Chapter 80: Lustful Woman Seeking a Mate Mind Monkey Protects Master and Recognizes Evil Spirits

The king, his ministers, and the common people of the Bhikshu Kingdom saw Tang Sanzang and his three disciples out of the city, accompanying them for twenty li before reluctantly parting ways. Sanzang reluctantly dismounted his carriage, rode his horse, and bade them farewell. Those who saw them off only returned when their figures were no longer visible. The four traveled for a long time, passing through the end of winter and the entirety of spring, admiring the wild flowers and mountain trees, and the vibrant scenery. Ahead, they saw another towering mountain range. Sanzang was startled and asked, "Disciples, is there a path through the high mountain ahead, or no path? We must be careful!" Pilgrim chuckled, "Master, your words don't sound like someone used to long journeys; you're more like a young prince or noble, someone who 'looks at the sky from the bottom of a well.' As the saying goes, 'Mountains do not block the path; the path itself goes through mountains.' Why do you ask if there's a path or not?" Sanzang said, "Although mountains do not block the path, I fear that monsters might appear in dangerous and precipitous places, and demons emerge from dense, hidden depths." Bajie said, "Don't worry, don't worry! We're not far from the Western Paradise now; I guarantee we'll have peace and no trouble!" As the master and disciples were speaking, they unconsciously arrived at the foot of the mountain. Pilgrim took out his golden-banded cudgel, walked up a rocky cliff, and called out, "Master, this is the mountain path, quite good for walking! Come quickly, come quickly!" The Elder had no choice but to put down his cup and spur his horse. Sandy instructed, "Second Brother, you carry the luggage for a while." Indeed, Bajie took the luggage and carried it. Sandy held the reins, and the Master sat steadily on his carved saddle, following Pilgrim onto the main road on the cliff. As for the mountain itself—

Clouds and mist enveloped the peaks; babbling streams gushed in the valleys.A hundred flowers perfumed the path; ten thousand trees grew in dense thickets.Plum trees were green, cherry blossoms white; willows were green, peaches red.Where cuckoos cried, spring neared its end; purple swallows twittered, their mating season concluded.Jagged rocks, pine trees like green canopies.Rugged mountain paths, abruptly towering and exquisitely shaped.Sheer cliffs and precipitous crags, abundant ivy and dense vegetation.A thousand banks vied in splendor like arrayed halberds; ten thousand ravines competed in flow, their distant waves surging.

The Master slowly observed the mountain scenery when he suddenly heard the cries of birds, which stirred a longing for home. He reined in his horse and called out, "Disciples—

From the imperial decree on the Heavenly Tablet, I received my travel permit beneath the brocade screen.After the Lantern Festival, on the fifteenth, I left the Eastern Land, only then parting ways with Emperor Tang.Just when dragons and tigers meet in wind and clouds, yet master and disciples stubbornly oppose the army of horses.Having traveled past the Twelve Peaks of Wushan, when shall I stand before the present Emperor, seeing my kinsmen?

Pilgrim said, "Master, you are always thinking of home, which is entirely unlike a monastic. Relax and keep going; don't worry so much. The ancients said, 'If you wish for wealth and nobility, you must work extremely hard.'" Sanzang said, "Disciple, although what you say is reasonable, I wonder where the path to the Western Heaven actually is!" Bajie said, "Master, our Buddha, Tathagata, couldn't bear to part with the Three Canons, and knowing we were coming to get them, perhaps he moved them; otherwise, why would we keep not reaching there?" Sandy said, "Stop talking nonsense! Just keep following Eldest Brother. Endure the journey, and there will surely be a day when we arrive."

