第七回

第七回 八卦炉中逃大圣 五行山下定心猿

富贵功名，前缘分定，为人切莫欺心。正大光明，忠良善果弥深。些些狂妄天加谴，眼前不遇待时临。问东君[1]因甚，如今祸害相侵。只为心高图罔极[2]，不分上下乱规箴[3]。

话表齐天大圣被众天兵押去斩妖台下，绑在降妖柱上，刀砍斧剁，枪刺剑刳，莫想伤及其身。南斗星奋令火部众神，放火煨烧，亦不能烧着。又着雷部众神以雷屑钉打，越发不能伤损一毫。那大力鬼王与众启奏道：“万岁，这大圣不知是何处学得这护身之法，臣等用刀砍斧剁，雷打火烧，一毫不能伤损，却如之何？”玉帝闻言道：“这厮这等，这等……如何处治？”太上老君即奏道：“那猴吃了蟠桃，饮了御酒，又盗了仙丹，——我那五壶丹，有生有熟，被他都吃在肚里，运用三昧火，煅成一块，所以浑做金钢之躯，急不能伤。不若与老道领去，放在八卦炉中，以文武火煅炼。炼出我的丹来，他身自为灰烬矣。”玉帝闻言，即教六丁六甲将他解下，付与老君。老君领旨去讫。一壁厢宣二郎显圣，赏赐金花百朵，御酒百瓶，还丹百粒，异宝、明珠、锦绣等件，教与义兄弟分享。真君谢恩，回灌江口不题。

那老君到兜率宫，将大圣解去绳索，放了穿琵琶骨之器，推入八卦炉中，命看炉的道人，架火的童子，将火扇起煅炼。原来那炉是乾、坎、艮、震、巽、离、坤、兑八卦。他即将身钻在“巽宫”位下。巽乃风也，有风则无火。只是风搅得烟来，把一双眼煼[4]红了，弄做个老害病眼，故唤作“火眼金睛”。

真个光阴迅速，不觉七七四十九日，老君的火候俱全。忽一日，开炉取丹。那大圣双手侮[5]着眼，正自揉搓流涕，只听炉头声响。猛睁睛看见光明，他就忍不住，将身一纵，跳出丹炉，唿喇一声，蹬倒八卦炉，往外就走。慌得那架火、看炉与丁甲一班人来扯，被他一个个都放倒，好似癫痫的白额虎，风狂的独角龙。老君赶上抓一把，被他一捽，捽了个倒栽葱，脱身走了。即去耳中掣出如意棒，迎风幌一幌，碗来粗细，依然拿在手中，不分好歹，却又大乱天宫，打得那九曜星闭门闭户，四天王无影无形。好猴精！有诗为证。诗曰：

混元体正合先天，万劫千番只自然。

渺渺无为浑太乙，如如不动号初玄[6]。

炉中久炼非铅汞，物外长生是本仙。

变化无穷还变化，三皈五戒[7]总休言。

又诗：

一点灵光彻太虚，那条拄杖亦如之：

或长或短随人用，横竖横排任卷舒。

又诗：

猿猴道体配人心，心即猿猴意思深。

大圣齐天非假论，官封“弼马”是知音。

马猿合作心和意，紧缚牢拴莫外寻。

万相归真从一理，如来同契住双林[8]。

这一番，那猴王不分上下，使铁棒东打西敌，更无一神可挡。只打到通明殿里，灵霄殿外。幸有佑圣真君的佐使王灵官执殿。他见大圣纵横，掣金鞭近前挡住道：“泼猴何往！有吾在此，切莫猖狂！”这大圣不由分说，举棒就打。那灵官鞭起相迎。两个在灵霄殿前厮浑一处。好杀：

