A poem says:
In this world, one must keep the blade of patience within the heart;
In self-cultivation, always remember the inch of restraint.
Ever let the thought of the blade serve as a guiding principle,
But always think thrice before acting, guarding against anger and deceit.
The highest sage contends with none, a truth passed down from ancient times;
The sage embraces virtue, carrying on the legacy of his age.
For every show of strength, there is one even stronger,
And in the end, all becomes emptiness and nothingness.
It is said that the Great Immortal Zhenyuan took the Pilgrim by the hand and said, "I am well aware of your abilities, and I have heard of your fame. But this time, you have overstepped your bounds and betrayed your true heart. Even if you possessed heaven-defying skills, you could not escape my grasp. Even if I were to pursue you to the Western Heaven and see your Buddha, you would still have to return my Ginseng Fruit Tree to me. Cease your tricks now!"
The Pilgrim laughed and said, "Master, you are far too petty! If you wanted the tree revived, what is so difficult about that? Had you said this earlier, wouldn't we have saved ourselves a great deal of conflict?"
The Great Immortal said, "Without conflict, how would I have easily let you off!"
The Pilgrim said, "Release my master, and I will return to you a living tree. How about that?"
The Great Immortal said, "If you truly have this skill and can heal the tree, I will swear an oath of brotherhood with you, becoming your sworn brother."
The Pilgrim said, "That is nothing difficult. Release them, and Old Sun guarantees you a living tree."
The Great Immortal, knowing the Pilgrim could not escape, immediately ordered the release of Sanzang, Bajie, and Sha Seng . Sha Seng said, "Master, I wonder what trick the senior brother is playing."
Bajie said, "What trick! This is nothing but a ' face-saving trick '! The tree is dead, can it be healed? He is just putting on a show, pretending to go seek a cure, but in truth, he means to slip away on his own, not caring a whit for you or me!"
Sanzang said, "He would never dare abandon us. Let us ask him where he intends to seek a remedy." He then called out, "Wukong, how did you deceive the Immortal into releasing us?"
The Pilgrim said, "Old Sun spoke from the heart, how could I deceive him?"
Sanzang said, "Where are you going to seek a medicinal formula?"
The Pilgrim said, "As the ancients said, 'The formula is sought from across the sea.' I am now going to the Eastern Ocean , to travel across the Three Islands and Ten Continents , to visit the Immortal Elders and Sages , and seek a method to revive the dead. I guarantee I will heal his tree."
Sanzang said, "How long will this journey take you to return?"
The Pilgrim said, "Only three days."
Sanzang said, "If that is the case, I will go along with your words. I give you a three-day limit. If you return within three days, all is well. But if you do not return after three days, I will recite the Tight-Band Spell ."
The Pilgrim said, "As you command, as you command."
Behold how he quickly straightened his tiger-skin kilt, went out the door, and said to the Great Immortal, "Master, set your mind at ease. I will go and return shortly. You must treat my master well, with three teas and six meals every day, not one item missing. If anything is lacking, Old Sun will come back and settle accounts with you, starting by smashing the bottom of your cooking pot! If my master's clothes become dirty, you must wash them for him. If his face turns sallow, I will not stand for it; if he loses even a little weight, I will not accept it."
The Great Immortal said, " Go , go. I will certainly not let him go hungry."
Good Monkey King! He swiftly mounted his Somersault Cloud , bid farewell to Five-Village Temple, and flew straight towards the Eastern Ocean. In mid-air, he was as fast as lightning, as swift as a shooting star, and soon arrived at the Penglai Immortal Realm . He pressed down his cloud and looked carefully. Truly, it was a wonderful place! As a poem testifies:
This land of immortals, a gathering of sages,
Penglai itself commands the surging waves.
The jade terrace's shadow touches the cold heart of heaven,
The great palace's light floats high above the sea.
Five-colored mists and clouds hold jade-like sounds,
The stars and moon of the nine heavens shine upon the golden turtle.
The Queen Mother of the West often comes here,
Offering peaches to the Three Immortals several times.
