Chapter 99: 九九数完魔灭尽 三三行满道归根

The Eight Vajra having escorted Tang Sanzang back to the Tang empire, we now turn to the Five Directional Revelation Keepers, the Four Duty Merit Officers, the Six Ding and Six Jia Deities, and the Guarding and Teaching Garan Spirits, who approached Guanyin Bodhisattva. They reported, "We, your disciples, have, by your divine command, secretly protected the Sagely Monk. Now that the Sagely Monk's journey is complete and you have reported to the Buddha, we humbly request your permission to withdraw our duties."

Guanyin Bodhisattva was very pleased and said, "Granted, granted." She then asked, "How were the actions and intentions of Tang Sanzang and his three disciples throughout the journey?"

The deities replied, "Their devotion and sincerity were truly profound, something that surely could not escape your insightful perception, Bodhisattva. However, the suffering Tang Sanzang endured was truly inexpressible. We have carefully recorded all the misfortunes, perils, and calamities he experienced along the way. This is his ledger of difficulties."

The Bodhisattva read through it from beginning to end. It listed:

"Sent by Guanyin's decree,Carefully recorded Tang Monk's trials, clear to see:Golden Cicada's demotion, the first difficulty.Near-death at birth, the second difficulty.Thrown into the river at full moon, the third difficulty.Seeking relatives and avenging wrongs, the fourth difficulty.Meeting a tiger upon leaving the city, the fifth difficulty.Falling into a pit and losing followers, the sixth difficulty.At Twin-Fork Ridge, the seventh difficulty.At Two-Boundary Mountain, the eighth difficulty.Changing horses at Steep Ravine, the ninth difficulty.Burned by fire at night, the tenth difficulty.Losing the cassock, the eleventh difficulty.Subduing Pigsy, the twelfth difficulty.Obstructed by the Yellow Wind Monster, the thirteenth difficulty.Seeking Lingji's help, the fourteenth difficulty.Difficulty crossing the Flowing Sands River, the fifteenth difficulty.Taking Sandy as a disciple, the sixteenth difficulty.The Four Sages' manifestation, the seventeenth difficulty.At the Wuzhuang Temple, the eighteenth difficulty.Difficulty reviving the Ginseng Fruit tree, the nineteenth difficulty.Banishing the Mind Ape, the twentieth difficulty.Getting separated in Black Pine Forest, the twenty-first difficulty.Sending a letter from the Baoxiang Kingdom, the twenty-second difficulty.Transforming into a tiger in the Golden Throne Hall, the twenty-third difficulty.Encountering demons at Flat-Top Mountain, the twenty-fourth difficulty.Suspended high in Lotus Flower Cave, the twenty-fifth difficulty.Rescuing the king of Wuji Kingdom, the twenty-sixth difficulty.Transformed by a demon, the twenty-seventh difficulty.Meeting a monster at Roaring Mountain, the twenty-eighth difficulty.The Sagely Monk caught by wind, the twenty-ninth difficulty.The Mind Ape suffering harm, the thirtieth difficulty.Invoking a sage to subdue the demon, the thirty-first difficulty.Sinking in Black River, the thirty-second difficulty.Transporting goods in Chechi, the thirty-third