赤胆忠良名誉大，欺天诳上声名坏。一低一好幸相持，豪杰英雄同赌赛。铁棒凶，金鞭快，正直无私怎忍耐？这个是太乙雷声应化尊，那个是齐天大圣猿猴怪。金鞭铁棒两家能，都是神宫仙器械。今日在灵霄宝殿下弄威风，各展雄才真可爱。一个欺心要夺斗牛宫，一个竭力匡扶元圣界。苦争不让显神通，鞭棒往来无胜败。

他两个斗在一处，胜败未分。早有佑圣真君，又差将佐发文到雷府，调三十六员雷将齐来，把大圣围在垓心，各骋凶恶鏖战。那大圣全无一毫惧色，使一条如意棒，左遮右挡，后架前迎。一时，见那众雷将的刀枪剑戟、鞭简挝锤、钺斧金瓜、旄镰月铲，来的甚紧，他即摇身一变，变做三头六臂；把如意棒幌一幌，变作三条；六只手使开三条棒，好便似纺车儿一般，滴流流，在那垓心里飞舞，众雷神莫能相近。真个是：

圆陀陀，光灼灼，亘古常存人怎学？入火不能焚，入水何曾溺？光明一颗摩尼[9]珠，剑戟刀枪伤不着。也能善，也能恶，眼前善恶凭他作。善时成佛与成仙，恶处披毛并带角。无穷变化闹天宫，雷将神兵不可捉。

当时众圣把大圣攒在一处，却不能近身，乱嚷乱斗，早惊动玉帝。遂传旨着游奕灵官同翊圣真君上西方请佛老降伏。

那二圣得了旨，径到灵山胜境，雷音宝刹之前，对四金刚、八菩萨礼毕，即烦转达。众神随至宝莲台下启知，如来召请。二圣礼佛三匝，侍立台下。如来问：“玉帝何事，烦二圣下临？”二圣即启道：“向时花果山产一猴，在那里弄神通，聚众猴搅乱世界。玉帝降招安旨，封为‘弼马温’，他嫌官小反去。当遣李天王、哪吒太子擒拿未获，复招安他，封做‘齐天大圣’，先有官无禄。着他代管蟠桃园，他即偷桃；又走至瑶池，偷肴偷酒，搅乱大会；仗酒又暗入兜率宫，偷老君仙丹，反出天宫。玉帝复遣十万天兵，亦不能收伏。后观世音举二郎真君同他义兄弟追杀，他变化多端，亏老君抛金钢琢打重，二郎方得拿住。解赴御前，即命斩之。刀砍斧剁，火烧雷打，俱不能伤；老君奏准领去，以火煅炼。四十九日开鼎，他却又跳出八卦炉，打退天丁，径入通明殿里，灵霄殿外；被佑圣真君的佐使王灵官挡住苦战，又调三十六员雷将，把他困在垓心，终不能相近。因此，玉帝特请如来救驾。”如来闻诏，即对众菩萨道：“汝等在此稳坐法堂，休得乱了禅位，待我炼魔救驾去来。”

如来即唤阿傩、迦叶二尊者相随，离了雷音，径至灵霄门外。忽听得喊声振耳，乃三十六员雷将围困着大圣哩。佛祖传法旨：“教雷将停息干戈，放开营所，叫那大圣出来，等我问他有何法力。”众将果退。大圣也收了法象，现出原身近前，怒气昂昂，厉声高叫道：“你是那方善士，敢来止住刀兵问我？”如来笑道：“我是西方极乐世界释迦牟尼尊者，南无阿弥陀佛[10]。今闻你猖狂村野，屡反天宫，不知是何方生长，何年得道，为何这等暴横？”大圣道：“我本：

天地生成灵混仙，花果山中一老猿。

水帘洞里为家业，拜友寻师悟太玄。

炼就长生多少法，学来变化广无边。

因在凡间嫌地窄，立心端要住瑶天。

灵霄宝殿非他久，历代人王有分传。

强者为尊该让我，英雄只此敢争先。”

