Chapter 57: The True Pilgrim Laments at Mount Putuo; the False Monkey King Copies the Travel Document at Water-Curtain Cave

Now Sun Wukong rose in grief and vexation, hovering in the sky. He thought of going back to Water-Curtain Cave at Flower-Fruit Mountain, but feared that the little monsters in his old cave would laugh at him, saying that he had turned his back on his word and was no true man at all. He thought of going to the Heavenly Palace, but feared they would not let him stay there long. He thought of going to the island homes of the immortals, but was ashamed to show his face to the Three Isles' sages. He thought of going to the Dragon Palace, but would not lower himself to beg the Dragon King. Truly he had nowhere to turn. At last he sighed to himself, "Enough, enough. I had better go back and see my master. That is the right road."

He lowered his cloud and went straight to Tripitaka's horse, where he stood waiting.

"Master," he said, "forgive your disciple this time. I will never again act with such violence. From now on I will submit to your teaching. Please, by all means, let me continue to escort you to the Western Heaven."

Tripitaka only pulled the reins taut and began chanting the Tightening Spell.

He recited it over and over, more than twenty times, until the Great Sage was crying out on the ground in agony, the fillet dug a full inch into his flesh, and Tripitaka only then stopped and said, "If you will not return to your mountain, why do you keep pestering me?"

Wukong could only cry, "Do not recite it, do not recite it. I have nowhere else to live. I am only afraid that without me you will not be able to reach the Western Heaven."

Tripitaka flared in anger. "You ape! You have killed so many lives and brought so much trouble on me. I truly do not want you anymore. Whether I can go or not has nothing to do with you. Be off, be off. If you tarry a moment longer, I will recite the spell again, and this time I will not stop until I squeeze the brains from your head."

The pain was more than the Great Sage could bear. Seeing that his master would not soften, he could only mount the somersault cloud and ride back into the sky. Then he came to himself and thought, "That monk has cast me off. I will go to Mount Putuo and complain to Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion."

The Great Sage wheeled around and, in less than an hour, reached the great southern sea. He lowered his auspicious light and went straight up Mount Putuo, into the Purple Bamboo Grove. There he met Hui'an, who bowed and asked, "Great Sage, where are you going?"

Wukong said, "I need to see the Bodhisattva."

Hui'an led him to the mouth of Tidal Sound Cave, where Good Fortune Child also bowed and asked, "Great Sage, what brings you here?"

Wukong said, "I have come to complain to the Bodhisattva."

As soon as Good Fortune Child heard the word "complain," he smiled and said, "That sharp-tongued monkey. You still seem to be as you were when I had Tripitaka in my hands and you tricked me. My Bodhisattva is a great Bodhisattva of boundless mercy, great vows, and world-saving compassion. What could possibly be wrong with her that you would complain to her?"

Wukong, already full of frustration, heard this and burst into rage. He snapped at Good Fortune Child and drove him back several paces.

"You faithless little beast! You are truly foolish. In those days you were turned to evil and became a monster. I asked the Bodhisattva to subdue you and turn you back to the Buddhist path. Now you have gained such blissful life and ease, as long as heaven itself, and still you will not thank me. Instead you speak to me with such disrespect. I have come with a matter to plead before the Bodhisattva, and you dare say that I am a sharp-tongued monkey complaining about her?"

Good Fortune Child laughed sheepishly. "You are still the same hot-headed monkey. I was only teasing you. Why did you turn so quickly?"

They were still speaking when a white parrot flew back and forth, which meant the Bodhisattva was summoning them. So Hui'an and Good Fortune Child led Wukong forward to the jeweled lotus platform.

When Wukong saw the Bodhisattva, he fell flat on his face and could not hold back the tears. They poured from him like a spring, and he began to cry aloud. The Bodhisattva told Hui'an and Good Fortune Child to help him up and said, "Wukong, what sorrowful matter is this? Speak plainly. Do not cry. Do not cry. I will help you with your suffering and wipe away your disaster."

