Now, after Squire Kou was revived, he once again arranged banners, drums, and music, and invited monks, Daoists, friends, and relatives to see the Tang Monk and his disciples off on their way, just as before. Of this, we need not speak in detail.
Let us instead tell how the four of them, Tang Monk, the Pilgrim, Pigsy, and Sha Monk, set out on the main road. Truly, the Buddha-land in the West was unlike any other place: everywhere there were jade-like flowers and rare herbs , ancient cypresses and sturdy pines . Every household they passed was inclined toward goodness, and every person they met was generous in offering alms to monks . Beneath every mountain, one could see cultivators practicing their arts ; entering every grove, one could hear the sound of sutras being chanted.
The four of them traveled, resting at night and pressing on by day, for another six or seven days. Suddenly, they saw before them a towering edifice, a cluster of majestic multi-storied pavilions.
As the poem describes it:
A hundred feet high, it pierced the sky, soaring into the void. Looking down, one could gaze upon the setting sun; reaching out, one could pluck the flying stars. Its spacious windows seemed to swallow the universe; its lofty eaves, jagged and steep, met the clouds like a screen. When the yellow crane brought tidings, the autumn trees were old; when the colorful phoenix sent a letter, the evening breeze was clear. This was the Celestial Palace, the Precious Hall of the Spirits, the Pavilion of Gems, the Courtyard of Jade. In the Hall of Truth, the Dao was discussed; across the cosmos, the scriptures were transmitted. Flowers looked their most beautiful in spring; pines, after the rain had passed, were a deeper green. The purple mushrooms and immortal fruits flourished year after year, and the crimson phoenix, in its auspicious dance, moved all things with its spiritual power.
San Zang raised his whip and pointed. "Wukong," he said, "what a magnificent place!"
The Pilgrim replied, "Master, back there among those false realms and false images of the Buddha , you insisted on bowing down. But now, before the true realm and the true image of the Buddha, you have not even dismounted. What is the meaning of this?"
Startled by these words, San Zang quickly turned over and dismounted from his horse.
When they reached the gate of the pavilion, they saw a young Daoist acolyte standing at an angle before the mountain gate. He called out in response, "Could it be that the one who has come is the scripture-seeker from the Land of the East ?"
The elder hastily straightened his robes and looked up. He saw that the young Daoist was:
Clad in a robe of brocade , his hand waving a yak-tail whisk . Clad in a robe of brocade, he was a frequent guest at the feasts of the Precious Pavilion and the Jasper Pool ; his hand waving a yak-tail whisk, he often swept the dust at the Cinnabar Terrace and the Purple Mansion . From his elbow hung the register of immortals ; on his feet were shoes of cloth. Truly a feathered being , drifting and ethereal, his elegance and beauty were indeed extraordinary. Having refined the elixir of longevity , he dwelt in this sacred realm; having cultivated eternal life, he had shed the dust of the world. The holy monk did not recognize this guest of the Spirit Mountain; it was the Golden Summit Great Immortal of old.
The Great Sage Sun recognized him. "Master," he said, "this is the Golden Summit Great Immortal of the Jade True Temple at the foot of the Spirit Mountain. He has come to welcome us."
Only then did San Zang come to his senses. He stepped forward to exchange greetings.
The Great Immortal laughed and said, "Holy Monk, you have only arrived this year! I was deceived by the Bodhisattva Guanyin. Ten years ago, she received the decree of the Buddha and went to the Land of the East to find a scripture-seeker. She originally said that you would arrive here in two or three years. I waited for you year after year, but there was never any news. I never imagined that I would see you only this year."
San Zang pressed his palms together and said, "I am deeply grateful for the Great Immortal's warm hospitality. Grateful! Grateful!"
Thus, the four of them, leading the horse and carrying the luggage, entered the temple together. They greeted the Great Immortal one by one. The Great Immortal immediately ordered tea to be served and a vegetarian feast to be prepared. He also told the young acolytes to boil fragrant hot water so that the holy monks might bathe before going to pay homage to the Buddha.
