Chapter 19: Cloud Platform Cave Wukong Recruits Bajie Xuanzang Receives the Heart Sutra at Futu Mountain

The monster went ahead with his fiery light, and the Great Sage followed on his multicolored cloud. As they traveled, they suddenly saw a tall mountain. The monster gathered its red light, revealed its true form, and crashed into a cave. It then emerged, wielding a nine-pronged rake, ready for battle. The Pilgrim shouted, "Vile monster, where do you come from? How do you know my old Sun's name? What powers do you possess? Confess truthfully, and I’ll spare your life!" The monster replied, "You don't know my abilities either! Come closer and stand firm, and I'll tell you. I—

From childhood, I was dull-witted,Fond of idleness and lazy without cease.I never cultivated my nature or sought enlightenment;My mind was muddled, passing days and months in confusion.

One day, in my leisure, I met a true immortal,And we sat down to speak of warm and cold.He urged me to change my ways, not to fall into the mortal realm,Where harming life creates endless karma.

For when the great limit of life ends,In the eight difficulties and three evil paths, repentance would be useless.Hearing his words, my intention turned to cultivation;My heart awakened, seeking profound secrets.

Being fated, I immediately bowed to him as my master;He showed me the heavenly gates and earthly palaces.I received the Nine-Turn Great Elixir,And my practice continued day and night without interruption.

From the Mud-Pill Palace at the crown of my headDown to the Bubbling Spring point on my soles.The kidney water circulated into the Flowery Pond,And my dantian became warmly nourished.

The Infant and Maiden joined yin and yang;Lead and mercury converged, separating sun and moon.The Dragon of Li and Tiger of Kan were balanced;The Spiritual Tortoise absorbed the Golden Crow's essence.

The Three Flowers gathered at the crown, returning to the root;The Five Qi converged, becoming perfectly clear.When my merits were complete and actions fulfilled, I ascended,Welcomed by pairs of heavenly immortals.

Bright multicolored clouds appeared beneath my feet;Light of body and strong, I went to the Golden Palace.The Jade Emperor hosted a banquet for all immortals,Each assigned their rank and lined up.

I was appointed Marshal to command the Milky Way,Overseeing the aquatic troops, known as Xiànjié.It was because the Queen Mother held the Peach of Immortality banquet,Opening a feast in the Jade Pool, inviting many guests.

At that time, drunk and muddled,I staggered about, acting wildly.Displaying my bravado, I crashed into the Broad Cold Palace;A graceful fairy came to greet me.

Seeing her soul-capturing beauty,My old mortal desires were hard to extinguish.Completely disregarding hierarchy and propriety,I seized Chang'e, demanding she accompany me.

Again and again, she refused,Hiding and dodging, displeased in her heart.My lustful audacity was as vast as heaven, my shouts like thunder,Nearly shaking down the Heavenly Gate.

The Inspecting Spiritual Official reported to the Jade Emperor;That day, my destiny was indeed unlucky.The Broad Cold Palace was surrounded, no air could pass;With no way in or out, escape was impossible.

Yet, caught by the gods, the wine still emboldened me.I was dragged to the Hall of Divine Mists to face the Jade Emperor;By law, I was condemned to execution.Thanks to Taibai Jinxing, who stepped forward and bowed his head, personally interceding.

The sentence was changed to a heavy beating of two thousand blows,Leaving my flesh torn, skin split, and bones almost broken.I was spared but banished from the Heavenly Gate,Exiled to set up a home on Fuling Mountain.

Because of my sin, I mistakenly reincarnated,And my common name is Zhu Ganglie."

The Pilgrim, hearing this, said, "So you're the Marshal Tianpeng, a water deity, banished to the mortal realm! No wonder you know my old Sun's name." The monster snorted, "Humph! You impudent Stable Groom! When you caused all that trouble back then, you don't know how much you implicated us. And now you come here to bully me again! Don't be rude, take this rake!" The Pilgrim, refusing to show mercy, raised his staff and struck directly at the monster's head. The two fought fiercely in the darkness on the mountainside. What a battle it was—

