When the Nine Nines Are Complete the Demons Are All Destroyed
After the Triple Threes Are Fulfilled the Way Returns to Its Roots
The story goes on to tell how the Eight Vajrapanis escorted the Tang Priest back to their country, but we will not go into that now.
Outside the gates the Protectors of the Four Quarters and the Centre, the Four Duty Gods, the Six Dings, the Six Jias and the Guardians of the Faith went up to the Bodhisattva Guanyin and said, “We, your disciples, have given secret help to the holy monk in obedience to your dharma command, Bodhisattva. Now that they have fulfilled their deeds and you have reported your mission accomplished to the Lord Buddha, we would like to report the completion of our mission.”
“Permission granted.” The Bodhisattva replied with delight, “permission granted.” The Bodhisattva then went on to ask, “What were the thoughts and actions of the Tang Priest and his three disciples on their journey?”
“They really were pious and determined,” the deities all replied, “as we are sure will not have escaped your profound perception. But the Tang Priest's sufferings truly beggar description. Your disciples have made a careful record of the disasters and hardships that he has endured on his journey. This is the account of his ordeals.” The Bodhisattva read it through from the beginning, and this is what was written in it:
九九数完魔刬尽
三三行满道归根
话表八金刚既送唐僧回国不题。那三层门下，有五方揭谛、四值功曹、六丁六甲、护教伽蓝，走向观音菩萨前启道：“弟子等向蒙菩萨法旨，暗中保护圣僧，今日圣僧行满，菩萨缴了佛祖金旨，我等望菩萨准缴法旨。”菩萨亦甚喜道：“准缴，准缴。”又问道：“那唐僧四众，一路上心行何如？”诸神道：“委实心虔志诚，料不能逃菩萨洞察。但只是唐僧受过之苦，真不可言。他一路上历过的灾愆患难，弟子已谨记在此，这就是他灾难的簿子。”菩萨从头看了一遍。上写着：
“We Protectors were sent at the Bodhisattva's command,
To keep a close record of the Tang Priest's ordeals.
The Golden Cicada's exile was the first ordeal;
Being born and almost killed was the second ordeal;
Abandonment in the river under the full moon was the third ordeal;
Finding his mother and getting revenge was the fourth ordeal;
The tigers he met after leaving the city were the fifth ordeal;
Falling into the pit was the sixth ordeal;
The Double Forked Peak was the seventh ordeal;
The Double Boundary Mountain was the eighth ordeal;
Exchanging horses at the ravine was the ninth ordeal;
The fire at night was the tenth ordeal;
The loss of the cassock was the eleventh ordeal;
Subduing Pig was the twelfth ordeal;
The obstacles created by the Yellow Wind Monster were the thirteenth ordeal;
Asking the help of Lingji was the fourteenth ordeal;
The hard crossing of the Flowing Sands River was the fifteenth ordeal;
Winning over Friar Sand was the sixteenth ordeal;
The appearance of the four holy ones was the seventeenth ordeal;
In the Wuzhuang Temple was the eighteenth ordeal;
The difficulty of reviving the manfruit was the nineteenth ordeal;
The dismissal of the Mind-ape was the twentieth ordeal;
Getting lost in Black Pine Forest was the twenty-first ordeal;
Delivering the letter to Elephantia was the twenty-second ordeal;
To be turned into a tiger in the palace hall was the twenty-third ordeal;
Meeting the monsters on Flat-top Mountain was the twenty-fourth ordeal;
To hang in the Lotus Flower Cave was the twenty-fifth ordeal;
The rescue of the king of Wuji was the twenty-sixth ordeal;
The transformation by the demons was the twenty-seventh ordeal;
The encounter with the monster of Mount Hao was the twenty-eighth ordeal;
The holy monk being carried off by the wind was the twenty-ninth ordeal;
The attack on the Mind-ape was the thirtieth ordeal;
Inviting the holy one to subdue the fiend was the thirty-first ordeal;
Sinking in the Black River was the thirty-second ordeal;
The moving in Tarrycart was the thirty-third ordeal;
The enormous wager was the thirty-fourth ordeal;
Casting out the Taoists and promoting the Buddhists was the thirty-fifth ordeal;
The great river met on the way was the thirty-sixth ordeal;
Falling into the River of Heaven was the thirty-seventh ordeal;
The appearance with the fish basket was the thirty-eighth ordeal;
Meeting the monster on Mount Jindou was the thirty-ninth ordeal;
All the gods of heaven being unable to subdue him was the fortieth ordeal;
Asking the Buddha about his origins was the forty-first ordeal;
To be poisoned by drinking the water was the forty-second ordeal;
