The True Sun Wukong Makes His Complaint at Potaraka
The False Monkey King Copies a Document in the Water Curtain Cave
Angry and depressed, the Great Sage Sun rose up into the air. There were many places he would have liked to go to but could not. In the Water Curtain Cave on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit he was afraid of being teased for coming back so soon after he had gone, not like a real man. He did not think he would be allowed to stay long in the palaces of Heaven; he could not face the immortals in the three magic islands in the sea; and he could not bring himself to beg for the help of the dragon king in his dragon palace. He had nobody to turn to.
“There's nothing for it,” he thought bitterly. “I'll just have to go back to the master and pursue the true achievement.”
He then brought his cloud straight down to stand in front of the Tang Priest's horse and say, “Please forgive me this time, Master. I'll never commit another murder, and I'll do every thing you tell me. You must, must let me escort you to the Western Heaven.” The moment the Tang Priest saw him he reined in the horse. His only reply was to start reciting the Band-tightening Spell, which he did over and over again more than twenty times, not stopping until Monkey lay weeping on the ground, the band sunk a good inch into his head.
“Why haven't you gone back? Why are you still bothering me?” Sanzang asked.
“Don't say it again,” said Monkey, “don't! I've got places I can live, but I'm afraid you'll never reach the Western Heaven without me.”
“You are a brutal murderer, you macaque,” Sanzang angrily burst out. “You have got me into a lot of trouble on your account. I want nothing more to do with you. Whether I get there or not is nothing to do with you. Go at once. One more moment's delay and I'll say the spell again, and I won't stop till your brains have all been squeezed out.” In unbearable pain, and seeing that the master would not change his mind, Monkey had no choice. Once again he shot up into the air on his somersault cloud, and this time he had a sudden inspiration.
“That monk has let me down,” he thought. “I'm off to Potaraka to lodge a complaint with the Bodhisattva Guanyin.”
The splendid Monkey set off once more on his somersault cloud and in less than two hours he was at the Southern Ocean. He stopped his auspicious cloud and then straight to Potaraka.
Sun Wukong charged in to the Purple Bamboo Grove where Moksa the Novice appeared to greet him politely and ask, “Where are you going, Great Sage?”
“I would like to see the Bodhisattva,” he replied. Moksa then led him to the mouth of the Tide Cave, where the page Sudhana bowed and asked, “Why are you here, Great, Sage?”
“I want to lay a complaint before the Bodhisattva,” Monkey replied.
At the word “complaint” Sudhana said with a smile, “What an evil tongue you have, you ape. It's just like when you tricked me after I caught the Tang Priest. Our Bodhisattva is an infinitely holy and good Bodhisattva who in her great mercy and compassion has made a vow to use the Great Vehicle to save all suffering beings. What could she have done wrong for you to complain about?”
At this Monkey, who was already in thoroughly bad spirits, exploded with fury. He gave a shout that made Sudhana fall back: “Ungrateful little beast! Stupid fool! You used to be a monster-spirit till I asked the Bodhisattva to win you over and convert you. Now you're living in eternal bliss and freedom, and you'll go on doing so as long as the heavens last. You ought to be bowing low to thank me instead of being so thoroughly insulting. I come here with a complaint to lay before the Bodhisattva, and you accuse me of having an evil tongue and complaining about her.”
“I see you're as hot-tempered a monkey as ever,” said Sudhana. “I was only teasing: no need to turn nasty.”
As they were talking the white parrot came and flew around them, which they recognized as a summons from the Bodhisattva. Moksa and Sudhana then led Monkey in to her lotus throne, where he kowtowed to her, howling aloud as the tears streamed down his cheeks. Telling Moksa and Sudhana to help Monkey to his feet, the Bodhisattva said, “Wukong, tell me straight out what it is that is upsetting you so. Don't cry: I shall deliver you from your troubles.”
“I've never been treated this badly in the whole of my life,” said a tearful Monkey, continuing to kowtow to her. “Ever since you saved me from the disaster sent by Heaven I've been a faithful Buddhist and protected the Tang Priest on his way to the Western Heaven to worship the Buddha and fetch the scriptures. I've risked my skin to rescue him from demons, even though it's been like taking crunchy bones out of a tiger's mouth, or lifting the scales on a dragon's back. I've been trying so hard to win a true reward and wipe out my past sins. I never thought that the master would be so ungrateful that he'd ruin my chances of a good destiny because he couldn't tell right from wrong.”
“Explain what you mean by not telling right from wrong,” said the Bodhisattva, and Monkey told her all the details of how the bandits had been killed, and of how in his anger at so much slaughter the Tang Priest had said the Band-tightening Spell many times over without going into the rights and wrongs of the case then repeatedly sent him away. He said he had come to her because he had no way of getting up to heaven or into the earth.
“The Tang Priest is travelling West on his emperor's orders,” said the Bodhisattva, “and would not allow anyone to be killed for no good reason. He is a monk whose heart is set on kindness. Why did someone of your tremendous powers need to bother with killing so many small-time bandits? Bandits like that are bad, but they're human and it's wrong to kill them. It's not the same as with evil beasts, demons and spirits. Killing them is a good deed. Killing those men was cruel. You could have saved your master by just making them run away. In my impartial judgement it was wicked of you to kill them.”
“Even if I was wicked,” said Monkey, “I ought to be allowed to redeem it by doing good. He was wrong to sent me away like that. I beg you in your mercy, Bodhisattva, say the Band-loosening Spell and take it off. I'll give the band back to you and go and live in the Water Curtain Cave.”
“The Tathagata Buddha taught me the Band-tightening Spell,” the Bodhisattva replied. “He gave me three treasures when I was sent to the East to find a pilgrim to fetch the scriptures: the brocade cassock, the nine-ringed monastic staff, and the three bands. He taught me the three secret spells, but a band-loosening spell was not one of them.”
“In that case, Bodhisattva, I must say good-bye,” Monkey replied. “Where will you go?” the Bodhisattva asked. “I'll go to the Western Heaven to pay my respects to the Tathagata and ask him to teach me the Band-loosening Spell.” Monkey replied. “Wait a moment while I find out for you whether the prospects are good.”
