Chapter 7: Escape from the Eight-Trigram Furnace Calming the Monkey under the Five Elements Mountain

Wealth, honor, and fame are predestined by fate; therefore, people must never act with deceit. Uprightness, loyalty, and good deeds bring profound and lasting rewards. A little arrogance invites divine punishment; if success eludes you now, wait for your destined time. Ask the Lord of the East why such calamities now prevail. It is only because of boundless ambition, disrupting order and defying rules.

***

The Great Sage Equal to Heaven was led by the heavenly soldiers to the Demon-Slaying Platform and tied to the Demon-Subduing Pillar. Swords slashed, axes chopped, spears pierced, and swords gouged, but none could harm his body. The Nandu Star Lord then commanded the fire deities to set him ablaze, but even they could not burn him. Next, the thunder deities struck him with thunderbolts, but he remained utterly unharmed.

The Mighty Demon King and others reported, "Your Majesty, this Great Sage has learned some protective magic. Your servants have used swords, axes, thunder, and fire, but he remains completely unharmed. What should we do?"

The Jade Emperor heard this and said, "This fellow is like this, like this, how shall he be dealt with?"

The Grand Supreme Elder Lord immediately reported, "That monkey ate the Peaches of Immortality, drank the imperial wine, and also stole elixirs. My five gourds of elixirs, both raw and refined, he consumed them all. Using the Samadhi True Fire, they have fused into a single mass within him, making his body like vajra, impossible to injure quickly. Why not let this old Taoist take him and refine him in the Eight Trigram Furnace with both civil and martial fire? Once my elixirs are refined out, his body will naturally turn to ashes."

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor ordered the Six Ding and Six Jia Heavenly Generals to untie him and hand him over to the Elder Lord. After receiving the decree, the Elder Lord departed. Meanwhile, the Jade Emperor summoned Erlang Shen, rewarding him with a hundred golden flowers, a hundred bottles of imperial wine, a hundred return-elixirs, rare treasures, bright pearls, and silks, instructing him to share them with his sworn brothers. The True Lord thanked the emperor and returned to Guanjiang Estuary, a matter not to be further detailed.

***

Upon arriving at the Tushita Palace, the Elder Lord unbound the Great Sage, removed the instruments piercing his shoulder blades, and pushed him into the Eight Trigram Furnace, ordering the furnace-keepers and fire-tending boys to fan the flames for refinement. The furnace was structured according to the eight trigrams: Qian, Kan, Gen, Zhen, Xun, Li, Kun, Dui. Sun Wukong immediately burrowed into the position of the Xun trigram. Xun represents wind; where there is wind, there is no fire. However, the wind stirred up smoke, which reddened his eyes, giving him a chronic eye condition, and thus he became known as "Fiery Golden Eyes."

***

Indeed, time flew by, and unknowingly, forty-nine days passed, and the Elder Lord's refinement reached its culmination. Suddenly, one day, the furnace was opened to retrieve the elixir. The Great Sage, covering his eyes with both hands, was rubbing them and weeping, when he heard a noise from the furnace opening. He abruptly opened his eyes and saw light, then couldn't resist leaping out of the elixir furnace with a crash, kicking over the Eight Trigram Furnace, and rushing out.

The fire-tenders, furnace-keepers, and the Ding Jia heavenly generals rushed to grab him, but he knocked them all down, like a frenzied white-browed tiger or a wind-crazed one-horned dragon. The Elder Lord pursued him and tried to grab him, but was flung upside down, allowing the Great Sage to escape. He immediately pulled the Ruyi Golden Cudgel from his ear, shook it against the wind until it was as thick as a bowl, and held it in his hand. Indiscriminately, he caused great chaos in the Heavenly Palace, beating the Nine Luminaries into hiding and making the Four Heavenly Kings vanish. What a remarkable monkey spirit! A poem bears witness. The poem says:

His primordial body aligns with the prenatal,Enduring countless kalpas naturally.Vast and unadorned, merged with the Great Unity,Unmoving and serene, called the Primal Mystery.Long refined in the furnace, not lead or mercury,But his inherent immortal nature achieved longevity beyond the mundane.Infinite transformations, yet still transforming;The Three Refuges and Five Precepts are not even worth mentioning.

Another poem:

A speck of spiritual light penetrates the vast void,And that cudgel is likewise.It lengthens or shortens at will,Expands or contracts as desired.

