We tell you now about that Bull Demon King, who caught up with the Great Sage Sun. When he saw that the Great Sage was carrying the palm-leaf fan on his shoulder and walking merrily along, he was greatly shaken. “So this monkey,” said the Demon King to himself, “has succeeded in swindling even the method of operating the fan! If I ask him for it face to face, he will certainly refuse me. Moreover, if he fans at me once, he will send me one hundred and eight thousand miles away. Wouldn’t that be to his liking? I have heard that the Tang Monk on his journey is also accompanied by a Hog spirit and a FlowingSand spirit, both of whom I met in previous years when they were fiends. Let me change into the appearance of that Hog spirit to deceive the monkey instead. I suppose he’s so pleased with his own success that he must have thrown caution to the winds.”
Dear Demon King! He, too, was capable of undergoing seventy-two types of transformation, and his martial skill was about the same as that of the Great Sage, albeit his body was huskier, less agile, and not as nimble. Putting away his treasure swords, he recited a spell and, with one shake of his body, changed into the exact appearance of Eight Rules. He sneaked up to the road in front and then walked back facing the Great Sage, calling out: “Elder Brother, I’m here.”
Our Great Sage was indeed quite pleased with himself! As the ancients said,
The cat triumphant purrs like a tiger.
He was thinking only of his own prowess and hardly paid attention to the design of this person drawing near. When he saw a figure resembling Eight Rules, he at once spoke up: “Brother, where are you going?” “When Master saw that you didn’t return after such a long time,” replied the Bull Demon King, working his ploy, “he was afraid that the Bull Demon King was too powerful for you to overcome, and that it would be difficult for you to get his treasure. He therefore asked me to come to meet you.” “Don’t bother,” said Pilgrim, chuckling. “I’ve made it.” “How did you make it?” asked the Bull King.
Pilgrim said, “That old Bull tangled with me for over a hundred rounds and we fought to a draw. Then he left me to drink with a bunch of female dragons and dragon spirits at the bottom of the Green Wave Lagoon in the ScatteredRocks Mountain. I followed him secretly by changing into the form of a crab: I stole the water-repellent golden-eyed beast on which he was riding and then changed into the form of the old Bull to go deceive that Rākṣasī in the PalmLeaf Cave. That woman and old Monkey became a bogus couple for awhile, during which time I managed to wangle the treasure from her.” “You’ve been sorely taxed, Elder Brother,” said the Bull King, “and you’re working too hard. Let me carry the fan for you.” As the Great Sage Sun had no concern to distinguish between the true and the false, he handed over the fan immediately.
That Bull King, of course, knew how to make the fan grow big or small. After he took it in his hands, he recited some kind of a spell and it at once became as tiny as an almond leaf. Changing back into his true form, he shouted, “Wretched ape! Can you recognize me?” On seeing him, Pilgrim sighed, “It’s my fault this time!” Then he stamped his feet and bellowed, “Damn! I’ve been shooting wild geese for years, but now a tiny goose has pecked me blind!” He became so enraged that he whipped out his iron rod and slammed it down hard on the Bull King’s head. Stepping aside, the Demon King at once used the fan on him. He did not know, however, that when the Great Sage changed previously into a tiny mole cricket to enter the stomach of Rākṣasī, he still had in his mouth that WindArresting Elixir, which he swallowed unwittingly. All his viscera had become firm; his skin and bones were wholly fortified. No matter how hard the Bull King fanned at him, he could not be moved. Horrified, the Bull King tossed the treasure into his own mouth so that he could wield the swords with both of his hands to slash at his opponent. It was some battle that the two of them waged in midair:
The Great Sage Sun, Equal to Heaven—
The world-wrecker, lawless Bull King—
Because of the palm-leaf fan,
They met, each flaunting his might.
The careless Great Sage had people deceived;
The audacious Bull King did swindle the fan.
For this one, the golden-hooped rod uplifted could no mercy show,
For that one, the double blue-blades had both power and skill.
The Great Sage exerting his vigor belched colored fog;
The Bull King letting loose violence spat out white rays.
A test of strength
By two dogged foes;
Gritting their teeth, they loudly huffed and puffed.
Spraying dirt and dust made dim Heav’n and Earth;
Flying rocks and sand awed both ghosts and gods.
This one said, “You dare be so foolish as to trick me back?”
That one said, “Would my wife permit you to checkmate her?”
Their words grew rough;
Their tempers flared.
That one said, “You cheat someone’s wife, and you deserve to die!
You’ll be found guilty when I file my charge!”
