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

Chapter 136 Bodhisattva asks Wukong to come back and save the world from disasters (Additional chapter, please give me a monthly ticket)

Time flies, and before I know it, several days have passed.

The Bodhisattva of the Sea and the Venerable Hui'an, the white dragon walked slowly to the Lingtai Fangcun Mountain, and a group of people came on auspicious clouds.

The Bodhisattva sent Venerable Hui'an to tell the Immortal that he was coming, and the Venerable took the order and left.

The Bodhisattva looked at the white dragon and said, "Don't be anxious."

Bai Long bowed in the clouds and said, "Buddha, it's not that I'm anxious, it's just that Master is in trouble, so I have to be anxious."

The Bodhisattva said, "There is no rush here."

Bailong is patient.

It is said that Venerable Hui'an walked to the front of the mansion and knocked on the door. Not long after, a man came out. It was the real seer.

Hui An took a closer look and saw that this person had a Zen spirit, a broad smile, and light steps. He was a person who had achieved enlightenment. He looked familiar. Wasn't he the real vision of the Three Stars Immortal Cave in the past? He bowed and said, "Hui An, a disciple of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara of the South Sea, greeted the wise man."

Zhenjian bowed back and said, "Not worthy of this, not worthy of this. Venerable Hui'an, what is the purpose of your visit?"

Venerable Hui An said, "My master is in the clouds, please see the real master."

Zhen Jian laughed and said, "I wonder if you are here for Wukong's business?"

Venerable Hui An said, "That's right."

Zhenjian took out a document and handed it to Hui'an, saying, "Brother, I have already said that if the Bodhisattva comes for Wukong's affairs, give this document to the Bodhisattva."

Venerable Hui An took the document and said, "Let me report this to the Bodhisattva."

Shinji smiled and nodded.

Venerable Hui An took the document and flew up on a cloud. He returned to the Bodhisattva and presented the document with both hands, saying, "Master, the wise man in the Three Stars Cave spoke to me. The wise man said that if you are here for Wukong, I will give you the document."

Upon hearing this, the Bodhisattva took the document, looked at it carefully, and sighed, "This is a letter of demotion."

Say it.

The Bodhisattva handed the document to Hui'an.

Hui An took it and looked at it, then said, "Master, how can this Tang Monk speak like this? He is writing this derogatory letter and not practicing the precepts. Isn't this embarrassing for you, Master?"

The Bodhisattva said, "Without Wukong's support, this journey cannot be stopped. I will go to the palace myself."

The Bodhisattva pressed down the cloud and walked to the gate of the mansion with the Venerable Hui'an and the little white dragon.

Zhenjian bowed and said, "Greetings to the Bodhisattva. Does the Bodhisattva want to see my eldest brother?"

The Bodhisattva said, "That's right. Please ask the wise man to inform the real person and tell him about Wukong. I know everything."

Zhenjian nodded and said, "Please wait a little longer, Bodhisattva."

The Bodhisattva agreed.

Zhenjian just returned home.

Not long after, Jiang Yuanxing walked out of the mansion, followed by Wukong and Zhenjian.

Jiang Yuan left the house and met the Bodhisattva. He bowed and said, "Greetings to the Bodhisattva. I was refining the elixir in the alchemy room earlier and didn't know the Bodhisattva was coming. Please forgive me for being rude."

Wukong and Zhenjian followed suit and bowed.

The Bodhisattva was in the wrong, so how could he blame them? After a while of greeting in front of the mansion gate, Jiang Yuan invited everyone into the building, set up a table for them, and served them fruit tea.

During the banquet, many people talked a lot, but no one talked about serious matters. They only talked about some interesting things. When the banquet was over, everyone left, and only the Immortal and the Bodhisattva remained in the tower.

The Bodhisattva brought up the main matter and said, "Master, I have read the letter of demotion and I know all the things that Tang Monk did wrong. I came here to ask Wukong to return and to protect Tang Monk on his journey to the West to obtain the scriptures."

Jiang Yuan sat at the table and said, "Bodhisattva, it's not that I don't want Wukong to go, it's really because Tang Monk humiliated him in every way, and he was tempted by worldly desires without knowing it, and he didn't know how to count the demons when he saw them. This journey to the west has something to do with Wukong's practice, but it doesn't mean there is no other way for Wukong to succeed in his practice. If Wukong is often humiliated because of this practice, this will definitely not make him go back."

