Volume 3: A Long Journey, Chapter 205: The Strategy of Driving Away the Tiger
Tang Seng was stunned. Holding this nine-ring tin staff every day, though he knew it was a gift from Guanyin and far from an ordinary object, he had not seen any extraordinary benefits in it.
The old abbot, however, seemed thrilled as if he had encountered a rare treasure. Tang Seng asked, “Why go to such lengths, old abbot?” The abbot held the staff and said, “Truly a person from the Great Tang—uninterested even in such a precious item. Do you know its origin?”
Tang Seng replied, “A monk never lies. This staff was bestowed by Guanyin Bodhisattva.”
At these words, the monks present were in an uproar, and the old abbot also showed doubt. The monk who had led Tang Seng into the courtyard earlier, named Guangzhi, sneered from the side, “Our abbot has believed in Buddhism since birth, having only heard of the Bodhisattva’s voice without ever seeing Her. How can you, a young monk, have received Her favor? It’s better for monks to rely on tangible things when traveling.”
Wukong laughed secretly—what a narrow-minded person who didn’t understand the vastness of the world. Tang Seng was the reincarnation of Jinchanzi, and in terms of past lives, he was no less noble than a Bodhisattva. But even if he said this, these ordinary people would surely not believe him.
As a truly virtuous monk, Tang Seng merely smiled slightly upon seeing their disbelief.
The old abbot said, “Sigh, whatever its origin, it’s undoubtedly a rare treasure.”
Tang Seng couldn’t help asking, “Old abbot, what makes this staff so special?”
The abbot replied, “Its wonder lies in the vine, the rings, and the top! The staff itself is extraordinary—made from the divine vine of a ten-thousand-year-old bodhi tree. It’s extremely light yet as strong as metal. These nine rings are forged from nine kinds of gold; with just a slight shake, their sound can drive away wolves, insects, tigers, and leopards. The top of the staff is surrounded by precious light, keeping all evil spirits at bay. Only a highly virtuous monk can wield it! Our sect has three types of staffs—those of sound, wisdom, and virtue. This nine-ring staff possesses all three abilities. Isn’t that a treasure?”
After hearing the abbot’s explanation, Tang Seng was deeply moved. It turned out the staff he used every day was a rare treasure in the world. But having practiced for many lifetimes, this thought passed through his mind in an instant. He said, “Old abbot, these are all external things. A monk’s focus should be on cultivation, avoiding such worldly distractions.”
The old abbot sneered, “You say this only because you have this treasure. If it were mine, you’d surely covet it too. Hmph! I can’t stand people who say one thing but mean another.” With that, the old abbot reluctantly put down his staff, bowed shakily, turned to leave, but couldn’t move forward.
Tang Seng said, “The old abbot has misunderstood. When the Bodhisattva gave me this staff, He didn’t mention many benefits. He only said it would remain free from the filth of the mundane world and accompany this poor monk to the Jade Mountain.” Hearing this, the old abbot shook his head even more, clearly not believing Tang Seng’s words. A young monk beside them whispered, “With such a treasure backing him, this monk has become much more arrogant.” Guangzhi added, “Elder of the Tang Dynasty, your tin staff is indeed a treasure. But if you claim it can take you to the Jade Mountain and keep you free from worldly impurities, then my temple also has many fine tin staffs. How about you evaluate them?” After saying this, Guangzhi winked at the old abbot. The abbot, regaining his composure, understood Guangzhi’s intention and said, “Very well. Let’s use this tin staff as a medium for a Zen appraisal ceremony today.” With that, he stretched out his hand and said, “Elder of the Great Tang, please come in.” Earlier, Tang Seng’s words had carried a hint of advice, but unexpectedly, Guangzhi changed the subject, leaving him in an awkward position. Being indecisive by nature, and seeing the old abbot’s sincere expression, he had no choice but to follow him out of the back room. Before leaving, he glanced back and gave Wukong a signal. Realizing Tang Seng was worried, Wukong picked up his bag and followed behind. They walked through corridors and courtyards to reach the temple’s storage room. The old abbot took out a key from his pocket and unlocked the heavy five-pound copper lock on the door. It seemed the place was strictly guarded on ordinary days. Inside the storage room, there was a spacious hall in the center, with over a dozen doors on both sides, all guarded by iron statues. After thinking for a moment with closed eyes, the old abbot went to the fourth room on the left and opened it. He laughed and said, “I’ve gathered treasures throughout my life, filling this room. Though not all are top-quality, they are still quite impressive.” Ever since he saw the nine-ring tin staff, he had never let it go, holding it close to his chest the whole time, and Tang Seng didn’t dare ask to take it. The old abbot invited Tang Seng and Wukong inside to take a look, while his disciples stayed outside. Only Guangzhi followed in, likely because he was favored. Upon entering, Wukong saw a dazzling array of Buddhist ritual objects. In the left cabinet stood various staffs—tin staffs, Zen staffs, demon-subduing staffs, and vajras. In the center were Buddha shrines, scripture boxes, reliquary towers, wooden fish, bells, and chimes. On the right wall hung thousands of strings of prayer beads… There were items made of gold, jade, wood, and stone of all sizes. Those who didn’t know might think they had entered a Buddhist shop. For Tang Seng, who had the utmost devotion to Buddhism, everything else was unimportant. But since he was here, he decided to take a quick look. After a brief glance, he praised, “The abbot has thought of everything. I truly broaden my horizons today.”
Seeing that Tang Seng showed no great surprise, the old abbot grew displeased and said, “Elder of the Tang Dynasty is well-versed and experienced; surely my meager possessions hold no interest to you.” He went outside and opened one by one the remaining dozen or so doors, saying with some pride, “Elder, please take a close look.”
Tang Seng stepped into the hall and inspected each room. The more he saw, the more he sighed. How could mere Buddhist disciples be so greedy? The rooms were filled with luxurious silk robes, colorful prayer flags, incense burners made of gold, silver, copper, and iron—everything was exquisitely refined. Indeed, the old abbot had devoted his entire life to this place, surpassing ordinary people in effort.
Seeing Tang Seng sigh, the old abbot misinterpreted it as a sense of inferiority and said, “Since the Elder of the Great Tang has come to my monastery, it must be by fate. If there’s anything you like, feel free to take it.”
Though Tang Seng had no intention of harming anyone, he was cautious and knew full well that the old abbot’s tactic was to give first before taking. As the saying goes, “Once you’ve taken someone’s hand, you’re at their mercy”—how could he fall for such a trick? So he replied, “Old abbot, the Diamond Sutra says: ‘All conditioned things are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, reflections—like dew or lightning. One should view them thus.’ Apart from the Three Bodies, which of these things isn’t external to the self?”
The old abbot chuckled and said, “Indeed, the great monks of the Tang Dynasty have extraordinary insights. I, however, am not yet at that level of cultivation.” With sleepy eyes and a flattering expression, he added, “Since everything is external, why not give me this nine-ring staff?”
Tang Seng was stunned. He never expected such audacity to exist in the world. He replied, “This… it’s absolutely impossible. This staff was given to me by the Goddess Guanyin and is extremely important to me. How could I give it away so easily?”
The old abbot laughed heartily and said, “Elder, you’re quite good at lying. So you’ve actually met the merciful Goddess Guanyin?”
Mentioning Guanyin’s name, Tang Seng replied solemnly, “Indeed. Not only have I met her, but many people in Chang’an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty, have also seen her face.”
Guangzhi, who had been listening, couldn’t stand it any longer and said with a smirk, “The Goddess is so noble—how could she reveal her true form so easily?” Tang Seng merely smiled without saying a word.
The old abbot rebuked Guangzhi, “Monks should not lie. If Elder Tang says it’s true, then it must be true. Stop talking nonsense!” Guangzhi then nodded and stepped back.
The old abbot stepped forward and asked Tang Seng, “I dare to ask the venerable monk, apart from this nine-ring staff, did the Bodhisattva give you any other treasures?” Seeing the greedy look on the old abbot’s face, Tang Seng felt deep disgust. He stepped back a few steps and glanced at Wukong, who was busy admiring the treasures in the room and paying no attention to their conversation. Tang Seng wanted to say no, but feared violating Buddhist rules and attracting the Buddha’s wrath, so he avoided the topic and said, “The gifts from the Bodhisattva instructed me not to show them to others easily. I hope the abbot can understand.”
The old abbot’s eyes lit up upon hearing this, thinking there must be more treasures. If just this nine-ring staff was already astonishing, the hidden treasures were surely even more priceless.
The old abbot returned the staff to Tang Seng and said with a smile, “Since the elder does not wish to share them, we shouldn’t force it. But since you’ve come to our temple, I hope you’ll stay a few more days.”
Seeing the abbot return the staff, Tang Seng quickly took it. The old abbot locked the doors one by one, then bid farewell to Tang Seng and went to rest in the back courtyard.