佛祖听言，呵呵冷笑道：“你那厮乃是个猴子成精，焉敢欺心，要夺玉皇上帝龙位？他自幼修持，苦历过一千七百五十劫，每劫该十二万九千六百年。你算，他该多少年数，方能享受此无极大道？你那个初世为人的畜生，如何出此大言！不当人子！不当人子！折了你的寿算！趁早皈依，切莫胡说！但恐遭了毒手，性命顷刻而休，可惜了你的本来面目！”大圣道：“他虽年劫修长，也不应久占在此。常言道：‘皇帝轮流做，明年到我家。’只教他搬出去，将天宫让与我，便罢了；若还不让，定要搅攘，永不清平！”佛祖道：“你除了长生变化之法，再有何能，敢占天宫胜境？”大圣道：“我的手段多哩！我有七十二般变化，万劫不老长生；会驾筋斗云，一纵十万八千里。如何坐不得天位？”佛祖道：“我与你打个赌赛：你若有本事，一筋斗打出我这右手掌中，算你赢，再不用动刀兵苦争战，就请玉帝到西方居住，把天宫让你；若不能打出手掌，你还下界为妖，再修几劫，却来争吵。”

那大圣闻言，暗笑道：“这如来十分好呆！我老孙一筋斗去十万八千里。他那手掌，方圆不满一尺，如何跳不出去？”急发声道：“既如此说，你可做得主张？”佛祖道：“做得！做得！”伸开右手，却似个荷叶大小。那大圣收了如意棒，抖擞神威，将身一纵，站在佛祖手心里，却道声：“我出去也！”你看他一路云光，无形无影去了。佛祖慧眼观看，见那猴王风车子一般相似，不住只管前进。大圣行时，忽见有五根肉红柱子，撑着一股青气。他道：“此间乃尽头路了。这番回去，如来作证，灵霄宫定是我坐也。”又思量说：“且住！等我留下些记号，方好与如来说话。”拔下一根毫毛，吹口仙气，叫：“变！”变作一管浓墨双毫笔，在那中间柱子上写一行大字云：“齐天大圣，到此一游。”写毕，收了毫毛。又不庄尊，却在第一根柱子根下，撒了一泡猴尿。翻转筋斗云，径回本处，站在如来掌内道：“我已去，今来了。你教玉帝让天宫与我。”

如来骂道：“我把你这个尿精猴子！你正好不曾离了我掌哩！”大圣道：“你是不知。我去到天尽头，见五根肉红柱，撑着一股青气，我留个记在那里，你敢和我同去看么？”如来道：“不消去，你只自低头看看。”那大圣睁圆火眼金睛，低头看时，原来佛祖右手中指写着“齐天大圣，到此一游”，大指丫里，还有些猴尿臊气。大圣吃了一惊道：“有这等事！有这等事！我将此字写在撑天柱子上，如何却在他手指上？莫非有个未卜先知的法术？我决不信！不信！等我再去来！”

好大圣，急纵身又要跳出，被佛祖翻掌一扑，把这猴王推出西天门外，将五指化作金、木、水、火、土五座联山，唤名“五行山”，轻轻的把他压住。众雷神与阿傩、迦叶，一个个合掌称扬道：“善哉！善哉！

当年卵化学为人，立志修行果道真。

万劫无移居胜境，一朝有变散精神。

欺天罔上思高位，凌圣偷丹乱大伦。

恶贯满盈今有报，不知何日得翻身。”

如来佛祖殄灭[11]了妖猴，即唤阿傩、迦叶同转西方极乐世界。时有天蓬、天佑急出灵霄宝殿道：“请如来少待，我主大驾来也。”佛祖闻言，回首瞻仰。须臾，果见八景鸾舆，九光宝盖；声奏玄歌妙乐，咏哦无量神章；散宝花，喷真香，直至佛前谢曰：“多蒙大法收殄妖邪，望如来少停一日，请诸仙做一会筵奉谢。”如来不敢违悖，即合掌谢道：“老僧承大天尊宣命来此，有何法力？还是天尊与众神洪福。敢劳致谢？”玉帝传旨，即着雷部众神，分头请三清、四御、五老、六司、七元、八极、九曜、十都，千真万圣，来此赴会，同谢佛恩。又命四大天师、九天仙女，大开玉京金阙、太玄宝宫、洞阳玉馆，请如来高坐七宝灵台，调设各班座位，安排龙肝凤髓，玉液蟠桃。

