Chapter 100

Chapter 100

And so the four pilgrims freed themselves and rose on the wind with the Diamond Guardians. Let us return to the Temple of Saving Lives in the Chen family estate. At dawn the next morning, the people there prepared fruits and dishes as offerings and brought them to the third floor, only to find the Tang Priest gone. This one came to ask, that one came to search, all in a flurried panic, not knowing what to do, crying out in anguish: "We've let the living Buddha slip clean away!" For a time they had no recourse, so they carried all the prepared offerings upstairs, burned paper offerings, and made sacrifices. Thereafter they held four grand offerings and twenty-four smaller ones each year. Moreover, those seeking cures for illness, those praying for protection, those making vows for marriage, for wealth, or for sons—there was no hour, no day, when someone did not come to burn incense and worship. Truly it was: "A golden furnace unceasing with fire for a thousand years; a jade lamp eternally bright through ten thousand ages." So much for that.

Now the Eight Great Diamond Guardians sent forth a second fragrant wind and, in less than a day, bore the four pilgrims back to the Eastern Land, where gradually the walls of Chang'an came into view. It happened that the Tang Emperor Taizong had sent the Tang Priest out of the city on the third day before the ninth month of the thirteenth year of Zhenguan, and by the sixteenth year he had dispatched the Ministry of Works to build a Sutra-Watching Tower outside the West Pass to receive the scriptures. The Emperor came to this spot in person every year. That very day, he had come out in his carriage and ascended the tower, when suddenly he saw auspicious mist filling the western sky and fragrant winds blowing in waves. The Diamond Guardians halted in midair and called out: "Holy Monk, this is the city of Chang'an. We cannot descend here—the people are too clever and might see your true forms. Neither need the Great Sage Sun and the other two go down. You yourself shall go and deliver the scriptures to your sovereign, then return at once. I shall wait for you in the heavens above, and we shall go together to report our mission." The Great Sage said: "What you say is reasonable, but how can my Master carry the scripture pack? How can he lead the horse? We must accompany him to escort them. I beg you to wait a little in the air—we dare not delay." The Diamond Guardian said: "The Bodhisattva Guanyin previously informed the Tathāgata that the round trip should take only eight days to complete the full collection. It has already been more than four days; I fear Pigsy, in his greed for wealth and honor, may cause you to miss the deadline." Pigsy laughed and said: "If my Master has become a Buddha, I too hope to become a Buddha. How could I be greedy? You clumsy lout—wait here for all of us. Once we have delivered the scriptures, we shall come straight back to join you in the dedication." Pigsy hoisted the pack, Sandy led the horse, and Tripitaka, escorted by the Great Sage, all descended upon their clouds and landed beside the Sutra-Watching Tower.

The Emperor Taizong, together with his officials, saw them at once and came down from the tower to welcome them. "Is that my imperial brother?" he asked. Tripitaka immediately prostrated himself. The Emperor helped him up and asked: "Who are these three?" Tripitaka replied: "They are disciples I took on along the way." The Emperor was overjoyed and at once ordered his attendants: "Harness His Majesty's carriage and invite my imperial brother to mount, so he may return to court with me." Tripitaka thanked the favor and mounted the horse. The Great Sage Sun followed closely with his iron rod, while Pigsy and Sandy supported the horse and carried the pack, following the imperial carriage into Chang'an. Truly:

In those days of peace and feasting, prosperity reigned,

Both civil and martial talents shone with brilliance.

In the halls of assembly, monks expounded the Dharma;

From the golden throne, the sovereign dispatched his minister.

The passport was bestowed upon Tang Sanzang,

The scriptures were matched to the Five Elements.

Through bitter struggle, every fierce demon was destroyed;

Now, with merit achieved, they joyfully ascend to the capital.

Tripitaka and his three disciples entered the court with the imperial carriage, and throughout the city there was no one who did not know that the scripture-seekers had arrived.