Guangzhi led Tang Seng and his disciples to a solitary two-story building, explaining that it had originally been the temple’s scripture hall. Later, as there were too many scriptures to fit, a larger one was built, and most of the books were moved there. Though unused, the building was cleaned twice a month and was very clean. Most importantly, it was extremely quiet—aside from the morning and evening bells, no other sounds could be heard from the front hall.
Wukong sneered, “Better and better—the quieter, the better!” Seeing Wukong’s expression, Guangzhi couldn’t help but shudder.
Wukong knew full well that as soon as the abbot heard Tang Seng still had treasures, he immediately returned the nine-ring staff. This action was certainly not due to sudden enlightenment or a rejection of greed, but rather some deeper scheme. Seeing Guangzhi lead his disciples to this remote building, Wukong realized even more clearly that this Guanyin Zen Temple was indeed a sinister place. If that were the case, he wouldn’t blame himself for being ruthless.
Unsusppecting anything, Tang Seng went upstairs and saw many ancient scriptures on the bookshelves in the hall. Delighted, he stood by the shelves with a candle and began reading.
Wukong said to Tang Seng, “Master, I wonder if the monks in the temple have taken care of the white horse. I’ll go check.” Tang Seng, already absorbed in his book, replied absentmindedly.
Wukong tied his bundle to his back, went downstairs, and used magic to create an invulnerable circle around the building so he would be alerted to any disturbances outside. Only then did he feel at ease enough to go to the back courtyard to find the old abbot.
Using an invisibility spell, Wukong flashed himself to the backyard. As he had expected, the old abbot, upon seeing the nine-ring staff, was extremely anxious and could hardly sleep. After arranging for Tang Seng and his disciples, Guangzhi went to the old abbot’s room to discuss matters.
Through the crack in the window, they saw the old abbot pacing anxiously around the room, leaning on his cane. Standing beside him, Guangzhi said with a smile, “Why worry, Master? Just keep these two monks here, treat them well, and they surely won’t want to leave.”
The old abbot paused and said, “Sigh, it seems we still can’t keep them.”
Guangzhi rolled his eyes and said, “I wonder what other treasures are in their bags? These monks tell such convincing lies that it’s hard to tell truth from falsehood.”
The old abbot replied, “Not necessarily. That staff is very likely a gift from Guanyin Bodhisattva.” Hearing this, not only Guangzhi but also Wukong was shocked—how could the old abbot know this?
The old abbot continued, “I have believed in Buddhism for over two hundred years. Though not particularly devout, I do run a temple with monks. Out of pity, one day as I was praying in front of the Guanyin statue, the Bodhisattva actually spoke to me!”
Guangzhi exclaimed in delight, “Congratulations, Master! It must be because of your sincere devotion that the Bodhisattva manifested herself.”
The old abbot shook his head and said, “The Bodhisattva sent a message, but not for me. She said that a monk named Xuanzang from the Tang Dynasty was going on a pilgrimage to the Western Heaven and would pass by my Guanyin Temple. This monk is no ordinary person; he carries many important items, so she told me to keep him here. Think about it—without some connection, how could the Bodhisattva convey such a message?”
Guangzhi murmured several times, “Keep him here? Master, what does this mean?”
The old abbot asked, “What does it mean?”
Guangzhi replied, “Normally, we should treat guests from afar well. So why did the Bodhisattva say to keep him here? If he must stay, how can the Tang Dynasty monk go to the Western Heaven?”
Wukong also felt puzzled. The Bodhisattva was a divine being who would never make a mistake. If this message truly came from her, things became complicated. But judging from the old abbot’s appearance, he didn’t seem to be lying. Though old, he was still an ordinary man. The Bodhisattva likely wouldn’t inform him about Xuanzang’s journey. If she didn’t tell him, how could he know?
Recalling the Journey to the West, when the Monkey King went to ask Guanyin for help, she had also blamed him for burning her offerings. It seemed Guanyin really cared about this temple.
If the Bodhisattva hinted at keeping the pilgrim from the Tang Dynasty, what exactly did she intend?
