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

Chapter 399 Wang Chongyang Meets Pigsy, Chunyangzi Bestows Talismans

At the summit of Zhongnan Mountain, Pigsy heard the tiger ask about "compassion." He pondered for a long time, recalling the teachings of the immortal from years past.

After pondering for a long time, Pigsy finally spoke, saying, "Compassion, these two words are read as one, but in reality they are two separate things. Compassion is giving joy, and sorrow is relieving suffering. Therefore, their essence is emptiness, and their function is immeasurable. Great compassion gives joy to all sentient beings, and great sorrow relieves the suffering of all sentient beings; great compassion gives sentient beings joy and happiness, and great sorrow gives sentient beings relief from suffering. This should be called compassion."

The tiger listened to what Pigsy said and seemed to be thinking. After a long while, it spoke in human language and replied, "I don't quite understand what the Bodhisattva said, but what I have heard from the Bodhisattva is very reasonable. I will remember what the Bodhisattva said and I will surely gain something from it in the future."

Just as Pigsy was about to reply and instruct the tiger to cultivate diligently, they suddenly heard a sound coming from afar.

"What you say about compassion is very reasonable, but there are many things here that I do not understand. I wonder if you could answer them for me and discuss our knowledge together?"

Upon hearing these words, Pigsy looked down the mountain and suddenly saw Wang Chongyang urging his horse toward him.

He was startled, not expecting Wang Chongyang to arrive at the mountain peak so quickly. Now that Wang Chongyang had seen him, it was too late to hide.

Pigsy decided to wait for Wang Chongyang in the same spot, wanting to meet him.

A short while later, Wang Chongyang rode up on his horse. He had just been traveling on the mountain path when he heard someone say "compassion," which greatly moved him. He knew that there must be a learned person on the mountaintop, and he wanted to come forward to pay his respects. But as he approached, he saw Zhu Bajie.

Wang Chongyang composed himself and took a closer look. He was shocked. He had thought that a great master was here to share his knowledge with others, but upon closer inspection, he realized that there was no master here at all, only a monster with a pig's head and a human body, and a huge tiger.

Wang Chongyang was startled, and the horse was also frightened, turning around to carry Wang Chongyang away.

Seeing this, Pigsy said, "Don't run away. I'm not a monster and won't harm you. Don't worry."

Say it.

Pigsy blew a breath at the horse, which made it dare not move forward and stop meekly in place.

Wang Chongyang took out the Heavenly Canopy Ruler, looking at Zhu Bajie with great vigilance.

Pigsy said, “Don’t point that Heavenly Ruler at me. I am a Bodhisattva, not a demon. Your Heavenly Ruler can’t intimidate me.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Chongyang immediately bowed and said, "Is it truly a Bodhisattva before me?"

Pigsy said, “I am the Clean Altar Messenger Bodhisattva, so you can rest assured. I am here to subdue evil spirits, and I have also seen a benevolent demon hiding in this mountain, so I am giving you some pointers.”

Wang Chongyang suddenly realized that the image of Zhu Bajie was exactly the same as the clay sculptures of the "Cleansing Altar Messenger" he had seen in many temples in the past. Thinking of this, he was no longer confused and immediately bowed and said, "This humble one was rude and did not know that the Bodhisattva had come. Please forgive me!"

Pigsy waved his hand, patted his belly, and said, "I have a big heart and will forgive you."

As he spoke, he waved to the tiger, instructing it to devote itself to cultivation and not to linger there.

Seeing Pigsy's behavior, the tiger turned and left, entering the secluded forest.

Pigsy said, "You rascal, how do you know that I am a Bodhisattva and have no fear?"

Wang Chongyang dismounted and said, “There is a reason to respect the Bodhisattva, but one should not be afraid or fearful. If one is afraid or fearful, that is disrespectful.”

Pigsy laughed and said, "You little rascal, you're quite interesting. What did you mean by talking about knowledge just now?"

Wang Chongyang said, “To be honest, Bodhisattva, I come from Jingzhou and have been traveling around seeking knowledge. I have been searching for people who are good at the teachings of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism throughout the world. Now I have come to Zhongnan Mountain and heard your compassionate words. I was greatly surprised and felt that your words were reasonable. That is why I wanted to discuss knowledge with you. Please forgive my rudeness. I did not know that you were here and thought you were a person of great learning, which is why I did so.”

Pigsy said, "I have not offended you. Since you are interested in knowing the word 'compassion,' I can tell you about it, but do you want to listen?"

Wang Chongyang was overjoyed and bowed deeply, saying, "If the Bodhisattva is willing to speak with me, I am willing to listen."

