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

Chapter 198: Farewell to Elder Li, and finally entering Chang'an City

The story goes that the group of people who were seeking the scriptures exchanged the true scriptures for the Zen scriptures. Tang Monk bid farewell to Tathagata and the Buddhas, and under the protection of the Four Vajra Kings, he rode on a auspicious cloud and returned to the East.

Tang Monk was in the clouds and thanked Monkey again.

The Monkey King held Tang Seng’s hand and said, “Master, there is no need to thank me. Let’s support each other. But I wonder if you really think this sutra can help the East?”

Tang Monk clasped his hands and said, "Don't worry, my disciple. This true scripture will surely help all living beings."

Zhu Bajie was carrying the load on his shoulder, and he shouted, "Master, your scripture is a blank copy without any words on it, how can I help you?"

Tang Seng shook his head and said, "Bajie, you cannot see the true scripture, which is really a blind spot. The wordless true scripture is the Zen scripture. Zen is about enlightenment, not words. Even if there is no human intervention, it can be seen. Therefore, this is the scripture that saves sentient beings."

Zhu Bajie said: "Master, we are seeking scriptures, and we are finally seen by the Tang King. You said this, but only you know it. How can the Tang King know it? If he does not see the true scriptures with words, wouldn't it be a sin?"

Tang Seng said, "I will talk to the Tang King about this. He will not blame me. Don't worry, Bajie."

After hearing this, Zhu Bajie stopped talking.

Tang Monk asked: "Now that I have received the Buddha's mercy, we will send the scriptures to the East. We will definitely return to Lingshan and be awarded the title of Righteousness. Where will you go from now on, my disciples?"

Zhu Bajie shouted, "Now that I have achieved enlightenment, I should go find a mountain place to enjoy myself and have fun day and night to reward myself for the hard work of the past ten years."

Tang Seng looked at Sha Wujing, clasped his hands and said, "Wujing, what are you going to do?"

Sha Wujing scratched his head and said, "Master, I have nowhere to go, but if I succeed, I can get the right result. I should go to Fangcun Mountain to thank the immortal for his kindness, and then find a quiet place to practice with all my heart, so as not to disrupt my practice anymore."

Tang Seng looked at Monkey again and asked, "Wukong, what are you going to do?"

The traveler smiled and said, "I will return to Fangcun Mountain to practice and serve there, preserve my gratitude and loyalty, practice with all my heart, and never make any mistakes again."

Tang Seng smiled and nodded, listening to what his three disciples said.

The traveler asked, "Master, where will you go after you succeed?"

Tang Seng answered the question irrelevantly and said, "Disciple, how many scriptures do you think we have obtained in the 108,000 miles we have traveled to the West to obtain scriptures?"

The traveler said, "The true scriptures are right here. There are five thousand and forty-eight volumes in total."

Tang Monk said: "Disciple, this is a first-class true scripture. In my opinion, we still have one true scripture, so we took two true scriptures."

The traveler asked, "Master, how come there are two copies of the sutra?"

Tang Monk said: "We have traveled all the way west, through fourteen years of cold and heat, through thousands of mountains and rivers, through dozens of disasters, with clarity in our hearts, away from the sea of ​​suffering, to take the true scriptures in our hearts to save ourselves. These are the two true scriptures for us."

Upon hearing this, the monk bowed deeply and said, "Master, what you said makes a lot of sense."

Tang Seng said: "After I have accomplished my mission, I will travel around the East again to help sentient beings and pass on my true scriptures to them."

The traveler smiled and said, "Master, you are different now than you were in the past."

Tang Seng clasped his hands together and said, "Disciple, you are different now compared to before."

While the two were talking, Tang Seng suddenly saw a place ahead and told him to be careful. He pointed to the road ahead and said, "Disciple, look, is that Falin?"

The Monkey King opened his eyes wide, took a closer look, and said, "Master, that's right, that's right! In the past, I taught that white deer to block the way, and it almost made you lose the will to obtain the scriptures."

Tang Seng clasped his hands and said, "Fortunately, my disciple invited the immortal to teach me how to move forward. Disciple, there is a village on the road ahead. There is an old man named Li in it. He once promised me that we would meet again when we succeed in obtaining the scriptures. Now that we have succeeded, we should go there and meet him."

Upon hearing this, the Monkey King stepped forward to stop the four Vajra Kings and explained the matter to them.

Upon hearing this, the four great Vajras stopped the auspicious clouds and said, "We dare not disobey the Great Sage. We can stop them and send you a fragrant wind to take you there. But we are afraid that our true identities will be revealed, so we will not go with you. Just call out, and we will take the Great Sage and the holy monk to the East."

The traveler bowed and said, "Thank you for your hard work."

The four Vajra Kings then created a fragrant breeze that sent the group of pilgrims to the ground.

Tang Seng felt a little unwell and stumbled. He needed help from Monkey King before he could stand steadily.

Zhu Bajie looked around and said, "Master, where are we now? Is it the East?"

Sha Wujing said, "Second Brother, please take a good look. This is not the East. This is outside my ancestral home."

Zhu Bajie said: "Your ancestral home is in the Liusha River. There is water rumbling there, but there is no water rumbling here. I don't know where it is."

Tang Seng clasped his hands together and stepped forward, saying, "Bajie, have you forgotten Falin?"

When Zhu Bajie heard this, he said, "I remember now. This is Falin, but the forest ahead is dry and I can't recognize it."

Tang Monk said: "In the past, the old man from the Li family in the former village of Falin was kind to us. Let's go and reminisce with him and tell him about our return after our mission is accomplished."

Zhu Bajie laughed and said, "Master really does miss the old times and still remembers it."