不一时，那玉清元始天尊、上清灵宝天尊、太清道德天尊、五炁真君、五斗星君、三官四圣、九曜真君、左辅、右弼、天王、哪吒，玄虚一应灵通，对对旌旗，双双幡盖，都捧着明珠异宝，寿果奇花，向佛前拜献曰：“感如来无量法力，收伏妖猴。蒙大天尊设宴呼唤，我等皆来陈谢。请如来将此会立一名，如何？”如来领众神之托曰：“今欲立名，可作个‘安天大会’。”各仙老异口同声，俱道：“好个‘安天大会’！好个‘安天大会’！”言讫，各坐座位，走斝传觞，簪花鼓瑟。果好会也，有诗为证。诗曰：

宴设蟠桃猴搅乱，安天大会胜蟠桃。

龙旗鸾辂祥光蔼，宝节幢幡瑞气飘。

仙乐玄歌音韵美，凤箫玉管响声高。

琼香缭绕群仙集，宇宙清平贺圣朝。

众皆畅然喜会，只见王母娘娘引一班仙子、仙娥、美姬、毛女，飘飘荡荡舞向佛前，施礼曰：“前被妖猴搅乱蟠桃嘉会，请众仙众佛，俱未成功。今蒙如来大法链锁顽猴，喜庆‘安天大会’，无物可谢，今是我净手亲摘大株蟠桃数颗奉献。”真个是：

半红半绿喷甘香，艳丽仙根万载长。

堪笑武陵源上种，争如[12]天府更奇强！

紫纹娇嫩寰中少，缃核清甜世莫双。

延寿延年能易体，有缘食者自非常。

佛祖合掌向王母谢讫。王母又着仙姬、仙子唱的唱，舞的舞。满会群仙，又皆赏赞。正是：

缥渺天香满座，缤纷仙蕊仙花。玉京金阙大荣华，异品奇珍无价。　对对与天齐寿，双双万劫增加。桑田沧海任更差，他自无惊无讶。

王母正着仙姬仙子歌舞，觥筹交错，不多时，忽又闻得：

一阵异香来鼻噢，惊动满堂星与宿。

天仙佛祖把杯停，各各抬头迎目候。

霄汉中间现老人，手捧灵芝飞蔼绣。

葫芦藏蓄万年丹，宝箓名书千纪寿。

洞里乾坤任自由，壶中日月随成就。

遨游四海乐清闲，散淡十洲容辐辏。

曾赴蟠桃醉几遭，醒时明月还依旧。

长头大耳短身躯，南极之方称老寿。

寿星又到。见玉帝礼毕，又见如来，申谢曰：“始闻那妖猴被老君引至兜率宫煅炼，以为必致平安，不期他又反出。幸如来善伏此怪，设宴奉谢，故此闻风而来。更无他物可献，特具紫芝瑶草，碧藕金丹奉上。”诗曰：