The Pilgrim could not finish admiring this immortal scenery and walked straight into Penglai. As he walked, he saw three old men playing Go under the shade of a pine tree, outside the White Cloud Cave . The one watching the game was the Star of Longevity , and the players were the Star of Fortune and the Star of Rank . The Pilgrim went up and called out, "Younger brothers, I salute you."
When the Three Stars saw him, they pushed aside the Go board and returned the greeting, saying, "Great Sage, what brings you here?"
The Pilgrim said, "I have come specifically to chat with you."
The Star of Longevity said, "I heard that the Great Sage abandoned the Dao for the Buddhist faith , escorting the Tang Monk to the West to fetch scriptures. You must be busy traveling on mountain paths every day; when do you have the leisure to chat?"
The Pilgrim said, "To tell you the truth, Old Sun was on his way west when he encountered some trouble halfway. I have come specifically to ask you for a small favor. I wonder if you would be willing?"
The Star of Fortune said, "Which place is it? What trouble did you encounter? Please speak plainly, and we will figure out a way."
The Pilgrim said, "It is because we passed through the Five-Village Temple on Long Life Mountain and ran into an obstacle."
The Three Elders exclaimed in surprise, "The Five-Village Temple is the Immortal Palace of the Great Immortal Zhenyuan. You didn't steal and eat his Ginseng Fruits, did you?"
The Pilgrim laughed and said, "So what if I did?"
The Three Elders said, "You monkey, you truly do not know what is good for you! Just smelling that fruit can extend one's life by three hundred and sixty years; eating one can extend life by forty-seven thousand years. It is called the ' Ten-Thousand-Year Grass-Returning Elixir .' Our cultivation is far inferior to his! He obtained this fruit with ease and can live as long as heaven; we have to nourish our essence, refine our breath, preserve our spirit, harmonize the Dragon and Tiger, and capture Kan and fill Li , spending who knows how much effort. How can you say it is worthless? This is the only spiritual root in all the world!"
The Pilgrim said, "Spiritual root! Spiritual root! I have already broken its root!"
The Three Elders exclaimed in alarm, "How did you break its root?"
The Pilgrim said, "A few days ago, we were at his temple. The Great Immortal was not at home, and only two young acolytes received my master. They offered two Ginseng Fruits to my master, but he did not recognize them and said they looked like newborn infants less than three days old, and absolutely refused to eat them. So the acolytes ate them themselves and did not offer any to us. So Old Sun went and stole three of them, sharing them with my two junior brothers. Those acolytes, not knowing their place, cursed us endlessly to our faces. Old Sun grew angry, took his staff, and struck the tree once, knocking it to the ground. All the fruits on the tree vanished, its buds opened, its leaves fell, its roots were exposed, its branches were broken, and it had withered to death. I never expected those acolytes to lock us up, but Old Sun twisted the lock off and escaped. The next morning, the master returned and pursued us. Our words did not agree, and we started fighting. He dodged, spread his sleeve, and scooped us all up in one motion. He tied us up with ropes, interrogated us, and whipped us for an entire day. That night we escaped again, but he caught up and scooped us up once more. He held no weapon in his hand, only using a whisk to defend himself. We three brothers held our weapons but could not touch him at all. This time he caught us again, wrapped us in cloth coated with lacquer, tied up my master and my two junior brothers, and was about to throw me into a cauldron of boiling oil. I used an escape spell to get away and also broke his cauldron. Seeing he could not catch me, he became a little afraid of me. So I negotiated with him properly, asking him to release my master and junior brothers, and I would help him heal the tree, so both sides could have peace. I remembered that 'the formula is sought from across the sea,' so I came specifically to the Immortal Realm to visit you three younger brothers. Do you have a formula to heal trees? Pass one on to me, so I can quickly rescue Tang Sanzang from his ordeal."
When the Three Stars heard this, they became worried and said, "You monkey, you truly do not understand people at all! That Zhenyuanzi is the Ancestor of Earth Immortals, while we are the Ancestors of the Spirits. Although you have attained the rank of Heaven Immortal, you are still of the Great Unity Scattered Immortals, not yet entered the true current. How could you escape his grasp? If the Great Sage had killed flying birds, beasts, or fish, I could use my millet-sized elixir to revive them. But that Ginseng Fruit is the root of an immortal tree. How can it be healed? No formula, no formula."