difficulty.The great gamble of wins and losses, the thirty-fourth difficulty.Expelling Taoists and promoting Buddhism, the thirty-fifth difficulty.Encountering a great flood on the road, the thirty-sixth difficulty.Falling into the Celestial River, the thirty-seventh difficulty.The Fish Basket appearing, the thirty-eighth difficulty.Meeting a monster at Golden Brocade Mountain, the thirty-ninth difficulty.All celestials finding it hard to subdue, the fortieth difficulty.Asking Buddha about the origin, the forty-first difficulty.Poisoned by drinking water, the forty-second difficulty.Asked to marry in the Western Liang Kingdom, the forty-third difficulty.Suffering in the Scorpion Demoness's Cave, the forty-fourth difficulty.Banishing the Mind Ape again, the forty-fifth difficulty.Difficulty distinguishing the two monkeys, the forty-sixth difficulty.Road blocked by Flame Mountain, the forty-seventh difficulty.Seeking the Plantain Fan, the forty-eighth difficulty.Capturing the Demon King, the forty-ninth difficulty.Sweeping the pagoda in Saicheng, the fiftieth difficulty.Retrieving treasure and saving the monk, the fifty-first difficulty.Reciting poetry in the Thorn Forest, the fifty-second difficulty.Suffering a calamity at Little Thunderclap Temple, the fifty-third difficulty.All celestials trapped, the fifty-fourth difficulty.Blocked by the rare persimmon tree and filth, the fifty-fifth difficulty.Practicing medicine in the Vermilion Purple Kingdom, the fifty-sixth difficulty.Rescuing the weary and sick, the fifty-seventh difficulty.Subduing the demon and regaining the queen, the fifty-eighth difficulty.Lost in seven emotions, the fifty-ninth difficulty.Many-Eyed Demon suffering harm, the sixtieth difficulty.Road blocked by Lion Camel Ridge, the sixty-first difficulty.Monsters of three colors, the sixty-second difficulty.Suffering calamity in the city, the sixty-third difficulty.Inviting Buddha to subdue the demon, the sixty-fourth difficulty.Rescuing the Bikkhu's son, the sixty-fifth difficulty.Distinguishing true from false, the sixty-sixth difficulty.Saving the monster in Pine Forest, the sixty-seventh difficulty.Falling ill in the monk's chamber, the sixty-eighth difficulty.Trapped in the Bottomless Pit, the sixty-ninth difficulty.Difficulty traveling in the Kingdom of Exterminating Buddhism, the seventieth difficulty.Meeting a demon in Obscure Mist Mountain, the seventy-first difficulty.Praying for rain in Fengxian Prefecture, the seventy-second difficulty.Losing weapons, the seventy-third difficulty.The Gathering of the Nine-Toothed Rake, the seventy-fourth difficulty.Suffering calamity at Bamboo Knot Mountain, the seventy-fifth difficulty.Suffering in the Profound Shadow Cave, the seventy-sixth difficulty.Chasing and catching rhinos, the seventy-seventh difficulty.Seeking marriage in Tianzhu, the seventy-eighth difficulty.Imprisoned in Tongtai Prefecture, the seventy-ninth difficulty.Shedding the mortal body at Lingyun Ferry, the eightieth difficulty.Having traveled one hundred and eight thousand miles, the Sagely Monk's ledger of difficulties is clear.

