The Journey to the West, Revised Edition, Volume 2 Read online

  The white horse recognized that it was Eight Rules; assuming human speech suddenly, he called out: “Elder Brother!” Idiot was so shaken that he fell on the ground. Pulling himself up, he was about to dash outside when the white horse caught hold of the monk’s robe by his teeth, saying again, “Elder Brother, don’t be afraid of me.”

  “Brother,” said Eight Rules, still shaking, “why are you talking today? When you talk like that, it has to mean that some great misfortune is about to befall us.” The little dragon said, “Did you know that Master had landed in a terrible ordeal?” “No, I didn’t,” said Eight Rules.

  The little dragon said, “Of course, you didn’t! You and Sha Monk were flaunting your abilities before the king, thinking that you could capture the demon and be rewarded for your merit. You didn’t expect that the demon was so powerful and you were the ones no doubt who were beaten. At least one of you could have returned to give us the news, but there was not one word from either of you. That monster-spirit had changed himself into a handsome scholar and broken into the court to present himself to the king as an imperial relative. Our master was changed by him into a ferocious striped tiger, who was then taken captive by the officials and locked up in an iron cage in one of the palace chambers. When I heard how Master suffered, my heart felt as if it had been stabbed by a sword. But you were gone for nearly two days, and I was afraid that any further delay might mean that Master would be killed. So I had no choice but to change back into my dragon body to go and try to rescue him. When I reached the court, I couldn’t find Master, but I met the monster in the Silver Peace Palace. I changed into the form of a palace maid, trying to deceive him. He asked me to do a sword dance, during which I tried to slash him. He escaped my blow and defeated me instead with a candelabrum. I tried desperately to hit him when I threw the sword at him, but he caught it instead and gave me a blow on my hind leg with that candelabrum. I dived into the imperial moat and saved my life; the bruise on my leg was caused by the candelabrum.”

  When Eight Rules heard these words, he said, “Is that all true?” “You think I’m deceiving you?” said the little dragon. Eight Rules asked, “What are we going to do? What are we going to do? Can you move at all?” “If I can,” said the little dragon, “what then?” “If you can move at all,” said Eight Rules, “move into the ocean then. Old Hog will pole the luggage back to the Old Gao Village to pick up my wife again.” When the little dragon heard this, he clamped his mouth onto Eight Rules’s shirt and refused to let go. As tears fell from his eyes, he said, “Elder Brother, you mustn’t become indolent.” “Why not?” said Eight Rules. “Brother Sha has already been caught by him, and I can’t beat him. If we don’t scatter now, what are we waiting for?” The little dragon thought for some time before he spoke again, tears streaming down his cheeks. “Elder Brother, don’t mention the word scatter. If you want to save Master, you have to go and ask a person to come here.” “Who is that?” asked Eight Rules. The little dragon said, “You’d better hurry and mount the clouds to go to the Flower-Fruit Mountain, so that you can invite our Big Brother, Pilgrim Sun, to come back. Most certainly he has dharma power great enough to subdue this fiend and rescue Master, avenging at the same time the shame of our defeat.”

  “Brother,” said Eight Rules, “let me go ask someone else. That monkey and I are not on the best of terms, you know. When he killed that Lady White Bone back there on the White Tiger Ridge, he was mad at me already for wheedling Master into reciting the Tight-Fillet Spell. I was just being frivolous, and I didn’t think that the old priest would really recite it and even banish him. I don’t know how he hates me now, and I’m certain also that he won’t come back. Suppose we have a little argument then: that funeral staff of his is pretty heavy, you know. If he doesn’t know any better at that moment and gives me a few strokes, you think I’ll be able to live?” The little dragon said, “He won’t hit you, because he is a kind and just Monkey King. When you see him, don’t say that Master is in peril; just tell him that Master is thinking of him and deceive him into coming. When he gets here and sees what’s happening, he will not get mad. He will want most certainly to have it out with the monster-spirit instead. Then the demon will surely be caught and Master will be saved.” “All right, all right!” said Eight Rules. “You are so dedicated. If I don’t go, it’ll mean that I’m not dedicated. I’ll go, and if indeed Pilgrim consents to come, I’ll return with him. But if he is unwilling, then don’t expect me, because I won’t be coming back either.” “Go! Go!” said the little dragon. “He will certainly come.”