The sly Equal to Heaven Sage—
The ferocious King Powerful—
They wished only to kill
And no discussion allowed.
The rod struck, the swords came, both working hard.
A little slackness will make you see Yama King!
We shall leave this intense conflict between the two of them for the moment and tell you instead about the Tang Monk, who was sitting by the road racked by heat, thirst, and anxiety. He said to the local spirit of the Mountain of Flames, “May I inquire of the honorable deity, how powerful is that Bull Demon King?” “That Bull King,” replied the local spirit, “has vast, boundless magic powers. He is, in fact, the real match of the Great Sage Sun.” “Wukong is usually quite able when it comes to traveling,” said Tripitaka. “A couple of thousand miles hardly requires very much time for him to be back. How is it that he’s gone for a whole day today? He must be fighting with the Bull King.” Then he called out: “Wuneng, Wujing, which of you would like to go meet your elder brother? If you happen to see him fighting our adversary, you can lend him assistance, so that all of you can acquire the fan to relieve my distress. Once we get across this mountain, we can be on our way again.”
“It’s getting late,” said Eight Rules. “I’d like to go meet him, but I don’t know my way to the Hoard-Thunder Mountain.” “This humble deity knows the way,” said the local spirit. “Let’s ask the Curtain-Raising Captain to keep your master company. I’ll go with you.” Highly pleased, Tripitaka said, “Thank you for taking the trouble. I’ll express my gratitude once more when merit is achieved.”
Rousing himself, Eight Rules tightened his black silk shirt and put the rake on his shoulder before rising with the local spirit on cloud and fog to head for the east. As they proceeded, they suddenly heard terrific shouts and the howling of wind. When he stopped his cloud to look, Eight Rules discovered that Pilgrim Sun was just doing battle with the Bull King. “Go forward, Heavenly Reeds,” said the local spirit. “What are you waiting for?”
Firmly gripping his muckrake, our Idiot shouted, “Elder Brother, I’m here!” “Coolie,” said Pilgrim spitefully, “how you’ve upset my great enterprise!” “Master told me to come meet you,” said Eight Rules, “but since I didn’t know the way, I had to discuss the matter before the local spirit agreed to lead me here. I know I’m late, but what do you mean by upsetting your great enterprise?” “I’m not blaming you for your tardiness,” said Pilgrim. “It’s this wretched bull who is most audacious! I got hold of the fan from Rākṣasī, but this fellow changed into your appearance, saying that he came here to meet me. I was so pleased at that moment that I handed over the fan to him. He then changed back to his true form and strove with old Monkey at this place. That’s what I meant by upsetting my great enterprise.”
Infuriated by what he heard, our Idiot lifted high his muckrake and screamed, “You bloody plague! How dare you change into the form of your ancestor, deceive my elder brother, and cause enmity to rise among us brothers?” Look at him! He charged into the fray and showered blows madly on the Bull King with his rake. The Bull King, after all, had fought with Pilgrim for nearly one whole day; when he saw how savagely Eight Rules was attacking him with his rake, he could no longer stand his ground and retreated in defeat. His way was barred, however, by the local spirit leading a host of ghost soldiers. “King Powerful,” said the local spirit, “you’d better stop! There is no god who would not protect the Tang Monk on his journey to seek scriptures in the Western Heaven, no Heaven who would not grant him his blessing. This enterprise is known throughout the Three Regions; it has the support of all ten quarters. Quickly use your fan to extinguish the flames so that he may cross the mountain unharmed and unhindered. Otherwise, Heaven will find you guilty and you will certainly be executed.”
“Local spirit,” said the Bull King, “you’re completely unreasonable! That wretched ape robbed me of my son, insulted my concubine, and deceived my wife. These were his misdeeds time and again. I hate him so much I wish I could swallow him whole and reduce him to dung to feed the dogs! How could I give him my treasure?”
Hardly had he finished speaking when Eight Rules caught up with him, screaming, “You bezoardic bull! Take out the fan quickly, and I’ll spare your life!” The Bull King had no choice but to turn and fight Eight Rules again with the treasure swords, while the Great Sage Sun raised his rod to help his companion. This was again some battle!
A spirit-boar,
A fiend-bull,
And an ape who stole to Heav’n to gain the Way.
As always Chan nature knows smelting and strife,
For earth must be used to fuse the primal cause.
The rake’s nine prongs are both pointed and sharp;
The treasure swords’ two blades are quick and smooth.
The iron rod in use is determination’s staff;1
Earth god assists to make elixir-head.