After hearing Guangzhi speak, the old abbot opened his squinting eyes, and the wrinkles on his face relaxed, making him seem several years younger. He said to Guangzhi, “Good grandson, well said, well said!” Seeing the abbot’s approval, Guangzhi said, “If that’s the case, then let’s keep these two monks here!” The old abbot closed his eyes, sighed, and said hypocritically, “Alas, to lose one’s life over a mere treasure—why go to such lengths? Our Buddhist sanctuary will now have two more corpses.” Suddenly, Guangzhi knelt on the ground with a thud, kowtowing twice and saying, “Grandmaster, please don’t worry. This was all my idea. I’ll take on all the sins. I’m willing to sacrifice everything for you!” The abbot glanced at Guangzhi and said angrily, “Hmph, are you asking for that again?” Guangzhi raised his head and said obsequiously, “Grandmaster, please understand. Don’t blame me. I also want to live forever like you and serve you for thousands of years.” The old abbot, with a sly look, said mockingly, “You kid are more cunning than anyone else. Fine, since you’ve done this, I’ll give you an elixir of immortality.” Guangzhi was overjoyed. He kept kowtowing and pounding his chest, saying, “Tomorrow morning, I’ll make sure Grandmaster holds that nine-ring staff in his hands!” The old abbot snorted and said, “Be careful. Don’t be as reckless as last time, almost letting them escape!” Guangzhi laughed and said, “Grandmaster, don’t worry. If anything, we can set the scripture hall on fire—then they won’t be able to escape even if they had wings.” The old abbot paused, then scolded, “Tch! Three scripture halls have already been burned in these ten years. Do you plan to burn down the entire monastery?” Though he cursed, his eyes were full of laughter. Guangzhi agreed, “That monkey doesn’t seem trustworthy. It’s better to be cautious.” Wukong heard clearly that Guangzhi had done this more than once. The old abbot must have amassed a lot of wealth through unscrupulous means. The Guanyin Monastery seemed noble on the surface, but it turned out to be a place for greed and murder. The old abbot had lived for 270 years and must have committed countless such evil deeds. It was rare to see Buddhist disciples so greedy and cruel. Guangzhi’s excessive respect for the abbot clearly indicated he had ulterior motives. With the elixir of immortality in his possession, it was no wonder ordinary people coveted it. Although it was unclear where he got the elixir, considering his close ties with the Black Bear Spirit and others, it made sense that someone might give him a few pills. No wonder he hadn’t practiced any cultivation techniques yet still lived to be 270 years old. With this realization, everything became clear.
Guangzhi truly intended to set fire to the old scripture hall, dooming himself and the others to death, just for a nine-ring tin staff—using such an extreme measure… At this thought, Wukong’s mind suddenly became clear, and he guessed somewhat of Guanyin’s intentions.
Guanyin asked the abbot of the monastery to keep Tang Seng and the others, speaking in vague terms, yet without any trace of inconsistency. If the old abbot were an honest man, he would surely treat them well before seeing them off on their journey to the West; but given Guanyin’s powers, she must have known the abbot’s true nature, yet her words of keeping them led to misinterpretation. As the saying goes, it’s easy to change surroundings but hard to change one’s nature. Even if Tang Seng’s nine-ring tin staff wasn’t visible, given the abbot’s greedy nature, he likely wouldn’t let passersby leave easily. Moreover, Guanyin added that “the Tang Dynasty monk carried many important items”—how could this not spark speculation?
Once those monks under Guangzhi took action, even a fool could guess the outcome. How could they possibly come out unscathed in the face of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven? If they angered Wukong, who dared to wreak havoc in heaven, the monastery would likely be destroyed.
By doing this, Guanyin intended to use Wukong to eliminate the monastery. This strategy wasn’t about using others to kill, but rather driving wolves to devour tigers. The wolves were the monks of the monastery, and the tiger was the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. Though fierce, how could those wolves withstand the king of all beasts? The outcome wouldn’t just be losing something in the attempt to gain something else—it would be overthinking leading to one’s own destruction.
After analyzing for a long time, Wukong still had two points unclear: First, the abbot was willing to commit suicide—how could he not fear Guanyin’s punishment? He had lived for so many years, yet Guanyin had allowed him to act freely all this time. This wasn’t Buddhist teaching at all; it was outright banditry. Second, why did Guanyin want to eliminate this monastery now? Could this be an example of “good deeds bring good rewards, evil deeds bring evil rewards—it’s just not time yet”?
Perhaps the time had come, or perhaps Tang Seng’s journey to obtain the scriptures was too conspicuous, attracting the attention of many gods and powerful beings along the way. Was Guanyin afraid that her monastery would become a haven for corruption, damaging her reputation?
Everything has its known and unknown aspects. After listening to the conversation between Guangzhi and the abbot, Wukong had a general idea and was quite satisfied. Seeing that Guangzhi had bid farewell to the abbot and was about to set fire to the scripture hall, Wukong also rushed out to devise a plan.