When the Pilgrim heard there was no formula, his brow immediately furrowed, and wrinkles appeared on his forehead. The Star of Fortune said, "Great Sage, there is no formula here, but there might be elsewhere. Why are you so troubled already?"
The Pilgrim said, "If there is no formula here, I will go look elsewhere. That is easy enough. Even if I have to travel to the ends of the earth, or walk through all the Thirty-Six Heavens, it is nothing. But my master, the Tang Elder, is strict in his rules and narrow in his tolerance. He only gave me a three-day deadline. If I do not return after three days, he will recite the Tight-Band Spell."
The Three Stars laughed and said, "Good! Good! Good! If it were not for this method of restraint, you would be up in heaven and down in earth, causing mischief again."
The Star of Longevity said, "Great Sage, set your mind at ease. Do not worry. Although that Great Immortal is of a higher generation, he is still acquainted with us. Firstly, it has been a long time since we last saw him and we have not visited him; secondly, it is also for the sake of your face. Now, the three of us will go together to see him and explain the situation, so that the Tang Monk will not recite the Tight-Band Spell. Do not worry about three days or five days. When you have obtained the formula and returned, we will leave."
The Pilgrim said, "I am grateful! I am grateful! Please, you three younger brothers, make the trip. I will go on ahead." The Great Sage took his leave of the Three Stars, and we will say no more of him for now.
It is said that the Three Stars mounted their auspicious clouds and went straight to the Five-Village Temple. The people in the temple suddenly heard the call of immortal cranes in the sky, and it was the three old immortals arriving. Behold the scene:
The sky was filled with clusters of auspicious light, and the clouds were thick with fragrant scents.
A thousand strands of colored mist guarded their feathered robes, and a single light cloud supported their immortal feet.
Green luan birds flew, and crimson phoenixes danced, their sleeves drawing forth fragrant winds that covered the ground.
Staffs hung with dragon heads, their faces beaming with joy; white beards hung like jade, brushing against their chests.
Their youthful faces were joyful and without worry; their strong bodies were majestic and full of fortune.
They held astral abacus beads, adding to the sea house; they carried gourds and precious talismans at their waists.
For ten thousand ages and a thousand years, their fortune and longevity were long; they lodged at will on the Ten Continents and Three Islands.
They often came to the world to bring a thousand blessings, and always went among men to increase a hundred fortunes.
Throughout the universe, fortune, rank, and longevity were boundless, and now they rejoiced in gaining them.
The Three Elders rode their auspicious clouds to visit the Great Immortal; the Hall of Fortune was filled with boundless harmony.
When the immortal acolytes saw them, they quickly reported, "Master, the Three Stars from the sea have arrived." Zhenyuanzi was just chatting with Tang Sanzang and his disciples. Hearing the report, he immediately descended the steps to welcome them. When Bajie saw the Star of Longevity, he went up, grabbed him, and laughed, saying, "You old meat-head, I haven't seen you for a long time, and you are still so carefree, not even wearing a hat." As he spoke, he took off his own monk's hat and, with a "pop," put it on the Star of Longevity's head, clapping his hands and laughing loudly, "Good! Good! Good! This is truly 'adding a crown and advancing in rank'!"
The Star of Longevity threw the hat away and cursed, "You blockhead! You really don't know your place!"
Bajie said, "I am no blockhead; you are the servants!"
The Star of Fortune said, "You are the blockhead, and you still dare to call others servants!"
Bajie laughed again and said, "If you are not someone's servants, then why are you called 'adding longevity,' 'adding fortune,' and 'adding rank'?"
Sanzang scolded Bajie away, quickly straightened his clothes, and bowed to the Three Stars. The Three Stars, using the etiquette of a younger generation, greeted the Great Immortal before sitting down to talk. After they were seated, the Star of Rank said, "We have not seen your face for a very long time, and it has been a breach of etiquette. Today, because the Great Sage Sun has disturbed your immortal mountain, we have come specifically to see you."