Three parties together thus feud and strive,
Each showing his talents to try to win.
Seize the bull to plow and gold coins will grow;
Recall hog to stove, and wood breath’s retrieved.
With absent mind, how could one practice Dao?
To make spirit guard home’s to bind the ape.
They brawl and growl
In bitter quest:
Three kinds of weapon thus crackle and clang.
The rake rakes, the swords cut with wicked aim
And with good cause rises the gold-hooped rod.
They fight till stars lose their brightness and the moon its light,
Till the sky’s full of cold fog dense and dark.
Plunging into the battle with fresh courage, the Demon King fought as he moved along. They strove for a whole night but no decision could be reached. By morning, they had arrived at the entrance of the Cloud-Touching Cave of the Hoard-Thunder Mountain. The deafening din created by the three fighters, the local spirit, and the band of ghost soldiers soon alerted the Princess Jade Countenance, who asked the maids to see who was making all the racket. The little fiends came back to report: “It’s the sire of our family fighting with the fellow who came here yesterday, the one who had a thunder-god beak. Joining the battle are also a monk with long snout and huge ears and the local spirit of the Mountain of Flames with his followers.”
When she heard this, Princess Jade Countenance at once summoned the captains, young and old, of the external guards and ordered them to give armed assistance to her husband. The various soldiers, tall and short, that they managed to call up numbered over a hundred, all of them eager to show off their vigor. Gripping lances and waving rods, they swarmed out of the door, shouting, “Sire Great King, by the order of Madam, we have come to assist you.” Highly pleased, the Bull King said, “Welcome! Welcome!” The fiends rushed forward to attack. Taken completely by surprise, Eight Rules could not fend off so many opponents and he fled in defeat, his rake trailing behind him. The Great Sage too mounted his cloud somersault to leap free of the encirclement, and the various ghost soldiers immediately scattered. Having thus achieved his victory, the old Bull gathered back the various fiends to return to the cave and to shut the door tightly, where we shall leave them for the moment.
We tell you now about Pilgrim, who, after getting away, said to Eight Rules
and the local spirit, “This fellow’s very tough! Since about the hour of shen2
yesterday, he fought with old Monkey until nightfall and we couldn’t reach a decision. Then the two of you arrived to relieve me. But after we went through the bitter struggle of half a day and one whole night, he still didn’t seem to tire very much. And the band of little fiends who came out just now also appeared to be quite tough. Now that he has shut his door tightly and refused to come out, what shall we do?”
“Elder Brother,” said Eight Rules, “you left Master yesterday in the morning. How was it that you didn’t start fighting with him until some time in the afternoon? Where were you during those few hours in between?”
Pilgrim said, “Since I left you people, I was on this mountain in an instant. I ran into a young woman whom I saluted, and she turned out to be the Princess Jade Countenance, his beloved concubine. I gave her a scare with my iron rod, and she ran into the cave to bring out the Bull King, who harangued old Monkey for some time before we began to fight. After about two hours, someone came to invite him to a banquet. I followed him to the Green Wave Lagoon at the Scattered-Rocks Mountain, where I spied on him and his hosts by changing into a crab. I then succeeded in stealing his water-repellent golden-eyed beast and took on the appearance of the Bull King. Returning to the Palm-Leaf Cave on the Jade Cloud Mountain, I fooled Rākṣasī and wangled the fan from her. After leaving her door, I tried to work the magic: the fan was enlarged all right, but I forgot to ask her for the formula to make it small again. As I journeyed back carrying the fan on my shoulder, the Bull King met me, having assumed your features, and wangled the fan back. That’s what happened during all that time.”
Eight Rules said, “It’s like what the proverb says,
A bean-curd boat capsized in the ocean3—
In liquid they come,
In water they go!
If it’s so difficult to get his fan, how can we help Master cross this mountain? Let’s go back, find another way, and scat!”
“Please don’t be anxious, Great Sage,” said the local spirit, “and you shouldn’t slacken, Heavenly Reeds. When you mention finding another way, you are bound to fall into heterodoxy, and you are no longer someone concerned with the proper method of cultivation. As the ancients said, where can one walk but on the main road? How can you possibly think of finding another way? Remember your master, now sitting with bulging eyes by the road and waiting for you to succeed!”
Growing vehement, Pilgrim said, “Exactly! Exactly! Don’t talk nonsense, Idiot! What the local spirit said is quite right. With that demon we are just about to
Wage a contest
And try our gifts.
Let me exploit my vast transforming powers.
Since coming West I’ve ne’er met a true foe,
For Bull King in fact was from Mind Monkey changed.
