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

Chapter 199 Five people were conferred the title of Fighting Buddha

Outside the city of Chang'an, there is a tall building named "Wangjing Tower", which was built by Emperor Taizong of Tang after Xuanzang left to seek Buddhist scriptures. Emperor Taizong would come here every year to gaze towards the west, hoping that Monk Xuanzang would return soon.

One day, Emperor Taizong of Tang went to the top of the Sutra-Watching Tower. He was looking towards the west and secretly sighed that Tang Monk had not returned for a long time.

One of the court officials said, "Your Majesty, there is no need to wait any longer. Xuanzang once said that he would return in two or three years. He has been gone for fourteen years now. He must have been killed by demons or harassed by humans halfway through his journey. His mission has already failed. If Your Majesty is determined to obtain the scriptures, why not send another person to obtain them?"

Emperor Taizong of Tang shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, you will definitely be able to obtain the scriptures and return. Don't have any second thoughts."

Seeing that they could not persuade him, the court officials had to give up.

Emperor Taizong of Tang waited for a long time, and seeing that there was no movement from the west, he was about to leave. Before he left, he saw auspicious mist and fragrant breeze in the west.

When Emperor Taizong of Tang looked carefully, he saw a group of people under the city of Chang'an, and the leader was none other than Tang Monk.

Taizong and many officials came down from the high building to greet him, and asked, "Is that my brother?"

When Tang Monk met Emperor Taizong, he bowed down and performed great respect.

Taizong asked, "My brother, have you accomplished your mission?"

Tang Monk said: "Fortunately, I have fulfilled my mission. I have returned with the true scriptures."

Taizong was overjoyed. He saw the three monks again. The monk looked majestic, Bajie looked fierce, and Sha Seng was very kind. He asked, "Who are these three?"

Tang Monk said: "He is the disciple I accepted on my journey to the west. He has been a great help to me in my journey to the west."

Upon hearing this, Taizong said happily, "My brother, please ride in the imperial carriage with me back to the court."

Say it.

Without giving Tang Seng any chance to refuse, Taizong took Tang Seng back with him on the carriage. When they returned to the court, Taizong hosted a banquet for him. He did not ask him about the true scriptures, but only cared about the difficulties Tang Seng had encountered on his journey to the West. He then found a place for Tang Seng to rest.

One day later, the pilgrims came to the court again. Tang Seng handed all the scriptures to Emperor Taizong and explained the whole story to him, not daring to make any mistakes. He also talked about the wonders of the wordless scriptures, which made Emperor Taizong very happy.

Taizong ordered someone to collect the scriptures, and then saw three monks standing at the foot of the jade steps. He asked, "Are you three disciples of your majesty foreigners?"

Tang Monk bowed and said, "It is a foreigner. My eldest disciple is from the Water Curtain Cave in the Flower and Fruit Mountain of the Aolai Kingdom in the Dongsheng Shenzhou. His surname is Sun and his name is Wukong, also known as Xingzhe. Because he was disobedient five hundred years ago and made a big fuss in the Heavenly Palace, the Buddha was trapped and oppressed. I saved him, so he followed me to the west. He has great supernatural powers and saved my life. My journey to the west was successful, and my eldest disciple should be the first to be credited. Even I cannot compare with the eldest disciple's contribution. I have felt unwell many times, and I have always wanted to pass on the scriptures to my eldest disciple. There is also this second disciple, who is from the Yunqian Cave in the Fuling Mountain. His surname is Zhu, and his Dharma name is Wuneng. He has made great contributions by carrying the burden all the way. The third disciple is from the Liusha River. His surname is Sha, and his Dharma name is Wujing. He has led a horse to wade through water all the way. There is also this horse, which is a dragon horse. It carried me up the mountains and over the ridges and trekked through the rugged terrain. It also made great contributions."

Taizong was surprised when he heard this and asked, "How far have you traveled, my brother?"

Tang Monk said: "It is a distance of 18000 miles. I have travelled fourteen times through winter and summer to get here. Here is a document which records the countries I have been to, and it has a seal."

Tang Monk took the pass disc and gave it to Emperor Taizong.

Taizong took it and looked at it carefully. The pass was given in the 13th year of Zhenguan. Now it was the 27th year of Zhenguan, so it was indeed the 14th year.

