Journey to the West: Demon Emperor: Beginning as a Little Toad

Chapter 627 Sun Wukong's Good Fortune
Meanwhile, the Yellow-Eyebrowed King, enduring the excruciating pain throughout his body, staggered and struggled to move. He transformed into a dim yellow light, carrying a foul and bloody aura, and staggered straight towards the Western Paradise Mountain.

His mind was fixated on finding out Jin Chanzi's movements in order to determine the winner of the contest for "the one who spreads the scriptures in the East".

……

Mount Ling stands majestically, the ancient Leiyin Temple's radiant light soars into the heavens; layer upon layer of precious pavilions and magnificent buildings are shrouded in auspicious mists.

On the banks of the Eight Virtues Pond, golden lotuses bloom, their fragrance filling the air; beneath the Seven Treasures Forest, Bodhi trees gleam, their light shining brightly.

The truth is:
"The ancestral home of Buddhism in the vast world, a sacred place for millions of novices."

The magnificent pavilions and towers of Lingshan are truly awe-inspiring.

The pavilion was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, shimmering with Buddhist light, and swirling with auspicious energy.

They did the same thing when Jin Chanzi went on his pilgrimage to the West.

When facing Jin Chanzi, his former fellow disciple.

Ananda and Kasyapa were able to disregard their friendship and demand favors from him, even forcibly taking away the "purple-gold alms bowl" that Jin Chanzi used for eating.

What about those with yellow eyebrows?

Upon encountering Huang Mei, as is customary, Kasyapa was the first to demand bribes, asking Huang Mei to pay more.

Huang Mei knew of Ananda and Kasyapa's greed and wanted to bargain with them.

then.

Huang Mei didn't immediately agree to the suggestion of "adding money." Instead, he hesitated, his yellow eyebrows furrowing, and sighed deeply.

Why do we have to pay extra for this?

"I am short of money, and I fear I do not have much gold. Ananda and Kasyapa, could you two possibly make an exception for me?"

As Huang Mei spoke, he touched the cloth bag at his waist, looking troubled.

Ananda, standing to the side, heard Kasyapa's words and his eyes suddenly flashed with a sharp light, as if he had glimpsed an opportunity for profit. However, he quickly concealed his unusual expression and resumed his worldly and shrewd demeanor.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Anan stared intently at Huangmei, fearing Huangmei wouldn't pay more, so he cleared his throat, adopting a posture of "I'm trying to reason with you and explain the rules," and slowly explained:
"Huang Mei, what Senior Brother Jia Ye said is every word of wisdom and every sentence makes perfect sense."

"You are also aware of the rules of this sacred mountain: Buddhist scriptures cannot be easily imparted, nor can they be obtained empty-handed."

As the saying goes: "The law should not be lightly transmitted, and the way should not be sold cheaply."

"If you want to get that 'unspeakable' confidential information from the two of us, you will naturally have to pay a 'price' commensurate with it."

After speaking, he paced back and forth, quoting classical texts and speaking with great conviction:

“In the past, the elder Anathapindika used gold bricks to pave the garden so that he could purchase Jetavana and invite the Buddha to preach to him, which became a beautiful story.”

"This is clear proof that 'exchanging wealth for Dharma' is a meritorious act of immeasurable virtue!"

"Let's talk about recent events."

Anao changed the subject, her face showing a mixture of grievance and heartache, and said:
“In the past, we followed the Buddha’s decree and recited the true sutra once at the home of Elder Zhao in Shravasti, ensuring the safety of the living and the liberation of the deceased, eliminating disasters and calamities, and accumulating immeasurable merit!”

"So what was the result?"

"We only managed to get three pecks and three pints of rice-grain gold."

Even Buddha, upon hearing this, thought we were "selling ourselves too cheaply"!

"He said that if things continue like this, future generations will have no money to use."

"If all these people were to pass on their knowledge and skills from scratch, wouldn't future generations starve to death?"

He spread his hands, appearing utterly "helpless" and "responsible," and solemnly said:
"This is the bottom line."

"You pretend to be high-minded and cherish your reputation."

"We'll have to take on the role of the bad guy."

"My senior brother Kasyapa and I had no choice but to uphold this bottom line for the sake of Mount Ling and for future generations!"

"Precisely because Senior Brother Jin Chanzi is our closest brother and we share a deep bond, if you want us to... uh... reveal some 'irrelevant' information to you..."

