Journey to the West: The roadblock!

Chapter 158 The Battle of Wits in Chechi Kingdom (Twenty-Eight)
Meanwhile, in the quiet room of Zhiyuan Temple, there were about forty old monks, the only monks in Zhiyuan Temple who had not studied Taoist practices.

Wukong had some grudges against these monks.

Because when these old monks told Wukong about the affairs of Chechi Kingdom, they embellished the story, making it mostly true and only partially false, which ultimately caused Wukong to lose face later.

In the past, Wukong would have crushed those forty old monks into mincemeat with his golden cudgel.

However, because Tang Sanzang is present, Wukong cannot easily take action.

Now that Kasyapa wants to pass on the true scriptures to these old monks, Wukong is very unwilling, but since the scriptures are not in his possession, he cannot stop it.

Led by Aru, Kasyapa arrived at the meditation room.

When the old abbot and others saw Venerable Kasyapa arrive, they were all moved to tears and bowed their heads in worship.

Kasyapa frowned slightly.

To be honest, these old monks really didn't have much wisdom, and they were too old. If he hadn't really had no other choice, he really wouldn't have wanted to choose them.

But there's nothing we can do; these few old monks are the only ones left practicing Buddhism.

Kasyapa, being short, chose the tallest among the forty or so old monks, selecting three who were barely better, including the abbot and two other monks in their sixties, and passed on the true scriptures to them.

The old abbot, holding the scriptures in his hands, repeatedly bowed in gratitude, saying:

"I am deeply grateful for the compassionate transmission of the Dharma by Venerable Kasyapa and the blessings bestowed upon me by the Buddha. From now on, I will diligently follow the Dharma, live up to the great trust placed in me, and carry forward the lineage of Buddhism."

Kasyapa said, “Get up. Remember to cultivate diligently. You will soon have a contest with the Daoist disciples. Do not tarnish the reputation of our sect.”

The old abbot said, "This disciple will remember."

Kasyapa nodded and prepared to leave.

The old abbot hurriedly said, "Venerable One, please wait. This disciple has another matter to ask you to decide."

The old abbot thought that he had gained the favor of Venerable Kasyapa because he saw that Venerable Kasyapa had transmitted the Dharma to him, so he asked Venerable Kasyapa to make a decision for him.

Kasyapa asked, "What do you need me to decide?"

The old abbot pointed at Alu and said sternly, "Your Excellency, this man has defected to the Taoist sect, ruined the lineage of our Buddhist sect, and usurped my position as abbot. He is guilty of ten heinous crimes. I beg Your Excellency to investigate thoroughly!"

Kasyapa looked at Aru and asked, "Is what he said true?"

Alu said, "Venerable One, please allow me to explain."

Kasyapa said, "Speak."

Aludao:
"It is true that I have joined the Taoist sect, but my purpose is to revitalize our Buddhist sect."

When he was the abbot, Zhiyuan Temple had lost all its property and assets, its incense offerings had ceased, the temple was in ruins, the Buddha's golden statue was damaged, and it owed a debt of ten thousand taels of silver. Some craftsmen even threatened to smash the Buddha statue if the debt was not settled.

"When I was abbot, Zhiyuan Temple regained the favor of the king, its incense flourished, the temple became magnificent, the Buddha statue was gilded, and incense oil was offered before the Buddha. The Dharma lineage continued, and there were countless disciples and descendants. This is proof of my sincere devotion."

Kasyapa nodded gently.

The old abbot hurriedly said, “Venerable one, you mustn’t be deceived by him! When I was abbot, although there were no such offerings, everyone under my tutelage was sincerely devoted to Buddhism. After he seized the position of abbot, although there were more offerings, no one was devoted to Buddhism. How can such behavior not be severely punished?”

Upon hearing this, Kasyapa turned to Aru and said, "You have indeed made some mistakes. I hereby punish you by making you copy Buddhist scriptures before the Buddha for seven days. Do you have any objections?"

Alu said, "This disciple is willing to accept the punishment and will definitely repent and correct my past mistakes."

Kasyapa nodded.

