Journey to the West: Beginning with the Apprenticeship of Bodhi Patriarch

Chapter 120 The Great Sage Comes Out of the Mountain, and the Story of the Six-Eared Macaque

The story tells that Jin Chanzi was reincarnated as the monk Tang Monk on his journey to the west. He encountered danger at Shuangcha Ridge, but fortunately his soul was clear and his cassock protected him, saving his life. Only after receiving the designation of Taibai Jinxing did Tang Monk go west.

On the way to the west, he saw a man driving away tigers and wolves, looking very majestic. After asking carefully, he learned that this man was called "Liu Bochin", a guardian of the mountain. With his protection, Tang Seng was able to pass Shuangcha Ridge.

When they reached the Five Elements Mountain, Liu Bochin was unwilling to go any further, so Tang Seng asked him the reason.

Liu Bochin said, "This mountain is called Liangjie Mountain because it is between the territory of the Tang Dynasty and the territory of the Tatars. If we go further, we will reach the territory of the Tatars. I cannot go there. So please go by yourself."

Tang Monk had no choice but to bid farewell in tears. He was at a loss as to how to go west and was afraid of being harmed by demons. When he was terrified, he saw tigers, leopards, jackals and wolves coming from the Tatar territory, staring at the elder with a covetous look.

Tang Seng was so frightened that he almost lost his soul. How could he dare to move forward?

Liu Bochin roared at that side, but the tigers, leopards, jackals and wolves were not afraid of the Taibao. He said, "Elder, the tigers and wolves here will not surrender to me, and I can do nothing about it."

Tang Seng was trembling with fear and wanted to retreat, thinking that if he went back, his life would be saved.

It was a moment of helplessness.

Suddenly there was a loud roar of thunder, causing the tigers, leopards, jackals, snakes, insects, rats and ants to flee in all directions as if they were facing a great enemy, not daring to stay.

"Master is here! Master is here! I'm here!"

The roar was like thunder, which frightened Tang Seng and Liu Bochin.

It is exactly the great sage’s magical power.

Tang Seng panicked and asked, "What is this? The roar is like thunder, and tigers and wolves flee when they hear it."

Liu Bochin said: "It must be the old ape, it must be the old ape!"

Tang Seng asked: "What do you mean?"

Liu Bochin said: "Elder, you don't know that the mountain we are in was formerly known as the Five Elements Mountain, and later it was renamed the Two Realms Mountain. In the early years, an elder said that this mountain was sent down from the sky."

Tang Monk asked: "How can there be a mountain that descends from the sky?"

Liu Bochin replied, "The elders said that this mountain was built by the gods when Wang Mang usurped the Han Dynasty. There is a divine monkey under the stone gate at the bottom of the mountain. It is immune to cold and heat, and is guarded by the earth gods. It has lived here for hundreds of years without freezing or starving to death. The roar must be from him. Don't be afraid, elder. I will go down the mountain with you to see him and ask him why he calls you Master."

Tang Seng put his hands together in front of his chest and said, "Thank you for your help, thank you for your help!"

The two of them then went down the mountain. When they reached the stone gate at the foot of the mountain, they saw a monkey with its head exposed. Seeing Tang Seng, it called out, "Master, why did you come only now? I have been waiting for you for so long. Please save me quickly. I will help you to reach the Western Paradise!"

Tang Seng was frightened and dared not answer.

Liu Boqin was the guardian of the mountain, and he was indeed bold. He stepped forward and asked, "What do you mean?"

The Great Sage said, "Go ahead and ask the elder to come and talk to me."

Tang Seng stepped forward and clasped his hands together and asked, "What do you have to say to me?"

The Great Sage asked, "Are you the one sent by the King of the East to go to the West to obtain the scriptures?"

Tang Seng said: "That's right, that's right."

The Great Sage said, "I am the Great Sage Equaling Heaven who caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace five hundred years ago. Because I committed a great sin, I was imprisoned here by the Buddha. Previously, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva followed the Buddha's order and went to the East to find the pilgrim. He told me that if I escorted the pilgrim to the West, I would be spared this disaster. If I can help the pilgrim to succeed, I will also have a positive result, so I am waiting here."