"The 'risks' and 'guilt' involved can only be somewhat mitigated and comforted by more 'personnel' involved!"

Ananda sighed heavily at the end, as if bearing immense pressure, and concluded:
"Paying extra money is the fairest thing in the world! It's the rule!"

"Even if it's the Heavenly King himself, you still have to pay more!"

"Huang Mei, if you are truly sincere, you should generously offer your help."

Kasyapa nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over Huang Mei as if trying to estimate how much gold he could produce.

As the two men sang in unison, making the bribery seem so respectable, King Yellow Eyebrows sneered even more inwardly, but on the surface he put on an act of "understanding" and "hearty."

King Yellow Eyebrows readily agreed:
"No problem! I know the rules."

"I, Huang Mei, have always been decisive in my actions, unlike Jin Chanzi who is single-minded."

"Jin Chanzi probably won't give you money, but I, Huang Mei, will!"

"Money? I, Huang Meijia, will take it!"

"Be more straightforward. How much 'bribe' will it take to get them to open their mouths this time?"

"Give me a real price! Stop beating around the bush!"

I heard that Huang Mei finally agreed to "pay more".

Ananda and Kasyapa exchanged a glance, a hint of secret joy flashing in their eyes.

Ananda smiled slightly and extended her right hand.

Huang Mei understood and extended his right hand.

Beneath the wide monk's robe.

It concealed their clasped hands.

Inside the monk's robes, Ananda and Huangmei were pinching each other's fingers and gesturing numbers inside their sleeves.

This is the rule.

It is:

"When doing business, you don't speak; you negotiate prices by pinching your fingers in your sleeves."

At this moment, silence speaks louder than words.

A silent but intense bargaining ensued.

Anao and Huangmei's fingers flew like lightning, their knuckles touching, pinching, squeezing, pointing, and drawing. In the silence, however, it was a bargaining match more intense than the clash of swords.

Kasyapa watched closely from the side, sometimes frowning nervously, sometimes nodding slightly, for fear that Ananda would not negotiate a good price.

A few moments.

Anao and Huangmei each withdrew their hands.

King Yellow Eyebrows gritted his teeth, his facial muscles twitching slightly, clearly indicating that Anao was asking for too much.

……

Gold, this dazzling metal, has been a treasure coveted by people all over the world since ancient times.

As Capital profoundly reveals:

"Gold and silver are not naturally currency, but currency is naturally gold and silver."

Currency may depreciate and become a pile of useless waste paper.

But gold is a hard currency, regardless of culture, country, or dynasty...

Gold has been recognized by people all over the world throughout history.

Gold has long transcended national borders, races, languages, and cultures...

……

In fact, in the imaginations of later Earth civilizations, gold is not naturally formed on Earth, is non-renewable, and belongs to a cosmically scarce resource.

Perhaps, in the vast universe, extraterrestrial civilizations also hold gold in the same regard and value it.

……

Gold is considered the foremost of the seven treasures in Buddhism and is deeply cherished by Buddhists.

Although monks often say they do not love money, they have a special fondness for gold, regarding it as the most precious of all treasures.

The Buddhist classic "The Text on Cause and Effect in Three Lifetimes" clearly states:
"Why do we become officials in this life? Because in our past life we ​​adorned Buddha statues with gold. What we cultivated in our past life we ​​receive in this life; we pray before Buddha for purple robes and jade belts."

"Adorn yourself with gold to adorn the Buddha, cover yourself to cover the Tathagata. Don't say that becoming an official is easy, if you didn't cultivate virtue in your past life, where would you get it?"

This poem fully expresses the extraordinary merits of adorning a Buddha statue with gold.

Applying gold leaf to Buddha statues is truly a supreme act of kindness that accumulates merit, reverses one's destiny, and increases one's blessings.

The reason you are able to become an official in this life is because in your previous life you decorated Buddha statues with gold (that is, made offerings to the Buddha), thus accumulating profound merit for yourself.

The wealth, honor, high position, and generous salary you enjoy in this life are all blessings you received from your sincere prayers before Buddha in your previous life.

Applying gold leaf to Buddha statues is not only a way to show respect and make offerings to the Buddha, but also a wonderful method to accumulate merit for oneself.

This is because the Buddha is compassionate and saves all sentient beings.

Adorning a Buddha statue with gold is like establishing a deep and positive connection with the Buddha with a sincere heart. The Buddha will surely protect that person with compassionate power, ensuring a smooth destiny and lasting blessings.

In short.