Wukong, still weeping, bowed again and said, "In all the years when I lived among men, who ever treated me so? Since the Bodhisattva freed me from the calamity of Heaven, gave me the Buddhist law, and entrusted me to escort Tripitaka westward to worship the Buddha and seek the scriptures, I have risked my life in every way to break his demon barriers. It was like prying a brittle bone from a tiger's mouth, like peeling live scales from the back of a flood dragon. I only hoped to win true fruition and wash away sin and evil. Who would have thought that the elder would repay righteousness with ingratitude, turning a blind eye to all our good will and refusing to distinguish black from white?"

The Bodhisattva said, "First tell me how the black and white came about."

Wukong then told her in detail the whole story, from start to finish, about how he had beaten and killed the mountain bandits. Tripitaka, enraged by the dead bodies, had grown blind with anger and recited the Tightening Spell to drive him away again and again. Wukong had had nowhere to go in heaven or on earth, and so he had come to complain to the Bodhisattva.

The Bodhisattva said, "Tang Sanzang was carrying out the imperial command to go west. He truly means to cultivate goodness and become a monk. He would never lightly harm life. Yet you have such vast powers. Why did you kill so many mountain bandits? Though bandits are not good men, they still possess human bodies. You should not have killed them. That is different from demons, birds, monsters, ghosts, and spirit-fiends. To kill those is your merit. To kill human beings is your lack of mercy. If you had only driven them off and scattered them, you would naturally have saved your master. In my judgment, the fault lies in your lack of goodness."

Wukong, tears still in his eyes, knocked his head to the ground and said, "Even if I have been unkind, I ought to have been allowed to make up the merit against the fault. I should not have been driven away like this. I beg the Bodhisattva, out of great compassion, to recite the loosening spell once, take off this golden fillet, return it to you, and let me go back to Water-Curtain Cave and live out my life in peace."

The Bodhisattva smiled. "The Tightening Spell came from the Tathagata himself. In those years when he sent me east to seek the scripture pilgrim, he gave me three treasures: a brocaded cassock, a nine-ring monk's staff, and the three fillets of gold, tight, and binding. He taught me three secret spell texts, but there is no loosening spell."

Wukong said, "If that is so, then I take my leave of the Bodhisattva."

The Bodhisattva said, "And where would you go to take leave?"

Wukong said, "I will go to the Western Heaven and beg the Tathagata himself to recite the loosening spell."

The Bodhisattva said, "Stay a moment. I will see whether your fortune is bright or dark."

Wukong said, "No need to look. It is dark enough already."

The Bodhisattva said, "I am not looking at you. I am looking at Tripitaka's fortune."

Then the good Bodhisattva sat upright on the lotus throne, gathered her mind through the three realms, and let her wisdom eye look far and wide through the universe. In a flash she said, "Wukong, your master will soon suffer a bodily disaster. Before long he will come looking for you. Stay here while I speak to Tripitaka and tell him to keep going with you to seek the scriptures and bring the work to true fruition."

The Great Sage had no choice but to stand obediently beneath the jeweled lotus platform. We need not dwell on that.

Now then: Tripitaka, after driving off the Pilgrim, told Bajie to lead the horse and Sha Wujing to shoulder the luggage. The four of them, horse included, had gone west for barely fifty li when Tripitaka pulled up the reins and said, "Disciples, ever since dawn we have left the village houses behind, and then that old horse-keeper Sun made me angry. I have been hungry and thirsty all this while. Who will go and beg some food for me?"

Bajie said, "Master, please get down from the horse. Let me look for some nearby farmstead and go beg a meal."

Tripitaka at once slid down from the saddle.

The fool rose on a cloud and looked carefully from the sky. Everywhere he saw only mountains and ridges. There was no hope of finding a household at all.

He came down again and said, "Master, there is nowhere to beg food. As far as I can see, there is no farmstead anywhere."

Tripitaka said, "If there is no place to beg food, then bring me some water to ease my thirst."

Bajie said, "Wait here. I will go to the south mountain and fetch some water from the ravine."

Sha Wujing took out the alms bowl and handed it to him. Bajie took the bowl, rode the clouds away, and left Tripitaka sitting by the road. He waited a long time, but Bajie did not return. The poor elder had a dry mouth and a parched throat, and he could hardly endure it.