“No need,” said Monkey. “Things are quite bad enough as they are already.”
“I'm not finding out about yours but about the Tang Priest's,” the Bodhisattva replied.
The splendid Bodhisattva then took her seat on her lotus throne and sent her heart roaming through the three worlds while her perceptive eyes traveled all over the universe. Within the instant she spoke: “Wukong, your master is just about to be wounded, and he will soon be coming to look for you. Wait here while I go to see the Tang Priest and tell him to continue taking you with him to fetch the scriptures and achieve the true reward.” The Great Sage could only agree and control his impatience as he stood at the foot of the lotus throne.
The story returns to the Tang Priest, who since sending Monkey away had done some fifteen more miles to the West with Pig leading the horse and Friar Sand carrying the luggage. “Disciples,” he said, reining in the horse, “I'm extremely hungry and thirsty. I've been going for many hours since we left that cottage before dawn and I've been thoroughly upset by that Protector of the Horses. Which of you is going to beg me some food?”
“Down you get, Master,” said Pig, “while I look round here for a village to beg some food in.” At this Sanzang dismounted, while the idiot went up into the air on a cloud and took a good look all around. All he could see were mountains: there was no hope of spotting a human house. Bringing the cloud back down Pig said to Sanzang, “There's nowhere to beg from here. I couldn't see a single farm when I looked around.”
“In that case,” said Sanzang, “fetch us some water to quench our thirst.”
“I'll get some from the stream on that mountain to the South,” said Pig, and Friar Sand handed him the begging bowl. While Pig carried it off on his cloud the master sat and waited beside the path for a very long time, getting more and more unbearably thirsty, and there was no sign of Pig. There is a poem to prove it that goes,
Preserve the true spirit and nourish the breath, for this is called essence.
Feeling and nature originally shared the same form.
When spirit and heart are disordered all illness arises;
If essence and form both decline the primal will crash.
Without the three contemplations all effort is wasted;
Should the four elements be too wretched there's no point in contending.
Without earth and wood there can be no more metal or water;
How can the dharma body be won through idleness?
Seeing his master in agony from thirst as Pig was not back with the water, Friar Sand put the luggage down, tethered the white horse, and said, “Master, make yourself comfortable. I'm going to hurry him up with that water.” Sanzang, too tearful to speak, nodded his head in agreement, whereupon Friar Sand headed by cloud for the mountain to the South.
Sanzang was left by himself to endure his excruciating pain. In his deep misery he was alarmed by a noise that made him sit up and look. It was Monkey kneeling by the side of the path holding a porcelain cup and saying, “Without me you can't even have water to drink, Master. Drink this cup of lovely cold water while I go to beg you some food.”
“I won't drink water you give me,” said Sanzang. “I'd rather die of thirst right here. I want no more of you. Go away.”
“But you'll never get to the Western Heaven without me,” said Monkey. “Whether I get there or not is none of your business,” the Tang Priest replied. “Wicked ape! Why do you keep pestering me?” At that Monkey turned angry and started shouting abusively, “You've been lousy to me, you cruel, vicious old baldy.” With that he threw the bowl aside and swung his cudgel, hitting Sanzang on his back. Sanzang fell to the ground, barely conscious and unable to speak, as Monkey took the two bundles wrapped in blue felt in his arms and disappeared without trace on a somersault cloud.
As Pig was hurrying to the mountain to the South with the bowl in his hand he noticed a thatched cottage in a hollow. He had not spotted it when first he looked because it had been hidden in a fold of the mountain. Realizing that it was a house now he was close to the idiot thought, “If I show them my ugly mug they'll be so scared they won't possibly give me any food. It'd all be wasted effort. I'd better turn into something a bit better-looking.”
The splendid idiot then made a spell with his hands, said the magic words, shook himself seven or eight times, and turned himself into a consumptive monk with a fat, sallow face who was mumbling something as he went up to the door and called out, “Benefactor, have you any leftover rice in the kitchen for starving travelers? I'm from the East and I'm on my way to fetch scriptures from the Western Heaven. My master is back at the road, hungry and thirsty. If you have any left-over rice stuck to the bottom of your pan I beg you to give me some to save our lives.”
As it happened the men of the house were all out transplanting rice and sowing millet, and the only people in were two women who had just cooked the rice for the midday meal and had filled two platters with it that they were preparing to take to the fields. There was some rice left at the bottom of the pan. Seeing how sickly he looked they took what he said about going from the East to fetch the scriptures from the Western Heaven as delirious ravings. Afraid he might collapse and die in the doorway, they made a great to-do as they filled his bowl with rice from the bottom of the pan. The idiot took it from them, reverted to his true form, and went back the way he had come.
As he was going along he heard a shout of “Pig!” and looked up to see Friar Sand standing on the top of a precipice yelling, “Over here, over here.” Friar Sand came down and walked straight towards him, asking, “Why didn't you take some of the fresh water from this stream? Why did you go over there?”
“After I got here I saw a cottage in a hollow, so I went and begged this bowlful of rice.”
“We could certainly use it,” said Friar Sand, “but the master is terribly thirsty, so how are we going to carry some water back?”
“That's easy,” said Pig. “Carry this rice in the fold of your habit while I go and fetch some water in this bowl.”
The two of them were feeling very cheerful as they went back to the path, only to find Sanzang lying face downwards in the dirt. The white horse had slipped its bridle and was running to and fro beside the path, whinnying. There was not a sigh of the baggage. Pig stumbled and beat his breast with horror, “Don't tell me,” he shouted, “don't tell me. The survivors of the gang Monkey drove away have come back, killed the master and stolen the baggage.”
“Tether the horse,” said Friar Sand. “Whatever shall we do? We've failed halfway along our journey. Master!” Tears poured down his face as he sobbed bitterly.
