Chapter 58

Chapter 58

The Pilgrim and Sha Monk took their leave of the Bodhisattva and rose on two shafts of auspicious light, departing from the Southern Sea. Now, the Pilgrim's somersault cloud was fast, while Sha Monk's immortal cloud was rather slow, so the Pilgrim wanted to go ahead alone. Sha Monk held him back and said, "Elder Brother, there's no need for you to hide your head and tail like this and go ahead to establish yourself first. Let your younger brother go with you." The Great Sage acted out of good faith, but Sha Monk harbored suspicion. And so the two of them rode the clouds together. Before long, they indeed saw Flower-Fruit Mountain. They pressed down their clouds and examined the cave from outside. There they saw a Pilgrim seated high upon a stone platform, drinking and making merry with a troop of monkeys. His appearance was no different from the Great Sage's: he too had yellow hair and a golden fillet, golden pupils and fiery eyes; he too wore a cotton robe belted at the waist with a tiger-skin skirt; he too held a golden-banded iron staff in his hand; he too wore a pair of chamois-leather boots on his feet; he too had the same hairy face like the god of thunder, cheeks hollow like the Dipper, ears set apart, a broad forehead, and fangs jutting outward.

The Great Sage was consumed with rage. He released Sha Monk's hand, drew his iron staff, and strode forward, cursing: "What manner of demon are you, that you dare assume my appearance, dare seize my children and grandchildren, presumptuously dwell in my immortal cave, and presumptuously wield such power and fortune?" The other Pilgrim, upon seeing him, made no reply at all but also raised his iron staff to meet the challenge. The two Pilgrims clashed together, and truly one could not tell the false from the real. What a fine fight it was:

Two staffs, two monkey spirits—this contest was no light matter. Both wished to protect the Tang Emperor's brother, each striving to establish his illustrious name. The true monkey had indeed received the teachings of the Sha-men; the false one falsely claimed the sentiment of a Buddha's son. It was all because of their many transformations through divine powers—with neither true nor false, the two were evenly matched. One was the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, of primordial unified qi; the other was the earth-shrinking spirit refined through a thousand cycles. This one wielded the As-You-Will Golden-Banded Staff; that one bore the Heart-Following Iron Pole. They parried and blocked without victory or defeat, supported and resisted without loss or gain. At first they fought outside the cave; soon they contended in midair.

The two of them each trod upon cloud light and leaped to battle within the ninefold heavens.

Sha Monk stood by, unable to lend a hand. He watched them fight this battle and truly found it difficult to distinguish true from false. He wanted to draw his blade and help, but feared he might injure the real one. He endured for a long while, then leaped down from the cliff, wielded his demon-subduing precious staff, and struck near the outside of the Water Curtain Cave, scattering the host of demons in fright, overturning the stone benches, and smashing to pieces all the vessels used for drinking wine and eating meat. He searched for his blue felt bundle, but it was nowhere to be found in any direction. The reason was that the Water Curtain Cave was originally a cascading waterfall that curtained the cave's entrance—from afar it looked like a white cloth curtain, but up close it was a stream of water, hence the name Water Curtain Cave. Sha Monk did not know the way in, and so he could not find it. He then mounted his cloud and hurried up into the ninefold heavens, brandishing his precious staff, but again he could not bring himself to strike. The Great Sage said, "Sha Monk, since you cannot help us, go back and report to the Master, telling him such and such—that I, old Sun, will go with this demon to the Bodhisattva on Mount Luojia in the Southern Sea to distinguish true from false." After he had spoken, the other Pilgrim said exactly the same thing. Sha Monk saw that the two were identical in appearance and voice, not the slightest difference between them, and unable to tell black from white, he could only comply, turn his cloud around, and report back to Tang Seng—of which no more need be said.