The old abbot said anxiously, "Venerable one, how can we let him off so easily after he has committed such a heretical act?"

Kasyapa said, “Although he has learned some Taoist practices, it is for the purpose of revitalizing Buddhism, so it cannot be considered a betrayal of the religion. Moreover, he has also made contributions. Our Buddha is compassionate and should punish him slightly as a warning and forgive him.”

The old abbot said, "But..."

Kasyapa said, "Cultivate yourself diligently and do not give rise to anger!"

The old abbot could only say, "This disciple understands."

Next, Kasyapa stayed at Zhiyuan Temple for the time being.

Alu arranged the best meditation room for him.

The three abbots began practicing Buddhism.

Wukong met with Tiger Power Immortal and two others and arranged a time for their duel.

The two sides agreed that a month later, the disciples of the three Taoist masters, Tiger Power Immortal, would fight against the three Buddhist disciples.

time flies.

The three abbots were not particularly wise, and being too old, even if they obtained the true scriptures, they would find it difficult to understand the Buddha's teachings.

Especially the oldest abbot, who is already 68 years old this year, has some difficulty even reciting Buddhist scriptures, let alone comprehending them.

In a single Buddhist scripture, there are few points that are clear and many that are unclear.

Fortunately, the scripture was very magical; as long as it was kept by his side, his magical power would increase slightly.

So, a month later.

Buddhism and Taoism clashed once again.

On one side were Tiger Power Immortal and his two companions, along with three disciples.

On the other side were Wukong and his companions, as well as Kasyapa with three old monks.

The King of Chechi Kingdom also came to watch. He had heard that Venerable Kasyapa of the Western Paradise had descended, so he came specifically to see his venerable countenance.

Kasyapa remembered what the Buddha had said, so he appeared in his true form, bearing the light of the Buddha and the Dharma wheel, with chanting of sacred sounds.

Upon seeing this, the King of Chechi dared not be negligent and hastily offered him the seat of honor.

The King of Chechi asked Kasyapa, "Venerable One, why have you come to my Chechi Kingdom?"

Kasyapa said, "Because Buddhism and Taoism in Chechi Kingdom have declined, the Buddha issued a decree ordering me to come here to transmit the true scriptures and revive Buddhism."

The King of Chechi Kingdom said, "In your opinion, which side, Buddhism or Taoism, will prevail today?"

Kasyapa said, "Naturally, it is our Buddhist sect that has won."

The King of Chechi said, "But last time I saw that Buddhism lost to Taoism."

Kasyapa said, “This time is different from the last. Please witness the true Dharma of my Buddhist school.”

The King of Chechi Kingdom nodded and watched attentively.

The first competition began, and it was still a contest of rainfall.

The disciple of Tiger Power Immortal ascended the high platform and tried to summon wind and rain, but unfortunately his magic was insufficient. He only managed to summon a dark cloud and failed to bring rain.

Kasyapa smiled. This was the level of the Daoist disciples.

Then an elderly monk from Zhiyuan Temple went up on stage.

Upon seeing this, Tiger Power Immortal's disciple exclaimed in surprise, "Wasn't it supposed to be a competition between disciples?"

The old monk said, "I am your disciple."

The King of Chechi couldn't help but look at Kasyapa, feeling that the old monk looked even older than himself.

Kasyapa's expression remained unchanged.

Although the old monk was old, he had just begun his spiritual practice, so it was not wrong to call him a disciple.

An old monk sat cross-legged on a high platform, chanting sutras and praying for rain. A faint Buddhist light emanated from his body, but it quickly faded. His spiritual power was too weak; it had been exhausted before he could even pray for rain.

Under the bright sunlight, the old monk was covered in sweat from exhaustion.

Kasyapa's face was gloomy.

He hadn't expected the old monk to be so foolish; after a month of cultivation, he hadn't even developed this much magical power.

I gave them the "True Scripture" to study directly. The scripture itself is a Buddhist treasure. Even if you bathe in the Buddha's light every day, you can achieve similar levels of cultivation.