“Don't cry, brother,” said Pig. “As this is what's happened we'll just have to forget about fetching the scriptures. You look after the master's body. I'll take the horse till I get to some town, village, market or inn where I can sell it for a few ounces of silver to buy a coffin to bury him in. Then we'll split up and go our separate ways.”
Friar Sand, unable to bear the loss of his master, turned the body over to warm the face with his own. “Poor, poor master,” he cried, then noticed hot breath coming from his master's nose and felt warmth in his chest. “Come here, Pig,” he shouted, “the master's still alive.” Pig came over and helped Sanzang to sit up.
As Sanzang came to he groaned and said bitterly, “That evil macaque tried to murder me.”
“What macaque?” the other two asked. The venerable elder sighed and said nothing.
Only when he had asked for and drunk a few mouthfuls of water did he reply, “As soon as you'd gone Wukong came to pester me again. When I still refused to take him back he hit me with his cudgel and stole the bundles wrapped in blue felt.” At this Pig ground his teeth as the fury rose higher and higher in him.
“Damn that monkey,” he said. “How could he do such a terrible thing? Look after the master,” he continued, addressing Friar Sand, “I'm going to his house to get back the bundles.”
“Don't lose your temper,” said Friar Sand. “Let's help the master over to that cottage in the hollow to ask for hot tea. Then we can heat up the rice you've begged already, and get the master better before we go after Monkey.”
Accepting this suggestion Pig helped the master back on the horse. Carrying the bowl of water, and with the rice in Friar Sand's habit, they headed straight back for the door of the cottage. There was only an old woman at home, and at the sight of them she hid herself as fast as she could. Friar Sand put his hands together in front of his chest and said, “Good lady, we've been sent by the Tang court in the East to the Western Heaven. As our master is not very well I have come to ask you for some hot tea to warm his rice with.”
“We had a consumptive monk begging here just now who said he'd come from the East,” the old woman replied. “Now you say you're from the East too. There's nobody at home. Please try somewhere else.”
Hearing this, the venerable elder dismounted with Pig's help, bowed to her and said, “Madam, I used to have three disciples who worked together to protect me on my way to the Thunder Monastery in the country of India to worship the Buddha and fetch the scriptures. But because my senior disciple Sun Wukong is a born murderer and will not be kind I sent him away. To my utter surprise he sneaked up on me, hit me across the back, and stole my clothes, baggage and bowl. I want to send one of my other disciples after him, and as I can't stay by the roadside I have come here to ask if I may rest in your house for a while. It will only be till the luggage has been recovered. I won't stay long.”
“A consumptive monk with a fat, sallow face begged some food from us just now,” the woman said. “He said he had come from the East and was going to the Western Heaven. There can't be another group of you.”
“That was me,” said Pig, unable to keep a straight face any longer. “I made myself look like that. I thought my long snout and big ears would give you such a fright that you wouldn't give me any food. If you don't believe me, my brother here has the rice from the bottom of your pan inside his tunic.”
Recognizing the rice the old woman stopped trying to send them away. She asked them to sit down inside and prepared a pot of hot tea that she gave to Friar Sand to warm the rice with. He did this and handed it to his master, who ate a few mouthfuls, sat quietly to calm himself for a while, then asked, “Which of you will go to fetch the luggage?”
“When you sent him away the other year,” replied Pig, “I went to fetch him. I know the way to his Water Curtain Cave on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. Wait here while I go.”
“No,” said Sanzang, “not you. You have never got on with that macaque, and besides you're very rough-spoken. If you say anything wrong he'll hit you. Let Wujing go.” Friar Sand agreed at once, and Sanzang gave him these instructions: “When you get there you must keep a close watch on the situation. If he is willing to give you back the bundles then pretend to be very grateful when you accept them. If he won't you must on no account quarrel with him. Go straight to the Bodhisattva in the Southern Sea, tell her what has happened, and ask her to demand them from him.”
Friar Sand accepted his instructions and said to Pig, “I'm off to find Monkey now. Whatever you do, don't complain. Look after the master properly. You mustn't have a row with these people or they might not feed you. I'll soon be back.”
“I understand,” Pig replied with a nod. “Off you go, and come back soon whether you recover the luggage or not. Otherwise we'll have lost both ways,” Friar Sand then made a hand spell and headed off by cloud for the Eastern Continent of Superior Body. Indeed:
When the body is present but the soul files off, nothing remains to keep it alive;
A furnace without fire can refine no cinnabar.
The yellow wife leaves the lord to seek the metal elder.
Wood's mother puts on a sickly face to look after the master.
Who knows when this journey will ever end
Or when he will return from far away?
The Five Elements give birth and yield to each other.
All is disorder until the mind-ape comes back.
Friar Sand flew for three days and nights before he reached the Eastern Ocean. At the sound of its waves he looked down and saw
Black mists up to the sky and gloomy vapors;
The ocean embracing the sun in dawn's cold light.
But he was in no mood to enjoy the view as he crossed Yingzhou and the other islands of immortals and headed on East straight for the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. Riding the sea wind and walking on the water it took him a lot longer before he saw a line of peaks like serried halberds and sheer rocks like screens. When he reached the highest peak he landed his cloud and found his way down the mountain, heading for the Water Curtain Cave. As he approached he heard a great commotion: the mountain was covered with yelling monkey spirits. When closer still he saw Monkey sitting on a high stone terrace holding a piece of paper in both hands from which he was reading:
We, the Emperor Li of the Great Tang Dynasty in the East have called to our presence our younger brother the Master of the Law Chen Xuanzang and commissioned him to go West to seek the scriptures from the Lord Buddha in the Thunder Monastery at the Saha Vulture Peak in India. When our soul went wandering in the Underworld after we succumbed to a sudden illness we were fortunate enough to have our years of life extended and to be returned to the world of the living by the Lord of Darkness. Since then we have held many masses and built altars to help the souls of the dead across to the other side. We were blessed by the appearance of the golden deliverer from suffering, the Bodhisattva Guanyin, who informed us that the Buddha in the West has scriptures that will deliver all lost souls. We have therefore sent the Dharma Master Xuanzang to make the long journey across a thousand mountains in search of the sutras and the gathas. We request that in the states of the West through which he passed he be allowed to proceed in accordance with this passport and that his holy cause be not brought to naught. Given on an auspicious day in the autumn of the thirteenth year of Zhenguan of the Great Tang.
