocean with a shelled warrior saw from a distance the way the rhinoceroses were parting the waters, recognized Monkey and the two stars, and rushed back to the crystal palace to report to the dragon king in alarm, “Your Majesty, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven and two stars from the sky are chasing three rhinoceroses this way.” When the old dragon king Ao Shun heard this he said to his heir, Prince Mo’ang, “Muster our water forces at once. I’m sure it must be the three rhinoceros spirits Cold-avoider, Heat-avoider and Dust-avoider who’ve provoked Sun the Novice. As they’re in the sea now we’d better lend a hand.” Having been given his orders Ao Mo’ang hastened to muster his troops.


Output:
A moment later a fully-armed force of tortoises, soft-shelled turtles, alligators, bream, mackerel, mandarin fish, carp, and prawn and crab soldiers charged out of the crystal palace shouting their battle-cries together to stop the rhinoceros spirits. Unable to go any further forward, the rhinoceroses made a hasty retreat, only to find their escape blocked by the stars from the Well and the Horn as well as the Great Sage. In their panic they failed to stay in a group, but scattered as they fled for their lives. Dust-avoider was soon surrounded by the old dragon king’s men.

A delighted Monkey called out, “Stop! Stop! Take him alive! Don’t kill him!” When Mo’ang heard this order he rushed forward, knocked Dust-avoider to the ground, put an iron hook through his snout and tied all his hoofs together.


Output:
The old dragon king then divided his forces into two to help the star officers capture the other two monsters. As the young dragon prince led his men forward the Wooden Hyena of the Well reverted to his real form to hold Cold-avoider down and start eating him in big and little bites.

“Well Star!” Mo’ang shouted. “Don’t kill him! The Great Sage Monkey wants him alive, not dead.” Mo’ang shouted several times, but by then the Hyena had already gnawed right through the monster’s throat.

Mo’ang ordered his prawn and crab soldiers to carry the dead rhinoceros back to the palace of crystal, then joined the Wooden Hyena of the Well in the pursuit. Heat-avoider, who was being driven back towards them by the Wooden Lesser Dragon of the Horn, ran straight into the star from the Well, at which Mo’ang ordered his tortoises, soft-shelled turtles and alligators to spread out in the winnowing-fan formation to encircle the monster.


Output:
“Spare me, spare me!” the monster pleaded. The wooden Hyena of the Well sprang forward, grabbed the monster by the ear, seized his sword, and shouted, “I won’t kill you. I won’t kill you. I’ll take you to the Great Sage Monkey for him to deal with you.”

The troops then went back to the crystal palace, where they reported, “We’ve got them both.” Monkey saw that one was lying headless and gory on the ground, while the other was being forced to kneel by the Wooden Hyena of the Well twisting his ear.

“That head wasn’t cut off with a weapon,” Monkey said on going up for a closer look.

“If I hadn’t shouted so hard the star officer of the Well would have eaten the whole of him up,” replied Mo’ang with a smile. “Very well then,” said Monkey.


Output:
“In that case you’d better get a saw to cut off his horns and have his hide removed for us to take. We’ll leave the flesh for your worthy father the dragon king and yourself to enjoy.” A chain was then run through Dust-avoider’s nose for the Wooden Lesser Dragon of the Horn to lead him by, and the same was done to Heat-avoider for the Wooden Hyena of the Well.

“Take them to the prefect of Jinping,” said Monkey. “Investigate them, question them about all the years they masqueraded as Buddhas to harm the people, then off with their heads.”

They all then did as Monkey told them, taking their leave of the dragon king and his son and emerging from the Western Ocean, leading the rhinoceroses with them. When they met the other two stars from the Strider and the Dipper they went by cloud straight back to Jinping Prefecture.


Output: Here Monkey called out as he stood in mid air on a beam of auspicious light, “Mr. Prefect, subordinate officials, soldiers and civilians of Jinping, listen to what I say. We are holy monks sent by the Great Tang in the East to fetch the scriptures from the Western Heaven. In this prefecture and its counties you have had to make offerings in golden lamps every year to these rhinoceros monsters pretending to be Buddhas coming down to earth. When we came here and were admiring the lamps at the Moon Festival these monsters carried the oil and our master off together. I asked for some gods from heaven to capture them. We’ve cleaned out their cave and wiped out the monsters. They won’t be able to give you any more trouble. You needn’t waste the people’s money making offerings in golden lamps here any more.”