After glancing through the ledger of difficulties, Guanyin Bodhisattva promptly sent a message: "According to the Buddhist Gate's principle of 'nine times nine equals eighty-one' for perfect attainment, the Sagely Monk has endured eighty difficulties, still one short. He cannot complete the full number." She immediately commanded the Jiedi, "Catch up with the Vajra and create one more difficulty!"

Upon receiving the order, the Jiedi flew on a cloud eastward. After a day and a night, he caught up with the Eight Great Vajra and whispered into their ears, "Thus and so, strictly obey the Bodhisattva's command; do not err." Hearing this, the Eight Vajra abruptly halted the wind, causing the four pilgrims, along with their horse and scriptures, to fall to the ground. Ah! It was truly a case of:

"The path to perfect truth, through eighty-one trials;With steadfast will, the mystic gate is set.Only through bitter practice are demons banished;One must cultivate for the true Dharma to return.Do not treat the scriptures as trivial;The Sagely Monk endured countless forms of difficulty.Ancient wisdom perfectly aligns with the Way;The slightest deviation prevents the elixir from forming."

When Sanzang's feet touched mortal ground, he felt a sudden shock. Pigsy burst into laughter, "Good, good, good! This is exactly what they mean by 'the faster you go, the slower you arrive!'" Sandy said, "Good, good, good! It's because we walked a little too fast, so they're making us rest here." Sun Wukong remarked, "As the saying goes, 'Ten days sitting on the riverbank, one day crossing nine fords.'" Sanzang said, "You three stop squabbling. Look around, what place is this?"

Sandy turned his head, looking in all directions, "It's here, it's here! Master, listen to the sound of the water." Wukong said, "The sound of water must be your ancestral home then." Pigsy interjected, "His ancestral home is Flowing Sands River." Sandy retorted, "No, no, this is the Heaven-Reaching River!"

Sanzang said, "Disciples, look carefully at that bank." Wukong leaped up, shading his eyes with his hand, and after a careful look, he came down and said, "Master, this is the west bank of the Heaven-Reaching River."

Sanzang remembered, "I recall now, there was Chen Family Village on the east bank. When we arrived that year, you saved their children, and they were deeply grateful, wanting to build a boat to send us across. Fortunately, the white turtle carried us over. I remember the west bank was uninhabited. What shall we do this time?"

Pigsy grumbled, "I thought only mortals would cheat, but it seems even the Vajra before the Buddha can cheat. They were commanded by the Buddha to escort us back east, but they abandoned us halfway? Now we're stuck, unable to advance or retreat! How are we going to cross?"

Sandy said, "Second Brother, don't complain. Our Master has already attained the Way; he shed his mortal body at Lingyun Ferry. This time, he certainly won't fall into the water. Let Brother and I use our levitation spells to carry Master across." Wukong secretly chuckled to himself repeatedly, "Can't carry him, can't carry him!"

Why did he say "can't carry him"? If he had used his divine powers and revealed the secret of ascension, the master and disciples could have crossed a thousand rivers. But he understood that Tang Sanzang's "nine times nine" difficulties were not yet complete, and there was still one more to endure, which was why they were detained here.

The master and disciples chatted as they slowly walked until they reached the water's edge. Suddenly, they heard someone call out, "Sagely Monk Tang, Sagely Monk Tang! Come here, come here!" The four were startled. They looked up, but saw no one, nor any boat. It was a large white-headed turtle on the riverbank, poking its head out and calling, "Venerable Master, I have been waiting for you for several years; have you just returned?"

Wukong laughed, "Old Turtle, we troubled you last year, and now we meet again this year." Sanzang, Pigsy, and Sandy were all overjoyed. Wukong said, "Old Turtle, if you truly intend to welcome us, please come ashore." The turtle immediately climbed onto the bank. Wukong told them to lead the horse onto its back. Pigsy squatted behind the horse's tail, Tang Sanzang stood to the left of the horse's neck, and Sandy stood to the right. Wukong placed one foot on the old turtle's neck and the other on its head, saying, "Old Turtle, walk steadily now."

The old turtle extended its four legs, treading the water as if on level ground, carrying the four pilgrims and the horse, five souls in total, on its back, heading straight back to the east bank. It was truly a case of:

"Within the Non-Dual Gate, the Dharma is profound and mystic;Having repelled all demons, one knows humanity and heaven.The original face is now seen;The singular origin is at last complete.Holding proof of the Three Vehicles, entering and exiting freely;The elixir perfected, the ninety-nine cycles revolve.No need to mention the staff and carrying pole;Fortunate to find the Old Turtle and restore original purity."

The old turtle carried them, parting waves and treading currents, for more than half the day. As evening approached and they were nearing the east bank, it suddenly asked, "Venerable Master, last year I asked you to inquire of the Buddha in the West about my ultimate destiny and how many years I had left to live. Did you indeed ask?"

Now, the Elder, ever since bathing at the Jade True Temple in the Western Heaven, shedding his mortal body at Lingyun Ferry, and ascending Spirit Mountain, had focused solely on worshipping the Buddha and consulting various Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Sagely Monks. His mind was entirely on obtaining the scriptures, and he paid no attention to other matters. Therefore, he had not asked about the old turtle's lifespan. He had no words to answer, yet dared not lie. After a long moment of hesitation, he remained silent.

