The Great Way is deep and dark—how shall one speak of its workings? Once spoken, it startles gods and ghosts. It holds the whole universe hidden in its breast, parts the dark and unveils mysterious light— A joy beyond compare in all the world. Before the peak of the Vulture, the pearl of price held up between two fingers, Shining bright with fivefold radiance, Lights every living being, above and below, in heaven and earth— And those who know it live as long as mountains and seas.
The story continues: Sanzang and his disciples, having taken leave of the woodcutter, came down from the Mountain of Hidden Mist and hurried onto the highway.
After several days of travel, they suddenly saw a walled city drawing near, and Sanzang said: "Wukong, look at that city ahead—is it the Land of India?"
The Pilgrim waved his hand. "No! No! The Tathagata's home may be called the Utmost Bliss, but it has no walled city. It is a great mountain, and in the mountain are towers, terraces, halls, and pavilions, called the Great Thunderclap Monastery of Vulture Peak. Even when we reach the Land of India, that is still not where the Tathagata lives—there is no telling how far the Land of India still is from Vulture Peak. That city, I expect, is an outer prefecture of India; we'll know for certain when we get there."
Before long they arrived outside the city. Sanzang dismounted and entered in through the triple gates, and saw that civic life was desolate and the streets deserted and cold. Coming to the market place, they saw many men in black robes ranged left and right, and several capped and belted officials standing beneath the eaves of houses. As the four of them walked along the street, those people made no move to give way.
Zhu Bajie, the rustic boor, thrust out his long snout and bawled: "Make way! Make way!" The people looked up with a start, and at the sight of his face every one of them went limp of bone and numb of sinew, staggering and stumbling, all crying: "A demon! A demon!" The capped and belted men under the eaves, terrified, bowed trembling and asked: "Travelers—from what quarter do you come?"
Fearing his disciples would stir up trouble, Sanzang pushed himself to the front and addressed the crowd: "This humble monk is from the Great Tang empire of the East, sent to worship the Buddha and seek scriptures at the Great Thunderclap Monastery in the Land of India. Passing through your honorable region, I know neither the name of the place nor any household to lodge at; only now entering the city, I have sadly failed to keep out of your way. I beg you gentlemen to pardon the offense."
The officials then returned his courtesy and said: "This is an outer prefecture of India called Fengxian County. Drought has plagued us year after year, and the prefect has sent us to post here a notice seeking a master of the law to pray for rain and save the people."
Hearing this, the Pilgrim said: "And where is this notice of yours?"
"The notice is here. We had just swept the eaves-gallery this moment and have not yet hung it up."
"Bring it and let me see." The officials unrolled the notice at once and hung it beneath the eaves. The Pilgrim and his three companions came forward and read it together. It said:
"I, the prefect of Fengxian County of the great Land of India, surnamed Shangguan, issue this notice to engage an enlightened master and summon great rites of the Law. Whereas the lands of this county are broad and generous, and soldier and citizen once prospered, drought has scorched us year upon year and dry famine followed age after age: the people's fields lie waste and the troops' land is barren; the rivers run shallow and the field-ditches stand empty. There is no water in the wells, no moisture at the springs' bottoms. The rich households barely scrape by with their lives; the poor folk can hardly stay alive. A measure of millet costs a hundred in gold; a bundle of firewood, five taels of silver. A girl of ten is traded for three sheng of rice; a boy of five is given to whoever will take him. Within the walls, fearing the law, men pawn clothes and belongings to keep body and soul; in the countryside, defying authority, they rob and cannibalize to preserve their lives. For this cause I hereby put forth this notice, gazing up in hope toward the worthy and wise of the ten quarters: pray for rain and save the people, and the kindness shall be richly repaid. I offer a thousand pieces of gold in thanks—no empty words. Given under this notice as required."
When the Pilgrim finished reading, he said to the officials: "Prefect Shangguan—what is that?"
"Shangguan is a surname—the surname of our prefect," said the officials.
The Pilgrim laughed. "That's a rare one."