As the master and disciples conversed idly, they saw another stretch of dark pine forest. Tang Sanzang was afraid and called out, "Wukong, we just passed that rugged mountain path, how have we encountered this deep, dark pine forest again? We must be careful!" Pilgrim said, "Why be afraid of it?" Sanzang said, "What are you saying! If you don't believe in straightforwardness, you must guard against malevolence. I've walked through quite a few pine forests with you, but none were as deep and vast as this one." Look—

Densely arrayed east and west, forming rows north and south.Densely arrayed east and west reaching to the clouds, forming rows north and south encroaching upon the azure sky.Thorny brambles densely entangled all around, smartweed twined around branches, up and down.Vines entangled kudzu, kudzu entangled vines.When vines entangled kudzu, travelers found it hard to pass east or west; when kudzu entangled vines, merchants could not advance north or south.In this forest, if you stayed for half a year, you wouldn't distinguish days or months; if you walked for several li, you wouldn't see the Big Dipper.Look at the shaded places with a thousand kinds of scenery, and the sunny spots with ten thousand clusters of flowers.There were also thousand-year-old pagoda trees, ten-thousand-year-old cypresses, cold-enduring pines, mountain peaches, wild peonies, and drought-resistant hibiscus, clustered thickly, piled high, a chaotic array that even immortals would find hard to paint.One could also hear the calls of a hundred birds: parrots whistling, cuckoos crying; magpies flitting through branches, crows feeding their parents; orioles dancing, mockingbirds tuning their voices; partridges calling, purple swallows chirping; mynah birds imitating human speech, and thrushes even reciting scriptures.One could also see huge beasts wagging their tails, tigers gnashing their teeth; old foxes and badgers disguised as women, and ancient gray wolves howling, shaking the forest.Even if the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King came here, though he could subdue demons, he would lose his wits!

The Great Sage Sun was utterly unafraid. He used his iron cudgel to clear a path ahead, leading Tang Sanzang directly into the deep forest. Leisurely, they walked for half a day but saw no way out of the forest. Tang Sanzang called out, "Disciple, traveling west all this time, we have passed countless dangerous mountains and forests, but fortunately, this place is tranquil and the journey has been peaceful. The strange flowers and exotic plants in this forest are truly charming and pleasing! I want to sit here for a while, first to rest the horse, and second because I'm hungry. Can you go beg for some alms for me to eat?" Pilgrim said, "Master, please dismount, your old grandson will go beg for alms." The Elder indeed dismounted. Bajie tied the horse to a tree, Sandy put down the luggage, took out the alms bowl, and handed it to Pilgrim. Pilgrim said, "Master, sit tight, don't be alarmed. I'll be back soon." Sanzang sat upright under the shade of a pine tree, while Bajie and Sandy went off to look for flowers and fruits to amuse themselves.

Now, the Great Sage leaped into the air with a somersault cloud, paused in the clouds, and looked back. He saw auspicious clouds swirling and propitious mists rising in the pine forest. He suddenly exclaimed, "Good, good!" Why did he exclaim "Good," you ask? He was praising Tang Sanzang, saying that he was the reincarnation of Elder Jin Chan, a good person who had cultivated himself for ten generations, which was why such auspicious signs covered his head. "As for your old grandson, five hundred years ago, when I wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, I roamed the corners of the seas and wandered the ends of the earth, gathered a multitude of demons, called myself the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, subdued dragons and tigers, and erased my name from the Book of Death. I wore a triple-banded golden circlet on my head, golden armor on my body, held the golden-banded cudgel in my hand, wore cloud-stepping boots on my feet, and had forty-seven thousand monsters under my command, all calling me 'Great Sage Grandfather,' truly a formidable figure. Now I have escaped heavenly calamity, become humble, and become your disciple. I imagine that with auspicious clouds and propitious mists covering Master's head, when he returns directly to the Eastern Land, there will surely be some benefits, and your old grandson will certainly achieve proper enlightenment." Just as he was boasting to himself like this, he suddenly saw a wisp of black qi bubbling up from the south side of the forest. Pilgrim was greatly alarmed and said, "There must be evil in that black qi. My Bajie and Sandy wouldn't emit such black qi." The Great Sage in mid-air observed it carefully, but uncertainly.