Another poem:

The monkey's Taoist body matches the human heart;The heart is the monkey, its meaning profound.The Great Sage Equal to Heaven is no false claim;His appointment as Protector of Horses was a subtle recognition.Horse and ape work together as heart and mind;Bind them tightly, seek nothing outside.All phenomena return to truth through a single principle;Tathagata unites with it, residing in the Twin Forests.

***

This time, the Monkey King, without respect for rank, wielded his iron cudgel, striking east and west, with no deity able to stop him. He fought his way into the Hall of Universal Brightness, just outside the Cloud-Reaching Treasure Hall. Fortunately, Wang Lingguan, the assistant to the Illustrious Sage True Lord, was guarding the hall. Seeing the Great Sage rampaging, he drew his golden whip and stepped forward to block him, saying, "Where do you think you're going, wretched monkey! I am here, so do not be presumptuous!" Without a word, the Great Sage raised his cudgel to strike, and Lingguan met him with his whip. The two clashed fiercely before the Cloud-Reaching Treasure Hall. What a battle—

One, brave and loyal, of great renown;The other, defying heaven, deceiving superiors, with ill repute.One humble, one noble, fortunately in combat;Heroes and champions engaged in a contest.The iron cudgel was fierce, the golden whip swift;How could righteous impartiality tolerate this?One was the Manifestation of the Grand Unity Thunder-Sound Venerable,The other the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, the monkey fiend.Both wielded golden whip and iron cudgel with skill,Both divine instruments from the celestial palace.Today, before the Cloud-Reaching Treasure Hall, they displayed their might,Each showcasing their admirable prowess.One ambitiously sought to usurp the Dou Niu Palace,The other strenuously upheld the Profound Sacred Realm.They fought relentlessly, displaying their magic,With neither whip nor cudgel gaining victory.

***

While the two fought to an undecided outcome, the Illustrious Sage True Lord had already dispatched his aides with a document to the Thunder Ministry, summoning thirty-six Thunder Generals to surround the Great Sage, each unleashing their fiercest attacks. The Great Sage showed no trace of fear, wielding his Ruyi Golden Cudgel, blocking left and right, parrying front and back. Suddenly, seeing the Thunder Generals' blades, spears, swords, halberds, whips, cudgels, claws, hammers, axes, golden gourds, pole-blades, and crescent shovels pressing in intensely, he immediately transformed himself into three heads and six arms. He shook his Ruyi Golden Cudgel, and it became three; with six hands, he wielded the three cudgels, spinning like a spinning wheel, twirling rapidly in the center of the encirclement, so that no Thunder God could approach him. Indeed, it was—

Round and luminous, existing from antiquity,How can humans learn it?Entering fire, it cannot be burned;Entering water, how can it drown?A bright Mani Pearl,Swords, halberds, blades, and spears cannot harm it.It can be good, it can be evil;Good and evil manifest at its whim.When good, it becomes a Buddha or an immortal;When evil, it is covered in fur and wears horns.With infinite transformations, it wreaks havoc in the Heavenly Palace,Uncatchable by Thunder Generals and divine soldiers.

***

At that time, all the deities tried to corner the Great Sage, but could not get close, shouting and fighting, which soon alarmed the Jade Emperor. He then issued a decree for the Roaming Inspector Lingguan and the Assisting Sage True Lord to go to the Western Heaven and invite the Buddha to subdue him.

***

Upon receiving the decree, the two Sages proceeded directly to the blessed land of Mount Ling, before the Leiyin Monastery. After saluting the Four Vajras and Eight Bodhisattvas, they requested an audience. The deities then informed the Tathagata beneath the precious lotus throne, and the Tathagata summoned them. The two Sages bowed to the Buddha thrice and stood attending beneath the platform.

The Tathagata asked, "What matter has prompted the Jade Emperor to send you two Sages here?"