"Brother never studied his books," said Bajie. "In the Hundred Family Surnames there's a line: 'Shangguan Ouyang.'"
[Translator's note: the Hundred Family Surnames is the classic schoolboy primer of Chinese surnames; the quoted line strings two rare surnames together.]
"Disciples, enough idle chatter," said Sanzang. "Who among us can pray for rain? Let us pray one sweet rain for him and relieve the people's misery—that is a deed of ten thousand goodnesses. If we cannot, let us be on our way and not delay our journey."
"What difficulty is there in praying for rain!" said the Pilgrim. "Old Sun has churned rivers and stirred seas, swapped the Dipper and shifted the stars, kicked at Heaven and toyed with wells, breathed fog and sprayed cloud, shouldered mountains and chased the moon, summoned rain and called the wind—there's not one of those but was child's play in my younger days! What's so rare about it?"
When the officials heard this, they sent two men hurrying to the prefect's seat to report: "My lord, joy beyond measure has come!"
The prefect was just then burning incense in silent prayer, and hearing that joy was reported, asked at once: "What joy?"
"Today we received the notice and had just come to the market to hang it up when four monks appeared, calling themselves envoys of the Great Tang of the East, sent to the Great Thunderclap in the Land of India to worship the Buddha and seek scriptures. The moment they saw the notice they declared they could pray for sweet rain, and we hastened to report it."
The prefect straightened his robes at once and set out on foot—no sedan chair, no horse, no retinue—going straight to the market place to invite them with full ceremony. Suddenly someone announced: "His Honor the prefect is come!" The crowd opened a way, and the prefect, the moment he saw the Tang monk, took no fright at the ugliness of his disciples but threw himself down in the middle of the street and bowed, saying: "Your servant is the prefect of Fengxian County, of the Shangguan family. Bathed and perfumed, I reverently beg you, venerable teacher, to pray for rain and save the people. I pray you, great master, extend vast compassion, exert your divine power, and deliver us!"
Sanzang returned his courtesy and said: "This is no place for talk. Wait till this humble monk reaches some temple or monastery—there we may best attend to the matter."
"Let the teacher come to my humble office," said the prefect; "there is clean and quiet space there." So master and disciples led the horse and shouldered the load and went straight to the prefect's residence, where they were presented one by one.
The prefect at once ordered tea and a vegetarian feast. Shortly the meal arrived, and Bajie, eating his fill with the greed of a starving tiger, so terrified the tray-bearers that their hearts pounded and their gallbladders quivered; back and forth they hurried with soup and rice like figures in a revolving lantern, barely keeping him supplied, and only when he was stuffed full to bursting did he stop.
When the meal was done, the Tang monk gave thanks and then asked: "Your Honor, how long has this drought been upon your land?"
The prefect said: "This humble region is an outer prefecture of the great Land of India—Fengxian, my charge to govern:
Three years together it has met with dry famine; The grass seed sprouts not; the five grains are gone. Great and small, all households find their trading hard; Of every ten doors, nine are houses of weeping. Of every three parts of the people, two parts have starved to death; The one part left is like a candle in the wind. Your servant put out a notice seeking the worthy everywhere, And happily true monks have come to our land. If you grant an inch of rain to relieve the common folk, I vow to present a thousand gold to repay such goodness!"
Hearing this, the Pilgrim's face bloomed with joy, and he chuckled: "Say no more! Say no more! If it's a thousand gold you offer in thanks, there won't be half a drop of sweet rain. But if it's a matter of piling up merit and virtue—old Sun will give you one great rain."
That prefect was in truth a most upright and worthy man, who bore the people a heavy love in his heart. He at once begged the Pilgrim to take the seat of honor, bowed his head low, and said: "If the teacher truly extends such mercy, your servant shall never dare betray the goodness."
"No more talk—rise, I beg you," said the Pilgrim. "Only trouble you to watch well over my master while old Sun does his work."
"Brother," asked the Sha Monk, "how will you work?"
