Volume 2: The Path That Can Be Told, Chapter 189: Finally Luring the Bait

Wukong was resting with his eyes closed at the foot of the mountain when he heard footsteps in the distance. He tilted his head to look but saw only sound, no figure. After a while, an old man came around from the right, carrying firewood and walking slowly toward them. The old man had white hair and a long beard, looking very frail and clearly over seventy years old. He stopped every few steps, muttering, “Why is there suddenly such a big mountain here? Have I taken the wrong path?” It seemed he had gone out to cut wood and now found he had to take a detour to get home.
Wukong couldn’t help but laugh at these words, but thinking of his own situation, he realized he was not as free to move around as this old man.
When the old man got closer, he immediately saw a furry monkey head sticking out from the bottom of the mountain. Yet he wasn’t surprised and said to Wukong, “You little monkey, how did you get down to the bottom of the mountain?”
Wukong forced a smile and said, “I was just passing by when a mountain suddenly appeared and trapped me here. What bad luck!”
The old man exclaimed, “That’s not bad luck at all—it’s great fortune! If it had been a little different, I wouldn’t have been able to see you.”
Wukong agreed, “You’re right.”
The old man asked, “Are your legs okay? Is your crutch damaged?”
Wukong replied, “It’s not damaged at all. There’s just a hollow that’s holding me here.”
The old man said, “Don’t worry. I’ll go home and get a shovel and axe, then call my descendants to dig you out.”
Wukong thought to himself that ordinary people couldn’t move such a mountain; no matter how many tried, it would be useless. So he said, “You’re very kind, but who in this world could dig a mountain? It’s better not to bother.”
The old man laughed and said, “What’s difficult about shaking a mountain? Just keep digging, and sooner or later it will be leveled.”
Wukong was slightly surprised. This old man spoke wisely—could he be some deity testing him? He used his spiritual vision to investigate and was shocked to find that he couldn’t use the secrets of the Xuan Kong Art. Could it be that the Five Elements Mountain could suppress this skill? When he tried other supernatural powers, they also failed, except for a few others that showed some response. Thank goodness—if none of them worked, he would be no different from a cripple.
Wukong replied to the old man, “You’re right, but it would take too much effort. It’s better not to try.”
The old man said, “Don’t think I’m trying to fool you. I’ve lived for eighty or ninety years and always keep my word. Just wait here for me to rescue you.” With that, he turned to leave.

Wukong hurriedly stopped him, saying, “Please wait, sir. To be honest, I have a divine friend who will come to rescue me soon. There’s no need for you to bother.” Although Wukong couldn’t figure out the old man’s identity, he could guess somewhat—that he must be someone from Qitianling who had come to test him after hearing news.

His guess was correct. The old man was actually transformed from Dayu. Worried that something strange was going on on this mountain and fearing that someone might eavesdrop, Dayu took on the appearance of an ordinary man to inquire with Wukong.

“No need?” The old man pondered for a moment, then reached out to touch the rocks on the mountain wall, seemingly testing their hardness, before murmuring, “Just ten years. Ten years will suffice.”

Hearing the old man say “ten years” three times, Wukong’s mind stirred. Recalling that Dayu had said he would descend to the mortal world in ten years, he immediately realized the old man’s identity. He struggled internally—although there were many mysteries to explore regarding King Tang Li Shimin’s journey to the netherworld, how could he join the pilgrimage team if he left Mount Wuxing? After weighing both options, he decided that staying here was more important.

After some thought, Wukong said, “You mention it, and I also recall that I have a promise with my friend to meet in ten years. But since this place is so critical and I can’t leave right away, that promise naturally falls through.”

The old man seemed not to hear Wukong’s words. He looked up at the sky and said, “The sun is setting in the west. It’s time to go back and start a fire.” Then he waved at Wukong and gradually stepped out of his sight.

As for Wukong, after Dayu left, he felt extremely bored. He didn’t know what kind of magic formations were set up on Mount Wuxing, so even his efforts in reciting scriptures and practicing cultivation were useless. All he could do was stare at the sand in front of him.

※　※　※

When Dayu returned to Qitianling, everyone had been waiting anxiously. Dayu said with a wry smile, “It seems we worried for nothing. Wukong believes he has his own way and doesn’t want me to rescue him.”

The Bull Demon King snapped, “That monkey really drives people crazy!” He started spinning in circles on the ground.