Now the monks of the Hongfu Temple in Chang'an, where the Tang Priest had formerly resided, noticed that the tops of several pine trees had all turned toward the east. "Strange! Strange!" they exclaimed. "There was no wind tonight—how could the treetops all twist around?" Among them was a former disciple of Sanzang's. "Quick, fetch our robes!" he said. "The Old Master who went to fetch the scriptures has returned." The other monks asked: "How do you know?" The former disciple replied: "When the Master departed, he said: 'After I leave, whether three years or five, or six or seven, if you see the branches of the pine trees facing east, I shall have returned.' My Master spoke with the sacred mouth of a Buddha, so I know." They hurriedly put on their robes and went out. By the time they reached the West Street, word was already spreading: "The scripture-seekers have just arrived, and the Emperor himself has welcomed them into the city." Hearing this, the monks ran faster and met them there. Seeing the imperial carriage, they dared not approach but followed behind all the way to the palace gates.

Tripitaka dismounted and entered the court with the others. He had the dragon horse, the scripture pack, and his three disciples—the Great Sage, Pigsy, and Sandy—stand below the jade steps. The Emperor summoned his imperial brother to ascend the hall and offered him a seat. Tripitaka thanked the favor and sat down, then ordered the scriptures to be brought forth. The Great Sage and the others took them out, and the palace attendants carried them up to the Emperor. The Emperor asked: "How many scrolls of scripture are there? How did you obtain them?" Sanzang replied: "Your minister arrived at the Vulture Peak and paid homage to the Buddha. He sent the two Ānanda and Kāśyapa to first lead me to the Treasure Tower for a meal, and then to the Jewel Pavilion to transmit the scriptures. Those two guardians demanded a gift of gratitude, and because I had not prepared one, I could not give it to them. They therefore gave me the scriptures wrapped up [without revealing them]. As I was thanking the Buddha for his grace and heading east, suddenly a demonic wind snatched the scriptures away. Fortunately, my young disciple had some magical powers and pursued them, but they were all tossed and scattered about. When we unrolled them to examine them, they were blank pages without a single character. Your minister was alarmed and went back to beg the Buddha for mercy. The Buddha said: 'When these scriptures were first brought forth, a saintly monk took them down the mountain and read them once through for the house of the elder Zhao in the kingdom of Śrāvastī, protecting the living and delivering the dead. He asked for only three bushels and three pecks of golden rice grains, and even then felt he had sold them too cheaply, so that his descendants would have no money to use.' We knew the two guardians demanded a gift, and the Buddha knew it too. In the end, we had to present the purple-gold alms bowl bestowed by imperial favor, and only then did they transmit the true scriptures with characters. These scriptures comprise thirty-five sections, from which selected scrolls were transmitted, totaling five thousand and forty-eight scrolls. This number constitutes one complete canon."

The Emperor Tai-zong was even more pleased and ordered, "Let the Imperial Catering Office prepare a banquet in the Eastern Pavilion to show our gratitude." Suddenly he noticed the three disciples standing below the steps, their appearances most unusual, and asked, "Are your esteemed disciples indeed foreigners from foreign lands?" The monk Xuanzang prostrated himself and replied, "The eldest disciple is surnamed Sun, his Buddhist name Wukong, and I also call him Sun Xingzhe. He was originally from the Water-Curtain Cave on Flower-Fruit Mountain in the Kingdom of Ao-lai in the Eastern Continent of Superior Gods. Because he caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace five hundred years ago, the Buddha imprisoned him in a stone chest beneath the Two-World Mountain in the Western Regions. He was converted to goodness by Guanyin Bodhisattva and willingly took refuge in the Dharma. It was I who went there and rescued him, and I have relied heavily on this disciple for protection. The second disciple is surnamed Zhu, his Buddhist name Wuneng, and I also call him Zhu Bajie. He was originally from the Cloud-Stack Cave on Mount Fu-ling. Because he caused trouble at the Village of Gao in Wusang, he too was converted by the Bodhisattva and was taken in by Xingzhe. Along the way he has been most powerful in carrying the loads and meritorious in fording the waters. The third disciple is surnamed Sha, his Buddhist name Wujing, and I also call him Sha Heshang. He was originally a monster in the Flowing-Sand River, and he too was converted by the Bodhisattva and took refuge in the Buddhist faith. As for the horse, it is not the one Your Majesty bestowed upon me." The Emperor said, "Its coat is the same—how can it not be?" Xuanzang said, "When I crossed the waters at Eagle-Gorge Stream on Coiled-Serpent Mountain, my original horse was swallowed by this one. Through Xingzhe's request, the Bodhisattva inquired into this horse's origins—it turned out to be the son of the Dragon King of the Western Sea. Because he had committed a crime, he too was rescued by the Bodhisattva and instructed to serve me as a mount. At that time he transformed into the appearance of my original horse, with the same coat. Fortunately he has climbed mountains and crossed ridges, traversed rugged terrain—I rode him on the journey out and he carried the scriptures on the return, and I have relied greatly on his strength as well."

