Memory has to start with love;
Leniency will beget mishap.
Why does discernment sort out three estrades?1
Merit done you'll end in primal sea.
Whether you'll be a god or buddha,
You must prepare yourself within:
Be clean, pure, and wholly removed from dust.
Fruit borne you fly to Realm Above. 2
We were telling you about the priests in the temple, who discovered by dawn that Tripi taka and his disciples had vanished. "We didn't detain them," they all said, "we didn't take leave of them, and we didn't beg them! And that's how we allowed a living bodhisattva to walk clean away!"
As they were saying this, a few members of the wealthy households in the south suburb arrived to deliver their invitations. Clapping their hands, the various priests said, "We were caught off-guard last evening, and they all mounted the clouds and left in the night." The people all bowed to the sky to express their gratitude. Because of what the monks had said, however, the entire population of the city-officials and commons-allleamed of it. They at once requested the wealthy households to purchase the five beasts, flowers, and fruits to sacrifice at the living shrine as an expression of their gratitude. Of this we shall speak no more.
We tell you instead about the Tang Monk and his disciples, who fed on the wind and slept by the waters as they journeyed peacefully for over half a month. One day they found themselves again before a tall mountain. Growing apprehensive, the Tang Monk said, "Disciples, with that tall rugged mountain before us, we must be careful!" Laughing, Pilgrim said, "This road taking us near the land of Buddha surely does not harbor any monster or deviate. Master, you should relax and not worry."
"Disciple," said the Tang Monk, "it may be true that the land of Buddha is not far away. But remember what the temple priests told us the other day: the distance to the capital of the Kingdom oflndia is still some two thousand miles. I wonder how far have we gone already:'
"Master:' said Pilgrim, "could it be that you have quite forgotten again
the Heart Siltra of the Craw's Nest Chan Master?"
Tripitaka said, "That prajñā-pāramitā is like a cassock or an alms bowl
that accompanies my very body. Since it was taught me by that Crow's Nest Chan Master, has there been a day that I didn't recite it? Indeed, has there been a single hour that I didn't have it in mind? I could recite the piece backward! How could I have forgotten it?"
"Master, you may be able to recite it;' said Pilgrim, "but you haven't begged that Chan Master for its proper interpretation."
·~pe-head!" snapped Tripitaka. "How dare you say that I don't know its interpretation! Do you?"
"Yes, I know its interpretation!" replied Pilgrim. After that exchange,
neither Tripitaka nor Pilgrim uttered another word.
At their sides, Eight Rules nearly collapsed with giggles and Sha Monk almost broke up with amusement. "What brassiness!" said Eight Rules. "Like me, he began his career as a monster-spirit. He wasn't an acolyte who had heard lectures on the sutras, nor was he a seminarian who had seen the law expounded. It's sheer flimflam and pettifoggery to say that he knows how to interpret the sutra! Hey, why is he silent now? Let's hear the lecture! Please give us the interpretation!"
"Second Elder Brother," said Sha Monk, "do you believe him? Big Brother is giving us a nice tall tale, just to egg Master on his journey. He may know how to play with a rod. He doesn't know anything about explaining a sutra!"
"Wuneng and Wujing;' said Tripi taka, "stop this claptrap! Wukong's interpretation is made in a speechless language. That's true interpretation."
As master and disciples conversed like that, they managed to cover quite a distance and walk past several mountain ridges. Then they came upon a huge monastery by the side of the road. "Wukong, that's a monastery ahead of us;' said Tripi taka. "Look at it. Though
Not overly big or small,
It has the roof of glazed green tiles;
Half old and half new.
It's enclosed with red eight-word brick walls.3
Vaguely one can see the canopies of green pines,
Aged things of who knows how many hundred or thousand years that have
And one can hear a stream's soft murmur,
A waterway dug out in some distant dynasty that has still remained.
On the gates
'Gold-Spreading Monastery' in large letters;
On a hanging plaque
'The Ruins of Antiquity' is inscribed."