Meanwhile, Sanzang sat in the forest, clearing his mind and seeing his true nature, reciting the *Mahaprajnaparamita Heart Sutra*, when he suddenly heard a faint cry of "Help!" Sanzang was greatly startled and said, "Alas, alas! Who would be crying out for help in such a deep forest? Perhaps they've been frightened by wolves, insects, tigers, or leopards. Let me go see." The Elder stood up and moved forward, passing through thousand-year-old cypresses, beyond ten-thousand-year-old pines, clinging to kudzu and climbing vines. Approaching to look, he saw a woman tied to a large tree, her upper half bound to the tree with kudzu vines, and her lower half buried in the earth. The Elder stopped and asked, "Lady Bodhisattva, why are you bound here?" Alas! Clearly, this fellow was a demon, but the Elder, being of mortal flesh and vision, could not recognize it. The demon, seeing him approach and ask, burst into tears like a gushing spring. Look at her peach-blush cheeks shedding tears, possessing the beauty that would make fish sink and geese fall; her starry eyes filled with sorrow, possessing a charm that would eclipse the moon and shame flowers. The Elder dared not approach closer and asked again, "Lady Bodhisattva, what exactly is your offense? Tell this poor monk, so I can help you." The demon, with cunning words and feigned emotion, hastily replied, "Master, my home is in the kingdom of Pinpo, about two hundred li from here. My parents are alive and well, extremely kind, and throughout their lives, they've been loving and friendly to relatives and friends. At the time of Qingming Festival, they invited all relatives and our entire family, young and old, to sweep the ancestral graves. A procession of sedan chairs and horses arrived at the desolate wilderness. When we reached the gravesite, we laid out the offerings and had just finished burning the paper horses when we heard gongs and drums sounding. A band of brigands rushed out, wielding knives and staffs, shouting and attacking, frightening us out of our wits. My parents and other relatives, those who had horses or sedan chairs, each fled for their lives. I, being young, couldn't run fast enough, was frightened and fell to the ground. I was abducted by the brigands into this mountain. The Great King wanted to make me his wife. The Second King wanted to make me his concubine, and the third and fourth all desired my beauty. Seventy or eighty families all argued over me, and no one was willing to give way, so they tied me here in the forest, and the brigands dispersed and left. It has now been five days and five nights; my life is almost at an end, and I will soon perish! I don't know what virtues my ancestors accumulated in past lives, but today I have met a venerable Master here. Please, I beg you, have great compassion and save my life! I will never forget your kindness, even in the netherworld!" After speaking, tears flowed like rain.

Sanzang, truly compassionate, could not help but shed tears, his voice choked with sobs. He called out, "Disciples." Bajie and Sandy, who were in the forest looking for flowers and fruits, suddenly heard their Master's mournful cry. The simpleton said, "Sandy, Master must have recognized a relative here." Sandy laughed, "Second Brother is talking nonsense! We've been traveling for so long, and haven't even encountered a single good person, where would a relative come from?" Bajie said, "If not a relative, why would Master be weeping with someone? Let's go see." Sandy truly returned to the old spot, leading the horse and carrying the luggage. He approached and called out, "Master, what's going on?" Tang Sanzang pointed to the tree and called, "Bajie, untie that Lady Bodhisattva and save her life." The simpleton, without distinguishing good from bad, immediately went to help.

Now, the Great Sage in mid-air saw the black qi becoming thick, completely obscuring the auspicious light, and exclaimed, "Bad, bad! Black qi covers and darkens the auspicious light; I fear it's a demon harming my Master! Begging for alms is a minor matter; I'll go see my Master first." He turned his cloud around and descended into the forest. He saw Bajie haphazardly untying the ropes. Pilgrim stepped forward, grabbed Bajie's ear, and flung him to the ground with a thud. The simpleton looked up, saw Pilgrim, and scrambled up, saying, "Master told me to save someone, how dare you rely on your strength to throw me down like this!" Pilgrim chuckled, "Brother, don't untie her. She's a demon, playing tricks and deceiving us." Sanzang scolded, "You impudent monkey, talking nonsense again! How can such a woman be recognized as a demon!" Pilgrim said, "Master, you truly don't know. This is all business your old grandson has handled before, tricks used by those who want to eat human flesh. How could you recognize it!" Bajie pouted and said, "Master, don't believe this Horse Keeper fooling you! This woman is from a local family. We've come from the distant Eastern Land, we're not rivals, nor are we relatives, so how can he say she's a demon! He sent us away and then secretly came back to pull off some trick with her, trying to ruin our reputation!" Pilgrim yelled, "You oaf! Don't talk nonsense! Your old grandson has always behaved well on this journey west, where have I ever been mischievous? You, who prioritize lust over life, forget righteousness for gain, are foolish and blind to what's good, letting others trick you into a marriage proposal, and then being tied to a tree!" Sanzang said, "Alright, alright. Bajie, your Senior Brother usually isn't wrong in his judgment. Since he says so, let's leave her and go." Pilgrim was overjoyed and said, "Good! Master's life is safe! Please mount your horse. Outside the pine forest, there will be homes where you can beg for alms." The four indeed continued on their way, leaving the demon behind.