Being kept in Womanland of Western Liang for the wedding was the forty-third ordeal;
The agonies of the Pipa Cave were the forty-fourth ordeal;
The Mind-ape's second dismissal was the forty-fifth ordeal;
Telling the macaques apart was the forty-sixth ordeal;
Being held up by the Fiery Mountains was the forty-seventh ordeal;
Obtaining the plantain-leaf fan was the forty-eighth ordeal;
Tying up the demon king was the forty-ninth ordeal;
Sweeping the pagoda in Jisai city was the fiftieth ordeal;
The recovery of the treasures and the rescue of the monks were the fifty-first ordeal;
Reciting poems in the Thorn Forest was the fifty-second ordeal;
Trouble in the Lesser Thunder Monastery was the fifty-third ordeal;
The capture of the heavenly gods was the fifty-fourth ordeal;
Being stopped by the filthy Runny Persimmon Lane was the fifty-fifth ordeal;
Healing in Purpuria was the fifty-sixth ordeal;
Saving from debility was the fifty-seventh ordeal;
Subduing fiends and rescuing the queen was the fifty-eighth ordeal;
Delusion by the seven passions was the fifty-ninth ordeal;
The wounding of the Many-eyed Monster was the sixtieth ordeal;
Being held up by the Lion was the sixty-first ordeal;
Dividing demons into three categories was the sixty-second ordeal;
Meeting disaster in the city was the sixty-third ordeal;
Asking the Buddha to subdue the demon was the sixty-fourth ordeal;
The rescue of the boys in Bhiksuland was the sixty-fifth ordeal;
Telling the true from the evil was the sixty-sixth ordeal;
Saving the monster in the pine forest was the sixty-seventh ordeal;
Lying sick in the monastic cell was the sixty-eighth ordeal;
Capture in the Bottomless Cave was the sixty-ninth ordeal;
Delays in Dharmadestructia were the seventieth ordeal;
Meeting the monster on Hidden Clouds Mountain was the seventy-first ordeal;
Begging for rain in Fengxian was the seventy-second ordeal;
The loss of the weapons was the seventy-third ordeal;
The rake banquet was the seventy-fourth ordeal;
Troubles on Bamboo Mountain were the seventy-fifth ordeal;
Suffering in Dark Essence Cave was the seventy-sixth ordeal;
Catching Rhinoceros was the seventy-seventh ordeal;
Being required to marry in India was the seventy-eighth ordeal;
Imprisonment in Brazentower was the seventy-ninth ordeal;
Casting of the body at the Lingyun Crossing was the eightieth ordeal;
The journey was one of 36,000 miles,
And the ordeals of the holy monk are all clearly recorded.”
“蒙差揭谛皈依旨，
谨记唐僧难数清：
金蝉遭贬第一难，
出胎几杀第二难，
满月抛江第三难，
寻亲报冤第四难，
出城逢虎第五难，
落坑折从第六难，
双叉岭上第七难，
两界山头第八难，
陡涧换马第九难，
夜被火烧第十难，
失却袈裟十一难，
收降八戒十二难，
黄风怪阻十三难，
请求灵吉十四难，
流沙难渡十五难，
收得沙僧十六难，
四圣显化十七难，
五庄观中十八难，
难活人参十九难，
贬退心猿二十难，
黑松林失散二十一难，
宝象国捎书二十二难，
金銮殿变虎二十三难，
平顶山逢魔二十四难，
莲花洞高悬二十五难，
乌鸡国救主二十六难，
被魔化身二十七难，
号山逢怪二十八难，
风摄圣僧二十九难，
心猿遭害三十难，
请圣降妖三十一难，
黑河沉没三十二难，
搬运车迟三十三难，
大赌输赢三十四难，
祛道兴僧三十五难，
路逢大水三十六难，
身落天河三十七难，
鱼篮现身三十八难，
金山遇怪三十九难，
普天神难伏四十难，
问佛根源四十一难，
吃水遭毒四十二难，
西梁国留婚四十三难，
琵琶洞受苦四十四难，
再贬心猿四十五难，
难辨猕猴四十六难，
路阻火焰山四十七难，
求取芭蕉扇四十八难，
收缚魔王四十九难，
赛城扫塔五十难，
取宝救僧五十一难，
棘林吟咏五十二难，
小雷音遇难五十三难，
诸天神遭困五十四难，
稀柿衕秽阻五十五难，
朱紫国行医五十六难，
拯救疲癃五十七难，
降妖取后五十八难，
七情迷没五十九难，
多目遭伤六十难，
路阻狮驼六十一难，
怪分三色六十二难，
城里遇灾六十三难，
请佛收魔六十四难，
比丘救子六十五难，
辨认真邪六十六难，
松林救怪六十七难，
僧房卧病六十八难，
无底洞遭困六十九难，
灭法国难行七十难，
隐雾山遇魔七十一难，
凤仙郡求雨七十二难，
失落兵器七十三难，
会庆钉钯七十四难，
竹节山遭难七十五难，
玄英洞受苦七十六难，
赶捉犀牛七十七难，
天竺招婚七十八难，
铜台府监禁七十九难，
凌云渡脱胎八十难，
路经十万八千里，
圣僧历难簿分明。”
Casting her eyes over the record, the Bodhisattva quickly said, “In the Buddha's school 'nine nines' are needed before one can come to the truth. The eighty ordeals that the holy monk has endured are one short of the full number. “Go after the vajrapanis,” she ordered a protector, “and tell them to create another ordeal.” The protector headed East by cloud as soon as he was given this order, and after a day and a night he caught up with the Eight Vajrapanis. “It's like this, you see,” he said, whispering in their ears in explanation, adding, “so you must do as the Bodhisattva commands and not disobey.” When the Eight Vajrapanis heard this they stopped the wind with a swishing sound and dropped the four of them to the ground, horse, scriptures and all. Oh dear! It was a case of
The Way of reaching the truth through the nine nines is hard;
Hold fast to your determination to stand at the mysterious pass.
