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

Chapter 44 Weapons
But the master asked the boy what kind of weapon he wanted.

When Jiang Tong'er heard this, he knew that the master had pity on him and wanted to give him weapons to protect himself. He bowed repeatedly to express his gratitude to the master.

The master helped the boy up and said, "Don't be so unreasonable. Tell me what weapon you want."

Jiang Yuan thought for a long time but could not find the way, so he bowed and said, "As long as Master teaches me, I will accept any weapon that has some Taoist spirit. If there is no other way, Master's ruler can also be used as a weapon."

The master held the ruler firmly, and scolded with a smile: "You boy, how can you say that my ruler is unbearable? You don't know that my ruler is a rare treasure, impervious to water and fire, and has the power to bridge the sea. In your mouth, it is like a rotten wooden ruler."

When Jiang Yuan heard this, he immediately realized the power of the ruler. The master often used the ruler to beat him, but he never thought that the ruler was a rare treasure. He said, "I dare not ask for the ruler from the master. It is the master's teaching that gives me a Taoist weapon."

The master pondered for a while and said, "You, boy, may be restless, but you have a heart for the Tao. That's precious! If I teach you to use a sword, a spear, a halberd, or a dagger, which involves killing, it will not be good for your Tao. I will teach you to use a weapon without an edge. Are you willing?"

Jiang Yuan said, "I wish so."

The master waved his hand, took out a jade whisk, handed it to the boy, and said, "This whisk has a great origin. The jade handle is made of Kun Yuan's essence, and the whisk tail is the treasure of Laojun. In the past, he made a bet with me and asked me to make an iron tree bloom. I used a trick and won a little bit, so Laojun's treasure fell into my hands. Now I use the jade handle and whisk tail to make a jade whisk. You can use it as a weapon to protect yourself. It's a blessing from fate."

Jiang Tong'er took it, the jade whisk felt warm in his hand, and the Mud Palace shook violently, responding to it. He had an idea, which made him understand that this treasure was extraordinary and had the effect of making one's wishes come true and protecting the body and bringing peace.

He took the jade whisk in his hand, and said with joy, "Thank you, Master, for the treasure!"

The master saw his disciple holding up the whisk, with an air of immortality, and smiled, "You are an immortal! You haven't yet mastered the art of alchemy, but today you have four people who have returned to the right path, so you have some luck."

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "I don't deserve Master's words."

The Patriarch sat on a cushion and said, "I just entered the cave and saw someone outside. I have been attending the Dharma Assembly for many years, but the disciples in the cave have not yet all left? Which disciple is it that made me misjudge him?"

Jiang Yuan said, "Master, a few years ago, all the disciples in the cave left. Yuan Zhen saw that he went down the mountain for wine, sex, money, and anger, and encountered a demon who wanted to kill him. He escaped and returned. The red tassel spear beside the cave door was the demon's weapon."

The master nodded and said, "I thought there was someone who made me misjudge. I really saw a spirit and knew to return to the mountain without losing my life."

The monkey mind is difficult to calm, and the two gods will instigate the monkey mind to start a war. How can the unorthodox methods stop it? Therefore, lives are in danger.

After thinking for a while, the master set up a chessboard and taught the boy to play two games.

Jiang Yuan readily agreed and played two games of chess with the master.

It won't take long.

Jiang Tong'er was defeated, which made the master happy.

The master smiled and said, "Boy, you invited five people, but you are still short of Huang Po. Do you want to take a break or do it all at once?"

Jiang Yuan heard this, bowed down and said, "I should do it in one go. Master, please teach me!"

The master helped the boy up and said, "The Huang Po sect's teachings are very easy, so it's okay for the boy to take a rest."

Jiang Tong'er refused and said, "The five of us are almost here, so I dare not rest. I just think it won't be too late to rest now that the five of us are here."

He is still short of one person now, so he wants to complete the five people. If he has the chance to get a glimpse of the Taoist secrets and cultivate the elixir, how can he dare to take a break.

The master said helplessly: "It's up to you. You, boy, please ask Huang Po for the word 'he'."

Jiang Yuan kowtowed and said, "Thank you, Master. Thank you, Master!"