Now, the demon, tied to the tree, gnashed its teeth in hatred and said, "For years I've heard people say that Sun Wukong has immense magical powers, and today I see it for myself; the talk is indeed not empty. That Tang Sanzang is a pure monastic, his primal yang never dissipated. I was just about to capture him to combine with him and achieve Taizheng Golden Immortal status, but I didn't know this monkey would see through my trick and rescue him. If only I had untied the ropes and released myself, I could have easily captured him then, wouldn't he have been mine? Now, he's been taken away by that monkey's scattered words; isn't this labor in vain? Let me call out to him two more times and see what happens."

The clever demon, without moving its bonds, sent a few gentle, pleading words on a favorable wind, softly blowing them into Tang Sanzang's ears. What did it call out, you ask? It cried, "Master, you refuse to save a living person's life; how can you, with a darkened heart, worship Buddha and seek scriptures?" Tang Sanzang, hearing such a cry from his horse, immediately reined in and called out, "Wukong, go and rescue that woman now." Pilgrim said, "Master, we're on our way; why are you thinking of her again?" Tang Sanzang said, "She's calling out again." Pilgrim asked, "Bajie, do you hear her?" Bajie said, "My big ears are covering them, I didn't hear anything." He asked again, "Sandy, do you hear her?" Sandy said, "I'm walking ahead with the luggage, I wasn't paying attention, and I didn't hear anything." Pilgrim said, "Your old grandson didn't hear anything either. Master, what did she say? Why is it only you who heard?" Tang Sanzang said, "What she said makes sense. She said: 'You refuse to save a living person's life; how can you, with a darkened heart, worship Buddha and seek scriptures?' 'Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda.' Go quickly and save her; it's more important than seeking scriptures or worshipping Buddha." Pilgrim chuckled, "Master, when you start to be compassionate, there's no cure for it. Think about it: since you left the Eastern Land and traveled west, you've passed through several mountain ranges and encountered many demons. They often captured you and took you into their caves, and your old grandson came to rescue you, using my iron cudgel, often killing tens of thousands. Today, you can't bear to let go of a single demon's life, and you want to save her?" Tang Sanzang said, "Disciple, the ancients said: 'Do not neglect a small good deed, nor commit a small evil.' Go and save her." Pilgrim said, "Master, since you insist, this burden is something your old grandson cannot bear. If you want to save her, I dare not persuade you too much; if I argue for a while, you'll get angry again. Go ahead and save her." Tang Sanzang said, "Monkey, stop talking so much! You stay here; Bajie and I will go save her."