The Emperor Tai-zong, upon hearing this, praised them endlessly. He then asked, "You traveled far to the Western Regions—how great was the distance?" Xuanzang said, "According to the Bodhisattva's words, the distance was one hundred and eighty thousand li. Along the way I did not keep count, but I know we passed through fourteen cycles of cold and heat. Every day mountains, every day ridges. When we encountered forests they were vast, when we encountered waters they were broad and mighty. We also passed through several kingdoms, each of which sealed our travel documents with their official seals." He called out, "Disciples, bring up the travel documents and present them to His Majesty." They were presented at once. The Emperor Tai-zong examined them and saw they had been issued on the third day before the full moon of the ninth month in the thirteenth year of the Zhen-guan era. The Emperor Tai-zong smiled and said, "You have toiled long and traveled far—it is now the twenty-seventh year of Zhen-guan." On the travel documents were the seals of the Kingdom of Precious-Elephant, the Kingdom of Black-Chen, the Kingdom of Che-Chi, the Kingdom of Women of the West, the Kingdom of Ji-Sai, the Kingdom of Zhu-Zi, the Kingdom of Bi-Qiu, the Kingdom of Mie-Fa, as well as the seals of Fengxian Prefecture, Yuhua Prefecture, Jinping Prefecture, and the Kingdom of Tianzhu. The Emperor Tai-zong finished reading and put the document away.

The officials in attendance soon invited them to the banquet, and the Emperor descended from the throne, hand in hand with Xuanzang. He then asked, "Are your esteemed disciples versed in courtly etiquette?" Xuanzang said, "These humble disciples are all wild spirits from mountain villages and remote wildernesses—they are unacquainted with the courtly rituals of our sacred Chinese court. I humbly beg Your Majesty to pardon their offenses." The Emperor Tai-zong smiled and said, "I shall not punish them, I shall not punish them. Let them all be invited to the banquet in the Eastern Pavilion." Xuanzang thanked the Emperor for his grace and summoned the three disciples to come inside the pavilion and observe. It was indeed the great land of China, different from ordinary places. Observe:

Doors hung with colored embroidery, floors lined with red felt. Exotic fragrances rich and full, rare delicacies fresh and fine. Amber cups and glass goblets, inlaid with gold and set with kingfisher feathers; golden plates and white-jade bowls, adorned with brocade flowers. Braised turnips cooked tender, candied fragrant taro. Sweet mushrooms, exotic seaweed. Several times they added ginger-spiced bamboo shoots, on several occasions they served honey-dressed mallow. Gluten shaped like toon-tree leaves, wood-ear mushrooms with tofu skin. Stone-flower immortal vegetables, dried bracken powder. Pepper-poached radish, mustard-mixed melon shreds. Several plates of vegetarian fare were already acceptable, but the rare and exotic fruits outshone all—walnuts and dried persimmons, longan and lychee. Xuanzhou chestnuts and Shandong dates, Jiangnan ginkgo and rabbit-head pears. Large hazelnuts, lotus seeds, and grapes, torreya nuts, watermelon seeds, and water-chestnut grains all in order. Olives and sugar-apples, apple-sand fruits. Tender wild rice shoots and crisp lotus roots, crunchy plums and bayberries. Nothing was left unprepared, nothing was incomplete. There were also honeyed pastries and sweet delicacies alongside fine dishes, and beyond that fragrant wines, aromatic tea, and rare wonders. Words cannot exhaust the hundred flavors of these supreme delicacies—truly the great land of China is different from the Western barbarians.