"You and Bajie come over here, and beneath this hall of his follow me as my wings of assistance, while old Sun calls the dragons to make rain."
Bajie and the Sha Monk obeyed his orders faithfully; the three of them all stood below the hall. The prefect burned incense and bowed in worship, while Sanzang sat reciting sutras.
The Pilgrim recited his true words and chanted his spells, and at once a black cloud was seen in the due east, sinking gradually down before the hall—and it was Ao Guang, the old Dragon King of the Eastern Sea.
Ao Guang drew in the hem of his cloud, transformed into human form, walked forward, and bowed to the Pilgrim: "The Great Sage has called this little dragon—what use do you have for me?"
"Rise, please. I have troubled you to come from afar—there's nothing else. This is Fengxian County, parched for years on end. Why haven't you come to make rain here?"
"Report to the Great Sage and let it be known," said the old dragon, "that though I can indeed make rain, I am one who is dispatched by Heaven for the purpose. If Heaven does not send me, how would I dare come here of my own accord to make rain?"
"I am only passing through this place," said the Pilgrim, "and seeing the people's suffering in this long drought, I have called you here in particular to pour out rain for their relief. How can you make excuses?"
"How dare I make excuses? But when the Great Sage recited the true words and called me, I dared not not come. First, I have received no imperial decree from Heaven above; second, I have not brought with me the rain-making divine generals—how could I set the Ministry of Rain in motion? Since the Great Sage has this heart to deliver the people, allow this little dragon to return to the sea and muster his troops; and trouble the Great Sage to go up to the Heavenly Palace and obtain sanction, request a sacred decree commanding the rainfall, and ask the Water Officials to release the dragons. Then I can rain according to the numbers in the decree."
Since the dragon spoke reason, the Pilgrim could only dismiss the old dragon back to his sea. He stepped out of the Dipper-pattern he had traced and told the Tang monk the whole matter of the Dragon King.
"In that case, go and do it," said the Tang monk. "Only take care you speak no lies."
The Pilgrim then instructed Bajie and the Sha Monk: "Guard Master well—old Sun is off to the Heavenly Palace!" Marvelous Great Sage! The moment he said "I'm off," he vanished without a sound.
The prefect trembled in alarm: "Where has Lord Sun gone?"
"He's ridden his cloud up to Heaven," Bajie said with a laugh.
The prefect, in deep reverence, sent flying notices throughout the city, bidding every great street and small lane, without distinction of noble or commoner, soldier or citizen, in every household to set up a tablet for the Dragon King's worship, place a vat of clear water at the door with willow branches set in it, tend incense and fire, and worship Heaven—and of that we say no more.
Now the Pilgrim, on his somersault cloud, went straight to the gate of the Western Heaven, where the Heaven-Protector Heavenly King, leading celestial strongmen and warriors, came forward to greet him: "Great Sage, is the business of the scriptures finished?"
"Not far from it now," said the Pilgrim. "We have reached the borders of the Land of India, where there is an outer prefecture named Fengxian County. For three years no rain has fallen there, and the people are in bitter hardship. Old Sun would pray for rain to save them, and called the Dragon King to the place; but he says that without a decree he dare not act on his own, so I have come to court for an audience with the Jade Emperor and to request one."
"That quarter, I fear, is not due for rain," said the Heavenly King. "I heard it said long ago that the prefect there ran wild and gave offense to Heaven and Earth; the Supreme Lord held it against him, and set up a mountain of rice, a mountain of flour, and a great golden lock. Only when those three things are finished and broken is that place due for rain."
The Pilgrim knew not what this meant and asked to see the Jade Emperor. The Heavenly King dared not bar him, and let him pass in. Going straight to the outer court of the Hall of Universal Brightness, he was met by the Four Great Celestial Masters: "Great Sage, what brings you here?"
"While escorting the Tang monk," said the Pilgrim, "we came to the borders of the Land of India. Fengxian County has no rain, and the prefect summoned priests to pray for it. Old Sun called the Dragon King and meant to have him make rain, but he says that without the Jade Emperor's decree he dare not act on his own. I have come especially to request the decree, to revive the people in their hardship."