Truly this was:
With spiritual work complete and pilgrimage fulfilled, bathing was fitting; having refined and tamed one's original nature, one could unite with the heavenly truth. After a thousand hardships and ten thousand toils, now at last there was rest; having taken the nine precepts and the three refuges , one began anew. When demons were vanquished, one could indeed reach the Buddha-land; when calamities were dispelled, one could behold the Sangha . Washing away the dust and cleansing all defilements, one became utterly pure; returning to the origin and restoring the true self, one attained an indestructible body.
After the master and his disciples had bathed, before they knew it, the sky was growing dark. They stayed the night in the Jade True Temple.
The next morning, Tang Monk changed his clothes. He put on his brocade Kashaya robe and his Vairocana hat, took up his monastic staff , and went to the main hall to bid farewell to the Great Immortal.
The Great Immortal laughed and said, "Yesterday, your robes were thin and simple; today, you are resplendent and bright. Seeing you like this, you truly look like a son of the Buddha."
After San Zang had taken his leave, he was about to go when the Great Immortal said, "Wait. Let me see you on your way."
The Pilgrim said, "There's no need for you to escort us. Old Monkey knows the way."
The Great Immortal said, "What you know is the cloud path. The holy monk has not yet walked the earthly path. He should go by the proper road."
The Pilgrim said, "That is true. Although Old Monkey has been here several times, I have always come and gone by cloud, never setting foot on the ground here. Since there is a proper road, I will trouble you to show us the way. My master is eager to pay homage to the Buddha; we must not delay."
The Great Immortal, smiling, took Tang Monk by the hand and led him toward the gate of the Buddha-land. It turned out that this road did not require leaving the temple gate; it began by passing through the main hall of the temple and out the back door.
The Great Immortal pointed to the Spirit Mountain and said, "Holy Monk, do you see that place in midair where there are five-colored auspicious lights and a thousand layers of propitious vapors? That is the Vulture Peak, the sacred realm of the Buddha."
When Tang Monk saw it, he was about to bow down.
The Pilgrim laughed and said, "Master, this is not yet the place for bowing. As the saying goes, 'Looking at the mountain can run a horse to death.' There is still a considerable distance to the summit. If you start bowing now, how many kowtows will you have to make by the time you reach the top!"
The Great Immortal said, "Holy Monk, you, the Great Sage, the Heavenly Reaper, and the Curtain-Raising General—all four of you have now reached this blessed land and can see the Spirit Mountain. I shall take my leave now."
San Zang bid farewell to the Great Immortal and continued on his way.
The Great Sage led Tang Monk and the others as they walked slowly forward and ascended the Spirit Mountain. After traveling no more than five or six miles, they saw a flowing stream of living water, gurgling and splashing, with surging waves. It was about eight or nine miles wide, and there was no one around.
San Zang became flustered and said, "Wukong, have we taken the wrong road? Could the Great Immortal have misdirected us? This water is so wide and so rapid, and there is no boat. How are we to cross?"
The Pilgrim laughed and said, "We are not wrong! Don't you see that bridge over there? Only by crossing that bridge can one achieve the true fruit."
When the elder and the others drew near and looked, they saw a plaque on the bridge with the words "Cloud Crossing." It turned out that it was not a great bridge at all, but a single log.
Truly this was:
Seen from afar, it spanned the sky like a beam of jade; seen up close, it was a withered log cutting off the water. Even bridging rivers and spanning seas would be easier; how could anyone walk on a single plank, a solitary beam! A ten-thousand-foot rainbow lay flat in shadow; a thousand-fathom white silk connected the ends of the sky. It was extremely slippery and difficult to cross; only an immortal stepping on rainbow clouds could manage it.
San Zang was so terrified that his heart trembled and his courage failed him. "Wukong," he said, "this bridge is not meant for human feet. Let us find another road."
The Pilgrim laughed and said, "This is the proper road! This is the proper road!"
Pigsy was also alarmed. "If this is a road," he said, "who would dare to walk it? The water is wide, the waves are huge, and it's just a single log, thin and slippery. How can anyone set foot on it?"
The Pilgrim said, "All of you stand still. Let Old Monkey walk across it once, so you can see."
Truly the Great Sage was something! He took a few strides and leaped onto the single-log bridge. Swaying and staggering, he walked across. In a moment, he had reached the other side, where he called out, "Come over! Come over!"
