Volume 3: A Long Journey, Chapter 204: The Desire to Seek Treasures
You might wonder what made Wukong think of this. It turned out that Guanyin had given him three life-saving hairs. How could he afford to spare such a precious gift?
Wukong said, “Bodhisattva, you know that the journey to the Western Heaven is full of hardships and obstacles, with every step presenting difficulties. If things continue like this, not only will it be uncertain when we’ll arrive, but it might even never end. Wouldn’t that tarnish your illustrious reputation?”
The Bodhisattva smiled and said, “You monkey are quite eloquent. Let me tell you—In our Buddhist faith, one attains enlightenment through faith. If you encounter hardships in the future, I can surely summon heaven to respond and earth to assist you. What’s the harm in me coming and saving you?” After saying this, she pondered for a moment, then took three thin willow leaves from the willow branch. With a wave of her right hand, the leaves flew to Wukong’s back and disappeared.
Wukong touched the back of his head and found three hairs that were indeed different from the rest. The Bodhisattva said, “These willows can relieve all suffering in the world and overcome any obstacle. If you’re in trouble, these three life-saving hairs will help you escape.”
Wukong was overjoyed and bowed deeply, saying, “Thank you, Bodhisattva!” The Bodhisattva waved her hand, her robes fluttering, as she returned to the South Sea.
Wukong led the White Dragon Horse to see Tang Seng. By then, all the guardians had left. Tang Seng was naturally happy to see his white horse back, but upon closer inspection, he asked, “This horse is much more magnificent than the previous one. Why is that?”
Wukong replied with a smile, “Master, this white horse is no ordinary horse. It is a jade dragon from the Western Sea, transformed by Guanyin, meant specifically to carry you to the Western Heaven.” Hearing this, Tang Seng knelt down and bowed several times to the sky.
After getting up, Tang Seng looked at the White Dragon Horse and sighed, “It’s indeed fine, but without a saddle, how can I ride it?” Just then, the mountain god and earth spirit came, carrying a golden saddle adorned with silver stars and precious inlays, along with three strands of purple gold ropes, a golden fan-shaped bridle, and iron bits forged through countless trials. It fit perfectly on the White Dragon Horse’s back, as if made just for it.
Tang Seng bowed in gratitude, startling the mountain god and earth spirit, who hurriedly returned the bow, shouting, “We shouldn’t accept such gifts!” Wukong couldn’t help but laugh. In his past life, Tang Seng had been the second disciple of the Tathagata, his status far above that of mountain gods and earth spirits. Though he was an ordinary person now, if he succeeded in his quest, he would become a Buddha in the Western Heaven. How could any mountain god or earth spirit dare to show disrespect to him?
With the saddle in place, the White Dragon Horse raised its head and let out a long neigh, spitting Tang Seng’s precious luggage onto the ground. Wukong tied the luggage to the horse’s back, sneering inwardly. This move by the White Dragon Horse was like removing the firewood from under the pot—first taking away Tang Seng’s pass. If Tang Seng didn’t take him on the journey to the West, he wouldn’t be able to pass through the many countries’ checkpoints. What a clever plan.
Tang Seng mounted his horse, and the Water God of Eagle Worry Gorge rowed a boat to carry the two of them and their horse across the gorge. Finally, the Dragon Son returned to his true form as a horse. Tang Seng brought his restless mind under control, and then set out with great determination toward the west.
The White Dragon Horse was indeed remarkable; there was no need for Wukong to scout ahead. No matter the steep mountains or streams, it could simply stride through them. Even if there were wolves, insects, tigers, or leopards along the way, they would flee at the mere scent of the White Dragon Horse.
They traveled safely for two months, covering an unknown distance. Gradually, the ice and snow melted, marking the onset of early spring. The forests became lush and green, with plants sprouting new buds as the warmth arrived. After the plum blossoms had fallen, the willow branches began to unfurl. The master and his disciples enjoyed the spring scenery as they traveled, finding great joy in it.