Pigsy said, "In that case, come with me."

Say it.

Pigsy turned around and walked back into his cave.

Wang Chongyang followed closely behind, putting the Heavenly Canopy Ruler back into his bundle, lest he disturb the Clean Altar Messenger.

The two entered the cave and saw countless jewels inside.

Wang Chongyang walked by without changing his expression, not even glancing at the jewels, completely unmoved.

Upon seeing this, Pigsy was surprised and full of admiration. He said, "There are so many jewels here, why aren't you tempted? To tell you the truth, these jewels were left behind by a wicked demon in this place. That demon is very cunning. He used the glow of the sunset to lure people here, and then used the jewels to make them lower their guard so he could devour them. Now that I have eliminated that demon, these jewels are now ownerless. If you are pleased with this, you can take them all without worrying about them."

Wang Chongyang still hadn't looked at the jewels. He said, "As the sage said, 'A gentleman loves wealth, but he acquires it in a proper way.' This is a profound truth. Furthermore, money is ultimately a worldly thing, useless to knowledge. If it's useless to me, what difference is there between this money and a stone?"

Pigsy laughed and said, "You are far superior to me. Since you don't want these jewels, just leave them here. Whoever is destined to take them can come and get them. Now, if you want to know what kind of knowledge it is, I can tell you for a while."

Wang Chongyang said, “Bodhisattva, your wisdom is profound. I thank you. But Bodhisattva, I wish to know what you mean by ‘compassion’. I have never heard of compassion as you have described, but I feel that what you say makes great sense, so I ask you here.”

Pigsy said, “Compassionate one, I will not lie to you, it is not what I, Pigsy, thought, but what I heard a true man say years ago, which I then wrote down and relayed to that tiger.”

Wang Chongyang said, "But it is also remarkable that the Bodhisattva can remember it."

Pigsy laughed and said, "Don't try to fool me. If you want to hear what I have to say, sit down first, and I will tell you everything that the immortal said back then."

Wang Chongyang bowed repeatedly to express his gratitude to Zhu Bajie.

Pigsy pondered for a moment, recalling what the True Man had said in the past, and then spoke, saying: “Compassion is the essence of all Buddhas, the vessel that carries people across the world. Compassion gives joy, and sorrow relieves suffering. Only when these two virtues flow together can one attain true reality.”

"But cultivating loving-kindness is not merely a matter of reciting mantras; it must involve giving one's own life and fearlessly embracing those in distress. When you see people suffering, you should generate loving-kindness and offer them protection, ensuring they find their proper place..."

"If we discuss great compassion, it arises from four causes: first, one contemplates the profound and difficult-to-understand causes and conditions of sentient beings' suffering; second, one cultivates it over countless lifetimes; third, one cultivates it with utmost sincerity; and fourth, because of this utmost sincerity, one does not hesitate to sacrifice one's own life for the sake of sentient beings..."

Pigsy recounted to Wang Chongyang everything the immortal had said in the past.

Wang Chongyang was deeply moved by what Zhu Bajie said and wrote it all down. After listening to the whole story, he bowed and thanked Zhu Bajie for what he had said.

Pigsy laughed and said, "No need to thank me. This is not what I said; I was just relaying it."

Wang Chongyang still insisted on thanking Zhu Bajie.

Pigsy had no choice but to accept it, but he had no intention of discussing anything with Wang Chongyang. He simply said that he had something to do and had to leave, then rode away on a cloud.

Before long, Pigsy left, hiding among the clouds to secretly protect Wang Chongyang. He also wanted to see if Wang Chongyang would be tempted by the jewels after he left.

Under Pigsy's watchful gaze, Wang Chongyang merely glanced at the jewels, unmoved, and walked away, seemingly wanting to find a place in the Zhongnan Mountains to savor his learning.

Pigsy exclaimed in surprise, "Although the Ten Trials have already tested this kind of person, seeing Zhengwei's true nature again still makes this old pig's heart tremble."

He felt a pang of regret. His current Dao heart was far inferior to Wang Chongyang's. Perhaps he really should make a change. Otherwise, the gap between him and Wang Chongyang would only widen.

Although the Golden Elixir Path is good, it is ultimately a thing of the past. If one does not let go of his obsession, he will never be able to move forward.

Pigsy was tempted, but he remained focused and kept his eyes fixed on Wang Chongyang, protecting him.

Meanwhile, in Zhongnan Mountain, after receiving Zhu Bajie's words about "compassion," Wang Chongyang left his cave without being tempted by the jewels.