Output:
When Pig and Friar Sand, who were just escorting the master back into the Clouds of Compassion Monastery, heard Monkey talking from up in the sky they abandoned their master, dropped the luggage and shot up into the air by cloud to ask Monkey about how the demons had been beaten.

“One of them was chewed to death by the star from the Well,” Monkey replied, “and we’ve got his sawn-off horns and his hide with us. The other two we’ve brought back alive.”

“Throw the pair of them down into the city,” said Pig, “for the officials and everyone else to see. Then they’ll know we’re gods and sages. I’ll trouble you four star officers to put your clouds away, land, and come into the prefectural court with us to execute the monsters. The facts are clear and the penalty’s the right one. There’s nothing else to be said.”

“Marshal Tian Peng is right, and he knows the laws too,” the four stars said.

“I have learned a bit during my years as a monk,” Pig replied.


Output:
The gods then pushed the rhinoceroses, which fell wreathed in coloured clouds into the prefectural court, to the astonishment of the prefectutal officials and everyone else inside and outside the walled city, who all set up incense tables outside their houses, and bowed their heads to worship the gods from heaven. A little later the monks of the Clouds of Compassion Monastery carried the venerable elder into the court in a sedan chair.

When Sanzang met Monkey he kept thanking him, adding, “I am very grateful for the trouble I have put the star officers to in rescuing us. I had been very anxious when I did not see you, worthy disciple, but now you have returned in triumph. I wonder where you had to chase the monsters to before you caught them.”


Output: “After I left you the day before yesterday,” Monkey replied, “I went up to heaven to make some enquiries. The Metal Planet knew that the monsters were rhinoceroses, so he told me to ask for the four beast stars that belong to the element wood. So I submitted a memorial to the Jade Emperor and he sent them straight to the mouth of the cave, where they gave battle. When the demon kings fled, the stars from the Dipper and the Strider rescued you, Master, I chased the demons with the Well and the Horn stars straight to the Western Ocean, where the dragon king sent his son out with their troops to help us. That’s how the monsters were captured and brought here for questioning.” The venerable elder was full of endless praise and thanks. The prefectural and county officials and their subordinates all lit precious candles and whole containers of incense sticks as they kowtowed in respect, A little later Pig lost his temper, pulled out his monastic knife and beheaded first Dust-avoider, then Heat-avoider, each with a


Output: Dust-avoider, then Heat-avoider, each with a single stroke. Then he removed their four horns with a saw. The Great Sage Monkey then had another suggestion to make: “You four star officers must take these four rhinoceros horns to the upper world to offer to the Jade Emperor as trophies when you report back on your mission.” As for the two horns he had brought back from the sea, he said, “We’ll leave one here to guard the storehouses of the prefectural palace and as evidence that from now on no more lamp-oil will ever be levied. We’ll take the other to offer to the Lord Buddha on Vulture Peak.” The four stars were delighted, and after bowing to take their leave of the Great Sage they rose by coloured cloud to report back to the Jade Emperor.


Output: The prefectural and county officials kept the master and his disciples for a great vegetarian banquet to which all the rural officials were also invited. Notices were issued to tell the military and civil population that golden lamps were not to be lit the next year, and that the duty of serving as an oil-purchasing household was abolished for ever. Butchers meanwhile were instructed to remove the rhinoceros skins to be steeped in saltpeter and smoked dry for making into armor, while the flesh was to be distributed to the officials. At the same time money and grain that had been raised by unjust fines on innocent people were spent to buy a plot of privately-owned empty land. On this a temple to the four stars who had put the demons down, as well as a shrine to the Tang Priest and his three disciples, were to be built. Stone tablets with inscriptions were to be set up for each of them to record their deeds for ever as a mark of gratitude.


Output:
Master and disciples relaxed and enjoyed the offerings. They had hardly a moment to themselves as they had so many invitations from the 240 lamp-oil households. Pig was delighted to have so much to eat, and he always kept in his sleeve some of the treasures he had collected in the cave to give to all his hosts to thank them for their banquets. When they had stayed there for a month and were still unable to get away the Tang Priest ordered Monkey.