Only through rigorous effort can the demons be repelled;
Perseverance is essential to the true Dharma's return.
Do not mistake the scriptures for something easily won;
Of many a kind were the hardships endured by the holy monk.
The marvellous union has always been hard to achieve:
The slightest mistake and the elixir will not be made.
菩萨将难簿目过了一遍，急传声道：“佛门中九九归真，圣僧受过八十难，还少一难，不得完成此数。”即令揭谛，“赶上金刚，还生一难者。”这揭谛得令，飞云一驾向东来。一昼夜赶上八大金刚，附耳低言道：“如此如此，谨遵菩萨法旨，不得违误。”八金刚闻得此言，刷的把风按下，将他四众，连马与经，坠落下地。噫！正是那：九九归真道行难，坚持笃志立玄关。必须苦练邪魔退，定要修持正法还。莫把经章当容易，圣僧难过许多般。古来妙合参同契，毫发差殊不结丹。
As his feet touched common ground Sanzang felt alarmed. “Marvellous,” said Pig, roaring with laughter, “just marvellous! It's a case of more haste less speed.”
三藏脚踏了凡地，自觉心惊。八戒呵呵大笑道：“好！好！
“It really is marvellous,” said Friar Sand. “They're giving us a rest here after going so fast.”
“As the saying goes,” remarked the Great Sage, “'Wait ten days on a sandbank, then cross nine in a single day.'”
“Stop arguing, you three,” said Sanzang. “Find out which way we have come and where we are.”
“We're here!” said Friar Sand after looking all around, “We're here! Listen to the water, Master.”
“From the sound of the water I suppose it must be your family home,” observed Brother Monkey.
“His home is the River of Flowing Sands,” said Pig.
“No, it's not that,” replied Friar Sand. “It's the River of Heaven.”
“Take a careful look at the other side, disciple,” said Sanzang, at which Monkey sprang into the air, shaded his eyes with his hand, and took a careful look around. “Master,” he said after coming down again, “this is the West bank of the River of Heaven.”
好！这正是要快得迟。”沙僧道：“好！好！好！因是我们走快了些儿，教我们在此歇歇哩。”大圣道：“俗语云，十日滩头坐，一日行九滩。”三藏道：“你三个且休斗嘴，认认方向，看这是甚么地方。”沙僧转头四望道：“是这里！是这里！师父，你听听水响。”行者道：“水响想是你的祖家了。”八戒道：“他祖家乃流沙河。”沙僧道：“不是，不是，此通天河也。”三藏道：“徒弟啊，仔细看在那岸。”行者纵身跳起，用手搭凉篷仔细看了，下来道：“师父，此是通天河西岸。”
“I remember now,” said Sanzang. “On the East bank there is Chen Family Village. When we came here the other year they were so grateful to us for rescuing their son and daughter that they wanted to build a boat to take us across, but the White Soft-shelled Turtle carried us over. As I recall, there was no sign of human life anywhere on the West bank. Whatever are we to do now?”
“They say that common mortals can be sinners,” said Pig, “but the vajrapanis who serve the Buddha in person are too. The Buddha ordered them to bring us back East, so why have they dropped us half way home? We're stuck here now. How ever are we going to get over?”
“Stop complaining, brother,” said Friar Sand. “Our master has found the Way. He cast off his mortal body at the Cloud-touching Crossing, so he won't possibly fall into the water now. Our big brother and we two can all do levitation magic, so we can carry the master across.”
Monkey laughed to himself under his breath as he replied, “We can't do it, we can't do it.” Why do you think he said that they couldn't do it? If he had been prepared to use his divine powers and give away the secret of flying then master and disciples would have been able to cross a thousand rivers. But he understood that as the Tang Priest had not yet completed the nine nines he was fated to undergo another ordeal, which was why he had been held up here.