Wukong was the most impatient. Although he also wanted to obtain the scriptures, he had his own motives. He hoped to encounter more demons along the way to uncover the mysteries of the Journey to the West. But there was nothing he could do about his impatience. The White Dragon Horse, under Guanyin’s command, dared not use any magic and could only move forward step by step.
One day, as the sun was setting, Tang Seng gazed at the clouds in the sky and said, “These past two months, we’ve only seen the sun set; we’ve never seen it rise. There are hardly any villages along the way. It’s truly strange.”
Wukong replied, “Master, don’t worry. Look ahead—there are people living there!”
Tang Seng looked up and indeed saw the corners of rooftops and buildings emerging from a mountain valley. Overjoyed, he said, “It seems like a Buddhist temple!”
Tang Seng urged his horse to move faster, and after circling the mountain, they arrived at the temple’s entrance. It was indeed a temple. Its scenery was unique—layers of halls, corridors, and pavilions, flanked by rows of pine and cypress trees. The sound of bells and drums filled the air, while the tops of the stupas glowed with divine light. It truly embodied the tranquility of monks in meditation and the serenity of birds singing among the trees.
A poem goes:
“In the lofty temple hidden in the greenery,
Its beauty surpasses even the most famous sites.
Indeed, pure lands are rare in the world,
While most famous mountains are occupied by monks.”
The elder dismounted, and Wukong carried down the luggage as they prepared to enter the temple.
Two monks came out of the gate. The one in front held a wooden fish and muttered something incomprehensibly. Seeing Tang Seng’s noble demeanor and his magnificent horse, they quickly stopped chanting and smiled, saying, “Where are you coming from, elder? Please come in and have some tea.”
Tang Seng replied politely, “I am sent by the Great Tang of the Eastern Land to the Great Thunder Sound Temple in the Western Heaven to worship Buddha and obtain scriptures. It’s getting late, so I hope to spend the night here.”
The monk said, “Please come in and sit.” Sanzang walked ahead holding his nine-ring staff, while Wukong followed behind, leading the horse. Seeing that Wukong was actually a monkey, the monk was slightly frightened and whispered to his companion, “What is that thing leading the horse?” Wukong paid him no attention, but Tang Sanzang heard this and turned around, saying, “That is my disciple. Though his appearance is strange, he is a good person.”
Upon entering the temple gate, they saw four large characters written on the main hall—Guanyin Zen Monastery. Upon seeing these words, Wukong felt a jolt in his heart. This was precisely the place where he had lost his robe; he needed to be extra careful. It wasn’t out of fear of trouble, but rather to gain something from the situation, which was the purpose of his journey.
There are tens of millions of temples in the world, each worshipping different deities. The monks in this temple worshipped the deity they believed in. Generally, the most worshipped were Buddha and Laozi, followed by Amitabha and Maitreya. Among the Four Great Bodhisattvas, only Guanyin received the most worship, ranking among the Buddhas as well.
This was because the Great Bodhisattva Guanyin spread compassion throughout the world, helping those in need according to their circumstances. Thus, she took on many forms as a Bodhisattva, such as the Child-Bearing Guanyin, Willow Guanyin, White-Clothed Guanyin, Fish-Basket Guanyin, Water-Moon Guanyin, and Water-Sprinkling Guanyin… People, having seen so many forms, said that Guanyin Bodhisattva had as many as a thousand faces. A verse aptly puts it: “The World-Honored One possesses wonderful forms; I ask again—by what cause is he called Guanyin?”
Seeing that it was Guanyin Zen Monastery, Tang Sanzang was naturally delighted and said, “I have received the Bodhisattva’s grace many times but have not yet had the chance to express my gratitude. Meeting this monastery is like seeing the Bodhisattva in person; it’s the perfect opportunity to offer my thanks.”
Hearing this, the monk opened the door to the hall and invited Sanzang to worship. Tang Sanzang put down his staff, knelt down in the hall, and bowed several times, reciting several passages of the Great Compassion Mantra before releasing the reins of the horse, picking up his luggage, and going past the main hall into the back room. After sitting down, he drank two cups of green tea before having his meal.
