When the Ape and the Horse Are Tamed They Cast Off Their Husks
When All the Deeds Have Been Done Reality Is Seen
The story told how after coming back to life Mr. Kou once more arranged for parasols, banners, drummers, musicians, Buddhist monks, Taoist priests, his friends and his relations to see Sanzang off again. But instead of describing this we will tell of the Tang Priest and his three disciples taking the main road. The West was indeed a land of the Buddha, unlike anywhere else. They saw precious flowers, rare grasses, ancient cypresses and hoary pines. In all the places they passed through every family was pious and fed monks. Under every mountain people cultivated their conduct; in all the forests travelers recited sutras Master and disciples took shelter each night and set out at dawn, till six or seven days later a mass of high buildings and splendid halls suddenly came into view. Truly they were:
Thrusting a hundred feet into the heavens,
Touching the Milky Way in the sky.
Lower your head and see the setting sun;
Put out your hand and pluck a shooting star.
The spacious windows enclose the cosmos;
The towering roofbeams join up with the clouds.
Yellow cranes bring letters as the autumn trees grow old;
Coloured phoenix epistles come in the fresh evening breeze.
These are sacred and precious palaces and gates,
Jeweled, intricate buildings and courtyards.
In the holy halls the Way is discussed;
Sutras are transmitted throughout the universe.
The flowers are beautiful as they turn towards the spring;
Green are the pine trees in the rain.
Purple fungus and immortals' fruits ever flourish;
All beings respond as red phoenixes soar.
Sanzang raised his whip and pointed with it as he said, “What a fine place, Wukong.”
“Master,” said Monkey, “when you were in those delusive places where you saw false images of Buddhas you insisted on prostrating yourself in front of them. But today, when you've reached the real place where there is the true image of the Buddha, you won't even dismount. What do you mean by it?” No sooner did he hear this than Sanzang sprang straight out of the saddle and went to the gateway.
A young lay brother who stood to one side of the monastery gateway called out, “You must be the people from the East who have come to fetch the scriptures.” The venerable elder quickly straightened his clothes and raised his head to look around. He saw that the boy was
Wearing clothes of golden brocade,
Waving a jade-handled whisk.
Wearing clothes of golden brocade
He feasted in pavilions by the Jasper Pool;
Waving a jade-handled whisk
He dusted the steps of the purple palaces.
At his side hung an immortal's tablet;
And on his feet were sandals.
He was a true winged adept,
Elegant and remarkable.
Having won immortality he lived in a wonderful land,
Cultivating eternal life and escaping from worldly dust.
The holy priest did not recognize the stranger on Vulture Peak,
The Gold-crested Immortal of yesteryear.
The Great Sage Monkey did, however, recognize him. “Master,” said Monkey, “this is the Great Gold-crested Immortal who lives at the Jade Truth Temple at the foot of Vulture Peak. He is here to greet us.” Only then did Sanzang realize who he was and step forward to salute him.
“You have finally arrived here this year,” replied the Great Immortal with a smile. “I was fooled by the Bodhisattva Guanyin. Ten years ago she went to the East at the Buddha's command to find the Pilgrim who would fetch the scriptures. She told me then he would be here within two or three years. I have been waiting for years on end with no news of you at all. I never thought that it would be this year before we met.”
Putting his hands together in front of his chest, Sanzang replied, “I am very grateful to you for your kindness, Great Immortal, very grateful.” Sanzang and his three disciples led the horse and carried the baggage with them into the Taoist temple, where they were introduced to all the Great Immortals there. Tea and a vegetarian meal were then ordered, and the Taoist boys were told to heat scented water for the holy monks to bathe in before climbing to the Buddha land. Indeed:
When achievements are complete it is right to bathe;
The fundamental nature has been trained into innate truth.
Many thousand troubles and today:
The nine prohibitions and triple surrender lead to renewal.
The monsters all done with, they climb to the Buddha land;
With disasters ended they see the Sramana.
Dirt and filth now washed away, they are wholly pure;
Returning to the fundamental, their bodies are imperishable.
By the time master and disciples had bathed the day was drawing to a close. They spent the night in the Jade Truth Temple.
The next morning the Tang Priest changed into his brocade cassock, put on his Vairocana mitre and grasped his monastic staff in his hand to climb the steps of the main hall and take his leave of the Great Immortal. “Yesterday you were in rags,” the Great Immortal said with a smile, “but today you are dressed in splendor. I can see from your appearance that you are indeed a son of the Buddha.” Sanzang then bowed in farewell.
“Wait a moment,” the Great Immortal said. “I will see you off.”
“There's no need for you to see us off,” Monkey replied. “I know the way.”
“What you know,” said the Great Immortal, “is the way by cloud. The holy monk has never gone by cloud. He must go by the overland way.”
“You're right,” replied Monkey. “Although I've been here several times I've always come and gone by cloud. I've never come here on foot. If there's an overland route I'll trouble you to see us along it. My master is very serious about worshipping the Buddha, so I'd be very grateful if you could hurry up about it.” The Great Immortal chuckled as he took the Tang Priest by hand and led the Incense to the gate of the Dharma. The way led not out by the temple's front entrance but through the main hall and out through the back gate.
Pointing towards Vulture Peak, the Great Immortal said, “Holy monk, do you see the auspicious light of many colours and the richly textured aura in the sky? That is the summit of Vulture Peak, the holy territory of the Lord Buddha.” As soon as he saw it the Tang Priest bowed low.
“Master,” said Brother Monkey with a smile, “we haven't got to the place for bowing yet. As the saying goes, 'The mountain may be in view, but your horse will collapse before you get there.' We're still quite a long way from the place, so why start bowing now? If you bow all the way from here to the top, however many times will you have to hit your head on the ground?”
“Holy monk,” said the Great Immortal, “You, the Great Sage, Marshal Tian Peng, and the Curtain-raising General have now reached the blessed land and seen Vulture Peak. I am going back now.” Sanzang took his leave of the Great Immortal and continued on his way.
The Great Sage led the Tang Priest and the others slowly up Vulture Peak. Within a couple of miles they reached a river of mighty rolling waves some three miles wide. There was no sign of anyone anywhere around.
“Wukong,” said Sanzang with alarm, “we have come the wrong way. I wonder if the Great Immortal misdirected us. This river is so wide and the waves so big, and there are no boats to be seen. How are we to cross it?”
“He didn't send us the wrong way,” replied Monkey with a smile. “Look over there. That's a bridge, isn't it? Once we're over that we'll have completed the true achievement.” When the venerable elder and the others went closer to look they saw a tablet beside it on which were written the words CLOUDTOUCHING CROSSING. Now this bridge was only a single log. Indeed: