Journey to the West: The roadblock!

Chapter 157 The Battle of Wits in Chechi Kingdom (Twenty-Seven)
Meanwhile, Wukong descended from the heavens and returned to Chechi Kingdom.

Wukong first told Tang Sanzang about the matter.

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang exclaimed with delight, "Excellent! Excellent! That's wonderful!"

Wukong then handed the letter to Alu.

When Alu saw that it was a letter written in his master's own handwriting, he naturally agreed.

Wukong then handed another letter to Tiger Power Immortal and the other two.

After reviewing the document, the three Tiger Immortals had no objections. They simply said to Wukong, "Sun Wukong, a contest is fine, but our disciples will not hold back. Victory or defeat will depend entirely on skill."

Wukong said: "Naturally."

This matter has been settled, but the Dharma is still lacking.

Wukong somersaulted and arrived at the Great Thunder Temple on Mount Ling.

The nuns of Mount Ling were already quite familiar with Wukong. Seeing him approach, they asked, "Great Sage, what demons have you encountered this time?"

Wukong laughed and said, "This time it's not demons, but some other things I need to discuss with Buddha."

The nun said, "Then please wait a moment, Great Sage."

The nun went in and said to the Buddha, "Sun Wukong has something to discuss with the Buddha."

The Buddha said, "Let him in."

Wukong jumped through the door and paid his respects to the Buddha.

The Buddha asked, "Wukong, what business do you have with me?"

Wukong said, "This disciple has important business to attend to."

The Buddha said, "Speak."

Wukong said, "Buddha, your lineage is about to end!"

The Buddha Tathagata laughed and said, "In my Western World, there are three thousand Buddhas living in the world, a field of blessings for all beings, a land of great enlightenment. When will the Dharma lineage be severed?"

Wukong said, "Not here, but in Chechi Kingdom."

The Buddha said, “A monk once told me that Chechi Kingdom was a place that exterminated monks. It is likely that you and your disciples arrived in Chechi Kingdom and encountered difficulties, which is why you came here.”

Wukong said, “I dare not deceive my Buddha, that is indeed the case. Chechi Kingdom is indeed a place where Taoism flourishes and Buddhism declines. When my master, fellow disciples, and I went to that kingdom, we originally intended to promote the orthodox Dharma of our Zen sect. However, we were momentarily distracted and lost our sense of propriety, causing a great disturbance in the Sanqing Hall and behaving somewhat disrespectfully towards the statues of the Three Pure Ones. Later, I had a magical duel with the Taoist priest from Chechi Kingdom. I am a Buddha, he is a Taoist. I wanted to promote Buddhism, he wanted to promote Taoism. Therefore, we each used our strength. That Taoist priest is a member of the orthodox Taoist school and knows a kind of thunder magic. I was caught off guard and lost to him. Because of my previous disrespectful behavior, there was a prior bet that I must kneel and worship before the statues of the Three Pure Ones for 1,111 days to atone for my mistake.”

The Buddha said, "You monkey, how did you manage to cause such a disaster? The Three Pure Ones are the ancestors who created heaven and earth, how dare you provoke them?"

Wukong said, "How dare I, how dare I? This disciple was merely somewhat disrespectful to the mortal statues in that hall, and dared not provoke the Three Pure Ones."

The Buddha said, "That's better."

Wukong said, “I have made a promise in public, and I cannot break it. But if I kneel and worship for 1,111 days, it may delay the journey to the West. That Taoist priest now resides in the Heavenly Court as the True Lord of the West. I asked him for a favor. He said that the descendants of my Buddhist and Taoist disciples should have another match. If Buddhism wins and Taoism loses, it will be considered a draw, and the bet will be settled, allowing us to go west. Therefore, I have come to ask my Buddha to make the decision.”

The Buddha said, "Wukong, you were in the wrong first, so it's not good for you to force your way out. This plan is quite appropriate."

Wukong said, "In that case, I beg the Buddha to pass down two volumes of true scriptures and teachings, for I am eager to surpass him."

The Buddha said, "You monkey, why do you want my true scriptures?"

Wukong said, “Allow me to report that the reason why Taoism rose and Buddhism fell in Chechi Kingdom is because the Taoist priests passed on true magic, and they know the Five Thunder Magic and the alchemy. Our Buddhist sect only recites scriptures, how can we fight against them? Therefore, Taoism rose and Buddhism fell.”

