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

Chapter 124: Falin debates Buddha, speechless
It is said that the group of monks were heading to the West. After walking for two or three days, they saw a farmhouse on the road ahead. Tang Monk said he was hungry, so he and his disciples went forward to beg for food.

Tang Seng rode to the door of Zhuangzi's house. The elder dismounted, walked forward with a nine-ring staff and knocked on the door. Sun Wukong followed behind him, while Bajie and Wujing were carrying the luggage in the distance.

Not long after, an old man came out of the door. He took a closer look at Tang Monk's appearance and saw that he was a virtuous monk with a handsome figure and an imposing appearance. He did not dare to be arrogant, so he bowed and said, "Elder, I am polite. I am polite!"

Tang Monk helped him up and said, "Donor, no need to be polite. I am a monk from the Great Tang Dynasty in the East. Following the imperial decree, I went to the Great Leiyin Temple in the West to seek scriptures. I was extremely hungry just now, so I wanted to ask for a bowl of tea and food from the monk's house. Please help me. This is my eldest disciple, Sun Wukong, who also went to the West with me to seek scriptures."

The old man said, "Go to the West to seek the scriptures? You can't go there! You are hungry, so have some tea and food here, and when you are full, go back."

Tang Monk pondered for a long time and said, "To be honest, benefactor, I am traveling west with the Holy Spirit and the guidance of the Bodhisattva. How can I retreat?"

The old man said: "The elder cannot go to the west."

When Sun Xingzhe heard this, he became angry and stepped forward and shouted, "Old man, if you don't have the heart to serve us tea and food, just say no and we will go out to beg for food. Why are you here saying such bluffing words?"

The old man took a closer look and said with a smile, "Why did the elder accept such a fringe-chinned and thunder-mouthed disciple?"

Tang Seng clasped his hands together and bowed, saying, "Donor, my disciple may be ugly, but he has some skills. I don't know why you say that I can't go to the West."

The old man asked, "Elder, do you know where the front is?"

Tang Monk said: "I don't know the advantages of the terrain, so I don't know."

The old man replied: "The one in front is Falin."

Tang Seng suddenly understood what he said and said, "I have heard my disciples talk about this place a long time ago. They said there is a demon who does not eat humans or harm humans. He is arguing with people over there."

The old man nodded and said, "That's right. That demon is very powerful and well versed in the law. No one can defeat him. Moreover, someone once saw the Guanzhou Saint appear and went to ask for help. But when the Saint saw the Falin demon, he turned around and left. That demon has great power and he must not be provoked, must not be provoked!"

Tang Seng did not answer for a long time, and was speechless.

Sun Wukong shouted, "He has extraordinary skills. I also have the ability to subdue tigers and capture dragons, catch monsters and subdue demons. Just wait for me to subdue him. I understand that he has little magical power."

The old man pointed at Sun Xingzhe and said with a smile, "He is an ugly monk who knows a lot."

Sun Wukong was furious and cursed, "Your son is the one who knows how to talk. I have many skills, how can I know how to talk? If my master was not hungry, I would not bother to talk to you."

The old man smiled and said, "If you really have such means, just go to Falin. Elder, you are hungry, so come into the hut. I will serve you tea and food, and ask you to stay here for a day or two so that I can listen to the Dharma."

Tang Seng clasped his hands and said, "Thank you for your kindness, my buddy. I have four companions and a horse with me. Please wait for a while."

The old man asked, "Where are the two of you now, and the other two men and one horse?"

Tang Seng said, "They are not far away. Wukong, call Wuneng and Wujing over."

Sun Wukong left immediately after hearing this, and soon he called Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing over, and the three of them came on horseback.

When the old man saw Zhu Bajie's face, he was so frightened that he ran away, shouting, "Monster, monster!"

Sun Xingzhe stepped forward and grabbed him, saying, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid! He is not a monster, but my fellow apprentice, the one who is seeking scriptures."