Pilgrim replied that indeed he too saw that it was the Gold-Spreading Monastery, and Eight Rules said the same thing.
"Gold-Spreading, Gold-Spreading:• mused Tripitaka as he rode, "could this be the territory of the Kingdom ofSravasti?"
"This is quite strange, Master!" said Eight Rules. "I have followed you now for several years, and I have never known you to recognize the way before. Today you seem to know where you are:•
"It's not quite like that:' replied Tripitaka. "It's just that in studying the sutras I have frequently read this account, which tells of the Buddha's experience in the Jetavana Park of the city, Sravasti. The park was said to be something that the Elder Anathapil}.<;lika wanted to purchase from Prince Jeta, so that it could be used as the place for Buddha to lecture on the sutras. The prince, however, said, 'My park is not for sale. The only way you can buy it is for you to cover the whole park with gold: When Elder Anathapil).<;lika heard this, he took gold bricks and spread them throughout the park. Only then did he succeed in purchasing the Jetavana Park from the prince and in inviting the World-Honored One to expound the Law. When I saw the Gold-Spreading Monastery just now, I thought this could be the one described in the story."4
"How fortunate!" said Eight Rules, chuckling. "If indeed it's the one in the story, we should go and dig up a few bricks to give to people." They all laughed at this for a while before Tripi taka dismounted.
When they entered the monastery, they discovered sitting by the main gates a few cartfuls of people-some luggage toters, some cart pushers, and some with bags on their backs. Some were sleeping and others were chatting when they caught sight of master and disciples. The handsome features of the elder along with the hideous ones of his disciples made the people somewhat fearful, and they all stepped aside for the pilgrims to pass through. Fearing that they might stir up trouble, Tripi taka kept calling out, "Gently! Gently!" and all his disciples seemed to be behaving themselves.
After passing through the Vajra Hall, they were met by a priest whose whole bearing seemed quite devout. Truly
His face like a .full moon shone;
His body was the wisdom-tree.
His windswept sleeves hugged his staff
And sandals trod the pebbled path.
Tripitaka saluted the moment he caught sight of him, and the priest hurriedly returned his greeting, saying, "Master, where do you come from?"
"This disciple is Chen Xuanzang," replied Tripitaka, "who has been sent by the decree of the Great Tang emperor to go worship Buddha in the Westem Heaven and seek scriptures. Our journey takes us past your treasure monastery, and I have taken the liberty of visiting you to ask for one night's lodging. We'll leave tomorrow."
"Our humble monastery," said the priest, "is inhabited frequently by visitors from all over the world for as long as they please. The elder, moreover, is a divine monk from the Land of the East, and it will be our very good fortune to serve you." Tripi taka thanked him, and then asked his three companions to follow him. They went past the winding corridor and the donation boxes to reach the abbot's quarters. After exchanging greetings with the abbot, they took their seats proper to hosts and guests. Pilgrim and his two brothers, too, sat down with hands lowered at their sides.
We tell you that when the monastery had heard the news of scripture priests sent by the Great Tang in the Land of the East, all the monkswhether they were old or young, long-term residents or temporary guests, elders or altar boys-came to present themselves. After tea had been offered, a vegetarian meal was served.
Our elder presently was still reciting his grace, but Eight Rules was impatient enough to send the buns, vegetarian foods, and vermicelli soups tumbling down his throat. The abbot's quarters by now were filled with people; the more intelligent ones were admiring the features ofTripitaka, but the sportier persons were all staring at the way Eight Rules ate. As Sha Monk was rather observant, he saw immediately what was happening and furtively gave Eight Rules a pinch, saying, "Gently!"
Eight Rules became so exasperated that he yelled, "Gently! Gently! But my stomach's empty!"
Chuckling, Sha Monk said, "Second Elder Brother, you may not realize this. There are many so-called gentlemen in the world, but when it concerns the stomach, they are no different from you and me." These words quieted Eight Rules, while Tripi taka said a short grace to end the meal. After the eating utensils had been removed, Tripi taka thanked his hosts.