三藏道：“我记起来了，东岸边原有个陈家庄。那年到此，亏你救了他儿女，深感我们，要造船相送，幸白鼋伏渡。我记得西岸上，四无人烟，这番如何是好？”八戒道：“只说凡人会作弊，原来这佛面前的金刚也会作弊。他奉佛旨，教送我们东回，怎么到此半路上就丢下我们？如今岂不进退两难！怎生过去！”沙僧道：“二哥休报怨。我的师父已得了道，前在凌云渡已脱了凡胎，今番断不落水。教师兄同你我都作起摄法，把师父驾过去也。”行者频频的暗笑道：“驾不去！”驾不去！”你看他怎么就说个驾不去？若肯使出神通，说破飞升之奥妙，师徒们就一千个河也过去了；只因心里明白，知道唐僧九九之数未完，还该有一难，故羁留于此。
Talking as they walked slowly along, master and disciples headed straight to the river-bank, where all of a sudden they heard someone calling, “This way, Tang Priest, this way!” They were all surprised, and when they looked up there was no sign of anyone around, and no boat either.
There was only a big, white, scabby-headed soft-shelled turtle raising its head by the bank and calling, “Master, I have been waiting for you all these years. Why have you only just come back?”
“We troubled you in the past, old turtle,” said Monkey with a smile, “and this year we meet again.” Sanzang, Pig and Friar Sand were all delighted.
“If you really do want to look after us, come ashore,” Monkey said, at which the turtle climbed out of the river with a bound. Monkey had the horse tied to the turtle with Pig squatting behind the horse's tail. The Tang Priest stood to the left of the horse's neck and Friar Sand to its right, while Monkey stood with one foot on the turtle's neck and the other on his head.
“Take it easy and take it steady,” he said. The turtle strode across the water just as if his four feet were walking on flat land, carrying the master and his three disciples, five of them altogether including the horse, straight back to the Eastern bank. This was Indeed:
师徒们口里纷纷的讲，足下徐徐的行，直至水边，忽听得有人叫道：“唐圣僧，唐圣僧！这里来，这里来！”四众皆惊。举头观看，四无人迹，又没舟船，却是一个大白赖头鼋在岸边探着头叫道：“老师父，我等了你这几年，却才回也？”行者笑道：“老鼋，向年累你，今岁又得相逢。”三藏与八戒、沙僧都欢喜不尽。行者道：“老鼋，你果有接待之心，可上岸来。”那鼋即纵身爬上河来。行者叫把马牵上他身，八戒还蹲在马尾之后，唐僧站在马颈左边，沙僧站在右边，行者一脚踏着老鼋的项，一脚踏着老鼋的头叫道：“老鼋，好生走稳着。”那老鼋蹬开四足，踏水面如行平地，将他师徒四众，连马五口，驮在身上，径回东岸而来。诚所谓：
The mystery of the Dharma within the unique sect:
When the demons are all defeated man and heaven are made known.
Only now can the original face be seen,
And the causes of the one body all be complete.
Hold to the Three Vehicles to come and go at will;
After the elixir's nine transformations you may do what you like.
Carry your bundle, let your staff fly, and understand the inexpressible;
Lucky they were on their return to meet the Ancient Turtle.
不二门中法奥玄，诸魔战退识人天。
本来面目今方见，一体原因始得全。
秉证三乘随出入，丹成九转任周旋。
挑包飞杖通休讲，幸喜还元遇老鼋。
Carrying them on his back, the Ancient Soft-shelled Turtle walked across the waves for the best part of a day. It was nearly evening when, as they approached the East bank, he suddenly asked, “Venerable master, some years ago I begged you when you reached the West and saw our Tathagata Buddha to ask him when I would be converted and how long I would live.”
Now ever since the venerable elder had reached the Western Heaven, bathed in the Jade Truth Temple, cast off his mortal body at the Cloud-touching Crossing and walked up the Vulture Peak, his heart had been set only on worshipping the Buddha; and when he met all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, holy monks and others his whole mind had been devoted to fetching the scriptures. He had given no attention to anything else, and so had not asked about how long the Ancient Turtle would live. Having nothing he could say, and not daring to lie to or deceive the turtle, Sanzang was quiet for a long time and gave no reply. When the turtle realized that Sanzang had not asked the questions on his behalf he gave a shake of his head and submerged with a loud splash, dropping the four of them, horse, scriptures and all, into the water.
Oh dear! But luckily the Tang Priest had cast off his mortal body and achieved the Way. If he had still been as he had before he would have sunk to the bottom. It was also lucky that the white horse was a dragon, that Pig and Friar Sand could swim, and that Brother Monkey gave a smiling and magnificent display of his great magic powers as he lifted the Tang Priest out of the water and up the East bank. The only thing was that the bundles of scriptures, the clothes and the saddle were all soaked.