The old man just looked up and exclaimed, "What an ugly monk! I thought your thunder mouth was ugly enough, but I didn't expect there is always someone stronger among the strong."

Bajie was indignant and stepped forward and said, "You old man, how can you judge people by appearance? I am ugly, but I am strong. Even if ten of your sons plowed the fields, they could not beat me."

The old man smiled apologetically and welcomed everyone into the village. An old lady came with a few sons. When they saw Zhu Bajie's face, they were so frightened that they fell down. Fortunately, it was Tang Seng who talked to them and they stopped.

The old man and his family welcomed Tang Seng and his companions into the main hall and asked the old lady to prepare tea and food, and asked Tang Seng and his companions to wait here and eat some fruits.

Tang Seng complained, "My disciples, you are ugly, but you cause a lot of trouble."

Zhu Bajie said, "Master, it's not my fault. I have been practicing with you these days and I have become more handsome. If not, those people would be scared to death if they saw me."

The traveler laughed and said, "Teach this fool to put the rake mouth in his arms and the cattail leaf fan ears on his back, then he won't be able to scare anyone."

Bajie heard this and cried out, "This appearance is natural. How can you say that? In the world of Jambu, people often say that husband and wife look alike. If you find me a beautiful woman to travel west with me, after a long time, Master will definitely not be as pretty as me."

Tang Seng said: "Bajie, you are a monk, you can't say such things."

Bajie sang a yes.

After a while, the old man and the old lady served tea and food. After they were done, Tang Monk clasped his hands and chanted a sutra. It was a spell to open the fast. After they finished chanting, they had tea and food.

But Zhu Bajie had a big appetite and finished the meal in no time, which frightened the old couple so much that they almost fell down and ran away.

After the meal, Tang Seng thanked the old man again and again and started a conversation with him.

Tang Monk asked, "May I know your name, donor?"

The old man smiled and said, "My last name is Li."

Tang Seng asked again: "How many descendants are there in your family? How old are they?"

The old man said, "Three sons, two grandsons, fifty-three this year."

Tang Seng smiled and said, "Congratulations, congratulations."

The old man asked, "What's so good about this?"

Tang Seng replied: "Having both good fortune and longevity, and having many children and grandchildren, is of course a cause for celebration."

The old man smiled happily and chatted with Tang Seng for a long time.

Tang Seng asked again: "I heard you say that in the Dharma Forest, one must argue the Dharma to pass through. I wonder what Dharma this demon is arguing about?"

The old man replied, "The Dharma that the demons in the Dharma Forest argue about is not the Dharma of demons and ghosts, nor is it the Dharma of ghosts and monsters. It is the Dharma of Buddha."

When Tang Monk heard this, he said, "If this is the Buddha's teaching, why can't we argue with it?"

The old man said, "That demon is well versed in Buddhism. Recently, many enlightened monks have also come to debate with him, but they have always been defeated. There is no way to debate, no way to debate!"

After hearing this, Tang Seng said, "My disciples, this demon is actually well versed in Buddhism. Let's go over to him tomorrow and debate with him."

Sun Xingzhe shouted, "Master, why is there such trouble? I will go over and fight with him, and then teach him to let me go."

Tang Monk said: "Since he is a Buddhist, he must be a good demon and a monster. We must not be rude to him."

Sun Xingzhe had no choice but to give up.

……

The next day, Monkey King came with the horse, Pigsy picked up the load, and Sha Wujing helped Monk mount the horse. Old Man Li and his family saw them off to Falin.

Before leaving, Elder Li stopped Tang Seng and said, "The elder is a kind person. If you can't go to Falin, just come back here and we will provide you with tea and food."

Tang Monk declined politely, saying, "Donor, since we are on a mission to the west, there is no way back. When we meet again next year, it will be to return with the scriptures." Elder Li bowed and said, "In that case, I wish you success."

Tang Seng just rode his horse forward.