A verse says:

Guarding the spirit and nurturing the breath is what is called essence;
emotion and nature are born from the same original form.
When the mind is confused and the spirit dark, all illnesses arise;
when the body decays and essence is spent, the Way itself grows thin.
The three flowers do not gather, and one labors in vain;
the four elements grow withered, and strength is wasted without cause.
When earth and wood are of no use and metal and water are cut off,
how long can the dharma body remain so slack and careless?

Sha Wujing, seeing that Tripitaka could neither eat nor drink and that Bajie was still not back with the water, had no choice but to fasten the horse and luggage and say, "Master, sit here a moment. I will go and hurry the water along."

The elder said nothing, but nodded with tears in his eyes.

Sha Wujing then mounted a cloud and headed south to the ravine.

The master, left alone to toil and suffer, was in dire misery. Just then, in the middle of his fear and confusion, he heard a clear ringing voice and looked up. It was Sun Wukong, kneeling by the road and holding out a porcelain cup with both hands.

"Master, without Old Sun you would not even have water to drink. Here is a cup of cool water. Drink a mouthful to ease your thirst, and I will go beg food again."

Tripitaka said, "I will not drink your water. Even if I die of thirst, I will take it as my fate. I do not want you anymore. Go on away."

Wukong said, "Without me you cannot reach the Western Heaven."

Tripitaka said, "Whether I can go or not has nothing to do with you. You wicked ape, why do you keep clinging to me?"

At that, Wukong changed face, flared in anger, and cursed Tripitaka.

"You heartless, vile bald monk! You truly look down on me."

He raised his iron rod, flung the porcelain cup aside, and struck Tripitaka hard across the back. Tripitaka swooned and fell to the ground, unable to speak. Wukong snatched up the two blue felt bundles, mounted his somersault cloud, and disappeared.

Meanwhile Bajie came back carrying the alms bowl and heading down the south slope. Suddenly he saw a farmstead in a hollow between the hills. Earlier, the mountain had hidden it from view; now that he had come close, he could see it was indeed a human dwelling.

He thought to himself, "If I show this ugly face, they will surely be afraid of me. I will labor for nothing and get no food at all. I had better change into something pleasant. Yes, I had better change."

The fool pinched a spell and muttered an incantation, shook himself seven or eight times, and became a hollow-cheeked, yellow, consumptive-looking monk. Humming and moaning, he moved up to the gate and called out, "Benefactor, there is leftover rice in the kitchen, and hungry men out on the road. I am a poor monk from the Eastern Land traveling west to seek the scriptures. My master is hungry and thirsty on the road. If you have any cold rice or crusts, please give us a little to keep body and soul together."

It turned out that the men of the house were all away in the fields transplanting rice. Only two women were at home. They had just cooked the midday meal and were about to carry it out to the fields. There was still some rice and crusts left in the pot, but not much else.

Seeing Bajie's sickly face and hearing him talk about coming from the Eastern Land and traveling to the Western Heaven, they feared he might be speaking wildly in a fever and might collapse at their gate.

So they soothed him, gave him a full bowl of the leftover rice and crusts, and sent him away.

Bajie brought it back, resumed his true form, and turned onto the old road.

As he walked, he heard someone call, "Bajie."

He looked up and saw Sha Wujing standing on a cliff and calling down, "Come here, come here."

When Bajie climbed down, Sha Wujing met him and said, "Why did you go somewhere else when there is fine clear water in this ravine?"

Bajie laughed. "When I got there, I saw a farmstead in a hollow, so I begged this bowl of dry rice."

Sha Wujing said, "Rice will do, but Master is desperately thirsty. How are we to get him water?"

Bajie said, "Water is easy enough. You put your robe in this rice, and I will use the bowl to fetch some water."

The two of them returned happily to the road, only to find Tripitaka face-down in the dust, the white horse loose and neighing and prancing by the roadside, and the luggage nowhere to be seen.

Bajie was so shocked he stamped his feet and beat his chest.