  Idiot indeed put away his muckrake and straightened his shirt. He leaped up and mounted the clouds, heading straight toward the East. It so happened that the Tang Monk was not yet fated to die. The wind was blowing in the right direction; all Idiot had to do was to stick up his huge ears, and he sped across the Eastern Ocean as if sails were hoisted on him. The sun was just rising when he dropped from the clouds to find his way in the mountain. As he was walking, he heard someone talking. He took another careful look and found Pilgrim sitting on a huge boulder in a mountain valley. Before him some one thousand and two hundred monkeys lined up in ranks, all shouting, “Long live our Father Great Sage!” Eight Rules said, “What pleasures! What pleasures! No wonder he doesn’t want to be a monk and wants only to come home! Look at all these goodies! Such a huge household, and so many little monkeys to serve him! If old Hog has a large farm like this, I’m not going to be a monk either. Since I’ve arrived, what shall I do? I suppose I’ll have to see him.”

  But Idiot was in truth afraid of Pilgrim, and he dared not show himself openly. Sliding down the grassy meadow, he crawled stealthily into the midst of those thousand-odd monkeys and began to kowtow also along with them. He had no idea how high the Great Sage was sitting and how sharp his vision was. Having seen everything all at once, the Monkey King asked, “Who is that barbarian in the ranks who’s bowing in such a confused manner? Where does he come from? Bring him up here!” Hardly had he finished speaking when the little monkeys, like a swarm of bees, pushed Eight Rules to the front and pressed him to the ground. Pilgrim said, “Barbarian, where did you come from?” “I dare not accept the honor of your questioning me,” said Eight Rules, his head lowered. “I’m no barbarian, I’m an acquaintance.”

  Pilgrim said, “All the monkeys under the command of the Great Sage here have similar features, not like that lubberly face of yours. You must be some fiendish demon from another region. If so, and if you want to be a subject of mine, you should have first presented us with your name and the particulars of your age and antecedents on a card so that I can take your roll when you are assigned to our ranks here. But you haven’t even done that, and you dare kneel here to bow to me?” With his head and snout lowered, Eight Rules said, “Oh, for shame! I’ll show you my face! I have been a brother of yours now for a few years, and you still claim that you don’t recognize me, calling me some kind of barbarian!” “Raise your head and let me have a look,” said Pilgrim with a chuckle. Sticking his snout upward, Idiot said, “Look! Even if you can’t recognize me, you can at least recognize this snout of mine!” Pilgrim could not refrain from laughing and saying, “Zhu Eight Rules.” As soon as he heard this, he jumped up, crying, “Yes! Yes! I am Zhu Eight Rules.” He thought to himself also, “If he recognizes me, then it’s easier to speak.”

  Pilgrim said, “Why aren’t you accompanying the Tang Monk to go fetch scriptures? Why are you here? Could it be that you, too, have offended Master and he banished you also? Do you have any letter of banishment? Let me see it.” “I didn’t offend him,” said Eight Rules, “and he didn’t give me any letter of banishment. Nor did he dismiss me.” “If there’s no letter and he didn’t dismiss you, why are you here?” asked Pilgrim. Eight Rules replied, “Master has been thinking of you; he told me to come and invite you to go back.”

  “He didn’t think of me, nor did he invite me,” said Pilgrim. “He swore to Heaven that day and he wrote the letter
of banishment himself. How could he think of me and ask me to go back? I definitely will not go back.” Eight Rules lied conveniently, saying, “He really did think of you! He really did think of you!” “What made him think of me?” asked Pilgrim. Eight Rules said, “As Master was riding on the horse, he called out at one point, ‘Disciple.’ I didn’t hear him, and Sha Monk claimed that he was somewhat deaf! Master at once thought of you, saying that we were worthless and that only you were smart and alert enough to answer once you were called, to give ten replies to one question. That’s how he thought of you, and he has sent me specially to ask you to go back. Please do so, at least for the sake of his expectation and for the sake of my having traveled all this distance.”

  When Pilgrim heard these words, he jumped down from the boulder. Taking the hand of Eight Rules, he said, “Worthy Brother, sorry that you have to travel such a great distance to come. Let’s you and I go and have some fun.” “Elder Brother,” said Eight Rules, “this place is quite far away, and I fear that Master might be kept waiting. I don’t want to play.” Pilgrim said, “After all, this is your first time here. Take a look at least at my mountain scenery.” Idiot dared not persist in his refusal and had to walk away with him.

  The two of them proceeded hand in hand, while the little monsters followed behind to go up to the highest spot on the Flower-Fruit Mountain. Marvelous mountain! Ever since the Great Sage’s homecoming, it had been completely made new by his labor these few days. You see the mountain

  Green as carved jade,

  Tall like a cloud-scraper.

  All around are tigers crouched and dragons coiled;

  On four sides are frequent calls of apes and cranes.

  At dawn the clouds blockade the summit;

  At dusk the sun is poised above the forest.

  The flowing stream murmurs like tingling girdle-jade;

  The brook sounds drop by drop a psaltery note.

  Before the mountain are ridges and tall cliffs;

  Behind the mountain are flowers and dense woods.