Tang Sanzang returned to the forest and instructed Bajie to untie the ropes from the upper half of the woman's body, and then use his rake to dig out the lower half. The demon adjusted its shoes and skirt, and gleefully followed Tang Sanzang out of the pine forest. Upon seeing Pilgrim, Pilgrim just kept sneering. Tang Sanzang scolded, "You impudent monkey! Why are you laughing?" Pilgrim said, "I'm laughing that when your luck is good, you meet worthy friends; when your luck turns bad, you meet beautiful women." Sanzang scolded again, "You impudent ape! Nonsense! From the moment I left my mother's womb, I became a monk. Now I travel west by imperial decree, devoutly worshipping Buddha and seeking scriptures. I am not a person seeking fame and fortune, so how can my luck turn bad!" Pilgrim chuckled, "Master, although you have been a monk since childhood, you only know how to read scriptures and chant Buddha's name, and you have never seen the laws and regulations of the realm. This woman is young and beautiful. You and I are monastics; if we travel with her, and by chance we encounter wicked people who seize us and send us to court, regardless of seeking scriptures or worshipping Buddha, we would all be accused of illicit relations. Even if there's no such incident, we would be questioned for abducting a person. Master would have his ordination certificate revoked and be severely beaten; Bajie would be sentenced to military exile; Sandy would be punished with hard labor, and even your old grandson wouldn't be clean. No matter how eloquent I am, how could I defend us? You would be unable to answer the charges." Sanzang scolded, "Stop talking nonsense! Surely, by saving her life, there won't be any trouble, will there! Let's take her with us. Whatever happens, it's all on me." Pilgrim said, "Although Master says the responsibility is on you, you don't realize that you're not saving her, but rather harming her." Sanzang said, "I rescued her from the forest, saving her life, how is that harming her?" Pilgrim said, "If she had remained tied in the forest for three, five, ten days, or half a month, without food, and starved to death, she would at least have had a complete body to return to the underworld. But now that you've brought her out, you're riding a fast horse, traveling as swiftly as the wind. We can only follow you, but the woman has small feet and walks with difficulty. How can she keep up? If we abandon her for a moment, and she encounters wolves, insects, tigers, or leopards, and is devoured in one bite, wouldn't that be harming her life instead?" Sanzang said, "That's true. This matter is indeed thanks to your insight. How should we handle it?" Pilgrim chuckled, "Carry her up, and ride the horse together with you." Sanzang mused, "How can I possibly share a horse with her!" "How will she go then?" Sanzang said, "Tell Bajie to carry her." Pilgrim chuckled, "The simpleton's luck has arrived!" Bajie said, "Long journeys have no light burdens. How is it lucky for me to carry a person?" Pilgrim said, "Your mouth is long; if you carry her, you can turn your mouth to scheme and whisper sweet nothings, wouldn't that be convenient?" Upon hearing this, Bajie beat his chest and jumped in rage, saying, "No, no! Master, I'd rather you beat me a few times; I'd endure the pain. Carrying her will never be clean; Senior Brother is always good at slandering people. I won't carry her!" Sanzang said, "Alright, alright. I can still walk a few steps. Let me dismount and we'll walk slowly together, and Bajie can lead the empty horse." Pilgrim burst into laughter, "The simpleton has a job now! Master is asking you to lead the horse!" Sanzang said, "This monkey is talking nonsense again! The ancients said, 'A horse can travel a thousand li, but without a rider, it cannot go by itself.' If I walk slowly on the road, would you leave me behind? If I'm slow, you'll be slow too. Let's all walk down the mountain together with this Lady Bodhisattva, and when we reach a nunnery, monastery, or inhabited place, we can leave her there. That would still count as us saving her." Pilgrim said, "Master's words are reasonable. Please proceed quickly."

Sanzang walked ahead, Sandy carried the luggage, Bajie led the empty horse, and Pilgrim held his cudgel. Guiding the woman, they all moved forward. After no more than twenty or thirty li, dusk approached. They saw another complex of towers, terraces, and halls. Sanzang said, "Disciples, that must be a nunnery, monastery, or temple. Let's stay there for the night and leave early tomorrow." Pilgrim said, "Master is right. Everyone, move a bit faster." In an instant, they reached the entrance. He instructed, "You all stand back a little. Let me go ask for lodging first. If it's suitable, I'll send someone to call you." Everyone stood under the shade of a willow, except Pilgrim, who held his iron cudgel and kept watch over the woman.

The Elder strode forward and saw that the gate was leaning haphazardly, crumbling apart. Pushing it open and looking inside, he couldn't help but feel desolate: the long corridors were silent, the ancient temple sparse; moss filled the courtyard, weeds covered the paths; only fireflies served as lamps, and only frog croaks replaced the water clock. The Elder suddenly shed tears. It was truly—

The temple halls were crumbling and collapsing, the corridors desolate and decaying.Over ten piles of broken bricks and shattered tiles, all were crooked beams and fractured pillars.Green grass grew everywhere, front and back; the incense kitchen was rotten and buried in dust.The bell tower had collapsed, the drum had no skin; the glazed incense lamps were broken.The golden bodies of the Buddhas were discolored, the Arhats lay fallen east and west.Guanyin was ruined by rain and turned to mud, her willow branch and pure vase fallen to the ground.By day, no monks entered; by night, only foxes slept there.Only the roaring sound of the wind, like thunder, could be heard, for these were places where tigers and leopards hid.All four walls had fallen; there were no door panels to close.A poem serves as proof, which reads:

The ancient temple, unrenovated for years, was dilapidated and abandoned, in even worse decay.Fierce winds had cracked the face of the sangharama, heavy rains had corroded the Buddha statues' heads.Vajra guardians were broken and scattered by the downpour; the Earth God had no dwelling and could not take shelter at night.There were two more lamentable sights: a bronze bell on the ground with no bell tower to hang from.