The two Sages immediately reported, "Some time ago, a monkey was born on Flower-Fruit Mountain. He displayed supernatural powers and gathered other monkeys, disturbing the world. The Jade Emperor issued a decree of appeasement, appointing him Protector of Horses, but he found the position too low and rebelled, leaving his post. Subsequently, Heavenly King Li and Prince Nezha were sent to capture him but failed. He was then appeased again, given the title Great Sage Equal to Heaven, which was a position without stipend. He was put in charge of the Peach Garden of Immortality, where he stole peaches; he then went to the Jade Pool, stole delicacies and wine, disrupting the grand banquet; emboldened by alcohol, he secretly entered the Tushita Palace, stole the Elder Lord's elixirs, and rebelled against the Heavenly Palace. The Jade Emperor then dispatched a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers, but they too could not subdue him. Later, Guanyin recommended Erlang Shen, who, along with his sworn brothers, pursued and attacked him. His transformations were endless; it was only when the Elder Lord threw his Vajra Girdle and struck him heavily that Erlang was able to capture him. He was brought before Your Majesty, who immediately ordered his execution. Swords slashed, axes chopped, fire burned, thunder struck, but none could harm him. The Elder Lord petitioned to take him and refine him with fire. After forty-nine days, when the cauldron was opened, he leaped out of the Eight Trigram Furnace, repelled the heavenly generals, and went directly into the Hall of Universal Brightness, just outside the Cloud-Reaching Treasure Hall. He was fiercely battled by Wang Lingguan, assistant to the Illustrious Sage True Lord, and then thirty-six Thunder Generals were called to trap him, yet they could not get near him. The situation is urgent; therefore, the Jade Emperor specifically requested the Tathagata's help."

Upon hearing the summons, the Tathagata said to the Bodhisattvas, "You all remain seated steadfastly in the Dharma Hall; do not disturb your meditation. I will go and subdue the demon and assist the Jade Emperor."

***

The Tathagata then summoned the two Venerables, Ananda and Kasyapa, to accompany him. They departed from Leiyin and went directly to the gates of the Cloud-Reaching Treasure Hall. Suddenly, they heard shouts that shook the ears; it was the thirty-six Thunder Generals besieging the Great Sage. The Buddha then issued a Dharma decree: "Command the Thunder Generals to cease their fighting, open their ranks, and tell that Great Sage to come out. I wish to ask him what magical powers he possesses."

The generals indeed withdrew, and the Great Sage also withdrew his magical form, appearing in his original body. He approached, seething with anger, and sternly shouted, "What benevolent being are you, daring to stop the fighting and question me?"

The Tathagata smiled and said, "I am Shakyamuni Venerable from the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss, Namo Amitabha Buddha. I hear you are acting wildly and have repeatedly rebelled against the Heavenly Palace. I do not know where you were born, in what year you attained the Tao, or why you are so violent and tyrannical?"

The Great Sage said: "I am by nature—

A spiritual immortal born of heaven and earth,An old ape from Flower-Fruit Mountain.The Water Curtain Cave is my home;I sought friends and masters to comprehend the Great Mystery.I cultivated numerous methods for eternal life,And learned boundless transformations.Finding the mortal realm too confined,I resolved to reside in the Jade Heaven.The Cloud-Reaching Treasure Hall is not his eternal domain;Human kings throughout history have inherited their shares.The strong should be revered and yield to me;Only a hero dares to contend for supremacy."

***

The Buddha heard this and coldly chuckled, "You, sir, are merely a monkey spirit; how dare you presumptuously seek to usurp the revered position of the Jade Emperor? He has cultivated himself since childhood, enduring one thousand seven hundred and fifty kalpas. Each kalpa is one hundred twenty-nine thousand six hundred years. Calculate for yourself, how many years must he have endured to enjoy this boundless Tao? You, a mere beast, how dare you utter such grand words! Unfilial, unfilial! It will cut short your lifespan! Quickly take refuge now, and do not speak nonsense! Lest you fall victim to a deadly hand, and your life ends in an instant, what a pity for your true form!"

The Great Sage said, "Though he has cultivated for a long time through kalpas, he should not hold this position indefinitely. As the saying goes, emperors rotate; next year, it's my turn. He only needs to move out and yield the Heavenly Palace to me, and that will be the end of it; if he doesn't yield, I will certainly cause disturbances, and there will never be peace!"

The Buddha said, "Besides your methods of eternal life and transformation, what other abilities do you possess that make you dare to occupy the Heavenly Palace?"

The Great Sage said, "I have many skills! I possess seventy-two transformations and eternal life that lasts ten thousand kalpas. I can ride the somersault cloud, traveling one hundred and eight thousand li with a single leap. Why should I not be able to sit on the celestial throne?"