Wang Chongyang walked on the summit of Zhongnan Mountain. It was springtime, but there was still a bit of cold wind blowing through the mountain, making people feel cold. He took out the Tianpeng Ruler and put it close to his body.

The Heavenly Ruler was slightly warm, dispelling the cold for him.

Wang Chongyang looked around and said, "This mountain is beautiful and secluded. It would be wonderful to read books here every day. However, I should find a place where I can read properly."

He searched everywhere for a long time, but could not find a good place to teach him to read.

Left with no other choice, Wang Chongyang found a tree to shelter from the cold wind, sat down cross-legged, and pondered the words of "compassion" that Zhu Bajie had just spoken of.

Wang Chongyang devoted himself to studying.

Time flies, and more than a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

Wang Chongyang spent his days in the mountains contemplating 'compassion,' eating mountain fruits when he was hungry and drinking mountain spring water when he was thirsty, living a life of ease.

When Pigsy saw Wang Chongyang through the clouds, he felt great admiration for him, for Wang Chongyang had already received the true teachings of a master.

As he was pondering this, he suddenly saw someone approaching from the foot of Zhongnan Mountain.

Pigsy peered intently in that direction and saw Lü Yan, Lü Dongbin, on the path leading up the mountain.

Pigsy then descended from the clouds and headed in that direction.

A short while later, Pigsy arrived at the foot of the mountain and blocked Lü Dongbin's way.

When Lü Dongbin saw someone approaching, he was about to draw his sword to fight, but upon closer inspection, he saw that it was Zhu Bajie. So he sheathed his sword, bowed, and said, "Purifying Altar Messenger Bodhisattva."

Pigsy laughed and said, "Lu Yan, why are you being so polite?"

Lü Dongbin said helplessly, "Bodhisattva, when have I ever been impolite?"

Pigsy said, “You have always been polite, so I won’t speak to you like this. But now you are one of the Eight Immortals, with profound magical powers that far surpass those of the past. Why are you still wandering in the mortal world and even coming to Zhongnan Mountain?”

Lü Dongbin replied, “Bodhisattva, I originally came from the human world. If I am not in the human world, where am I going? Besides, walking in the human world is also a form of cultivation. But I came to Zhongnan Mountain because I heard that there was a glowing light in this mountain and that there were rare treasures that attracted others. I heard this and guessed that something had changed in this mountain. It must be that some evil spirits were causing trouble. So I came here to find out the truth.”

Pigsy said, “If that’s the case, there’s no need to worry. The glow of Zhongnan Mountain was indeed born from evil spirits, but now that evil spirit has been subdued by me, so there are no more changes in the mountain.”

Upon hearing this, Lü Dongbin bowed and said, "If that's the case, then my trip has been in vain. I thank the Bodhisattva for personally subduing the evil spirits."

Pigsy, wielding his nine-toothed rake, laughed and said, "How can you say it's troublesome? I am now a disciple of the True Man and a protector of the Dharma. Since I have come here, it is my duty to clean up the demons and evil spirits in this mountain. Therefore, there is no need to talk about trouble."

Upon hearing this, Lü Dongbin immediately asked, "Master, your disciple has arrived here? May I ask which disciple you are? Could the Bodhisattva please tell me?" Zhu Bajie replied, "I am the reincarnation of Zhengwei, the great disciple of the True Man."

Lü Dongbin immediately understood and asked, "Could it be Wang Chongyang?"

Pigsy nodded and said, "That's right, that's right."

Lü Dongbin's eyes lit up, and he said, "I met Wang Chongyang when he was born. Now that we meet here, I should pay my respects to him. Bodhisattva, I wonder if I can meet him?"

He knew that Zhu Bajie was here to protect Wang Chongyang, which must have been at the behest of the immortal. Therefore, he dared not disobey Zhu Bajie. If he wanted to see Wang Chongyang, he would have to ask Zhu Bajie to answer him.

Pigsy said, "If you wish to meet him, that is certainly possible."

Upon hearing this, Lü Dongbin bowed to Zhu Bajie again.

Pigsy did not speak to Lü Dongbin again, but rode a cloud into the sky to secretly protect Wang Chongyang.

Lü Dongbin, on the other hand, headed towards the mountaintop.

……

Before long, Lü Dongbin reached the top of the mountain. He looked around and saw a man sitting cross-legged in a grove of trees, closing his eyes to rest, seemingly deep in thought.

Lü Dongbin could easily see the weariness in Wang Chongyang's body, which made him sigh inwardly. When he first saw Wang Chongyang, he was just born, like the rising sun. But when he saw him again this year, Wang Chongyang was gloomy and aged, like the afterglow of the setting sun.

That is life.