The Pilgrim's fiery eyes flashed like lightning;The demon's round eyes gleamed like silver flowers.One spewed multicolored mist from his mouth;The other exhaled crimson clouds.Crimson clouds brightened the dimness;Multicolored mist illuminated the night.The Golden-Clasped Staff, the nine-pronged rake—Two truly commendable heroes.One was the Great Sage descending to the mortal world;The other a Marshal banished to the ends of the earth.The former became a monster due to losing his dignity;The latter fortunately escaped suffering and became a monk.The rake went forth like a dragon extending its claws;The staff met it like a phoenix dancing among flowers.One said, "You ruin others' marriages as if killing their fathers!"The other replied, "You kidnapped a young girl from her home, you should be caught!"Idle words, loud clamor;Back and forth, staff parried rake.As they fought until dawn was near,The demon's arms began to ache and grow numb.

The two fought from the second watch of the night until the East turned white. The monster, unable to resist, fled the battle, once again transforming into a fierce wind, returning directly to its cave, closing the door tightly, and refusing to come out again. Outside the cave entrance, the Pilgrim saw a stone tablet inscribed with the characters "Cloud Pathway Cave." Seeing that the monster wouldn't emerge and that dawn had broken, he thought, "My master might be waiting. I should go back and see him first; it won't be too late to capture this monster later." With a light step on the clouds, he quickly arrived back at Gao Village.

Meanwhile, Tripitaka and the elders had talked throughout the night, sleepless. Just as they were wondering why the Pilgrim hadn't returned, he suddenly appeared in the courtyard. The Pilgrim put away his iron staff, tidied his clothes, entered the hall, and called out, "Master, I'm here." The elders, flustered, all bowed in unison, thanking him, "Many thanks, many thanks!" Tripitaka asked, "Wukong, you were gone all night. Where is the demon you captured?" The Pilgrim replied, "Master, that demon is not an ordinary earthly evil spirit, nor a monstrous beast from the mountains. He is actually Marshal Tianpeng, banished to the mortal realm. Due to a mistaken reincarnation, his face resembles a wild boar, but his spiritual nature is still intact. He says his surname is based on his appearance, and his name is Zhu Ganglie. Your old Sun pulled out his staff from the backyard and struck him, but he transformed into a strong wind and escaped. Your old Sun struck him with the staff through the wind, and he then turned into a streak of fire, directly returning to his mountain cave, where he took out a nine-pronged rake and fought with your old Sun all night. Just as dawn was breaking, he became afraid and fled, closing his cave door tightly and refusing to come out. Your old Sun still wants to break open that door and settle things with him, but fearing that Master would be anxious and waiting here, I came back first to report."

After he spoke, old Master Gao stepped forward and knelt, saying, "Reverend Monk, it's no use; even though you've driven him away, he will return after you leave. What then are we to do? Please exert yourself to capture him for me and remove him completely; only then will there be no future trouble. My old self dares not be remiss; I will certainly offer a generous reward. I will have my relatives and friends draw up a document to divide my family's wealth and land equally with the Reverend Monk. Just please eradicate him root and branch, so as not to spoil the virtuous reputation of my Gao family." The Pilgrim laughed and said, "Old man, you don't know your place. That monster also told me that although he has a huge appetite and has eaten some of your family's food, he has done many good deeds for you. All the wealth your family has accumulated over these past few years is due to his efforts. He hasn't eaten your things for free, so why do you want to get rid of him? According to him, he is a celestial deity descended to the mortal realm, working for your family, and he hasn't harmed your daughter either. Thinking of such a son-in-law, he's a good match for your family; he hasn't ruined your family's reputation or disgraced your conduct. You should truly keep him." Old Gao said, "Reverend Monk, although it doesn't violate public morals, his reputation isn't very pleasant. People constantly say, 'The Gao family has taken a monster as a son-in-law!' How can one endure such words?" Tripitaka said, "Wukong, since you've already engaged him, finish him off completely. Only then will there be a proper conclusion." The Pilgrim said, "I was just testing him for fun. This time, I will definitely capture him and bring him for you to see. Don't worry." He then called out, "Old Gao, please take good care of my master. I'm leaving."

Saying "Go," he vanished without a trace, leaping to the mountain and arriving at the cave entrance. With a single swing of his iron staff, he smashed both doors to smithereens, cursing, "You gluttonous oaf! Come out and fight your old Sun!" The monster, who was panting and sleeping inside the cave, heard the doors shatter and the curses. Unable to contain his rage, he dragged his rake, gathered his spirits, and rushed out, yelling fiercely, "You utterly lazy Stable Groom! What business is it of yours to smash my main door? Go and look at the law; forcing entry through a main door is a miscellaneous capital offense!" The Pilgrim laughed, "You fool! Even if I broke down the main door, there's still a defense. But you, forcibly occupying a woman's home, without matchmakers or witnesses, without any tea, red silk, or wine as gifts—you deserve to be beheaded as a true criminal!" The monster said, "Stop your idle chatter, look at Old Pig's rake!" The Pilgrim used his staff to parry it and said, "Is this rake for Master Gao's garden, for tilling the ground and planting vegetables? What's so special about it that I should fear you?" The monster said, "You're mistaken! How could this rake be an earthly object? Listen as I tell you—

This was forged from divine ice-iron,Polished to a brilliant, gleaming finish.Old Lord Lao himself wielded the hammer;Mars personally added charcoal dust.

The Five Emperors of Five Directions applied their ingenuity;The Six Ding and Six Jia spent much effort.It was crafted with nine jade-like prongs,And cast with double gold leaf-shaped rings.

Its body adorns the Six Constellations and aligns with the Five Planets;Its form conforms to the Four Seasons and Eight Periods.Its length and breadth define heaven and earth;Its left and right divide yin and yang, sun and moon.

The Six-Line Spirit Generals observe the heavenly rules;The Eight Trigrams stars are arrayed by the Dipper.Named the "Supreme Treasure Golden Immersing Rake,"It was presented to the Jade Emperor to guard the Cinnabar Palace.

Because I cultivated to become a Great Luo Immortal,And became a guest of longevity.I was appointed Marshal, named Tianpeng,And graciously bestowed this rake as a royal implement.

When raised, it unleashes fierce flames and brilliant light;When lowered, strong winds carry auspicious snow.All the celestial generals are astonished;The Yama Kings of the underworld are terrified.

There is no such weapon in the human world,Nor such iron anywhere else.It can transform as I wish;It can flip and tumble freely according to incantation.

I have carried it for several years without parting;It has accompanied me for years without a single day's separation.It does not miss a single one of my three meals a day,Nor is it ever abandoned during my night's sleep.

I once wore it to the Peach of Immortality Banquet,And I once took it to the Imperial Palace.All because I relied on wine to act violently;Only because I relied on strength did I run rampant.

Heaven banished me to the mortal world,Letting me commit sins in this lower realm.In the stone cave, my evil heart caused me to eat people;In Gao Village, love led to marriage.

This rake can overturn dragon and alligator nests in the sea,And shatter tiger and wolf lairs on mountains.Let's not speak of other weapons;Only my rake is the most formidable.

What difficulty is there in achieving victory in a standoff?There's no need to speak of seeking merit in battle.What fear is there if you have a copper head, iron skull, and a body of steel?When my rake strikes, your soul will vanish and your spirit dissipate!"

Hearing this, the Pilgrim put away his iron staff and said, "Don't boast, you fool! Your old Sun will put his head here; try striking it once and see if your rake can make my soul vanish or my spirit dissipate!" The monster truly raised his rake and, with all his might, struck forward. With a "thwack," the rake's fiery light flared, but it didn't even budge the Pilgrim's scalp. This frightened him so much that his hands and feet went numb and weak. He exclaimed, "What a head, what a head!" The Pilgrim said, "You don't know this either. Because your old Sun caused trouble in the Heavenly Palace, stole immortal elixirs, pilfered peaches of immortality, and purloined imperial wine, I was captured by the Young Sage Erlang and brought before the Dou Niu Palace. All the heavenly gods chopped and hammered, cut with knives and pierced with swords, burned with fire and struck with thunder, but they couldn't harm me in the slightest. Then the Grand Supreme Elder captured me and placed me in the Eight Trigram Furnace, where he used divine fire to refine me, forging me into one with fiery eyes, a bronze head, and iron arms. If you don't believe me, try striking a few more times and see if it hurts or not?" The monster said, "You monkey, I remember when you caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace, you lived in the Water Curtain Cave on Flower Fruit Mountain in Aolai Country, Dongsheng Shenzhou. I haven't heard of you in a long time. Why have you come here to my door to bully me? Could it be my father-in-law went there to invite you?" The Pilgrim said, "Your father-in-law didn't invite me. It's because your old Sun has reformed, abandoned his old ways to follow Buddhism, and is protecting an imperial brother from the Great Tang in the Eastern Land, named Master Tripitaka, on his journey west to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. We passed through Gao Village seeking lodging, and old Master Gao, after speaking with us, asked me to save his daughter and capture you, you gluttonous oaf!"