Since it was already summer and the sun was scorching, and the old monk was also old, he was exposed to the sun on the high platform and could not pray for rain. After a long time, sweat poured down his head, and unfortunately, he suffered from heatstroke and collapsed.

The King of Chechi Kingdom hurriedly ordered his men to carry the old monk away.

The second match then began. The second match was a contest of magic, between the old abbot of Zhiyuan Temple and the disciple of the Deer Power Immortal.

The disciple of the Great Immortal Deer Power said, "Old monk, you have already lost one round. If you lose this one, it will be another victory for our Daoist sect!"

The old abbot said, "You traitors of the Taoist sect, when has our Buddhist sect ever lost?"

The disciple of the Great Immortal Deer Power said, "In the last competition to pray for rain, my senior brother managed to summon dark clouds, while you, this old Buddhist monk, couldn't summon even a wisp of cloud or rain. Didn't you still lose?"

The old abbot said, "The competition was about praying for rain, not for clouds. Neither of us managed to pray for rain, so it should be considered a draw."

Upon hearing this, the disciple of the Great Immortal Deer Power laughed three times and said, "Well done, you bald thief! If that's the case, it shouldn't be a draw; your Buddhist sect should have won!"

The old abbot asked, "What is it?"

The disciple of the Great Immortal Deer Power laughed and said, "You old Buddhist monk are sweating profusely, isn't that because you've prayed for sweet rain to fall?"

The old abbot angrily retorted, "You sharp-tongued little Taoist, how could you possibly know the profound teachings of Buddhism!"

The old abbot chanted scriptures, channeling his magical power. A golden aura enveloped his body, making him appear quite formidable. However, this golden aura only covered his upper body, not his lower body, indicating insufficient spiritual cultivation.

The old abbot, relying on the golden light, attacked the disciple of the Deer Power Immortal.

The disciple of the Great Immortal Luli dodged using the Qigong step.

The old abbot was old and slow-witted; he tried several times but couldn't catch the disciple of the Deer Power Immortal.

The old abbot was so angry that he cursed, "You scoundrel, dare you stop?"

The disciple of the Deer Power Immortal said, "Ha, you old man, now that you've gained power, how dare you be so arrogant! Behold my magic!"

The disciple of the Great Immortal Deer Power raised his left hand, and while performing the steps of the Big Dipper, he made hand seals and chanted incantations, thus performing a mountain-moving technique.

He was a disciple of the Great Immortal Lu Li, and also a disciple of Ao Tu, and received some of the magical techniques taught by Ao Tu.

The art of moving mountains is one of them.

However, with his magical powers, he was not yet able to move the mountain. He only moved a small earthen mound, eight or nine meters high, over and placed it on the old abbot.

The golden light surrounding the old abbot shattered with a crash.

Seeing this, Kasyapa quickly stepped in to help.

Although he despised the old abbot and his companions for their foolishness, if he didn't step in to help, the old abbot would be going to his death, and what would become of the Buddhist community's reputation then?

With the second match over, the third match began soon afterward.

The third old monk stepped forward, ready to compete against the disciple of the Great Immortal Yangli.

Venerable Kasyapa's expression was grim.

Even if the first match ended in a draw, the second match was undoubtedly a defeat. Now, even if the third match is won, it will only be a draw, which is far from what Buddha required.

Kasyapa could not stand idly by and watch this happen.

The old monk had just stepped onto the stage.

Kasyapa flicked his finger.

The old monk suddenly felt an excruciating headache, foamed at the mouth, and collapsed to the ground.

The King of Chechi asked, "What is this?"

Kasyapa said, "My Buddhist disciple is old and suffers from headaches. Today, his headaches have flared up again. Please let us rest for now and fight again another day."

The King of Chechi Kingdom agreed wholeheartedly, saying, "Your Excellency is absolutely right. These old monks are indeed too old. Next time, Your Excellency should find some younger disciples!"

Kasyapa did not answer, and when he returned, his face was very pale.

These monks are too foolish. They can't possibly defeat the Taoist disciples on their own. How can he fulfill the Buddha's decree if things continue like this?