Now those two Pilgrims fought as they traveled, going straight to the Southern Sea, directly to Mount Luojia, fighting and cursing without cease, their shouts unending. They soon alarmed the guardian devas, who reported inside the Tide Sound Cave, saying, "Bodhisattva, indeed two Sun Wukongs have fought their way here." The Bodhisattva, together with Moksha, the Boy of Good Fortune, and the Dragon Princess, descended from the lotus throne and came out the door, crying out, "Where do you beasts think you're going?" The two of them seized each other and said, "Bodhisattva, this fellow truly looks like your disciple. We started fighting from the Water Curtain Cave and have battled for a long time without either winning or losing. Sha Wujing, with his dull mortal eyes, cannot tell us apart and is unable to help though he has the strength. So your disciple told him to go back west to report to the Master. I have fought this fellow all the way to your precious mountain, hoping to borrow the Bodhisattva's wise eyes to help your disciple distinguish true from false and tell the proper from the wicked." After he had spoken, the other Pilgrim also said the same thing. The devas and the Bodhisattva all looked for a long while but could not tell them apart. The Bodhisattva said, "Let go of each other, stand on either side, and let me look again." They indeed released each other and stood on either side. One side said, "I am the real one." The other side said, "He is the false one."

The Bodhisattva called Moksha and Good Fortune forward and quietly instructed them: "Each of you hold one of them, and I will secretly recite the Tight-Fillet Spell. The one who hurts will be real; the one who does not hurt will be false." They each indeed held one. The Bodhisattva silently recited the true words, and both of them cried out in pain at the same time, clutching their heads and rolling on the ground, shouting, "Stop, stop reciting!" The Bodhisattva stopped, and they again seized each other at once, carrying on their clamor and fight as before. The Bodhisattva, at her wits' end, ordered the devas and Moksha to come forward and help. But the gods feared injuring the real one and dared not strike. The Bodhisattva called out "Sun Wukong," and both answered at the same time. The Bodhisattva said, "When you held the office of Stable Keeper and created havoc in the Heavenly Palace, the divine generals all recognized you. Go up to the Region Above and make your case there." This Great Sage thanked her, and the other Pilgrim also thanked her.

The two of them tugged and pulled at each other, shouting and quarreling without cease, until they arrived directly at the Southern Heavenly Gate. This threw the Wide-Vision Heavenly King and his four great heavenly generals—Ma, Zhao, Wen, and Guan—into a panic, along with all the lesser deities guarding the gate. They brandished their weapons and blocked the way, saying, "Where do you think you're going? Is this a place for brawling?" The Great Sage said, "I have been protecting Tang Monk on his journey to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures. Along the way I killed some bandits, and the Third Patriarch drove me away. I went straight to Putuo Cliff to pour out my grievances to Guanyin Bodhisattva. I never expected that this demon would, at some point, transform himself into my likeness, knock down Tang Monk, and steal our baggage. When Shasheng went to Flower-Fruit Mountain to seek him out, he found only this demon occupying my lair. Later he went to Putuo Cliff to report to the Bodhisattva, and there he saw me standing at her platform. Shasheng falsely claimed that I had ridden the somersault cloud and had already made excuses at the Bodhisattva's place beforehand. But the Bodhisattva is upright and discerning—she would not listen to Shasheng's words and ordered me to go with him to Flower-Fruit Mountain to verify the matter. It turned out that this demon truly looked exactly like old Sun. We fought from the Water-Curtain Cave all the way to Mount Luojia to see the Bodhisattva, and even she could it tell us apart. That is why we have fought our way here. I beg you all to use your heavenly eyes and help us determine which is real and which is false." After he had spoken, the other Monkey King recounted the same story in exactly the same way. The heavenly gods watched for a long time but could not distinguish between them. The two of them shouted, "Since you cannot tell us apart, step aside and let us go see the Jade Emperor!"

The gods could not hold them back. They opened the Heavenly Gate and the two went straight through to the Hall of Miraculous Fog. Marshal Ma, together with the four heavenly masters Zhang, Ge, Xu, and Qiu, reported: "Below there are two Sun Wukongs who have fought their way into the Heavenly Gate and demand to see the King." Before they could finish speaking, the two came rushing in shouting. The Jade Emperor was so startled that he descended from his throne and asked, "Why have you two dared to cause a disturbance in the Heavenly Palace and come shouting before me seeking death?" The Great Sage called out, "Ten thousand years, ten thousand years! Your subject has now taken refuge in the faith and received the teachings of the Sangha. I would never again deceive my superiors with a crooked heart. It is only because this demon has transformed himself into my likeness..." He then recounted everything that had happened, just as described above, and said, "I beg you to help your subject determine which is real and which is false." The other one made the same report. The Jade Emperor then issued an order summoning the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li, saying, "Bring the Demon-Reflecting Mirror and shine it on these two to determine which is real and which is false, so that the false one may perish and the true one survive." The Heavenly King took the mirror and held it up, inviting the Jade Emperor and all the gods to look. In the mirror were the shadows of two Sun Wukus—their golden fillets and clothing were identical in every detail. Even the Jade Emperor could not tell them apart and drove them out of the hall.