Less than half a day later, the group of pilgrims saw a forest in front of them. Tang Monk stopped his horse and looked forward. He saw that the forest was beautiful, with green locust trees, spotted bamboos, and green pines. He also saw white plums, red peaches, and green willows. The bright spring scenery was everywhere, and there was no evil spirit at all.

Tang Monk said: "This is really a good place to go."

Zhu Bajie said with a smile: "Master, if you think this is a good place, why don't you settle down here and stay for a while."

Sun Xingzhe immediately scolded him, "You fool, there are some tricks here, it must be the Falin you mentioned. If you stay here, you will lose your life!"

Bajie suddenly realized, and said, "This forest is a good place. That demon really knows how to choose a good place."

Tang Monk said: "Since this is Falin, disciples, follow me in."

Say it.

Tang Monk got off the white horse and, escorted by a crowd of people, walked into the Falin. As they walked deeper into the forest, they saw pine and bamboo trees intertwined in green, peach and plum trees competed for beauty, clusters of flowers blossomed, and clusters of orchids smelled fragrant. They played for a while before moving forward.

But not long after walking, they saw a white stone on the road ahead. On the stone sat an old Taoist with an immortal look, with his eyes pretending to be closed.

It was the Taoist who was transformed from the white deer that was the mount of Taoist Guangxin. He followed the orders of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara and Taoist Priest to create disasters here and stop the people from seeking the scriptures.

Sun Wukong opened his flaming eyes wide and used his aura-seeing ability to take a closer look. He saw that this man looked like a human, but there was no aura in his body. He pretended to be 90% human, but 10% was a demon, and he could not hide it from him.

Sun Xingzhe said, "Master, that person sitting there is a monster."

Bajie said, "Didn't I say this before? This is a Falin, with a demon in it? This must be the demon."

Tang Monk said: "My disciples, we must argue the Dharma before we can pass through this forest. This person is a believer in Buddhism, so we should not hurt him. Let's talk to him and then we can pass through the forest."

Upon hearing this, the Monkey King stepped forward and shouted, “Are you the demon who argues about the Dharma?”

The old Taoist heard what was said, opened his eyes and looked over, and asked, "Are you going to cross this forest?"

Tang Seng clasped his hands in front of his chest and said, "That's right. Your Majesty, I am a monk from the Eastern Land of Tang who is going to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures under the imperial decree. I am passing through this forest on my way to the West, but please let me pass."

The old Taoist said: "Since you know me, you should know my rules?"

Tang Monk said: "Your Majesty, you must debate the Dharma. Only after you have done so can you leave this forest."

The white deer smiled and said, "In that case, you come and sit in front of me, and I will debate with you. If you win the debate and make me speechless, I will let you go. If you lose the debate, please go east, this road is blocked, go there to cultivate for another ten or eight years, and then come back to debate with me."

Tang Monk said: "When I was young, I met a great monk who taught me. I have three or four parts of the Buddha's teachings. If Your Majesty wants to discuss the Buddha's teachings, I can argue with him."

The white deer said, "We are discussing Buddhism. If you are not afraid, come forward."

Upon hearing this, Tang Monk, with the support of Monkey, sat down not far from the white stone.

Leave Bajie to carry the burden, Wujing to lead the horse, and wait there.

Tang Monk walked to the white stone, found a clean place and sat down peacefully.

The white deer asked, "Since you say that you have cultivated the Buddha Dharma, what kind of Buddha Dharma are you cultivating?"

Tang Monk clasped his hands and said, "To be honest with you, Your Majesty, I have been practicing some tranquility and some meditation, both of which are my own."

The white deer asked again: "Since you practice both methods, which one do you think is the true Buddha Dharma?"

Tang Monk pondered for a long time and replied, "Whether it is sitting in meditation or being in tranquility, they are all Buddha Dharma. Furthermore, anything that leads people to do good can also be called Buddha Dharma. There is no subdivision of Buddha Dharma, and there is no high or low."