"No need to explain. That was surely the remaining work of Sun Wukong. He came back here, killed the master, and stole the luggage away."

Sha Wujing cried, "First we must tie up the horse!"

He clutched his head and wept bitterly. "What are we to do now? What are we to do? Truly this is the saying, 'halfway through the road, the work is abandoned.'"

He called out, "Master!" and cried until his eyes were full of tears.

Bajie said, "Brother, do not cry yet. Since it has come to this, the scripture journey is over. Look after the master's body while I ride the horse off to some prefecture, county, village, or market and sell it for a few taels of silver. Then I will buy a coffin and bury him, and the two of us can each go our own way."

Sha Wujing could not bear to part with him. He turned Tripitaka over and pressed face to face, crying, "Wretched master!"

Then he saw that warm breath was still coming from the elder's nose and mouth, and his chest was still warm.

"Bajie, come here. Master is not dead yet!"

Bajie came forward and helped Tripitaka up. After a while, the elder moaned back to life and cursed, "That wicked ape! He beat me nearly to death."

Sha Wujing and Bajie asked, "Which ape?"

Tripitaka did not answer, only sighed. After drinking a few mouthfuls of water, he said, "Disciples, just after you left, that Wukong came back and kept clinging to me. I held firm and would not take him back, so he struck me with his rod and carried off the two blue felt bundles."

Bajie ground his teeth and snapped in rage. "How intolerable that vile monkey is! How dare he act so shamelessly?"

He said to Sha Wujing, "You stay and look after Master. I am going to that monkey's home to demand the bundles back."

Sha Wujing said, "Do not lose your temper. Let us first help Master to that farmstead in the hollow, beg some hot tea, warm the rice we already have, and settle him a bit. Then we can go look for him."

Bajie agreed. He helped Tripitaka back onto the horse, took the bowl, and brought the cold rice to the gate of that house.

Only an old woman was at home. When she saw them, she hurried to hide.

Sha Wujing folded his hands and said, "Old mother, we are envoys from Great Tang traveling west to the Western Heaven. Our master is a little unwell. We have come to your house to ask for some hot tea, so that he may eat his rice."

The old woman said, "A moment ago a hollow-cheeked monk came here, saying he was from the Eastern Land, and he already begged food and left. Now here comes another Eastern monk? There is no one at home. Please try another house."

When Tripitaka heard this, he had Bajie help him down from the horse. Then he bowed and said, "Old woman, my three disciples are of one heart and one purpose. They are protecting me on the journey west to the Great Thunderclap Monastery of the Western Heaven, where I am to worship the Buddha and seek the scriptures.

Only my eldest disciple, Sun Wukong, is by nature fierce and unruly. I drove him away. Unexpectedly, he secretly came back, struck me in the back with his rod, and stole my luggage and alms bowl. Now I want one disciple to go after him and demand it back. Since we are standing in the open road and there is nowhere to sit, I have come to your house for a short rest. Once the luggage is recovered, we will leave at once and certainly will not stay long."

The old woman said, "Just now a hollow-cheeked, yellow-faced monk came and begged food. He said he was traveling from the Eastern Land to the Western Heaven. How can there be another party?"

Bajie could not help laughing. "That was me. My mouth and ears are too big, and I thought your family might be frightened and refuse to feed us, so I changed into that form. If you do not believe me, look in my brother's robe pocket. Is that not your rice crusts?"

The old woman saw that it really was the food she had given them, and so she did not refuse them. She kept them there, and then she boiled a pot of hot tea and gave it to Sha Wujing to make the rice into a proper meal. Sha Wujing soaked the cold rice and passed it to Tripitaka.

After Tripitaka had eaten a few mouthfuls and settled himself, he said, "Which of you is going to retrieve the luggage?"

Bajie said, "A few years ago, when Master drove him away, I went looking for him once, and I know his Flower-Fruit Mountain Water-Curtain Cave. Let me go. Let me go."

Tripitaka said, "You cannot go. That monkey has always been at odds with you, and your mouth is too rough. If you say one wrong word, he will surely beat you. Let Sha Wujing go."