Since leaving that mighty empire he has passed through many other states. On the journey he has taken three disciples. The senior one is Sun Wukong the Novice; the second is Zhu Wuneng, or Zhu Bajie; and the third is Sha Wujing, or Friar Sand.
Having read the text of Sanzang's passport through once he read it out again, at which Friar Sand could not help himself calling out at the top of his voice, “Brother, why are you reading the master's passport out?”
When Monkey heard this he jerked his head up and, refusing to recognize Friar Sand, shouted, “Arrest him! Arrest him!” All the monkeys rushed him and surrounded him, pulling him and dragging him towards Monkey, who shouted, “Who do you think you are? What a nerve, coming so close to our immortals' cave.”
Seeing how Monkey had turned cold and was refusing to recognize him any longer Friar Sand had no choice but to go up to him with a bow and say, “Elder brother, it was wrong of our master to be so angry with you, curse you and send you away. Pig and I ought to have persuaded him not to, and we shouldn't have been away looking for water and begging for food for our starving, thirsty master when you were so good as to come back. It was wrong of the master to be so stubborn and to refuse again to let you stay. That was why you knocked him senseless and took the luggage. When we came back we revived the master and now I've come to see you. Unless you hate the master and have forgotten what you owe him for delivering you from your torment in the past, won't you bring the luggage and come back with me to see him? Then we can all go to the Western Heaven and win our true reward. If you really hate him so deeply that you won't come with me, then please, please give me the bundles. Then you can enjoy the sunset of your life here in your native mountain. This way we'll all be fine.”
Monkey's answer to this was to say with a derisive laugh, “that's not what I had in mind at all, brother. The reason why I hit the master and took the luggage isn't because I'm not going to the West or want to stay here. I'm learning the passport off by heart so that I can go to the Western Heaven to worship the Buddha and fetch the scriptures myself. I shall have all the glory of taking them back to the East. I'll make those people in the Southern Jambu Continent see me as a great master and I'll be famous for ever.”
“What you say isn't quite right,” replied Friar Sand with a smile. “Nobody's ever heard of Sun the Novice going to fetch the scriptures. Our Tathagata Buddha created three stores of true scriptures and sent the Bodhisattva Guanyin to the East to find the pilgrim who would go to fetch them. Our job is to escort the pilgrim across a thousand mountains and through all the countries along the way. As the Bodhisattva has told us, the pilgrim was once the venerable elder Golden Cicada, a disciple of Tathagata Buddha's. Because he was exiled from Vulture Peak and reborn in the East for not listening to the Lord Buddha's sermons on the scriptures he is the one who must make his true achievement in the West and return to the Great Way. We three were saved to protect him from the demons he would meet on the journey. No Lord Buddha's going to give you the scriptures if you turn up without the Tang Priest. It'd just be wasted effort.”
“Brother,” said Monkey, “you've always been rather thick. You don't know the half of it. You may say you've got a Tang Priest, but what makes you think I haven't got one to escort to? I've chosen another holy monk here to escort. No problem! We're starting off on our big journey tomorrow. If you don't believe me I'll show you him. Little ones,” he called, “bring my master out at once.” In they ran, and they came out again leading a white horse, a Tang Sanzang, a Pig carrying the luggage and a Friar Sand with his monastic staff.
“I've never changed my name,” roared Friar Sand in fury at this sight. “There can't possibly be another Friar Sand. How dare you! Take this!” The splendid Friar Sand raised his demon-quelling staff with both arms and brought it down on his double's head, killing him outright and revealing that he had really been a monkey spirit. This made Monkey so angry that he swung his gold-banded cudgel and led all the monkeys to surround him. Lashing about him, Friar Sand fought his way out and escaped by cloud.
“That damned ape is being so thoroughly vicious that I'll have to report him to the Bodhisattva,” he thought; and as Friar Sand had killed a monkey spirit and been driven away Monkey did not go after him. Going back to his cave he told his underlings to drag the corpse to one side, skin it and cook its flesh, on which he and the other monkeys then feasted with coconut toddy and the wine of grapes. Then he chose another monkey fiend who was good at transformations to turn into Friar Sand and started instructing him again as he prepared to travel to the West. There we shall leave him.
Meanwhile Friar Sand flew his cloud away from the Eastern Ocean and traveled for a day and a night to the Southern Ocean. Before long Mount Potaraka came into view not far away, so he pressed forward then brought his cloud down so that he could stop and look. It was a wonderful sight. Indeed:
It includes all the mysteries of heaven and earth.
Here is the confluence of the rivers,
Where sun and stars are washed and bathed.
Hither all creatures come,
The winds are born and the moon is rocked in the ripples.
When the tidal wave rises high the leviathan is transformed.
Amid the mighty breakers the giant turtle swims.
The waters are joined to the Western and Northern Seas;
The waves connect with the Central and Eastern Oceans.
The four seas are linked as the artery of the earth;
In the magic islands are palaces of immortals.
Forget about all the earthly paradises;
Look at Potaraka's cloudy cave.
A wonderful sight:
Noble the primal spirit of the peak at sunset;
Below the cliffs the winds make rippling crystal.
Peacocks fly in the Purple Bamboo Grove;
Parrots talk in the branches of green poplar.
Flowers of jade and jasper always bloom;
Precious trees and golden lotuses grow every year.
White cranes come to pay homage at this peak;
Phoenixes often alight in the mountain pavilions.
Even the fish here cultivate their true nature,
Leaping in the waves as they listen to the scriptures.
As Friar Sand strolled on the mountain enjoying this magical view Moksa the Novice came up to him and said, “Why are you here instead of escorting the Tang Priest on his way to fetch the scriptures, Sha Wujing?”
Friar Sand bowed to him and replied, “There is something on which I would like an audience with the Bodhisattva. Could I trouble you to take me to her?”