He also saw national seals in the documents, including the "Baoxiang National Seal, Wuji National Seal, Chechi National Seal, Xiliangnu National Seal, Baoliang National Seal, Jisai National Seal, Zhuzi National Seal, Shituo National Seal, Bhikkhu National Seal, and Miefa National Seal; there were also the Fengxian County Seal, Yuhuazhou Seal, and Jinping Prefecture Seal."

Taizong said, "Thank you for your hard work, my brother."

Tang Monk said: "I don't deserve it."

Taizong then said, "My brother, now that you have returned from your pilgrimage, you can stay in the court as an official. My three best disciples all have places to go. Wealth and honor are within your reach, and you will no longer suffer."

Tang Seng clasped his hands and said, "I appreciate your kindness, Your Majesty, but the Buddha of the Western Heaven is still waiting for me. Please forgive me for not being able to stay in the court for long. I am guilty of waiting for Your Majesty."

Taizong said: "Since this is the case, I will not force you. I would like you to explain the true scriptures. Although the wordless true scriptures are wonderful, without you, I am afraid they will be of little use."

Tang Seng said: "Please be at ease, Your Majesty. I will preach the true sutra in here, and when I have finished, I will leave."

Taizong was overjoyed and said, "Thank you, my brother."

Tang Seng said: "Your Majesty, my eldest disciple has done a great service in protecting me on my journey to the west, but please treat him well."

When Taizong heard this, he immediately asked, "My dear brother, I don't know what you need, but please tell me clearly, and I will give it to you with all my kindness and merit."

The Monkey King smiled and said, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty. I don't need anything much, but if Your Majesty appreciates my contribution, please give me some tea, food, melons and fruits. My second junior brother has a big appetite, and it would be bad if he was hungry."

Zhu Bajie laughed happily and said, "Brother, you really know me well."

Taizong followed the advice and ordered people to prepare a banquet to welcome the group of people who were seeking scriptures.

After several days of discussion with many monks about the true scriptures, Tang Seng finally succeeded. He bid farewell to Emperor Taizong and left Chang'an with Monkey and others.

The group was not far from Chang'an City.

The four great Vajras pressed down the clouds together and said, "Holy monk, great saint, have you accomplished your mission now?"

Tang Seng bowed and said, "It has been accomplished." The four Vajra Kings said, "In this case, please come with us and return to Lingshan. We will submit to the emperor and you will receive the title of Righteous Fruit."

The Monkey King said, "Master, Idiot, Junior Brother Sha, are you tired? If you are, just rest for a day or two. Now that the mission has been accomplished, there is no need to rush."

Zhu Bajie yelled, "Brother, you are usually anxious, but today you are not. You don't know that now is the time to be anxious. We are returning to Lingshan, and our master will become a Buddha. I also have the hope of becoming a Buddha. How can I not be anxious?"

The Monkey King sighed and said, "Forget it, forget it, forget it. Since you say so, we will return to Lingshan Mountain."

When the four great Vajras heard what the traveler said, they said no more, rode on the auspicious clouds, carrying the four people and one horse, and returned to Lingshan.

……

Not long after, the pilgrims and the four Vajra Kings returned to the sacred Lingshan Mountain and walked into the Main Hall.

Here, the Buddhists at Mount Lingshan were listening to a lecture in front of the Tathagata's lotus throne. But when they saw a group of people seeking scriptures coming, the Tathagata stopped preaching and the Buddhists looked over.

Tang Monk bowed to the Buddhas and Tathagata.

The four great Vajra stepped forward and said, "Disciples and I were ordered by the Golden Order to escort the holy monks back to the East. Now that we have returned, we have come to present the order and hope that the Buddha will grant our approval."

The Tathagata said: "Pay it with due care, pay it with due care."

He then said, "Now that the work has been accomplished, you should come forward and accept the position so that you can achieve the goal and obtain the right result."

Tang Monk and his companions bowed to Tathagata again and waited patiently for his Dharma teachings.

The Tathagata said, "Holy monk, in your previous life you were my second disciple, named Jin Chanzi. Because you often disrespected my teachings, I demoted your true spirit to the lower world and reincarnated you in the East. Now you have converted again and obtained the true scriptures, which is very meritorious. Therefore, I have promoted you to a high position and made you a Sandalwood Merit Buddha."

Tang Seng stepped forward, bowed, and took the golden edict.

