Chapter 16: Watching the Monks of Guanyin Temple Plot Treasure The Black Wind Mountain Monster Steals the Kasaya Robe

Meanwhile, the master and disciple rode their horses forward until they reached the entrance of the monastery to observe. Indeed, it was a monastery. What they saw was:

Tiered halls and layered corridors. Outside the Triple Gate, majestic, myriad colored clouds obscured the view; before the Hall of Five Blessings, brilliant, a thousand strands of red mist swirled. There were two rows of pines and bamboo, and a grove of cypresses. The rows of pines and bamboo, timeless, possessed a natural tranquility; the grove of cypresses, vibrant and beautiful in its proud splendor. They also saw the tall Bell and Drum Towers, and the towering pagodas. Meditating monks were serene; birds chirping in the trees sounded leisurely. Truly quiet and free from dust, indeed pure and imbued with the Dao.

A poem says:This eminent monastery, like Jetavana, hidden in a verdant nest,Its magnificent scenery rivals the Saha world.Indeed, pure lands are rare in the human world;Monks occupy most of the famous mountains under heaven.

The Elder dismounted from his horse, and the Pilgrim put down his burden. Just as they were about to enter, they saw a group of monks emerge from the gate. And this is how they looked:

On their heads, they wore caps with a left-swept pin.Their bodies were clad in spotless robes.Copper rings hung from both ears.Silk sashes cinched their waists.

They walked steadily in straw sandals,Holding wooden fish drums in their hands.Their mouths constantly recited prayers,Ever devoted to Prajna (wisdom).

Sanzang saw them, stood by the gate, and greeted them. The monks quickly returned the greeting, smiling as they said they hadn't noticed them earlier, and asked, "Where have you come from? Please come into the abbot's quarters for tea." Sanzang replied, "My humble self is an imperial envoy from the Eastern Land, on my way to the Thunderclap Monastery to worship the Buddha and retrieve scriptures. As dusk is approaching, I wish to seek lodging here for a night." The monks said, "Please come in and sit, please come in and sit." Only then did Sanzang call the Pilgrim to lead the horse inside. The monks suddenly saw the Pilgrim's appearance and were somewhat frightened. They asked, "What is that thing leading the horse?" Sanzang quickly whispered, "Quiet, quiet! He has a quick temper. If he hears you call him 'what thing,' he'll get angry. He's my disciple." The monks shivered and bit their fingers, saying, "Such an ugly, grotesque-looking creature, how can you take him as a disciple?" Sanzang said, "You don't understand. Ugly he may be, but he is extremely useful."

The monks then had no choice but to accompany Sanzang and the Pilgrim through the monastery gate. Inside the gate, they saw four large characters written on the main hall: "Guanyin Monastery." Sanzang was overjoyed again and said, "I have often received the Bodhisattva's divine grace but have never had the chance to express my gratitude. Meeting this monastery today is like encountering the Bodhisattva in person; it's an excellent opportunity to offer thanks." Hearing this, the monks immediately ordered a lay attendant to open the hall doors and invited Sanzang to worship. The Pilgrim tethered the horse, dropped the luggage, and ascended to the hall with Sanzang. Sanzang stretched his back, straightened his body, prostrated himself, and bowed his head towards the golden statue. The monks went to beat the drum, and the Pilgrim went to strike the bell. Sanzang prostrated himself before the altar, pouring out his heart in prayer.

After the prayers and bows were completed, the monks stopped beating the drum, but the Pilgrim continued to strike the bell without stopping, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, for a long time. The attendant said, "The worship is finished, why are you still striking the bell?" Only then did the Pilgrim drop the bell hammer and laugh, "How would you know? I'm just 'a monk for a day, striking the bell for a day'!" At this time, the strange bell sounds alarmed all the monks, young and old, and the elders from all quarters of the monastery. They all rushed out, exclaiming, "What wild man is banging the drums and bells here so haphazardly?" The Pilgrim leaped out and roared, "It's your Grandfather Sun striking it for fun!" When the monks saw him, they were so frightened that they tumbled and rolled, crawling on the ground and crying out, "Grandfather Thunder God!" The Pilgrim said, "Thunder God is my great-grandson! Get up, get up, don't be afraid. We are gentlemen from the Great Tang in the Eastern Land." Only then did the monks bow respectfully. Seeing Sanzang, they felt relieved and no longer afraid. The abbot of the monastery then invited them, saying, "Gentlemen, please come to the rear abbot's quarters for tea." Thereupon, they unbridled the horse, led it, carried the luggage, turned past the main hall, and proceeded directly to the rear rooms, where they took their seats according to rank.

