Chapter 2: 悟彻菩提真妙理 断魔归本合元神

The Handsome Monkey King, having received his name, was overjoyed and bowed deeply to Bodhi, expressing his gratitude. The Patriarch then instructed his disciples to lead Sun Wukong outside the second gate, teaching him how to sweep and clean, how to conduct himself in conversation, and all the rules of etiquette. The immortals followed the instruction and left. Wukong, once outside the gate, again bowed to his fellow disciples and then arranged his sleeping quarters in the corridor. The next morning, he learned speech and manners with his fellow disciples, discussed scriptures and Taoist principles, practiced calligraphy, and burned incense, doing so every day. In his spare time, he swept the ground, hoed the garden, tended flowers, pruned trees, gathered firewood, lit fires, carried water, and transported pulp. He made sure all necessary items were prepared. Unbeknownst to him, six or seven years quickly passed in the cave.

One day, the Patriarch ascended the high platform and, gathering all the immortals, began to expound on the Great Way. It was truly a sight where heavenly flowers rained down, and golden lotuses sprang from the earth. He skillfully expounded on the Three Vehicles of teaching, encompassing the profound subtleties of all phenomena. Slowly waving his whisk, he spoke words like pearls and jade, his voice thundering, shaking the nine heavens. He spoke of Tao for a while, then of Zen, explaining how the three schools naturally complemented each other. He illuminated the truth of sincere devotion with a single word, guiding them to the profound mystery of understanding one's nature without birth or death.

Sun Wukong, listening nearby, was so delighted that he scratched his ears and cheek, his face beaming with joy, unable to resist dancing with his hands and feet. Suddenly, the Patriarch saw him and called out, "Sun Wukong, why are you so wild and jumping around in class, not listening to my lecture?" Wukong replied, "Disciple was sincerely listening, and when I heard Master's wonderful teachings, I was so overcome with joy that I couldn't help but jump around. I beg Master's forgiveness!" The Patriarch said, "Since you recognize the wonderful sound, let me ask you, how long have you been in the cave?" Wukong replied, "Disciple was originally ignorant and did not know how much time had passed. I only remember that when there was no fire in the stove, I often went to the back of the mountain to gather firewood, and I saw a good peach tree there, and I ate my fill seven times." The Patriarch said, "That mountain is called Rotten Peach Mountain. Since you ate there seven times, it must have been seven years. Now, what kind of Way do you wish to learn from me?" Wukong said, "Whatever your esteemed instruction, Master, as long as it has a bit of the Way's essence, I will learn it."

The Patriarch said, "Within the 'Dao' gate, there are three hundred and sixty side-gates, and each side-gate can lead to genuine enlightenment. Which one do you wish to learn?" Wukong said, "Whatever your esteemed instruction, Master, your disciple will wholeheartedly obey." The Patriarch said, "How about I teach you the Way of the 'Arts' branch?" Wukong asked, "What is the Way of the 'Arts' branch?" The Patriarch explained, "The 'Arts' branch involves invoking immortals, spirit writing, divination with tortoiseshells and yarrow stalks, and understanding the principles of seeking good fortune and avoiding disaster." Wukong asked, "Can one achieve immortality by this?" The Patriarch said, "No, no!" Wukong said, "I won't learn it, I won't learn it!"

The Patriarch then said, "How about I teach you the Way of the 'Flow' branch?" Wukong asked again, "What principles are in the 'Flow' branch?" The Patriarch explained, "The 'Flow' branch includes Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, the Yin-Yang school, Mohism, and medicine. It involves reading scriptures, chanting Buddhas' names, and rituals to invoke spirits or saints." Wukong asked, "Can one achieve immortality by this?" The Patriarch said, "If you want to live forever, it's like setting a pillar inside a wall." Wukong said, "Master, I'm an honest person, I don't understand common idioms. What do you mean by 'setting a pillar inside a wall'?" The Patriarch explained, "When people build a house for stability, they set a pillar within the walls. But when the grand building eventually decays, that pillar will also rot." Wukong said, "According to that, it won't last long either. I won't learn it, I won't learn it!"