Moksa, who realized that he was looking for Monkey, asked no further questions but went straight to the Bodhisattva and said, “The Tang Priest's junior disciple Sha Wujing is here to pay homage.”
When Monkey, who was still there below the lotus throne, heard this he said with a smile, “The Tang Priest must be in trouble if Friar Sand is here to ask for your help, Bodhisattva.” The Bodhisattva then asked Moksa to bring him in. Friar Sand prostrated himself on the ground to kowtow to her, then looked up, about to start making his complaint, when he saw Monkey standing beside her. Without a word he struck at Monkey's face with his demon-subduing staff. Instead of hitting back Monkey dodged the blow and got out of the way.
“I'll get you, you thoroughly evil, treacherous ape,” roared Friar Sand. “You're trying to deceive the Bodhisattva too.”
“Don't hit him,” shouted the Bodhisattva. “Tell me what's been happening.”
Only then did Friar Sand put down his precious staff and kowtow to the lotus throne again, saying with raging fury, “We're lost count of the number of murders this ape has committed on the journey. The other day he killed two highwaymen and the master let him have it, so when we were spending the next night at the bandit chief's home it came as a shock when he butchered as many of the gang as he could and took a severed head all dripping with blood to show to the master. It gave the master such a fright that he fell off his horse, said some nasty things to Monkey and sent him packing. After he'd gone the master was so hungry and thirsty that he sent Pig off to look for some water, and because Pig took a very long time to get back he sent me off after him. We never imagined that Monkey would come back, hit the master with his iron cudgel and steal the two bundles wrapped in blue felt while we were away. We came back and brought the master round. Then I went all the way to the Water Curtain Cave to fetch Monkey. To my amazement he turned cold and refused to recognize me. He was reading the master's passport aloud over and over again. When I asked him why, he said that as he couldn't escort the Tang Priest any further he was going to fetch the scriptures from the Western Heaven and take them back East himself. Then they'd treat him as a great master and he'd be famous for ever. When I asked who'd give him scriptures if the Tang Priest wasn't with him he said he'd chosen a holy monk and asked him to come out. There was a white horse, a Tang Priest, a Pig and a Friar Sand. Tm Friar Sand,' I said, 'and the one and only Friar Sand too'. I hit him one with my staff, and he turned out to be a monkey spirit. When Monkey came after me with his hordes I decided to come here to tell you, Bodhisattva, and ask for your help. I never realized he'd get here before me by somersault cloud, or that he'd fool you with his fine words.”
“You must not make such slanders, Wujing,” the Bodhisattva said. “Wukong has been here for four days. I never let him go back, and he didn't send for another Tang Priest to go to fetch the scriptures.”
“But what about that Monkey in the Water Curtain Cave? I'm telling you the truth,” replied Friar Sand.
“Calm down,” said the Bodhisattva. “I'll send Wukong back to the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit with you to take a good look round. If he's real he'll be hard to wipe out, but if he's a fake you'll be able to eliminate him easily. You'll find out which he is when you get there.” At this Brother Monkey and Friar Sand took their leave of the Bodhisattva. They were making their journey
To the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit
The rights and wrongs to reveal;
To the cave with a curtain of water
To tell the false from the real.
If you don't know how they told them apart you had better listen to the explanation in the next installment
真行者落伽山诉苦
假猴王水帘洞誊文
却说孙大圣恼恼闷闷,起在空中,欲待回花果山水帘洞,恐本洞小妖见笑,笑我出乎尔反乎尔,不是个大丈夫之器;欲待要投奔天宫,又恐天宫内不容久住;欲待要投海岛,却又羞见那三岛诸仙;欲待要奔龙宫,又不伏气求告龙王。真个是无依无倚,苦自忖量道:“罢!罢!罢!我还去见我师父,还是正果。”遂按下云头,径至三藏马前侍立道:“师父,恕弟子这遭!
向后再不敢行凶,一一受师父教诲,千万还得我保你西天去也。”唐僧见了,更不答应,兜住马,即念《紧箍儿咒》,颠来倒去,又念有二十余遍,把大圣咒倒在地,箍儿陷在肉里有一寸来深浅,方才住口道:“你不回去,又来缠我怎的?”行者只教:
“莫念!莫念!我是有处过日子的,只怕你无我去不得西天。”
三藏发怒道:“你这猢狲杀生害命,连累了我多少,如今实不要你了!我去得去不得,不干你事!快走快走!迟了些儿,我又念真言,这番决不住口,把你脑浆都勒出来哩!”大圣疼痛难忍,见师父更不回心,没奈何,只得又驾筋斗云,起在空中,忽然省悟道:“这和尚负了我心,我且向普陀崖告诉观音菩萨去来。”
好大圣,拨回筋斗,那消一个时辰,早至南洋大海,住下祥光,直至落伽山上,撞入紫竹林中,忽见木叉行者迎面作礼道:
“大圣何往?”行者道:“要见菩萨。”木叉即引行者至潮音洞口,又见善财童子作礼道:“大圣何来?”行者道:“有事要告菩萨。”
善财听见一个告字,笑道:“好刁嘴猴儿!还象当时我拿住唐僧被你欺哩!我菩萨是个大慈大悲,大愿大乘,救苦救难,无边无量的圣善菩萨,有甚不是处,你要告他?”行者满怀闷气,一闻此言,心中怒发,咄的一声,把善财童子喝了个倒退,道:“这个背义忘恩的小畜生,着实愚鲁!你那时节作怪成精,我请菩萨收了你,皈正迦持,如今得这等极乐长生,自在逍遥,与天同寿,还不拜谢老孙,转倒这般侮慢!我是有事来告求菩萨,却怎么说我刁嘴要告菩萨?”善财陪笑道:“还是个急猴子,我与你作笑耍子,你怎么就变脸了?”