“Wukong, give all the remaining valuables to the monks in the Clouds of Compassion Monastery. Let’s leave before dawn, without letting the rich families here know. If we are so eager to enjoy ourselves here that we delay in fetching the scriptures we may offend the Lord Buddha and cause some catastrophe. That would be terrible.” Monkey then disposed of all the objects.


Output:
When they got up early the next morning at the fifth watch Pig was woken up to get the horse ready. The idiot had eaten and drunk so well that he was still half asleep as he said, “Why get the horse ready so early?”

“The master says we’ve got to be going,” Monkey shouted.

“That reverend gentleman doesn’t do things right,” the idiot said, rubbing his eyes. “We’ve had invitations from all 240 of the big families, but only had thirty or so good vegetarian meals so far. How can he be making me go hungry again?”

When the venerable elder heard this he retorted abusively, “Dreg-guzzling idiot! Stop talking such nonsense! Get up at once! If you go on arguing back like that I’ll tell Wukong to smash your teeth in with his gold-banded cudgel.”


Output:
At the mention of a beating the idiot gesticulated frantically as he said, “The master’s changed. Usually he favours me and likes me and protects me because I’m so stupid. When you want to hit me, brother, he usually persuades you not to. So why’s he dead set on telling you to hit me today?”

“The master’s angry with you for being so greedy,” Monkey replied, “and holding us up on our journey. If you don’t want me to hit you, pack the luggage and get the horse ready.”

As the idiot really was scared of being hit he jumped out of bed, got dressed and shouted to Friar Sand, “Get up right now! He’s going to start hitting.” Friar Sand then jumped up too, and they both got everything packed.

“Keep quiet,” said the Tang Priest, waving his hands about, “and don’t disturb the monks.” He quickly mounted, after which they opened the gate of the monastery and found their way out. Indeed, this departure was

Letting the phoenix escape from the birdcage of jade;

Secretly opening locks so the dragon goes free.


Output:
Secretly opening locks so the dragon goes free.

If you don’t know what the households who still wanted to thank them did at daybreak, listen to the explanation in the next installment.

Chapter Ninety-Three

In the Almsgiver’s Garden Antiquity and Causes Are Discussed

In the Court of India the King Meets the Monks

When thoughts arise there surely will be desire,

Longing is certain to lead one to disaster.

Why should intelligence distinguish the three ranks of nobility?

When conduct is complete it naturally returns to the primal sea.

Whether you become an immortal or a Buddha,

All must be arranged from within.

In absolute purity, with all dust removed,

All will be achieved and one will rise to heaven.

The story tells how when Sanzang and his disciples were nowhere to be seen at dawn the monks in the Clouds of Compassion Monastery all said, “We couldn’t keep them, we couldn’t say goodbye to them, and we weren’t able to ask them for anything. We’ve let those living Bodhisattvas slip clean away.”


Output:
As they were talking, some of the great families from the Southern outskirts of the city came in with invitations, at which the monks clapped their hands in regret and said, “We were caught off our guard last night: they all rode off by cloud.” Everyone then kowtowed to heaven in gratitude. The news was spread to all the officials in the city, who told the great families to prepare the five kinds of sacrificial animal, flowers and fruit to offer to the shrines in thanksgiving.

The story tells how the Tang Priest and his three disciples fed on the wind and slept in the open, travelling uneventfully for the best part of a month. One day they suddenly saw a high mountain. “Disciples,” said the Tang Priest in fear, “the ridge in front of us is very steep. You must be very careful.”

“As our journey has brought us so close to the land of the Buddha there will definitely be nothing evil here,” said Monkey. “Don’t worry, Master.”


Output:
“Disciple,” the Tang Priest replied, “although we are not far from the Buddha’s land the monks told us in the monastery the other and they didn’t know how much further after that.”

“Have you forgotten the Heart Sutra that the Rook’s Nest Hermit taught you again, Master?” asked Monkey.

“The Prajna-paramita Heart Sutra is constantly with me, like my habit and begging bowl,” Sanzang replied. “There has not been a day ever since the Rook’s Nest Hermit taught it to me that I have not recited it. I have never forgotten it for a moment. I can even recite it backwards. How could I possibly forget it?”

“You can only recite it, Master,” said Monkey. “You never asked the hermit to explain it.”

“Ape!” retorted Sanzang. “How can you say I don’t understand it? Do you understand it then?”

“Yes,” Monkey replied, “I do.”

After that neither Sanzang nor Monkey made another sound. This had Pig falling about with laughter, while Friar Sand was hurting himself, he was so amused.


