Journey to the West: Beginning with the Apprenticeship of Bodhi Patriarch

Chapter 122: The Monkey King Subdues the Wood Mother, Master Zhenjianhua (asking for monthly tickets)
Jiang Yuan was impressed by the intelligence of Niu Shengying and wanted to teach him some self-protection skills, so that he could return to Cuiyun Mountain and travel outside until the two gods appeared. Only then could he defeat the two gods and support the righteous master. At that time, it would not matter whether Red Boy chose the right way or the side way. Jiang Yuan told Red Boy about the matter.

Upon hearing this, Red Boy kowtowed and said, "Master, if I leave to travel, I am afraid there will be no one to help you light the fire and blow the wind. I must stay here."

After hearing this, the Immortal said, "If you return from your travels and your true self is still there, and you cultivate the right path at that time and come to help me, that will be a great achievement. If you insist on staying and helping me, that will be a small achievement. You should know the difference between big and small."

Red Boy said, "If you follow what the master says, I will travel and I won't make any mistakes."

The immortal said, "I will tell you a few things about fire, and you must remember them. The theory of fire has always been a secret. As you said, there are civil and military fires, and there are other types of fire. I will tell you one by one. Whether you can understand it depends on you. If you understand the fire, you will be able to protect yourself when you travel."

Red Boy bowed and said, "I'm tired, Master."

Jiang Yuan gently stroked Red Boy's forehead. This spiritual boy was intelligent and polite. How could he bear to see him suffer in the future? So he would teach him some skills to protect himself, and then let him return to Cuiyun Mountain to travel under the arrangement of the Ox King.

……

It’s hard to describe how fast time flies, and before I knew it, more than three months have passed.

But on the journey to obtain Buddhist scriptures, Tang Monk first got help from Monkey King, then he got a white dragon horse to use as a means of transportation at Yingchoujian, and the local mountain gods gave him a saddle and bridle, which was exactly what marked his return to the right path.

In recent months, Zhu Wuneng was subdued at Fuling Mountain and given the nickname 'Bajie', also known as Zhu Bajie. This subjugation was done by Monkey King using his magical powers while holding the golden hoop. It is exactly the case that 'the strength of metal can overcome wood, and the monkey in the heart can subdue the wooden dragon'.

This work represents the return of the Wood Mother to the right path.

The pilgrims went westwards. When they reached the outside of Fuling Mountain, they saw another high mountain. Tang Seng was afraid that the demons might harm him again, so he stopped his horse and waited, saying, "Wukong, Wuneng, there is a mountain ahead. Watch carefully and don't let anything bad happen to you."

Sun Xingzhe stepped forward and opened his flaming eyes wide, took a closer look, and used his qi-sensing ability to see the mountain. He saw that there were green pines and cypresses in the south, green willows and red peaches in the north, surging green water under the stream, and auspicious clouds in front of the cliff. It was definitely not a place where demons lived.

It is expected that Sun Wukong had traveled all over the world and the four continents, so he has his own way of distinguishing between demons and monsters.

Sun Xingzhe said, "Master, don't worry. There are no monsters in this mountain. Just go to this mountain."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Bajie laughed and said, "You, the Horse Master, are not from here, so you don't know that there are no monsters in this mountain, so it's a good place to go."

Sun Xingzhe became annoyed when he heard "Bimawen". He pulled out an embroidery needle from his ear, shook it, and then took out the golden hoop as thick as a bowl and started to hit him.

Zhu Bajie was frightened so much that he hid behind Tang Monk to avoid his clutches. However, Sun Wukong was impatient and would not let him go. The two of them circled around Tang Monk, one chasing after him while the other ran away.

Tang Seng stopped the two men and said, "Don't be like this, Bajie, tell me where this mountain comes from and what's so good about it."

Monkey King was afraid of being cursed, so he didn't dare to chase him anymore and stopped.

Panting unsteadily, Zhu Bajie pointed at a high mountain and said, "Master, you don't know that this mountain is called Futu Mountain. There is a Zen Master Wuchao in the mountain. He practices in this mountain. I have met him before. He is quite accomplished."