正讲处,只见白鹦哥飞来飞去,知是菩萨呼唤,木叉与善财遂向前引导,至宝莲台下。行者望见菩萨,倒身下拜,止不住泪如泉涌,放声大哭。菩萨教木叉与善财扶起道:“悟空,有甚伤感之事,明明说来,莫哭莫哭,我与你救苦消灾也。”行者垂泪再拜道:“当年弟子为人,曾受那个气来?自蒙菩萨解脱天灾,秉教沙门,保护唐僧往西天拜佛求经,我弟子舍身拚命,救解他的魔障,就如老虎口里夺脆骨,蛟龙背上揭生鳞。只指望归真正果,洗业除邪,怎知那长老背义忘恩,直迷了一片善缘,更不察皂白之苦!”菩萨道:“且说那皂白原因来我听。”行者即将那打杀草寇前后始终,细陈了一遍。却说唐僧因他打死多人,心生怨恨,不分皂白,遂念《紧箍儿咒》,赶他几次,上天无路,入地无门,特来告诉菩萨。菩萨道:“唐三藏奉旨投西,一心要秉善为僧,决不轻伤性命。似你有无量神通,何苦打死许多草寇!草寇虽是不良,到底是个人身,不该打死,比那妖禽怪兽、鬼魅精魔不同。那个打死,是你的功绩;这人身打死,还是你的不仁。但祛退散,自然救了你师父,据我公论,还是你的不善。”行者噙泪叩头道:“纵是弟子不善,也当将功折罪,不该这般逐我。万望菩萨舍大慈悲,将《松箍儿咒》念念,褪下金箍,交还与你,放我仍往水帘洞逃生去罢!”菩萨笑道:“《紧箍儿咒》,本是如来传我的。当年差我上东土寻取经人,赐我三件宝贝,乃是锦襕袈裟、九环锡杖、金紧禁三个箍儿,秘授与咒语三篇,却无甚么《松箍儿咒》。”行者道:“既如此,我告辞菩萨去也。”
菩萨道:“你辞我往那里去?”行者道:“我上西天,拜告如来,求念《松箍儿咒》去也。”菩萨道:“你且住,我与你看看祥晦如何。”行者道:“不消看,只这样不祥也彀了。”菩萨道:“我不看你,看唐僧的祥晦。”好菩萨,端坐莲台,运心三界,慧眼遥观,遍周宇宙,霎时间开口道:“悟空,你那师父顷刻之际,就有伤身之难,不久便来寻你。你只在此处,待我与唐僧说,教他还同你去取经,了成正果。”孙大圣只得皈依,不敢造次,侍立于宝莲台下不题。
却说唐长老自赶回行者,教八戒引马,沙僧挑担,连马四口,奔西走不上五十里远近,三藏勒马道:“徒弟,自五更时出了村舍,又被那弼马温着了气恼,这半日饥又饥,渴又渴,那个去化些斋来我吃?”八戒道:“师父且请下马,等我看可有邻近的庄村,化斋去也。”三藏闻言,滚下马来。呆子纵起云头,半空中仔细观看,一望尽是山岭,莫想有个人家。八戒按下云来,对三藏道:“却是没处化斋,一望之间,全无庄舍。”三藏道:“既无化斋之处,且得些水来解渴也可。”八戒道:“等我去南山涧下取些水来。”沙僧即取钵盂,递与八戒,八戒托着钵盂,驾起云雾而去。那长老坐在路旁,等彀多时,不见回来,可怜口干舌苦难熬。有诗为证,诗曰:保神养气谓之精,情性原来一禀形。心乱神昏诸病作,形衰精败道元倾。三花不就空劳碌,四大萧条枉费争。土木无功金水绝,法身疏懒几时成!沙僧在旁,见三藏饥渴难忍,八戒又取水不来,只得稳了行囊,拴牢了白马道:
“师父,你自在着,等我去催水来。”长老含泪无言,但点头相答。沙僧急驾云光,也向南山而去。
那师父独炼自熬,困苦太甚,正在怆惶之际,忽听得一声响亮,唬得长老欠身看处,原来是孙行者跪在路旁,双手捧着一个磁杯道:“师父,没有老孙,你连水也不能彀哩。这一杯好凉水,你且吃口水解渴,待我再去化斋。”长老道:“我不吃你的水!立地渴死,我当任命!不要你了!你去罢!”行者道:“无我你去不得西天也。”三藏道:“去得去不得,不干你事!泼猢狲!