Tang Monk waved his hand, not daring to go. Pigsy and Sha Monk bit their fingers and said, "Hard! Hard! Hard!"
The Pilgrim ran back from the other side and grabbed Pigsy. "Fool," he said, "come with me! Come with me!"
Pigsy lay flat on the ground and said, "Slippery! Slippery! Slippery! I can't make it! Spare me! Let me fly across on a cloud!"
The Pilgrim held him down and said, "What place is this, that you think you can fly across on a cloud? You must walk across this bridge to become a Buddha."
Pigsy said, "Elder Brother, I don't need to become a Buddha! I simply cannot walk it!"
The two of them were rolling and tumbling, pulling and tugging, and making a great commotion at the edge of the bridge. Sha Monk went over to mediate and finally managed to separate them.
San Zang turned his head and suddenly saw a man punting a boat downstream, calling out, "Get on the boat! Get on the boat!"
The elder was overjoyed. "Disciples," he said, "stop your quarreling. There is a ferryboat coming."
The three of them jumped up and stood still, looking together. As the boat drew nearer, they saw that it was a boat with no bottom.
The Pilgrim, with his fiery eyes and golden pupils, had long since recognized it as the Buddha who welcomes souls, also known as the Buddha of the Southern Region, the King of the Precious Canopy of Light. He did not reveal this, but only shouted, "Over here! Punt it over here!"
Soon, the boat reached the shore, and the man called out again, "Get on the boat! Get on the boat!"
When San Zang saw it, he became flustered again. "This broken boat of yours has no bottom," he said. "How can it ferry anyone across?"
The Buddha said, "My boat has been famous since the beginning of the primal chaos. Fortunately, I punt it, unchanging and constant. Though there be wind and waves, it remains steady; without beginning or end, it delights in peace and tranquility. Untainted by the six dusts, it can return to the One; safely through ten thousand kalpas, it moves freely. A bottomless boat cannot cross the sea, yet from ancient times to the present, it has ferried all sentient beings."
The Great Sage Sun pressed his palms together and gave thanks. "Many thanks for the Buddha's gracious intention," he said, "in coming to welcome my master. Master, get on the boat. Although this boat has no bottom, it is very steady. Even if there are wind and waves, it will not capsize."
The elder was still doubtful. The Pilgrim, crossing his arms, gave him a push. The master could not keep his footing and fell into the water with a "plop." Fortunately, the boatman pulled him up with one hand and helped him stand on the boat.
The master was still shaking out his clothes and stamping his shoes, complaining about the Pilgrim. The Pilgrim led Sha Monk and Pigsy, leading the horse and carrying the luggage, onto the boat as well. They all stood on the boat.
The Buddha gently punted the boat away from the shore. Suddenly, they saw a corpse floating downstream. When the elder saw it, he was greatly startled. The Pilgrim laughed and said, "Master, don't be afraid. That was you."
Pigsy also said, "It was you! It was you!"
Sha Monk clapped his hands and said, "It was you! It was you!"
The boatman, chanting a work song, also said, "That was you! Congratulations! Congratulations!"
The three of them joined in the shouting. The boat was punted for only a short while before it crossed the Cloud Crossing safely and steadily.
San Zang turned around and lightly leaped onto the shore.
There is a poem to bear witness:
Having shed the physical body born of the womb, the beloved and cherished one is the Primordial Spirit. Today, with the pilgrimage fulfilled, one becomes a Buddha, having washed away the six times six defilements of old.
This was truly the boundless method of vast wisdom and of reaching the other shore. When the four of them turned around after landing, even the bottomless boat had disappeared. Only then did the Pilgrim reveal that it had been the Buddha who welcomes souls.
San Zang finally understood. He quickly turned around and, in turn, thanked his three disciples.
The Pilgrim said, "There is no need for mutual thanks. We have all supported each other. Thanks to you, Master, for leading us, we have found the path to cultivate merit and attain the true fruit; and thanks to our protection, Master, you have followed the Buddha's Dharma and shed your mortal body. Master, look at this beautiful place before you, with its flowers and pines, its phoenixes and cranes and deer. Compared to those places where evil demons and monsters transformed the landscape, which is more beautiful and which is uglier? Which is good and which is evil?"