"That quarter is not due for rain," said the Four Celestial Masters.
The Pilgrim laughed. "Due or not due, be so good as to present me and announce me—let's see how much face old Sun can command."
"As the proverb says," chuckled the Immortal Ge, "the fly wraps itself in a net—what an enormous face it must have!"
[Translator's note: a fly wearing a hairnet presumes a face far bigger than it has—i.e., "what nerve you have, trading on your 'face'."]
"Don't bandy nonsense," said Xu Jingyang. "Just take him in." Qiu Hongji, Zhang Daoling, and the two others, Immortal Ge and Xu, led him beneath the Hall of Divine Mists and announced: "Myriad Years! Sun Wukong has come to the borders of the Land of India, to Fengxian County, and wishes to pray for rain there. He has come especially to request a decree."
The Jade Emperor said: "Three years ago, on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month, I went on progress to observe and inspect the myriad heavens, drifting free through the Three Realms. My carriage passed over that place, and I saw that this Shangguan was a man not good: he pushed over the vegetarian offerings set out to feast Heaven and threw them to the dogs, and foul words proceeded from his mouth, thereby committing an offense. I straightway set up the three things, and they stand in the Hall of Spreading Incense. Take Sun Wukong to see them. If the three things are finished and broken, I shall grant the decree; if they are not, let him not meddle in what is no business of his."
The Four Celestial Masters led the Pilgrim into the Hall of Spreading Incense to look. They saw a mountain of rice, some ten zhang high; and a mountain of flour, some twenty zhang high. Beside the rice mountain was a chicken, no bigger than a fist, pecking the rice, one quick peck, one slow peck. Beside the flour mountain was a golden-haired lapdog, licking the flour with its tongue, one long lick, one short lick. On the left hung an iron frame, and from the frame hung a golden lock, about a foot and three or four inches long, its shank the thickness of a finger; below it stood a bright lamp, whose flame licked and singed the lock's shank.
Not knowing what it meant, the Pilgrim turned and asked the Celestial Masters: "What is the meaning of this?"
"That fellow gave offense to Heaven," they said, "and the Jade Emperor set up these three things. Only when the chicken has pecked the rice all gone, the dog has licked the flour all gone, and the lamp flame has burned through the lock's shank, is that place due for rain."
Hearing this, the Pilgrim turned pale with horror. He dared press his suit no further; he walked out of the hall, shame written all over his face.
The Four Great Celestial Masters laughed. "Great Sage, there is no need for distress. This matter can only be dissolved by goodness. If but one thought of kind compassion stirs, it will startle Heaven above, and the mountains of rice and flour will topple that instant, and the lock's shank will snap that instant. Go and persuade him to return to goodness, and blessing will come of itself."
The Pilgrim took their advice. Without going to the Hall of Divine Mists to take leave of the Jade Emperor, he went straight down to the lower world to rejoin the mortals. In a moment he reached the Western Gate of Heaven and saw the Heaven-Protector Heavenly King again.
"How went the request for a decree?"
The Pilgrim told the whole story of the mountain of rice, the mountain of flour, and the golden lock. "It was just as you said—he would not issue the decree. The Celestial Masters saw me off and told me to persuade that fellow back to goodness—then blessing would return of itself." So they parted, and he sank his cloud down to the lower world.
The prefect, together with Sanzang, Bajie, the Sha Monk, and officials great and small, came out to meet him, all crowding round to ask.
The Pilgrim gave the prefect a bark: "It's all because of you, you wretch! Three years ago, on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month, you gave offense to Heaven and Earth, and brought this misery upon the common people. That is why Heaven will not send down rain!"
The prefect panicked and knelt flat upon the ground. "Teacher, how could you know of what happened three years ago?"
"What about the vegetarian offerings you set out to feast Heaven—how came you to push them over and feed them to the dogs? Tell the truth, now!"