One of the priests of the monastery inquired about the history of the Land of the East. When Tripi taka spoke of certain historical ruins, he in tum asked for the reason for the name of the Gold-Spreading Monastery. That priest replied, "This originally was the Monastery of the Anathapil).gika Garden in the Kingdom ofSravasti. It also goes by the name of the Jetavana Park. Because the Elder Anathapil).gika spread gold bricks on the ground to enable the Buddha to expound the sutras, the name was changed again to the present one. About a generation ago, this whole region was the Kingdom ofSravasti, and Elder Anathapil).gika was living here at the time. Our monastery originally was the elder's Jetavana Park, and that is why the full name should be Benefactor-of-Orphans Gold-Spreading Monastery. Behind our monastery we still have the foundation of the Jetavana Park. In recent years, a great rainstorm would on occasion wash out some gold or silver or pearls. Those lucky enough would be able to pick them up:'
"So it's not a false rumor but the truth!" said Tripitaka. Then he asked again, "When I entered your treasured monastery just now, I saw inside the twin corridors by the gate many merchants with their mules and horses, their luggage and carts. Why are they staying here?"
"Our mountain here is named the Hundred-Legs Mountain;' replied the priest. "In previous years it had been quite safe. Recently, however, we don't quite know what has taken place, but it may be that the seasonal cycles have produced a few centipede spirits, which have frequently injured people on the road. Though the wounds they inflict may not be lethal, they have certainly inhibited the travelers' movement. Beneath our mountain is a pass by the name of Cock-Crow. People dare not walk through it until the cock has crowed. Because it's getting late now, those merchants you saw don't want to take an unnecessary risk. So they use our humble monastery for lodging, and they'll leave after the cock has crowed:'
"We, too, will wait till the cock crows before we leave;' said Tripitaka. As they chatted, more vegetarian food was brought in, so that the Tang Monk and his disciples dined again. Afterwards, Tripi taka and Pilgrim went out for a leisurely stroll to enjoy a bright moon in her first quarter. A workman approached them and said, "Our venerable father teacher would like to meet the visitors from China."
Thrning quickly, Tripi taka saw an old monk, a bamboo staff in his hand, who saluted him, saying, "Is this the master who has come from China?"
"I dare not accept such honor;' replied Tripitaka, returning his salutation, as the old monk began to compliment him effusively.
"What is the old master's lofty age?" he asked.
"I have passed my forty-fifth year in vain;' said Tripitaka, "and may I ask what is the honorable age of the old abbot?"
With a chuckle, the old monk said, "Rather fruitlessly I have exceeded the venerable master's age by a sexagenary cycle."
"You're a hundred and five years old now," said Pilgrim. "Can you tell how old I am?"
"Though the countenance of this master is aged," said the old priest, "your spirit is most clear. My eyes are quite dim in the moonlight, and it's hard for me to tell your age right away:' After talking for a while, they went to look at the rear corridor. "Just now the old foundation of the Jetavana Park was mentioned;' said Tripitaka. "Where exactly is it?"
"Just beyond our rear gate;' replied the old monk, and asked that it be opened immediately. All they saw was a vacant lot with a few piles of rubble remaining as the foundation of the walls. Pressing his palms together, Tripi taka sighed and said,
The good giver, Sudatta, I call to mind;
With jewels and gold he relieved poor mankind.
For all times ]etavana has its fame.
With which arhat can we the elder find?
They all walked slowly, enjoying the sight of the moon. Having gone out of the rear gate, they reached a terrace where they sat for a while. Suddenly they heard the sound of weeping. Tripitaka listened attentively, and found that the person weeping was also making protest, something about her parents not comprehending her pain. So moved was he by the words that he himself began to shed tears also.
"Who is this person grieving here?" he turned to ask the other monks. On hearing this question, the old monk ordered the other priests to go back first to make tea. After everyone had left, he at once bowed low to Tripi taka and Pilgrim. Raising him, Tripi taka said, "Old abbot, why are you doing this?"