San Zang gave thanks without ceasing. The four of them, each feeling light and nimble in body, ascended the Spirit Mountain. Soon, they saw the ancient Thunderclap Monastery:
As the poem describes it:
Its summit brushed the middle of the heavens, its roots connected to the veins of Mount Sumeru. Ingenious peaks were arrayed, and strange rocks stood in jagged disorder. Beneath the overhanging cliffs were jade-like herbs and rare flowers; beside the winding paths were purple mushrooms and fragrant angelica. Immortal monkeys, picking fruit, entered the peach grove, seeming like a fire burning gold; white cranes, perching on pine branches, looked like smoke holding up jade. Pairs of colorful phoenixes, pairs of blue simurghs. The pairs of colorful phoenixes, facing the sun, sang once, bringing auspiciousness to the world; the pairs of blue simurghs, dancing against the wind, were a rare sight on earth. One could also see the dense golden tiles, stacked like mandarin ducks, and the bright, shining patterned bricks, paved like agate. On the east side, on the west side, all were palaces of stamens and halls of pearls; on the south side, on the north side, one could not see all the precious pavilions and rare towers. The Hall of the Heavenly Kings emitted rainbow light; before the Hall of the Dharma Protectors, purple flames spurted forth. The stupa appeared, and the udumbara flowers were fragrant. Truly, the superiority of this place made one suspect it was a different heaven; the leisurely clouds made the day seem long. The dust of the mortal world did not reach here, and all conditions were still; for ten thousand kalpas, the Great Dharma Hall remained undiminished.
The master and his disciples, carefree and at ease, climbed to the summit of the Spirit Mountain. There, they saw in the green pine groves the laymen, and in the groves of emerald cypresses, the good men were arrayed.
The elder stepped forward to greet them. Those laymen, laywomen, monks, and nuns quickly pressed their palms together and said, "Holy Monk, do not bow to us. Wait until you have seen the Buddha, the Lord of the Shakya Clan, and then we can talk."
The Pilgrim laughed and said, "There's still time! There's still time! Let us first go and pay homage to the highest Buddha."
The elder, overjoyed, waved his hands and stamped his feet. He followed the Pilgrim until they reached the outer gate of the Thunderclap Monastery. Two great vajra guardians came forward to greet them. "Holy Monk, you have arrived?" they said.
San Zang bowed and said, "Your disciple Xuan Zang has arrived." Having said this, he was about to enter the gate.
The vajra guardians said, "Holy Monk, please wait a moment. We must first report your arrival before you may enter."
One of the vajra guardians turned and entered the mountain gate. He reported to the four great vajra guardians at the second gate that Tang Monk had arrived. The vajra guardians of the second gate then passed the message on to the third gate. The divine monks in charge of the offerings at the third gate, upon hearing that Tang Monk had arrived, hurried to the Great Hero Hall and reported to the Tathagata, the Honored One, the Shakya Munai Buddha, "The holy monk from the Tang court has come to the Precious Mountain to seek the scriptures."
The Tathagata was greatly pleased. He immediately summoned the eight bodhisattvas, the four vajra guardians, the five hundred arhats, the three thousand kshitigarbha guides, the eleven great luminaries, and the eighteen kshitigarbha guardians, and had them line up in two rows. Then, he issued a holy decree, summoning Tang Monk to enter the hall.
Layer upon layer of people within, all obeying the Buddha's decree, passed the call along: "Let the holy monk enter."
Tang Monk, with the utmost propriety, along with Wukong, Wuneng, and Wujing, leading the horse and carrying the luggage, entered the mountain gate.
Truly this was:
In those days, with high ambition, he had respectfully received the imperial commission; bearing the passport, he bade farewell to the king and descended the jade steps. In the clear dawn, he climbed the mountains, facing the mist and dew; at dusk, he pillowed his head on rocks and slept amid the clouds. Carrying his staff, he traveled far over three thousand waters; flying his ringed staff, he journeyed long over ten thousand miles of cliffs. With every thought fixed on attaining the true fruit, today at last he beheld the Tathagata.