The prefect dared not conceal it. "Three years ago, on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month, within this very office, I laid out offerings to feast Heaven. My wife was unwise, and we fell to quarreling with wicked words; in a moment of mindless rage I pushed over the offering table and spilled the vegetarian dishes, and in truth I called the dogs and they ate them. These two years the memory has gnawed at my heart; my spirit has been dazed and distraught, with nowhere to lay it down—and I did not know that Heaven had marked the offense and left this scourge upon my people. Now that you, teacher, have descended upon us, I beg with ten thousand hopes to be plainly instructed: how is this reckoned in the world above?"
"That day," said the Pilgrim, "was the very day the Jade Emperor came down to the lower world. He saw you feed the feast-offerings to the dogs and heard the foul words from your mouth, and the Jade Emperor straightway set up the three things as a record against you."
"Brother," asked Bajie, "what three things?"
"In the Hall of Spreading Incense," said the Pilgrim, "stands a mountain of rice, some ten zhang high, and a mountain of flour, some twenty zhang high. Beside the rice mountain is a little chicken no bigger than a fist, pecking the rice, one quick peck, one slow peck; beside the flour mountain is a golden-haired lapdog, licking the flour, one long lick, one short lick. On the left there is also an iron frame, and hanging on the frame a great golden lock, its shank the thickness of a finger, with a bright lamp beneath, whose flame licks and singes the shank. Only when the chicken has pecked the rice all gone, the dog has licked the flour all gone, and the lamp has burned through the lock's shank—that is when that place becomes due for rain."
Bajie laughed. "No matter! No matter! If Brother will take me along, I'll change into my magic body and gobble up his rice and flour in one sitting, and snap the lock's shank, and he'll have to send his rain!"
"Don't talk rubbish, idiot!" said the Pilgrim. "This is a device set up by Heaven above—how would you ever get to see it?"
"With things as they are," said Sanzang, "what are we to do?"
"No trouble! No trouble! When I was leaving, the Four Cele Masters told me: only goodness can dissolve it."
The prefect bowed down upon the ground and pleaded: "I beg you, teacher, instruct me; your servant will turn to the good, one and all."
"If you turn your heart to goodness, then lose no time in chanting the Buddha's name and reading the scriptures, and I will still act on your behalf. But if you remain as before, unchanged, I cannot dissolve it either—Heaven will soon destroy you, and your life will not be saved."
The prefect knocked his head to the ground in worship and vowed to turn to the good. He then summoned the monks and Daoist priests of the place and set up a great altar, each and all writing out documents of appeal, to be presented to the Three Heavens. The prefect led the throng in grasping incense and gazing upward in worship, thanking Heaven and Earth, confessing his fault and reproaching himself; Sanzang too recited sutras on his behalf. On another front, flying notices went out ordering every household in city and countryside alike, man and woman without exception, to burn incense and chant the Buddha's name. From that hour, a whole tide of the sound of goodness filled the ears.
Only then was the Pilgrim pleased. He said to Bajie and the Sha Monk: "You two guard Master well, while old Sun goes and comes again for them."
"Brother, where are you off to now?" asked Bajie.
"This prefect heeded old Sun's words, truly took the teaching, reveres goodness and mercy, and chants the Buddha's name with a sincere heart. I am going up to report once more to the Jade Emperor and ask him for some rain."
"Brother, since you must go, don't delay," said the Sha Monk. "This has already held up our journey—be sure to obtain one full altar of rain, so that our own true fruit may be completed."
Marvelous Great Sage! He mounted his cloud again and went straight to the gate of Heaven, where he met the Heaven-Protector Heavenly King once more.
"What have you come to do this time?"
"The prefect has already turned to goodness." And the Heavenly King rejoiced too.
Just as they were speaking, they saw the Duty Envoy, bearing sealed documents of the Daoists and permits of the monks, arriving at the gate of Heaven to deliver them through. The Envoy bowed to the Pilgrim: "This, too, is the merit of the Great Sage's exhortation to goodness."