The only solution he could think of was to personally pay for some Golden Flower Fruits and give them to the three men to increase their magical power so that they could defeat the three from the Daoist sect.

But he went down to the mortal realm and suffered greatly, not only did he not gain any benefit, but he also lost his treasures. How could that be reasonable?
Kasyapa was truly unwilling, but he had no other choice, and his expression grew increasingly grim.

Alu was delighted to see this.

Recalling the instructions in his master's letter, Alu went to find Wukong that night.

Like Kasyapa, Wukong and the others also looked worried at this time.

As long as the monks cannot defeat the Taoists, the master and his disciples cannot continue their journey westward.

Tang Sanzang chanted scriptures, while Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing sighed.

Just then, Alu came looking for him.

"Elder Sun, Elder Sun?"

Wukong asked, "Abbot, what brings you here?"

Alu said, "Elder Sun, please come here. I have something to discuss with you."

Wukong said, "Master, I'm going out for a bit."

Tang Sanzang nodded and said, "Go."

Wukong went outside and asked Alu, "What do you want to discuss with me?"

Alu said, "I know Elder Sun is troubled by the competition with the Daoist sect, but I have a way to resolve this matter."

Wukong asked in surprise, "What method do you have?"

Alu said, "The solution is to ask Elder Sun to introduce me to Venerable Kasyapa so that I can practice Buddhism. In this way, we will surely win and bring glory to our Buddhist sect!"

Upon hearing this, Wukong's expression turned strange. "Aren't you a Taoist priest? And a disciple of the True Man Taixi!"

Alu said, "Elder Sun, although I am a disciple of Master Taixi, I am not a Taoist. I am the abbot of Zhiyuan Temple, and I am a legitimate Buddhist disciple."

Wukong asked, "Does your master, the True Man Taixi, know about this?"

Alu said, “To be honest, Elder Sun, I would never dare to reveal this to anyone else, but my master said in his letter that Elder Sun had recommended him, so I can tell you. Actually, my master had already foreseen today’s situation in his previous letter, and it was he who instructed me to come to you.”

Upon hearing this, Wukong's expression became even more peculiar.

After thinking for a moment, Wukong asked, "If you learn Buddhism, are you confident you can defeat those three Taoist priests?"

Alu said, "Elder Sun, rest assured, this humble monk is the eldest brother of those three Taoist priests."

Wukong was speechless for a moment, then said, "I can speak to Kasyapa for you, but the Buddha once said that he would choose a disciple with a sincere heart to impart the true scriptures, and I'm afraid he won't choose you."

Alu said, "Elder Sun, don't worry, you just need to make the introduction."

Wukong nodded.

As far as Wukong was concerned, those old monks were his enemies, and he didn't mind going along with it.

Wukong then went to Kasyapa and suggested that Alu cultivate the true scriptures.

Kasyapa was somewhat tempted after hearing this, but the Buddha had said that he should choose a disciple with a sincere heart. Alu had already learned the Dharma and was half-hearted, so he was obviously not a suitable candidate.

But if we don't choose Alu, those three foolish monks...

After thinking it over, Kasyapa decided to first summon Alu and ask him questions to examine his Buddhist heart.

The next day, Kasyapa summoned Aru.

Kasyapa asked, "Aru, I heard you want to practice the true scriptures of the Buddha?"

Alu said, “Yes, Venerable One, I have long admired the Buddha’s teachings.”

Kasyapa said, “But you have learned the Taoist teachings, but your Buddhist heart is not sincere, so you cannot practice the true scriptures of my Buddha.”

Alu said, "Although I have learned the Taoist teachings, my heart is devoted to Buddhism, and I have no other thoughts."

Kasyapa asked, "How can you prove that you are devoted to Buddhism?"

Alu took out a pill furnace from his bosom and said:
“Venerable One, this is the most precious Dharma treasure I possess, and I offer it to the Buddha to show my sincerity!”

Upon seeing this, Kasyapa exclaimed with delight, "Indeed, he is a devout disciple of the Buddha!"

(End of this chapter)