Tang Seng asked: "What abilities does he have?"

Zhu Bajie said, "I don't know that. I only know that many high officials and nobles like him the most and often come to ask him about Buddhism. He can often make people alert with just one word, and he is famous in the world. Everyone in the Fuling Mountain area knows his name. He once invited me to practice with him, but I never agreed."

Tang Monk said happily: "There is someone here who is well versed in Buddhism? I will go forward and pay my respects to him."

Zhu Bajie said: "Master, you don't know that what I am practicing is not the Buddhist Dharma that you are practicing, but a Zen method."

Tang Monk said: "I have also heard of Zen, and I should pay a visit to you. It is said that 'Buddha has no two ways'. Bajie, you are just entering the door, so you should not talk like this. Wukong, Wuneng, come with me to the mountain."

As the master and his two disciples were talking, they walked up the mountain. When they were inside the mountain, Tang Seng looked at the scenery from afar on his horse and thought to himself that this was indeed a good place.

When we walked deep into the mountains, we saw elks carrying flowers, mountain monkeys offering fruits, and a colorful phoenix singing out from the woods.

Zhu Bajie stopped, pointed to a place, and called out, "Master, Zen Master Wuchao is there."

Tang Monk looked over there and saw a towering tree with a nest on it. A man was squatting on the nest, smiling and looking over here.

This person was none other than Zhenjian, a disciple of the Xieyue Sanxing Cave on the Fangcun Mountain of Lingtai. He used some magic to change his appearance and became a Zen master here. Because he lived in a cave most of the time, he was given the name Wuchao Zen Master.

The three masters and disciples did not recognize his true face. When they saw the Zen Master Wuchao, Tang Seng rode his horse forward and approached his nest.

When the Zen Master Wuchao saw Tang Seng approaching, he left his nest, jumped down from the tree and landed in front of Tang Seng.

When Tang Monk saw him, he bowed.

Zen Master Wuchao stepped forward to support him and said, "The holy monk has come in person, but I didn't come down the mountain to greet him. I am so rude. How rude!"

Tang Seng panicked and said, "I dare not, I dare not."

Zhu Bajie stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Old Zen Master, I am honored to meet you."

The Zen master looked up and asked, "Aren't you the Pig Ganglie from Fuling Mountain? You are traveling with the holy monk here. Can you go with him?"

Zhu Bajie said, "That's right! I am grateful for the teachings of Guanyin Bodhisattva and I am willing to follow the pilgrim to become his disciple."

The Zen master smiled and said, "Since it is a way of doing good, it is worth celebrating. It is worth celebrating."

Say it.

The Zen master looked at Monkey King again. How could this monkey not be as clever as before? He had not seen this monkey for many years. He looked like a demon or fierce. He asked, "Who is this?"

Sun Xingzhe laughed and said, "How come you recognize this guy but not me?"

The Zen master smiled and replied, "Forgive my ignorance, there are many clever monkeys in the mountains, I am used to seeing them, but I have never seen an old demon stone monkey."

Tang Monk stepped forward and said, "This is my eldest disciple, Sun Wukong."

The Zen master seemed to be new to the name and apologized, "Excuse me, my apology!"

Tang Monk bowed and said, "I am here to go west to get the Buddhist scriptures. Master, you are a wise man. I wonder if you know how far it is from here to the Great Leiyin Temple in the West Heaven where the Buddhist scriptures are to be obtained."

The Zen master laughed and said, "It's too far! It's too far! There's no door here, how can we get to the Great Leiyin Temple?"

Tang Seng exclaimed: "I haven't even left the door yet, is it really so far away?"

The Zen master said, "The monkey next to you should know the way. You can ask him."

Tang Seng looked at Monkey King, but saw that Monkey King was a little angry, but he nodded in acknowledgement and said that they had not yet left the door.

When Tang Monk heard this, he was shocked and said, "If this goes on, how long will it take to get there?"

The Zen master smiled and said, "The road is long and difficult, but if you keep walking you will reach your destination."

Tang Monk asked: "Master, do you have any way to teach me?"