Now’s the best time for us to meet the source.
We must fight to borrow the treasure fan.
With pure and cool
To snuff the flames,
The stubborn void smashed, we’ll see Buddha’s face.
Merit fulfilled we’ll rise to ultimate bliss:
We’ll all then attend Buddha’s Birthday Feast!”
Greatly inspired by these words he heard, Eight Rules exerted himself even more and replied earnestly:
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Go! Go! Go!
Who cares if the Bull King says yes or no!
Wood’s born at Boar,4 the hog’s its proper mate,
Who’ll lead back the Bull to return to earth.
Monkey is the metal born under shen:
Peaceful and docile, how harmonious!
Use the palm-leaf
As water’s sign.
When flames are extinct, Completion’s attained.5
In hard work we persist both night and day
And rush, merit done, to Ullambana Feast.
Leading the local spirit and the ghost soldiers, the two of them rushed forward and, with their muckrake and iron rod, smashed to pieces the front door of the Cloud-Touching Cave. The captain of the external guards was so terrified that he dashed inside to make his report, trembling all over: “Great King, Sun Wukong has led a crowd to break down our front door!”
The Bull King was just telling the Princess Jade Countenance all that had taken place and how deeply he hated Pilgrim. When he heard that his front door had been broken down, he became enraged. Putting on his armor hurriedly, he took up the iron rod and came out. “Wretched ape!” he expostulated as he emerged. “How big do you think you are, that you let loose such violence here and break down my door?” Eight Rules rushed forward and roared, “You old carcass! What sort of a person are you that you dare measure someone else? Don’t run away! Watch my rake!” “An overgorged coolie like you,” shouted the Bull King, “isn’t that impressive! Tell that monkey to come up here quickly!” “You stupid grass-eater!” said Pilgrim. “Yesterday, I was still talking to you as a bond-brother, but today you are my enemy. Take care to taste my rod!” Boldly the Bull King met the two of them, and the conflict this time was even more fierce than the last one. Three valiant persons, all tangled together. What a battle!
Muckrake and rod exert their godly might.
They lead ghost soldiers the old bull to fight,
Who displays alone his violent trait
And his magic powers vast as Heaven.
One uses his rake to rake;
One uses his rod to strike;
The heroic iron’s more uncanny still.
Three kinds of weapon make clangorous sounds:
They block, they parry, they will yield to none.
He claims he’s the first;
He claims he’s on top.
Ghost soldiers, looking on, can’t separate
Wood and earth feuding and darting up and down.
These two say, “Why don’t you lend us the palm-leaf fan?”
That one says, “How dare you be so bold as to trick my wife?
I have yet to avenge my hunted mistress and my son,
When you alarm us some more by breaking our door.”
This one says, “You just watch out for my compliant rod.
One tiny brush and it will tear your skin!”
That one says, “Do try to dodge the rake’s sharp teeth!
One wound will make nine bloody holes!”
Undaunted the Bull Demon lets loose his power;
His iron rod held high, he waits for his chance.
They churn up rain and cloud, going back and forth.
They belch out wind and fog and do as they please.
For this bitter struggle they risk their lives.
They, full of hate, with each other strive.
The stylized limbs
Go up and down;
They cover the front, the back without let up.
Two brothers together now strain and toil;
One man with one rod performs all alone.
From dawn till late morning they fight and fight;
At last the Bull Demon will leave with his hands tied.
With no thought for life or death, the three of them again fought for over one hundred rounds, when Eight Rules, his idiotic nature aroused and strengthened by the magic power of Pilgrim, began to attack madly with his rake. No longer able to ward off the blows, the Bull King fled in defeat and headed straight for the cave’s entrance. Leading the ghost soldiers to bar the way, the local spirit shouted, “King Powerful, where are you fleeing to? We are here!” Unable to enter the cave, the old Bull turned swiftly and saw Eight Rules and Pilgrim rushing toward him. He became so flustered that he abandoned his armor and his iron rod; with one shake of his body, he changed into a swan and flew into the air.
When Pilgrim saw it, he chuckled and said, “Eight Rules, the old Bull’s gone!” That Idiot was completely ignorant of the matter, and the local spirit did not perceive either what had happened. All of them were staring this way and that, madly searching before and behind the Hoard-Thunder Mountain. “Isn’t he up there flying in the air?” said Pilgrim as he pointed with his finger. “That’s a swan,” said Eight Rules. “A transformation of the old Bull,” said Pilgrim. “In that case,” said the local spirit, “what shall we do?” “Fight your way in, the two of you,” said Pilgrim, “and exterminate all those fiends. In short, we’ll break up his lair and cut off his retreat. Let old Monkey go and wage a contest of transformation with him.” Eight Rules and the local spirit followed his instruction and we shall leave them for the moment.