The old turtle immediately knew that Sanzang had not asked on its behalf. It suddenly swayed its body, and with a splash, plunged into the water, drenching the four pilgrims, their horse, and the scriptures. Ah! Fortunately, Tang Sanzang had shed his mortal body and achieved the Way; if it were like before, he would have sunk to the bottom. It was also fortunate that the white horse was a dragon, and Pigsy and Sandy could swim. Wukong, smiling broadly, displayed his great divine powers, helping Tang Sanzang out of the water and onto the east bank. However, the scripture satchels, clothes, and saddle were all soaked.

Just as the master and disciples reached the bank to dry their belongings, a sudden gust of strong wind swept through, the sky grew dark, thunder roared, lightning flashed, and rocks flew along with sand. One could see that:

"A gust of wind, shaking heaven and earth;A clap of thunder, vibrating mountains and rivers.A flash of lightning, piercing clouds and fiery;A sky of fog, blanketing the vast land.Wind roared and howled, thunder fiercely boomed.Lightning flashed like crimson silk, fog obscured stars and moon.Wind stirred dust and sand, blinding the face;Thunder startled tigers and leopards into hiding.Lightning's glare made birds shriek;Fog's expanse made trees disappear.The wind churned the Heaven-Reaching River into surging waves,The thunder shook the Heaven-Reaching River, making fish and dragons lose courage,The lightning illuminated the Heaven-Reaching River to its depths,The fog covered the Heaven-Reaching River's banks in gloomy darkness.A mighty wind, toppling mountains, splitting rocks, felling pines and bamboos.A mighty thunder, rousing insects, harming people, with awesome power.A mighty flash, streaking the sky, illuminating the wilds like golden snakes.A mighty fog, vast and boundless, veiling the nine heavens."

Frightened, Sanzang clutched his scripture bag, Sandy pressed down on the scripture pole, and Pigsy held the white horse. Wukong, however, wielded his iron staff with both hands, guarding them left and right. It turned out that the wind, fog, thunder, and lightning were merely yin demons making noise, intending to seize the acquired scriptures. They caused commotion throughout the night until dawn, when they finally ceased.

The Elder, drenched in water, trembled and asked, "Wukong, what was that all about?" Wukong, still breathing heavily, said, "Master, you do not know the inside story. Our protection of you to acquire these scriptures is a feat that seizes the very creation of heaven and earth. It can endure as long as the cosmos, shine as brightly as the sun and moon, grant eternal spring and an indestructible Dharma body. This is why it is intolerable to heaven and feared by ghosts and spirits, who sought to secretly seize it. First, these scriptures were soaked by water, and second, your true Dharma body suppressed them. Therefore, thunder could not strike, lightning could not illuminate, fog could not blind, and moreover, your humble disciple wielded his iron staff, employing its pure Yang nature to protect them. By dawn, the Yang energy was strong, which is why they could not be taken."

Sanzang, Pigsy, and Sandy finally understood and expressed their endless gratitude. A short while later, with the sun shining high, they moved the scriptures to a high cliff to dry them. To this day, the "Sun-Drying Scripture Stone" still exists there. They also spread their clothes and shoes on the cliffside, some standing, some sitting, some jumping. It was truly:

"The pure Yang body delights in the sun;Yin demons dare not show their might.Know that water strengthens the true scriptures;Fear not wind, thunder, lightning, or fog's light.From this, peace returns to true enlightenment;From now on, serenity leads to immortal lands.Traces remain on the Sun-Drying Scripture Stone,For a thousand ages, no demons dare reach this place."

As the four pilgrims inspected and dried their scripture scrolls, several fishermen came to the riverside. Looking up, some recognized them and called out, "Venerable Master, are you the one who crossed this river years ago to fetch scriptures from the Western Heaven?"