Offering more gold and decorating Buddha statues with gold can bring blessings in the next life.

Many of the bodhisattvas brought home for worship are also cast in gold, symbolizing "golden protection that keeps one free from all diseases."

Inside the Buddhist hall, most of the Buddha statues gleamed with gold and were extremely solemn.

This demonstrates the importance and obsession that Buddhism places on gold.

There are also anecdotes in "Journey to the West" to prove this.

After Tang Sanzang and his disciples arrived at the land of Vulture Peak, they saw the ancient Thunderclap Temple:
“Golden tiles, like mandarin ducks, stand tall and majestic; brightly colored bricks, like agate, adorn the landscape.”

"Eastward and westward, all are palaces of jewels and pearls; southward and northward, there are countless pavilions and towers of precious gems."

This Lingshan Mountain can be described as "golden tiles and agate bricks," glittering with precious stones, rich and magnificent.

But I wonder where these golden tiles and agate bricks of Lingshan came from?

In Shravasti, there was an elder named Anathapindika who purchased Jetavana Monastery by "using gold bricks to cover the entire garden," and only then was he able to invite the World-Honored One, the Tathagata, to preach the Dharma to him.

This is how one "uses gold as a medium to form a connection with the Buddha" and receive the Buddha's teachings.

The Buddha also said to Sun Wukong:
“Back then, when the monks and holy monks went down the mountain, they only got three pecks and three pints of rice-grain gold back. I even said that they sold it too cheaply, leaving their descendants with no money to use.”

This shows that gold is an important medium for ordinary people to connect with Buddhism and accumulate merit.

……

There are countless examples like this in "Journey to the West".

These details in "Journey to the West" also provide clues.

In the sacred Ling Mountain of the Journey to the West world, the Buddhas and monks certainly needed gold.

The monks of Mount Ling are not confined to this sacred and peaceful place; they also venture out to earn gold in various ways. Even under certain special circumstances...

When the offering of gold reaches a certain scale or level, even the Buddha, who is high above and transcends the mortal world, will sometimes appear in person.

……

The Buddha once attained a "sixteen-foot golden body" atop a snow-capped mountain, which is indestructible.

Kasyapa and Ananda, as attendants, also followed the Buddha in practicing the method of the "seven-foot golden body".

This seven-foot golden body, though inferior to the sixteen-foot golden body, is still a top-tier protective technique in Buddhism. Once mastered, it can provide complete protection and ward off many evil spirits.

However, cultivating this golden body cannot be achieved by one's own efforts alone. It requires the essence of true gold, and believers to cast a golden Buddha statue for it, so as to absorb the power of the thoughts of all beings. Only then can the merits be perfected and the supreme golden body be achieved.

……

The thought of spitting out so much gold in one go was unbearable.

King Yellow Eyebrows also felt a dull ache in his heart, a deep pain in his flesh.

After all, nobody's gold comes from thin air.

But once he made up his mind, he no longer hesitated.

If Huang Mei can defeat Jin Chanzi and spread the scriptures to the East, then the people of Nanzhanbuzhou will surely establish him as their ancestor, and his name will be praised for ten thousand generations.

At that time, Huang Mei will have no worries about not having money for incense offerings.
"Humph!"

"Get ready to collect the money!"

Huang Mei snorted coldly, reached out and ripped open the drawstring of the "Qiankun Pouch" at his waist, and flicked his wrist!
"Splash—clink-clank-clank—!"

"Clang, clang, clang!"

"Clang, clang, clang!"

……

In an instant.

Gold ingots, silver coins, various gemstones, pearls, and agates, mixed with several enormous pieces of gold nuggets, poured out like a waterfall, piling up into a dazzling little mountain on the smooth, mirror-like surface of the precious pavilion.

The dazzling jewels shone brightly, filling the entire hall with brilliance. Even the golden carp in the pond were so startled that they sank to the bottom of the water, not daring to show themselves.

When "Wangchao Village" was destroyed, all the gold and silver treasures hidden there flowed back into Huang Mei's pocket like water.

Over the years, Huang Mei has transformed into an old turtle spirit, wandering around and secretly amassing a fortune that is truly astonishing.

It had a lot of gold and silver jewelry hidden inside its belly.

Even though Ananda and Kasyapa were asking for exorbitant prices, Huangmei found the price still within his budget.