"Since this disciple has now exceeded one hundred years of age," replied the old monk, "he is somewhat knowledgeable in human affairs. In the quiet hours of meditation, moreover, he has seen a few visions. And that is why this disciple can perceive that the venerable master and his disciple are quite different from other people. For only this young master here can bring to light this grievous matter:'
"Let's hear you tell us what the problem is;' said Pilgrim.
The old monk said, "Exactly on this day a year ago, your disciple was just in the midst of meditation on the dialectical relation between our nature and the moon5 when a soft breeze brought to me the sounds of grief and protest. I descended from my couch to go to the foundation of the Jetavana Park to look around. There I found a pretty, comely girl. I asked her, 'What family do you belong to? Why are you here?' The girl replied, 'I'm the princess of the King of India. I was enjoying the sight of flowers beneath the moon when I was blown here by a strong gust: Immediately I had her locked up in an empty room, which I sealed with bricks until it looked like a prison. There was only a small hole left in the door, through which one could pass a rice bowl. The next day I told this story to the other priests-that I had imprisoned a monstrous deviate. Since we priests were men of mercy, I said, I would not take its life, and I would give the prisoner two meals of coarse rice and tea daily for sustenance. The girl was clever enough to understand my intentions. Fearing that she might be violated by the priests, she pretends to be mad, sleeping in her own piss and lying in her own shit. During the day she babbles all the time and puts on a dumb, stupid look. In the quiet of the night, however, she weeps and yearns for her parents. Several times I myself have tried to enter the city to make inquiry about the princess, but I have had no success whatever. For this reason I have kept her tightly locked up and dare not release her. Now that we have the good fortune of seeing the venerable master's arrival at our kingdom, I beg you enter the capital and exercise your vast dharma power to shed light on this matter. Not only will you thus be able to rescue the virtuous, but you will also make manifest your divine potency."
Pilgrim and Tripitaka firmly committed to their memory what they had heard. As they spoke, however, two young priests came to invite them to tea before retiring, and so they all returned to the monastery.
In the abbot's quarters Eight Rules was grumbling to Sha Monk, saying, "We have to be on our way by dawn when the cock crows. And they still won't come to bed!"
"Idiot;' said Pilgrim, "what are you mumbling?"
"Go to sleep!" said Eight Rules. "It's so late already. What's there to look at?" Thereupon the old monk walked away, and the Tang Monk retired. This is precisely the time when
The moon fades, the flowers dream, and all sounds cease.
The window screens let in a soft, warm breeze.
Thrice has the clepsydra dropped low in sight;6
The Milky Way glows like the brightest light_7
They had not slept for very long that night when they heard the cock crow. In the front the traveling merchants all rose in a clamor as they lit their lamps and began to cook their rice. Our elder, too, woke up Eight Rules and Sha Monk so that they could saddle the horse and pack. When Pilgrim asked for lights, the priests of the monastery had already risen earlier to prepare tea and breakfast, which they waited to serve in the rear. Delighted, Eight Rules ate an entire platter ofbuns. Thereafter he and Sha Monk brought out the horse and the luggage, while Pilgrim and Tripi taka thanked their hosts.
Again the old monk said to Pilgrim, "Don't forget that matter of the weeping girl!"
"Indeed, I shall not!" laughed Pilgrim. "When I get to the city, I'll be able to establish the fundamental principles by listening to sounds and determine the emotions by scrutinizing countenances."
Those traveling merchants, noisy and boisterous, also followed them to the main road. By about the hour of the Tiger they passed the Cock-Crow Pass, but not until the hour of the Serpent8 did they catch sight of the city rampart. The city itself was truly like an iron cistern or a citadel of metal, a divine islet and a Heavenly prefecture. It has the noble form of
A dragon coiled or a tiger sitting,
With colors from phoenix towers emitting.
The royal moat flows like a circling band;
Mountains,flaglike, surround this blessed land.
Banners at dawn light up the imperial way;
Pipes and drums of springtime by bridges play.
The people prosper for the king is good:
Five grains in abundance they have for food.