The Patriarch said, "How about I teach you the Way of the 'Stillness' branch?" Wukong asked, "What genuine enlightenment does the 'Stillness' branch offer?" The Patriarch explained, "This involves abstaining from grain, preserving vital energy, practicing tranquility and non-action, meditating, observing silence and vegetarianism, or cultivating merit through sleeping or standing, and entering deep meditation retreats." Wukong asked, "Can one achieve immortality through this as well?" The Patriarch said, "It's like an unfired brick at a kiln." Wukong laughed, "Master, you certainly have a way with words. First you say I don't understand idioms. What do you mean by 'an unfired brick at a kiln'?" The Patriarch explained, "Just like an unfired brick made for tiles at a kiln; though it has taken shape, it has not yet been tempered by water and fire. Should a torrential rain come, it will surely crumble." Wukong said, "That won't last long either. I won't learn it, I won't learn it!"

The Patriarch said, "How about I teach you the Way of the 'Movement' branch?" Wukong asked, "What about the Way of the 'Movement' branch?" The Patriarch explained, "This involves active cultivation, drawing yin to supplement yang, climbing bows and stepping on crossbows, rubbing the navel to circulate vital energy, concocting formulas, burning moxa and forging cauldrons, consuming 'red lead,' refining 'autumn stone,' and even drinking women's milk." Wukong asked, "Can one achieve immortality through such methods?" The Patriarch said, "To seek immortality this way is like trying to scoop the moon from the water." Wukong said, "Master, there you go again. What do you mean by 'scooping the moon from the water'?" The Patriarch explained, "The moon is in the sky, and its reflection is in the water. Although you can see it, there's nothing to grasp, and ultimately, it's just emptiness." Wukong said, "I won't learn that either, I won't learn that!"

Upon hearing this, the Patriarch let out a sharp cry, leaped down from the high platform, and, holding his discipline ruler, pointed at Wukong, saying, "You monkey! You won't learn this, you won't learn that, so what *will* you learn?" He walked forward, struck Wukong on the head three times, then walked inside with his hands behind his back, closed the middle gate, and left the assembly. The disciples who were listening were all terrified and dismayed. They all blamed Wukong, saying, "You wicked monkey, how impudent! Master was teaching you the Way, why wouldn't you learn it, and instead talk back to him! Now that you've offended him, who knows when he'll come out again!" At this moment, they all resented him greatly, despising and disliking him. Wukong, however, was not angered in the least, merely kept a smiling face. It turned out that the Monkey King had already figured out the hidden riddle, keeping it secret in his heart. That's why he didn't argue with the others, but simply endured in silence. The Patriarch striking him three times meant for him to go at the third watch of the night; walking inside with his hands behind his back and closing the middle gate meant for him to enter through the back gate, where he would be secretly taught the Way.

That day, Wukong and the others happily waited in front of the Cave of the Three Stars, wishing for nightfall, impatient for evening to arrive. When dusk came, he lay down with the others, pretending to close his eyes, regulating his breath and focusing his spirit. There were no watch drums or arrow signals in the mountain to tell the time, so he simply regulated the in-and-out flow of air through his nostrils to gauge the hour. Around midnight, he quietly got up, put on his clothes, stealthily opened the front gate, slipped away from the others, and stepped outside. Looking up, he saw that it was precisely:The moon was bright, the clear dew cold; the eight cardinal points were utterly dustless.In the deep trees, secluded birds slept; at the spring's source, water flowed.Flying fireflies scattered light; passing geese formed lines in the clouds.It was precisely the third watch, time to seek the true Way.

