Journey to the West (vol. 2)

by Wu Cheng-En

  Dense yellow smoke,

  Brilliant golden light.

  The dense yellow smoke

  Gushed out as clouds from under his ribs;

  The brilliant golden light

  Came from a thousand eyes like fire.

  To left and right they seemed like golden pails;

  To East and West they resembled bells of bronze.

  Thus an evil immortal used his magic power,

  A Taoist master showed divine ability,

  Dazzling the eyes, blotting out sun, moon and sky,

  Blanketing people with acrid vapors.

  The Great Sage Equaling Heaven

  Was caught in the golden light and yellow smoke.

  Monkey started lashing out desperately with his hands and feet, but could only spin around inside the golden light, unable to take a step either forwards or backwards. It was as if he were turning round and round in a bucket. It was hopeless. He was unbearably hot. In his anxiety he leapt into the air, smashing against the golden light, and crashing head first to the ground. His head ached where he had hit it, and felt anxiously to find that the top of his scalp was tender.

  “What lousy luck,” he though, “what lousy luck. This head's useless today. Usually swords and axes can't hurt it, so why has golden light bruised it now? After a while it's bound to go septic, and even if it does get better I might have tetanus.” He was still feeling unbearably hot. “I can't move forward or back,” he thought, working out a plan, “or to left or right, and I can't smash my way through by going up. Whatever shall I do? I'll damn well have to get out by going down.”

  The splendid Great Sage said the words of a spell, shook himself, and turned into one of those scaly diggers called pangolins. Indeed:

  Four sets of iron claws

  Dug through the mountain, smashing rocks like powder.

  The scales covering his body

  Carved through ridges and crags like slicing scallions.

  His eyes were as bright

  As two gleaming stars;

  His mouth was sharper

  Than a steel drill or brazen auger.

  He was the scaly mountain-borer used in medicine,

  The creature known as the pangolin.

  Watch him as he burrows into the ground with his head, not coming out again till he has covered over six miles. The golden light could only enclose about three miles. When he emerged and turned back into himself he was exhausted. His muscles ached, his whole body was in pain, and he could not help weeping. Suddenly he burst out with, “Master,

  Since leaving the mountain and joining the faith

  I've worked very hard on our way to the West.

  The waves of the ocean are nothing to fear,

  But in this dry gulch I've come out second best.”

  Just as the Handsome Monkey King was feeling miserable the sound of sobs could suddenly be heard from the other side of the mountain. Leaning forward and drying his tears he turned to look. A woman appeared, dressed in deep mourning and sobbing at every step as she came from the other side of the mountain. She was holding a dish of cold rice gruel in her left hand and several pieces of yellow paper money for burning to the dead in her right. Monkey sighed and nodded as he said to himself, “This is a case of

  Weeping eyes meeting weeping eyes,

  One broken heart coming across another.

  I wonder what this woman is crying about. I'll ask her.” Before long the woman was coming along the path towards him.

  “Lady Bodhisattva,” asked Brother Monkey with a bow, “who are you weeping for?”

  Through her tears the woman replied, “My husband was murdered by the master of the Yellow Flower Temple with poisoned tea because he got into a quarrel with him over the purchase of some bamboo poles. I'm going to burn this paper money as a mark of my love for him.”

  This made Monkey's tears flow. The sight made the woman say angrily, “You ignorant fool. I'm grieving over my husband, but what business do you have to be weeping and looking so miserable? Are you mocking me?”