Putting away his golden-hooped rod, the Great Sage shook his body and changed into a Manchurian vulture, which spread its wings and darted up to a hole in the clouds. It then hurtled down and dropped onto the swan, seeking to seize its neck and peck at the eyes. Knowing also that this was a transformation of Pilgrim Sun, the Bull King hurriedly flapped his wings and changed himself into a yellow eagle to attack the vulture. At once Pilgrim changed himself into a black phoenix, the special foe of the yellow eagle. Recognizing him, the Bull King changed next into a white crane which, after a long cry, flew toward the south.
Pilgrim stood still, and shaking his feathers, changed into a scarlet phoenix that uttered a resounding call. Since the phoenix was the ruler of all the birds and fowl, the white crane dared not touch him. Spreading wide his wings, he dived instead down the cliff and changed with one shake of the body into a musk deer, grazing rather timorously before the slope. Recognizing him, Pilgrim flew down also and changed into a hungry tiger which, with wagging tail and flying paws, went after the deer for food. Greatly flustered, the demon king then changed into a huge spotted leopard to attack the tiger. When Pilgrim saw him, he faced the wind and, with one shake of his head, changed into a golden-eyed Asian lion, with a voice like thunder and a head of bronze, which pounced on the huge leopard. Growing even more anxious, the Bull King changed into a large bear, which extended his paws to try to seize the lion. Rolling on the ground, Pilgrim at once turned himself into a scabby elephant, with a trunk like a python and tusks like bamboo shoots. Whipping up his trunk, he tried to catch hold of the bear.
With a loud guffaw, the Bull King then revealed his original form of a gigantic white bull, with a head like a rugged mountain and eyes like bolts of lightning. The two horns were like two iron pagodas, and his teeth were like rows of sharp daggers. From head to toe, he measured more than ten thousand feet, while his height from hoof to neck was about eight hundred.
“Wretched ape!” he roared at Pilgrim. “What will you do with me now?” Pilgrim also changed back to his true form; yanking out his golden-hooped rod, he bent his back and then straightened out, crying, “Grow!” At once he grew to a height of one hundred thousand feet, with a head like Mount Tai, eyes like the sun and the moon, a mouth like a bloody pond, and teeth like doors. Lifting high his iron rod, he brought it down on the bull’s head, and it was met by a pair of flinty horns. This battle truly rocked the ridges and the mountains, alarmed both Heaven and Earth. We have a testimonial poem, and it says:
Dao is one foot, though the demon’s ten thousand feet,
Which clever Mind Monkey must toil to beat.
If one wants the mountain flameless to be,
The treasure fan must bring cold purity.
Yellow Dame’s resolved the elder to uphold;
To clear the fiends Wood Mother makes bold.
Five Phases, peaceful, to right fruit return
And, ascending West, dirt and demons spurn.
Releasing their vast magic powers, the two of them battled in midmountain, and it soon alerted all those deities inhabiting the empty void: the Golden-Headed Guardian, the Six Gods of Darkness and the Six Gods of Light, and the Eighteen Guardians of Monasteries all came to surround the Demon King, who was not the least daunted. Look at him!
He headed east,
He headed west,
With two erect and gleaming iron horns
Charging back and forth;
He bunted north,
He bunted south,
His dark, hairy hard tendonous tail
Whipping left and right.
The Great Sage Sun met him head-on, while the various deities attacked him from all sides. Exasperated, the Bull King rolled on the ground and changed back into his original form to flee to the Palm-Leaf Cave. Changing back to his normal size, Pilgrim also gave chase from behind with the deities. Dashing inside the cave, the Demon King shut the door and refused to come out, while the gods had the Jade Cloud Mountain tightly surrounded.
As they were about to charge the door, they heard the noisy arrival of Eight Rules, the local spirit, and his band of ghost soldiers. When Pilgrim saw them, he asked, “What happened at the Cloud-Touching Cave?” “The mistress of that old Bull,” replied Eight Rules, chuckling, “was killed by one blow of my rake. When I stripped her, she turned out to be a white-faced fox. The rest of the fiends were all donkeys, asses, cows, stallions, badgers, foxes, musk deer, goats, tigers, antelopes, and the like—they have all been wiped out. We set fire also to his cave-dwelling. The local spirit then told me that he has another household in this mountain, and that’s why we’ve come back here to make a clean sweep of them.”