When Tang Seng heard this, he thought that the immortal had pointed out that this was the right place. He was overjoyed and said, "In that case, I am willing to save you."

The Great Sage said, "Go up the mountain. There is a golden note on the mountain, which was left by the Buddha. Just peel off the note and I will come out and help you on your journey to the west."

Upon hearing this, Tang Seng walked up the mountain and unveiled the golden note. The Great Sage made Tang Seng walk dozens of miles away. After a series of landslides and earthquakes, the Great Sage finally got out of the Five Elements Mountain and was free again.

From then on, his mind returned to the right path and he protected his soul.

……

However, in the Slanting Moon and Three Stars Cave, Jiang Yuan, who was refining an external elixir, felt something in his heart and looked towards the east. However, he did not have deep magical powers to observe the three realms, so he could not see where it was.

But he had a guess in his mind that this was probably the monkey head that was born.

Since you have been born, you should hone yourself well so that the five people in your body can be subdued as soon as possible, the two gods can retreat, and your merits and deeds can be completed.

Jiang Yuan thought to himself, "I'm afraid this journey will be difficult. This monkey has two minds, and his master is being bullied. This two minds will definitely cause him great trouble in the future. Wukong can only stick to this path, and he will be very capable when he succeeds. But I don't know what his two minds are like."

He looked at the cauldron in front of him. It was the time to nourish the true yang energy. It would still take some time. Three taels and six grams of true yang energy would take quite a while, at least several months.

Jiang Yuan looked at Red Boy beside him and said, "Holy Infant, are you familiar with the fire here?"

Red Boy, who was always lighting the fire and playing with the wind, heard this and replied, "Master, I have learned it. The fire is easy to control. Just use a warm fire to inhale and exhale and add more."

Jiang Yuan said: "In this case, you stay here and use this to warm the fire and nourish the true yang energy. When the work is done, I will come and talk to you. I must leave here."

Red Boy said, "Don't worry, Master. I will stay here to cultivate my true Yang energy."

Jiang Yuan nodded. He knew that Red Boy was extremely talented, intelligent, and had been in the state of Ming Yuanshen for a long time. He had mastered many of the subtleties here, but he didn't realize it.

After giving some instructions, he left and went to the master's quiet room.

After a while, the immortal walked to the master's quiet room.

The master was waiting for him in the room.

Jiang Yuan came forward and bowed, saying, "Master."

The master sat cross-legged on the futon and said, "Tong'er, why did you come to my place when you are not refining the elixir in your mansion?"

Jiang Yuan said: "Master, I was just refining the elixir. When I was warming up the furnace and nurturing the cauldron, I felt something in my heart. It must be that Wukong has escaped from his predicament."

The master smiled and said, "The boy's magical power is getting stronger day by day. It is true that the monkey has escaped from the trap and is now on the same journey as the pilgrim. It is not that he has gained nothing after being trapped for so many years. The six thieves in his body are taught to subdue them. If he can concentrate on traveling west, when he reaches the sacred mountain, his mission will be accomplished."

Jiang Yuan said: "Master, I see that Junior Brother Wukong has two minds in one body. It has become a trend. There will be a great disaster in the future. I don't know how to subdue the two minds in one body?"

The master said, "This is the mind of the monkey. Only the monkey can be subdued. There are many ways to subdue it. When the monkey's fate comes, he will know it."

Jiang Yuan asked: "Master, what is the second mind? I have been practicing for many years, but I have never heard of the second mind."

The master said, "Those who practice cultivation, if they do not cultivate their minds, will all develop dual minds. The monkey was created by heaven and earth, so his dual minds are strong. Boy, have you ever heard of the 'Four Mischievous Monkeys'?"

Jiang Yuan replied, "I have heard that there are five kinds of insects in the world, namely naked insects, hairy insects, feathered insects, insects, and scales. The four monkeys do not belong to these five categories. One is the Lingming Stone Monkey, who is good at transformation, knows the weather, knows the advantages of the terrain, and can move the stars and change the constellations. The second is the red-butted horse monkey, who knows yin and yang, understands human affairs, is good at going in and out, and avoids death and prolongs life. The third is the Tongbi Ape Monkey, who can hold the sun and the moon, shrink thousands of mountains, distinguish good and bad, and play with heaven and earth. The fourth is the six-eared macaque, who is good at listening, can observe the principles, know the past and the future, and understands everything. These four monkeys are mixed in the world." The ancestor laughed and said, "The four monkeys were not born casually. The two hearts are not these six ears."