  “Please don't be angry, Bodhisattva,” said Monkey with a bow. “I'm Sun Wukong the Novice, the senior disciple of Tang Sanzang, the younger brother of the Great Tang Emperor in the East. When we passed the Yellow Flower Temple on our way to the Western Heaven we stopped to rest, but the Taoist master there is some kind of evil spirit who's the sworn brother of seven spider spirits. When the spider spirits wanted to kill my master in Gossamer Cave I and my brother disciples Pig and Friar Sand managed to save him. The spider spirits fled to the Taoist's place and told him a pack of lies about us bullying them, so the Taoist knocked out my master and brothers. The three of them and the horse are now prisoners in his temple. I was the only one who didn't drink the tea. I smashed the cup and he attacked me. Because of the noise the seven spider spirits rushed outside to give out their silken ropes and catch me in the web they wove. I only got away by magic. After I'd found out who they really were I used my power of giving myself extra bodies to tear the silken ropes to pieces, drag the demons out and beat them to death. The Taoist master wanted revenge, so he went for me with his sword. When we'd gone sixty rounds he fled beaten, took off his clothes, and used the thousand eyes he has under his ribs to give off countless beams of golden light. I was caught under them, unable to move forwards or backwards, so I turned into a pangolin and burrowed my way out underground. It was when I was feeling thoroughly depressed that I heard you weeping, which was why I asked you those questions. When I saw that you had paper money to give your husband I felt wretched and miserable because I've got nothing for my master when he dies. Making fun of you was the last thing on my mind!”

  Putting down the gruel and the paper money the woman returned Brother Monkey's bow and said, “Please forgive me. I didn't realize that you were a sufferer too. From what you've just said you don't know who that Taoist is. He's really the Demon King Hundred-eye, who's also known as the Many-eyed Monster. You must have tremendous magical powers to have escaped from the golden light and fought so long, but you couldn't get near him. I'll tell you about a sage you can send for who would be able to smash the golden light and defeat the Taoist.”

  Monkey's immediate response was to chant a “na-a-aw” of respect and say, “If you know the sage's background, lady Bodhisattva, may I trouble you to tell me about it? If there is such a sage I'll fetch him to rescue my master and avenge your husband.”

  “I'll tell you,” the woman said, “and you can fetch the sage, who will subdue the Taoist, but that will only bring revenge. I'm afraid the sage won't be able to rescue your master.”

  “Why not?” Monkey asked. “His poison is truly lethal,” the woman replied. “When people are laid low by it the very marrow of their bones rots within three days. I'm afraid that by the time you've been to see the sage and come back again you'll be too late to save him.”

  “I know how to travel,” Monkey replied. “However far it is I'll only take half a day.”

  “If you can travel then listen to this,” the woman said. “About three hundred miles from here there's a mountain called Mount Purple Clouds, and in the mountain there's a Thousand Flower Cave where there lives a sage called Vairambha who will be able to defeat that demon.”

  “Where's the mountain?” Monkey asked. “Which direction should I take?”

  “It's due South of here,” the woman replied, pointing; and by the time Brother Monkey looked back at her she had disappeared.

  Monkey quickly did a kowtow and said, “Which Bodhisattva was that? After all that burrowing you disciple was feeling too stupid to recognize you. I beg you to tell me your name so that I can thank you.” At this there came a shout from mid-air, “Great Sage, it's me.” Monkey quickly looked up to see that it was the Old Lady of Mount Li. Catching up with her in the sky he thanked her with the words, “Where have you come from to give me these instructions?”

  “On my way back from Dragon Flower Assembly I noticed that your master was in trouble,” the Ol
d Lady replied. “It was to save his life that I pretended to be a woman in mourning for her husband. Hurry up and fetch the sage. But don't tell her I sent you: she is rather difficult.”

  Thanking her, Monkey took his leave and set off straight away on his somersault cloud. Once at Mount Purple Clouds he brought his cloud down and saw the Thousand Flower Cave. Outside the cave:

  Blue pines masked the splendid view,

  Turquoise cypresses surrounded the immortal's home.

  Green willows were packed close along the mountain paths,

  Rare flowers filled the watercourses.

  Orchids grew all around stone buildings,

  And scented blooms gave color to the crags.

  Flowing water linked ravines with green,

  While clouds enclosed the emptiness of trees.

  Noisily sang wild birds.

  Slowly strolled the deer,

  Elegant grew the bamboo,

  And all the red plums were open.