Feng Tong laughed and said, “Since Wukong has said so, we can rest assured. He must have his own plans.”

Dayu nodded and said, “Even so, we can’t be careless. I noticed many magic formations on that mountain—clearly the work of a skilled magician. It’s best to send someone to secretly protect Wukong, so that his enemies can’t take advantage of the situation and harm him.”

The Bull Demon King said, “Good! I’ll go!”

Yang Jian stood up and said, “That’s not good. After all, Qitianling is at odds with the Heavenly Court. If you act, it will draw too much attention. I’ll go instead. Since Buddha doesn’t intend to kill Wukong, surely the higher powers also don’t want him harmed. Even if someone tries to interfere, it will be from lowly scoundrels. I’ll have the Six Brothers of Meishan each lead two hundred spirit guards to take turns watching over him day and night—this should ensure Wukong’s safety.”

Seeing that Yang Jian indeed shared a deep friendship with Wukong, everyone was moved and stood up to express their gratitude. Yang Jian bid farewell to them and returned to Guanjiangkou to make all the arrangements.

※　※　※

As for the Buddha in the Western Heaven, after saying goodbye to the Emperor of Gouchen, he returned to the Thunder Sound Temple. There, he saw three thousand Buddhas and countless Bodhisattvas, all arranged in the sacred realm of Ling Mountain, beneath the Bodhi Tree, to welcome him. The Tathagata, seated atop auspicious clouds, said to them, “I manifested myself throughout the three realms through profound suffering. My fundamental nature is ultimately stillness; I am one with emptiness, possessing nothing. Subduing that rebellious monkey—this is beyond comprehension. It is called the beginning of birth and death; the Dharma nature remains unchanged.” After speaking, the light of his relics reappeared, and everyone saw it and bowed in worship.

After a while, the Tathagata led everyone back to the Mahavira Hall and sat on the lotus platform. The three thousand Buddhas, five hundred Arhats, eight Vajras, and four Bodhisattvas clasped their hands and bowed before him, highly praising the Buddha’s great power. Delighted, the Buddha immediately held a Dharma assembly. On Ling Mountain, black apes brought fruits, milu deer carried flowers; sacred turtles presented longevity gifts, and cranes brought immortal herbs. All the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas enjoyed the pure land, practiced meditation, and attained enlightenment. They were neither born nor destroyed, neither increased nor decreased. It could be described as: “Misty clouds drift as one comes and goes; seasons pass without leaving a trace of time.”

The Buddha gently spoke, imparting countless Dharma teachings, opening the doors to the sacred scriptures, and promoting the true path to enlightenment. He taught the wonderful teachings of the Three Vehicles and the five aggregates. Heavenly dragons circled around, and flowers rained down, filling everyone with joy.

After completing the teaching, the Tathagata said, “I observe the four great continents of the world, where the virtues and vices of sentient beings vary from place to place. In the Eastern Divine Continent, people revere heaven and earth, with peaceful hearts and calm spirits. In the Northern Giant Reed Continent, though they cherish life, they do so merely for survival; their nature is simple, and they commit few wrongdoings. In our Western Ox-Happy Continent, people neither covet nor kill, cultivating their energy and spirit; although they may not reach supreme enlightenment, everyone lives a long life. Only in the Southern Blessed Continent do people indulge in lust and chaos, killing and fighting endlessly—truly a place of strife and evil. Now, I have the Three Treasuries of Sacred Scriptures, which can encourage people to do good.”

Upon hearing this, the Buddhas, Arhats, Kshatriyas, Bodhisattvas, Vajras, monks, and nuns clasped their hands in devotion and asked the Buddha, “What are these Three Treasuries of Sacred Scriptures?”

The Buddha replied, “These Three Treasuries encompass heaven and earth; they can even save gods and ghosts. There are a total of thirty-five volumes, amounting to fifteen thousand one hundred forty-four pages. They represent the path for all sentient beings to cultivate truth and pursue goodness.” After saying this, the Buddha fell silent in contemplation.

A few clever ones rushed forward to compete for this honor. The first to speak was Bodhisattva Lingji, who thought he understood the Buddha’s intentions. He said eagerly, “The Southern Blessed Continent is fortunate now, for these Three Treasuries of Sacred Scriptures truly reflect the Buddha’s compassion. I too have made a grand vow to spread the Mahayana Dharma throughout the world. Having this opportunity today is truly…” Lingji appeared excited, almost too emotional to speak.