As for him, it is enough for him to get one word from the master.

The master said, "Boy, go and practice now. Since you have to do it all at once, don't delay. When your wife Huang returns, I will teach you how to make the elixir!"

Jiang Yuan thanked him deeply and left the room.

……

Quiet room.

The boy returned to this place, put the jade whisk on the shelf, sat on the cushion, and calmed his mind, intending to explore the way first to find out where Huang Po was. Five people represent five internal organs, and Huang Po is in the spleen.

The spleen represents earth. The ancestor once said that Huang Po has the effect of harmonization. There must be a harmonizer among the five people. Let them work together and practice the alchemy together. The two gods will no longer have the opportunity to provoke the five people.

Huang Po seems useless, but she is actually the most important of the five.

Among the five, the Monkey King and Wood Mother are the most easily instigated. One is distracted and the other is hard to keep his commandments. If one is not careful, disaster may occur, just like when Wood Mother had not yet been reformed, she often instigated the Monkey King to rebel.

If there is Huang Po, the five people should be of one mind. Huang Po is in the middle, which makes sense.

"I know where the spleen is, but I don't know what the master means when he says that Huang Po needs 'harmony'."

"Let's try it first, then we'll know what the master means."

Jiang Yuan’s mind became calm and his spirit entered the spleen.

Not long after he entered there, he no longer saw Huang Po. He was thinking about what ability would be needed to see Huang Po. As he was thinking about it, he suddenly felt a great vibration in his mud palace and the spiritual light of his primordial spirit came.

This flash of inspiration was fleeting. When the boy's mind was put back into the state, he saw a palace in the spleen, which was called the "Central Palace". His soul came to help.

Jiang Tong'er said happily in his heart that every time he got help from someone, his spirit became stronger. Now he had someone help him find the Central Palace. He focused his mind and entered the Central Palace, and got a glimpse of its appearance. There was yellow sand all over the sky, and murderous aura was everywhere. It was indeed an evil place.

It is often said that Huang Po is the one who advocates peace, but how come the Empress is so vicious?

The boy was puzzled when he entered. Before he could think much, he saw tigers, leopards, jackals and wolves emerging from the yellow sand, pouncing on him and biting him. They were truly "as ferocious as Tai Sui hitting the flagpole, and as evil as the gate of death lifting the treasure cover". In a matter of seconds, they forced his mind out of the palace.

Jiang Yuan opened his eyes, looking confused.

How could Huang Po be so vicious? She even told him to beat her up without giving him any explanation before she showed her true form.

The monkey was arrogant and unruly in the past, but had never been so ferocious.

He should call the four people to come and meet Huang Po, but at this time, Mu Mu had just been settled and he was exhausted. He should recuperate for a while before meeting Huang Po to see the outcome.

Jiang Yuan thought about it and closed his eyes to rest.

……

Time flies, half a year has passed, and it is now the end of autumn and the beginning of winter.

Jiang Yuan concentrated on resting his mind and calming Mu Mu. He knew that Huang Po might need four people to come together, so he would not move until Mu Mu was uneasy.

One day, the master sat on the platform and preached the Dharma. This was the first time the master preached the Dharma after returning home.

Jiang Yuan entered the class to listen to the lecture and really saw the master calling the class.

Zhenjian bowed and said, "Senior Brother."

Jiang Yuan looked back and saw his junior brother, with white hair flying in the wind, looking very old. He was surprised and asked, "Junior brother, why are you like this?"

Zhen Jian smiled and said, "Brother, I was summoned by the master, knowing that I must face life and death, but I have been damaged by wine, sex, money and anger. I will not practice cultivation anymore. I only wish to live in the mountains and learn etiquette."

Jiang Yuan exclaimed: "Junior brother finally saw it."

Zhenjian nodded and said, "Now I understand why Master replaced the word 'Jian' with my Dharma name."

If you have not experienced anything, you will never see it, and when you see it, you will regret that you are too old.

Jiang Yuan smiled without saying anything. He waited quietly for a long time, and Zhen saw him sitting behind him, respectfully paying homage to his senior brother.

The master sat on the high platform, and when he saw that everyone was gathered, he began to lecture...

(End of this chapter)