He followed the old path to the back gate and saw that the door was half-open, half-closed. Wukong rejoiced, "Master is indeed mindful of teaching me the Way; that's why he left the door open!" He immediately shuffled forward, squeezed through the door, and went straight to the Patriarch's sleeping couch. He saw the Patriarch curled up, sleeping facing inward. Wukong dared not disturb him, so he knelt before the couch. Not long after, the Patriarch awoke, stretched his legs, and murmured to himself:Difficult, difficult, difficult! The Way is most profound; do not treat the Golden Elixir lightly.Without meeting a true person to impart the wondrous secret, one speaks in vain until the mouth is weary and the tongue dry!Wukong immediately called out, "Master, your disciple has been kneeling here for a long time." The Patriarch, hearing Wukong's voice, immediately rose, put on his robe, sat cross-legged, and shouted, "You monkey! Why aren't you sleeping in the front? What are you doing back here?" Wukong said, "Master, yesterday on the platform, you tacitly agreed before everyone to teach your disciple the Way through the back door at the third watch. That's why I dared to come directly and bow beneath your couch, Master." The Patriarch, hearing this, was greatly pleased and thought to himself, "This fellow truly is a being born of Heaven and Earth; otherwise, how could he have deciphered the hidden riddle I gave?" Wukong said, "There are no 'six ears' here, only your disciple. I beg Master to bestow your great mercy and impart to me the Way of immortality. I will never forget your kindness!" The Patriarch said, "You are fated today, and I am glad to speak. Since you have deciphered the hidden riddle, come closer and listen carefully. I shall impart to you the wondrous Way of immortality." Wukong kowtowed in thanks, cleaned his ears, focused his mind, and knelt by the couch. The Patriarch then spoke:The perfect, profound secret of the explicit and implicit teachings; cherish and cultivate your nature and life, there is no other way.In essence, it is all about vital essence, energy, and spirit; guard them well, keep them hidden, do not let them leak.Do not let them leak, keep them hidden within your body. Once you receive my teaching, your Way will flourish.Remember these oral formulas, they are greatly beneficial. Cast aside evil desires and attain purity and coolness.Attain purity and coolness, with light bright and clear; how wonderful to admire the bright moon on the elixir platform.The moon hides the Jade Rabbit, the sun hides the Crow; naturally, the Tortoise and Serpent intertwine.When they intertwine, nature and life become firm, then one can plant a golden lotus in the fire.Gather the Five Elements and reverse their flow; when the cultivation is complete, you shall become a Buddha or immortal.

At this moment, with the root source revealed, Wukong's heart and mind were enlightened, and blessings arrived. He carefully memorized the oral formulas, bowed deeply to the Patriarch in gratitude for his profound kindness, and then went out the back door to look. He saw that in the east, the sky was just faintly whitening, while in the west, a great golden light shone brightly. Following the same path, he returned to the front gate, gently pushed it open, went inside, and sat down in his original sleeping place, intentionally shaking his bed and calling out, "It's daylight! It's daylight! Time to get up!" The other disciples were still asleep, unaware that Wukong had already gained good fortune. That day, he rose and mingled with them, secretly maintaining his practice, regulating his breath before midnight and after noon.