Upon seeing the glittering jewels scattered on the ground, Ananda's breathing suddenly quickened, his eyes widened, and he lost all semblance of his venerable composure.
He immediately bent down, his hands moving with lightning speed, his fingers like hooks, frantically rummaging through his large sleeve pouch for gold, silver, and gems, muttering under his breath:

"Mine, all of it is mine... Faster, faster..."

They looked as if they were afraid that if they were even a moment too late, this "Buddhist affinity" would slip away.

Although Kasyapa's eyes were also burning with desire and his Adam's apple bobbing, he still retained some professional ethics and thought to himself:
"If you take money, you must recite scriptures for others; if you receive money, you must do things for others."

"That's the rule."

So, Kasyapa forced himself to calm down, swallowed hard, and tried to look away from the pile of treasure. He beckoned to Yellow Eyebrows, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously:
"Yellow Eyebrows, come closer and listen to me."

Huang Mei did as she was told and moved closer.

Kasyapa covered his mouth with his sleeve, lowered his voice, and said:
“A few days ago, Guanyin Bodhisattva, accompanied by her fellow disciple Jin Chanzi, entered the Mahavira Hall to pay homage to the World-Honored One Tathagata and report on the preparations for spreading the scriptures in the East.”

“I was by his side, adding incense and serving tea, and I heard everything clearly.”

The Buddha said: "The beings of Jambudvipa in the East are greedy, lustful, and fond of trouble. They kill and fight a lot. It is a place of fierce words and a sea of ​​evil."

“If something is too easily obtained, people often do not cherish it, but instead develop a contemptuous and disrespectful attitude.”

“In Jambudvipa, the people there are ignorant and slander the true words. They do not understand the essence of my teachings and may neglect the true lineage of Yoga.”

"Therefore..."

Kasyapa glanced around, and after confirming that no one was approaching, he lowered his voice so low that only Huangmei could hear him:
"Therefore, the World-Honored One, with a profound and far-reaching plan, wished to send the true spirit of Jin Chanzi to Jambudvipa and transform it into the native inhabitants of that place."

"It caused him to undergo ten lifetimes of arduous trials in his spiritual practice."

"Then teach Jin Chanzi to endure hardships and travel across mountains and rivers to reach my sacred mountain, where he can devoutly seek the true scriptures and then spread them to the land of the East."

"In this way, the people of Jambudvipa will find it difficult and full of twists and turns in their journey to obtain the true scriptures, which will highlight the supreme value of the Buddhist scriptures and make all beings know that these scriptures are not easy to obtain and should be cherished even more."

Upon hearing this, King Yellow Eyebrows was greatly shocked and couldn't help but mutter to himself:
"The Buddha actually wants to demote Jin Chanzi."

"To make Jin Chanzi cultivate for ten lifetimes and endure countless tribulations across mountains and rivers?"

"Old Buddha, what a ruthless scheme! What a grand gesture!"

However, he was quite shrewd and remained outwardly calm, merely nodding slightly to indicate that he understood.

Seeing Huang Mei's composure, Kasyapa secretly praised his calmness and continued:

"Currently, the World-Honored One and Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva have chosen several people to serve as Dharma-protecting deities to escort Jin Chanzi on his journey to the West to obtain the scriptures."

"Firstly, there was Marshal Tianpeng."

Kasyapa slowly said:

"When the World Honored One subdued the rebellious Eastern Emperor, he personally witnessed Marshal Tianpeng leading the Heavenly River Navy. He was majestic, powerful, and possessed extraordinary supernatural abilities. He immediately felt a sense of admiration for his talent and said: 'This person has great wisdom and is destined to be with my Western Paradise.'"

At this moment, Ananda, who was busy stuffing treasures into the ground, couldn't help but look up and chime in.

He still had several gold ingots tucked into his sleeve, and with an expression of keen interest, like someone watching a banquet, he said:
"Speaking of Marshal Tianpeng, I was also by the side of the World Honored One during the An Tian Assembly."

"At the Heavenly Assembly, the Martial Star Lord, indulging in wine, lost his composure and dared to flirt with the Moon Goddess Chang'e of the Guanghan Palace!"

Anao described it vividly:

"later."

"Marshal Tianpeng bravely stepped forward to stop the fairy Chang'e, but ended up arguing with Wuqu Xingjun instead."

"This commotion has really messed up the Antian Conference!"

Anan shook his head and continued:

"According to the laws and regulations of Heaven, Marshal Tianpeng's crimes should not have warranted this punishment."