The Great Sage gave a cold, mirthless laugh, and the other Monkey King laughed aloud with delight. They grabbed at each other's heads and necks, then fought their way out of the Heavenly Gate once more, falling back down upon the Western Road, shouting, "Let us go see our master! Let us go see our master!"

Now let us return to Shaseng. After taking leave of the two of them at Flower-Fruit Mountain, he traveled for three days and nights before returning to the household. He told Tang Monk everything that had happened. Tang Monk said with self-reproach, "At the time I thought it was Sun Wukong who struck me with his staff and stole our baggage. How could I have known it was a demon who had transformed himself into my disciple?" Shaseng further reported, "This demon also transformed himself into a monk and a white horse. There was also one who looked like Bajie carrying our baggage, and another who looked like me. Unable to contain my anger, I struck one of them dead with my staff—it turned out to be a monkey spirit. The others scattered in alarm, and I went to the Bodhisattva to report my grievance. The Bodhisattva told me to go with my senior brother to identify the demon, and indeed the demon looked exactly like my senior brother. I was unable to help, so I came back first to report to you." When Sanzang heard this, he turned pale with shock. Bajie laughed loudly and said, "Good, good, good! This confirms what the old woman of the patron's household said—she said there were several groups of scripture-seekers. Isn't this another one?"

The old man and all the members of his household came and asked Shaseng, "Where have you been these past few days seeking traveling expenses?" Shaseng smiled and said, "I went to Flower-Fruit Mountain in the Eastern Continent of Superior Gods to find my senior brother and retrieve our baggage, then to Mount Putuo in the Southern Sea to pay homage to Guanyin Bodhisattva, and then back to Flower-Fruit Mountain before returning here." The old man asked again, "How many miles is the round trip?" Shaseng said, "About two hundred thousand li." The old man said, "Grandfather! To have traveled such a distance in just a few days—only riding on clouds could one manage that!" Bajie said, "If not by riding clouds, how could we cross the sea?" Shaseng said, "What we do cannot even be called traveling. If it were my senior brother, he could make the round trip in just a day or two." When the household heard this, they all declared them to be immortals. Bajie said, "Though we are not immortals, immortals are still our juniors!"

While they were talking, there was a great clamor and shouting in midair. Alarmed, they all came out to look, and it was the two Monkey Kings fighting their way toward them. Bajie saw them and could not restrain his itching hands. "Let me go and see if I can tell them apart!" The fool hastily leaped into the air and shouted at the top of his voice, "Brothers, stop shouting! Old Zhu is here!" The two replied together, "Brother, come and beat the demon! Come and beat the demon!" The household was both startled and delighted. "So it is several luohan who ride the clouds and mist staying in our home! Even if we had made a vow to give alms to monks, we could never have fed such worthy men." They no longer counted the cost of tea and rice but provided even more generously. They also said, "I fear these two Monkey Kings may fight until the world is overturned and bring disaster upon us!" Sanzang saw that the old man's face showed joy on the surface but worry behind it, and he spoke: "Good patron, set your mind at rest and do not sigh with anxiety. Once this poor monk has subdued his disciple and turned him from evil to good, I will surely repay you." The old man answered readily, "I dare not, I dare not." Shaseng said, "Patron, say no more. Master, you sit here and wait. Let Second Brother and I go—we will each grab one and bring them before you. Then you recite that spell and see which one cries out in pain. The one who hurts is the real one; the one who doesn't is the false one." Sanzang said, "Most excellent advice."

Sha Seng then rose into the air and said, "You two, stop your hands! I'll take you both to our master so that he may judge which is true and which is false." The Great Sage released his grip, and the other pilgrim did likewise. Sha Seng held fast to one of them and called out, "Second Brother, hold the other one too!" He did indeed hold fast to the other, and the two descended on their clouds straight to the door of the thatched hut. When Tripitaka saw them, he began to recite the Tightening Crown spell. Both cried out in anguish, "We've been fighting so bitterly—why are you cursing us? Stop! Stop!" The elder monk was by nature compassionate, so he ceased reciting, but he still could not tell which was the true and which the false. The two broke free and began fighting once more. The Great Sage said, "Brothers, protect our master. I'll fight this fellow all the way to the King of Hell for a judgment." The other pilgrim said the same. The two of them grappled and struggled, and in an instant they had vanished.