The abbot offered tea and arranged for a vegetarian meal. It was still early. Before Sanzang had finished expressing his thanks, he saw two young attendants emerge from the back, supporting an old monk. And this is how he was dressed:

On his head, he wore a Vairocana-style square hat, its jewel-encrusted top glittering with cat's-eye stones. He wore a narrow, brocade and velvet robe, its golden trim shining with kingfisher feathers. His pair of monastic shoes were adorned with eight treasures, and his staff was inlaid with cloud patterns. His face was full of wrinkles, like the Old Mother of Mount Li. His dim eyes resembled those of the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea. His mouth could not close due to missing teeth, and his waist was hunched and back bent from muscle contractions.

The monks said, "Our patriarch has arrived." Sanzang bowed respectfully and greeted him, "Elder Abbot, I offer my salutations." The old monk returned the greeting, and they all resumed their seats. The old monk said, "My young disciples just mentioned that gentlemen from the Tang Dynasty in the Eastern Land have arrived, so I came out to pay my respects." Sanzang replied, "We have presumptuously trespassed upon your esteemed monastery, not knowing the proper etiquette. Please forgive us, forgive us!" The old monk said, "Not at all, not at all!" He then asked, "Gentlemen, how far is it from the Eastern Land to this place?" Sanzang said, "From the border of Chang'an, it's over five thousand *li*. After passing the Two-Boundary Mountain, I took on a young disciple. Along the way, we traveled through the Western Barbarian State of Habu. After two months, we covered another five or six thousand *li* before finally arriving at your esteemed abode." The old monk said, "That's also ten thousand *li* away. I, your humble servant, have lived a life in vain, never even stepping outside the monastery gate. It is truly 'sitting in a well and looking at the sky,' a rotten and useless existence."

Sanzang then asked, "Elder Abbot, how old are you?" The old monk replied, "I have foolishly lived to be two hundred and seventy years old." Upon hearing this, the Pilgrim said, "He's still my great-great-great-grandson!" Sanzang shot him a glance and said, "Watch your words! Don't be rude and offend people." The monks then asked, "Gentleman, how old are you?" The Pilgrim said, "I wouldn't dare say." The old monk merely took it as a jest, didn't mind, and asked no further, simply calling for tea to be served. A young attendant brought out a mutton-fat jade tray holding three cloisonné teacups inlaid with gold. Another attendant carried a white bronze pot and poured three cups of fragrant tea. Truly, its color surpassed the vividness of pomegranate blossoms, and its aroma outrivaled the fragrance of osmanthus. Sanzang saw it and praised it endlessly, saying, "What fine things, what fine things! Truly excellent food and beautiful utensils!" The old monk said, "It's nothing, nothing! Sir, you are from the Celestial Empire, accustomed to seeing countless rare treasures. Such utensils are hardly worthy of praise. Since you come from such a superior land, do you perhaps have any treasures you could lend this humble monk a look at?" Sanzang said, "Alas! My Eastern Land has no great treasures, and even if it did, the journey is so long that I couldn't carry them."

