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11 Flowing Sand River

Wukong entered and respectfully bowed to the Bodhisattva. She asked, "Why have you left the Tang Monk's westward journey and come here?" Wukong told her how they were blocked at the Flowing-Sand River and begged her to ferry his master across. The Bodhisattva said, "You monkey, you must have been showing off and failed to tell that monster that the Tang Monk is on a scripture-pilgrimage." Wukong said, "Bajie and I only wanted to capture him and make him ferry Master across. We never mentioned the scriptures." The Bodhisattva said, "That monster in the Flowing-Sand River is the Curtain-Lifting General from Heaven descended to earth. He was converted by me and waits there for the scripture-pilgrim. If you had told him who you were, he would not have fought you but would have submitted at once." Wukong was delighted, but mentioned that the monster had hidden in the water out of fear and could not be lured out; he asked the Bodhisattva for advice. She already had a plan. She called out Mucha, took a red gourd from her sleeve, handed it to him, and gave him detailed instructions. Mucha memorized every word, took leave of his master, and left the Tide-Sound Cave with Wukong. They mounted the clouds and flew straight to the Flowing-Sand River. Before long they reached the bank of the Flowing-Sand River. The two descended from the clouds to find the Tang Monk and Bajie. Bajie recognized the pilgrim Mucha and hastily led his master forward to greet him. Wukong told the Tang Monk the monster's origin. The Tang Monk's worry turned to joy, and he bowed repeatedly, thanking the Bodhisattva's grace for giving him another disciple. Mucha held the gourd and came over the river on half-cloud, half-mist, shouting, "Wujing! The scripture-pilgrim has waited here long. Why have you not submitted?" The monster, still afraid of Wukong, was resting in his water palace. Hearing someone call his religious name Wujing, he thought Guanyin herself had come; he hastily parted the waves and poked out his head. Wujing recognized Mucha and stepped forward smiling. "Forgive me for not meeting you sooner, venerable sir! Where is the scripture-pilgrim?" Mucha pointed at the Tang Monk. "The one sitting on the bank is he." Wujing saw Bajie and Wukong nearby and said angrily, "Those two fought me for two days without mentioning the scriptures." Mucha said, "They are the Tang Monk's disciples, also converted by the Bodhisattva." Wujing put away his staff, leaped ashore with Mucha, came before the Tang Monk, and knelt. "This disciple had eyes but did not recognize his master's honored face. I gave much offense; I beg forgiveness." Bajie said, "Why didn't you submit earlier and kept fighting me?" Wukong laughed. "You can't blame Wujing; we never told him about the scriptures." The Tang Monk asked, "Do you sincerely wish to join our faith?" Wujing said, "Your disciple has long received the Bodhisattva's teaching. She took the river as my surname and gave me the religious name Sha Wujing. How could I not follow my master?" The Tang Monk told Wukong to fetch a razor and shave Wujing's head. When the shaving was done, Wujing thanked his master and bowed to Wukong and Bajie, establishing seniority. The Tang Monk saw that he had the bearing of a monk and gave him the name Sha Monk, also called Sandy.

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