Zhu Bajie said, "Sha Seng, since you went to the Water-Curtain Cave and saw the false Bajie carrying our luggage, why didn't you seize it?" Sha Seng replied, "When the monster saw me strike the false Sha Seng with his precious staff, they all swarmed around trying to capture me. I had to flee for my life. Later I reported to the Bodhisattva, and when I returned to the cave with the pilgrim, the two of them were fighting in the air. I went and overturned his stone bench and scattered his little demons. All I saw was a rushing waterfall—I couldn't find where the cave entrance was, and I couldn't locate the luggage, so I returned empty-handed to report to our master." Zhu Bajie said, "You really don't know. When I invited him last year, we first met outside the cave entrance. Later, when I had talked him out of it, he jumped down and went into the cave to change his clothes. When he came back, I saw him dive straight into the water. That waterfall is the cave entrance. The monster must have stored our bundles inside." Tripitaka said, "Since you know where the entrance is, while both of them are away, you can go to the cave first and retrieve our bundles. Then we'll head west to the Buddha-land. Even if he comes back, I won't need him anymore." Zhu Bajie said, "I'll go." Sha Seng said, "Second Brother, there are a thousand little monkeys in front of that cave. You might not be able to handle them alone, and that would be unfortunate." Zhu Bajie laughed and said, "No fear! No fear!" He hurried out the door, mounted the clouds and mists, and made straight for Flower-Fruit Mountain to retrieve the luggage—but no more of that.

Now the two pilgrims fought and shouted their way to the back of the Dark Mountain, terrifying all the mountain spirits so that they trembled and hid in fright. Those who had fled first rushed through the gates of the Underworld and reported to the Hall of the Imperial Court of the Underworld: "Your Majesty, two Great Sages Equal to Heaven are fighting their way toward us from the back of the Dark Mountain!" This threw King Qin-Guang of the First Court into such a panic that he sent word to King Chu-Jiang of the Second Court, King Song-Di of the Third Court, King Bian-Cheng of the Fourth Court, King Yan-Luo of the Fifth Court, King Ping-Deng of the Sixth Court, King Tai-Shan of the Seventh Court, King Du-Shi of the Eighth Court, King Wu-Guan of the Ninth Court, and King Zhuan-Lun of the Tenth Court: one court relayed the message to the next, and in an instant the Ten Kings had assembled. They also sent word flying to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. All gathered in the Hall of the Imperial Court and assembled the ghost soldiers to capture the true and false pilgrims. Then a fierce wind rolled in and a gloomy fog spread thick as the two pilgrims tumbled and fought their way to the foot of the Hall of the Imperial Court.

The Lords of the Underworld stepped forward and blocked their path. "Great Sage, what business brings you to disturb our Dark Realm?" The Great Sage said, "I was protecting Tripitaka on his journey to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures. When we passed through the Kingdom of Western Liang and came to a mountain, bandits ambushed our master. I killed several of them, but our master blamed me and drove me away. I went to the Bodhisattva in the South Sea to complain, but I don't know how that monster caught my breath and transformed himself into my likeness. He struck down our master on the road and stole our luggage. My brother Sha Seng went to my home mountain to demand our bundles back, but this monster falsely assumed our master's name and set out to fetch scriptures in the Western Heaven. Sha Seng fled to the South Sea to see the Bodhisattva, and I was there at the time. He explained everything, and the Bodhisattva ordered me to go with him to Flower-Fruit Mountain to see for myself. Sure enough, this wretch had seized my lair. I argued with him before the Bodhisattva, but in truth our appearances, speech, and everything else were identical—even the Bodhisattva could not tell us apart. Then I fought this fellow all the way up to Heaven, and the gods truly could not distinguish us either. When we appeared before our master, he tried the Tightening Crown spell, and we both felt the same pain. That is why I have come to the Underworld. I ask the Lords of the Dark Realm to check the Books of Life and Death for me and see what this false pilgrim's origin is. Quickly seize his soul so that this two-hearted confusion may be ended." The monster repeated the same story word for word. The Lords of the Underworld, upon hearing this, summoned the judges in charge of the registers and had them search from beginning to end, but there was no name of a false pilgrim to be found. They then checked the register of furry creatures: the monkey had one hundred and thirty entries, but these had been struck out in a single stroke when the Great Sage of Equal Heaven, in his youth after attaining the Way, had caused havoc in the Underworld and erased the names of the dead. From that time onward, all monkey-kind had no names recorded in the registers. When the search was complete, they reported back to the court. The Lords of the Underworld each held their tablets of office and said to the pilgrim, "Great Sage, since there are no names to be found in the Underworld, you must go back to the world of the living to settle this dispute."