The monster, upon hearing this, dropped his rake and made a deep bow, saying, "Where is the scripture-seeker? Please bother yourself to introduce me." The Pilgrim asked, "Why do you want to see him?" The monster said, "I was originally persuaded to do good by Guanyin Bodhisattva. I received her precepts and have been observing a vegetarian diet here, instructed to follow the scripture-seeker to the Western Heaven to worship Buddha and obtain scriptures, thereby atoning for my sins and achieving proper enlightenment. She told me to wait for him, but I haven't heard any news for several years. Since you are now his disciple, why didn't you mention the scripture journey earlier, instead of relying on brute force and attacking me at my home?" The Pilgrim said, "Don't try to deceive me with cunning to soften me, as a way to escape. If you truly wish to protect Tang Sanzang, without any falsehood, you must swear an oath to Heaven, and only then will I take you to see my master." The monster immediately knelt down, kowtowing towards the sky like a pounding pestle, repeatedly saying, "Amitabha, Namo Buddha! If I am not sincere, let me violate the heavenly laws and be torn into ten thousand pieces!" Seeing him swear such an oath, the Pilgrim said, "Since that's the case, light a fire and burn down this dwelling of yours, then I will take you." The monster truly gathered some reeds and thorny bushes, lit a fire, and burned the Cloud Pathway Cave until it resembled a broken pottery kiln. He then said to the Pilgrim, "Now I have no more attachments, please lead me." The Pilgrim said, "Give me your rake to carry." The monster handed the rake to the Pilgrim. The Pilgrim then plucked out a single hair, blew a puff of immortal breath, and cried, "Change!" It immediately transformed into a three-stranded hemp rope. He walked over and bound the monster's hands behind his back. The monster truly held his hands behind his back, allowing himself to be tied up. Then the Pilgrim grabbed his ear, pulling him, and cried, "Hurry, hurry!" The monster said, "Gently now! Your grip is heavy, it's hurting my ear." The Pilgrim said, "I can't be gentle; I can't spare you! As the saying goes, 'Good pigs are caught harshly.' Only when you see my master and prove your sincerity will I release you." The two, half in cloud and half in mist, headed directly back to Gao Village. A poem bears witness:

The metal nature, strong and overcoming wood;The mind-monkey subdues the wooden dragon and brings it back.When metal follows wood, all become one;Wood cherishes metal's benevolence, fully displaying it.

One master, one guest, without separation;Three interactions, three unions, profound and subtle.Both natures delight in the gathering of pristine origins,Jointly attesting to the Western path without deviation.