"Where are you taking those documents?" asked the Pilgrim.
"Straight to the Hall of Universal Brightness, to be passed by the Celestial Masters before the Great Heavenly Venerable Jade Emperor."
"Very well—you go ahead; I shall follow." The Envoy entered the gate of Heaven.
"Great Sage," said the Heaven-Protector Heavenly King, "there is no need to see the Jade Emperor. You need only go to the Prefecture of the Ninefold Heaven's Responsive Power and borrow some thunder gods; make your thunder and flash your lightning of your own accord, and the rain will be repaid at once."
And indeed the Pilgrim took his advice. Entering the gate of Heaven, he did not go to the Hall of Divine Mists to request a decree, but turned his cloud-steps straight toward the Prefecture of the Ninefold Heaven's Responsive Power. There the Thunder-Gate Messenger, the Corrector of Records, and the Inspector of Conduct all came out to meet him with bows: "Whence comes the Great Sage?"
"I have business that requires seeing the Celestial Worthy."
The three messengers announced him at once, and the Celestial Worthy came down from behind the nine-phoenix cinnabar screen, straightened his robes, and came out to receive him. When the courtesies were done, the Pilgrim said: "I have come especially to ask a favor."
"What is it?"
"In escorting the Tang monk I came to Fengxian County, and seeing how dreadfully it suffered from drought, I promised them rain, and have come to beg the loan of your ministry's officers and generals to go there and sound the thunder."
"I know that the prefect there offended Heaven," said the Celestial Worthy, "and that the three things were set up. I do not know whether that place is due for rain."
The Pilgrim laughed. "Yesterday I already saw the Jade Emperor and asked for a decree. The Jade Emperor had the Celestial Masters lead me into the Hall of Spreading Incense to see the three things—the mountain of rice, the mountain of flour, and the golden lock. Only when the three things are finished and broken is rain due. I fretted that they could never be finished, but the Celestial Masters told me to go persuade the prefect and his people to do good—since when a man has a good thought, Heaven surely follows it, there was hope of turning the heart of Heaven and dissolving the calamity. Now the good thought has sprung up at once, and the sound of goodness fills every ear. Just now the Duty Envoy has carried up to the Jade Emperor the documents of their reform and return to goodness, and so old Sun has come especially to your honored prefecture to beg the loan of your ministry's officers and generals for a little help."
"Since this is so," said the Celestial Worthy, "I dispatch Marshals Deng, Xin, Zhang, and Tao, commanding the Lady of Lightning, to go down at once with the Great Sage and sound the thunder over Fengxian County."
The four generals, together with the Great Sage, reached the borders of Fengxian in no time and at once began working their magic in midair. Hear the rolling boom of thunder and the hissing crackle of lightning—truly:
The lightning darts like a purple-gold snake; The thunder booms like all the waking insects in uproar. Blazing firelight flying in streams; Bolts that split mountainsides and caves. The lightning fills the whole sky bright; The shock runs shuddering through the earth. One crimson flash, and sprouting buds break forth; Ten thousand li of rivers and hills are all ashake.
In Fengxian County, within the walls and without, officials great and small, soldiers and people, had not heard thunder or seen lightning for three whole years. Now, seeing the lightning flash and hearing the thunder roll, all fell to their knees together, incense burners held atop their heads, some grasping willow branches in their hands, all chanting: "Homage to Amitabha Buddha! Homage to Amitabha Buddha!" That one sound of goodness truly startled Heaven above; as the old poem says:
When in the human heart one thought is born, Heaven and Earth both know it through and through. If good and evil went without their recompense, Then Heaven and Earth would surely play favorites.
But let us leave the Great Sage Sun commanding the thunder generals, flashing lightning and rolling thunder over Fengxian County, with everyone turning to goodness.
Now the Duty Envoy of the upper world carried the documents of monk and Daoist alike to the Hall of Universal Brightness, and the Four Celestial Masters passed them in before the Hall of Divine Mists. The Jade Emperor read them and said: "Since those wretches have thoughts of goodness, let us see how the three things stand."