Output:
“Nonsense,” said Pig. “We all started out in life as monsters. We’re not Dhyana monks who’ve heard the sutras being explained or Buddhist priests who’ve been taught the dharma. He’s pretending, just putting on an act. How can you say you understand? Well then, why aren’t you saying anything? We’re listening. Please explain.”

“Second brother,” said Friar Sand, “leave him be. Big brother’s only talking big like that to keep the master going. What he knows about is how to use a cudgel. What does he know about explaining sutras?”

“Stop talking such nonsense, Wuneng and Wujing,” said Sanzang. “Wukong understands the wordless language. That is true explanation.”

As master and disciples talked they did indeed cover a long distance, leaving the ridge behind them. They saw a big monastery beside the road. “Wukong,” said Sanzang. “There’s a monastery ahead. Just look at it.

It’s neither too big nor too small,

But has green glazed tiles;

Neither too new nor too old,

And with a red wall.


Output:
And with a red wall.

Leaning canopies of azure pines can just be seen:

Who knows how many thousand years old they are?

Listen to the murmur of the waters in the channel,

Cut from the mountain untold dynasties ago.

Above the gates is written,

‘Spread Gold Dhyana Monastery’;

The tablet is inscribed,

‘Ancient relic.’”

Monkey saw that it was called the Spread Gold Dhyana Monastery, and Pig said so too. ‘“Spread Gold,’” Sanzang wondered as he sat on his horse, “‘Spread Gold’ …Can we be in the country of Sravasti?”

“This is very remarkable, Master,” said Pig. “In all the years I’ve been with you you’ve never known the way before, but you seem to know it now.”


Output:
“No,” Sanzang replied, “I have often read in the scriptures about the Buddha being in the Jetavana garden in the city of Sravasti. The Venerable Almsgiver Sudatta tried to buy it from the prince as a place to ask the Buddha to preach in. The prince refused to sell the garden, and said he would only part with it if it were covered with gold. When the Venerable Almsgiver heard this he had gold bricks made with which he covered the whole garden to buy it. Then he invited the Buddha to preach on the dharma. I am sure that the name Spread Gold Monastery must refer to that story.”

“We’re in luck,” said Pig with a smile, “If that story’s true we can find ourselves one of those bricks as a present to give people.” Everybody laughed, after which Sanzang dismounted.


Output:
As they went in through the monastery gates they saw people carrying loads with shoulder-poles or on their backs, pushing carts, or sitting in loaded carts. Others were sleeping or talking. The sight of the master, who was so handsome, and his three hideous disciples rather frightened them, so they drew back to make way.

Worried that his disciples would provoke trouble, Sanzang kept saying, “Behave yourselves! Behave yourselves!” They were all very restrained. As they went round the Vajra Hall a Dhyana monk of most unworldly appearance came out to meet them:

A face like a shining full moon,

A body like a bodhi tree.

The wind blew through the sleeve round his staff,

As his sandals trod the stony path.

When Sanzang extended a monastic greeting to him the monk returned his courtesy and asked, “Where are you from, teacher?”


Output:
“I am Chen Xuanzang,” Sanzang replied, “sent to the Western Heaven at the command of the Great Tang emperor in the East to worship the Buddha and fetch the scriptures. As my journey brings me here I am paying you this hasty visit to request a night’s shelter before continuing on my way tomorrow.”

“This monastery of ours is one that receives people from all quarters,” the monk replied. “Everyone is welcome to visit, and we would be especially happy to provide for so holy a monk from the East as your reverend self.” Sanzang thanked him and called to his three disciples to come with him as they crossed the cloister and refectory and went to the abbot’s lodgings. When they had exchanged courtesies they sat down as befits host and guests. Monkey and the other two sat down as well, their hands at their sides.


Output:
The story tells how, on learning that monks from Great Tang in the East who were going to fetch the scriptures had arrived, all in the monastery, young and old alike, whether permanent inmates, itinerant monks, elders or novices came to see them. After tea had been drunk a vegetarian meal was brought in. While Sanzang was still saying the grace before the meal Pig in his impatience had already grabbed and wolfed down steamed buns, vegetarian dishes and soup noodles. In the crowded abbot’s lodgings those who knew better were admiring Sanzang’s majestic bearing, while those who enjoyed fun watched Pig eat.