The Buddha had just begun to speak when he heard the Bodhisattva Dizang Wang say, "Wait, wait! I shall set Diting to listen and determine the true and false for you." Now this Diting was a beast that crouched beneath the Dizang Bodhisattva's sutra table. If it crouched upon the ground, in an instant it could survey the four great continents, the mountains and rivers, the altars of earth and grain, the cavern heavens and blessed lands—the creatures with bare skin, the creatures with scales, the creatures with fur, the creatures with feathers, the insects, the celestial immortals, the earthly immortals, the divine immortals, the human immortals, and the ghostly immortals—illuminating good and evil, discerning the worthy and the foolish. The beast received Dizang's sacred command and crouched down in the courtyard of the Hall of Judgment. In a moment it raised its head and said to Dizang, "Though I know the monster's name, it cannot be revealed to his face, nor can I help you seize him." Dizang asked, "What would happen if we revealed it to his face?" Diting replied, "If we revealed it to his face, I fear the demon would fly into a rage and wreak havoc in the precious hall, throwing the underworld into turmoil." Dizang asked again, "Why can you not help to seize him?" Diting said, "The demon's magical powers are no different from those of the Great Sage. How much divine power do the spirits of the underworld possess? Therefore we cannot seize him." Dizang said, "If that is so, how can we rid ourselves of this creature?" Diting said, "The Buddha's Law has no bounds." Dizang immediately understood and said to the Pilgrim, "You two are identical in appearance and equal in divine power. To distinguish between you, you must go to Vulture Peak, the Thunder Monastery of Shakyamuni Tathagata, where only the truth can be made clear." Both cried out together, "That's right, that's right! Let us go before the Buddha of the Western Heaven to be judged." The Ten Lords of the Underworld escorted them out, thanked Dizang, and returned to the Emerald Cloud Palace, where the ghostly officials sealed the passes of the underworld. We shall speak no more of this.

Watch the two Pilgrims racing through clouds and mist, striking toward the Western Heaven. There is a poem that bears witness. The poem says:

When a man gives rise to two minds, disaster follows;

To the ends of the earth, suspicion and doubt are sown.

He longs for the noble steed and the rank of Three Dukes,

Then recalls the golden palace and the post of First Grade Lord.

Campaigning south and north without rest,

Resisting east and west, never at peace.

The gate of Chan must learn the gateless method:

Nurture the infant in stillness, and the sacred embryo is formed.

The two of them pulled and tugged at each other in midair, scratching and grappling, fighting as they traveled, shouting all the way until they reached the Thunder Monastery of the Great Western Heaven, the immortal mountain of Vulture Peak. They saw the Four Great Bodhisattvas, the Eight Diamond Guardians, the Five Hundred Arhats, the Three Thousand Jieditas, the bhikshunis, the bhikshus, the upasakas, and the upasikas—all the great holy multitudes—gathered beneath the jeweled lotus platform, listening in purity as the Tathagata expounded the Dharma. The Tathagata was just lecturing on this:

"Not possessing within possessing, not lacking within lacking.

Not form within form, not emptiness within emptiness.

Non-being taken as being, non-lacking taken as lacking.

Non-form taken as form, non-emptiness taken as emptiness.

Emptiness is precisely emptiness; form is precisely form.

Form has no fixed form; form is precisely emptiness.

Emptiness has no fixed emptiness; emptiness is precisely form.

To know that emptiness is not emptiness,

To know that form is not form—

This is called illumination, and only then is the wondrous sound attained."