“You have achieved great merit, Worthy Brother,” said Pilgrim. “Congratulations! Old Monkey has waged in vain a contest of transformation with him, for I have not yet achieved a victory. He finally changed into the biggest possible white bull, and I therefore assumed the appearance that imitated Heaven and Earth. As I clashed with him, the various deities were kind enough to descend on us and have him completely surrounded. He then changed back into his original form and fled inside the cave.” “Is this that Palm-Leaf Cave?” asked Eight Rules. Pilgrim said, “Indeed it is. This is where Rākṣasī lives.” “In that case,” said Eight Rules, growing more vehement, “why don’t we fight our way in, attack him, and demand from him the fan? Why should we let him wait and get wiser, or let him enjoy the company of his wife?”
Dear Idiot! Rousing his strength, he lifted high his rake and brought it down on the door; with a loud crash, both the door and one side of the ledge collapsed. One of the maids fled into the cave to report, “Sire! Someone has wrecked our front door!” The Bull King had just dashed inside; still panting, he was telling Rākṣasī about how he took the fan from Pilgrim and then waged the contest with him. When he heard the report, he became enraged. Spitting out the fan, he handed it over to Rākṣasī, who, when she received it, began to weep. “Great King,” she said, “let’s give that monkey the fan so that he’ll withdraw his troops.” “Oh Madam,” said the Bull King, “the fan’s a small thing, but my hatred is deep. You sit here, while I go to contend with them once more.”
Putting on his armor again, the demon took up the two treasure swords and walked out. Eight Rules was still using his rake on the door; when the old Bull saw him, he hacked away with his swords without another word. Eight Rules retreated a few steps, protecting himself with the upraised rake. After they left the doorway, the Great Sage immediately joined them with his iron rod. Mounting a violent gust of wind, the Bull Demon leaped clear of the cavedwelling, and they began a fresh skirmish above the Jade Cloud Mountain, encircled by the many gods, the local spirit, and the band of ghost soldiers. This was again some battle!
Clouds conceal the world;
Mist shrouds the cosmos;
Dark wind blows soughing, sand and rocks roll;
Angry breaths rise up and ocean waves churn.
Two swords are sharpened again;
The whole body’s armed once more.
There’s hatred deep as the sea,
As anger grows from enmity.
Watch the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven who, for merit’s sake,
Rejects now a friend he has known for years.
Eight Rules uses his power to seek the fan;
The gods hunt the Bull King to protect the Law.
The Bull King’s two hands will not stop or pause:
With vigor they parry both left and right.
They fight till the birds fold their wings and cease to fly,
Till fishes stop leaping and submerge their scales,
Till ghosts and gods wail as Heav’n and Earth grow faint,
Till tigers and dragons cower as sunlight fades.
Abandoning any regard for his life or limb, the Bull King fought them for over fifty rounds before he weakened and was forced to retreat in defeat. As he fled toward the north, he was met at once by the Diamond Guardian Dharma Diffusion of vast magic powers and of the Cliff of Mysterious Demons in the Mountain of Five Platforms, who shouted at him, “Bull Demon, where are you going? I have been sent by the Buddhist Patriarch Śākyamuni to set up cosmic nets here to capture you.”
Hardly had he finished speaking when the Great Sage, Eight Rules, and the other deities came rushing toward them, so frightening the demon king that he turned and fled toward the south. He ran right into the Diamond Guardian Victorious Ultimate of immeasurable dharma-power and of the Pure-Cool Cave in the Emei Mountain, who shouted at him, “I received the Buddha’s decree to capture you.”
His legs turning weak and his heart growing faint, the Bull King hurriedly tried to head toward the east, when he was met by the Diamond Guardian Great Strength, a Vaiśramaṇa ascetic from the Ear-Touching Ridge of the Sumeru Mountain, who shouted at him: “Where are you going, old Bull? By the secret command of Tathāgata, I am here to arrest you.” Backing off in fear, the Bull King fled toward the west, but he was greeted by the Diamond Guardian Ever Abiding, the indestructible honored rāja of the Golden Beam Summit at the Kunlun Mountain, who shouted at him, “Where is this fellow going? I am stationed here by the personal order of the aged Buddha in the Great Thunderclap Monastery of the Western Heaven. Who’ll let you get away?”
In fear and trembling, the Bull King did not have time even for regret when he saw Buddhist warriors and celestial generals approaching from all sides with cosmic nets spread so wide that there was virtually no way to escape. In that abject moment, he heard Pilgrim and other pursuers closing in, and he had to mount the clouds to try to flee toward the sky.