碧藕金丹奉释迦，如来万寿若恒沙。

清平永乐三乘锦，康泰长生九品花。

无相门中真法主，色空天上是仙家。

乾坤大地皆称祖，丈六金身福寿赊[13]。

如来忻然领谢。寿星得座，依然走斝传觞。只见赤脚大仙又至。向玉帝前囟礼毕，又对佛祖谢道：“深感法力，降伏妖猴。无物可以表敬，特具交梨二颗，火枣数枚奉献。”诗曰：

大仙赤脚枣梨香，敬献弥陀寿算长。

七宝莲台山样稳，千金花座锦般妆。

寿同天地言非谬，福比洪波话岂狂。

福寿如期真个是，清闲极乐那西方。

如来又称谢了，叫阿傩、迦叶，将各所献之物，一一收起，方向玉帝前谢宴。众各酩酊。只见个巡视灵官来报道：“那大圣伸出头来了。”佛祖道：“不妨，不妨。”袖中只取出一张帖子，上有六个金字：“唵、嘛、呢、叭、、吽。”[14]递与阿傩，叫贴在那山顶上。这尊者即领帖子，拿出天门，到那五行山顶上，紧紧的贴在一块四方石上。那座山即生根合缝，可运用呼吸之气，手儿爬出，可以摇挣摇挣。阿傩回报道：“已将帖子贴了。”

如来即辞了玉帝众神，与二尊者出天门之外，又发一个慈悲心，念动真言咒语，将五行山召一尊土地神祇，会同五方揭谛，居住此山监押。但他饥时，与他铁丸子吃；渴时，与他溶化的铜汁饮。待他灾愆[15]满日，自有人救他。正是：

妖猴大胆反天宫，却被如来伏手降。

渴饮溶铜捱岁月，饥餐铁弹度时光。

天灾苦困遭磨蜇，人事凄凉喜命长。

若得英雄重展挣[16]，他年奉佛上西方。

又诗曰：

伏逞豪强大势兴，降龙伏虎弄乖能。

偷桃偷酒游天府，受箓承恩在玉京。

恶贯满盈身受困，善根不绝气还升。

果然脱得如来手，且待唐朝出圣僧。

毕竟不知向后何年何月，方满灾殃，且听下回分解。

[1] 东君：神话传说中的太阳神。

[2] 罔极：没边界，没止境。这里形容奢望没有边际。

[3] 规箴：劝勉，告诫。这里是“规矩”的意思。

[4] 煼（chǎo）：熏的意思。

[5] 侮：这里同“捂”。掩住、遮住、按住的意思。后文第三十四回、四十一回写作“忤”。

[6] 如如不动号初玄：如如不动，佛教语，意为完全以随缘与平静来应对面对一切事物，是修行圆满者的心理状态。初玄，这里指不为外物所遮蔽的最初本心。

[7] 三皈五戒：佛教以归依三宝（佛、法、僧）为三皈，以不杀生、不偷盗、不邪淫、不妄语、不饮酒为五戒。

[8] 双林：即沙罗双树。传说佛祖示寂（死亡）的地方。

[9] 摩尼：梵语译音。珠宝的总名。也作牟尼、末尼。

[10] 南（nā）无（mó）阿弥陀佛：佛教所说的极乐世界教主。南无，顶礼、致敬的意思。释迦牟尼和阿弥陀佛并不是同一神祇。作者这里是有意或无意地误用。

[11] 殄（tiǎn）灭：消灭。这里是降服的意思。

[12] 争如：怎如，哪里比得上。

[13] 赊（shē）：同“奢”，多的意思。

[14] 唵嘛呢叭吽（hōnɡ）：梵语莲花珠的译音。我国明代民间把这句话说成“俺把你哄了”，是当时对迷信佛教的讽刺。

[15] 灾愆（qiān）：灾难。

[16] 展挣：挣扎、动弹，这里是施展的意思。后文第九十七回则作抵赖解释。

CHAPTER 7. From the Eight Trigrams Brazier the Great Sage escapes; Beneath the Five Phases Mountain, Mind Monkey is still.1

Fame and fortune,

All predestined;

One must ever shun a guileful heart.

Rectitude and truth,

The fruits of virtue grow both long and deep.

A little presumption brings on Heaven’s wrath:

Though yet unseen, it will surely come in time.

Ask the Lord of the East2 for why

Such pains and perils now appear:

Because pride has sought to scale the limits,

Ignoring hierarchy to flout the law.