The Bodhisattva said, "Tang Monk has never cultivated the precepts. I will explain it to him and will not let Wukong be humiliated again."

Jiang Yuan said: "Wukong said before that Tang Seng chased him away three times. As the saying goes, 'Three times is the limit'. He also swore that if he saw Wukong again, he would fall into the Avici Hell. If he went back like this, how would he look at Wukong?"

The Bodhisattva knew that Jiang Yuan valued the friendship between fellow disciples, so he said, "Don't let Tang Monk do such things again. Please rest assured, Master."

Jiang Yuan was still unwilling, and the two talked for a long time. When the sun set in the west, the immortal finally gave in.

Jiang Yuan said, "Since the Bodhisattva has such sincerity, I cannot disobey him. Why not ask Wukong to come? If Wukong is willing to go, I will not stop him."

The Bodhisattva expressed his gratitude, but the True Man did not dare to accept the Bodhisattva’s thanks.

Jiang Yuan attended the meeting and called Wukong from his residence.

The Bodhisattva then advised Wukong and protected Tang Seng on his journey to the West.

Wukong said, "In the past, I was enlightened by the Bodhisattva and became a monk, traveling west to seek enlightenment. However, Monk Tang drove me away. Now that the Bodhisattva has come to persuade me, I dare not go back, for fear that he will drive me away again."

The Bodhisattva said, "Wukong, stop imagining this. I will talk to him myself and will not chase you away. Just protect Tang Monk on his journey to the west. When he succeeds, you will return to paradise and sit on the lotus platform."

Wukong scratched his head and cheeks, but finally responded. Under the persuasion of Bodhisattva, he returned to the west to help Tang Seng obtain the scriptures.

After everyone finished speaking, the Bodhisattva said that Tang Monk's life was in danger, so he did not dare to stay for long, and left with Wukong, Hui'an Zunzhe, and Xiao Bailong. Before leaving, the Bodhisattva said to the Immortal, "I know all about what Zhu Bajie did, but please forgive his crime and let him go back to get the scriptures, considering that he still needs to obtain the scriptures and is a disciple of Daluo."

Jiang Yuan said: "This fellow Mu Mu has been causing trouble for a long time. We have just eliminated his arrogance and will let him go."

The Bodhisattva then flew away to the Kingdom of Baoxiang with his group.

……

Jiang Yuan returned to the mansion and saw Zhen Jian following him. The two of them walked to the alchemy room and sat down again.

Zhen Jian said, "Big Brother, why do we keep Zhu Bajie in the mansion? He has a big appetite. If we don't take care of him, he will keep complaining all day long, saying 'I don't want to die of hunger'. If we take care of him, and teach him to eat like that, no matter how big his family is, he will eat everything up."

Jiang Yuan said, "You don't need to feed him. Tie him to a pillar, dip a whip in water, and whip him thirty-six times a day. After nine days, let him go."

Zhen Jian asked, "Big Brother, what's the point of the number of whips and the number of days?"

Jiang Yuan sat on the mat and said with a smile, "What's the point of dealing with Mu Mu? If you think it hurts and you're afraid of it, then you know it's painful, and you should take the precepts and don't dare to do it again. It's useless to reason with it. Zhu Bajie is a monk after all. He has entered the Samanas and cannot use swords, spears, or axes, so just use the whip. Beat him thirty-six times, and you can see that he is fat and plump. If you don't beat him more, how can he feel the pain?"

Zhen Jian suddenly realized, "If that's the case, then I know what to do. Big Brother, leave Zhu Bajie to me."

Jiang Yuan nodded and said, "Junior brother, you are the one who makes the decision on this matter. Let him go when you are done. When you leave, please call Chongyang."

Zhen Jian bowed deeply, then stood up and left the alchemy room.

Not long after, Chongyang entered the alchemy room, bowed and said, "Disciple Chongyang, I pay my respects to the master."

Jiang Yuan looked up and took a closer look at this disciple. He saw that this disciple was wearing a plain robe, with a Taoist bun on his head, and he was pure and had few desires. He did not look like a prince at all. He was actually a person who practiced Taoism.

He said, "Some time ago, I told you that you saw dust in your house and you often swept it. Is this true?"

Chongyang said: "Master, I dare not hide anything."

When Jiang Yuan heard this, he knew that Chongyang had not yet been born. His heart was dead and he no longer cared about the kingdom. However, his body had never been born, but his thoughts were still in the world. He might come back to the world one day. He asked, "What books have you been reading recently?"