Sha Wujing agreed. "I will go. I will go."

Tripitaka then instructed him, "When you get there, you must first see how the land lies. If he is willing to return the bundle, then thank him politely and bring it back. If he refuses, do not argue with him. Go straight to the Bodhisattva at the South Sea and tell her everything, and ask her to go and demand it from him."

Sha Wujing listened to every word.

He told Bajie, "I am going after him now. Do not make trouble. Take good care of Master. And do not act rudely in this house, or they may refuse to feed us. I will be back soon."

Bajie nodded. "I understand. Go, then. Whether you get it back or not, come back quickly. Do not let this turn into a pole carrying firewood that splits at both ends."

Sha Wujing pinched a spell, raised a cloud, and flew straight toward the Eastern Continent. Truly:

The body was in one place, but the spirit was already flying elsewhere;
how could a furnace without fire ever refine cinnabar?
The Yellow Woman left her other master to seek the Metal Elder;
the Wood Mother delayed the master's cure, for his face was pale with sickness.
How could one know on what day he would return?
How could one tell how long this round would last?
The five phases moved in conflict and affection without order,
waiting only for the mind-monkey to step forward through the gate again.

Sha Wujing rode the clouds for three full days and nights before he reached the Eastern Sea. There he heard the roaring of the waves. Looking down, he saw that black mist rose to the heavens and the cold light of dawn hung over the misty sea. He had no mind to linger. He crossed the immortal mountains and the lands of Penglai, rode straight east, and came to Flower-Fruit Mountain.

He rode the sea wind and the surging waters for some time more before he saw the peaks standing like halberds and the cliffs hanging like screens. He reached the summit, followed the cloud path down, and sought Water-Curtain Cave. As he came close, he heard the monkey spirits in the mountain shouting all at once.

Sha Wujing went closer and looked again. There, seated high on the stone platform, was Sun Wukong, holding a paper in both hands and reading it aloud.

It was the imperial travel document:

The Great Tang emperor Li, by sacred command, has appointed the imperial brother and holy monk Chen Xuanzang to travel west to the Western Heaven of the Indian realm, to the Great Thunderclap Monastery of Lingji Hill, and there worship the Buddha and seek the scriptures. Because I was stricken by illness, my soul wandered in the netherworld, and then, by heaven's favor, my allotted span was lengthened. I was sent back by the lord of the dark court, and I have now established a great Buddhist merit assembly and performed rites for the salvation of the dead. I was further blessed to receive the golden manifestation of the Bodhisattva Guanyin, who pointed out that there are Buddhas and scriptures in the West, and that the lost dead can be saved and delivered there. I therefore appoint the monk Xuanzang to travel through many mountains and ask after the scripture verses. If he should pass through the kingdoms of the West, let him not break the bond of goodness, but carry out the commands on this document.

Auspicious day in autumn, in the thirteenth year of the Zhenguan reign of Great Tang, this imperial pass issued from the palace.

Since leaving the great kingdom, he has passed through many realms and has in the meantime received three disciples: the first, Sun Wukong; the second, Zhu Wuneng, known as Bajie; the third, Sha Wujing.

He then began reading it again from the start.

When Sha Wujing heard that it was the travel pass, he could not stop himself. He rushed forward and shouted, "Brother, why are you reading the master's pass?"

When the monkey saw him, he did not know that it was Sha Wujing. He shouted, "Bring it here, bring it here!"

The monkeys swarmed around at once and dragged Sha Wujing forward. The Great Sage shouted, "Who are you, that you dare come near my immortal cave?"

Sha Wujing saw that he had changed face and would not acknowledge him, so he had no choice but to bow and say, "I must report to my brother: earlier our master truly had a bad temper and wrongly blamed you. He recited the Tightening Spell against you several times and drove you home. For one thing, we two did not plead for you; for another, because Master was hungry and thirsty, we went to beg food and water. Unexpectedly, after you returned in kindness, Master again harshly refused to keep you, and so you struck him down, leaving him unconscious on the ground and carried off the luggage. Later we revived Master and have come especially to your cave to plead with you. If you do not bear a grudge against Master and still remember the kindness of his release, then please return the luggage with me and let us see Master again. Together we can go west and complete this true fruition. But if your resentment runs deep and you refuse to go, then by all means grant me the bundle. Since you can live here in the deep mountain, enjoying your late-life mulberry and chestnut, that would indeed be the best solution for both sides."