The Buddha said, "I will make a wager with you: if you have the ability to somersault out of my right palm, you win. There will be no need for further conflict or war; I will ask the Jade Emperor to reside in the Western Heaven, and the Heavenly Palace will be yours. If you cannot leap out of my palm, you must return to the lower realm as a demon, cultivate for a few more kalpas, and then come back to contend."

***

The Great Sage heard this and secretly chuckled, "This Tathagata is truly foolish! My old grandson can travel one hundred and eight thousand li with a single somersault. His palm is less than a foot square; how could I not leap out of it?" He quickly spoke aloud, "Since that is what you say, can you truly make such a decision?" The Buddha said, "I can, I can!" He extended his right hand, which appeared to be the size of a lotus leaf.

The Great Sage put away his Ruyi Cudgel, gathered his divine might, and with a leap, stood in the center of the Buddha's palm, then declared, "I'm off!" See how he went, a streak of cloud light, invisible and traceless. The Buddha, with his wisdom eye, watched the Monkey King, who was like a whirlwind, ceaselessly advancing. As the Great Sage traveled, he suddenly saw five flesh-red pillars supporting a wisp of green mist. He said, "This must be the end of the road. This time, with the Tathagata as my witness, the Cloud-Reaching Palace will surely be mine." He then pondered, "Wait a moment! Let me leave some mark, so I can have something to show the Tathagata." He plucked out a hair, blew a puff of immortal breath, and cried, "Change!" It transformed into a brush with dense ink and double bristles. On the middle pillar, he wrote in large characters: "The Great Sage Equal to Heaven was here." After writing, he put away the hair. And, disrespectfully, he urinated at the base of the first pillar. He flipped his somersault cloud and returned directly to his original spot, standing in the Tathagata's palm, saying, "I went, and now I've returned. You can tell the Jade Emperor to yield the Heavenly Palace to me."

The Tathagata scolded, "You filthy monkey! You haven't left my palm at all!" The Great Sage said, "You don't know. I went to the ends of heaven, saw five flesh-red pillars supporting a wisp of green mist, and I left a mark there. Do you dare to come with me and see it!" The Tathagata said, "No need to go; just look down at yourself." The Great Sage widened his Fiery Golden Eyes and looked down. Lo and behold, on the Buddha's middle finger of his right hand was written: "The Great Sage Equal to Heaven was here." And in the crotch of his thumb, there was still the stench of monkey urine. The Great Sage was greatly startled and said, "How can this be, how can this be! I wrote these characters on the heaven-supporting pillars, how can they be on his finger instead? Could it be a magic of premonition? I don't believe it, I don't believe it! Let me try again!"

***

The excellent Great Sage quickly launched himself, trying to leap out again, but the Buddha flipped his palm and pressed down, pushing the Monkey King out beyond the Western Heaven Gate, transforming his five fingers into five conjoined mountains of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, named "Mount Wuxing" (Five Elements Mountain), and gently pressed him down. All the Thunder Gods and Ananda and Kasyapa, one by one, put their palms together and exclaimed: "Excellent! Excellent!"

In former years, born of an egg and transformed into a human,He resolved to cultivate the true Tao.For myriad kalpas, he resided in blessed realms,But one day, change scattered his essence.He deceived heaven and superiors, craving high position;He insulted sages and stole elixirs, disrupting the great order.His evil deeds are full, and now he faces retribution;Who knows when he will be able to rise again?

***

After the Buddha Tathagata subdued the demonic monkey, he immediately summoned Ananda and Kasyapa to return with him to the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss. At that moment, Marshal Tianpeng and Marshal Tianyou rushed out of the Cloud-Reaching Treasure Hall and said, "Please wait, Tathagata; our Lord's grand carriage is approaching." Upon hearing this, the Buddha looked back with reverence.

In an instant, he indeed saw the Eight-Scenery Phoenix Chariot and the Nine-Light Precious Canopy; mysterious songs and wonderful music played, reciting boundless divine chapters; precious flowers were scattered, true incense wafted forth, until the Jade Emperor arrived before the Buddha and expressed thanks, saying: "We are greatly indebted to your great Dharma for subduing this evil demon. We hope the Tathagata will stay for one more day, to allow us to host a banquet for all immortals in gratitude."

The Tathagata dared not refuse and immediately put his palms together in thanks, saying, "This old monk came here by the summons of the Great Celestial Venerable; what great power do I possess? It is rather the immense blessing of the Celestial Venerable and all the deities. How dare you extend such gratitude to me?"