  It touches the jade-girl’s hair-washing bowl above;

  It joins a branch of Heaven’s River down below.

  This cosmos-formed beauty surpasses Penglai,

  A true cave-mansion born of primal breaths.

  Even master artists find it hard to sketch,

  Nor can wise immortals depict it all.

  Like openworks carved finely fantastic rocks

  In fantastic colors soar up at the top.

  The sun moves in a thousand purple rays;

  Auspicious air forms countless strands of red mist.

  A cave-heaven, a blessed place among mankind:

  A mountain full of fresh blossoms and fresh trees.

  Delighted by the endless splendor of the scenery, Eight Rules said, “Elder Brother, what a lovely place! Truly the number one mountain in the whole world!” “Worthy Brother,” said Pilgrim, “think you can pass the time here?” “Look at the way Elder Brother talks!” chuckled Eight Rules. “This precious mountain is a cave-heaven, a land of blessing. How could you say ‘pass the time’?” The two of them chatted amiably for a long time before descending from the peak. They met on the way several little monkeys, all holding purple grapes, fragrant pears, bright golden loquats, and dark red strawberries. Kneeling by the road, they cried, “Father Great Sage, please have some breakfast.” “My Brother Zhu,” said Pilgrim, laughing, “has a huge appetite, and he doesn’t take fruits for breakfast. Nonetheless, please don’t be offended by such trifles; use them as snacks and take a few.” Eight Rules said, “Though I have a huge appetite, I do as the natives do anywhere. Yes, by all means bring them up here. I’ll try a few for taste.”

  The two of them ate the fruits, and the sun was fast rising high. Afraid that there might not be enough time to save the Tang Monk, Idiot tried to urge his companion to leave, saying, “Elder Brother, Master is waiting for us. Please hurry and go.” “Worthy Brother,” said Pilgrim, “I’m inviting you to have some fun with me at the Water-Curtain Cave.” Eight Rules at once declined, saying, “I appreciate your kind thoughts, Old Brother, but Master has waited for a long time already. There’s really no need for us to enter the cave.” “In that case,” said Pilgrim, “I dare not detain you. I’ll say good-bye right here.” “Elder Brother,” said Eight Rules, “aren’t you going with me?” Pilgrim said, “Go where? This place of mine is neither governed by Heaven nor controlled by Earth. I’m completely free here. Why shouldn’t I enjoy this? Why should I become a monk again? I will not go. You have to go back by yourself. And please tell the Tang Monk that once he has dismissed me, don’t ever think of me again.” When Idiot heard these words, he dared not press any further, for he was afraid that Pilgrim’s temper might flare and he would then receive a couple of strokes from the rod. He had no alternative but to take leave meekly and find his way back.

  When Pilgrim saw him leave, he ordered two agile little monkeys to follow him and to find out what he was going to say. Indeed, when that Idiot descended the mountain, he did not cover more than three or four miles before he turned around and pointed his finger at the direction of Pilgrim. “You ape,” he cried, “you don’t want to be a priest! You choose to be a monster instead. What an ape! I came here with good intentions to ask him to go back, but he refused. All right! If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to!” He took a few steps and began his castigations again. The two little monkeys ran back to report, “Father Great Sage, that Zhu Eight Rules is rather sneaky! He’s ranting at you as he walks away.” Pilgrim grew angry and shouted, “Seize him!” All the little monkeys rushed after Eight Rules and pushed him to the ground. Clutching at his mane and tugging at his ears, pulling his tail and grabbing his hair, they hauled him bodily back to the cave. We do not know how he will be treated or what will happen to him; let’s listen to the explanation in the next chapter.

  THIRTY-ONE

  Zhu Eight Rules provokes the Monkey King to chivalry;

  Pilgrim Sun with wisdom defeats the monster.

  Righteousness joined to fraternal feelings,

  The dharma returning to its own nature:

  Docile Metal and Gentle Wood will bear right fruit.

  Mind Monkey and Wood Mother fuse with elixir source—1

  Both ascending to the world of ultimate bliss,

  Both arriving at the gate of undivided truth.2

  Sūtras are the main path of self-cultivation;

  Buddha should unite with one’s own spirit.

  Brothers, elder and younger, make the kinship of the three;

  Forms of monsters and demons match the Five Phases.

  Exterminate the Sixfold Path

  And you’ll reach the Great Thunderclap.

  We were telling you about Idiot, who was caught by those monkeys; pulling and tugging at him, they ripped open his shirt as they hauled him away. Over and over again, he muttered to himself, “Finished! I’m finished! This time, I’m going to be beaten to death!” In no time at all, they reached the entrance of the cave, where the Great Sage was sitting again on top of the boulder. “You overstuffed coolie!” he shouted. “You should have just left. Why did you abuse me?” Kneeling on the ground, Eight Rules said, “Elder Brother, I did not abuse you. If I did, I would bite off this tongue! I only said that if you didn’t want to go, I would go back to tell Master and that would have been the end of it. How would I dare abuse you?”