When Jiang Yuan heard this, he suddenly realized, "The six-eared macaque is a double mind. It is good at listening, understanding, and knowing the past and the future. This is because it is born from the human mind and is originally one body. Therefore, it knows everything about this person."

The master said, "That's exactly the reason. The six-eared macaque is born in the heart, which is the double heart. If a practitioner does not cultivate his heart, the two spirits will grow stronger, and then the six thieves will be born. If the mind is unstable, then the six ears will be born. Usually the six-eared macaque cannot show up, and it will only harm you in your heart with the two spirits. The monkey was created by heaven and earth, and when the six ears are ready, they will show up. If the monkey surrenders, the mission will be accomplished. If it fails to surrender, it will be harmed."

Jiang Yuan said: "Now that I have heard what the six-eared macaque said, I know that those who do not cultivate their minds will face great disasters."

The master smiled and said, "You, boy, have not forgotten to practice, your heart of Tao has not changed, and you cannot have second thoughts. If you pity that monkey, it would be fine to help it when it has second thoughts."

Jiang Yuan wanted to say something more.

The master said, "Boy, Guanyin Bodhisattva is waiting outside the palace. You should go and see her."

When Jiang Yuan heard this, he bowed to the master, then left the quiet room and went out of the mansion. He didn't know why the Bodhisattva wanted to see him.

He walked out of the cave, but saw Guanyin Bodhisattva waiting for him outside.

The immortal hurried forward and bowed, saying, "Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva."

The Bodhisattva responded by saying, "Master Guangxin."

Jiang Yuan did not dare to be impolite, and welcomed Guanyin Bodhisattva into the building of his mansion and treated her with courtesy.

During the banquet on the balcony, Jiang Yuan set up two seats on the left and right. He sat on the left seat and asked, "Bodhisattva, you came back after a while. What's the matter?"

The Bodhisattva said, "I came here for this hoop."

Say it.

The Bodhisattva took out three hoops.

Jiang Yuan said: "These three hoops are made of gold, tight and forbidden. There is no doubt about the three hoops."

The Bodhisattva said, "Wukong was saved by a pilgrim some time ago and has left the Five Elements Mountain. However, I have been watching from the clouds and found that Wukong's character is still unstable and he has many disagreements with the pilgrim. I am afraid that he will become violent and kill the pilgrim. Therefore, I want to give this golden hoop to Wukong to control his character and teach him to go west with one heart. I am discussing this with you."

Jiang Yuan bowed and said, "Thank you for coming in person, Bodhisattva. Since Wukong is unsettled, I will use the golden hoop to stop him and teach him to settle down as soon as possible."

The Bodhisattva said, "This will make me feel at ease. I wonder if you have time to go west with me to meet Wukong?"

After hearing this, Jiang Yuan thought about it again and again and said, "Now that the Bodhisattva has come to invite me, I will go with him. It has been hundreds of years since I last saw Wukong."

The two then left the table. Jiang Yuan bid farewell to the master and talked to Red Boy about looking at the furnace. Then he and the Bodhisattva rode on a cloud to the East.

Both of them were very good at flying in the clouds. They were just chatting in Xiniu Hezhou, and in the next moment they were in the clouds on the road to the west.

Guanyin Bodhisattva held down the auspicious cloud, put his palms together and said, "You are really capable."

Jiang Yuan said: "I don't deserve it. Compared with the great power of the Bodhisattva, I am still shallow."

The Bodhisattva replied: "Master Guangxin's magical power is not shallow, and his supernatural powers are even greater."

Jiang Yuan said, "That's all. Bodhisattva, look, isn't that Wukong and the pilgrim?"

The Bodhisattva lowered his head and took a closer look, only to see that Wukong was wearing a tiger-skin apron and was confronting some thieves, with Tang Seng standing beside him in a panic.