Even as he spoke, the officer in charge of the Hall of Spreading Incense came to report: "The mountains of rice and flour that were set up have both toppled; in an instant the rice and flour were gone, and the lock's shank has snapped."
Before the report was finished, yet other officials of the court led in the local deity, the city god, and the gods of the parish of Fengxian County, who all came bowing to report: "The prefect of this county and every household of the common people throughout the city, great and small, without one family or one person failing, have turned to the true fruit of goodness, worshiping the Buddha and revering Heaven. We now beg you to let fall your mercy, universally sending down sweet rain to deliver the people."
Hearing this, the Jade Emperor was greatly pleased and issued his decree at once: "Let the Ministries of Wind, Cloud, and Rain each obey the command, go down to the lower world, and over the borders of Fengxian County, this very day and hour, sound the thunder, spread the clouds, and send down rain to the measure of three feet and forty-two points." The Four Great Celestial Masters, bearing the decree, transmitted it to the several ministries, which descended at once to the lower world, each putting forth its divine majesty, all roused together.
The Pilgrim was just then directing the Lady of Lightning under Marshals Deng, Xin, Zhang, and Tao, flashing lightning and rolling thunder in midair, when he saw the host of gods all arrive—heaven's assembly gathered in one. And then wind and cloud came together in confluence, and the sweet rain poured down. What rain!
Dense, dense the heavy clouds; thick, thick the black fog. The thunder-carts rumble and roll; the lightning flashes and flares. On rolls the wild wind; down patters the pelting rain. Truly, one thought turned the heart of Heaven, And the myriad people's hopes were filled. All thanks to the Great Sage wielding his primal power: Ten thousand li of rivers and hills, shadowed everywhere.
What rain! It poured like rivers overturned and seas upended, veiling the fields and blinding the sky. Before the eaves it hung in waterfalls; outside the window it rang and tinkled clear. Ten thousand households, a thousand doors—the people chanting the Buddha's name; six streets, three markets—the floodwaters rushing high. East and west, every channel of river brimming full; north and south, every stream and bay flowing through. The withered sprouts drink their moisture; the dead trees come back to life. Hemp and wheat flourish in the fields; beans and grain swell in the villages. The traveling merchants delight in roads open for trade; the farmers love you for your weeding and tilling. From now on the millet and maize will spread lush and long; of course the sowing and reaping will bring a full harvest. Wind and rain in season, and the people at peace; calm seas and clear rivers—enjoyment of the Great Peace.
In one day the rain that fell measured a full three feet and forty-two points, and the host of gods gradually drew it in.
Then the Great Sage Sun called out in a ringing voice: "Gods of the four ministries, hold your clouds a moment! Wait till old Sun fetches the prefect to bow his thanks to you all. Part the clouds and mist, I beg, and each show his true form, so these mortals may see with their own eyes—then they will believe and worship."
Hearing this, the host of gods had no choice but to halt in midair. The Pilgrim pressed down his cloud and went straight to the prefect's residence, where Sanzang, Bajie, and the Sha Monk all came out to greet him, and the prefect came bowing with every step to give thanks.
"Thank me not yet," said the Pilgrim. "I have detained the gods of the four ministries; you should summon a great company to bow thanks to them together. Bid them come hereafter to make rain again."
The prefect at once sent flying notices summoning all to join in the thanksgiving, and one by one, grasping their incense, they bowed toward heaven. Then the gods of the four ministries parted the clouds and mist, and each revealed his true form. The four ministries were the Ministry of Rain, the Ministry of Thunder, the Ministry of Clouds, and the Ministry of Wind. Behold: the Dragon King displayed his image; the thunder generals stretched their forms; the cloud youths appeared; the Lord of Wind let his true self be seen.