  “How could you possibly deceive me?” asked Pilgrim. “If I pull up this left ear of mine, I can find out who’s speaking up in the Thirty-third Heaven; if I pull down this right ear of mine, I can discover how the Ten Kings of Hell are sett ling the cases with the judges. You were maligning me as you walked away, and you thought that I couldn’t hear you?”

  Eight Rules said, “Elder Brother, now I know. You are something of a crook and a shakedown artist! You must have changed into some kind of creature and followed me. That’s how you found out.” “Little ones,” cried Pilgrim, “select
for me a large cane! Give him twenty strokes on his shanks as a greeting; then give him another twenty on his back. Thereafter let me use my iron rod to send him on his way!” Eight Rules was so terrified that he kowtowed at once, saying, “Elder Brother, I beg you to spare me for the sake of Master.”

  “O, Master is so just and kind!” said Pilgrim.

  “Elder Brother,” said Eight Rules again, “if not for the sake of Master, at least for the sake of the Bodhisattva, please forgive me.”

  When Pilgrim heard him mention the Bodhisattva, he relented somewhat, saying, “Brother, if you put it that way, I won’t hit you for the moment. But you must be honest with me and not try to deceive me. Where is that Tang Monk facing an ordeal that has caused you to come and call for me?”

  “Elder Brother,” said Eight Rules, “there’s no ordeal. He is truly thinking of you.”

  “Coolie, you must love to be beaten!” shouted Pilgrim. “Why are you still trying to dupe me? Though old Monkey’s body has returned to the Water-Curtain Cave, his heart follows the scripture monk. Our master faces an ordeal with each step of the way; he is fated to suffer at every place. You better tell me quickly, or you’ll be whipped!”

  When Eight Rules heard such words, he kowtowed and said, “Elder Brother, I did quite clearly attempt to deceive you into going, but I had no idea how smart you were. Please spare me from a beating and let me tell you standing up.” “All right,” said Pilgrim, “rise and talk.” The monkeys took away their hands and Idiot, jumping up at once, began to look wildly left and right. Pilgrim said, “What are you doing that for?” “To see which road is wide and smooth so that I can run,” said Eight Rules. “To where?” asked Pilgrim. “I’ll let you have a three days’ head start, and old Monkey still has the ability to chase you back. You’d better speak up! If you get me mad again, I won’t spare you this time.”

  Eight Rules said, “To tell you the truth, Elder Brother, since you left us, Sha Monk and I accompanied Master to go forward and we arrived at a black pine forest. Master dismounted and told me to go beg for vegetarian food. Because I didn’t find even a single household after walking a great distance, I got a bit tired and napped a little in the grass. Sha Monk, I didn’t realize, also left Master to try to find me. You know that Master couldn’t sit still, and he took a walk by himself in the forest to enjoy the scenery. When he got out of the forest, he saw a luminescent jeweled pagoda of yellow gold, which he thought was some sort of monastery. He didn’t know that there was a monster-spirit beneath the pagoda, who had the name of Yellow Robe, and he was caught by the fiend. Later, when Sha Monk and I returned to look for him, we saw only the white horse and the luggage, but we didn’t see Master. We searched until we went to the door of the cave, where we fought the fiend. Meanwhile, Master met a saving star inside, who happened to be the third princess of the Precious Image Kingdom, abducted some time ago by that fiend. She wrote a letter to her family and wanted Master to send it for her; that was the reason why she persuaded the monster to let Master go. When we arrived at the kingdom, we presented the letter, whereupon the king asked Master to subdue the monster. Elder Brother, you should know. How could that old priest subdue any monster? It had to be the two of us again who went back to do battle, but the magic power of the fiend was tremendous and he seized Sha Monk instead. I managed to escape by hiding in the grass. Thereafter, the monster changed himself into a handsome scholar to gain admittance into the court and imperial recognition. Master, on the other hand, was changed by him into a tiger. That evening, it was fortunate that the white dragon-horse revealed himself to go search for Master; he didn’t find him, but he saw the fiend drinking in the Silver Peace Palace. Changing into a palace maid, the dragon poured wine for him, did a sword dance, and was about to use that opportunity to try to kill the monster. He was wounded instead by him with a candelabrum, and it was the dragon who told me to come get you. He said that Elder Brother was a just and benevolent gentleman, one who would not dwell on old wrongs and would be willing to go and save Master. I beg you, Elder Brother, remember the truth of ‘Once a teacher, always a father,’ and do try to save him.”