Three years quickly passed, and the Patriarch again ascended his precious seat to expound the Dharma to the assembly. He spoke of koans and analogies, and discussed external forms and superficialities. Suddenly, he asked, "Where is Wukong?" Wukong came forward and knelt, saying, "Your disciple is here." The Patriarch said, "What kind of Way have you been cultivating lately?" Wukong said, "Your disciple has recently become quite proficient in Dharma-nature, and my root source has also gradually solidified." The Patriarch said, "Since you are proficient in Dharma-nature, have grasped the root source, and have infused your divine body, you must only guard against the harm of the Three Calamities." Wukong, hearing this, pondered for a long time and said, "Master, your words are mistaken. I have always heard that those with high Tao and profound virtue live as long as Heaven, that with water and fire in balance, no illnesses arise. So how can there be 'Three Calamities of harm'?" The Patriarch said, "This is an extraordinary Way, seizing the creations of Heaven and Earth, invading the profound mysteries of the sun and moon. After the elixir is formed, spirits and gods will find you intolerable. Although you will preserve your youth and extend your life, after five hundred years, Heaven will send down a thunder calamity to strike you. You must then realize your true nature and enlighten your mind, making sure to avoid it in advance. If you escape it, your lifespan will be as long as Heaven's; if you don't, you will perish there and then. Another five hundred years later, Heaven will send down a fire calamity to burn you. This fire is not heavenly fire, nor ordinary fire; it is called Yin Fire. It will ignite from beneath the Yongquan acupoint on your body, burn straight through to the Niwan Palace, turning your five organs to ash and rotting all your limbs, making a thousand years of arduous practice utterly futile. Another five hundred years later, a wind calamity will descend to blow upon you. This wind is not the winds of the four directions, nor a gentle breeze, nor the wind of blooming flowers, willows, pines, or bamboos; it is called Quell Wind. It will blow in through the fontanel, pass through the six viscera, traverse the Dantian, penetrate the nine orifices, causing your bones and flesh to wither away, and your body to naturally disintegrate. Therefore, you must escape them all." Wukong, hearing this, was terrified to the bone. He kowtowed and bowed, saying, "I earnestly implore Master to have pity and impart to me the method to avoid the Three Calamities. I will never forget your kindness!" The Patriarch said, "This is not difficult either, but you are different from others, so I cannot impart it to you." Wukong said, "I also have a round head reaching to the sky and square feet treading the earth, with the same nine orifices, four limbs, five organs, and six viscera. How am I different from others?" The Patriarch said, "Although you resemble a human, you have fewer cheeks than a human." It turned out that the monkey had a prominent cheekbone, a sunken face, and a pointed mouth. Wukong reached up to feel his face and laughed, "Master, you are mistaken. Although I have fewer cheeks, I have this 'plain pouch' more than humans, which can also count as a trade-off!" The Patriarch said, "Very well, which kind do you want to learn? There is the Heavenly Spirit (Tiangang) set of thirty-six transformations; and the Earthly Fiend (Disha) set of seventy-two transformations." Wukong said, "Your disciple wishes to learn the one with more, so I'll learn the Earthly Fiend transformations." The Patriarch said, "In that case, come forward, and I shall impart the oral formula to you." He then whispered into his ear, imparting some wondrous method, though no one knew what it was. This Monkey King, being one whose understanding of one principle led to understanding of all principles, immediately mastered the oral formulas through self-cultivation and self-practice, learning all seventy-two transformations.

One day, as spring turned to summer, the disciples were gathered beneath a pine tree, discussing for a long time. The disciples said, "Wukong, what kind of karma did you cultivate in a previous life? The other day, Master whispered in your ear and taught you the transformations to avoid the Three Calamities. Have you mastered them all?" Wukong laughed, "To be frank with you, elder brothers, firstly, it was Master's teaching, and secondly, it was my diligent practice day and night. I've mastered all those methods." The disciples said, "While the time is good, why don't you demonstrate for us to see?" Wukong, hearing this, roused his spirit and, showing off his skill, said, "Elder brothers, please give me a subject. What do you want me to transform into?" The disciples said, "Just transform into a pine tree." Wukong formed a hand-seal, recited an incantation, shook his body, and transformed into a pine tree. It truly was:Lush and misty throughout the four seasons, reaching straight to the clouds in its elegant, upright posture.Not a trace of the demonic monkey's appearance remained, only branches that had endured frost and snow.The disciples, seeing this, clapped their hands and burst into laughter, all saying, "Good monkey! Good monkey!" Unbeknownst to them, their clamor disturbed the Patriarch, who quickly pulled on his staff and came out, asking, "Who is making such a racket here?" The disciples, hearing his call, hurriedly composed themselves, straightened their robes, and stepped forward. Wukong also reverted to his original form, blending into the crowd, and said, "Reporting to esteemed Master, we were discussing here; there were no outsiders making noise." The Patriarch angrily shouted, "You yelling and shouting, it's completely unlike the demeanor of cultivators! For cultivators, opening the mouth scatters vital energy, and moving the tongue creates disputes. How can you be laughing and shouting here?" The disciples said, "We dare not hide it from Master, just now Sun Wukong was demonstrating his transformations as a playful act. We asked him to turn into a pine tree, and indeed it was a pine tree. All of us disciples cheered and applauded, which caused us to make noise and inadvertently alarm esteemed Master. We beg your forgiveness." The Patriarch said, "You all may leave." Then he called, "Wukong, come here! I ask you, what kind of show are you putting on, transforming into a pine tree? Is this skill something to flaunt in front of others? If you see someone else has it, won't you beg for it? If others see you have it, they will certainly beg you for it. If you fear misfortune, you must impart it to them; if you don't, they will surely harm you, and your life will not be safe." Wukong kowtowed, saying, "I only beg Master for forgiveness!" The Patriarch said, "I will not punish you, but you must leave." Wukong, hearing this, shed tears from his eyes and said, "Master, where should I go?" The Patriarch said, "Where you came from, that's where you should go." Wukong suddenly realized and said, "I came from the Water Curtain Cave on Flower Fruit Mountain in Aolai Country, East Purvavideha." The Patriarch said, "Go back quickly, to preserve your life; you absolutely cannot stay here!" Wukong, acknowledging his fault, said, "To my esteemed Master, I have been away from home for twenty years now. Although I miss my old children and grandchildren, I am mindful that Master's profound kindness has not yet been repaid, so I dare not leave." The Patriarch said, "What kindness or obligation? Just don't cause trouble or implicate me, and that will be enough!" Seeing no alternative, Wukong could only bow in farewell and bid adieu to the others. The Patriarch said, "Your departure will surely lead to misfortune. No matter how much trouble you cause or violence you commit, you are forbidden to say you are my disciple. If you utter even half a word, I will know of it, and I will flay your skin, grind your bones, and banish your soul to the Nine Netherworld, ensuring you can never escape for ten thousand kalpas!" Wukong said, "I absolutely dare not mention a single word about Master. I'll just say I learned it on my own."