As they moved along the street of the eastern suburb, the various merchants went off one by one to their hotels and inns. Master and disciples walked inside the city, where they came upon a College of Interpreters and its posthouse. When Tripitaka and his companions walked in, the steward at once made this report to the clerk of the posthouse: "There are four strange-looking priests leading a white horse in here."
When the posthouse clerk heard that there was a horse, he knew that these visitors had to be on some sort of official business. He therefore went out to the main hall to greet them. Saluting him, Tripi taka said, "This humble cleric has been sent by imperial decree of the Great Tang to go see Buddha at the Great Thunderclap of the Spirit Mountain and seek scriptures. I carry with me a travel rescript that I would like to have certified at your court. I would like also to borrow your noble residence for a short rest. We shall leave the moment our affair's concluded." Returning his bow, the clerk of the posthouse said, "This official residence was established precisely for the entertainment of honored guests and messengers. It is my responsibility to extend our hospitality to you. Please come in. Please come in."
A highly pleased Tripi taka at once asked his disciples to come and present their greetings. When the posthouse clerk encountered their hideous visages, he was secretly horrified, not knowing whether these beings were human or demonic. Trembling all over, he forced himself to oversee the service of tea and maigre. Tripitaka, seeing how frightened he was, said to him, "Sir, please don't be afraid! Though my three disciples look ugly, they all have good hearts. As the saying goes, 'A savage face but a kindly person: Nothing to be afraid of!"
Calmed by these words, the posthouse clerk asked, "National Master, where is the Tang court?"
"In the land of China," replied Tripitaka, "at the South Jambūdvipa Continent."
"When did you leave?" the clerk asked again.
"In the thirteenth year of the reign period, Zhenguan," said Tripi taka. "I've gone through fourteen years and the bitter experience of ten thousand waters and a thousand mountains before arriving at this region."
"Truly a divine monk, a divine monk!" exclaimed the posthouse clerk.
Then Tripi taka asked, 'i\nd what is the Heaven-allotted age of your noble state?"
"Ours is the Great Kingdom of India,'' replied the posthouse clerk. "Since the time of the founder of our kingdom, Taizong, 9 it has been some five hundred years already. The father who occupies the throne at present is a person who has peculiar fondness for mountains and streams, flowers and plants. His dynastic name is Emperor Yizong, and the title of his reign period is Jingyan.10 He has been ruling for twenty-eight years:'
"This humble cleric,'' said Tripitaka, "would like to have an audience with him today to have our travel rescript certified. Do you know whether court is still being held?"
"Good! Good! This is precisely a good time!" said the posthouse clerk. "Our princess, the daughter of the king, has recently celebrated her twentieth birthday. At the intersection of the major thoroughfares, a festooned tower has been erected from which she will throw down an embroidered ball in order to determine which person she will take for her husband, the man ordained of Heaven. Today happens to be the very day of that exciting event, and I believe our father the king has yet to retire from court. If you wish to have your rescript certified, this would be a good time to go do so:'
Tripitaka was pleased, and he would have left at once had not he seen that a vegetarian meal was being served. He stayed, therefore, and ate it with the posthouse clerk and his three disciples.
It was past noon, and Tripitaka said, "I should go now:'
"I'll escort you, Master,'' said Pilgrim.
"I'll go too,'' said Eight Rules. Sha Monk said, "Second Elder Brother, you shouldn't. Your features aren't the most attractive. What will you do when
you arrive at the court gate? Pretend that you are fat? Let Big Brother go:'
"Wujing is quite right,'' said Tripi taka. "Our Idiot is rough and coarse, but Wukong still has a little refinement:' Pouting his snout, that Idiot said, "With the exception of Master, there's not that much difference in the way the three of us look!" Tripi taka put on his cassock, and Pilgrim picked up the document satchel to go with him. On the street they saw all the people-scholars, farmers, laborers, merchants, writers, the learned and the ignorantsaying to one another, "Let's go see the tossing of the embroidered ball!"