When Friar Sand cast his eyes around and saw what was happening he gave Pig a discreet pinch and muttered, “Behave yourself!”

At this Pig started a desperate howl of, “All this ‘behave yourself, behave yourself!’ I’m starving!”


Output:
“You don’t understand, brother,” Friar Sand replied with a smile. “When it comes to the belly, all the well-behaved people in the world are exactly the same as we two.” Only then did Pig stop eating. After Sanzang had said the grace for the end of the meal the attendants cleared the tables and Sanzang expressed his thanks.

When the monks asked about why they had come from the East, Sanzang’s conversation turned to ancient sites and he asked them about the name Spread Gold Monastery.


Output:
“This used to be the Monastery of the Venerable Almsgiver in the country of Sravasti,” the monks answered. “It was also known as the Jetavana and its name was changed to its present one after the Venerable Almsgiver covered the ground with gold bricks, in those days the Venerable Almsgiver used to live in the country of Sravasti, and our monastery was his Jetavana, which is why it was renamed the Almsgiver’s Spread Gold Monastery. The site of the Jetavana is at the back of the monastery. Whenever there has been a torrential rainstorm in recent years, small pieces of gold and silver have been washed out, and some people are lucky enough to pick them up.”

“So the story is a true one,” said Sanzang, going on to ask, “Why did I see so many travelling merchants with horses, mules, carts and carrying-poles resting here when I came in through the gates of your monastery?”


Output:
“This mountain is called Mount Hundredfoot,” the monks replied. “We used to live in peace and prosperity here, but with the cyclic progression of the natural forces a number of centipede spirits have for some inexplicable reason appeared. They attack people on the roads and though nobody gets killed people don’t dare to travel. At the foot of the mountain there’s a Cock-crow Pass that people only dare to cross after cock-crow. As all these strangers arrived late they are worried that it would not be safe and are putting up here tonight. They’ll set out at cock-crow.” As master and disciples were talking a vegetarian meal was brought in that they ate.

Sanzang and Monkey were strolling in the light of the rising half moon when a lay brother came to announce, “Our ancient master would like to meet the gentlemen from China.”

Sanzang at once turned to see an ancient monk holding a bamboo cane who came forward to greet him and ask, “Are you the teacher come from China?”


Output:
“You do me too great an honour,” Sanzang replied, returning his greeting. The old monk was full of admiration for him, asking how old he was.

“I have wasted forty-five years,” Sanzang replied. “May I ask how old you are?”

“Just one sixty-year cycle older than you, teacher,” the other answered.

“Then you’re a hundred and five this year,” Brother Monkey said. “How old do you think I am?”

“Teacher,” the old monk replied, “your appearance seems so ancient and your spirit so pure that I could not tell in a hurry, especially by moonlight with my poor eyes.” After talking for a while they walked to the back cloister for a look round.

“Where is the site of the Almsgiver’s Garden that you mentioned just now?” Sanzang asked.

“Outside the back gate,” the other replied. On the order being given for the back gate to be opened immediately, all that could be seen was the ruined base of a stone wall. Putting his hands together, Sanzang sighed and said,

“I think of the benefactor Sudatta


Output:
“I think of the benefactor Sudatta

Who gave his treasures to help the needy

The fame of Jetavana long endures;

Where is he now with the enlightened arhat?”

After a leisurely stroll enjoying the moonlight they sat down for a while on a terrace, where they heard the sound of sobbing. As Sanzang listened with a still heart he could hear that the weeper was grieving because her parents did not know of her suffering. This moved him to sorrow, and he found himself in tears as he turned to the monks and asked, “Who is it being so sad, and where?” On hearing this question the ancient monk sent all the others away to prepare tea, and when nobody else was around he kowtowed to the Tang Priest and Brother Monkey.

“Venerable abbot,” said Sanzang, helping him to his feet again, “why do you pay me this courtesy?”


Output:
“As I am over a hundred,” the ancient monk replied, “I do know a little of the ways of the world; and in between periods of meditation and stillness I have seen some things. I know a certain amount about you, my lord, and your disciples, and you are not like other people. The only teachers here who would be able to analyze this most painful business are you.”

“Tell me what it’s all about,” said Monkey.