只管来缠我做甚!”那行者变了脸,发怒生嗔,喝骂长老道:“你这个狠心的泼秃,十分贱我!”轮铁棒,丢了磁杯,望长老脊背上砑了一下,那长老昏晕在地,不能言语,被他把两个青毡包袱,提在手中,驾筋斗云,不知去向。
却说八戒托着钵盂,只奔山南坡下,忽见山凹之间,有一座草舍人家。原来在先看时,被山高遮住,未曾见得;今来到边前,方知是个人家。呆子暗想道:“我若是这等丑嘴脸,决然怕我,枉劳神思,断然化不得斋饭。须是变好!须是变好!”好呆子,捻着诀,念个咒,把身摇了七八摇,变作一个食痨病黄胖和尚,口里哼哼喷喷的,挨近门前,叫道:“施主,厨中有剩饭,路上有饥人。贫僧是东土来往西天取经的,我师父在路饥渴了,家中有锅巴冷饭,千万化些儿救口。”原来那家子男人不在,都去插秧种谷去了,只有两个女人在家,正才煮了午饭,盛起两盆,却收拾送下田,锅里还有些饭与锅巴,未曾盛了。那女人见他这等病容,却又说东土往西天去的话,只恐他是病昏了胡说,又怕跌倒,死在门首,只得哄哄翕翕,将些剩饭锅巴,满满的与了一钵。呆子拿转来,现了本象,径回旧路。正走间,听得有人叫“八戒”。八戒抬头看时,却是沙僧站在山崖上喊道:“这里来!这里来!”及下崖,迎至面前道:“这涧里好清水不舀,你往那里去的?”八戒笑道:“我到这里,见山凹子有个人家,我去化了这一钵干饭来了。”沙僧道:“饭也用着,只是师父渴得紧了,怎得水去?”八戒道:“要水也容易,你将衣襟来兜着这饭,等我使钵盂去舀水。”
二人欢欢喜喜,回至路上,只见三藏面磕地,倒在尘埃,白马撒缰,在路旁长嘶跑跳,行李担不见踪影。慌得八戒跌脚捶胸,大呼小叫道:“不消讲!不消讲!这还是孙行者赶走的余党,来此打杀师父,抢了行李去了!”沙僧道:“且去把马拴住!”只叫:“怎么好!怎么好!这诚所谓半途而废,中道而止也!”叫一声:“师父!”满眼抛珠,伤心痛哭。八戒道:“兄弟且休哭,如今事已到此,取经之事,且莫说了。你看着师父的尸灵,等我把马骑到那个府州县乡村店集卖几两银子,买口棺木,把师父埋了,我两个各寻道路散伙。”沙僧实不忍舍,将唐僧扳转身体,以脸温脸,哭一声:“苦命的师父!”只见那长老口鼻中吐出热气,胸前温暖,连叫:“八戒,你来!师父未伤命哩!”那呆子才近前扶起。长老苏醒,呻吟一会,骂道:“好泼猢狲,打杀我也!”沙僧、八戒问道:“是那个猢狲?”长老不言,只是叹息,却讨水吃了几口,才说:“徒弟,你们刚去,那悟空更来缠我。是我坚执不收,他遂将我打了一棒,青毡包袱都抢去了。”八戒听说,咬响口中牙,发起心头火道:“叵耐这泼猴子,怎敢这般无礼!”教沙僧道:“你伏侍师父,等我到他家讨包袱去!”沙僧道:“你且休发怒,我们扶师父到那山凹人家化些热茶汤,将先化的饭热热,调理师父,再去寻他。”八戒依言,把师父扶上马,拿着钵盂,兜着冷饭,直至那家门首,只见那家止有个老婆子在家,忽见他们,慌忙躲过。沙僧合掌道:“老母亲,我等是东土唐朝差往西天去者,师父有些不快,特拜府上,化口热茶汤,与他吃饭。”那妈妈道:“适才有个食痨病和尚,说是东土差来的,已化斋去了,又有个甚么东土的。我没人在家,请别转转。”长老闻言,扶着八戒,下马躬身道:“老婆婆,我弟子有三个徒弟,合意同心,保护我上天竺国大雷音拜佛求经。只因我大徒弟唤孙悟空一生凶恶,不遵善道,是我逐回。不期他暗暗走来,着我背上打了一棒,将我行囊衣钵抢去。如今要着一个徒弟寻他取讨,因在那空路上不是坐处,特来老婆婆府上权安息一时。待讨将行李来就行,决不敢久住。”那妈妈道:“刚才一个食痨病黄胖和尚,他化斋去了,也说是东土往西天去的,怎么又有一起?”
八戒忍不住笑道:“就是我。因我生得嘴长耳大,恐你家害怕,不肯与斋,故变作那等模样。你不信,我兄弟衣兜里不是你家锅巴饭?”那妈妈认得果是他与的饭,遂不拒他,留他们坐了,却烧了一確热茶,递与沙僧泡饭。沙僧即将冷饭泡了,递与师父。师父吃了几口,定性多时,道:“那个去讨行李?”八戒道:
“我前年因师父赶他回去,我曾寻他一次,认得他花果山水帘洞,等我去!等我去!”长老道:“你去不得。那猢狲原与你不和,你又说话粗鲁,或一言两句之间,有些差池,他就要打你。着悟净去罢。”沙僧应承道:“我去,我去。”长老又吩咐沙僧道:“你到那里,须看个头势。他若肯与你包袱,你就假谢谢拿来;若不肯,切莫与他争竞,径至南海菩萨处,将此情告诉,请菩萨去问他要。”沙僧一一听从,向八戒道:“我今寻他去,你千万莫僝僽,好生供养师父。这人家亦不可撒泼,恐他不肯供饭,我去就回。”八戒点头道:“我理会得。但你去,讨得讨不得,次早回来,不要弄做尖担担柴两头脱也。”沙僧遂捻了诀,驾起云光,直奔东胜神洲而去。真个是:身在神飞不守舍,有炉无火怎烧丹。黄婆别主求金老,木母延师奈病颜。此去不知何日返,这回难量几时还。五行生克情无顺,只待心猿复进关。
那沙僧在半空里,行经三昼夜,方到了东洋大海,忽闻波浪之声,低头观看,真个是黑雾涨天阴气盛,沧溟衔日晓光寒。
他也无心观玩,望仙山渡过瀛洲,向东方直抵花果山界。乘海风,踏水势,又多时,却望见高峰排戟,峻壁悬屏,即至峰头,按云找路下山,寻水帘洞。步近前,只听得一派喧声,见那山中无数猴精,滔滔乱嚷。沙僧又近前仔细再看,原来是孙行者高坐石台之上,双手扯着一张纸,朗朗的念道:“东土大唐王皇帝李,驾前敕命御弟圣僧陈玄奘法师,上西方天竺国娑婆灵山大雷音寺专拜如来佛祖求经。朕因促病侵身,魂游地府,幸有阳数臻长,感冥君放送回生,广陈善会,修建度亡道场。盛蒙救苦救难观世音菩萨金身出现,指示西方有佛有经,可度幽亡超脱,特着法师玄奘,远历千山,询求经偈。倘过西邦诸国,不灭善缘,照牒施行。大唐贞观一十三年秋吉日御前文牒。自别大国以来,经度诸邦,中途收得大徒弟孙悟空行者,二徒弟猪悟能八戒,三徒弟沙悟净和尚。”念了从头又念。沙僧听得是通关文牒,止不住近前厉声高叫:“师兄,师父的关文你念他怎的?”