Sanzang steeled his courage and walked into the second gate. He saw that both the bell and drum towers had collapsed, leaving only a bronze bell stuck in the ground. Its upper half was as white as snow, its lower half as blue as indigo. It turned out that over long years, the upper part had been bleached white by rain, and the lower part had acquired a verdigris patina from the soil. Sanzang touched the bell with his hand and called out loudly, "O Bell! You—

You once hung in a high tower, roaring; you once chimed with the distant sound of painted beams.You once announced dawn with the crow of a rooster; you once marked dusk with the setting sun.I wonder where the Taoist who transformed copper has gone, and where the coppersmith who cast you now resides.I imagine both their lives have returned to the underworld; they are traceless, and you are silent."

The Elder praised loudly, unknowingly startling someone inside the temple. Inside, there was a Taoist who attended to the incense. Hearing voices, he scrambled up, picked up a broken brick, and struck the bell with it. The bell rang out with a "dong," startling the Elder into falling; he struggled to his feet to leave, but tripped over a tree root, falling with another thud. The Elder lay on the ground, looked up, and called out again, "O Bell—

This poor monk was just lamenting you, when suddenly you rang with a clang.I suppose that no one has arrived on the road to the Western Heaven, and after many years, you have become a spirit."

The Taoist rushed forward, helped him up, and said, "Sir, please rise. It's not the bell becoming a spirit; it was I who just struck the bell." Sanzang looked up and saw his ugly, dark appearance, saying, "Are you perhaps a demon or evil spirit? I am no ordinary person; I am from the Great Tang, and I have disciples who can subdue dragons and tigers. If you encounter them, your life will be difficult to preserve!" The Taoist knelt down and said, "Sir, don't be afraid. I am not an evil spirit; I am a Taoist who tends to the incense in this temple. Just now, I heard your kind words of praise and wanted to come out and welcome you; but I was afraid it might be an evil spirit knocking, so I picked up a broken brick and struck the bell to suppress any evil, then dared to come out. Sir, please rise." Tang Sanzang, now composed, said, "Abbot, you almost scared me to death! Lead me inside." The Taoist led Tang Sanzang directly into the third gate, where he saw a scene vastly different from the outside. One could see—

Azure bricks formed walls like colored clouds, green tiles covered halls of glazed splendor.Golden adornments on sacred images, white jade forming steps and platforms.In the Grand Hall of Great Strength, green light danced; beneath the Vimalakirti Pavilion, sharp energy arose.The Manjushri Hall was adorned with colorful, flying clouds; the Sutra Repository was painted with flowers and piled with emeralds.Jewel-tipped vases on three-eaved roofs, flat embroidered canopies within the five-blessing towers.A thousand emerald bamboos swayed by meditation couches, ten thousand green pines reflected the Buddha gate.Golden light streamed from the Jade Cloud Palace; auspicious mists floated from clusters of purple fog.In the morning, fragrant breezes carried across the four fields; in the evening, painted drums sounded high in the mountains.Surely there were those who mended tattered robes in the morning sun, and did not finish chanting remaining scriptures by moonlight?And one could see lamps illuminating half the rear courtyard, and a line of fragrant mist illuminating the central court.

Sanzang saw this and dared not enter. He called, "Taoist, your front area is utterly dilapidated, but the back is so orderly. Why is this?" The Taoist chuckled, "Sir, there are many evil spirits and brigands in these mountains. On clear days, they rob along the mountains; on overcast days, they come to hide in the temple. They push over Buddha statues to sit on and move wood to burn for fires. The monks of this temple are weak and dare not argue with them. Therefore, we gave up all these dilapidated front rooms for those brigands to rest, and then newly sought some donors to build a new part of the temple. Clean and dirty are separate; this is a matter of the Western regions." Sanzang said, "So that's how it is." As they walked, he also saw five large characters on the mountain gate: "Zhenhai Chanlin Temple" (Zen Temple of Suppressing the Sea). Just as he stepped through the gate, he suddenly saw a monk approaching. Look at his appearance—

On his head, he wore a velvet brocade cap with a hair pin on the left; a pair of copper rings hung from his earlobes.He wore a woolen robe of rough weave; his pair of white eyes shone like silver.In his hand, he shook a rattle drum; from his mouth came foreign scriptures, not clearly understood.Sanzang originally didn't recognize him; this was a Lama monk from the Western path.