Output: “A year ago today,” the ancient monk replied, “I was concentrating my mind on the nature of the moon when I suddenly heard a gust of wind and the sound of someone grieving. I got out of bed, went into the Jetavana and saw a beautiful girl there. ‘Whose daughter are you?’ I asked her. ‘Why are you here?’ ‘I am a princess, the daughter of the king of India,’ the girl replied. ‘The wind blew me here when I was looking at the flowers by moonlight.’ I locked her up in an empty room that I bricked up like a prison cell, just leaving a gap in the door big enough to pass a bowl through. That day I told the other monks that she was an evil spirit I had captured. But as we monks are compassionate I couldn’t kill her, and every day she is given two meals of simple food and drink to keep her alive. The girl is clever enough to understand what I mean, and to prevent herself from being sullied by the other monks she has pretended to be deranged and slept in her own piss and shit. During the day she talks nonsense or just


Output: shit. During the day she talks nonsense or just sits there in silence, but in the still of the night she cries because she misses her parents. I’ve been into the city several times to make enquiries about the princesses, but not a single one is missing. So I have put her under stronger locks, and I am even more determined not to let her go. Now that you have come here, teacher, I beg you to go to the capital and use your dharma powers to find out the truth.


Output:
You will thus be able both to rescue the good and display your magical powers.”

When Sanzang and Monkey heard this they noted it very carefully. As they were talking two junior monks came in to invite them to take tea and go to bed, so they went back inside.

Back in the abbot’s lodgings Pig and Friar Sand were grumbling, “We’ll have to be on our way at cock-crow tomorrow, so why aren’t you in bed yet?”

“What’s that you’re saying, idiot?” Monkey asked.

“Go to bed,” Pig replied. “Why are you admiring the blooming scenery this late?” At this the ancient monk left them, and the Tang Priest went to bed.

Sweet dreams of flowers in the moonlit silence;

Warm breezes coming through the window gauze.

As water drips in the clepsydra to fill three sections,

The Milky Way shines on the splendors of the palace.


Output:
They had not slept long that night when they heard the cocks crowing. The traders in front of the monastery all got up noisily and prepared their breakfast by lamplight. The venerable elder woke up Pig and Friar Sand to bridle the horse and pack up, while Monkey called for lamps to be lit. The monks of the monastery, who were up already, set out tea, soup and snacks, and waited on them. Pig ate a plate of steamed buns with delight then took the luggage and the horse outside while Sanzang and Brother Monkey took their leave of all the monks.

“Please don’t forget about that very tragic business,” said the ancient monk.


Output:
“I’ll give it all my attention,” Monkey replied, “all my attention. Once I’m in the city I’ll be able to find out the truth from what I hear and see.” They traders noisily set off together. By the last watch of the night they were through Cockcrow Pass, and by ten in the morning the walls of the city were in sight. It was indeed a powerful city as strong as an iron cauldron, the heavenly capital of a divine region. The city

Was a crouching tiger or a coiled dragon on high ground,

Colorful with its phoenix towers and unicorn halls.

The waters of the royal moat encircled it like a belt;

In his mountainside paradise were many a monument.

The morning sun lit up banners by the high-way;

The spring wind carried the sound of pipes and drums across the bridges.

The wise king was dressed in robes and crown,

The crops were abundant and the splendor manifest.


Output:
That day they reached the streets of the Eastern market, where the traders all put up at inns. As Sanzang and his disciples were walking in the city they came to a government hostel and went inside. The hostel manager went to report to the hostel superintendent that there were four strange-looking monks outside who had arrived with a white horse. On being told about the horse the superintendent realized that they must be on an official mission, so he went out to welcome them.

“I have been sent by the Tang court in the East to the Great Thunder Monastery on Vulture Peak to see the Buddha and seek the scriptures,” Sanzang replied with a bow. “I have a passport to present at court for inspection. I would be grateful if I could spend the night in Your Excellency’s distinguished hostel. I will be on my way when my business has been done.”


Output:
“This hostel has been established to entertain envoys and travelers,” the superintendent replied, returning his bow, “so it is only right that we should entertain you. Please come in, please come in.”

A delighted Sanzang invited his disciples to come in to meet the superintendent, who was quietly appalled by their hideous faces. He did not know whether they were men or demons, so he trembled as he saw to tea and a vegetarian meal for them. Noticing his fright, Sanzang said, “Don’t be afraid, Your Excellency. My three disciples look hideous, but they are good at heart. As the saying goes, the faces are ugly but the men are kind. There’s nothing to be afraid of about them.”