The Buddha said: "If Buddhist disciples can understand their own mind and nature, see the five aggregates, and transcend birth and death, they can naturally generate compassion, attain enlightenment, and naturally acquire supernatural powers."

Wukong said, "The Buddha's teachings are boundless, but there is no such person in Chechi Kingdom. I beg the Buddha to have mercy and help my master and me on our journey to the West, and bestow upon us a few scrolls of true scriptures!"

The Buddha said, “Very well, Kasyapa, open the treasure pavilion and take out a scroll of true scripture.”

Venerable Kasyapa received the Buddha's decree and retrieved a scroll of true scripture, titled "The Treatise on the True Dharma."

Wukong reached out to take it, but Buddha Tathagata said, "No."

Wukong said, "Buddha, now that you have obtained the scriptures, why don't you give them to me, your old grandson?"

The Buddha said, “This is because it is a true scripture, and it cannot be lightly transmitted or shown. Venerable Kasyapa, you go with Wukong to find a disciple with a sincere heart to pass on the scripture. Be sure to be careful.” Venerable Kasyapa accepted the Buddha’s decree.

The Buddha then said, “The Kingdom of Chechi does not respect my teachings. You must go there and reveal your true form to the king and proclaim my true teachings.”

Venerable Kasyapa agreed.

The Buddha said again, "Wukong was defeated by the Taoist sect before, and he must not be defeated again this time."

Venerable Kasyapa agreed again.

Wukong and Kasyapa left Mount Ling and rode on auspicious clouds all the way to Chechi Kingdom, to Zhiyuan Temple.

Kasyapa revealed his true form, and all the monks in the temple, as well as Tang Sanzang and others, came to pay their respects.

Kasyapa then ordered Abbot Alu to summon all the disciples of Zhiyuan Temple and select one among them who was truly devout in his Buddhist faith to impart the true scriptures.

Upon hearing this, Alu dared not delay and hurriedly summoned all his disciples and novices, totaling more than two hundred, for Venerable Kasyapa to choose from.

Kasyapa looked with his divine eye and saw that among the two hundred people, there were six young novices with profound wisdom.

Kasyapa summoned the six people and questioned them one by one.

Kasyapa asked the first young novice, "What scriptures have you been learning?"

The young novice monk said, "This disciple has studied the Huangting Sutra."

Kasyapa was taken aback and asked, "What did you learn?"

The young novice monk said, "The Yellow Court Classic."

Kasyapa asked, "The Yellow Court Classic from the Daoist scriptures?"

The young novice replied, "Yes."

Kasyapa looked at Aru.

Alu explained, “Venerable Sir, this is a last resort for the sake of making a living.”

Kasyapa did not speak, but asked the second question.

The second novice monk said, "This disciple has studied the alchemical texts."

Kasyapa asked the third question.

The third novice monk said, "This disciple has learned the Talisman Scripture and the Purity Scripture..."

Kasyapa questioned all six people, but he did not hear a single word of the Buddha.

Kasyapa had no choice but to settle for second best and look for those that were less desirable.

However, out of the more than two hundred people, there were all sorts of people, from those who studied talismans and swordsmanship to those who practiced alchemy, performed rituals, and engaged in divination, but not a single one of them was chanting scriptures or studying Buddhism.

Kasyapa questioned Aru.

Alu was not afraid; his master's letter had taught him how to reply.

Aru frankly recounted the predicament of Zhiyuan Temple and said to Kasyapa:

"Venerable One, if we do not learn the Dao, how can we make offerings to the Buddha? How can we gild the Buddha's body? How can we light eternal lamps? How can we offer incense and oil? How can we have incense offerings?"

Kasyapa said, "This is all due to your lack of steadfast faith in the Buddha. If it weren't for the fact that your worship of the Buddha is quite sincere, I would certainly have punished you!"

Alu did not speak.

Kasyapa asked, "Is there not a single person in the temple practicing Buddhism now?"

Alu said, “Venerable one, although we monks practice the Dharma, we are sincerely devoted to the Buddha and have never forgotten the Dharma.”

Kasyapa shook his head and asked, "Are there any who haven't practiced the Dao?"

Alu said, "Then we'll have to do it in the quiet room."

(End of this chapter)