老鼋驮着他们，躧波踏浪，行经多半日，将次天晚，好近东岸，忽然问曰：“老师父，我向年曾央到西方见我佛如来，与我问声归着之事，还有多少年寿，果曾问否？”原来那长老自到西天玉真观沐浴，凌云渡脱胎，步上灵山，专心拜佛及参诸佛菩萨圣僧等众，意念只在取经，他事一毫不理，所以不曾问得老鼋年寿，无言可答，却又不敢欺，打诳语，沉吟半晌，不曾答应。老鼋即知不曾替问，他就将身一幌，唿喇的淬下水去，把他四众连马并经，通皆落水。咦！还喜得唐僧脱了胎，成了道，若似前番，已经沉底。又幸白马是龙，八戒、沙僧会水，行者笑巍巍显大神通，把唐僧扶驾出水，登彼东岸。只是经包、衣服、鞍辔俱湿了。
Master and disciples had climbed up the bank to get themselves sorted out when a sudden fierce wind blew up, the sky turned dark, and amid thunder and lightning stones and sand flew all around. This is what could be seen:
A wind
Throwing heaven and earth into chaos;
Thunder
Rocking mountains and rivers;
Lightning
Flying like fire through the clouds;
Mists
Covering all of the earth.
The wind howled;
Loud roared the thunder.
The lightning streaked red,
While clouds blocked out the moon and the stars.
The wind-blown dust drove into the face,
And tigers and leopards hid in terror.
The lightning flashes set birds cawing,
And tress all vanished in the spreading mists.
The wind whipped up the waves of the River of Heaven;
The thunder terrified the fish and dragons in the River of Heaven;
The lightning lit up the whole of River of Heaven;
The mists enshrouded in darkness the banks of the River of Heaven.
Splendid wind!
Mountains toppled; pines and bamboo fell.
Splendid thunder!
Its majesty alarmed insects and spread terror.
Splendid lightning!
It moved across the sky and lit up the wilds like golden snakes.
Splendid mist!
Darkening the whole of space, obscuring the nine heavens.
This alarmed Sanzang, who pressed down on the bundles of scriptures, while Friar Sand held down their carrying-pole and Pig clung to the white horse. Monkey, however, swung his iron cudgel around with both hands as he kept guard to both right and left.
Now the wind, mist, thunder and lightning were all signals made by evil demons who wanted to steal the scriptures that had been fetched. They tried all night to grab them until the dawn; only then did they stop.
The venerable elder, whose clothes were all soaking wet, shivered and shook as he said, “How did all this start, Wukong?”
“Master,” Brother Monkey replied, snorting with fury, “you don't understand the inner truth. By escorting you to fetch these scriptures we have won the great achievement of heaven and earth. You will enjoy perpetual youth, and your dharma body will never decay. This is something heaven and earth can't stand for, and the demons and gods detest. They wanted to come and steal them in the darkness. But because the scriptures were soaked through and your true dharma body was holding them down, the thunder could not bombard them, the lightning could not illuminate them and the mist could not obscure them. It was also because I whirled my iron cudgel around to make its pure Positive nature protect them. Since dawn the Positive has been in the ascendant again, which is why they can't take them now.”
Only then did Sanzang, Pig and Friar Sand realize what had happened and all express unbounded thanks. A little later, when the sun was shining from high in the sky, they took the scriptures to the top of a high cliff, opened the bundles and put them out to dry. The rocks on which the scriptures were dried in the sun remain there to this day. Then they spread their clothes and shoes out to dry beside the cliff while they stood there, sat down, or leapt around. Indeed:
The pure Positive body was happy in the sun,
When Negative demons dared not use their might.
Even when water is dominant the true scriptures will win,
Not fearing wind or thunder, lightning, mist or light.
After this clarification they come to the true perception;
From now on they will reach the immortals' land in peace.
On the rocks where the scriptures were dried their traces still remain;
Never again will any demons come back to this place.
师徒方登岸整理，忽又一阵狂风，天色昏暗，雷烟俱作，走石飞沙。但见那：一阵风，乾坤播荡；一声雷，振动山川。一个熌，钻云飞火；一天雾，大地遮漫。风气呼号，雷声激烈。熌掣红绡，雾迷星月。风鼓的尘沙扑面，雷惊的虎豹藏形，熌幌的飞禽叫噪，雾漫的树木无踪。那风搅得个通天河波浪翻腾，那雷振得个通天河鱼龙丧胆，那熌照得个通天河彻底光明，那雾盖得个通天河岸崖昏惨。好风！颓山烈石松篁倒。好雷！惊蛰伤人威势豪。好熌！流天照野金蛇走。好雾！混混漫空蔽九霄。唬得那三藏按住了经包，沙僧压住了经担，八戒牵住了白马，行者却双手轮起铁棒，左右护持。原来那风、雾、雷、熌乃是些阴魔作号，欲夺所取之经，劳攘了一夜，直到天明，却才止息。长老一身水衣，战兢兢的道：“悟空，这是怎的起？”行者气呼呼的道：“师父，你不知就里，我等保护你取获此经，乃是夺天地造化之功，可以与乾坤并久，日月同明，寿享长春，法身不朽，此所以为天地不容，鬼神所忌，欲来暗夺之耳。一则这经是水湿透了，二则是你的正法身压住，雷不能轰，电不能照，雾不能迷，又是老孙轮着铁棒，使纯阳之性，护持住了，及至天明，阳气又盛，所以不能夺去。”三藏、八戒、沙僧方才省悟，各谢不尽。少顷，太阳高照，却移经于高崖上，开包晒晾，至今彼处晒经之石尚存。他们又将衣鞋都晒在崖旁，立的立，坐的坐，跳的跳。真个是：一体纯阳喜向阳，阴魔不敢逞强梁。须知水胜真经伏，不怕风雷熌雾光。自此清平归正觉，从今安泰到仙乡。晒经石上留踪迹，千古无魔到此方。
As the four of them were checking through the scriptures and drying them in the sun one by one some fishermen who were passing the river bank lifted up their heads and saw them there.