The four of them arrived before the Great Hero Hall. They knelt down before the Tathagata and bowed. After bowing, they also bowed to the left and right. After making three circuits of bows, they knelt before the Buddha and presented the passport.
The Tathagata examined it one by one and then returned it to San Zang. San Zang kowtowed and said, "Your disciple Xuan Zang, by the decree of the Great Tang Emperor of the Land of the East, has traveled a great distance to the Precious Mountain to seek the true scriptures, in order to deliver all sentient beings. I beseech the Tathagata to show his grace and grant the scriptures soon, so that I may return to my country."
Only then did the Tathagata open his mouth and, with great compassion, speak to San Zang. "Your Land of the East belongs to the Southern Continent of Jambudvipa. Because the heavens are high and the earth is thick, and the land is rich in products and densely populated, the people there are for the most part greedy and fond of killing, lewd and deceitful, treacherous and cunning. They do not revere the Buddhist faith, do not incline toward good deeds, do not respect the three lights of the sun, moon, and stars, and do not value the five grains. They are unfilial and disloyal, unrighteous and unmerciful. They act against their own consciences, cheat others with oversized and undersized measures, harm lives and kill beings, committing boundless sins and filling up the measure of their iniquities. For this reason, they fall into the underworld, suffering the tortures of pounding, grinding, and crushing. They also become beasts, wearing fur and bearing horns, using their own bodies to repay their debts and their own flesh to feed others. Those who fall forever into the Avici Hell and cannot be reborn are all like this. Although Confucius established the teachings of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom there, and kings have passed down through generations, setting up punishments of exile, strangulation, and decapitation, what use are they to those who are ignorant and reckless?"
"I now have the Tripitaka of scriptures, which can deliver beings from suffering and dissolve calamities. This Tripitaka consists of: one collection of Dharma, which discusses the heavens; one collection of Treatises, which discusses the earth; and one collection of Sutras, which delivers the ghosts. There are thirty-five divisions in all, totaling fifteen thousand one hundred and forty-four volumes. Truly, this is the proper path of cultivation and the great gate to goodness. The astronomy, geography, people, birds and beasts, flowers and trees, implements, and human affairs of the four great continents are all recorded in these scriptures. Since you have come from afar, I had intended to give you the entire collection to take back. But the people of that land are ignorant and stubborn; they would slander the true scriptures and fail to understand the profound meaning of our Buddhist gate."
The Tathagata then called out, "Ananda and Kasyapa, you two take these four men to the lower floor of the Precious Pavilion. First, serve them a vegetarian meal. After they have eaten, open the Precious Pavilion and, from among the thirty-five divisions of my Tripitaka scriptures, select a few volumes from each to give to them. Let them take them back to the Land of the East, so that grace may be bestowed forever."
The two venerable ones obeyed the Buddha's decree and led the four men to the lower floor. There, they saw countless rare and precious treasures, all piled up in abundance. The various gods in charge of the offerings had laid out a feast, all of which consisted of immortal delicacies, immortal teas, and immortal fruits. There were hundreds of kinds of precious foods, completely different from those of the mortal world.
The master and his disciples gave thanks for the Buddha's grace and then partook of the feast as they pleased.
Truly this was:
The precious flames and golden light dazzled the eyes; the strange fragrances and rare delicacies were even more exquisite. The thousand-layered golden pavilions were of boundless beauty; a strain of immortal music entered the ears, clear and pure. The vegetarian flavors and immortal flowers were rarely seen by men; the fragrant teas and extraordinary foods granted longevity. Having endured a thousand kinds of bitterness in the past, today they rejoiced in the glory of the Way's fulfillment.
This was a great boon for Pigsy, and Sha Monk also benefited: the Buddha's food and drink here, which could grant longevity and transform one's body, they were allowed to consume to their hearts' content.
The two venerable ones accompanied the four men after their meal and then entered the Precious Pavilion. They opened the doors and let them see the scriptures. Inside, rainbow light and auspicious vapors enveloped everything; colorful mist and auspicious clouds filled the air. On the scripture cabinets and the precious boxes, red labels were pasted, on which the names of the scriptures were written in regular script.