The Great Immortal said, "Has Sun the Pilgrim gone to Penglai?"
The Star of Longevity said, "Yes. Because he damaged your immortal tree, he came to our place to seek a formula to heal it. We have no formula, so he has gone to other places to seek one. But we were afraid he would miss the holy monk's three-day deadline, and the holy monk would recite the Tight-Band Spell. We have come, firstly, to pay our respects to you, and secondly, to ask you to extend the deadline by a few days."
When Sanzang heard this, he quickly responded, "I dare not recite it, I dare not recite it."
As they were speaking, Bajie ran back in again, grabbed the Star of Fortune, and demanded some fruit to eat. He even fumbled around in the Star of Fortune's sleeves, rummaged at his waist, and kept lifting his clothes to search him. Sanzang laughed and said, "Bajie, what kind of manners are these!"
Bajie said, "It is not a lack of manners; this is called 'turning over for fortune'."
Sanzang again ordered him out. That blockhead, after leaving the door, stared at the Star of Fortune with a fierce look, not blinking. The Star of Fortune said, "Blockhead! What have I done to offend you, that you hate me so?"
Bajie said, "It is not hatred; this is called 'looking back for fortune'."
That blockhead walked out of the hall and saw a young acolyte holding four teaspoons, about to look for teacups, fetch fruit, and brew tea. He snatched the teaspoons away, ran back into the hall, picked up a small gong, and began to strike it wildly, playing with both ends. The Great Immortal said, "This monk is becoming more and more disrespectful!"
Bajie laughed and said, "It is not disrespect; this is called 'prosperity in all four seasons'."
For now, we will say no more of Bajie's foolish antics. Let us return to the Pilgrim, who, riding his auspicious cloud, left Penglai and soon arrived at Fangzhang Immortal Mountain. This mountain was truly a wonderful place, as a poem testifies:
Fangzhang, lofty and majestic, is another heaven;
The Taiyuan Palace and Mansion gather immortals.
The purple terrace's light shines on the path of the Three Pure Ones,
Flowers and trees' fragrance floats in five-colored smoke.
Golden phoenixes naturally abound around the pistil palace,
Who forces the jade paste to irrigate the fields of magic fungus?
Green peaches and purple plums are newly ripe,
Again exchanging the immortal's trust for ten thousand years.
The Pilgrim pressed down his cloud, having no heart to admire the scenery. As he walked, he only smelled fragrant winds and heard the calls of dark cranes. An immortal was approaching from that direction. Behold that immortal:
The sky was filled with ten thousand streaks of rosy clouds, and colored mists drifted endlessly.
Crimson phoenixes carrying flowers were even more vivid, and green luan birds flew with delicate cries.
His fortune was as vast as the Eastern Sea, his longevity as firm as a mountain; his appearance was like a young boy, his body healthy.
In his gourd he hid the ageless elixir of the Cave Heaven; at his waist hung the talisman of eternal life, as enduring as the sun.
He had descended auspicious signs to the mortal world many times, and several times in the world he had dispelled calamities and fulfilled vows.
Emperor Wu of Han once summoned him to increase his lifespan, and he always attended the Peach Banquet at the Jasper Pool.
He taught sentient beings to escape worldly ties, and pointed out the Great Way, as bright as lightning.
He had also crossed the sea to offer congratulations for a thousand autumns, and often went to the Spirit Mountain to see the Buddha's face.
His holy title is Lord Donghua the Great, the first immortal companion of the misty clouds.
Sun the Pilgrim went forward to meet him and called out, "Lord Emperor, I salute you."
That Lord Emperor quickly returned the greeting, saying, "Great Sage, I have failed to welcome you. Please come to my dwelling for a cup of tea." As he spoke, he took the Pilgrim by the hand and led him into his dwelling. Inside, there were truly endless shell palaces and pearl halls, jade pools and jasper pavilions. Just as they sat down to wait for tea, they saw a young boy emerge from behind an emerald screen. The boy's attire was like this:
He wore a Daoist robe that shimmered with rosy clouds, and a silk sash at his waist shone with scattered light.