Thinking of this, Lü Dongbin walked forward.

Upon seeing Lü Dongbin arrive, Wang Chongyang quickly stood up and asked, "Who comes from?"

Lü Dongbin laughed and said, "The wandering Taoist priest came here and saw someone on this mountain, so he came to pay his respects."

Wang Chongyang said, "You are very polite, Daoist, but this mountain belongs to Heaven and Earth, not to me. You have come here by wandering, so there is no need for you to pay homage to me."

Lü Dongbin said, “I do not worship mountains because of them, but when I travel, I worship mountains when I encounter them and offer sacrifices to rivers when I encounter them. If I see scholars, I should also treat them with courtesy. Now I see you, a scholar, with the air of books about you, so I have come to meet you.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Chongyang knew that this wandering Taoist was a true cultivator. He bowed and said, "Since you have come to pay your respects, I should accept it. This place is simple, please do not find it offensive. I wish to meet with you and discuss the Tao. I wonder if you would be willing?"

Lü Dongbin laughed and said, "Seeing that you are a scholar, I am naturally pleased to have the opportunity to discuss with you. Furthermore, your words are simple and unadorned, which is quite unusual. This place is a rare and beautiful mountain in the world. How can it be considered simple and unadorned when we discuss things here?"

Wang Chongyang was slightly taken aback, then pondered for a moment and smiled, "What you say is very true, Daoist. There is nothing simple about this place."

Lü Dongbin sat down on the ground and said, "I still don't know your name?"

Wang Chongyang bowed and replied, "My surname is Wang, my given name is Chongyang, and my courtesy name is Zhiming."

Lü Dongbin returned the greeting and said, "My secular name is Lü Yan, my courtesy name is Dongbin, and my Buddhist name is Chunyangzi."

Wang Chongyang said, "Greetings, Brother Chunyang."

Lü Dongbin laughed and said, "Brother Zhiming, there's no need for such formalities."

The two got to know each other, and Wang Chongyang took out some fruit for Lü Dongbin to enjoy.

Lü Dongbin did not refuse, accepted the food and drank it, bowed to thank Wang Chongyang, and then said: "Now that Brother Zhiming has invited me to discuss the Dao, I am originally from the Daoist school and know a lot about the Dao. I wonder if Brother Zhiming knows the Dao, and how much he knows?"

Wang Chongyang said, “Brother Chunyang, please rest assured. I am well-versed in the doctrines of the three schools: Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. I know a little about Taoism, though it is somewhat superficial, but I can still talk about it to some extent.”

Lü Dongbin laughed and said, "I didn't know that Brother Zhiming is well-versed in the doctrines of the three schools of thought. This is quite remarkable. I am not familiar with Buddhism or Confucianism, so I can only discuss the Daoist teachings with Brother Zhiming."

Wang Chongyang said, "Being able to discuss the Dao is enough."

Lü Dongbin said, "Since that's the case, let's discuss the Dao here. Please, brother, reveal your Dao."

Wang Chongyang bowed and said, "Brother Chunyang is a member of the Daoist sect. How could I possibly offer any insights? Wouldn't that be like showing off my limited skills before an expert? Please, Brother Chunyang, explain your principles so we can discuss them together."

Upon hearing this, Lü Dongbin said, "In that case, I will explain the reason."

As he spoke, his eyes shone brightly as he looked at Wang Chongyang and asked, "Brother Zhiming, as you see it, what is 'Daoist Dharma'?"

Wang Chongyang pondered for a moment before replying, “From what I have heard, the Dao and its laws are everywhere. Even tiles and weeds are imbued with the Dao; farming, pottery, and fishing are all places where the Dao is practiced. The laws are not merely the laws governing celestial phenomena, but also the principles governing human relations and the daily practices.”

"In the past, when the butcher Ding dissected an ox, he did so with his spirit rather than with his eyes, thus his skill approached the Dao. Farmers follow the seasons and the soil's fertility, sowing in spring and harvesting in autumn; this is the way of nature."

"What does Brother Chunyang think?"

Say it.

Wang Chongyang looked at Lü Dongbin, wanting to ask for his insights.

Lü Dongbin laughed and said, "Brother Zhiming is indeed very knowledgeable. His ability to speak in this dialect is enough to show his learning. Please listen to what I have to say next."

Wang Chongyang sat cross-legged, listening attentively.

Lü Dongbin said: "The Dao is profound and mysterious, existing before heaven and earth, standing alone and unchanging, circulating without ceasing. It is infinitely large and infinitely small, elusive and indistinct, beyond description."