We were telling you about the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, who was taken by the celestial guardians to the monster execution block, where he was bound to the monster-subduing pillar. They then slashed him with a scimitar, hewed him with an ax, stabbed him with a spear, and hacked him with a sword, but they could not hurt his body in any way. Next, the Star Spirit of the South Pole ordered the various deities of the Fire Department to burn him with fire, but that, too, had little effect. The gods of the Thunder Department were then ordered to strike him with thunderbolts, but not a single one of his hairs was destroyed. The demon king Mahābāli and the others therefore went back to report to the Throne, saying, “Your Majesty, we don’t know where this Great Sage has acquired such power to protect his body. Your subjects slashed him with a scimitar and hewed him with an ax; we also struck him with thunder and burned him with fire. Not a single one of his hairs was destroyed. What shall we do?”

When the Jade Emperor heard these words, he said, “What indeed can we do to a fellow like that, a creature of that sort?” Laozi then came forward and said, “That monkey ate the immortal peaches and drank the imperial wine. Moreover, he stole the divine elixir and ate five gourdfuls of it, both raw and cooked. All this was probably refined in his stomach by the Samādhi fire3 to form a single solid mass. The union with his constitution gave him a diamond body, which cannot be quickly destroyed. It would be better, therefore, if this Daoist takes him away and places him in the Brazier of Eight Trigrams, where he will be smelted by high and low heat. When he is finally separated from my elixir, his body will certainly be reduced to ashes.” When the Jade Emperor heard these words, he told the Six Gods of Darkness and the Six Gods of Light to release the prisoner and hand him over to Laozi, who left in obedience to the divine decree. Meanwhile, the illustrious Sage Erlang was rewarded with a hundred gold blossoms, a hundred bottles of imperial wine, a hundred pellets of elixir, together with rare treasures, lustrous pearls, and brocades, which he was told to share with his brothers. After expressing his gratitude, the Immortal Master returned to the mouth of the River of Libations, and for the time being we shall speak of him no further.

Arriving at the Tushita Palace, Laozi loosened the ropes on the Great Sage, pulled out the weapon from his breastbone, and pushed him into the Brazier of Eight Trigrams. He then ordered the Daoist who watched over the brazier and the page boy in charge of the fire to blow up a strong flame for the smelting process. The brazier, you see, was of eight compartments corresponding to the eight trigrams of Qian, Kan, Gen, Zhen, Xun, Li, Kun, and Dui. The Great Sage crawled into the space beneath the compartment that corresponded to the Xun trigram. Now Xun symbolizes wind; where there is wind, there is no fire. However, wind could churn up smoke, which at that moment reddened his eyes, giving them a permanently inflamed condition. Hence they were sometimes called Fiery Eyes and Diamond Pupils.

Truly time passed swiftly, and the forty-ninth day arrived imperceptibly.4 The alchemical process of Laozi was perfected, and on that day he came to open the brazier to take out his elixir. The Great Sage at the time was covering his eyes with both hands, rubbing his face and shedding tears. He heard noises on top of the brazier and, opening his eyes, suddenly saw light. Unable to restrain himself, he leaped out of the brazier and kicked it over with a loud crash. He began to walk straight out of the room, while a group of startled fire tenders and guardians tried desperately to grab hold of him. Every one of them was overthrown; he was as wild as a white brow tiger in a fit, a one-horned dragon with a fever. Laozi rushed up to clutch at him, only to be greeted by such a violent shove that he fell head over heels while the Great Sage escaped. Whipping the compliant rod out from his ear, he waved it once in the wind and it had the thickness of a rice bowl. Holding it in his hands, without regard for good or ill, he once more careened through the Heavenly Palace, fighting so fiercely that the Nine Luminaries all shut themselves in and the Four Devarājas disappeared from sight. Dear Monkey Monster! Here is a testimonial poem for him. The poem says:

This cosmic being fully fused with nature’s gifts

Passes with ease through ten thousand toils and tests.

Vast and motionless like the One Great Void,

Perfect, quiescent, he’s named the Primal Depth.