The group of pilgrims walked forward and saw Zhuangzi there. When they arrived at the door of Zhuangzi, the traveler went forward and knocked on the door.

After a while, someone opened the door. It was an old man. He recognized the group of people seeking scriptures and asked, "Elder, are you the one who went to the West to seek scriptures a few years ago?"

Tang Seng recognized the man as Elder Li, and bowed, "Yes, yes! Old donor, I haven't seen you for many years. I hope you are doing well."

Elder Li was overjoyed and said, "You are fine, you are fine. It has been a long time since we last met. When I saw you passing through Falin that day, I often wondered when you would return with success. My life is coming to an end, and I was afraid that I would not be able to see the elders in my lifetime. Now I am looking forward to your return, congratulations, congratulations." After that, he finished speaking.

Old man Li welcomed the pilgrims in and served them tea personally.

Elder Li saw the group and said with a smile, "The elders and elder Sun have indeed changed a lot. Elder Sha is also different from before, but Elder Zhu has maintained his youthful appearance and has never changed."

Zhu Bajie smiled happily and said, "I have magical powers, so I have a recipe for keeping my youth."

The Monkey King grabbed Zhu Bajie and bowed, saying, "My dear brother, I am honored to meet you."

Elder Li responded with, "I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it."

The traveler said, "Brother, when I came here the other day, I saw your house was bustling with activity. Why is it so deserted now?"

Elder Li shook his head and said, "Elder, there is a saying that 'time passes, things change, people change'. My house is no longer the same as it was when you came last year. When you came last year, I had a wife, three sons, and two grandsons. I was fifty-three years old then. Now I am over sixty. My wife passed away a few years ago, and my three sons all left for prosperous areas, so my place is much quieter."

Tang Monk asked: "Old donor, why don't you leave one son behind to go with your offspring?"

Elder Li said, "I dare not be a burden."

Tang Monk said, "What shall we do if you are left here like this with no one to take care of you?"

Elder Li smiled and said, "Like fallen leaves, they return to their roots. My wife died of illness here, and I should stay here with her. Living a few more years is enough. Now I am able to see the elders return, which is enough."

Zhu Bajie shouted: "Your offspring is unfilial."

Elder Li shook his head and said, "Let's not talk about that. Let's not talk about that. But I wonder if it was hard for you to go west to seek the scriptures?"

Zhu Bajie replied: "It is hard, it is hard."

Old Man Li then asked about some matters concerning the pilgrimage, and they talked happily until evening. The old man then prepared tea and food, and prepared a room to welcome the pilgrims.

Before he knew it, the night was getting dark. When Tang Seng saw that it was already three o'clock in the morning, he called out to Monkey and said, "Wukong, this old donor is really pitiful. We have received his kindness in providing us with food and shelter in the past. Now we should repay him."

The Monkey King said, "I will repay him, but we have no money. Why not wait for the Master to report back to the King of Tang and ask for some favor? Then we can give him the money."

Tang Seng said, "There is a saying that 'wealth should not be shown off'. Mr. Li is alone and helpless. If I give him money, he will have trouble keeping it. I am afraid it will burden him and put his life in danger. Wukong, do you have a way to buy him some things so that he can live a worry-free life?"

The Monkey King nodded and said, "Master, what you said makes sense. I will send the Four Vajra Kings to do it. It will be very quick."

Say it.

The Monkey King left and called over the Four Vajra Kings. He gave them some instructions, and the Four Vajra Kings immediately obeyed his orders and left.

Within two or three hours, the four Vajras returned and brought some things, including food and clothes.

The Monkey King took it and placed it in the house with Tang Monk.

When Tang Seng saw those things, he said, "Donor Li is a real man. If he knew we left these things, he would definitely not accept them. We cannot stay and should leave at night."

The Monkey King responded, called Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, picked up their loads and led their horses, and they all left quietly.

When they reached the door, the Four Vajra appeared and headed for the East with a group of people. We will not mention them for now.

It is said that old man Li had prepared tea and food early in the morning. When he was about to call the four people and opened the door, he saw that the room was empty and only had some food and clothes.

Old man Li's eyes were filled with tears, and he shouted, "Living Buddha, he is truly a Living Buddha."

Old man Li was so grateful that he shed tears. He then slowly carved the images of the four pilgrims on wood and held sacrifices to them day and night to express his gratitude for their kindness.

……

The story goes that the pilgrims, escorted by the Four Vajras, finally reached the East and approached the city of Chang'an in no time.

Tang Seng saw Chang'an from afar, tears welled up in his eyes, and he said, "I have finally returned to Chang'an, but I am a little homesick and I am making fun of my disciples."

The traveler waved his hands and said, "I never laughed at you. I never laughed at you."

When the four Vajra Kings came close to Chang'an City, they stopped their clouds and said, "Holy Monk, Great Saint, we will not go into the city. This is Chang'an City."

Tang Seng bowed and said, "I am tired, tired."

The four Vajra replied: "I dare not, but please ask the holy monk to hand over the scriptures to the Tang king. Then you still need to return to Lingshan to be awarded the right fruit."

Tang Monk said: "That's the way it should be."

The Four Vajra Kings then sent Tang Monk and the other pilgrims to the foot of Chang'an City. They then rode away on auspicious clouds, not daring to let the people of Chang'an know.

Seeing this, Zhu Bajie asked, "Brother, why are they so averse to meeting strangers?"

The Monkey King said, "They only want to save themselves, but they are afraid that their teachings will be seen by others and leaked. If someone then asks them for help, it will be difficult to deal with them."

Zhu Bajie asked, "How come you are even more stingy than me?"

The Monkey King smiled without saying anything and walked towards Chang'an city with Tang Monk.

(End of this chapter)