  Rooks perched in ancient woods,

  While spring birds chirped in the tree of heaven.

  Summer wheat filled spreading acres,

  And autumn millet grew all over the land.

  No leaf fell in all four seasons.

  And flowers bloomed throughout the year.

  Auspicious rosy glows joined with the Milky Way,

  And clouds of good omen were linked with the Great Emptiness.

  The Great Sage was delighted as he went inside, seeing boundless beauty at every stage. He went straight on, but found it deserted and completely silent. Not even a chicken or a dog could be heard. “I think that this sage must be out.” Monkey thought. When he had gone a mile or two further on he saw a Taoist nun sitting on a couch. This is what she looked like:

  She wore a five-flowered hat of brocade,

  And a robe of golden silk.

  Her cloud-treading shoes were patterned with phoenixes

  And round her waist was a sash with double tassels.

  Her face looked as old as autumn after a frost,

  But her voice was as charming as swallows in the spring.

  Long had she mastered the Dharma of Three Vehicles,

  And she was ever mindful of the Four Truths.

  She knew true achievement, that emptiness is empty,

  And through her training had acquired great freedom.

  She was the Buddha of the Thousand Flower Cave,

  The illustrious Vairambha of great fame.

  Monkey went straight up to her without stopping and said, “Greetings, Bodhisattva Vairambha.”

  The Bodhisattva then came down from her couch, put her hands together to return his greeting and said, “Great Sage, it was remiss of me not to come out to greet you. Where have you come from?”

  “How do you know that I'm the Great Sage?” Monkey asked.

  “When you made havoc in Heaven the other year,” Vairambha replied, “your picture was circulated everywhere. That's why everyone can recognize you.”

  “How true it is,” Monkey said, “that

  While good deeds stay at home

  Bad deeds are known far and wide.

  Take my conversion to Buddhism, for example. You didn't know about that.”

  “Congratulations,” said Vairambha. “When did that happen?”

  “Not long ago my life was spared to escort my master the Tang Priest on his journey to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures,” Monkey replied. “My master has been laid low with poisoned tea by the Taoist of the Yellow Flower Temple. When I was fighting with him he caught me in his golden light, and I had to use magic to escape. I have come here to pay you my respects, Bodhisattva, and ask your help because I've heard that you are able to destroy his golden light.”

  “Who told you that?” the Bodhisattva asked. “I have not left here since the Ullambana assembly over three hundred years ago. I've lived in complete secrecy and nobody has heard of me, so how is it that you know of me?”

  “I'm an underground devil,” Monkey replied, “and I can make my own enquiries anywhere at all.”

  “Never mind,” Vairambha said, “never mind. I shouldn't really go, but as you have honoured me with a visit, Great Sage, and as the great cause of fetching the scriptures must not be allowed to fail I'll go with you.”

  Monkey thanked her and said, “It's very ignorant of me to hurry you along in this way. I wonder what weapon you use.”

  “I have an embroidery needle that will put an end to that damned creature,” said the Bodhisattva.

  This was too much for Monkey. “Old Lady, you've been wasting my time,” he said. “Had I known it was an embroidery needle I wouldn't have had to trouble you. I could have provided a hundredweight of them.”

  “Your embroidery needles are all made of iron, steel or gold,” the Bodhisattva replied. “They're no use. My treasure isn't iron and isn't steel and isn't gold. It was tempered by my son in the sun.”

  “Who is he?” asked Monkey. “He is the Star Lord of the Mane,” Vairambha replied.

  This came as a shock to Monkey, who gazed at the golden light then turned to Vairambha and said, “The Yellow Flower Temple is where that golden light is coming from.” Vairambha then took from the lapel of her gown an embroidery needle about the thickness of an eyebrow hair and half an inch long. Holding it between her fingers she threw it into the air. A few moments later there was a loud noise and the golden light was shattered.