One of the fishermen recognized them and said, “Venerable teachers, didn't you cross this river the other year when you were on your way to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures?”
“Yes, yes,” said Pig, “that's right. Where are you from? How did you know who we are?”
“We're from Chen Village,” the fisherman replied.
“How far is Chen Village from here?” Pig asked.
“It's seven miles South from this gulch,” the fisherman said.
“Let's take the scriptures to Chen Village and dry them there,” said Pig. “There's somewhere we can stay there, and we'll be able to get something to eat. Besides, we can get their family to wash our clothes. That'll be best, won't it?”
“We will not go there,” said Sanzang. “When we have dried everything here we can pack up and find our way back.”
The fishermen, who passed the gulch to the South, happened to meet Chen Cheng. “You two old gentlemen,” they called, “the teachers who went to be sacrificed instead of your children the other year have come back.”
“Where did you see them?” Chen Cheng asked.
“Drying their scriptures in the sun on the rocks,” the fishermen replied.
Chen Cheng then took several of his tenants across the gulch, saw the pilgrims, and hurried towards them to kneel and say, “My lords, now that you are coming back with your scriptures, your achievement completed and your deeds done, why don't you come to my house? Why are you hanging around here? Won't you please come straight to the house?”
“We'll go with you when we've dried our scriptures in the sun,” Monkey replied.
“How did your scriptures and clothes all get wet, my lords?” Chen Cheng asked.
“The other year the White soft-shelled Turtle kindly carried us West across the river,” Sanzang replied, “and this year he carried us across it Eastwards. We were approaching the bank when he put some questions to me about the enquiries he had asked me to make with the Lord Buddha about how long he would live. Now I never made this enquiry, so he soaked us all in the water. That was how they got wet.”
Sanzang then told the whole story in all its details, and as Chen Cheng was so sincere in pressing his invitation Sanzang could do nothing but pack up the scriptures. As it was not realized that the ends of several rolls of the Buddhacaritakavya sutra had stuck to the rock when wet, the ends were torn off, which is why the Buddhacaritakavya sutra is incomplete to this day and there are still traces of writing on the rocks where the scriptures were dried in the sun.
他四众检看经本，一一晒晾，早见几个打鱼人，来过河边，抬头看见，内有认得的道：“老师父可是前年过此河往西天取经的？”八戒道：“正是，正是，你是那里人？怎么认得我们？”渔人道：“我们是陈家庄上人。”八戒道：“陈家庄离此有多远？”渔人道：“过此冲南有二十里，就是也。”八戒道：“师父，我们把经搬到陈家庄上晒去。他那里有住坐，又有得吃，就教他家与我们浆浆衣服，却不是好？”三藏道：“不去罢，在此晒干了，就收拾找路回也。”那几个渔人行过南冲，恰遇着陈澄，叫道：“二老官，前年在你家替祭儿子的师父回来了。”陈澄道：“你在那里看见？”渔人回指道：“都在那石上晒经哩。”陈澄随带了几个佃户，走过冲来望见，跑近前跪下道：“老爷取经回来，功成行满，怎么不到舍下，却在这里盘弄？快请，快请到舍。”行者道：“等晒干了经，和你去。”陈澄又问道：“老爷的经典、衣物，如何湿了？”三藏道：“昔年亏白鼋驮渡河西，今年又蒙他驮渡河东。已将近岸，被他问昔年托问佛祖寿年之事，我本未曾问得，他遂淬在水内，故此湿了。”又将前后事细说了一遍。那陈澄拜请甚恳，三藏无已，遂收拾经卷。不期石上把佛本行经沾住了几卷，遂将经尾沾破了，所以至今本行经不全，晒经石上犹有字迹。
“We were careless,” Sanzang said with remorse. “We did not pay enough attention.”
“You're wrong,” said Monkey with a laugh, “you're wrong. Heaven and earth are incomplete and this scripture used to be complete. Now it's been soaked and torn to fulfil the mystery of incompleteness. This is not something that could have been achieved through human effort.” When master and disciples had finished packing the surras they returned with Chen Chang to his village.