Wukong heard this and gave a cold laugh.

"Good brother, that argument does not suit me at all. I beat Tang monk and took the luggage not because I did not want to go west or because I like living here. I have now read the travel pass carefully. I myself will go west to worship the Buddha and seek the scriptures, sending the pass back to the Eastern Land. If I succeed alone, then let the people of the Southern Continent establish me as their ancestor and let my name be handed down for ten thousand generations."

Sha Wujing laughed. "Brother, what you say is not right. There has never been any talk of Sun Wukong going west to seek scriptures alone. The Tathagata Buddha ordained the three scriptures and commissioned the Bodhisattva Guanyin to seek out a scripture pilgrim in the Eastern Land. She asked us to endure hardship over a thousand mountains and ask after the scriptures in every kingdom so that we could protect that pilgrim. The Bodhisattva once said that the scripture pilgrim is a disciple of the Tathagata, called Elder Golden Cicada. Because he would not listen when the Buddha expounded the law, he was banished from Mount Lingshan and reborn in the Eastern Land, so that by his own merit he could return west and cultivate the great path. On the road, when such demons and obstacles arose, we were to save him and be his protectors.

If Brother cannot get Tang Sanzang, which Buddha will ever transmit the scriptures to you? Would that not all be empty labor and wasted thought?"

Wukong said, "Brother, you are muddled. You only know one thing and not the other. You say that if you have Tang monk and I protect him, I can go with you. But do I not also have a Tang monk here? I have selected a true monk of the Way right here. I will go to seek the scriptures myself. Old Sun will support the whole matter alone. Why should that not be possible? I have already chosen to set out at dawn tomorrow. If you do not believe it, wait until I have someone brought out and let you see."

He called, "You little ones, quickly invite the elder master out."

Sure enough, a white horse was led out of the cave, followed by a Tripitaka, then by a Bajie carrying the luggage, and then by a Sha Wujing holding a monk's staff.

Sha Wujing was enraged.

"I, Sha the Monk, do not change my name when I travel and do not change my surname when I sit. Where is this other Sha monk coming from? Do not be insolent. Taste my staff!"

He raised his demon-subduing treasure staff in both hands and brought it down on the false Sha's head. That one died on the spot, but he was only a monkey spirit.

Wukong flew into a rage. He lifted the Golden-Hooped Rod and led the monkeys in surrounding Sha Wujing. Sha Wujing fought his way left and right, broke out of the gate, and rode his cloud and mist away to save his life, crying, "This shameless monkey is too vile. I will complain to the Bodhisattva."

Seeing that Sha Wujing had killed one monkey spirit and driven off the false Sha, Wukong did not pursue him. He turned back to the cave and told the little ones to drag the dead demon body aside. They skinned it, cut out the meat, fried it, and ate it with coconut wine and grape wine together with the monkey troop. Then they picked another shapeshifter and made him into a new Sha Wujing, all in preparation for going west. We need not dwell on that.

Sha Wujing rode his cloud out of the Eastern Sea and traveled for a full day and night before reaching the South Sea. As he went, he could already see Mount Putuo not far away. He hurried forward and lowered his cloud to look. What a marvelous place it was:

It gathered the hidden heart of heaven and spread the region of earth.
It met the hundred rivers and washed the sun into waves of light;
it gathered the many currents and raised wind and moon together.
When the tide rose, great fish transformed;
when the waves turned, immense turtles swam in the vastness.
The sea ran through the northwest waters, and its waves joined the Eastern Ocean.
The four seas shared one ground vein, while immortal islands and shores held their own palaces.
Do not speak only of a land full of Penglai; look first at the cloud-caves of Putuo.
Fine scenery! Sunset clouds blaze over the mountain peaks; auspicious winds ripple the moonlit crystal cliffs.
In the Purple Bamboo Grove, peacocks fly; on the green willow branches, spiritual parrots speak.
Precious flowers and jade grasses bloom year after year; jeweled trees and golden lotuses bear every season.
White cranes have often flown to the summit; pale phoenixes have often visited the mountain pavilion.
Even the swimming fish have learned a true and cultivating nature,
leaping through the waves and listening to the scriptures.