The white deer laughed and said, "You are indeed a person who practices cultivation. You are different from ordinary people. They wanted to come to my place and debate with me. I asked them which is higher, Nirvana or Zen. Ordinary people only said one, trying to fool me. They taught me this way and never mentioned whether there is a high or low Dharma. You are different from ordinary people."

Tang Monk bowed and said, "I don't dare to ask for your praise, Your Majesty, but I have practiced since I was young, so I have some Dharma in me."

The white deer said, "In that case, I think what I have said won't be difficult for you. I will tell you the truth. If you can't say something better than mine, you lose. If you can say something better than mine, you win. How do you think?"

Tang Monk listened and said, "Please tell me, Your Majesty."

Sun Xingzhe, who was guarding beside him, laughed in his heart and said, "This monster is really stupid. This old monk has studied Buddhism for many years, and his roots are from the Golden Cicada. How could he not know some Buddhist principles? He even argued with the old monk. If we were to fight, we would still need to use three times the strength, but this way it is easier."

The white deer stood up from the white stone and said with a smile, "So, shall I speak in my dialect?"

Tang Monk invited me.

The white deer said, "I am talking about the true meaning of Nirvana. Please listen carefully. In my opinion, the law of Nirvana can be summed up in one word. It is exactly 'great wisdom is at ease, indifferent to the non-existence, true mind is silent, and free in Nirvana'. This is called true Nirvana."

When Tang Seng heard this, he was panicked and happy. He was panicked because he was afraid that there was no way to overcome such truth. He was happy because he felt deeply that such Buddhist truth was true. He was happy to hear it. A little enlightenment appeared and taught him to understand it thoroughly.

But it is said that this white deer had in the past been in the sleeve of the Immortal and eavesdropped on the Immortal's discussion of the Buddha's invincibility. He had heard the words and taught him to remember them well. Now that he was telling them, how could Tang Seng be able to refute them?

Sun Xingzhe felt uneasy and approached to ask, "Master, can you win the debate?"

Tang Seng shook his head secretly, a little dazed.

Sun Wukong knew what was going on, so he stepped forward and shouted, "You weirdo, you know that Buddha has Nirvana and Zen. Now you are talking about Nirvana, but not Zen. Even if my master can't answer, it doesn't count as a loss. You must explain the Zen to me."

The white deer looked at the traveler and said with a smile, "What a nice monkey! Since that is the case, I will explain it to you. The true meaning of Zen is nothingness."

Sun Xingzhe asked, "Are you kidding me?"

The white deer said: "I am not kidding you. Zen practitioners do not establish words, but point directly to their original mind, and they become Buddhas by seeing their nature."

Upon hearing this, Tang Monk bowed down and said, "I lost." He dared not argue with him.

Monkey was unwilling to give in, so he stepped forward and said a few words, but he told Tang Seng to retreat. Not daring to commit the crime again, he and the others retreated far away from the forest.

Seeing this, Bai Lu couldn't stop smiling. In the past, he followed the immortal to attend the Dharma Assembly and heard more than just one or two words of truth. Countless mantras were memorized in his heart. If he were taught to debate the Dharma, only those with great wisdom would be unable to defeat him.

……

The story goes that the pilgrims left Falin in a panic, and Monk Tang was distraught and at a loss.

Zhu Bajie asked, "Why are you leaving like this? Why are you leaving the forest? How can you say that Master can't win an argument with a demon? If Master can't win an argument with a demon, why don't we separate and go our separate ways. You go back to your Flower-Fruit Mountain, and I go back to my Gao Laozhuang."

After hearing what Bajie said, Tang Seng was speechless.

The traveler scolded, "Don't talk nonsense, you fool!"

When Bajie saw Tang Seng, he panicked and said, "Oh my god, Master, could it be that he really couldn't win the debate against a demon?"

(End of this chapter)