The Jade Emperor issued a decree, immediately ordering the Thunder Ministry deities to separately invite the Three Pure Ones, Four Emperors, Five Elders, Six Divisions, Seven Primes, Eight Poles, Nine Luminaries, and Ten Capitols, along with thousands of True Immortals and myriad Sages, to attend this gathering and jointly express gratitude for the Buddha's benevolence. He also commanded the Four Heavenly Masters and Nine Heavenly Maidens to open wide the Golden Palace of the Jade Capital, the Palace of Profound Mystery, and the Jade Pavilion of Dongyang, to invite the Tathagata to be seated high on the Seven-Jewel Spirit Platform, arrange seats for all ranks, and prepare dragon liver, phoenix marrow, jade liquid, and immortal peaches.

***

Before long, the Yuqing Primeval Lord of Heaven, the Shangqing Lingbao Heavenly Lord, the Taiqing Daode Heavenly Lord, the Five Striding True Lords, the Five Dipper Star Lords, the Three Officials and Four Sages, the Nine Luminaries True Lords, Zuo Fu, You Bi, the Heavenly Kings, Nezha, and all other profound and spiritual beings, in pairs with banners and canopies, all presented bright pearls, rare treasures, longevity fruits, and exotic flowers before the Buddha, bowing and saying: "We are grateful for the Tathagata's boundless Dharma power in subduing the demonic monkey. Having been summoned by the Great Celestial Venerable to this banquet, we have all come to express our thanks. We request the Tathagata to name this gathering; what do you propose?"

The Tathagata, acknowledging the deities' request, said, "Today, to name it, it could be called the 'Pacifying Heaven Assembly.'" All the immortal elders, with one voice, exclaimed, "What a wonderful 'Pacifying Heaven Assembly'! What a wonderful 'Pacifying Heaven Assembly'!" After speaking, they all took their seats, passing cups and playing musical instruments with flowers in their hair; it was indeed a splendid gathering. A poem bears witness. The poem says:

The Peach Banquet was disrupted by the monkey,But the Pacifying Heaven Assembly surpassed it.Dragon banners and phoenix chariots emanated auspicious light;Precious pennants and streamers wafted propitious energy.Immortal music and profound songs had beautiful melodies;Phoenix flutes and jade pipes sounded high.Jade incense curled around the gathered immortals,Celebrating the peaceful universe and the sacred dynasty.

***

Everyone enjoyed the assembly to their heart's content, when they saw the Queen Mother of the West leading a retinue of immortal maidens, celestial nymphs, beautiful concubines, and furry ladies, gracefully dancing towards the Buddha. She bowed and said, "Previously, the demonic monkey disrupted the Grand Peach Banquet, and the invitations to all immortals and Buddhas were not fully successful. Now, thanks to the Tathagata's great Dharma for chaining the stubborn monkey, we joyfully celebrate this Pacifying Heaven Assembly. Having nothing else to offer as thanks, I have personally picked several large immortal peaches with my purified hands to present." Indeed, they were—

Half-red, half-green, emitting sweet fragrance,Beautiful immortal roots enduring for myriad years.The fruits of Wulingyuan are laughable;How can they compare to the extraordinary might of the Heavenly Palace's produce?Their delicate purple patterns are rare in the world,Their yellow kernels pure and sweet, unequaled.They can extend life and change the body;Those who are fated to eat them are truly extraordinary.

***

The Buddha put his palms together and thanked the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother then had the immortal maidens and nymphs sing and dance. All the immortals at the assembly admired and praised. Indeed, it was—

Ethereal heavenly fragrance filled the seats,Colorful immortal pistils and flowers.Great splendor in the Jade Capital's Golden Palace,Priceless exotic and rare treasures.Paired, they share longevity with heaven;In pairs, they increase for myriad kalpas.Let mulberry fields become oceans;They remain undisturbed and unastonished.