The multitude bowed their heads in submission and began to recite and circulate the sutra when the Tathagata caused celestial flowers to rain down in profusion. He left his throne and said to the great assembly, "You all possess a single mind. Look now as two minds come competing in combat!" The multitude raised their eyes and saw that it was indeed two Pilgrims, shouting to heaven and earth as they fought their way into the sacred realm of the Thunder Monastery. The Eight Diamond Guardians were alarmed and stepped forward to block them, saying, "Where do you think you are going?" The Great Sage said, "A demon has taken my shape and intends to go beneath the precious lotus platform. I beseech the Tathagata to distinguish the false from the true for me." The Diamond Guardians could not withstand them, and the two shouted their way to the platform, where they knelt before the Buddha and reported, "Your disciple has been protecting Tang Sanzang, coming to this precious mountain to seek the true scriptures. Along the way we have subdued demons and bound monsters, expending untold effort. Midway we encountered bandits who robbed us, and your disciple killed several of them a second time. Our master blamed me and drove me away, refusing to let me pay homage to the golden body of the Tathagata. Your disciple had no choice but to flee to the South Sea and pour out his grievance to Guanyin. Unexpectedly, this demon took on your disciple's voice and appearance, struck down our master, and carried off the baggage. Our brother Wujing came to my mountain and was deceived by this demon's clever lies, who spoke of a true monk seeking the scriptures. Wujing escaped to the South Sea and related every detail. Guanyin understood and ordered your disciple to return to my mountain with Wujing. Therefore the two of us have been fighting over true and false, battling to the South Sea, then to the Heavenly Palace, then before the Tang Monk, then before the underworld court—none could tell us apart. Thus we have dared to come here in presumption, earnestly begging you to open wide the gate of expediency and extend your great compassion, that you may distinguish the wicked from the righteous for your disciple, so that he may protect Tang Sanzang to pay homage to the golden body in person, bring the scriptures back to the Eastern Land, and spread the Great Teaching forever." The multitude listened as both opened their mouths with the same voice, each saying the same words, and none could tell them apart. Only the Tathagata, who knew all, was about to reveal the truth when suddenly, amid the colored clouds to the south, Guanyin arrived to pay homage to the Buddha.

The Buddha clasped his palms and said, "Guanyin, you who are endowed with spiritual power, look at these two Pilgrims—which is the true one and which is the false?"

The Bodhisattva said, "In my desolate territory the other day, I truly could not tell them apart. He also went to the Celestial Palace and the Underworld, and there too they could not distinguish them. I have come especially to bow before the Tathāgata and beg you to distinguish them clearly, clearly."

The Tathāgata smiled and said, "Though your dharma power is vast, you can only survey all affairs throughout the heavens, but you cannot know all things throughout the heavens, nor can you fully comprehend all species throughout the heavens."

The Bodhisattva again asked to be shown the species of the heavens. Only then did the Tathāgata say: "Within the heavens there are five kinds of immortals: celestial, terrestrial, divine, human, and ghostly. There are five kinds of creatures: shelled, scaled, furred, feathered, and chitinous. This creature is neither celestial, terrestrial, divine, human, nor ghostly; neither is it shelled, scaled, furred, feathered, nor chitinous. There are also four kinds of monkeys who mingle with the world, not falling within the ten categories of species."

The Bodhisattva said, "May I ask what these four kinds of monkeys are?"

The Tathāgata said: "The first is the Stone Monkey of Spiritual Clarity, who masters transformations, understands the seasons of heaven, knows the advantages of earth, and can shift the stars and move the Dipper. The second is the Red-Rumped Horse Monkey, who comprehends yin and yang, understands human affairs, is skilled at entering and exiting, and can avoid death and prolong life. The third is the Long-Armed Gibbon, who can seize the sun and moon, shrink a thousand mountains, discern fortune and misfortune, and play with the powers of heaven and earth. The fourth is the Six-Eared Macaque, who is skilled at listening to sounds, can examine principles, knows past and future, and is enlightened about all things. These four kinds of monkeys do not fall within the ten categories of species, and their names are not registered in either realm. I observe that the false Wukong is none other than the Six-Eared Macaque. If this monkey stands in one place, he can know events a thousand miles away; he can even understand what ordinary people say. Therefore he is skilled at listening to sounds, can examine principles, knows past and future, and is enlightened about all things. The one who looks and sounds exactly like the true Wukong is the Six-Eared Macaque."