On his head he wore a turban patterned with the Big Dipper stars; on his feet he wore straw sandals for roaming the immortal mountains.
He refined the primordial truth, casting off his original shell; when his merit was complete, he found joy and ease.
He recognized the original source of essence, breath, and spirit; he knew his master without any mistake.
Fleeing fame, he now rejoiced in boundless longevity; the cycle of the sixty-year calendar could not bind him.
He circled the corridors, ascended the precious pavilions, and had touched the heavenly peaches three times.
Ethereal, fragrant clouds emerged from the emerald screen; this lesser immortal was Dongfang Shuo.
When the Pilgrim saw him, he laughed and said, "So this little thief is here! The Lord Emperor's place has no peaches for you to steal!"
Dongfang Shuo stepped forward and bowed, replying, "Old thief, what are you doing here? My master's place has no immortal elixir for you to steal."
The Lord Emperor called out, "Manqian, do not speak nonsense. Quickly pour the tea." Manqian was Dongfang Shuo's Daoist name. He hurried inside and brought out two cups of tea. After both had finished their tea, the Pilgrim said, "Old Sun has come this time to ask a favor of you. I wonder if you will agree?"
The Lord Emperor said, "What is it? Speak freely."
The Pilgrim said, "Recently, while escorting Tang Sanzang on his westward journey, we passed through the Five-Village Temple on Long Life Mountain. Because the young acolytes there were rude, I lost my temper for a moment and knocked over his Ginseng Fruit Tree. This has delayed Tang Sanzang's journey, and I cannot free myself. I have come specifically to you to beg for a formula to heal it. I sincerely hope you will be generous and help."
The Lord Emperor said, "You monkey, you are reckless and cause trouble everywhere. That Zhenyuanzi of Five-Village Temple, whose holy title is 'Coeval with the World,' is the Ancestor of Earth Immortals. How dare you offend him? His Ginseng Fruit Tree is the Grass-Returning Elixir. Stealing and eating it was already a crime; and then you knocked the tree down! How could he let it go?"
The Pilgrim said, "Exactly! After we escaped, he caught up with us and scooped us all up in his sleeve like a handkerchief. That is how things became so tense. With no other choice, I had to promise him I would seek a formula to heal it. That is why I have come to pay my respects and beg your help."
The Lord Emperor said, "I have one pill of the 'Nine-Turn Great Unity Elixir,' which can only cure living beings of the mortal world, but cannot heal a tree. Trees rely on water and soil for nourishment, and the moisture of heaven and earth. If it were an ordinary fruit tree, it might be curable. But this Long Life Mountain is a primordial blessed land, and Five-Village Temple is a cave heaven in the Western Continent of Cattle-Gift. Moreover, the Ginseng Fruit is a spiritual root that has existed since the separation of heaven and earth. How can it be healed! No formula, no formula!"
The Pilgrim said, "Since there is no formula, Old Sun will take his leave."
The Lord Emperor still wanted to keep him for a cup of jade liquor, but the Pilgrim said, "Urgent matters press; I dare not linger." Having said this, he mounted his cloud and flew off again towards Yingzhou Island. This Yingzhou Island was also a wonderful place, as a poem testifies:
Pearl trees, delicate and bright, shine against purple smoke;
The palaces of Yingzhou connect to all the heavens.
Green mountains and blue waters, rare flowers are gorgeous;
Jade liquor and Kunwu iron are as hard as stone.
Five-colored green cocks crow at the sea sunrise;
Thousand-year-old crimson phoenixes inhale vermilion smoke.
Mortals cannot fathom the scenery within the gourd;
The spring scenery beyond the form lasts for a hundred million years.