The four members of the pilgrimage and the many civil and military officials all stood in attendance to the left and right. The Emperor Tai-zong remained seated in the center. Singing, dancing, and musical performance proceeded in solemn and orderly fashion, and they enjoyed themselves the entire day. Indeed it was:

A royal banquet rivaling the golden age of Tang and Yu,

True scriptures obtained, blessings overflowing.

Passed down through the ages, glorious through the ages,

The Buddha's light shining upon the imperial dwelling.

That evening, the banquet ended and thanks were given. The Emperor Tai-zong returned to the palace, the officials to their residences, and Xuanzang and his companions returned to the Hongfu Temple, where the monks greeted them with prostrations. Just as they entered the mountain gate, the monks reported, "Master, the treetops this morning all suddenly turned toward the east. Remembering your words, we came out of the city to meet you, and indeed you have arrived." The elder monk was overjoyed and entered the abbot's quarters. At this point Bajie no longer clamored for tea or rice, nor did he make any commotion; Xingzhe and Sha Seng were both composed and dignified. It was because the fruits of the Way had been accomplished, and naturally they were at peace. They retired for the night.

The next morning, the Emperor Tai-zong ascended the court and addressed his ministers, "I reflect on the merits of my imperial younger brother—they are of the deepest and greatest kind, and I have no way to repay them. I lay awake all night and composed a few lines of rustic verse, as a token of my gratitude, but I have not yet written them down." He called out, "Come, secretary—I shall recite them to you, and you shall write them down one by one." The text read as follows:

It has been said that the two forms [heaven and earth] bear images, manifesting their covering and sustaining in nurturing life; the four seasons, being formless, silently transform things through cold and heat. Thus, to observe heaven and examine the earth—even the ordinary and ignorant can discern their beginnings; to illuminate the yin and penetrate the yang—even the wise and sagely can rarely fathom their full extent. Now, heaven and earth encompass yin and yang and yet are easily recognized, because they bear images; yin and yang dwell within heaven and earth and yet are difficult to fathom, because they are formless. Therefore, we know that when images are manifest and can be verified, even the foolish are not confused; when forms are hidden and cannot be seen, even the wise may still be bewildered.

How much more so the Way of the Buddha—profound and empty, riding upon the hidden and dwelling in stillness! It broadly aids the myriad kinds and governs the ten directions. Its awe-inspiring power and spirit have no superior; its divine might has no inferior. In its greatness, it pervades the universe; in its minuteness, it is contained within the finest grain. Neither perishing nor born, it endures through a thousand ages from ancient times; now hidden, now manifest, it brings forth a hundred blessings and extends into the present. The wondrous Way is sublime and mysterious—those who follow its guidance cannot know its bounds. The flow of Dharma is deep and still—those who would cup it cannot fathom its source. Therefore, we know that the foolish and ignorant, the petty and vulgar—how could they fail to be confused when they approach its meaning and purpose?

Yet the rise of this great teaching is rooted in the Western Lands. It soared into the Han court and illuminated dreams with brightness; it shone upon the Eastern Realm and spread its compassion. In ancient times, when its form and traces were yet unknown, its words had not yet spread, but transformation was already accomplished. In the age when it was sometimes seen and sometimes hidden, the people looked up to its virtue and knew how to follow it. Then, when its shadow faded and it returned to truth, passing beyond the world, the golden countenance was veiled in color, no longer reflecting the light of the three thousand worlds; the beautiful images were unfolded in pictures, their thirty-two marks appearing empty and without substance. Thereupon, subtle words were widely spread, rescuing creatures of the bird and beast kind from the three paths; distant teachings were proclaimed far and wide, guiding the multitude of beings through the ten stages. The Buddha has sutras that can distinguish between the greater and lesser vehicles; he also has dharma teachings that transmit the methods of the false and the correct.