In an instant, they arrived before the village. The Pilgrim, holding the rake and pinching the monster's ear, said, "Look who is sitting regally in the main hall? That is my master." Old Master Gao and all his relatives and friends, suddenly seeing the Pilgrim bring the monster, bound and ear-pinched, joyfully came to the courtyard, exclaiming, "Reverend Monk, Reverend Monk! He is indeed our son-in-law!" The monster stepped forward, knelt on both knees, and, with his hands tied behind his back, kowtowed to Tripitaka, calling loudly, "Master, your disciple has failed to welcome you! If I had known earlier that Master was staying at my father-in-law's house, I would have come to greet you. Why did I have to endure so many troubles?" Tripitaka asked, "Wukong, how did you manage to make him come and bow to me?" Only then did the Pilgrim release his hand, striking the monster with the handle of the rake, and shouted, "Fool, speak!" The monster then recounted in detail the story of Guanyin Bodhisattva persuading him to do good. Tripitaka was greatly pleased and immediately called out, "Old Master Gao, please bring an incense altar." Old Gao quickly brought out an incense altar. Tripitaka purified his hands, lit incense, and bowed to the south, saying, "Many thanks for the Bodhisattva's divine grace!" The other elders also added incense and bowed in unison. After bowing, Tripitaka ascended to sit in the main hall and instructed, "Wukong, release his ropes." The Pilgrim simply shook his body, and the ropes vanished back into his body, releasing themselves. The monster then bowed to Tripitaka again, expressing his willingness to go west with him. He also bowed to the Pilgrim, acknowledging the earlier arrival as elder, and thus called the Pilgrim "Senior Brother." Tripitaka said, "Since you are embracing this good outcome and wish to become a disciple, I will give you a Buddhist name for us to call you by." He replied, "Master, the Bodhisattva has already performed the initiation rite upon me and given me a Buddhist name: Zhu Wuneng." Tripitaka smiled, "Good, good! Your senior brother is called Wukong, and you are called Wuneng. This truly aligns with the lineage of my Buddhist sect." Wuneng said, "Master, I have received the Bodhisattva's precepts and abstained from the five pungent foods and three forbidden meats. I have been observing a vegetarian diet at my father-in-law's house and have not touched meat at all. Now that I have met Master, may I break my fast?" Tripitaka said, "No, no! Since you are not eating the five pungent foods and three forbidden meats, I will give you another name, called Bajie." The foolish fellow happily said, "I respectfully obey your command." Thus, he was also called Zhu Bajie.

Old Gao, seeing this conversion from evil to righteousness, was even more delighted. He immediately ordered his servants to prepare a banquet to thank Tang Sanzang. Bajie stepped forward and grabbed old Gao, saying, "Father-in-law, how about asking my humble wife to come out and greet her father-in-law and uncles?" The Pilgrim laughed, "My virtuous brother, since you have entered the monastic order and become a monk, from now on, do not mention 'humble wife' again. There are only lay Daoists in the world, where are there lay monks? Let's take our seats, eat a vegetarian meal, and then set off early on our journey to the Western Heaven." Old Master Gao set the table, invited Tripitaka to the head seat, while the Pilgrim and Bajie sat on either side, and the relatives took the lower seats. Old Gao opened a jar of vegetarian wine, filled a cup, offered it to heaven and earth, and then presented it to Tripitaka. Tripitaka said, "To be frank, Master Gao, this poor monk has been a vegetarian since birth; I have not eaten meat since childhood." Old Gao said, "Knowing your reverence's purity, I wouldn't dare serve meat. This wine is also vegetarian; please have a cup, it won't hurt." Tripitaka said, "I also dare not drink wine; wine is the first precept for us monks." Wuneng hastily said, "Master, I've kept a vegetarian diet, but I haven't given up wine." Wukong said, "Although your old Sun has a small capacity and can't drink a whole jar, I also haven't given up wine." Tripitaka said, "In that case, you brothers may have some vegetarian wine, but you must not get drunk and delay our journey." Thereupon, the two accepted the first cups. Everyone sat down as before. A vegetarian feast was laid out, with an abundance of dishes and variety of food beyond description.

After the master and disciples finished their meal, old Gao brought out a red lacquered tray with two hundred taels of loose gold and silver, offering it to the three reverend monks as travel expenses. He also brought three cotton-cloth robes as outer garments. Tripitaka said, "We are wandering monks; we beg for food at villages and seek alms wherever we go. How dare we accept gold, silver, or material wealth?" The Pilgrim stepped forward, opened his hand, grabbed a handful, and called out, "Gao Cai, yesterday you guided my master, and today we've gained a new disciple. I have nothing to thank you with, so take these scattered gold and silver as a temporary reward to buy straw sandals. In the future, if there are more demons, help me apprehend a few more, and I'll have more to thank you for." Gao Cai accepted, kowtowed, and thanked him for the reward. Old Gao then said, "Since the masters won't accept gold and silver, please kindly accept these humble clothes as a small token of my regard." Tripitaka again said, "As ascetics, if we accept even a thread of bribe, it will be difficult to cultivate for a thousand kalpas. Just take some of the leftover cakes and fruits from the banquet to use as dry rations; that will be enough." Bajie, standing nearby, said, "Master, Senior Brother, if you don't want them, then so be it, but I've been their son-in-law for several years, so I should be given at least three piculs of provisions for the road. Father-in-law, my monk's robe was torn by Senior Brother last night, please give me a green brocade kasaya; my shoes are worn out, please give me a good new pair of shoes." Hearing this, old Gao dared not refuse. He immediately bought a new pair of shoes and gave him a loose robe, replacing his old clothes. Bajie, swaying back and forth, bowed to old Gao and said, "Please tell my mother-in-law, eldest aunt, second aunt, uncles by marriage, and all other relatives that I am going to be a monk today and couldn't bid farewell in person, so please don't blame me. Father-in-law, please take good care of my wife. If we fail to obtain the scriptures, I might return to secular life and continue to be your son-in-law as before." The Pilgrim shouted, "Oaf, don't talk nonsense!" Bajie said, "Brother, I'm not talking nonsense. What if something goes wrong temporarily? Wouldn't I have missed out on being a monk and missed out on marrying a wife? Both opportunities would be lost?" Tripitaka said, "Enough of this idle talk, let us set off early." So they packed a load of luggage, which Bajie carried; the white horse was brought, which Tripitaka rode; and the Pilgrim, with his iron staff on his shoulder, led the way. The three in their party bade farewell to old Gao and all their relatives and friends, and headed west. A poem bears witness, it reads:

Mists and clouds fill the land, trees grow tall;The Tang monk toils and suffers.Hungry, he eats a bowl of rice from a thousand families;Cold, he wears a monk's robe patched with a thousand stitches.

Let the horse of intent not run wild in the breast;Let the mischievous mind-monkey not howl.When emotions and nature are settled, all karmic conditions align;The full moon on Golden Flower Peak signals the cutting of hair.

The three continued their journey west, and for a month, it was peaceful. After passing through the borders of U-Tsang, they suddenly looked up and saw a tall mountain. Tripitaka stopped his whip and reined in his horse, saying, "Wukong, Wuneng, the mountain ahead is high; we must be very careful." Bajie said, "It's nothing. This mountain is called Mount Futu. There's a Chan Master Wuchao cultivating here; Old Pig has met him before." Tripitaka asked, "What sort of activities does he engage in?" Bajie said, "He does have some spiritual attainment. He once urged me to cultivate with him, but I simply didn't go." As the master and disciples conversed, it wasn't long before they reached the mountain. What a mountain! One could see—

To the south of the mountain were green pines and cypress;To the north, green willows and red peaches.Noisy mountain birds conversed;Graceful immortal cranes flew together.Fragrant flowers of a thousand hues;Lush, varied grasses of ten thousand wonders.Below the ravine flowed rushing green water;Before the cliffs floated auspicious clouds.Truly a place of extraordinarily serene and elegant scenery,Yet utterly silent, with no one coming or going.

The master, observing from horseback, saw a thatch hut before a fragrant cypress tree. To the left were deer carrying flowers in their mouths; to the right, mountain monkeys offering fruit. At the treetops, blue luan birds and colorful phoenixes sang in unison; black cranes and pheasants gathered. Bajie pointed, "Isn't that Chan Master Wuchao!" Tripitaka spurred his horse and rode directly to the tree.

The Chan master, seeing the three approach, immediately left his nest and leapt down from the tree. Tripitaka dismounted and bowed in reverence. The Chan master supported him with his hand, saying, "Holy monk, please rise. I'm sorry I didn't welcome you." Bajie said, "Old Chan Master, greetings." The Chan master, surprised, asked, "You are Zhu Ganglie of Fuling Mountain. How did you come to have such a great destiny, to travel with the holy monk?" Bajie said, "Two years ago, Guanyin Bodhisattva persuaded me to do good, and I willingly became his disciple." The Chan master was greatly pleased, saying, "Good, good, good!" He then pointed to the Pilgrim and asked, "Who is this?" The Pilgrim laughed, "How does this old Chan recognize him but not me?" The Chan master said, "It's due to my limited knowledge." Tripitaka said, "He is my eldest disciple, Sun Wukong." The Chan master offered an apologetic smile, "My apologies, my apologies." Tripitaka bowed again and asked where the Great Thunderclap Temple in the Western Heaven was. The Chan master said, "Far, far away! But the road is full of tigers and leopards, difficult to travel." Tripitaka earnestly inquired again, "How far is the journey really?" The Chan master said, "Although the road is long, you will eventually reach your destination. However, the demonic miasma is difficult to dispel. I have a volume of the Heart Sutra, with fifty-four verses, totaling two hundred and seventy characters. If you encounter demonic miasma, just recite this sutra, and you will suffer no harm." Tripitaka prostrated himself and pleaded. The Chan master then recited and transmitted it orally. The sutra reads:

The Maha Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra: Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, when practicing the profound Prajnaparamita, clearly saw that the five skandhas are empty, and thus transcended all suffering and distress. Shariputra, form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form; form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness are also like this. Shariputra, all dharmas are marked with emptiness: they do not arise or cease, are not defiled or pure, do not increase or decrease. Therefore, in emptiness, there is no form, no feeling, perception, volitional formations, or consciousness; no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, or mental objects; no eye realm, and so forth, up to no realm of consciousness; no ignorance, and no end to ignorance, and so forth, up to no old age and death, and no end to old age and death. There is no suffering, no origin of suffering, no cessation of suffering, no path. There is no wisdom, and also no attainment. Because there is nothing to attain, Bodhisattvas—relying on Prajnaparamita, their minds are unobstructed. Because they are unobstructed, they are without fear. Far removed from distorted views and illusory thoughts, they ultimately reach Nirvana. All Buddhas of the three times, relying on Prajnaparamita, attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Therefore, know that Prajnaparamita is the great spiritual mantra, the great bright mantra, the supreme mantra, the unequalled mantra, which can remove all suffering, truly and not falsely. Therefore, say the Prajnaparamita mantra, which is: Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!

The Tang dynasty master, having a profound foundation, was able to memorize the Heart Sutra after hearing it just once, and it has been passed down to this day. This is truly the fundamental scripture for cultivating truth and the essential gateway to becoming a Buddha.

After the Chan master transmitted the scripture, he stepped on a cloud of light, intending to ascend to his Wuchao and depart. But Tripitaka pulled him back, earnestly asking for a precise route to the west. The Chan master smiled and said:

The path is not hard to travel,Just listen to my instructions:A thousand mountains, a thousand deep rivers,Many places of miasma and demons.

If you meet the Sky-Connecting Cliff,Set your mind at ease and have no fear.When you arrive at Ear-Rubbing Rock,Step carefully.

Be cautious in the Black Pine Forest,Where many demon foxes block the way.Spirits fill nations and cities;Demon lords reside throughout the mountains.

Tigers sit in official halls;Gray wolves act as clerks.Lions and elephants all claim kingship;Tigers and leopards serve as imperial escorts.

A wild boar carries the burden;A water monster will be met ahead.An ancient stone monkey,There he harbors anger.Ask that acquaintance,He knows the way west.

Hearing this, the Pilgrim sneered, "When we go, there's no need to ask him; just ask me." Tripitaka still didn't understand his meaning. The Chan master transformed into a golden light and ascended directly to Wuchao to depart. The Elder bowed upwards in thanks, but the Pilgrim was furious. He raised his iron staff and wildly smashed upwards, only to see ten thousand lotus flowers bloom and a thousand layers of auspicious mist protecting the spot. Though the Pilgrim possessed the power to stir seas and overturn rivers, he could not even grasp a single vine of Wuchao. Tripitaka saw this and pulled the Pilgrim back, saying, "Wukong, why are you smashing the nest of such a Bodhisattva?" The Pilgrim said, "He insulted both my brother and me before leaving." Tripitaka said, "He was talking about the path to the Western Heaven; how did he insult you?" The Pilgrim said, "How could you know? When he said 'a wild boar carries the burden,' he was insulting Bajie; and 'an ancient stone monkey,' he was insulting your old Sun. How could you possibly understand his meaning?" Bajie said, "Senior Brother, calm your anger. This Chan master also knows things of the past and future. Just looking at his phrase 'a water monster will be met ahead,' whether it's true or not, let him go." The Pilgrim, seeing the lotus flowers and auspicious mist near the nest, had no choice but to ask his master to mount his horse, and they descended the mountain, heading west. From that point on—it ensured less peace and comfort in the human world, and caused more disasters and demons in the mountains. Ultimately, we do not know what truly awaited them on their journey. Let's listen to the next chapter for the explanation.