The Bodhisattva said: "This is exactly what we need to see about Wukong's mind and nature."

Jiang Yuan said: "Compared to the hundreds of years ago when Wukong was causing havoc in Heaven, his character has calmed down a bit, but he is still one body with two minds, and the chaos caused by the two gods has not changed. If we don't stop it, his vicious nature will surely reappear."

The two men watched and saw that Wukong could only speak a few words to some thieves before he picked up his stick and started beating them. With just one blow of the stick, he killed all the thieves, stripped them of their clothes, and took away their money. He did not even think of turning back, which caused Tang Monk to teach him a lesson.

How could Wukong endure such scolding? He just said, "I'm going back," and disappeared without a trace.

When Jiang Yuan saw this, he understood clearly that Wukong was always disturbed by the two gods and two minds, and his mind was unstable, so how could he bear the scolding.

The Bodhisattva said, "Wukong needs this golden hoop. Master, you have a way to remove it, but it has not been done yet. Please do not remove it for him."

Jiang Yuan said, "I have reflected on myself. Bodhisattva, please comfort this pilgrim, and I will go and persuade the monkey head."

The Bodhisattva said, "Go ahead, Immortal. Wukong's flying in the clouds is amazing. If you don't catch up with him quickly, he might get too far away."

Jiang Yuan said "don't worry", and auspicious clouds gathered under his shoes. He used the "auspicious cloud method" to chase Wukong for 240,000 miles.

How could the monkey compete with the immortal's method of flying in the clouds? While flying in the clouds, he saw Wukong somersaulting, but he ignored him and continued on his way forward.

When they reached the top of a hill, he transformed himself into an old man. He blew some air onto the ground, and a thatched cottage sprang up from the ground. On the table were many peaches, each of them crystal clear, round and juicy.

He sat down at the table, waiting patiently. He expected that the monkey, who was greedy for food, would see the peach and be possessed by the Wood Mother, so that it would stop moving forward. It would only move forward when its food desire was satisfied.

Sure enough, before long, the monkey somersaulted to the top of the mountain and reached out to grab the peach to satisfy his desire.

Snapped!
A ruler hit the monkey on the back of his hand.

The old man cursed, "Where did you come from, you thief? How could you steal my peaches? Are you doing this for fun?"

The monkey shrank his hands, scratched his ears and cheeks, and said, "No, no! Brother, I am not a robber, but a wanderer who is about to return home. I passed by here and my mouth is dry. I will eat one or two of your peaches to satisfy my craving."

The old man said, "You look like a thief with a hairy face and a big mouth. You look like a thief. Don't leave. Come with me to see the official. You must be an experienced person."

The old man stepped forward and pulled the monkey.

The monkey smiled and said, "Don't blame me, brother. I was just thirsty and didn't know this was your home. So, I will go home and get some gold and silver to make amends to you. Don't blame me."

The old man said, "Since you are sincere, I will forgive you. Since you are a wanderer returning home, I will give you the peaches. Eat them and leave."

The monkey was overjoyed when he heard this, and thanked him again and again. He took the peach and ate it up in no time with a gurgling sound.

After eating, Wukong was about to say goodbye and go to Huaguo Mountain, when he suddenly saw an old man sitting beside him and lamenting.

Wukong asked, "Brother, what's wrong with you? Are there any officials harassing you, and you have no place to file a complaint? If so, come and tell me. I have some skills. I will settle the matter with you for the peach you gave me."

The old man said, "I feel sorry for my brother. My brother has been doing business for many years, and he wanted to make a fortune. However, he had high expectations but poor skills. He gave up after working in one business for three or four months, and then changed to another business. He kept repeating this for dozens of years, but he still couldn't succeed. Haven't you heard that 'there are 360 ​​professions, and every profession has a top scholar'? I heard from a teacher who practices Taoism that doing business is like practicing Taoism. If you don't have a firm mind, aim too high, and give up after a few words, you will never succeed in practicing Taoism. No matter what you do, you must not be confused, your energy must not be scattered, and you must not be provoked by words or affected by disasters. Only then can you succeed."

(End of this chapter)