Long refined in the brazier, he’s no mercury or lead,5

Just the very immortal, living above all things.

Forever transforming, he changes still;

Three refuges and five commandments6 he all rejects.

Here is another poem:

A spirit beam filling the supreme void—

That’s how the rod behaves accordingly.

It lengthens or shortens as one would wish;

Upright or prone, it grows or shrinks at will.

And another:

An ape’s body of Dao weds the human mind.

Mind is a monkey—this meaning’s profound.

The Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, is no false thought.

How could the post of BanHorse justly show his gifts?

“Horse works with Monkey” means both Mind and Will

Need binding firmly. Don’t seek them outside.

All things back to Nirvāṇa follow one truth—

To join Tathāgata beneath twin trees.7

This time our Monkey King had no respect for persons great or small; he lashed out this way and that with his iron rod, and not a single deity could withstand him. He fought all the way into the Hall of Perfect Light and was approaching the Hall of Divine Mists, where fortunately Numinous Officer Wang,8 aide to the Immortal Master of Adjuvant Holiness, was on duty. He saw the Great Sage advancing recklessly and went forward to bar his way, holding high his golden whip. “Wanton monkey,” he cried, “where are you going? I am here, so don’t you dare be insolent!” The Great Sage did not wait for further utterance; he raised his rod and struck at once, while Numinous Officer met him also with brandished whip. The two of them charged into each other in front of the Hall of Divine Mists. What a fight that was between

A red-blooded patriot of ample fame,

And a Heaven’s rebel with notorious name!

The saint and sinner gladly tangle close

So that two brave fighters can test their skills.

Though the rod is fierce

And the whip is fleet,

How can the upright and just one forbear?

This one is a supreme god of judgment with thunderous voice;

The other, the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, a monstrous ape.

The golden whip and the iron rod used by the two

Are both divine weapons from the House of God.

At Divine Mists Treasure Hall they show their might today,

Each displaying his prowess winningly.

This one brashly seeks to take the Big Dipper Palace;

The other with all his strength defends the sacred realm.

In bitter strife relentless they show their power;

Moving back and forth, whip or rod has yet to score.

The two of them fought for some time, and neither victory nor defeat could yet be determined. The Immortal Master of Adjuvant Holiness, however, had already sent word to the Thunder Department, and thirty-six thunder deities were summoned to the scene. They surrounded the Great Sage and plunged into a fierce battle. The Great Sage was not in the least intimidated; wielding his compliant rod, he parried left and right and met his attackers to the front and to the rear. In a moment he saw that the scimitars, lances, swords, halberds, whips, maces, hammers, axes, gilt bludgeons, sickles, and spades of the thunder deities were coming thick and fast. So with one shake of his body he changed into a creature with six arms and three heads. One wave of the compliant rod and it turned into three; his six arms wielded the three rods like a spinning wheel, whirling and dancing in their midst. The various thunder deities could not approach him at all. Truly his form was

Tumbling round and round,

Bright and luminous;

A form everlasting, how imitated by men?

He cannot be burned by fire.

Can he ever be drowned in water?

A lustrous pearl of mani9 he is indeed,

Immune to all the spears and the swords.

He could be good;

He could be bad;

Present good and evil he could do at will.

He’d be an immortal, a Buddha, if he’s good;10

Wickedness would cloak him with hair and horn.

Endlessly changing he runs amok in Heaven,

Not to be seized by fighting lords or thunder gods.

At the time the various deities had the Great Sage surrounded, but they could not close in on him. All the hustle and bustle soon disturbed the Jade Emperor, who at once sent the Wandering Minister of Inspection and the Immortal Master of Blessed Wings to go to the Western Region and invite the aged Buddha to come and subdue the monster.

The two sages received the decree and went straight to the Spirit Mountain. After they had greeted the Four Vajra-Buddhas and the Eight Bodhisattvas in front of the Treasure Temple of Thunderclap, they asked them to announce their arrival. The deities therefore went before the Treasure Lotus Platform and made their report. Tathāgata at once invited them to appear before him, and the two sages made obeisance to the Buddha three times before standing in attendance beneath the platform. Tathāgata asked, “What causes the Jade Emperor to trouble the two sages to come here?”