The Pilgrim, standing by, said, "Master, the other day I saw that kasaya in our bundle, isn't that a treasure? How about showing it to him?" When the monks heard "kasaya," they all sneered. The Pilgrim asked, "Why are you laughing?" The abbot said, "You said the kasaya is a treasure, which is truly laughable. If you're talking about kasayas, people like us have no less than twenty or thirty. And as for our patriarch, who has been a monk here for two hundred and fifty or sixty years, he has at least seven or eight hundred!" He called, "Bring them out and let them see!" The old monk, eager to show off, ordered the attendants to open the storehouse and the ascetic monks to carry out the chests. Twelve chests were brought into the courtyard, unlocked, and clothes racks were set up on both sides, with ropes strung around to hang the kasayas, which were unfurled one by one for Sanzang to examine. Indeed, the hall was filled with splendid embroidery, and the four walls draped with silk and damask! The Pilgrim examined them one by one. They were all intricately woven with flowers and designs, embroidered with gold thread. He laughed and said, "Good, good, good, put them away, put them away! Now let's bring out ours for a look." Sanzang grabbed the Pilgrim and whispered, "Disciple, don't try to outdo people in wealth. We are alone and far from home; I fear something might go wrong." The Pilgrim said, "What could go wrong from just looking at a kasaya?" Sanzang said, "You don't understand. The ancients said: 'Rare and precious objects should not be shown to greedy and treacherous people. If they once catch sight of them, their hearts will surely be moved; once their hearts are moved, they will certainly devise a plan.' You are one who fears trouble; if they demand it, you must comply with their request. Otherwise, the loss of life and limb would all stem from this. It's no small matter." The Pilgrim said, "Don't worry, don't worry! Leave it all to Old Sun!" You see, without another word, he hurried off, untied the bundle, and already, rays of light burst forth. There were still two layers of oil paper wrapped around it. He removed the paper and took out the kasaya! As he unfurled it, a red glow filled the room, and a radiant aura permeated the courtyard. When the monks saw it, not one failed to praise it with joy in their hearts and words. Truly a magnificent kasaya! Upon it were:

A thousand exquisite pearls hung as pendants,Myriad rare Buddhist treasures clustered together.Dragon whiskers, above and below, spread out in colorful brocade,With silken borders along all four edges.

Wearing it, evil spirits would vanish forever,And demons would descend to the netherworld.Crafted personally by transformed celestial beings,Only a true monk would dare to wear it.

When the old monk saw such a treasure, his treacherous heart was indeed stirred. He stepped forward, knelt before Sanzang, and with tears in his eyes, said, "This humble monk is truly without good fortune!" Sanzang helped him up and said, "Elder Abbot, what is it?" He said, "Sir, this treasure of yours has just been unfurled, and it's already late. Alas, my eyes are dim, and I cannot see it clearly. Is this not a sign of misfortune?" Sanzang instructed, "Bring a lamp so he can look again." The old monk said, "Sir, your treasure is already so radiant. If we light more lamps, it will be even more dazzling, and I won't be able to see it carefully." The Pilgrim said, "How do you wish to look at it then?" The old monk said, "If you would be so kind as to trust me, allow this humble monk to take it to the back room and examine it carefully all night. Tomorrow morning, I will return it to you for your journey westward. What do you think, revered sir?"

Upon hearing this, Sanzang was startled and complained to the Pilgrim, "This is all your fault, all your fault!" The Pilgrim laughed, "What is there to fear? Let me wrap it up, and let him take it to examine. If anything goes wrong, Old Sun will take care of it entirely." Sanzang could not stop him. The Pilgrim handed the kasaya to the old monk, saying, "You may examine it as you wish, but return it to me exactly as it is tomorrow morning, without any damage or stain." The old monk was overjoyed. He had an attendant take the kasaya inside, then instructed the other monks to sweep the front meditation hall clean, bring two rattan beds, and arrange bedding, inviting the two gentlemen to rest. On the other side, he ordered arrangements for a vegetarian breakfast to see them off the next morning. Thereupon, everyone dispersed. The master and disciple closed the meditation hall and went to sleep.