Our monk, Dharma Master Xuanzang, is a leader among the adherents of the Dharma. From youth, he possessed true keenness and early awakened to the merit of the three emptinesses; growing up, he accorded with spiritual clarity and first embraced the practice of the four forms of kṣānti. The pine wind and water moon are not sufficient to match his purity; immortal dew and bright pearls cannot compare to his radiant lustre! Therefore, his wisdom penetrates without obstruction, and his spirit perceives what has no form. He transcends the six dusts and stands apart, causing his fame to be transmitted through a thousand ages. He concentrated his mind on the inner realm, grieving for the correct and lamenting the hidden spirits; he dwelt upon the profound gate, where many teachings were erroneous and mistaken. Desiring to distinguish and clarify them section by section, he therefore fixed his heart on the Pure Land, took up his staff, and set out alone. Morning snow flew, and along the way he lost his footing; startled sands arose at dusk, and beyond the sky he was bewildered. Over ten thousand miles of mountains and rivers, he advanced through mist and rosy clouds; through a hundred layers of cold and heat, he pressed forward through frost and rain. Taking the serious as weighty and the laborious as light, seeking the profound and wishing to reach it, he traveled throughout the Western Regions for fourteen years. He exhaustively journeyed through foreign lands, seeking the correct teaching. At the Twin Trees and the Eight Rivers, he tasted the flavor and dined on the wind; at the Deer Park and Vulture Peak, he gazed upon the wondrous and looked up with admiration. He received the supreme words from the ancient sages and accepted the true teachings from the worthy ones above. He probed the profound gates and exhaustively studied the sublime doctrines. The way of the three vehicles and the six precepts galloped across his heart-field; the texts of one canon in a hundred boxes surged like waves from the mouth of the sea. From the boundless countries he had traversed, he sought and obtained scriptures that were numbered. In total, he acquired the essential texts of the Great Vehicle—thirty-five sections, comprising five thousand and forty-eight volumes—and translated and spread them in China, proclaiming this meritorious work. He drew the compassionate clouds from the Western Extremity and poured the rain of Dharma upon the Eastern Frontier. The sacred teaching, once incomplete, was made whole again; the common people, burdened with sin, returned to blessing. He dried the blazing flames of the burning house, together rescuing those in the dark paths; he illuminated the turbid waves of the golden waters, together reaching the other shore.

From this, we know that through evil karma one falls, and through good karma one rises. The cause of rising and falling rests solely with oneself. For example, the osmanthus grows on a high ridge—only by reaching the clouds does it bloom with its flowers; the lotus emerges from green waves—flying dust cannot stain its leaves. It is not that the lotus is inherently pure by nature or the osmanthus inherently chaste by substance; rather, because what it rests upon is high, even the smallest things cannot burden it; because what it depends upon is pure, even defiling things cannot stain it. Since even plants and trees, which have no consciousness, rely upon goodness to achieve goodness, how much more so should human beings, who possess understanding—how could they not rely upon blessing to achieve blessing?

It is my hope that this sutra, once transmitted and spread, will be boundless like the sun and moon; that its far-reaching blessings will be as eternally vast as heaven and earth!

When he had finished writing, he immediately summoned the holy monk. At this time, the elder had been waiting outside the palace gate to express his gratitude. Upon hearing the summons, he quickly entered and performed the ritual of prostration. Emperor Taizong invited him to ascend the throne hall and handed him the document. The elder read it through, then descended to express his thanks, saying: "Your Majesty's literary style is lofty and ancient, and its philosophical import is profound and subtle. But may I ask—what is its title?" Emperor Taizong said: "Last night I composed it extemporaneously, as a reply of gratitude to my imperial younger brother. I have titled it the Preface to the Holy Teaching. I do not know whether it is good or not." The elder kowtowed and expressed his thanks without end. Emperor Taizong also said: "My talent is unworthy of jade and gems, and my words are ashamed before metal and stone. As for the inner scriptures, I am especially unversed. This preface composed extemporaneously is truly crude and inept. I have defiled the golden tablets with my ink and set pebbles among the grope of pearls. Reflecting upon myself, I am ashamed and abashed. It is hardly worthy of praise, and I have troubled you to receive thanks in vain."