Wukong thanked him, then pulled back, formed the hand-seal, gave a continuous somersault, activated his Cloud-Somersault, and headed straight back to East Purvavideha. It took less than an hour before he saw the Water Curtain Cave on Flower Fruit Mountain. The Handsome Monkey King felt joy and secretly thought to himself:When I left, my mortal bones and body were heavy; having attained the Way, my body is light, my form also light.In the whole world, no one is willing to set their mind to it; set your mind to cultivating the profound, and the profound will naturally become clear.Then, crossing the sea, the waves were hard to traverse; today, returning is very easy.The parting words of caution are still in my ears; how unexpected to see the Eastern Sea in an instant.Wukong brought his cloud down to Flower Fruit Mountain, sought a path, and suddenly heard the cry of cranes and the wail of apes. The crane's cry soared beyond the heavens, while the ape's wail was deeply sorrowful and touching. He immediately opened his mouth and called out, "My children, I've returned!" From beneath the cliffs, by the stone steps, among the flowers and grass, and within the trees, thousands upon thousands of monkeys, big and small, leaped out, surrounding the Handsome Monkey King. They kowtowed and cried, "Great King, how could you be so carefree! Why did you leave for so long? You left us all behind, we longed for you like hunger and thirst! Recently, a demon has been here, bullying us and trying to forcefully occupy our Water Curtain Cave. We fought him, risking our lives. During this time, that villain stole our household items and captured many of our young ones, forcing us to stay awake day and night guarding our home. Thankfully, Great King, you've returned. If you had not returned for another year, our mountain and cave would have entirely belonged to others!" Wukong, hearing this, was furious and said, "What demon dares to be so audacious! Tell me in detail, and I will seek him out for revenge." The monkeys kowtowed, "Reporting to Great King, that villain calls himself the 'Chaos-Wielding Demon King,' and he lives directly to the north, downhill." Wukong asked, "How far is it from here to his place?" The monkeys said, "When he comes, he's a cloud; when he goes, he's mist. Sometimes wind or rain, sometimes lightning or thunder. We don't know how far it is." Wukong said, "Since that's the case, don't be afraid. Go and play, and I'll go find him."