The Lama monk came out of the gate and saw Sanzang, with his clear eyes and elegant brows, broad forehead and flat crown, earlobes touching his shoulders, and hands reaching past his knees—he looked like an Arhat descended to the mortal world, extremely handsome and refined. He stepped forward, took hold of Sanzang, and with a beaming smile, rubbed his hands and feet, touched his nose, and tugged his ears, to show a sign of closeness. Leading him to the abbot's quarters, after performing rites, he asked, "Venerable Master, where do you come from?" Sanzang said, "Your humble disciple is an imperial envoy from the Great Tang in the Eastern Land, traveling to the Great Thunderclap Monastery in the Western Heaven (India) to worship Buddha and obtain scriptures. We happened to arrive in this esteemed place at dusk, and specifically came to this venerable temple to borrow lodging for a night, departing early tomorrow. We hope for some convenience." The monk laughed, "Unfilial, unfilial! We didn't choose to leave home with good intentions; it was because our parents gave birth to us, our destiny was marked by the 'Canopy Star,' and our families couldn't keep us, so we reluctantly gave up our homes to become monastics. Since you've become a disciple of Buddhism, you absolutely must not speak such empty words." Sanzang said, "I am speaking the truth." The monk said, "From the Eastern Land to the Western Heaven, how far is that journey! There are mountains on the way, caves in the mountains, and spirits in the caves. For someone like you, traveling alone and so delicate, how could you possibly be seeking scriptures!" Sanzang said, "Abbot, you are right. How could this poor monk have arrived here alone? I have three disciples who clear paths through mountains and build bridges over water, protecting me, your disciple. That's how I reached this venerable temple." The monk was startled and said, "Master, you don't know that here we have tigers, wolves, evil bandits, and ghosts that harm people. During the day, we dare not venture far; before dusk, we close our gates. At this hour, how can you leave people outside!" He called, "Disciples, go quickly and invite them in."

Two young Lama apprentices ran outside. Upon seeing Pilgrim, they stumbled and fell; upon seeing Bajie, they fell again. Scrambling up, they ran back swiftly, saying, "Grandpa! Our luck is bad! Your disciples aren't here, only three or four monsters are standing at the gate!" Sanzang asked, "What do they look like?" The young monks said, "One has a thunder god's mouth, one has a pig's snout, and one has a green face and tusks. Next to them is a woman, who actually has a greasy head and powdered face." Sanzang laughed, "You don't recognize them. Those three ugly ones are my disciples. And that woman, I rescued her from the pine forest." The Lama said, "Oh, Grandpa, such a handsome Master, why do you seek such ugly disciples?" Sanzang said, "They may be ugly, but they are all useful. Please quickly invite them in. If you delay any longer, the one with the thunder god's mouth might cause trouble; he's not someone raised by human parents, he might just break in."

The young monks immediately ran out, trembling as they knelt and said, "Venerable sirs, Master Tang invites you in." Bajie chuckled, "Brother, he's inviting us, but why is he so trembling?" Pilgrim said, "He's afraid because we're ugly." Bajie said, "That's nonsense! We were born this way; who would choose to be ugly!" Pilgrim said, "Well, let's at least tidy up that ugliness a bit." The simpleton actually tucked his snout into his bosom, lowered his head, and led the horse. Sandy carried the luggage, Pilgrim followed behind, holding his cudgel and keeping watch over the woman. Together, they entered. They passed through the collapsed rooms and corridors, entering beyond the third gate. They tied the horse, put down the luggage, and entered the abbot's quarters, where they met the Lama monk and took their respective seats. The abbot then went inside and brought out seventy or eighty young Lamas. After they had paid their respects, preparations were made to serve a vegetarian meal. Indeed: Accumulated merit requires compassionate thought; when Buddhist law prospers, monks praise monks. It is not yet known how they left the temple; let us await the next chapter for an explanation.