  “That's wonderful, Bodhisattva, wonderful!” exclaimed a delighted Monkey. “Let's find your needle now.”

  “Isn't this it here?” asked Vairambha, who was holding it in her hand. Brother Monkey brought his cloud down to land with hers and went into the temple, where he found the Taoist with his eyes shut, unable to move. “Stop playing blind, damned demon,” he said abusively, taking his cudgel from his ear ready to hit the Taoist with.

  “Don't hit him, Great Sage,” said Vairambha. “Go and see your master.”

  On going straight to the reception room at the back Monkey found the three of them bringing up mucus and spittle where they lay on the floor. “What am I to do?” wept Monkey. “What am I to do?”

  “Don't grieve, Great Sage,” said Vairambha. “As I've come out today I think I might as well accumulate some merit by giving you three of these pills that are an antidote to the poison.” Monkey turned round to bow down and beg her for them, whereupon she produced a torn paper packet from her sleeve containing three red pills that she handed to Monkey, telling him to put one in each of their mouths. This he did, forcing their teeth apart. A few moments later they all started vomiting as the drug reached their stomachs, bringing up the poison and coming back to life. Pig was the first to scramble to his feet.

  “I feel suffocated,” he said. Sanzang and Friar Sand both came round too, saying that they felt very dizzy.

  “Your tea was poisoned,” Brother Monkey explained. “It was the Bodhisattva Vairambha who saved you. Hurry up and bow to her in thanks.” Sanzang bowed to her to show his gratitude as he straightened up his clothes.

  “Brother,” said Pig, “where's that Taoist? I've got some questions to ask him about why he tried to murder me.” Monkey then told him all about the spider spirits.

  “If spider spirits are his sisters that damned creature must be an evil spirit too,” said Pig with fury.

  “He's standing outside the main hall pretending to be blind,” said Monkey, pointing.

  Pig grabbed his rake and was about to hit the Taoist with it when Vairambha stopped him and said, “Control your temper, Marshal Tian Peng. As the Great Sage knows, I have no servants in my cave. I am going to take him as my doorkeeper.”

  “We are deeply indebted to your great power,” Monkey replied, “and we will of course obey. But we would like you to turn him back into his real self so that we can have a look at him.”

  “Easily done,” said Vairambha, stepping forward and pointing at the Taoist, who collapsed into the dust and reverted to his real form of a giant c
entipede spirit seven feet long. Picking him up with her little finger Vairambha rode her auspicious cloud straight back to the Thousand Flower Cave. “That old lady's a real terror,” said Pig, looking up. “How did she manage to subdue that evil creature?”

  “When I asked her what weapon she had to smash the golden light with,” Monkey replied, “she told me about a golden embroidery needle of hers that her son had tempered in the sun. When I asked her who her son was she told me he was the Star Lord of the Mane. As I remember, the Mane Star is a cock, so his mother must be a hen. Hens are very good at dealing with centipedes, which is why she could subdue him.”

  On hearing this Sanzang performed no end of kowtows. “Disciples,” he ordered, “go and get things ready.” Friar Sand then went inside to find some rice and prepare a vegetarian meal, so that they could all eat their fill. Then they led the horse up, shouldered the carrying-pole, and asked the master to set out. Monkey started a blaze in the kitchen that in an instant burnt the whole temple to ashes. He then set out on his way. Indeed:

  The Tang Priest thanked Vairambha for saving his life;

  The emotions were eliminated and the Many-eyed Monster removed.

  As for what happened on the way ahead, listen to the explanations in the next installment.

  Chapter 74

  Li Changgeng Reports the Demons' Vicious Nature

  The Novice Displays His Powers of Transformation

  Emotions and desires are in origin all the same;

  Both emotions and desires are completely natural.

  Many a gentleman refines himself in the Buddhist faith;

  When desire and emotions are forgotten, dhyana conies.

  Don't be impatient; be firm of heart;

  Be free of dust like the moon in the sky.

  Make no mistake in your labors and your progress;