Just then, Devarāja Li, the Pagoda-Bearer, and Prince Naṭa led Fish-Bellied Vajrayakṣa and Celestial General Mighty-Spirit to block his path in midair. “Slow down! Slow down!” they cried. “By the decree of the Jade Emperor, we are here to arrest you.” In desperation, the Bull King shook his body as before and changed into a huge white bull, wielding his two iron-like horns to try to gore the devarāja, who met him with his scimitar.
Meanwhile, Pilgrim Sun arrived at the scene. “Great Sage,” shouted Prince Naṭa, “we have our armor on, and we can’t salute you properly. Yesterday we father and son saw Tathāgata, who asked us to present a memorial to the Jade Emperor and inform him that the journey of the Tang Monk has been blocked at the Mountain of Flames, and that it was difficult for the Great Sage Sun to bring the Bull Demon King to submission. The Jade Emperor therefore issued a decree for my father king to lead the troops here to lend you assistance.” “But this fellow has considerable magic powers,” said Pilgrim. “Now he has changed into such a body. What shall we do?” “Great Sage, don’t worry!” said the prince with a laugh. “Watch me capture him!”
Shouting “Change!”, the prince immediately changed into a figure having three heads and six arms. He leaped onto the bull’s back and brought his monster-cleaving sword down on the bull’s neck: the bull was beheaded at once. Putting away his scimitar, the devarāja was about to greet Pilgrim when another head emerged from the torso of the bull, his mouth belching black air and his eyes beaming golden rays. Naṭa lifted his sword once more and cut off the bull’s head; as soon as it dropped to the ground, another head came out. It went on like this more than ten times. At last, Naṭa took out his fiery wheel and hung it on the Bull’s horn. The wheel at once started a great blaze of true immortal fire, which burned so fiercely that the bull began to growl and roar madly, shaking his head and wagging his tail. He would have liked to use transformation to escape, but the Devarāja Pagoda-Bearer trained his imp-reflecting mirror steadfastly on him so that he could not change out of his original form. As he had no way to flee, he could only cry, “Don’t take my life! I’m willing to make submission to Buddhism.” “If you do pity your own life,” said Naṭa, “bring out the fan quickly.” The Bull King said, “The fan is being kept by my wife.”
On hearing this, Naṭa took out his monster-tying rope and draped it around the bull’s neck. Then he threaded the rope through his nostrils so that the bull could be pulled with the hand. Pilgrim then collected together the Four Great Diamond Guardians, the Six Gods of Darkness and the Six Gods of Light, the Guardians of Monasteries, the Devarāja Pagoda-Bearer, the Celestial General MightySpirit, Eight Rules, the local spirit, and the ghost soldiers. Surging around the white bull, they all went back to the entrance of the Palm-Leaf Cave. “Madam,” called the old bull, “please bring out the fan to save my life.”
When Rākṣasī heard the call, she took off her jewels and her colored clothing. Tying up her hair like a Daoist priestess and putting on a plain colored robe like a Buddhist nun, she took up with both hands the twelve-foot long palm-leaf fan to walk out of the door. When she caught sight of the Diamond Guardians, the devarāja and his son, and the other sages, she hurriedly went to her knees to kowtow and say, “I beg the Bodhisattvas to spare our lives. We are willing to give this fan to Brother-in-law Sun so that he may achieve his merit.” Pilgrim drew near and took up the fan; then all of them mounted the auspicious clouds to return toward the east.
We tell you now about Tripitaka and Sha Monk, who were alternately sitting and standing by the main road as they waited for Pilgrim. They were indeed full of anxiety because he did not return for such a long time. Then, all of a sudden, auspicious clouds filled the sky and hallowed lights flooded the earth, as the various divine officers drifted near. Turning quite apprehensive, the elder said, “Wujing, who are those divine warriors approaching us?” Recognizing the figures he saw, Sha Monk replied, “Master, those are the Four Great Diamond Guardians, the Golden-Headed Guardian, the Six Gods of Darkness and the Six Gods of Light, the Guardians of Monasteries, and other deities of the air. The one leading the bull is Third Prince Naṭa, and the one holding the mirror is Devarāja Li, the Pagoda-Bearer. Big Brother is carrying the palm-leaf fan, followed by Second Elder Brother and the local spirit. All the rest happen to be celestial guards.” On hearing this, Tripitaka put on his Vairocana hat and changed into his cassock before he led Wujing to bow to the sages, saying, “What virtue does this disciple possess that he should cause all you honored sages to descend to the mortal world?” “You should be congratulated, sage monk,” said one of the Four Great Diamond Guardians, “for your perfect merit is nearly achieved. We have come to assist you by the decree of Buddha. You must persist in your cultivation with all diligence, and you must not slacken at all.” Tripitaka kowtowed repeatedly to receive this instruction.