The Zen master said, "There is no trick to do this. If your mind is not strong, you cannot obtain this sutra. If your mind is strong, and you have the four things, and you work together, you can obtain the true sutra and complete your merit."

Tang Monk asked: "What do the four say?"

The Zen master laughed and said, "The white dragon is the horse, the wild boar carries the load, the water monster leads the horse, and the stone monkey shows the way."

When Monkey King heard the words "Stone Monkey pointing the way", he didn't understand that the stone monkey was talking about him, so he became very angry and took out his golden cudgel to start beating.

Zen Master Wuchao stretched out his hand to block it, but all he saw was a myriad of auspicious mists, and the golden hoop could not penetrate him.

When Tang Monk saw this, he was shocked and angry, and said, "Wukong! The Zen master is a wise man, you can't be rude to him. If you do this, I will definitely recite the spell to tighten the hoop." Upon hearing this, the Monkey King was horrified and didn't dare to fight anymore, so he retreated.

Tang Monk then stepped forward and said, "Master, I am rude. I hope you will forgive me."

The Zen master smiled and said, "It's okay, it's okay. A stone monkey can't hurt me."

Tang Monk said: "As the Zen master said, if I have these four things, I can obtain the true scriptures?"

The Zen master nodded and said, "This is natural. With the help of the four, you have set your mind on traveling west with determination and have never retreated despite numerous difficulties. You will naturally succeed and obtain the true sutra. In this way, I will pass on a sutra to you. When you encounter demonic obstacles that harm you, just recite this sutra to ensure that your original spirit will not be lost."

Tang Monk clasped his hands together, bowed, and begged the Zen master to pass on the teachings.

The Zen master then passed on a sutra to Tang Monk. Tang Monk had the root of the sutra in his body, so he understood it immediately and took note of it.

After the Zen master finished his teaching, he was about to leave. Tang Seng stepped forward to stop him and asked him to talk to him again about the true path to obtain the scriptures.

The Zen master said, "I have already told you that you must be firm in your heart. Since you have repeatedly stopped me, I will say one more word to you, hoping that you will understand."

Tang Monk clasped his hands and bowed, saying, "Please tell me, Master."

The Zen master smiled and said, "Don't do any evil, but practice all good."

Sun Xingzhe chuckled and said, "You are useless."

Tang Seng said, "Wukong, don't be rude."

Sun Xingzhe said: "Master, this is the truth. Even a three-year-old child can understand what he said. It is not necessarily a profound idea."

The Zen master still smiled and said, "A three-year-old child knows it, and a hundred-year-old man can't do it. You stone monkey, you have lived for hundreds of years in vain, do you understand anything?"

Upon hearing this, Monkey King became angry again.

The Zen master turned around and turned into golden light, heading towards the nest and disappeared without a trace.

Tang Monk ordered Sun Wukong not to be rude, then he gathered some soil and burned incense. He was moved by what Sun Wukong said and said, "This is a true Bodhisattva. What he said is very easy. The truth is in it. Wukong and Wuneng must remember it."

Zhu Bajie said: "I told you earlier that he has some skills, but you monkey head didn't believe it. Do you understand now?"

Sun Xingzhe said: "This person's practice is very shallow, very shallow! There are a few people with deep practice in the world, I know them all, this person is definitely not one of them."

Zhu Bajie said, "Tell me about that person who has profound Taoism and magical powers in this world. I also know him. He is the Nine Heavens Demon Slayer Patriarch, and I also know him."

Sun Xingzhe said: "As for the Buddha, there is no need to mention him. Besides, those who have some abilities are all my brothers, such as my six brothers. However, if we talk about the power of the gods, he is a real person."

Zhu Bajie asked, "What does the Immortal say?"

Sun Xingzhe replied, "Have you ever heard of Master Guangxin?"

Zhu Bajie was surprised and asked, "Is it the Master Guangxin from Hezhou, Xiniu?"

Sun Xingzhe said, "That's right, that's right."