As he spoke, Ananda mimicked the Buddha's tone, clasping his hands together in a solemn gesture:

"However, the World Honored One then said: The matter of Donghua's rebellion against Heaven has not yet been completely quelled. The root cause of such rebellious acts lies in the influence of personal feelings..."

"What the Buddha meant was that this trend must not be allowed to continue!"

Anao explained:
"The World Honored One has just performed a great service in saving the Emperor, and his words carry immense weight. The Queen Mother of the West is also there to persuade him."

"The Jade Emperor then followed his advice and banished Marshal Tianpeng to the mortal realm."

He chuckled and continued:
The Buddha once said in private, "It is better to offer help in times of need than to add flowers to brocade."

"First, let Marshal Tianpeng suffer some physical pain in the mortal world to temper his character and shed his arrogance. Then, let Guanyin Bodhisattva and Jin Chanzi find an opportunity to enlighten him and make Marshal Tianpeng calm down."

"Bringing him under our wing is killing two birds with one stone!"

Kasyapa picked up the conversation and continued:

"Secondly, there is the Curtain-Rolling General."

"When the World Honored One subdued the Eastern Emperor, he also saw this general standing in front of the Lingxiao Palace, protecting the emperor bravely and fearlessly, silent yet loyal, and he also felt a fondness for his talent."

The Buddha said: “This person who rolls up the curtain is of a steadfast and persevering nature, which is quite in line with the path of nirvana of the monks, and he has a karmic connection with the Buddha.”

"After the An Tian Assembly, the World Honored One rested temporarily in the Heavenly Court. Afterwards, the World Honored One and the Jade Emperor had a private meeting."

Kasyapa's voice held a hint of amusement:

“We, who were serving the World-Honored One, were also listening from the side.”

"The World Honored One then asked the Jade Emperor for the Curtain-Raising General, thinking that the Jade Emperor would refuse, but just wanted to try."

Kasyapa slowly said:

"Unexpectedly, I wonder what caused the Curtain-Rolling General to have a falling out with the Jade Emperor."

"The Jade Emperor did not object to this."

The Jade Emperor coldly said: "If the loyal are not completely loyal, then they will be completely disloyal."

"The Jade Emperor, in a manner of 'rewarding a subject,' said to the World-Honored One: 'Buddha, your merit in saving me this time is immeasurable. Since you have taken a liking to this person, I will give him to you.'"

Kasyapa, mimicking the Jade Emperor's tone, coldly commanded from his superior position:
"However, at present, there is no more suitable general to command the Heavenly Court's ceremonial guards, so I will use this person for now."

"In the future... I will find a reason to demote him to the mortal realm. Tathagata, you may send someone to receive him."

As the saying goes, serving a ruler is like serving a tiger.

At this point, Kasyapa seemed to have a thought and sighed:

"The Jade Emperor's intentions are unfathomable."

"Marshal Tianpeng, General Juanlian..."

King Yellow Eyebrows thought to himself:

"That old Buddha, his plans are indeed far-reaching!"

"He actually secretly recruited so many people during his trip to Heaven."

"They even schemed against the Jade Emperor's personal guards!"

His face remained calm, but his eyes betrayed a hint of inner turmoil.

Thirdly.

Ananda had already filled the pile of treasure to about 70-80% capacity. Satisfied, he patted his bulging sleeves, shook his head vigorously, and sneered disdainfully:

"Thirdly, there is the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong."

"At this Heavenly Peace Assembly, Sun Wukong was sitting next to the World Honored One."

Anao said:

"At the An Tian Assembly, Sun Wukong stole the show, wielding an iron cudgel and performing a set of cudgel techniques, which caught the eye of the World Honored One."

"When the World-Honored One saw that Sun Wukong possessed extraordinary divine power, he used his wisdom eye to observe him and recognized his true form, discovering that he was actually the Spiritual Stone Monkey, one of the Four Chaotic Monkeys."

"Just like gold buried underground."

"I never imagined that this primordial land would give birth to a golden statue."

"This golden monkey has a connection with Buddha."

Anan continued:

"The World-Honored One then took a liking to Sun Wukong and wanted to recruit him for his own use, so that he could protect Jin Chanzi and spread the scriptures in the East."

As the saying goes: "What you cultivate in your past life you receive in this life; you pray before the Buddha for purple robes and jade belts."

"This Sun Wukong is actually valued by the World Honored One."

"This must be a blessing that Sun Wukong earned in his previous life."

(End of this chapter)