The good Monkey King, with a leap of his body, jumped up, performing somersaults all the way, heading directly north. He saw a tall mountain, truly imposing and rugged. What a mountain—Its peaks stood like brush-pens, its winding valleys were deep and dark. Brush-pen peaks soared into the empty sky, deep winding valleys led to the earth's depths. On both cliffs, flowers and trees vied for splendor; in several places, pines and bamboos competed in their emerald hues. To the left, dragons were tame and docile; to the right, tigers lay still and subdued. Iron oxen were often seen plowing, and golden coins were frequently sown. Secluded birds chirped their calls; a vermillion phoenix stood facing the sun. The rocks were jagged, the waters pure; truly strange, wondrous, and fierce. There are countless famous mountains in the world, where flowers bloom and fade, and life abounds. But how can they compare to this scene that lasts forever, where the eight seasons and four times are utterly unmoved? It is truly a Kan-source mountain of the Three Realms, nourishing the Five Elements, with its Water-Filth Cave!

The Handsome Monkey King was quietly observing the scenery when he heard human voices and immediately descended the mountain to investigate. It turned out that before the steep cliff was the Water-Filth Cave. Outside the cave entrance, several small demons were dancing. Seeing Wukong, they fled. Wukong said, "Don't run! Let me borrow your mouth to convey what's in my heart. I am the Master of the Water Curtain Cave on Flower Fruit Mountain, directly to the south. What 'Chaos-wielding bird demon' of yours has repeatedly bullied my children and grandchildren? I have specially come to settle scores with him!"

The little demon, hearing this, quickly ran into the cave and reported, "Great King, disaster has struck!" The Demon King asked, "What disaster?" The little demon said, "Outside the cave, there's a monkey who calls himself the Master of the Water Curtain Cave on Flower Fruit Mountain. He says you've repeatedly bullied his children and grandchildren, and he's specially come to find you and settle scores!" The Demon King laughed, "I often hear those monkey spirits say they have a Great King who went away to cultivate himself. It must be him who has come this time. How was he dressed when you saw him? What weapons did he have?" The little demon said, "He had no weapons at all. He had a bare head, wore a red robe, belted with a yellow silk sash, and wore a pair of black boots. He was neither a monk nor a layman, nor like a Taoist or immortal. He was bare-handed and empty-fisted, shouting outside the gate." The Demon King, hearing this, said, "Bring my armor and weapons!" The little demon immediately brought them out. The Demon King put on his armor, grasped his saber, and came out of the cave with his demons, then loudly called out, "Who is the Master of the Water Curtain Cave?" Wukong quickly opened his eyes to look, and saw the Demon King—Wearing a dark gold helmet, shining brightly in the sun; his black silk robe draped his body, fluttering in the wind.Beneath, he wore black iron armor, tightly bound with leather straps; on his feet were ornate pleated boots, making him as imposing as a high general.His waist was ten spans wide, and his height three *zhang*. In his hand, he held a saber, its blade gleaming brightly.Known as the Chaos-Wielding Demon, he had a rugged, fierce appearance.

The Monkey King shouted, "You fiend, are your eyes so big you can't see Old Sun?" The Demon King saw him and laughed, "You're not even four feet tall, no older than thirty, and you have no weapon in your hand. How dare you be so brazen and reckless, wanting to settle scores with me?" Wukong cursed, "You fiend, you're blind! You think I'm small, but it's not difficult for me to become big. You think I have no weapon, but my two hands can scoop the moon from the sky! Don't be afraid, just take one punch from Old Sun!" He leaped up and punched him straight in the face. The Demon King raised his hand to block and said, "You are so short and I am so tall. You want to use fists, I want to use a saber. If I use my saber, I'd kill you, and people would laugh at me. Let me put down my saber and show you some fist-fighting." Wukong said, "That's fair. Good man, come on!" The Demon King dropped his stance and began to fight. Wukong darted in, clashing and meeting him. They exchanged punches and kicks, dashing and colliding. It turned out that long-range boxing was showy but less effective, while close-range clustering was solid and firm. The Demon King was struck hard by Wukong's jabs to his short ribs and kicks to his crotch, suffering several blows to his joints. He dodged, picked up his broad steel saber, and hacked it down at Wukong's head. Wukong quickly pulled back, and the saber struck empty air. Wukong, seeing his ferocity, immediately used the 'Body Outside Body' technique. He pulled a handful of hairs, chewed them in his mouth, spat them into the air, and shouted, "Change!" They immediately transformed into three to two hundred small monkeys, clustering all around.