They were:
The Nirvana Sutra, one division, seven hundred and forty-eight volumes; The Bodhisattva Sutra, one division, one thousand and twenty-one volumes; The Akashagarbha Sutra, one division, four hundred volumes; The Shurangama Sutra, one division, one hundred and ten volumes; The Great Collection of the Sutra of Grace and Intention, one division, fifty volumes; The Sutra of Certainty, one division, one hundred and forty volumes; The Ratnakuta Sutra, one division, forty-five volumes; The Avatamsaka Sutra, one division, five hundred volumes; The Sutra of Homage to the True Reality, one division, ninety volumes; The Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra, one division, nine hundred and sixteen volumes; The Great Light Sutra, one division, three hundred volumes; The Sutra of Things Never Before Known, one division, one thousand one hundred and ten volumes; The Vimalakirti Sutra, one division, one hundred and seventy volumes; The Three Treatises Separate Sutra, one division, two hundred and seventy volumes; The Diamond Sutra, one division, one hundred volumes; The Sutra of the Right Wheel of Dharma, one division, one hundred and twenty volumes; The Sutra of the Buddha's Past Lives, one division, eight hundred volumes; The Five Dragon Sutra, one division, thirty-two volumes; The Bodhisattva Precepts Sutra, one division, one hundred and sixteen volumes; The Great Collection Sutra, one division, one hundred and thirty volumes; The Makara Sutra, one division, three hundred and fifty volumes; The Lotus Sutra, one division, one hundred volumes; The Yoga Sutra, one division, one hundred volumes; The Sutra of Eternal Virtue, one division, two hundred and twenty volumes; The Western Heaven Treatise Sutra, one division, one hundred and thirty volumes; The Samgha Sutra, one division, one hundred and fifty-seven volumes; The Miscellaneous Sutras of the Buddha Lands, one division, one thousand nine hundred and fifty volumes; The Sutra of the Awakening of Faith, one division, one thousand volumes; The Mahaprajna Sutra, one division, one thousand and eighty volumes; The Precious Power Sutra, one division, one thousand two hundred and eighty volumes; The Fundamental Pavilion Sutra, one division, eight hundred and fifty volumes; The Correct Vinaya Sutra, one division, two hundred volumes; The Great Peacock Sutra, one division, two hundred and twenty volumes; The Vijnaptimatrata Treatise Sutra, one division, one hundred volumes; The Abhidharmakosha Treatise Sutra, one division, two hundred volumes.
Ananda and Kasyapa showed Tang Monk the names of all the scriptures and then said to him, "Holy Monk, have you brought any gifts for us from the Land of the East? Bring them out quickly, so that we can transmit the scriptures to you."
San Zang said, "Your disciple Xuan Zang, having come such a long and difficult road, has brought no gifts."
The two venerable ones laughed and said, "Good! Good! Good! If we transmit the scriptures for free, future generations will starve to death!"
The Pilgrim, seeing that they were deliberately making things difficult and refused to transmit the scriptures, could not contain himself and shouted, "Master, let us go and appeal to the Tathagata. Let him personally give the scriptures to Old Monkey!"
Ananda said, "Do not shout! What place is this, that you dare to act so wildly? Come and receive the scriptures."
Pigsy and Sha Monk suppressed their tempers and restrained the Pilgrim. They turned around to receive the scriptures. They packed them, volume by volume, into their bundles, loaded them onto the horse, and tied up two more loads, which Pigsy and Sha Monk carried on their shoulders. Then they went before the precious throne, kowtowed, thanked the Tathagata, and went straight out the door.
Whenever they met a Buddha, they bowed twice; whenever they saw a bodhisattva, they bowed twice. When they reached the main gate, they also bowed to the monks, nuns, laywomen, and laymen, bidding farewell to each one. Then they went down the mountain and continued on their way. Of this, we need not speak in detail.
Now, on the Precious Pavilion above, there was the Ancient Buddha Dipankara. He was secretly listening to the transmission of the scriptures from his pavilion and knew exactly what had happened. When Ananda and Kasyapa deliberately transmitted wordless scriptures, he could not help but laugh. "The sentient beings of the Land of the East are ignorant," he said. "They will not recognize the wordless scriptures. Will this not cause the holy monk to have traveled such a great distance in vain?"