Tathagata said again: "Sun Wukong, you once made a big fuss in the Heavenly Palace and were unruly. Fortunately, I suppressed you with my profound magic power. Now you have turned over a new leaf. On the journey to the West, you concealed evil and promoted good, subdued demons and monsters, and guided holy monks. You have made many contributions. From beginning to end, I will promote you to a high position and you will sit on the lotus platform. You are the Fighting and Victory Buddha."

The monk stepped forward and bowed, and received the Tathagata's golden decree, which named him "Fighting and Victory Buddha".

When Zhu Bajie saw that Tang Seng and Monkey were both given titles, he knew that it was his turn, so he couldn't help but move a little closer.

Just then, Tathagata came looking over and said, "Zhu Wuneng!"

Zhu Bajie stepped forward and kowtowed, saying, "Disciple is here."

The Tathagata said, "You were originally a water god of the Celestial River, but you committed a heinous crime, so you were demoted to the lower world and reincarnated as a pig by mistake. You committed sins in the Yunzhan Cave on Fuling Mountain. Fortunately, you still have a little spiritual light, so you became a monk and protect the holy monk on his journey to the west. However, you still have a playful mind and lustful nature, and you often seduce the holy monk. Thinking of your meritorious service in carrying the burden, I will promote you to a righteous position and make you an altar purifier."

Zhu Bajie was somewhat indignant when he heard this. He did not accept the imperial decree and said, "How come they all became Buddhas, and I am left to serve as an altar cleaner?"

Tathagata said: "You have never achieved such a great achievement, but you have been trying to dissuade others. You have achieved success thanks to Fighting and Victory Buddha. Besides, what is wrong with being the altar purifier? For all the Buddha's affairs, teaching you to purify the altar is a benefit."

Zhu Bajie wanted to argue and ask Tathagata to give him a Buddha position, but when he saw the Buddhas in the palace glaring with anger, he dared not say anything more. So he took the golden edict and accepted the role of "Altar Cleansing Messenger".

The Tathagata said, "Sha Wujing, you were originally the general who rolled up the curtain, but you broke the glass cup at the Peach Banquet, so you were demoted to the lower world to be punished. Fortunately, you have a true spirit and joined my monks. You practice sincerely and respect the holy monks. Although your Dharma is weak and your power is small, you have never been afraid when they are in trouble. You have protected the holy monks and led the horses up the mountain for merit. You have been promoted to a higher position and have become a golden arhat."

Sha Wujing stood up and bowed, "Thank you very much, disciple."

After saying this, he took the golden decree and dared not make any mistake.

The Tathagata looked at the white dragon horse and said, "Ao Lie, you were originally the son of the Dragon King of the Western Sea, but you committed the crime of deceiving the heavens. Now you have converted to my Samana and have carried holy monks to the west every day. You have also carried scriptures to the east. You have made great contributions. I will promote you to the rank of the Eight Heavenly Dragons."

The white dragon horse accepted the order and thanked the grace. It still had the body of a horse, but suddenly it transformed into a dragon. Golden scales grew all over its body and silver whiskers grew under its chin. It was indeed a real dragon.

The white dragon received the golden order from Tathagata and once again coiled on the sky-supporting pillar at the mountain gate.

At this time, all five people have attained the right fruit, and the Buddhas in the treasure hall are all praising them. They speak of the profound Dharma of the Tathagata, and the hearts of the five saints are firm.

Tang Seng thanked the Buddhas again and again, and Wukong wanted to go forward.

Wukong stopped him and said, "Master, what is it that you cannot accomplish today?"

Tang Monk said: "Wukong, your golden hoop has not been taken off yet, and I have not cast a spell to break it. You must ask the Buddha for help."

Wukong shook his head, then took off the golden hoop from his head with both hands, and said, "Master, there is no need for that. I will just take off the golden hoop."

Tang Seng was surprised and asked, "Wukong, how can you take it off?"

Wukong said, "Master, this golden hoop was used to restrain me because I was having trouble concentrating my mind. In the past, my senior brother helped me to remove the golden hoop in Fangcun Mountain. But I was afraid that I would have trouble concentrating my mind while practicing, so I put it on voluntarily. This golden hoop is meant to serve as a warning. It will not be able to restrain me anymore and it is very easy to take it off."

Tang Seng clasped his hands together and said, "Wukong is indeed a Buddha."

(End of this chapter)