Standing by the side of the road, Tripi taka said to Pilgrim, "The people in this place-their clothing, their buildings, their utensils, their manner of speech and behavior-are all the same as those of our Great Tang. I'm thinking now about the deceased mother of my secular home who met the mans he was destined to marry by throwing an embroidered ball, and they became man and wife. To think that they should have this custom here also!"
"Let us go, too, to have a look! How about it?" said Pilgrim.
"No! No!" said Tripitaka. "You and I are dressed improperly, as priests. People may get suspicious."
"Master," said Pilgrim, "have you quite forgotten the words of that old monk at the Benefactor-of-Orphans Gold-Spreading Monastery? We should go see the festooned tower because at the same time we can distinguish truth from falsehood. In the midst of all this hurly-burly, that king must be concerned with the happy doings of his daughter. How could he be bothered with the affairs of the court at this time? There's no harm in you and me going to the crossroads." On hearing this, Tripi taka did indeed follow Pilgrim to go watch the various people waiting for the embroidered ball to be tossed. Ah! Little did they realize that their going there was like
The fisher, casting down both hook and thread,
Would henceforth haul up some intrigues instead!
We tell you now about that King of India, who, because of his love for mountains and streams, flowers and plants, led his queen and princess into the imperial garden last year one night to enjoy the moonlight. Their outing aroused a monstrous deviate, who abducted the true princess while she herself falsely assumed the princess's form. Knowing that the Tang Monk would reach this region at that particular hour, day, month, and year, she wangled the wealth of the state to erect a festooned tower in order to take him as her mate. She was, you see, desirous of picking the vital energy of his true yang so that she would become a superior immortal of the Great Monad.
It was now the third quarter past the hour of noon. Pilgrim and Tripitaka pushed through the crowd and approached the tower. Just then the princess, flanked by some seventy maidens all colorfully attired, held up high the lighted stalks of incense to pray to Heaven and Earth, while an attendant stood by her holding the embroidered ball. That tower had eight exquisite windows; through one of them, the princess gazed at the crowd. When she saw the Tang Monk draw near, she picked up the ball with her own hands and tossed it at him. The ball landed on his head, knocking his Vairocana hat to one side. The Tang Monk was so startled that he tried to hold on to the ball with his hands. All at once the ball rolled into one of his sleeves.
"It hit a priest! It hit a priest!" Those standing on the tower all began to shout.
Aha! Those merchants and tradesmen at the crossroads all pressed forward to try to take the embroidered ball away. With a thunderous roar, Pilgrim gave his torso a stretch, teeth clenched, and immediately became an imposing figure some thirty feet tall and with a most ugly face. Those people became so terrified that they tumbled and fell, not daring at all to come near. In a moment they dispersed, and Pilgrim changed back into his original form. Meanwhile, the palace maidens and eunuchs, young and old, all descended from the tower to bow to the Tang Monk, saying, "Honorable man! Honorable man! Please enter the hall of the court to be congratulated!"
Tripitaka hurriedly returned their salutations and tried to raise them with his hands before turning to grumble at Pilgrim. "You ape-head!" he said. "You are making a fool of me again!"
"The embroidered ball hit your head," said Pilgrim, chuckling, "and it
rolled into your sleeve. What has that to do with me? Why blame me?"
"What am I supposed to do now?" asked Tripitaka.
"Master, please relax;' said Pilgrim. "Go into the court to have an audience with the throne, while I return to the posthouse to tell Eight Rules and Sha Monk. We shall wait for your news. If the princess does not desire to take you for a husband, you'll simply have your travel rescript certified and leave. If she insists on taking you, you say to the king, 'Summon my disciples so that I may give them some instructions.' When we three are summoned into the court, I'll be able to distinguish the true from the false. This is my plot of Subduing the Fiend through Marriage.'' The Tang Monk had no choice but to agree, and Pilgrim turned to go back to the posthouse.
That elder, surrounded by the various palace maidens, was brought to the tower. The princess came down and led him by the hand to the imperial chariot, which they then rode together. The entire entourage departed for the gate of the court. The Custodian of the Yellow Gate proceeded first to memorialize to the king, saying, "Your Majesty, the princess is leading back a monk, who probably has been hit by the ball. They are now outside the gate awaiting your summons."