Pigsy said, "Exactly, exactly! Where are you from? How do you recognize us?" The fisherman replied, "We are from Chen Family Village." Pigsy asked, "How far is Chen Family Village from here?" The fisherman said, "Twenty li south of this ford, and you're there."

Pigsy suggested, "Master, let's carry the scriptures to Chen Family Village to dry them. They have lodging and food there, and they can even wash our clothes. Wouldn't that be great?" Sanzang replied, "Let's not go. We'll dry them here, pack up, and find our way back."

The fishermen walked past the southern ford and happened to meet Chen Cheng, calling out, "Second Elder, the master who offered sacrifices for your son years ago has returned!" Chen Cheng asked, "Where did you see them?" The fisherman pointed back, "They are all drying scriptures on that stone."

Chen Cheng immediately brought a few tenants and walked to the ford. Seeing them, he rushed forward and knelt, saying, "Venerable Masters, you have returned from fetching scriptures, your merits fulfilled and deeds completed. Why do you linger here instead of coming to my humble abode? Please, please, come to my house!"

Wukong said, "We'll come with you once the scriptures are dry." Chen Cheng then asked, "Venerable Master, why are your scriptures and clothes wet?" Sanzang recounted, "Years ago, we were fortunate to be carried across the river to the west by the white turtle. This year, he again carried us across to the east bank. When we were nearing the bank, he asked about our past promise to inquire about his lifespan from the Buddha. I had not asked, so he plunged us into the water, thus wetting everything." He then explained all the events in detail.

Chen Cheng pleaded earnestly, and Sanzang, having no other choice, began to pack the scripture scrolls. Unexpectedly, several scrolls of the Buddha's Deeds Sutra stuck to the stone, tearing the end of the scriptures. This is why, to this day, the Deeds Sutra is incomplete, and traces of the writing remain on the Sun-Drying Scripture Stone. Sanzang regretted, "It was our carelessness; we didn't look after them properly!" Wukong laughed, "It's not that! It's not that! Heaven and Earth are not perfect, and these scriptures were originally complete. Their being torn now is in response to the mystery of incompleteness, not something human power could achieve!"

The master and disciples finished packing and accompanied Chen Cheng back to the village.

In the village, the news spread like wildfire, from one person to ten, from ten to a hundred, from a hundred to a thousand. Old and young alike came to greet and see them. When Chen Qing heard, he immediately set up an incense altar at his gate to welcome them, and ordered gongs and drums to be played. Soon, they arrived and were escorted in. Chen Qing, with his entire family, came out to bow and express gratitude for the salvation of their daughter years ago. He then ordered tea and a vegetarian feast to be served.

Sanzang, having received celestial food and delicacies from the Buddha and shed his mortal body to become a Buddha, no longer thought of mortal food. The two elders urged him repeatedly, but he could only take a token amount. Sun Wukong, who never ate cooked food, also said, "Enough." Sandy did not eat much either. Pigsy, unlike before, simply put down his bowl. Wukong asked, "Fatty, you're not eating either?" Pigsy replied, "I don't know why, but my stomach just feels weak all of a sudden."

After the feast was cleared, they asked about the scripture-fetching journey. Sanzang meticulously recounted everything: first bathing at the Jade True Temple, shedding his mortal body at Lingyun Ferry, then arriving at Thunderclap Monastery to pay respects to the Tathagata, being feasted in the Pearl Pagoda, and receiving scriptures in the Treasure Pavilion. He explained how the two reverend monks initially demanded a bribe which was not given, resulting in the transmission of blank scriptures, and how he later bowed again to the Tathagata to receive the full collection of scriptures, as well as the incident with the white turtle plunging them into the water and the yin demons secretly trying to seize the scriptures. He then wished to take his leave.