At that time, the assembled officials offered their congratulations together, bowing in reverence to the imperial writing on the Holy Teaching, which was circulated both within and without the court. Emperor Taizong said: "How about my imperial younger brother reciting the true scriptures for us?" The elder said: "Your Majesty, if we are to recite the true scriptures, we must seek a place of Buddhism. The treasure hall is not a suitable place for recitation." Emperor Taizong was greatly pleased and immediately asked the attending officials: "In the city of Chang'an, which monastery is pure and clean?" From the ranks, Grand Academician Xiao Yu stepped forward and reported: "In the city there is a Wild Goose Pagoda Monastery that is pure and clean." Emperor Taizong then ordered the assembled officials: "Each of you reverently carry several volumes of the true scriptures. Accompany me to the Wild Goose Pagoda Monastery and invite my imperial younger brother to expound the scriptures."

The officials each carried the scriptures and accompanied Emperor Taizong to the monastery. They erected a high platform and arranged everything in order. The elder still commanded: "Bajie and Sha Wujing, lead the dragon horse and organize the traveling bags; Wuzhong must stay by my side." He also said to Emperor Taizong: "If Your Majesty wishes to transmit the true scriptures throughout the realm, you must make copies for distribution. The original should still be treasured and not treated lightly or profaned." Emperor Taizong laughed and said: "My imperial younger brother's words are most fitting, most fitting." He then summoned officials from the Hanlin Academy and the Secretariat to make copies of the true scriptures. He also built a monastery to the east of the city, called the Sutra Copying Monastery.

The elder carried several volumes and ascended the platform. Just as he was about to begin recitation, suddenly a fragrant wind swirled about, and in midair the Eight Great Diamond Guardians appeared, calling out loudly: "Reciter of scriptures, put down your sutra volumes and come back west with us!" Down below, the three—Wuzhong, Bajie, and Sha Wujing—together with the white horse, rose from the ground. The elder also cast down the sutra volumes and ascended from the platform into the nine heavens, following them into the sky. This threw Emperor Taizong and the assembled officials into a panic, and they bowed toward the empty sky. And this was precisely:

The holy monk strove to compile the scriptures' canon,

Through Western realms he wandered fourteen years.

He suffered hardships on the bitter road,

Passed through many mountains and waters, beset with trials.

His work was eight-plus-nine, then nine again,

His journey spanned three thousand and the boundless great.

The wondrous texts returned to the exalted land,

And to this day in the Eastern realm they endure evermore.

Emperor Taizong and his many officials having completed the obeisance, forthwith chose virtuous monks and, at Wild Goose Temple, established a Grand Assembly of Water and Land, to peruse the True Scriptures of the Great Treasury and deliver the sinful spirits from the dark regions, bestowing good fortune universally. The transcribed scriptures were disseminated throughout the realm—no more of this.

Now the Eight Great Diamond Guardians, riding fragrant winds, escorted the four pilgrims, together with the horse, five in all, back to Spirit Mountain. Going and returning, they had completed the journey in just eight days. At this time, all the divine beings of Spirit Mountain were assembled before the Buddha, listening to his discourse. The Eight Diamonds led the master and disciples forward and said to the Tathagata, "Your disciples previously received your golden edict and have escorted the holy monks to the land of Tang, where the scriptures were delivered. We now return to report the completion of our commission." The Buddha then summoned Tripitaka and the others forward to receive their appointments.

The Tathagata said: "Holy monk, in a former life you were my second disciple, named the Golden Cicada. Because you would not heed my teachings and showed contempt for my great doctrine, I banished your true spirit to be reborn in the Eastern realm. Now I rejoice that you have embraced the faith, upheld my discipline, and further propagated my doctrine by obtaining the true scriptures. Your merit is great, and I elevate you to high office and the fruition of Buddhahood—you shall be the Buddha of Sandalwood Merit.

"Sun Wukong, for your great havoc in the Heavenly Palace, I employed profound dharma power to press you beneath the Five Elements Mountain. Fortunately, when the heavenly calamity was fulfilled, you returned to the Buddhist faith. I rejoice that you concealed your faults and promoted the good, and that on the journey you subdued demons and vanquished monsters with great merit, seeing the task through from beginning to end. I elevate you to high office and the fruition of Buddhahood—you shall be the Victorious Fighting Buddha.