Meanwhile, the monk, having tricked his way into possessing the kasaya, took it to the back room and, under the lamp, began to wail and weep bitterly over it, alarming the monks of the monastery so much that they dared not go to sleep first. The young attendant, not knowing why, went to report to the other monks, "The Elder has been crying until the second watch of the night and still hasn't stopped." Two of his favorite disciples stepped forward and asked, "Grandmaster, why are you crying?" The old monk said, "I cry because I'm fated not to keep it; I can't keep Tang Monk's treasure!" The young monks said, "Grandmaster, you are old, and his kasaya is already right here in front of you. You just need to unwrap it and look; why such bitter weeping?" The old monk said, "Looking at it won't last long. I'm two hundred and seventy years old this year and have acquired hundreds of kasayas in vain. How can I ever get one like his? How can I become a Tang Monk?" The young monks said, "Grandmaster, you are mistaken. Tang Monk is a traveling monk who left his hometown. You are so old and have enjoyed enough; why would you want to be a traveling monk like him?" The old monk said, "Though I am at ease at home and enjoy my later years, I cannot wear his kasaya. If only I could wear it for one day, I would die content. It would mean my life as a monk in this world was not in vain!" The monks said, "How absurd! If you want to wear it, what's so difficult? Tomorrow, we'll ask him to stay for a day, and you can wear it for a day. If he stays for ten days, you can wear it for ten days, and that's it. Why such bitter weeping?" The old monk said, "Even if he stays for half a year, I'd only wear it for half a year. Ultimately, it won't be mine forever. When he wants to leave, I'll have no choice but to let him go. How can I keep it long-term?"

As they were speaking, a young monk named Guangzhi stepped forward and said, "Grandmaster, keeping it long-term is easy." The old monk, hearing this, became joyful and said, "My child, what brilliant idea do you have?" Guangzhi said, "Those two, the Tang Monk and his disciple, are travelers and extremely tired; they are now asleep. Let's find a few strong individuals, take spears and knives, break into the meditation hall, kill them, and bury their bodies in the back garden. Only our own people will know. We can then seize his white horse and luggage, and keep the kasaya as a family heirloom. Wouldn't that be a long-term plan for our descendants?" The old monk was overjoyed upon hearing this, and wiped away his tears, saying, "Good, good, good! This plan is brilliant!" He immediately prepared spears and knives.

Among them, another young monk named Guangmou, who was Guangzhi's junior disciple, stepped forward and said, "This plan is not good. If you want to kill them, you must first observe their movements. The pale-faced one (Sanzang) seems easy, but the hairy-faced one (Monkey King) seems difficult. What if we fail to kill him? Wouldn't that bring disaster upon ourselves? I have a method that requires no weapons. What do you think, esteemed sir?" The old monk said, "My child, what method do you have?" Guangmou said, "In my humble opinion, let's gather all the residents of the Eastern Mountain, large and small. Each person should bring a bundle of firewood. We will surround those three meditation rooms and set them on fire, so they have no escape, burning them and the horse all together. Even if people in front or behind the mountain see it, they will just say that he was careless and caused a fire, burning down our meditation hall. Wouldn't those two monks be burnt to death? And it would serve as a good cover-up. Wouldn't the kasaya then become our family heirloom?" All the monks, hearing this, were overjoyed, exclaiming, "Excellent, excellent, excellent! This plan is even more brilliant, even more brilliant!" So they instructed all quarters to bring firewood. Alas! This scheme was precisely what led to the death of the long-lived old monk and reduced the Guanyin Monastery to dust! It turned out that in their monastery, there were seventy or eighty monastic cells, with over two hundred monks in total, big and small. That night, they all swarmed to carry firewood, completely surrounding the meditation hall on all four sides, making it impassable. They prepared to set it on fire.

Meanwhile, Sanzang and his disciple had settled down to rest. However, the Pilgrim, being a spiritual monkey, though lying down, was merely preserving his spirit and refining his energy, with his eyes half-open. Suddenly, he heard continuous footsteps outside and the rustling sound of firewood, accompanied by rising wind. He grew suspicious and thought, "It's so quiet at night, how can there be the sound of people walking? Could it be thieves plotting to harm us?" He instantly sprang up, wanting to open the door and look, but also feared waking his Master. So, he exerted his magic, shook his body, and transformed into a bee. Truly, it was:

Sweet-mouthed, venomous-tailed, with a slender waist and light body.Darting through flowers and past willows like an arrow,Clinging to pollen and seeking fragrance like a falling star.Though tiny, its delicate body could carry weight.Its buzzing, thin wings knew how to ride the wind.From beneath the eaves, it darted out to see clearly.