It was still early in the evening after the meal. Suddenly, they heard footsteps behind them. Two clever boys came out, supporting an old man. The old man’s age was hard to determine; his face was covered in wrinkles like dried orange peel, but his attire was quite fine. His square hat was inlaid with cat’s eye stones the size of thumbs, his monk’s shoes were adorned with jade and pearls, and even his walking stick was shiny and dazzling.
Tang Sanzang wondered if this might be the temple’s major donor. Then he heard the monks bowing to the old man together, saying, “Welcome, Patriarch.” It turned out that this wealthy-looking old man was actually the abbot of the temple.
Seeing the host arrive, Tang Sanzang also bowed and said, “Elder Abbot, I pay my respects.” The old monk returned the bow, and they all sat down.
The old monk said, “Just now, my grandchildren mentioned an elder from the Great Tang in the Eastern Land, so I came out to meet him. Indeed, he is a man of outstanding appearance and noble bearing.”
Sanzang replied, “The abbot overpraises me. I’ve carelessly created this treasure mountain—please forgive me!”
The old monk said, “How dare I! I just wonder how far it is from the Eastern Land to here.”
Sanzang said, “I’m afraid it’s thousands of miles away.”
The old monk sighed and said, “Alas, I’ve lived to be over 270 years old, yet I’ve never even left my monastery. I’ve truly been living in ignorance, wasting my life.”
Sanzang exclaimed in surprise, “With such a long life, the abbot must be an ancient immortal!”
The old monk chuckled and said, “Not at all.” Though he denied it, he seemed quite proud. Then he ordered the boy to serve tea.
This time, the tea was very different from before. On a plate made of mutton-fat jade stood three tea cups inlaid with gold, and a bright white copper kettle was adorned with intricate carvings. Three cups of fragrant tea were filled to half.
Looking at its color, smelling its aroma, and tasting it, it was truly perfect in every way. Tang Sanzang had never tasted such fine tea before, so he praised repeatedly, “Indeed, over the years, many treasures must have accumulated.”
The old monk waved his hand and said, “To be honest, I’ve loved treasures all my life. Hearing that you’ve come from a great nation, I assume the Great Tang has many riches. If you happen to have any, could you show them to me? That way, my life wouldn’t have been in vain.”
Sanzang hurriedly replied, “As a monk, I’ve always been incapable and have no treasures. Even if I did have some, the long journey would prevent me from bringing them.”
The old monk smiled and said, “Then you must have some after all. I sincerely wish to see how the treasures of the Great Tang differ from those in this remote place. Please don’t be too stingy.”
Wukong sneered secretly. This old monk was truly greedy. There were no end to the treasures in the world, and such greed would surely lead to trouble. But he knew that taking out his robe would cause disaster, so he remained silent. Feeling mischievous, he thought, “After tonight, I’ll leave early tomorrow morning. Whether this Guanyin Monastery was set up by a bodhisattva or arranged by Buddha, I’ll make sure you work in vain. Later, I’ll see how you can overcome those 81 trials.”
Then Tang Sanzang said, “It’s not that I’m stingy. I truly have no treasures. I can’t just make things up and give the abbot ordinary items.”
The old monk said, “Alas, it’s only my habit of showing off. Such behavior should not be characteristic of a Buddhist disciple, yet it’s hard to change.” After saying this, he looked up and saw the nine-ring staff leaning against the wall. His sleepy eyes instantly widened, and he staggered to his feet, rushing over to the staff and clinging to it tightly. Turning to glare at Tang Seng, he said, “You still claim there are no treasures? This staff, this staff…” He bent down to touch the nine-ring staff carefully, tears welling in his eyes.
Wukong was already shocked. He had thought that as long as he didn’t show off his robe, everything would be fine, but he had forgotten that the nine-ring staff was also a rare treasure. What a remarkable abbot of the Guanyin Zen Monastery—was all of this really done on his own, without anyone else’s manipulation?