"Zhu Wuneng, you were originally the Tianpeng Marshal, a water god of the Milky Way. Because you became drunk at the Peach Banquet and dallied with a celestial maiden, I banished you to be reborn in the lower world in the body of a beast. Fortunately, you remembered your love of human form and, though you committed sins at Cloud Stack Cave on Fuling Mountain, you joyfully returned to the great faith and entered my Sangha. You protected the holy monk on the road, yet your stubborn mind and lustful nature were not yet extinguished. Because you bore the load with merit, I elevate you to office and the fruition of Buddhahood—you shall be the Altar-Cleansing Envoy."

Bajie shouted from his mouth, "They all become Buddhas—how is it that I am made merely an Altar-Cleansing Envoy?" The Tathagata said, "Because your mouth is mighty and your body indolent, and your appetite is vast. The four great continents under heaven all look up to my faith, and there are many who revere it. For all Buddhist observances, I appoint you to cleanse the altar—this is a position of great benefit. How could it not be good?

"Sha Wujing, you were originally the Curtain-Lifting General. Because you shattered a glass goblet at the Peach Banquet, I banished you to the lower world, and you fell to the Flowing Sand River, where you harmed living beings and ate men, committing sins. Fortunately, you returned to my faith with sincere reverence and upheld my discipline. You protected the holy monk and had merit in leading the horse over the mountains. I elevate you to high office and the fruition of Buddhahood—you shall be the Golden-Bodied Arhat."

He then addressed the white horse: "You were originally the son of the Dragon King of the Western Ocean, Guangjin. Because you disobeyed your father's command and committed the sin of filial impiety, yet fortunately returned in body and in dharma to my Sangha, daily you bore the holy monk to the West, and again you bore the holy scriptures to the East. You too have merit. I elevate you to office and the fruition of Buddhahood—you shall be the Dragon Horse of the Eight Classes."

The master and his four disciples all kowtowed in gratitude. The horse also finished rendering thanks. The Buddha then ordered the Guardian to lead the horse to the Dragon Transformation Pool behind Spirit Mountain's rear cliff and push it into the pool. In an instant, the horse stretched its body, shed its fur, changed its horns, and grew golden scales all over its body. Silver whiskers sprouted beneath its jaws. Enveloped in auspicious radiance and standing upon auspicious clouds at its four hooves, it flew out of the Dragon Transformation Pool and coiled around the Heaven-Supporting Floral Pillar at the mountain gate. All the Buddhas praised the Tathagata's great dharma.

Sun the Pilgrim then said to Tripitaka, "Master, I am now a Buddha, just like you. How can you still wear that golden fillet on my head? What tight-circlet spell are you still using to constrain me? Quickly recite a loosening-circlet spell, take it off, smash it to pieces—don't let any Bodhisattva use it to torment someone else again!" Tripitaka said, "At the time it was only because you were difficult to manage that I used this method to restrain you. Now that you have become a Buddha, it will naturally be gone—how could it still be on your head? Try feeling for it." The Pilgrim raised his hand and felt—indeed, it was no longer there.

At this time, the Sandalwood Buddha, the Victorious Fighting Buddha, the Altar-Cleansing Envoy, and the Golden-Bodied Arhat all attained the fruition of their respective stations, and the Dragon Horse likewise returned to his true nature. A poem bears witness, which says:

One body of Suchness turned to descend to the dust,

Uniting the four forms, once again cultivating the self.

The five elements discussed, form and emptiness return to stillness;

A hundred monsters—empty names, all to be disregarded.

The true fruit of sandalwood returns to great awakening,

The offices fulfilled, deliverance from the sinking world.

The scriptures transmitted under heaven, grace and light vast and broad;

The five sages dwell on high in the Gate of Non-Duality.

When the five sages attained their stations, all the assembled Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, holy monks, Arhats, Guardian Deities, bhikshus, upasakas and upasikas, the immortals of every mountain and every cave, the great gods, the Dings and Jias, the merit officers, the temple guardians, the earth spirits—all the attained immortals of the Way—having first come to listen to the discourse, now each returned to his proper station. Behold:

At the summit of Vulture Peak, auspicious colors gathered;

In the Land of Ultimate Bliss, propitious clouds assembled.