When the Great Sage arrived at Yingzhou, he saw, beneath a cinnabar cliff and pearl trees, several old men with snow-white hair and thick beards, as well as immortals with ruddy faces and crane feathers tucked into their temples. They were playing Go, drinking wine, laughing, talking, and singing. The scene was truly enviable: auspicious clouds filled the air, and auspicious mists floated with fragrance. Colored luan birds sang at the cave mouth, and dark cranes danced on the mountain peaks. Green lotus and icy peaches served as appetizers for wine; cross-fruit and fire-dates ensured a thousand autumns of life. Each of them had no imperial summons, but their names were registered among the immortals; they wandered freely and carefree, living in leisurely seclusion. The cycles of heaven were hard to bind them; in the great universe of heaven and earth, they were free. Dark apes, offering fruit, followed in pairs with great affection; white deer, holding flowers in their mouths, bowed in pairs with deep devotion.
These elders were enjoying themselves to the fullest when the Great Sage raised his voice and called out, "How about letting me join in the fun!" When the immortals saw him, they quickly rose to welcome him. As a poem testifies:
The spiritual root of the Ginseng Fruit Tree was broken,
The Great Sage visited immortals to seek a wonderful secret.
Wreathed in cinnabar clouds emerging from the precious forest,
The Nine Elders of Yingzhou came to greet him.
The Pilgrim laughed and said, "Old brothers, you are living quite comfortably!"
The Nine Elders said, "If the Great Sage had been more content in those days and not caused an uproar in Heaven, you would be even more carefree than us now. It is good now; we heard you have returned to the orthodox Buddhist faith and are escorting Tang Sanzang to the Western Heaven to worship the Buddha. How do you have the leisure to come here?"
The Pilgrim told them the whole story of seeking a formula to heal the tree, from beginning to end. The Nine Elders were also greatly alarmed and said, "You really know how to cause trouble! You have caused trouble! We truly have no formula."
The Pilgrim said, "Since there is no formula, I will take my leave."
The Nine Elders again tried to keep him for some jade nectar and green lotus, but the Pilgrim firmly refused to sit down. He stood and drank one cup of nectar and ate one piece of lotus, then hastily left Yingzhou and flew straight back to the Eastern Ocean. Soon he saw Mount Luojia not far away. He pressed down his cloud and flew directly to the Potalaka Cliff. He saw the Bodhisattva Guanyin in the Purple Bamboo Grove, expounding the Dharma to the heavenly gods, Moksha, and the Dragon Girl. As a poem testifies:
The city of the Sea Lord was high, its auspicious aura thick;
Even more wondrous sights were endless.
You must know that within the subtle and indistinct, beyond a thousand forms,
Everything emerges from the rarest and finest category.
When the Four Sages received their teachings, they attained the right fruit;
When the Six Commoners heard it, they escaped their cages.
The Shaolin Temple has a truly unique flavor;
Flowers and fruits fill the trees with fragrance and red.
The Bodhisattva had long seen the Pilgrim coming and immediately ordered the Mountain-Guarding Great Deity to welcome him. That great deity emerged from the bamboo grove and called out, "Sun Wukong, where are you going?"
The Pilgrim looked up and shouted, "You black bear! Do you have the right to call me 'Wukong'? If Old Sun had not spared you back then, you would have long been a dead ghost on Black Wind Mountain. Now that you have followed the Bodhisattva and obtained a good fruit, living on this immortal mountain and often hearing the Dharma, can you not call me 'Lord'?"
This black bear had indeed attained the right fruit, guarding Potalaka by the Bodhisattva's side and being called a Great Deity, but in the end, it was all thanks to the Pilgrim. He had no choice but to smile apologetically and say, "Great Sage, the ancients said, 'A gentleman does not bear grudges for past wrongs.' Why keep bringing up old matters! The Bodhisattva ordered me to welcome you."
Only then did the Pilgrim calm his temper and respectfully follow the great deity into the Purple Bamboo Grove to pay homage to the Bodhisattva.
The Bodhisattva said, "Wukong, where has Tang Sanzang reached now?"
The Pilgrim said, "He has reached Long Life Mountain in the Western Continent of Cattle-Gift."
The Bodhisattva said, "There is a Five-Village Temple on that Long Life Mountain, belonging to the Great Immortal Zhenyuan. Have you met him?"
The Pilgrim kowtowed and said, "It was at the Five-Village Temple. Your disciple did not recognize the Great Immortal Zhenyuan and destroyed his Ginseng Fruit Tree, offending him. He has trapped my master, and we cannot continue our journey."