Sha Wujing walked slowly up Mount Putuo, taking in the immortal scene. There Hui'an met him face to face and said, "Sha Wujing, you are supposed to be protecting Tang Monk on the scripture journey. What business brings you here?"

Sha Wujing completed his salute and said, "I have a matter that brings me especially to the Bodhisattva. I trouble you to lead me in."

Hui'an knew at once that he was looking for Wukong, so he said nothing more about it. He went in first and reported to the Bodhisattva, "Outside is Tang Monk's junior disciple, Sha Wujing, come to pay respects."

When Sun Wukong heard this beneath the platform, he laughed. "This must mean Tang monk is in trouble, and Sha Wujing has come to ask the Bodhisattva for help."

The Bodhisattva immediately ordered Hui'an to call him in from the doorway.

Sha Wujing fell flat on the ground and bowed. When he had finished his obeisance and was just about to explain the matter, he suddenly saw Sun Wukong standing by the side. He did not wait to hear another word. He lifted the demon-subduing staff and struck at Wukong's face.

Wukong did not even lift a hand. He simply sidestepped the blow.

Sha Wujing cursed wildly. "You law-breaking, rebellious monkey! You have come here to deceive the Bodhisattva again!"

The Bodhisattva shouted, "Wujing, do not use your hands. Tell me what happened first."

Sha Wujing put away his treasure staff and bowed again beneath the platform. Still angry, he said to the Bodhisattva, "This monkey has been acting violently all along, and I cannot count the number of his crimes. The other day, down at the mountain slope, he beat to death two highway robbers. Master blamed him. That very evening we lodged at the house of the robbers' chief, and he killed another whole band of thieves, then carried a bloodied human head back to show Master. Master was frightened out of the saddle, scolded him a few times, and drove him home.

After they parted, Master became desperately hungry and thirsty, so he sent Bajie to look for water. We waited a long time and saw no sign of him, so I went after him. Unexpectedly, Sun Wukong saw that we were both gone and came back again. He struck Master with an iron rod and carried off the two blue felt bundles.

We revived Master and came here to his Water-Curtain Cave to demand the bundle back. Instead of yielding, he changed his face and would not even admit me. He recited the travel document over and over.

When I asked him why he was reading it, he said he would not protect Tang monk any longer. He wanted to go west by himself, send the scriptures back to the Eastern Land, count that as his own merit, and have people all ages worship him as an ancestor.

I answered, 'Without Tang monk, who would ever transmit the scriptures to you?' He said he had chosen a true monk of the Way. Then he called out, and out came a white horse, a Tang monk, a Bajie carrying the luggage, and a Sha monk.

I said, 'I am Sha Wujing. Where did this other Sha monk come from?' Then I rushed forward and struck him with one blow of my treasure staff. It was only a monkey spirit. He then led his monkeys to seize me. I escaped here and came to ask the Bodhisattva. I do not know how he could have used somersault cloud to arrive here first. Nor do I know what clever words he used to deceive the Bodhisattva."

The Bodhisattva said, "Wujing, do not slander people. Wukong has been here for four days now. I have never let him go back. How could he have called a different Tang monk and gone west by himself?"

Sha Wujing said, "Then there is a Sun Wukong at Water-Curtain Cave right now. How can that be denied?"

The Bodhisattva said, "If that is so, do not be anxious. Let Wukong go with you to Flower-Fruit Mountain. Whether the trouble there is real or false, we will know when we see it."

The Great Sage immediately took his leave of the Bodhisattva together with Sha Wujing. Their journey took them to the place where Flower-Fruit Mountain and Water-Curtain Cave would make true and false plain, but how they would tell the difference is not yet to be said. We must wait for the next chapter.