He saw the monks, carrying firewood and straw, had already surrounded the meditation hall and were setting it on fire. The Pilgrim secretly chuckled, "Just as my Master said, they want to harm us and steal my kasaya, hence this wicked plot. I was about to take my staff and hit them, but alas, they couldn't withstand it. One blow and they'd all be dead, and Master would blame me for being violent. Enough, enough, enough! I'll give them a taste of their own medicine, turning their scheme against them, making sure they can't stay here anymore!"

The excellent Pilgrim, with a somersault, leaped straight into the South Heaven Gate, startling Pang, Liu, Gou, and Bi into bowing deeply, and Ma, Zhao, Wen, and Guan into cowering, all exclaiming, "Oh no, oh no! The fellow who caused trouble in Heaven is back!" The Pilgrim waved his hand and said, "Gentlemen, dispense with the formalities and don't be alarmed. I've come to find the Broad-Eyed Heavenly King." Before he finished speaking, the Heavenly King arrived early, greeting the Pilgrim, "Long time no see, long time no see. I heard before that Guanyin Bodhisattva came to see the Jade Emperor and borrowed the Four Meritorious Officers, Six Ding-Jia Gods, and the Revealers, among others, to protect the Tang Monk on his journey to the West to obtain scriptures, and that you became his disciple. How is it that you have leisure to be here today?" The Pilgrim said, "Let's postpone catching up. Tang Monk has encountered villains who have set fire to him. The situation is extremely urgent, so I specifically came to borrow your fire-repelling cover to save him. Bring it quickly so I can use it, and I'll return it immediately." The Heavenly King said, "You are mistaken. Since villains set the fire, you should borrow water to save him, why do you need a fire-repelling cover?" The Pilgrim said, "How would you know the inside story? If I borrow water to extinguish it, it won't burn, which would fulfill their plan. But if I use this cover to protect Tang Monk from harm, as for the rest, let them burn it all. Hurry, hurry! By now, it might be too late; don't delay my business down below!" The Heavenly King laughed and said, "This monkey still harbors such mischievous intentions, only caring for himself and not others." The Pilgrim said, "Hurry, hurry! Stop wasting words and spoiling a big matter!" The Heavenly King dared not refuse, so he handed the cover to the Pilgrim.

The Pilgrim took it, pressed his cloud-somersault, and went directly to the ridge of the meditation hall's roof. He covered Tang Monk, the white horse, and the luggage. Then he went to sit on the roof of the abbot's quarters, where the old monk lived, intending to protect the kasaya. Watching those people set the fire, he twisted his fingers into a spell, recited an incantation, inhaled a breath of air towards the southeast, and blew it out. A gust of wind rose, causing the fire to blaze wildly with a roaring sound. What a fire, what a fire! One could only see:

Black smoke billowed, red flames soared.With black smoke everywhere, no stars could be seen in the vast sky;With red flames soaring, the earth glowed red for a thousand *li*.At first, like dazzling golden snakes; later, like mighty blood-red horses.The three southern cauldrons displayed their might, and the great deity Huilu (God of Fire) unleashed his power.Dry firewood burned with furious intensity, making the legend of Suiren drilling wood for fire seem insignificant; colorful flames danced before the seasoned oil, surpassing even the opening of a grand alchemist's furnace.It was indeed an unfeeling fire that erupted, but how could it withstand this intentional malevolence, which, instead of mitigating disaster, actually compounded the cruelty?The wind followed the fire's might, causing flames to leap thousands of feet high; the fire, seizing the wind's power, sent ash scattering beyond the nine heavens.With crashing and banging, it was like firecrackers at the end of the year; with crackling and roaring, it was like the sound of cannons in battle.The Buddhist statues on the spot could not escape the burning, and the monastery buildings in the eastern courtyard had nowhere to hide.It surpassed the night battle at Red Cliffs, outdoing the fire within the Epang Palace!

This is truly "a single spark can start a prairie fire." In an instant, the wind raged and the fire grew fierce, turning the entire Guanyin Monastery crimson everywhere. You should have seen those monks, half-naked and haggard, weeping and wailing, all searching through the ashes for copper and iron, raking through charred wood, and sifting for gold and silver. Some were building makeshift shelters with baskets against walls, while others were setting up cooking pots at the base of charred walls to prepare food. They cried out about their grievances and misfortunes, creating a chaotic commotion.