It turned out that once a person attains an immortal body, their divine transformations are boundless. Unbeknownst to him, since the Monkey King had attained the Way, he had eighty-four thousand hairs on his body, and each one could transform, responding to his will. Those little monkeys were agile and quick to jump; sabers couldn't cut them, and spears couldn't wound them. See them leaping back and forth, swarming around the Demon King, some hugging, some pulling, some diving between his legs, some tugging at his feet, kicking, punching, plucking his fur, gouging his eyes, pinching his nose, lifting and jostling him, until they had him bundled into a ball. Only then did Wukong snatch the saber, push aside the little monkeys, and with one strike to the crown of the Demon King's head, cleaved him into two pieces. He then led his host into the cave, utterly eradicating all the demons, big and small. He then shook his hairs, recalling them to his body. He saw some that couldn't be recalled; these were the little monkeys the Demon King had captured from the Water Curtain Cave. Wukong said, "Why are you here?" There were about thirty or fifty of them, all tearfully saying, "Because Great King went away to cultivate immortality, for the past two years he has been bullying us and captured all of us here. Aren't those our household items from the cave? The stone basins and stone bowls were also taken by this villain!" Wukong said, "Since they are our household items, all of you move them outside." Immediately, he set fire to the cave, burning the Water-Filth Cave to dry ashes, completely obliterating it. He then said to the monkeys, "You all follow me back." The monkeys said, "Great King, when we came, we only heard the wind whistling in our ears and floated here vaguely; we don't know the path at all. How can we return home now?" Wukong said, "That was just a trick he played; what's so difficult about it? Now that I understand one principle, I understand a hundred; I can do it too. All of you close your eyes and don't be afraid!"

The good Monkey King, reciting an incantation, conjured a fierce wind and descended on a cloud. He then called out, "Children, open your eyes!" The monkeys' feet landed firmly on the ground, and recognizing their homeland, they were all delighted and rushed towards the old path to the cave entrance. The monkeys who had remained in the cave all crowded together and went in with them. They arranged themselves by rank and age, and bowed to the Monkey King. They prepared wine and fruits to welcome him and celebrate. They asked about the demon-subduing and child-saving event, and Wukong recounted it in detail. The monkeys praised him endlessly, saying, "Great King went to that place and unexpectedly learned such skills!" Wukong then said, "When I left you all back then, I drifted with the currents, floated across the Eastern Ocean, and directly reached Purvavideha, where I learned to assume a human form. Wearing these clothes and shoes, swaying and shaking, I wandered for over eight or nine years, yet never found the Way. Then I crossed the Western Ocean and reached the land of West Aparagodaniya, searching for a long time until I was fortunate enough to meet an old Patriarch who imparted to me the true cultivation of living as long as Heaven, the great Dharma of deathlessness and immortality." The monkeys congratulated him, all saying, "This is a rare fortune, difficult to encounter in ten thousand kalpas!" Wukong then laughed again, "My little ones, I'm also pleased that all of us in this lineage now have a family name." The monkeys asked, "What is Great King's surname?" Wukong said, "My surname is now Sun, and my Dharma name is Wukong." The monkeys, hearing this, clapped their hands and joyfully said, "Great King is Old Sun, and we are all Second Sun, Third Sun, Little Sun, and Tiny Sun—a family of Suns, a country of Suns, a whole nest of Suns!" They all came to attend to Old Sun, bringing large and small bowls of coconut wine, grape wine, immortal flowers, and immortal fruits. It was truly a joyous family reunion! Ah! Having gained a surname and returned to his origin, he only awaited the honor of being listed among the immortals. Ultimately, we do not know what the outcome was, or how his stay in this realm ended. Listen to the next chapter for the explanation.