三藏懊悔道：“是我们怠慢了，不曾看顾得！”行者笑道：“不在此！不在此！盖天地不全，这经原是全全的，今沾破了，乃是应不全之奥妙也，岂人力所能与耶！”师徒们果收拾毕，同陈澄赴庄。
In the village one person told ten, ten told a hundred, and a hundred a thousand, till all of them, young and old, came out to welcome and see the pilgrims. As soon as Chen Qing heard of it he had an incense table set out to greet them in front of the gates; he also ordered drummers and players of wind instruments to perform. A moment later the travelers arrived and were welcomed and taken inside. Chen Qing led out his whole household to greet them with bows and thank them for their earlier kindness in saving their son and daughter. Tea and a vegetarian meal were then ordered; but since receiving the immortal food and immortal delicacies of the Lord Buddha and casting off his mortal body to become a Buddha, Sanzang had lost all desire for mortals' food. As the two old men's urgings were so insistent, he took some of the food as a mark of gratitude.
The Great Sage Monkey had never been one to eat cooked food, so he said, “That will be enough.”
Friar Sand did not eat either, and even Pig was not the Pig he used to be: he soon put his bowl down.
“Aren't you eating any more either, idiot?” Monkey asked.
“I don't know why,” Pig said, “but my stomach's gone weak all of a sudden.” The vegetarian banquet was then cleared away as the old men asked about how they had fetched the scriptures. Sanzang then gave them a detailed account that started with the bath in the Jade Truth Temple and the lightening of their bodies at Cloud-touching Crossing and went on to tell how they had seen the Tathagata at Thunder Monastery, been feasted at the jeweled tower, given the scriptures in the precious library—wordless scriptures at first because when the two arhats had demanded presents they had refused them—had gone back to pay their respects to the Tathagata again to be given the number of rolls in a single store, had been plunged into the water by the White Soft-shelled Turtle, and nearly had the scriptures stolen in the darkness by evil spirits. After telling all this Sanzang took his leave.
But the whole family of the two old men was not at all willing to let them go. “We have been under a great debt to you for saving our children that we have not yet been able to repay,” they said. “We have built a Temple of Deliverance where incense has been burned to you ever since without ceasing.” Then they called out the children in whose place Monkey and Pig had gone to be sacrificed, Chen Guan-given and Pan of Gold, to kowtow in thanks and ask them into the shrine to take a look. Sanzang then put the bundles of scriptures in front of the hall of their house and read them one roll of the Precious Eternity sutra. Then they went to the temple, where the Chens had set out delicacies. Before the pilgrims could sit down another group of people came to invite them to another meal, and before they could pick up their chopsticks yet another group came with a third invitation. This went on and on without end, so that they had no chance to eat properly. Sanzang, who dared not decline the invitations, had to make gestures of eating. The shrine was indeed most handsomely built:
The gateway was thickly painted in red
Thanks to the generous donors.
A tower rose there
Where houses with a pair of cloisters had now been built.
Red were the doors
And the Seven Treasures were finely carved.
Incense floated up to the clouds;
Pure light filled the vault of space.
Some tender cypress saplings were still being watered;
A number of pine trees did not yet form a grove.
Living waters met one in front
Where the waves of the River of Heaven were rolling;
High cliffs rose behind
Where range upon range of mountains joined the earth dragon.
When Sanzang has seen everything he climbed the high tower, where statues of the four pilgrims had been placed. “Looks just like you, brother,” said pig, tugging at Monkey, when he saw them.
“Second brother,” said Friar Sand, “Your statue's just like you too. The only thing is that the master's is too good-looking.”
“It is very good,” said Sanzang, “it is very good.” They then came downstairs, where people were still waiting, and urged them to eat the vegetarian food that was set out in the hall and in the cloisters behind it.
“What happened to the Great King's Temple that used to be here?” Brother Monkey asked.
“It was demolished that year,” the old men replied. “My lords, we have had good harvests every year since this monastery was established, thanks to your lordships' blessed protection.”
“That was heaven's gift,” said Monkey with a smile, “nothing to do with us. But after we have gone this time I guarantee that the families in your village will have many sons and grandsons, flourishing livestock, wind and rain at the right time year in and year out, and rain and wind year out and year in at the right time.” The people all kowtowed in thanks.
What could then be seen were a countless number of people lined up behind each other to offer fruit and other vegetarian food. “I'll be blowed,” said Pig with a laugh. “In the old days, when I could eat, nobody ever asked me to do so ten times over. But now, when I can't, one family won't wait for another to finish before offering me food.”
Although he was feeling full he did get going a little and ate eight or nine meatless dishes; and despite having an injured stomach he also downed twenty or thirty steamed breadrolls. When they were all full, more people came with further invitations. “Grateful though I am for your great affection,” Sanzang said, “I do not deserve it. I hope that we may be allowed to rest tonight. Tomorrow morning we will accept some more.”