The Bodhisattva understood immediately and scolded him, "You reckless monkey! You truly do not know what is good for you! His Ginseng Fruit Tree is a spiritual root that has existed since the separation of heaven and earth; Zhenyuanzi is the Ancestor of Earth Immortals. Even I have to yield to him by three-tenths. How dare you damage his tree!"
The Pilgrim kowtowed again and said, "Your disciple truly did not know. That day he was not at home, and only two young acolytes received us. It was Zhu Wuneng who knew he had the fruit and wanted to taste one. Your disciple stole three of them and shared them with my junior brothers. When the acolytes discovered it, they cursed us endlessly. Your disciple could not bear it and knocked his tree down. The next day he returned and caught up with us, scooping us all up in his sleeve in one motion. He tied us up with ropes and whipped us for an entire day. That night we escaped, but he caught up again and scooped us up once more. This happened two or three times, and we truly could not escape. So I had to promise to heal his tree. I have just been seeking a formula from across the sea, traveling all over the Three Islands, but none of the immortals had the skill to heal it. Therefore, your disciple has come with a sincere heart to pay homage and beg the Bodhisattva. I hope you will show compassion and grant a formula, so that Tang Sanzang can quickly proceed westward."
The Bodhisattva said, "Why did you not come to see me earlier, instead of going to the islands to seek?"
When the Pilgrim heard these words, his heart secretly rejoiced: "There is hope! There is hope! The Bodhisattva must have a formula!" He again stepped forward and begged.
The Bodhisattva said, "The sweet dew at the bottom of my Pure Vase is especially good for healing immortal trees and spiritual sprouts."
The Pilgrim asked, "Have you tested it?"
The Bodhisattva said, "I have tested it."
The Pilgrim asked, "How did you test it?"
The Bodhisattva said, "In the past, the Grand Supreme Elderly Lord made a bet with me: he plucked my willow twig and put it in his alchemy furnace, burning it until it was dry and brittle, then returned it to me. I took it and inserted it into my Pure Vase. After one day and one night, it had regained its green leaves and branches, just as it was before."
The Pilgrim laughed and said, "There is truly hope! There is truly hope! If a burned twig can be healed, then this is just a knocked-down tree. What is so difficult about that!"
The Bodhisattva instructed everyone, "Take care of the bamboo grove. I will go and return shortly." As she spoke, she held her Pure Vase in her hand, the white parrot chirping beautifully in front, and the Great Sage Sun following behind. As a poem testifies:
His jade hairpin and golden image are hard to describe in the world;
He is truly the compassionate one who saves the suffering.
In past kalpas, he met the Stainless Buddha,
And until now, he has attained a body of purposeful action.
Over several lifetimes, the sea of desire has been cleared of its waves,
And a single field of the heart is free from any speck of dust.
The sweet dew has long been infused with the true, wonderful Dharma,
Ensuring that the precious tree will forever be in eternal spring.
Now, in the Five-Village Temple, the Great Immortal was just chatting with the Three Stars when they suddenly saw the Great Sage Sun press down his cloud and call out, "The Bodhisattva is coming! Quickly welcome her! Quickly welcome her!" The Stars of Fortune and Longevity, Zhenyuanzi, and the master and disciples of Sanzang were all flustered and walked out of the precious hall together to welcome her.
The Bodhisattva stopped her auspicious cloud, first exchanged a few words with Zhenyuanzi, then bowed to the Three Stars. After the greetings were done and they were seated, in front of the steps, the Pilgrim led Tang Sanzang, Bajie, and Sha Seng forward to pay homage. All the immortals in the temple also came to pay their respects.
The Pilgrim said, "Great Immortal, do not hesitate. Quickly set up an incense altar and ask the Bodhisattva to heal your tree."
The Great Immortal bowed to the Bodhisattva and thanked her, saying, 'For such a small matter, how dare I trouble the Bodhisattva to come in person?' Those who are fated to eat the Grass-Returning Elixir will endure long life but suffer the hardships of demonic trials. As for how they parted the next day, you must listen to the next chapter to find out.