Chongyang said: "Master, I have been reading some Confucian classics recently."

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "I remember that in the library, there are some Buddhist and Taoist teachings, all of which have the ability to transcend the mundane world, or they are about the world within the body. Why are you reading Confucian classics?"

Chongyang said: "To cultivate, one must first cultivate the mind; to learn the Dao, one must first learn etiquette."

Jiang Yuan raised his palm and said, "If you really have spirituality, you should cultivate your mind before practicing, and learn etiquette before learning the Tao. This is the right way to go. Just follow your way. When you have read all the books, you will find a way."

Chongyang said: "Disciple Chongyang thanks the master."

Jiang Yuan smiled and nodded, took a cushion, asked Chongyang to sit down, and talked to him. He said that he had been busy recently and had not talked much with this disciple. Now that he had free time, he would ask him how his studies were going.

……

It is said that Sun Wukong and the Bodhisattvas rushed to Baoxiang Kingdom. Monkey returned and entered the cave of the Yellow Robe Monster, and a fierce battle broke out with him. The two fought for thirty or forty rounds, and the Yellow Robe Monster was defeated. How could he be a match for Monkey? Moreover, when he heard that this was the Monkey King in person, he fled in fear and did not dare to stay long.

The Bodhisattva pointed out to the traveler that the yellow-robed monster was a deity from heaven. He then went to heaven and made a thorough investigation. He then learned that the yellow-robed monster was Kuixing, one of the twenty-eight constellations, who wanted to descend to the mortal world. Princess Baihua was also a deity from heaven. The two had an affair, and fearing punishment from heaven, they descended to the mortal world and became husband and wife.

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor assembled his troops, captured him and brought him to the upper world, then demoted him to the Tushita Palace to work as a fireman for the Jade Emperor.

From then on, the Yellow Robe Monster was subdued and the problem was solved. It was because his mind returned and his soul was protected and no longer troubled by evil spirits.

The Monkey King then rescued Sha Seng, and together they sent Princess Baihua back to the palace of King Baoxiang Kingdom. The king told them what had happened before. The king sent people to put them into an iron cage to see the tiger that Tang Seng had transformed into.

The Monkey King walked into the iron cage and saw a tiger lying on the ground, gasping for breath. Others thought the tiger was an evil monster, but the Monkey King was the only one who knew it was Tang Monk.

Tang Monk transformed into a tiger and when he saw Monkey King, he asked for help, but he was speechless and tears welled up in his eyes.

The Monkey King laughed and said, "Master, why are you like this? You are a holy monk, who is always doing good things. How come you have turned into an evil demon? Isn't this a loss of your reputation?"

Sha Wujing came forward, knelt down and said, "Please, elder brother, save the master and stop scolding him. He has already known that he was wrong."

The Monkey King helped Sha Monk up and said, "Get up! How can you bow to me? Since the Bodhisattva personally invited me back, how can I not save him? Go and get half a cup of water."

Upon hearing the order, Sha Seng left and after a while brought back half a cup of water.

Sun Wukong took the water, chanted a mantra, looked at the tiger and sprayed it, which dispelled the evil magic and revealed the true form of Tang Monk.

Tang Seng stood up, tears streaming down his face. He stepped forward to support him and said, "Wukong, how can I explain this matter? How can I explain it?"

The traveler then told the Bodhisattva about all the events that had occurred, including the request to the Bodhisattva and the subjugation of the yellow-robed monster.

Tang Seng burst into tears of gratitude and said, "My dear disciple, I will never be angry again. It is thanks to you that you saved me from disaster. On my journey to the West, I cannot do without you."

The Monkey King smiled and said, "I just hope Master won't recite those old sayings."

The group reconciled and Guanyin Bodhisattva appeared and preached to Tang Seng for a long time, saying, "You should practice the precepts and not get angry. If Wukong leaves again, I will never come back, and you will not be able to obtain the scriptures, and you will be in danger of death." This frightened Tang Seng so much that he dared not drive Wukong away again.

The group of pilgrims set out again, heading west. When they were looking for someone to carry their load, Monk Sha asked, "Big Brother, since you've returned, why don't you see Second Brother?"

The traveler smiled and said, "Ignore him, ignore him. He will come back later."

Tang Seng and Sha Seng did not ask any more questions and headed west.

(End of this chapter)