"The law is merely a trace of the Dao, like the arrangement of stars and the operation of the four seasons, all of which are manifestations of the Dao, following its inherent nature."

"The Way and the Law are based on the Way, with the Law being less important. The Law is the manifestation of the Way, and the Way is the foundation of the Law. If the subject and object are reversed, it is abandoning the root and pursuing the branch."

Lü Dongbin smiled and shared his insights.

Upon hearing this, Wang Chongyang pondered for a long time before nodding and saying, "Brother Chunyang is right."

Lü Dongbin said, “Not only is what I said reasonable, but what you said is also not wrong.”

The two looked at each other and burst into laughter.

Lü Dongbin was also impressed. He thought to himself, "As expected of a disciple of a true master, even after reincarnation, he still has such insights into the Dao."

The two then discussed Taoist teachings at the summit of Zhongnan Mountain, and several days passed in this conversation.

Several days later, the two finished their conversation and each gained something, but in the end, Wang Chongyang gained more.

After their conversation, Lü Dongbin prepared to leave.

Wang Chongyang was somewhat reluctant to part with him. He had traveled to many places and rarely encountered someone with such profound Taoist skills as Lü Dongbin. Now that he had met him, he was naturally delighted. He said, "Brother Chunyang, why don't you stay a little longer? Is there something I have done wrong in my hospitality?"

Lü Dongbin laughed and said, "It's not that I haven't been well received, but I still need to travel to various places, so I can't stay in one place for long."

Upon hearing this, Wang Chongyang felt somewhat helpless, but dared not teach Lü Dongbin any wrong practices, so he let him go.

Just as Lü Dongbin was about to leave, he suddenly said, "Brother Zhiming, although you are well-versed in knowledge, you are ultimately just 'armchair strategist.' What do you think, Brother Zhiming?"

Wang Chongyang was somewhat taken aback and asked, "Brother Chunyang, what is the meaning of this?"

Lü Dongbin laughed and said, "You know the doctrines of Taoism, so why haven't you entered the Taoist school to cultivate yourself?"

Wang Chongyang asked, "What is meant by cultivation?"

Lü Dongbin said, “Cultivation is cultivation. Entering the Daoist gate is to cultivate the Dao, either to cultivate the Golden Elixir of Truth, or to choose a side path to enter and achieve enlightenment. You now have knowledge but have not cultivated. You are just like ‘talking about war on paper’.”

Upon hearing the words "Golden Elixir," Wang Chongyang's heart stirred, and he asked, "What exactly is the Way of the Golden Elixir?"

Seeing Wang Chongyang's interest in the 'golden elixir', Lü Dongbin smiled and said, "The golden elixir is the golden elixir; it is the true path."

Wang Chongyang then said, “To be honest, Brother Chunyang, I once met an immortal who spoke to me about the true path of the Golden Elixir, but I never understood it. However, hearing about the true path of the Golden Elixir made me happy to talk about it, but I still didn’t understand the intricacies of it.”

Upon hearing this, Lü Dongbin knew that the True Man had indeed intervened, or that he should not have spoken of matters of cultivation. He then smiled and said, "I know the name of the Golden Elixir Way, but my cultivation is still insufficient. If you ask me to explain the cultivation process, I cannot explain it clearly."

Upon hearing this, Wang Chongyang had no choice but to give up, saying, "Fine, fine, fine. Since that's how it is, I won't force you."

Lü Dongbin said, "I cannot tell you the true path to the Golden Elixir today, but I can tell you about some other things. Please listen carefully, Brother Zhiming."

Wang Chongyang asked, "What does Brother Chunyang wish to discuss?"

Lü Dongbin smiled but said nothing. Instead, he took a dry branch, used the sand as paper, and carved a strange talisman on it.

A talisman is a life-giving character; practicing it can prolong life.

Wang Chongyang looked at the talisman and asked, "What is the meaning of these characters?"

Lü Dongbin replied, "This is a talisman. You can study it carefully. If you can glean even a little from it, it will be of great benefit to you."

Wang Chongyang stared blankly at the talisman on the ground, somewhat at a loss. But after gazing at the talisman for a long time, he unconsciously became absorbed in it, as if he were savoring the talisman.

Lü Dongbin smiled, and without lingering, got up and walked down the mountain. It was enough that he had come this far and met Wang Chongyang. The friendship he had left behind would surely be different when they met again in the future.

Lü Dongbin got up and left.

Wang Chongyang was unaware of this. He was simply looking at the talisman on the ground, his mind seemingly drawn to it, and he unconsciously began to sketch the image of the talisman in his mind.

This talisman was like opening a door for him, teaching him the usefulness of knowledge.

(End of this chapter)