When the Buddha heard the words of Bodhisattva Lingji, he lowered his gaze and said, “I originally intended to send the true scriptures to the Eastern Land, fearing that the people there might take them for granted, fail to cherish them, and neglect our true teachings. How can we find someone with great supernatural wisdom to make the beings of the Eastern Land admire Buddhism? We also need to find a devout believer who is willing to endure countless hardships, travel through mountains and rivers, come here to obtain the true scriptures, and then return to spread them among the people of the Eastern Land—only then can there be great blessings and good fortune. Who would be willing to undertake this journey for me?” Hearing the Buddha’s words, Lingji and the others withdrew in embarrassment. Among these words, the most precious part was the phrase “to make the beings of the Eastern Land admire Buddhism.”

In the Eastern Land, although Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism were said to coexist, Confucianism had declined, and Buddhism had arrived relatively late. In reality, Taoism held a dominant position. The heavenly realm had always regarded the Eastern Continent and the Southern Continent as its core territories and was unwilling to hand them over easily. Many bodhisattvas and arhats hesitated at the thought of acting under the watchful eyes of the Three Pure Ones.

At that moment, a bodhisattva stepped forward from below. She wore a brocade skirt, a golden belt hanging over her shoulders, jade buttons on her skirt, and a plain silk robe over it. She embodied perfect virtue and wisdom, surrounded by auspicious aura and radiant light. In her hands was a vase holding nectar, with a willow branch tucked diagonally—evergreen year after year. Having long resided in the South Sea, she had saved the suffering and answered countless prayers; she was revered as the compassionate master of Mount Lujia and the living Avalokiteshvara of the Tide Sound Cave.

Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva approached the lotus platform, bowed to the Buddha three times, and said, “Your disciple is willing to go.”

Under normal circumstances, even if there was a task, a bodhisattva would simply bow once or twice when seeing the Buddha. But today, Avalokiteshvara bowed three times, showing great reverence. Firstly, she understood that this matter was of utmost importance—a great opportunity for the prosperity of Buddhism. If done well, it would be a monumental achievement. Secondly, with her wisdom, she could clearly see the benefits involved. Since the Buddha held supreme authority, accepting this mission was like following an imperial order, and many advantages could not be openly stated.

Seeing Avalokiteshvara’s solemn attitude, the Buddha was overjoyed, thinking to himself that indeed, Avalokiteshvara possessed great wisdom. No one else could understand his intentions as well—unless it were Jinchanzi, but even he would only reach this level.

The Buddha said, “It is only right for Venerable Avalokiteshvara to go; only then can I be at ease.” The bodhisattva was secretly delighted but replied respectfully, “What instructions do you have for your disciple on this journey to the Eastern Land?” The Buddha said, “On this journey, I instruct you not to rush by riding clouds or mist. You must observe the landscapes and routes step by step, keeping track of distances. I also give you five treasures to ensure the success of this mission.”

The Tathagata then ordered Anala and Kasyapa to bring out a “splendid robe” and a “nine-ring staff,” and said to the Bodhisattva, “Give this robe and staff directly to the pilgrim. If he is determined to come here, wearing my robe will save him from falling into samsara; holding my staff will protect him from all poisons and harms. With these two items, he will surely be safe.”

The Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva accepted them with reverence. The Tathagata then took three headbands and handed them to the Bodhisattva, saying, “These treasures are called ‘tightening headbands.’ Although there are three of them, each has a different incantation. I will give you three spells for the ‘golden tightening ban.’ If there are those with great supernatural powers along the way who do not submit to our sect, you can put these headbands on their heads—flesh will naturally grow there. By reciting these three spells, their eyes will swell, their heads will ache, and their foreheads will split, forcing them to join our sect.”

Seeing that these three items were indeed treasures, the Bodhisattva gratefully bowed to the Tathagata. After leaving the Great Hero Hall, the Bodhisattva summoned the messenger Hui’an to accompany him. Hui’an was actually Muci, the second disciple of King Li of the Heavenly Army, who wielded an iron staff weighing a thousand pounds. The Bodhisattva instructed him to take on the appearance of a demon-subduing warrior, holding the staff with determination as he descended to Mount Ling. His mission was to find Buddhist disciples who wished to fulfill their original vows and ensure that capable individuals would join their sect.