Holding the fan, the Great Sage Sun walked near the mountain and waved the fan once with all his might. Immediately the flames on the mountain subsided and there was only the faintest glow left. He fanned at it a second time and a cool, gentle breeze rustled through the region. He fanned at the mountain a third time, and as
Hazy clouds filled the sky,
A fine rain drizzled down.
We have a testimonial poem, and it says:
Eight hundred miles long, this Mountain of Flames,
The light of its fire has worldwide fame.
Elixir can’t ripen with five senses scorched;
When Three Passes6 are burned, the Dao’s impure.
At times the palm-leaf may bring dew and rain;
By luck Heaven’s hosts lend their godly pow’r.
Lead the bull to Buddha, let it sin no more:
Nature is calm when water’s joined with fire.
At this time Tripitaka was liberated from heat and delivered from distress; his mind was purified and his will made quiescent. The four pilgrims renewed their submission and thanked the Diamond Guardians, who returned to their treasure mountains. The Six Gods of Darkness and the Six Gods of Light then rose into the air to provide continual protection, while the other deities all scattered. The deva-rāja and the prince led the bull to return to see Buddha. Only the local spirit remained to watch Rākṣasī, who was still standing at attention on one side.
“Rākṣasī,” said Pilgrim, “how is it that you are not on your way? Why are you still standing here?” Going to her knees, Rākṣasī said, “I beg the Great Sage to be merciful and give me back my fan.” “You bitch!” shouted Eight Rules. “You don’t know when to stop! Isn’t it enough that we spare your life? You still want your fan? After we have taken it across the mountain, you think we won’t trade it for a snack? We are not going to give it back to you after we have expended all this energy! Look how the rain drizzles! Why don’t you go back!”
“The Great Sage,” said Rākṣasī, bowing again, “said originally that he would return the fan to me once the fire was extinguished. I didn’t listen to you at first, and now it’s too late for regret after such a battle. Because of our recalcitrance, an army had to be sent here to toil and fight. I would, however, like to tell you that we have actually attained the way of humanity, though we have not returned to the right fruit. Now that I have witnessed the epiphany of the true body returning to the West, I shall never dare misbehave again. I beg you to give me back my fan, so that I may start a new life in self-cultivation.”
“Great Sage,” said the local spirit, “since this woman knows the means by which the flames can forever be extinguished, you should ask her for it before you return the fan to her. This humble deity will remain in this region to care for its populace and beg from them some offering for my livelihood. You will have done us all an act of grace.” “When I spoke to the local people,” said Pilgrim, “they told me that when the fan extinguished the fire on this mountain, they could only harvest the five grains for one year. Then the fire would start again. How could it be extinguished forever?” “If you want it extinguished forever,” replied Rākṣasī, “you must fan at the mountain forty-nine times. It will never start again.”
When he heard this, Pilgrim indeed took the fan and fanned with all his strength at the summit forty-nine times: a great torrential rain descended on the mountain. It was truly a treasure, for the rain came down on only the area where there was fire before; where there was no fire, the sky remained clear. Master and disciples thus stood on the spot where there was no fire and they did not get wet at all. After staying there for the night, they put in order the luggage and the horse the next morning and gave the fan back to Rākṣasī. Pilgrim said to her, “If old Monkey didn’t do this, I fear that people might say that my words are not trustworthy. You go back to a mountain with your fan now and don’t start any trouble. I spare you because you have already attained a human body.” After she received the fan, Rākṣasī recited a spell, and it changed again back into an almond leaf, which she placed in her mouth. She bowed to thank the pilgrims and went off somewhere to practice self-cultivation as a recluse. In the end she, too, attained the right fruit and a lasting reputation in the sūtras.
As Rākṣasī and the local spirit thanked them and walked to send them off, Pilgrim, Eight Rules, and Sha Monk were again accompanying Tripitaka to move forward, truly with their bodies pure and cool and with moisture beneath their feet. This is what we mean by
Kan and Li completed, true origin’s fused;
Water and fire balanced, the great Dao is born.
We don’t know in what year they will return to the Land of the East; let’s listen to the explanation in the next chapter.