Zhu Bajie said, "I have also heard of that Immortal. When he became a Taoist in the past, the Jade Emperor sent celestial beings to invite him to heaven, but he was not able to come. Later, I heard that the Jade Emperor invited him a second time, but he was still unsuccessful. He is indeed a person with supernatural powers and a profound Taoist practice. I remember your brother. In the past, 100,000 heavenly soldiers were unable to defeat you, and it was this Immortal who brought you down."

When Monkey King was reminded of this matter, he became angry.

Zhu Bajie trembled and didn't dare to mention it again.

Tang Monk said: "My disciples, pack up and head west. Remember what the Zen master said carefully and never forget it."

Monkey King and Zhu Bajie both nodded, helped Tang Seng onto his horse, and headed down the mountain to the west.

On the way, Zhu Bajie asked, "Master, that old Zen master has some skills, and his words must be believed. The one who mentioned the four must be the white dragon horse, the wild boar is talking about me, the old pig, and the stone monkey must be... the eldest brother. What is this water monster?"

Tang Monk said: "Just go west, and you will know when the time comes."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Bajie dared not ask any more questions and just picked up his load and followed.

Sun Wukong was leading the way with his horse. Just as he was going down the mountain, he felt something in his heart. He looked back at Mount Futu, but saw a man standing on a nest, looking in the distance. It was the Zen Master Wuchao.

The traveler took a closer look and felt that the man looked familiar, but he could not remember where he had seen him before.

Bajie stepped forward and said, "Brother Monkey, if you are not tired, why don't you carry the luggage for me and I will lead the horse."

The monk waved his hand and said, "That's not the case. I think the Zen Master Wuchao looks familiar to me."

Bajie said with a smile: "Brother, you are probably homesick and missing your beloved. You shouldn't attack an old Zen master. He is a cultivator and I won't play with you."

The Monkey King got angry and wanted to fight with Bajie again, but Tang Seng stopped him. Then they stopped fighting and went west together.

……

In Futu Mountain, on the nest.

Zen Master Wuchao turned around and transformed into the appearance of Zhenjian.

Seeing the pilgrims leaving, he sighed inwardly, "How clever and polite that monkey was in the past, how come he has become like this today? Back then, the monkey went up the mountain to worship the master, and endured all kinds of ridicule and disgust, but he remained unmoved. Now, a few words have made him confused and he has no manners at all. I heard from my eldest brother that this monkey has been imprisoned for five or six hundred years, and he is still like this despite the hardships. If he had never suffered any hardships, how unruly he would be."

The real view still left a lingering fear in his heart. This is what it means to practice cultivation without cultivating the mind. This view of Wukong also made him realize that he should cultivate his mind. There must be no mistake in this.

The behavior of Wukong shows that he does not cultivate his mind.

If a practitioner practices cultivation without cultivating his mind, he will probably regret it. Wukong had this opportunity because he was created by heaven and earth.

Zhenjian shook his head and said that this method had been successful and had taught many people, including Tang Monk, and it was time to return to the mountains.

The three people in Lishan, he is here to teach. The white deer is in the forest behind, arguing with the Dharma. If you can't argue with the white deer, you can't come forward. The bull king is behind.

Zhenjian was chanting the incantation in his mouth and didn't think any more. Clouds and mist appeared under his feet and he returned to Lingtai Fangcun Mountain.

……

It really saw that the cloud was flying slowly, and it took more than a month to return to Lingtai Fangcun Mountain. When he entered the Sanxing Immortal Cave, he happened to meet Jiang Yuan, who had sent Red Boy away.

Jiang Yuan looked at Zhen and smiled, "Junior brother, you have returned after your success?"

Zhen Jian bowed and said, "Big Brother, I have just returned after completing my mission."

Jiang Yuan said: "Brother, since you have returned successfully, please come with me and tell me everything."

Say it.

Jiang Yuan welcomed Zhenjian into the cave and walked along the Yaotai path. He first paid respects to the ancestor with Zhenjian, and then went into the quiet room. He took out a cushion and sat down with Zhenjian. He then took out some fruits and handed them to this junior brother.

Zhen Jian waved his hand and said, "I dare not trouble you, Senior Brother, but please take a seat and listen to me tell you all the things that happened to you, Senior Brother."

(End of this chapter)