However, the two elders and their entire family were unwilling to let them go. They said, "You saved our children, a profound kindness we can never repay. We have already built a temple, named the 'Life-Saving Monastery,' dedicated to offering incense and worship without end." They then called out their son Chen Guanbao and daughter Yichengjin, for whom the sacrifices had been made, to bow and express thanks. They then invited the pilgrims to visit the temple. Sanzang placed his scripture bags in their main hall and chanted a scroll of the "Precious Permanence Sutra" for them. Later, at the temple, they found the Chen family had prepared another feast. Before they could even sit down, more people came to invite them; before they could lift their chopsticks, yet more came to invite them, an endless stream, vying for their attention. Sanzang dared not refuse and merely accepted token amounts.

The temple was indeed built splendidly:

"The mountain gate, crimson and smooth,Much credit to the patrons' meritorious deeds.A towering pavilion established from this day,Two corridors and rooms now flourish.Vermilion red partitions, seven treasures exquisite.Incense pervades the clouds and heavens, clear light fills the vast sky.A few tender cypresses still watered,Several tall pines not yet clustered.Living water greets the front, Heaven-Reaching River's waves endlessly turn;High cliffs lean behind, mountain ranges upon ranges meet the earth dragon."

After inspecting the temple, Sanzang ascended the tall pavilion. Inside the pavilion were indeed statues of the four pilgrims. Pigsy saw them and tugged Wukong, saying, "Elder Brother, your statue looks very much like you." Sandy said, "Second Brother, yours is also extremely lifelike. Only Master's is a bit too handsome." Sanzang said, "That's good, that's good!"

They then descended the stairs. Below, in the front hall and back corridors, more people waited to invite them to feasts. Wukong then asked, "What happened to the Great King's Temple from before?" The elders replied, "That temple was demolished years ago. Venerable Masters, ever since this temple was built, every year has brought good harvests and abundant returns. This is truly due to your blessings."

Wukong chuckled, "This is Heaven's gift, what has it to do with us! However, from now on, after we leave, we guarantee that the people of this village will have flourishing descendants, their livestock will thrive, and every year will see favorable winds and timely rains, and timely rains and favorable winds." The villagers all prostrated themselves in thanks.

Front and back, there were countless families offering fruits and feasts. Pigsy laughed, "My misfortune! Back then, when I could eat, no one invited us even once, let alone ten times. Now that I can't eat, one family finishes, and another starts!" Even though he felt full, he still managed to eat eight or nine plates of vegetarian food with a slight effort; despite his weakened stomach, he ate twenty or thirty steamed buns, and was completely full, yet still more people came to invite them. Sanzang said, "What virtue do I possess to deserve such love! I hope we can pause tonight and resume tomorrow morning."

It was already deep into the night. Sanzang kept a close watch on the true scriptures, not daring to leave them for a moment, and sat in meditation below the pavilion to guard them. Around the third watch, Sanzang quietly called out, "Wukong, the people here recognize that our Way is complete and our mission fulfilled. As the ancient saying goes, 'A true person does not show their form; one who shows their form is not a true person.' I fear that prolonged stay here will cause us to miss important matters." Wukong replied, "Master speaks wisely. Let us take advantage of the deep night, while everyone is asleep, and quietly depart." Pigsy also understood, Sandy was perfectly clear, and the white horse also grasped their intention.

So, they rose, lightly hoisted the packs onto the horse, and carried the carrying pole. They went out through the cloister and reached the mountain gate, finding it locked. Wukong used his lock-opening spell, opened the inner and main gates, and found their way, heading eastward. They then heard the Eight Great Vajra calling from mid-air, "Those who flee, follow me!" Hearing the wafting scent of incense, the Elder rose into the air.

This is truly:"The elixir formed, one recognizes the original face;The body strong and unmoving, bowing to the Master."

Ultimately, how they met the Tang Emperor remains to be seen. Let us hear it explained in the next chapter.