The Dragon King displayed his image—silver-bearded, gray of face, without peer in the world; The thunder generals stretched their forms—hook-beaked, awesome of countenance, past all comparing; The cloud youths appeared—who could match those jade faces and golden crowns? The Lord of Wind showed his true self—dry-browed, ring-eyed, just as of old. In ordered ranks they disclosed themselves upon the azure sky, Each taking his place, showing their sacred visage. The people of Fengxian County only then believed; With bows and incense their wicked hearts turned back. Today they gaze up at Heaven's generals, Washed clean, turned toward goodness, wholly converted.
The host of gods waited a full double hour while the people worshiped them without cease.
Then Sun the Pilgrim rose into the clouds again and saluted the assembly: "Much toil! Much toil! I beg you all return to your ministries. Old Sun will further bid the households of this county worship the high immortals and offer thanksgiving services at the seasons. Henceforth, a wind every five days, a rain every ten—come and deliver them again."
The gods obeyed his words and each returned to his ministry—and of that we say no more.
Now the Great Sage sank down his cloud and said to Sanzang: "The business is done, the people at peace—we may pack up and be on our way."
When the prefect heard this, he hastened to bow and said: "Lord Sun, what words are these! What has come this day is kindness beyond measure, beyond all bounds. Let your servant prepare a small banquet here in reply for this great kindness. I will also buy fields among the people and build a monastery for you, my lord, and raise a shrine to you while you yet live, carve your names on stone tablets, and offer sacrifice through the four seasons. Even were I to engrave it on my bones and carve it in my heart, I could not repay one part in ten thousand—how can you speak of going?"
"What Your Honor says is just," said Sanzang, "but we are wandering monks of the West, hanging our kettle where night overtakes us—we dare not linger long. Within a day or two we shall surely be gone."
The prefect would by no means let them go. That very night he sent many hands to prepare the banquet and to raise the shrine buildings.
The next day a grand feast was thrown open; the Tang monk was seated in the place of honor, with the Great Sage Sun and Bajie and the Sha Monk ranged below, while the prefect and the officials of the county, great and small, offered cups and dishes, with soft pipes and gentle drums, entertaining them all the day long. The occasion was truly a merry one, as the poem bears witness:
Long-parched fields meet at last the sweet rain; River channels open for trade on every side. Deep thanks to the godly monks who came within this county, And much beholden to the Great Sage who climbed to the Heavenly Palace. Dissolved, the three things planted by that old offense; With one thought of conversion, the fruit of goodness grows great. Henceforth may it be as in the days of Yao and Shun: Wind five times, rain ten times, and ten thousand years of plenty.
A day of feasting, a second day of banquets; thanks today, gratitude tomorrow—they were held fast nearly half a month, waiting only for the monastery and the living shrine to be completed.
One day the prefect invited the four travelers to view the work, and the Tang monk marveled: "So vast an undertaking—how was it finished so quickly?"
"Your servant drove on the workmen day and night without rest, ordering it pressed to completion," said the prefect, "and now invites you honored lords to look it over."
"Truly a worthy and capable prefect!" said the Pilgrim with a laugh. They went at once to the new monastery and saw halls and towers towering, the mountain gate magnificent, and all praised it without end. The Pilgrim asked his master to leave a name for the monastery.
"I have one," said Sanzang. "Let it be called the Temple of the Sweet Rain That Saves All."
"Excellent! Excellent!" the prefect approved. With golden placards he summoned monks far and wide to tend the incense fires. On the left of the halls they raised the living shrine of the four travelers, for sacrifice in all four seasons each year; and they built besides temples to the thunder gods and dragon gods, in answer to the divine powers.
When they had seen it all, the prefect ordered them escorted on their way. The people of the whole county, knowing they could not be kept, prepared farewell gifts of every kind—not a copper of which would they accept. And so the officials of the whole county, with drums and music sounding grandly, banners and canopies spread wide, escorted them thirty-odd li—still unable to bear the parting; and with tears they watched them out of sight, and only then turned back. Truly:
The godly monk of lofty virtue left behind Universal Salvation; The Great Sage Equal to Heaven spread his grace abroad.
If you would know how many days more remained before they beheld the Tathagata, listen to the explanation in the next chapter.