***

While the Queen Mother had the immortal maidens and nymphs singing and dancing, and cups clinked, it wasn't long before they suddenly perceived—

A waft of exotic fragrance reached their nostrils,Startling all the stars and constellations in the hall.Heavenly immortals and the Buddha put down their cups,Each raising their heads to look and wait.In the middle of the sky appeared an old man,Holding a ganoderma mushroom, amidst colorful mists.His gourd contained elixirs of ten thousand years,His precious scroll inscribed with lives of a thousand eons.Within his cave, heaven and earth were his to command;Within his gourd, sun and moon formed at his will.He roamed the four seas in leisurely joy,Casually visiting the ten continents where crowds gathered.He had attended the Peach Banquet and gotten drunk several times,But upon waking, the bright moon was still the same.With a long head, large ears, and short stature,He was known as the Old Star of Longevity from the South Pole.

***

The Star Lord of Longevity arrived. After saluting the Jade Emperor, he then greeted the Tathagata and expressed thanks, saying, "When I first heard that the demonic monkey was taken by the Elder Lord to the Tushita Palace for refinement, I believed all would be well, but unexpectedly he rebelled again. Fortunately, the Tathagata skillfully subdued this monster. Upon hearing of this banquet of gratitude, I rushed here. I have nothing else to offer, so I specially present purple ganoderma, jade grass, green lotus root, and golden elixirs." The poem says:

Green lotus root and golden elixirs presented to Shakyamuni;The Tathagata's longevity is like the sands of the Ganges.Peace and eternal joy, like the brocade of the Three Vehicles;Health and long life, like the nine-grade lotus.Within the gate of formlessness, the true Dharma Lord;In the heavens of form and emptiness, the immortal family.Heaven and earth all call him ancestor;His sixteen-foot golden body has abundant blessings and longevity.

***

The Tathagata gladly accepted and expressed thanks. The Star Lord of Longevity took his seat, and continued to pass around cups. Then the Barefoot Immortal arrived. After bowing respectfully to the Jade Emperor, he again thanked the Buddha, saying, "I am deeply grateful for your Dharma power in subduing the demonic monkey. Having nothing else to show my respect, I specifically present two intertwined pears and several fire dates." The poem says:

The Great Barefoot Immortal's dates and pears are fragrant,Reverently offered to Amitabha for long life.The seven-jewel lotus platform as stable as a mountain,The thousand-gold flower seat adorned like brocade.His longevity, like heaven and earth, is no false claim;His blessings, like vast waves, are no boast.Blessings and longevity truly arrive as expected,Serene and blissful in that Western Paradise.

***

The Tathagata again expressed thanks, instructing Ananda and Kasyapa to collect all the offerings, one by one, before he turned to thank the Jade Emperor for the banquet. Everyone was quite merry when a patrolling spirit general reported, "The Great Sage has poked his head out!" The Buddha said, "No matter, no matter." From his sleeve, he took out a talisman, on which were six golden characters: "Om Mani Padme Hum." He handed it to Ananda and told him to paste it on the mountain peak. The Venerable immediately took the talisman, went out the Heaven Gate, and tightly affixed it to a square stone on the summit of Mount Wuxing. The mountain immediately rooted itself and sealed its seams. The Monkey King could still use his breath to struggle, and his hands could wriggle out a bit, allowing him to shake and struggle. Ananda returned and reported, "The talisman has been affixed."

***

The Tathagata then bid farewell to the Jade Emperor and all the deities. Outside the Heaven Gate, he, along with the two Venerables, out of compassion, recited a true mantra, summoning a local Earth God to reside on Mount Wuxing, together with the Five Revealing Guardians, to supervise the Monkey King. When he was hungry, they were to give him iron pills to eat; when thirsty, they were to give him molten copper to drink. When his period of tribulation was complete, someone would naturally come to rescue him. Indeed, it was—

The demonic monkey audaciously rebelled against the Heavenly Palace,But was subdued by the Tathagata's hand.Thirsty, he drank molten copper to pass the days;Hungry, he ate iron pills to endure the time.Suffering heavenly calamities and hardship,Human affairs were bleak, yet he rejoiced in his long life.If this hero could once again rise,In future years, he would serve the Buddha and ascend to the West.

***

Another poem says:

Subdued, yet his powerful might once soared;He tamed dragons and tigers with cunning skill.He stole peaches and wine, roaming the Heavenly Palace;He received titles and favors in the Jade Capital.His evil deeds complete, his body confined,Yet his good roots were not severed, and his spirit would rise again.Indeed, once he escapes the Tathagata's grasp,Let us await the arrival of the holy monk in the Tang Dynasty.

***

Ultimately, it is unknown in what year or month his calamities would finally end. Please listen to the next chapter for further explanation.