那行者闻言急抬头,不认得是沙僧,叫:“拿来!拿来!”众猴一齐围绕,把沙僧拖拖扯扯,拿近前来,喝道:“你是何人,擅敢近吾仙洞?”沙僧见他变了脸,不肯相认,只得朝上行礼道:“上告师兄,前者实是师父性暴,错怪了师兄,把师兄咒了几遍,逐赶回家。一则弟等未曾劝解,二来又为师父饥渴去寻水化斋。不意师兄好意复来,又怪师父执法不留,遂把师父打倒,昏晕在地,将行李抢去。后救转师父,特来拜兄,若不恨师父,还念昔日解脱之恩,同小弟将行李回见师父,共上西天,了此正果。倘怨恨之深,不肯同去,千万把包袱赐弟,兄在深山,乐桑榆晚景,亦诚两全其美也。”
行者闻言,呵呵冷笑道:“贤弟,此论甚不合我意。我打唐僧,抢行李,不因我不上西方,亦不因我爱居此地。我今熟读了牒文,我自己上西方拜佛求经,送上东土,我独成功,教那南赡部洲人立我为祖,万代传名也。”沙僧笑道:“师兄言之欠当,自来没个孙行者取经之说。我佛如来造下三藏真经,原着观音菩萨向东土寻取经人求经,要我们苦历千山,询求诸国,保护那取经人。菩萨曾言:取经人乃如来门生,号曰金蝉长老,只因他不听佛祖谈经,贬下灵山,转生东土,教他果正西方,复修大道。遇路上该有这般魔障,解脱我等三人,与他做护法。兄若不得唐僧去,那个佛祖肯传经与你!却不是空劳一场神思也?”
那行者道:“贤弟,你原来懞懂,但知其一,不知其二。谅你说你有唐僧,同我保护,我就没有唐僧?我这里另选个有道的真僧在此,老孙独力扶持,有何不可!已选明日起身去矣。你不信,待我请来你看。”叫:“小的们,快请老师父出来。”果跑进去,牵出一匹白马,请出一个唐三藏,跟着一个八戒,挑着行李;一个沙僧,拿着锡杖。这沙僧见了大怒道:“我老沙行不更名,坐不改姓,那里又有一个沙和尚!不要无礼!吃我一杖!”好沙僧,双手举降妖杖,把一个假沙僧劈头一下打死,原来这是一个猴精。那行者恼了,轮金箍棒,帅众猴,把沙僧围了。沙僧东冲西撞,打出路口,纵云雾逃生道:“这泼猴如此惫懒,我告菩萨去来!”那行者见沙僧打死一个猴精,把沙和尚逼得走了,他也不来追赶,回洞教小的们把打死的妖尸拖在一边,剥了皮,取肉煎炒,将椰子酒、葡萄酒,同众猴都吃了。另选一个会变化的妖猴,还变一个沙和尚,从新教道,要上西方不题。
沙僧一驾云离了东海,行经一昼夜,到了南海。正行时,早见落伽山不远,急至前低停云雾观看。好去处!果然是:包乾之奥,括坤之区。会百川而浴日滔星,归众流而生风漾月。潮发腾凌大鲲化,波翻浩荡巨鳌游。水通西北海,浪合正东洋。四海相连同地脉,仙方洲岛各仙宫。休言满地蓬莱,且看普陀云洞。好景致!山头霞彩壮元精,岩下祥风漾月晶。紫竹林中飞孔雀,绿杨枝上语灵鹦。琪花瑶草年年秀,宝树金莲岁岁生。白鹤几番朝顶上,素鸾数次到山亭。游鱼也解修真性,跃浪穿波听讲经。沙僧徐步落伽山,玩看仙境,只见木叉行者当面相迎道:“沙悟净,你不保唐僧取经,却来此何干?”沙僧作礼毕道:
“有一事特来朝见菩萨,烦为引见引见。”木叉情知是寻行者,更不题起,即先进去对菩萨道:“外有唐僧的小徒弟沙悟净朝拜。”孙行者在台下听见,笑道:“这定是唐僧有难,沙僧来请菩萨的。”菩萨即命木叉门外叫进。这沙僧倒身下拜,拜罢抬头正欲告诉前事,忽见孙行者站在旁边,等不得说话,就掣降妖杖望行者劈脸便打。这行者更不回手,彻身躲过。沙僧口里乱骂道:“我把你个犯十恶造反的泼猴!你又来影瞒菩萨哩!”菩萨喝道:“悟净不要动手,有甚事先与我说。”沙僧收了宝杖,再拜台下,气冲冲的对菩萨道:“这猴一路行凶,不可数计。前日在山坡下打杀两个剪路的强人,师父怪他。不期晚间就宿在贼窝主家里,又把一伙贼人尽情打死,又血淋淋提一个人头来与师父看。师父唬得跌下马来,骂了他几句,赶他回来。分别之后,师父饥渴太甚,教八戒去寻水,久等不来,又教我去寻他。不期孙行者见我二人不在,复回来把师父打一铁棍,将两个青毡包袱抢去。我等回来,将师父救醒,特来他水帘洞寻他讨包袱,不想他变了脸,不肯认我,将师父关文念了又念。我问他念了做甚,他说不保唐僧,他要自上西天取经,送上东土,算他的功果,立他为祖,万古传扬。我又说:没唐僧,那肯传经与你?他说他选了一个有道的真僧。及请出,果是一匹白马,一个唐僧,后跟着八戒、沙僧。我道我便是沙和尚,那里又有个沙和尚?是我赶上前,打了他一宝杖,原来是个猴精。他就帅众拿我,是我特来告请菩萨。不知他会使筋斗云,预先到此处,又不知他将甚巧语花言,影瞒菩萨也。”菩萨道:“悟净,不要赖人,悟空到此今已四日,我更不曾放他回去,他那里有另请唐僧、自去取经之意?”沙僧道:“见如今水帘洞有一个孙行者,怎敢欺诳?”
菩萨道:“既如此,你休发急,教悟空与你同去花果山看看。是真难灭,是假易除,到那里自见分晓。”这大圣闻言,即与沙僧辞了菩萨。这一去,到那花果山前分皂白,水帘洞口辨真邪。毕竟不知如何分辨,且听下回分解。