The king was not pleased by what he heard. He would have liked to send the priest away, but not knowing the wishes of the princess, he felt obliged to summon them inside. The princess and the Tang Monk thus went up to the Hall of Golden Chimes. Truly, this was what happened:
Husband and wife both cried, "Your Majesty!"
Both Good and Evil bowed most solemnly.
After the ceremony, the king asked them to ascend the hall as he posed this question, "Where did you come from, priest, and how were you hit by our daughter's ball?"
Prostrating himself on the ground, the Tang Monk said, "This humble cleric is someone sent by the Great Tang emperor in the South Jambudvipa Continent to go worship Buddha and seek scriptures from the Great Thunderclap in the Western Heaven. Since I carry with me a rescript for this lengthy journey, I have come especially to have an audience with the king to have it certified. My path took me past the crossing beneath the festooned tower, and I did not expect that I would be hit on the head by the ball that the princess tossed. This humble cleric is someone who has left the family and who belongs to a strange religion. How could I dare become the spouse of royalty? I beg you, therefore, to pardon the mortal offense of this humble cleric, certify my rescript, and send me off quickly to the Spirit Mountain. When I have faced Buddha and succeeded in acquiring scriptures to return to my homeland, I shall establish a perpetual memorial to Your Majesty's Heavenly kindness."
The king said, "If you are a sage monk from the Land of the East, you must have been, as it were, 'Drawn through a thousand miles to marriage by a thread.' Our princess has just celebrated her twentieth birthday and not yet married. Because it was determined that the year, month, day, and hour of this very day are all auspicious, we erected that festooned tower for tossing the ball to seek a good match for her. It just happened that you were hit. We are not pleased, but we do not know how our princess feels.''
"Father King," said the princess as she kowtowed, "there is a proverb which says,
If you wed a chicken, you follow a chicken;
If you marry a dog, you follow a dog.
Your daughter, after all, made a vow earlier, when this embroidered ball was knitted. I made known to the deities of Heaven and Earth that I would marry whomever the ball struck, for that would be the foreordained person. Today the ball struck the sage monk. This has to be the affinity of a past life which makes possible our meeting in this one. Dare I alter fate? I am willing to take him as our royal son-in-law."
Only then did the king show pleasure. At once he commanded the president of the Imperial Board of Astronomy to select the proper day for the wedding. He also asked for the preparation of the dowry and issued a proclamation to notify the entire kingdom. When he heard this, however, Tripitaka did not express his gratitude. All he could say instead was, "Release me and pardon me!"
"This monk is most unreasonable!" said the king. "We are using the wealth of an entire nation to take him in as a royal son-in-law. Why doesn't he want to stay here and enjoy it? Why must every thought of his dwell on seeking scriptures? If he persists in his refusal, let the EmbroideredUniform Guards push him out and have him beheaded!"
Scared out of his wits, the elder shook all over as he knelt down to kowtow and said, "I thank Your Majesty for your Heavenly kindness! But there are four of us altogether in our company, for this humble cleric has three disciples outside. I know I should accept your gracious proposal, but I have not yet had a chance to give them a word of instruction. I beg you, therefore, to summon them to court and certify this travel rescript, so that they may leave early and not be delayed in their journey to the West:'
The king consented and asked, "Where are your disciples?"
"They are all in the posthouse of the College of Interpreters," replied Tripitaka. Immediately the king ordered the officials to summon the disciples to court so that they could pick up the travel rescript and and leave for the West. The sage monk, however, was to remain and become the royal son-in-law. The elder had little choice but to rise and stand in waiting to one side. For this situation we have the following testimonial poem:
The no-leak11 great elixir needs three perfections.12
Austere works are not built on hateful relations.
A sage must teach the Dao,you the self cultivate;
Blessings are Heaven's, man must virtue aggregate.
Let not the six organs13 take their indulgent course.
Nature, suddenly enlightened, reveals your source.