The hostel superintendent’s worries were eased when he heard this. “Where is your Tang court, Teacher of the Nation?”

“In the land of China in the continent of Jambu,” Sanzang replied.

“When did you leave home?” was the next question.


Output:
“In the thirteenth year of Zhenguan, fourteen years ago,” Sanzang replied. “I had to cross thousands of rivers and mountains—it was very hard—to arrive here.”

“You are a holy monk,” the hostel superintendent said.

“How old is your exalted dynasty?” Sanzang asked.

“This is the great land of India,” the superintendent replied, “and the dynasty has endured for over five hundred years since our High Ancestor. Our reigning sovereign, who is a lover of landscapes and flowers, is known as the Happy Emperor. His reign-period is called Jingyan and is now in its twenty-eighth year.”

“I would like to have an audience with His Majesty today to have the passport inspected and returned,” said Sanzang. “When does he hold court?”


Output:
“Splendid,” the superintendent said, “absolutely splendid. Today is the twentieth birthday of Her Royal Highness, the king’s daughter. A decorated tower has been built at the crossroads, where the princess is going to throw down an embroidered ball to let heaven decide who her husband it to be. Today is a very lively one, and I believe that His Majesty will not yet have finished his morning audience. This would be a good time to go if you wish to have your passport inspected and returned.” Sanzang was just about to set happily off when the meal was brought in, so he ate it with the superintendent, Monkey and the other two.

By now it was past midday, and Sanzang said, “I had better be going.”

“I’ll escort you, Master,” said Brother Monkey. “Me too,” said Pig.

“No, don’t, brother,” put in Friar Sand. “Your face is nothing much to look at, so there’s no point in your going to look impressive outside the palace gates. Best let our big brother go,”


Output:
“Wujing is right,” Sanzang commented. “The idiot is coarse and stupid. Wukong is more clever and subtle.” The idiot thrust his snout out and said, “Apart from you, Master, there’s not much to choose between our three faces.”

Sanzang then put on his cassock. Monkey took the passport case had accompanied him. In the streets everyone—gentleman, peasant; artisan, trader, scholar, pen-pusher, dim-wit, or common man—was exclaiming, “Let’s go and see the embroidered ball being thrown.”

Sanzang stood beside the road and said to Monkey, “People, clothes, buildings, language and speech here are all the same as in our Great Tang. I remember that my late mother married after throwing an embroidered ball to make the match she was destined for, and they have that custom here too.”

“What about us going to take a look too?” asked Monkey.

“No, no,” Sanzang replied. “We are not wearing the right clothes for the occasion. We might arouse suspicion.”


Output: “Master,” said Monkey, “you’ve forgotten what the ancient monk in the Spread Gold Monastery told us. We could find out whether she is genuine or not while we’re taking a good look at the decorated tower. With all this bustle and activity the king is bound to be going to hear the princess’s good news. He won’t bother with court business. Let’s go.” On hearing this Sanzang did indeed go with Monkey. All kinds of people were there to watch the throwing of the embroidered ball. Oh dear! Little did they know that by going they were like a fisherman casting his hook and line and catching himself trouble.


Output: The story now explains that two years earlier the king of India had taken his queen, consorts and daughter into the royal garden to enjoy a moonlit night because he so loved landscapes and flowers. This had provoked an evil spirit, who had carried the princess off and turned herself into the girl’s double. When she learned that the Tang Priest was coming at this time, day, month and year the evil spirit had used the wealth of the kingdom to build the decorated tower in the hope of winning him as her mate and absorbing his true masculine primal essence to make herself a superior immortal of the Great Monad.


Output:
At the third mark of the noonday hour, when Sanzang and Monkey had joined in the crowd and were approaching the tower, the princess lit some incense and prayed to heaven and earth. She was surrounded by five or six dozen exquisitely made-up beauties who were attending her and holding her embroidered ball for her. The tower had many windows on all sides. As the princess looked around she saw the Tang Priest approaching, so she took the embroidered ball and threw it with her own hands at the Tang Priest’s head. It knocked his Vairocana mitre askew, giving him such a start that he immediately reached with both hands to

steady the ball, which rolled down his sleeve.

At once there were great shouts from everyone on the tower of, “She’s hit a monk! She’s hit a monk!”