Unexpectedly, when the fire erupted, it startled a mountain beast-demon. About twenty *li* due south of Guanyin Monastery was Black Wind Mountain, and in Black Wind Cave within that mountain lived a demon. He was just waking up and turning over when he saw his window glowing brightly, thinking it was dawn. When he got up to look, it was the dazzling firelight from the true north. The demon was greatly alarmed and exclaimed, "Ah! This must be a fire at Guanyin Monastery! These monks are so careless! I should go and help them put it out!"

The good demon, soaring on a cloud, immediately arrived beneath the smoke and fire. Indeed, the flames shot to the sky. The front halls were empty, and the two corridors were ablaze with smoke and fire. He strode boldly in, calling out for water. But he saw no fire in the back rooms and someone standing watch on the roof ridge. Realizing this, he quickly went inside to look and saw some radiant light and colorful aura in the center of the abbot's quarters, and a blue felt bundle on the table. He untied it and saw a brocade bat-patterned kasaya, truly a rare treasure of Buddhism. Indeed, wealth moves the heart. He neither put out the fire nor called for water. Grabbing the kasaya, he took advantage of the chaos, withdrew his cloud steps, and headed back directly to East Mountain.

That fire only died down around the fifth watch, at daybreak. You should have seen those monks, half-naked and haggard, weeping and wailing, all searching through the ashes for copper and iron, raking through charred wood, and sifting for gold and silver. Some were building makeshift shelters with baskets against walls, while others were setting up cooking pots at the base of charred walls to prepare food. They cried out about their grievances and misfortunes, creating a chaotic commotion that needs no further description.

Meanwhile, the Pilgrim took the fire-repelling cover, sent it with a somersault to the South Heaven Gate, and handed it to the Broad-Eyed Heavenly King, saying, "Thanks for the loan, thanks for the loan!" The Heavenly King received it and said, "Great Sage, you are truly honorable. I was just worrying that you wouldn't return my treasure and I wouldn't know where to find it. I'm delighted you brought it back." The Pilgrim said, "Is Old Sun the kind of person who cheats people openly? This is called 'good borrowing and good returning makes it easy to borrow again.'" The Heavenly King said, "We haven't seen each other in a long time. How about coming to my palace for a short rest?" The Pilgrim said, "Old Sun is different from before; I can no longer sit around chatting idly. Now I'm protecting Tang Monk, so I have no leisure time. Please excuse me, please excuse me!" He quickly bid farewell and descended on his cloud. Just as the sun appeared, he arrived at the meditation hall. He shook his body, transformed back into a bee, flew inside, and then reverted to his true form. He saw his Master still sound asleep.

The Pilgrim called out, "Master, it's dawn, get up!" Sanzang only then awoke, turned over, and said, "Indeed." He dressed, opened the door, and stepped out. Suddenly, he looked up and saw only collapsed walls and red walls, with no towers or halls to be seen. He was greatly alarmed and exclaimed, "Ah! Why are all these halls gone? Why are there only red walls?" The Pilgrim said, "You're still dreaming! There was a fire last night." Sanzang asked, "How did I not know?" The Pilgrim said, "Old Sun protected the meditation hall. Seeing you were in a deep sleep, I didn't alarm you." Sanzang said, "If you had the ability to protect the meditation hall, why didn't you put out the fires in the other rooms?" The Pilgrim laughed, "Let me tell you, Master. Indeed, just as you said yesterday, they coveted our kasaya and plotted to burn us to death. If Old Sun hadn't been aware, by now we would all be ashes and bones!" Sanzang was terrified upon hearing this and asked, "Did they set the fire?" The Pilgrim said, "If not them, then who?" Sanzang said, "Could it be that they treated you disrespectfully, and you did this?" The Pilgrim said, "Is Old Sun such a lazy and wicked person to do such an evil deed? It was truly they who started it. Old Sun saw their poisonous hearts, so I indeed did not help them put out the fire, but only gave them a little help with the wind." Sanzang exclaimed, "Heavens, heavens! When a fire breaks out, one should assist with water, why did you assist with wind instead?" The Pilgrim said, "Don't you know the ancient saying: 'If a