Without love, without thought,you're naturally pure-
Transcendence you'llgain for deliverance is sure.
At that time, officials were sent at once to the posthouse of the College of Interpreters to summon the disciples of the Tang Monk, and we shall speak no more of that.
We tell you now about Pilgrim, who took leave of the Tang Monk beneath the festooned tower and walked back to the posthouse, giggling happily with each step he took. He was met by Eight Rules and Sha Monk, who asked him, "Elder Brother, why are you laughing so happily? Where's Master?"
"Master has met great happiness!" replied Pilgrim.
"We haven't reached our destination yet," said Eight Rules, "nor have we seen the Buddha and acquired scriptures. Where does this happiness come from?"
Giggling some more, Pilgrim said, "Master and I walked to the crossroads where the festooned tower was erected. Right there he was hit directly by the embroidered ball tossed down by the princess of this dynasty. He was then taken by the palace maidens and eunuchs to meet the princess, who rode the imperial chariot with him to court. He will be taken in as the royal son-in-law. Isn't that happiness?"
On hearing this, Eight Rules stamped his feet and thumped his chest, saying, "I knew I should have gone there myselfl It was all because of Sha Monk's roguery! If you hadn't stopped me, I would have headed straight for the festooned tower. When the embroidered ball struck old Hog, the princess would have had to take me in. Wouldn't that be nice? Wouldn't that be marvelous? What a handsome, comely, and proper arrangement! We'd play and play! What fun!"
Sha Monk walked forward and scratched Eight Rules's face with his finger, saying, ''Aren't you ashamed of yourself? What a magniloquent mouth!
With three coins you buy an old donkey
And brag about its ridability!
If that embroidered ball struck you, a letter of annulment sent overnight wouldn't be fast enough! Would anyone dare take a catastrophe like you inside the door?"
''A blackguard like you has no feeling for anything!" said Eight Rules. "I may be ugly, but my person still exudes a certain flavor! As the ancients said, 'Though the flesh and bones are coarse, the constitution is sturdy. Each characteristic, in fact, has its own desirability:"
"Stop babbling like that, Idiot!" said Pilgrim. "Let's get our luggage together. I fear that Master may be so harried that he will soon be summoning us to the court to protect him."
"You are wrong again, Elder Brother," said Eight Rules. "If Master has become the royal son-in-law, he will go into the palace to make love to the king's daughter. He is not going to climb mountains or traipse along the roads, where he could meet fiends or encounter demons. Who needs your protection? At his age, you think he's so ignorant of what goes on in bed that he requires your assistance?"
Grabbing him by the ears, Pilgrim shook his fist at Eight Rules and scolded him, saying, "You lecherous coolie! What sort of bunk is this?"
As they were thus quarreling, the clerk of the posthouse arrived and said, "His Majesty has issued a decree and sent an official with an invitation for you three divine monks." "For what specific purpose?" asked Eight Rules. The posthouse clerk replied, "The old divine monk was fortunate enough to be struck by the princess's embroidered ball and to have been taken in as the royal son-in-law. That is why an official has come with an invitation:' "Where is this official?" asked Pilgrim. "Tell him to come in."
The official, when he saw Pilgrim, at once saluted him. After the ceremony, however, he dared not raise his eyes to look at him. All he could say to himself was, "Is this a demon or a fiend? A thunder squire or a y~a?"
"Official;' said Pilgrim, "why don't you speak up? What are you thinking of?" Trembling all over, the official held up the imperial decree with both hands and blurted out, "My princess invites you to meet her kin! My princess's kin invite you to meet her!"
"We have no instruments of torture here;' said Eight Rules, "and we have no intention to beat you. Speak slowly. Don't be afraid:'
"You think he's afraid of a beating?" said Pilgrim. "It's your face he's afraid of Pick up the pole and the luggage quickly, and lead the horse along. We must go into court to discuss this affair." Truly
It's hard to sidestep for the way is straight;
Love will certainly be turned into hate.
We do not know what they have to say after they have seen the king; let's listen to the explanation in the next chapter.