那庄上人家，一个传十，十个传百，百个传千，若老若幼，都来接看。陈清闻说，就摆香案在门前迎迓，又命鼓乐吹打。少顷到了迎入，陈清领合家人眷俱出来拜见，拜谢昔日救女儿之恩，随命看茶摆斋。三藏自受了佛祖的仙品仙肴，又脱了凡胎成佛，全不思凡间之食。二老苦劝，没奈何，略见他意。孙大圣自来不吃烟火食，也道：“彀了。”沙僧也不甚吃，八戒也不似前番，就放下碗。行者道：“呆子也不吃了？”八戒道：“不知怎么，脾胃一时就弱了。”遂此收了斋筵，却又问取经之事。三藏又将先至玉真观沐浴，凌云渡脱胎，及至雷音寺参如来，蒙珍楼赐宴，宝阁传经，始被二尊者索人事未遂，故传无字之经，后复拜告如来，始得授一藏之数，并白鼋淬水，阴魔暗夺之事，细细陈了一遍，就欲拜别。那二老举家，如何肯放，且道：“向蒙救拔儿女，深恩莫报，已创建一座院宇，名曰救生寺，专侍奉香火不绝。”又唤出原替祭之儿女陈关保、一秤金叩谢，复请至寺观看。三藏却又将经包儿收在他家堂前，与他念了一卷《宝常经》。后至寺中，只见陈家又设馔在此。还不曾坐下，又一起来请；还不曾举箸，又一起来请，络绎不绝，争不上手。三藏俱不敢辞，略略见意。只见那座寺果盖得齐整：山门红粉腻，多赖施主功。一座楼台从此立，两廊房宇自今兴。朱红隔扇，七宝玲珑。香气飘云汉，清光满太空。几株嫩柏还浇水，数干乔松未结丛。活水迎前，通天迭迭翻波浪；高崖倚后，山脉重重接地龙。三藏看毕，才上高楼，楼上果装塑着他四众之象。八戒看见，扯着行者道：“兄长的相儿甚象。”沙僧道：“二哥，你的又象得紧。只是师父的又忒俊了些儿。”三藏道：“却好！却好！”遂下楼来，下面前殿后廊，还有摆斋的候请。行者却问：“向日大王庙儿如何了？”众老道：“那庙当年拆了。老爷，这寺自建立之后，年年成熟，岁岁丰登，却是老爷之福庇。”行者笑道：“此天赐耳，与我们何与！但只我们自今去后，保你这一庄上人家，子孙繁衍，六畜安生，年年风调雨顺，岁岁雨顺风调。”众等却叩头拜谢。只见那前前后后，更有献果献斋的，无限人家。八戒笑道：“我的蹭蹬！那时节吃得，却没人家连请十请；今日吃不得，却一家不了，又是一家。”饶他气满，略动手又吃过八九盘素食；纵然胃伤，又吃了二三十个馒头，已皆尽饱又有人来相邀，三藏道：“弟子何能，感蒙至爱！望今夕暂停，明早再领。”
It was now late at night. Sanzang, who was guarding the true scriptures and would not leave them for a moment, sat in meditation at the foot of the tower to keep a vigil. As the third watch of the night approached he said quietly, “Wukong, the people here know that we have found the Way and completed our undertaking. As the old saying goes, 'The true adept does not show his face; who shows his face is no true adept.' I am afraid that if we tarry too long here that we may fail in our main enterprise.”
“What you say is right, Master,” Monkey replied. “Let's slip quietly away in the middle of the night while they're all sound asleep.” Pig too understood, Friar Sand comprehended very clearly, and the white horse also knew what he meant. So they got up, quietly loaded the packs, shouldered the poles, and carried the things out along the cloister. When they reached the main gates and found them locked Monkey used unlocking magic to open the inner gates and the main gates. They followed the path East, only to hear the Eight Vajrapanis calling from mid-air. “Come with us, escapers.” The venerable elder then smelt incense as he rose up into the air. This was indeed a case of:
When the elixir is formed one sees the original face;
When the body is strong one can then visit one's sovereign.
If you do not know how he saw the Tang emperor, listen to the explanation in the next installment.
时已深夜，三藏守定真经，不敢暂离，就于楼下打坐看守。
将及三更，三藏悄悄的叫道：“悟空，这里人家，识得我们道成事完了。自古道，真人不露相，露相不真人。恐为久淹，失了大事。”行者道：“师父说得有理，我们趁此深夜，人皆熟睡，寂寂的去了罢。”八戒却也知觉，沙僧尽自分明，白马也能会意。遂此起了身，轻轻的抬上驮垛，挑着担，从庑廊驮出。到于山门，只见门上有锁。行者又使个解锁法，开了二门、大门，找路望东而去。只听得半空中有八大金刚叫道：“逃走的，跟我来！”那长老闻得香风荡荡，起在空中。这正是：丹成识得本来面，体健如如拜主人。毕竟不知怎生见那唐王，且听下回分解。