The Ancient Buddha asked, "Who is by my side?"
The venerable White Hero stepped forward. The Ancient Buddha instructed him, "Use your divine power. Catch up to Tang Monk as swiftly as a flying star. Snatch back those wordless scriptures and make them come again to seek the true scriptures with words."
The venerable White Hero immediately mounted a fierce wind and left the mountain gate of the Thunderclap Monastery, displaying his divine power to the full. That wind was truly formidable:
A brave warrior before the Buddha, not to be compared with the common wind spirit. From the immortal's cave, a furious roar issued forth, far surpassing the breath of a young girl. With this blast, fish and dragons all lost their lairs, and the rivers and seas flowed backward in turbulent waves. The black apes, holding fruit, found it difficult to present their offerings; the yellow cranes returned to the clouds, seeking their old nests. The clear song of the crimson phoenix was no longer beautiful; the crowing of the golden pheasant was harsh and discordant. The branches of the green pines were broken; the udumbara flowers drifted away. The emerald bamboos fell, stalk after stalk; the golden lotuses swayed, bloom after bloom. The sound of the bell was carried far, three thousand miles away; the melody of the sutras drifted lightly over ten thousand ravines. Beneath the cliffs, the rare flowers lost their lovely colors; beside the road, the jade-like herbs lay flat, their fresh sprouts withered. The colorful simurghs could not spread their wings to dance; the white deer hid in the mountain cliffs. A vast, strange fragrance filled the universe; a clear, pure wind penetrated the clouds.
The elder Tang was walking along when suddenly he smelled a fragrant wind. He thought it was an auspicious sign from the Buddha and did not take precautions. Then, with a "whoosh," a hand reached down from midair and gently snatched away the scriptures that were loaded on the horse.
San Zang was so frightened that he beat his chest and cried out. Pigsy rolled on the ground to give chase. Sha Monk guarded the scripture bundles. The Pilgrim Sun quickly flew after the thief.
When the venerable White Hero saw that the Pilgrim was drawing near, he feared that the Pilgrim's staff might be heavy and accidentally injure him. So he smashed the scripture bundle and threw it to the ground. When the Pilgrim saw the scripture volumes fall, and that they were being scattered by the fragrant wind, he lowered his cloud to gather up the scriptures and did not continue the chase.
The venerable White Hero withdrew his wind and mist and returned to report to the Ancient Buddha Dipankara. Of this, we need not speak in detail.
Pigsy, who had been chasing after them, saw the scripture volumes lying on the ground. He joined the Pilgrim in gathering them up and carrying them on his back. Then they went to see Tang Monk.
Tang Monk's eyes were full of tears. "Disciples!" he said. "In this Land of Ultimate Bliss, how can there still be evil demons to bully people!"
Sha Monk took the scattered volumes that he was holding and opened them. They were all blank paper, without a single word. He quickly handed them to San Zang. "Master," he said, "this volume has no words."
The Pilgrim opened another volume. It was also blank. Pigsy opened a volume. It was also blank.
San Zang said, "Open all the volumes and look."
Every single one of them turned out to be blank paper. The elder sighed deeply. "The people of my Land of the East are truly without good fortune!" he said. "What use are so many wordless, empty books? How dare I show my face before the Tang Emperor! The crime of deceiving my sovereign is more than I can bear!"
The Pilgrim had long since understood the reason. He said to Tang Monk, "Master, there is no need to say more. This must be the work of Ananda and Kasyapa. They asked us for gifts, and when we had none, they deliberately gave us blank books. Let us go back quickly and appeal to the Tathagata. We will accuse them of the crime of being corrupt and cheating!"
Pigsy shouted, "Right! Right! Let us go and accuse them!"
The four of them hurriedly turned back, their steps swift and urgent. Soon, they had returned to the Thunderclap Monastery.
Before long, they were at the mountain gate. The assembled guardians all greeted them with clasped hands and laughed, saying, "Holy Monk, have you come to exchange the scriptures?"
San Zang nodded his head and gave