When the macaque heard the Tathāgata reveal his true form, his courage failed and his heart trembled. He hastily leaped up and tried to flee. The Tathāgata, seeing him attempt to escape, immediately ordered the assembly to act. At once the four Bodhisattvas, the eight Vajra Guardians, the five hundred arhats, the three thousand guardian spirits, the monks, the nuns, the laymen, the laywomen, Guanyin, and Muzha all surrounded him. The Great Sage Sun also wished to advance, but the Tathāgata said, "Wukong, do not act. Wait for me to capture him for you." The macaque's hair stood on end and his bones turned to ice; he knew he could hardly escape. He quickly shook his body and transformed into a bee, flying straight upward. The Tathāgata tossed his golden alms bowl into the air, and it came down covering the bee exactly. The assembly did not know what had happened and thought the creature had escaped. The Tathāgata smiled and said, "Do not speak, all of you. The demon has not escaped—he is under my alms bowl." The crowd surged forward and lifted the bowl, and indeed they saw his true form: a Six-Eared Macaque. The Great Sage Sun could not restrain himself; he swung his iron rod and struck him dead with one blow to the head. From that day, this species was extinguished.

The Tathāgata could not bear it and said: "Good! Good!"

The Great Sage said, "Tathāgata, you should not have shown him mercy. He struck and injured my master and stole our baggage. By law, for seizing wealth and injuring a person, for robbery in broad daylight, he deserved the death penalty."

The Tathāgata said, "You go quickly and protect Tang Sengzong to come here and seek the scriptures."

The Great Sage kowtowed and said: "I report to the Tathāgata: that master will certainly not want me. If I go and he will not take me back, will that not cause further trouble? I beg the Tathāgata to be so kind as to recite the Tightening-Crown Incantation, remove this golden band, return it to the Tathāgata, and let me return to lay life."

The Tathāgata said: "Do not think such wild thoughts, and on no account be difficult. I will have Guanyin escort you, and you need not fear that he will not take you back. Protect him well on the journey, and when your merit is accomplished and you return to the Ultimate Bliss, you too shall sit upon the lotus throne."

Guanyin, who had been listening nearby, pressed her palms together, thanked the holy grace, took Wukong, and departed at once by cloud. Soon after, the pilgrim Muzha and the white parrot caught up with them. Before long, they arrived at the thatched cottage of the household on the way. Sha Wujing saw them and hastily asked his master to come to the gate and bow in welcome.

The Bodhisattva said: "Tang Seng, the one who struck you the other day was the false Pilgrim, the Six-Eared Macaque. Fortunately the Tathāgata recognized the monster, and he has already been killed by Wukong. You must now take Wukong back. Along the way, demonic obstacles have not yet been cleared; you must have his protection to reach the Vulture Peak and see the Buddha to obtain the scriptures. Do not be angry with him any longer."

Sanzang kowtowed and said: "I respectfully obey your sacred instruction."

As they were bowing in thanks, they heard a howling wind from the east, and Zhu Bajie came riding the wind, carrying two bundles on his back. The idiot saw the Bodhisattva and prostrated himself, saying: "Your disciple parted from the master the other day and went to the Flower-Fruit Mountain and the Water-Curtain Cave to retrieve the baggage. I indeed found a false Tang Seng and a false Bajie, both of whom I killed—they turned out to be two monkey bodies. I then went inside and found the baggage. I checked it at the time, and not a single item was missing. I then rode the wind here. I still do not know what became of the two Pilgrims."

The Bodhisattva told him everything about how the Tathāgata had recognized the monster. The idiot was overjoyed and thanked her profusely. The master and disciples bowed in thanks, and the Bodhisattva returned to the sea. They all now worked together with renewed harmony, washing away old grievances and dissolving anger. They also thanked the household of the cottage, packed their baggage and readied their horse, and set out on the main road to the west. Truly:

Midway they parted, disrupting the Five Elements;

Subduing demons, they reunited, joining primal clarity.

The spirit returned to its abode, and meditation was settled;

The six senses were subdued, and the elixir formed of itself.

As for what happened next, I do not know when Sanzang would get to face the Buddha and seek the scriptures. Let us hear it told in the next chapter.