The golden dragon reposed in serenity; the jade tiger rested in peace.

The crow and the hare came and went freely; the turtle and the serpent coiled as they pleased.

The red phoenix and the blue luan were spirited and bright;

The dark ape and the white deer were content and joyful.

Rare flowers of the eight seasons, immortal fruits of the four seasons.

Towering pines and ancient junipers, green bamboos and tall reeds.

The five-colored plum bloomed and fruited in turn;

The ten-thousand-year peach ripened and grew fresh with time.

A thousand fruits and a thousand flowers vied in beauty;

A whole sky of auspicious radiance swirled in profusion.

The great assembly pressed their palms together and took refuge, all chanting:

"Namo Lamp-Lighting Ancient Buddha. Namo Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Radiance King Buddha. Namo Shakyamuni Buddha. Namo Past, Future, and Present Buddha. Namo Pure Joy Buddha. Namo Vairochana Buddha. Namo Jewel Banner King Buddha. Namo Maitreya Venerable Buddha. Namo Amitabha Buddha. Namo Immeasurable Life Buddha. Namo Guiding Home to Truth Buddha. Namo Diamond Indestructible Buddha. Namo Jewel Radiance Buddha. Namo Dragon-Honored King Buddha. Namo Diligent Good Buddha. Namo Jewel Moonlight Buddha. Namo Manifest Without Folly Buddha. Namo Poluna Buddha. Narayana Buddha. Namo Merit Flower Buddha. Namo Talented Merit Buddha. Namo Good Traveler Buddha. Namo Sandalwood Radiance Buddha. Namo Mani Banner Buddha. Namo Wisdom Torch Illuminating Buddha. Namo Sea-Vast Radiance Buddha. Namo Great Compassion Radiance Buddha. Namo Compassion Power King Buddha. Namo Worthy and Good Chief Buddha. Namo Vast Adornment Buddha. Namo Golden Flower Radiance Buddha. Namo Talented Radiance Buddha. Namo Wisdom Supreme Buddha. Namo World-Tranquil Radiance Buddha. Namo Sun-and-Moon Radiance Buddha. Namo Sun-and-Moon Pearl Radiance Buddha. Namo Wisdom Banner Supreme King Buddha. Namo Wondrous Sound Buddha. Namo Constant Radiance Banner Buddha. Namo World-Observing Lamp Buddha. Namo Dharma Supreme King Buddha. Namo Sumeru Radiance Buddha. Namo Great Wisdom Power King Buddha. Namo Golden Sea Radiance Buddha. Namo Great Penetrating Radiance Buddha. Namo Talented Radiance Buddha. Namo Sandalwood Merit Buddha. Namo Victorious Fighting Buddha. Namo Guanyin Bodhisattva. Namo Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva. Namo Manjushri Bodhisattva. Namo Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. Namo Pure Ocean of Great Assembly Bodhisattvas. Namo Lotus Pool Ocean Assembly of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Namo Western Paradise Blissful Bodhisattvas. Namo Three Thousand Great Jieti Bodhisattvas. Namo Five Hundred Great Arhat Bodhisattvas. Namo Bhikshuni and Upasika Bodhisattvas. Namo Boundless and Immeasurable Dharma Bodhisattvas. Namo Diamond Great Being Holy Bodhisattva. Namo Pure Altar Envoy Bodhisattva. Namo Eight-Jewel Golden-Body Arhat Bodhisattva. Namo Eight Classes of Dragon Deities and Guangli Bodhisattva.

And so on, all the Buddhas of every world:

"By this merit, may the Buddha's Pure Land be adorned.

Above, repay the four heavy kindnesses; below, relieve the suffering of the three paths.

Should any see or hear this, may they all give rise to bodhi mind.

Together be born in the Land of Bliss, and exhaust this one lifetime.

Of the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three times, all the Venerable Bodhisattva Mahasattvas, maha prajna paramita."

Thus ends Journey to the West.