The two sages explained as follows: “Some time ago there was born on the Flower-Fruit Mountain a monkey who exercised his magic powers and gathered to himself a troop of monkeys to disturb the world. The Jade Emperor threw down a decree of pacification and appointed him a Bimawen, but he despised the lowliness of that position and left in rebellion. Devarāja Li and Prince Naṭa were sent to capture him, but they were unsuccessful, and another proclamation of amnesty was given to him. He was then made the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, a rank without compensation. After a while he was given the temporary job of looking after the Garden of Immortal Peaches, where almost immediately he stole the peaches. He also went to the Jasper Pool and made off with the food and wine, devastating the Grand Festival. Half-drunk, he went secretly into the Tushita Palace, stole the elixir of Laozi, and then left the Celestial Palace in revolt. Again the Jade Emperor sent a hundred thousand Heavenly soldiers, but he was not to be subdued. Thereafter Guanyin sent for the Immortal Master Erlang and his sworn brothers, who fought and pursued him. Even then he knew many tricks of transformation, and only after he was hit by Laozi’s diamond snare could Erlang finally capture him. Taken before the Throne, he was condemned to be executed; but, though slashed by a scimitar and hewn by an ax, burned by fire and struck by thunder, he was not hurt at all. After Laozi had received royal permission to take him away, he was refined by fire, and the brazier was not opened until the forty-ninth day. Immediately he jumped out of the Brazier of Eight Trigrams and beat back the celestial guardians. He penetrated into the Hall of Perfect Light and was approaching the Hall of Divine Mists when Numinous Officer Wang, aide to the Immortal Master of Adjuvant Holiness, met and fought with him bitterly. Thirty-six thunder generals were ordered to encircle him completely, but they could never get near him. The situation is desperate, and for this reason, the Jade Emperor sent a special request for you to defend the Throne.”

When Tathāgata heard this, he said to the various bodhisattvas, “All of you remain steadfast here in the chief temple, and let no one relax his meditative posture. I have to go exorcise a demon and defend the Throne.”

Tathāgata then called Ānanda and Kāśyapa, his two venerable disciples, to follow him. They left the Thunderclap Temple and arrived at the gate of the Hall of Divine Mists, where they were met by deafening shouts and yells. There the Great Sage was being beset by the thirty-six thunder deities. The Buddhist Patriarch gave the dharma-order: “Let the thunder deities lower their arms and break up their encirclement. Ask the Great Sage to come out here and let me ask him what sort of divine power he has.” The various warriors retreated immediately, and the Great Sage also threw off his magical appearance. Changing back into his true form, he approached angrily and shouted with ill humor, “What region are you from, monk, that you dare stop the battle and question me?” Tathāgata laughed and said, “I am Śākyamuni, the Venerable One from the Western Region of Ultimate Bliss. I have heard just now about your audacity, your wildness, and your repeated acts of rebellion against Heaven. Where were you born, and in which year did you succeed in acquiring the Way? Why are you so violent and unruly?” The Great Sage said, “I was

Born of Earth and Heaven, immortal divinely fused,

An old monkey hailing from the Flower-Fruit Mount.

I made my home in the Water-Curtain Cave;

Seeking friend and teacher, I learned the Great Mystery.

Perfected in the many arts of ageless life,

I learned to change in ways boundless and vast.

Too narrow the space I found on that mortal earth:

I set my mind to live in the Green-jade Sky.

In Divine Mists Hall none should long reside,

For king may follow king in the reign of man.

If might is honor, let them yield to me.

He only is hero who dares to fight and win!”

When the Buddhist Patriarch heard these words, he laughed aloud in scorn. “A fellow like you,” he said, “is only a monkey who happened to become a spirit. How dare you be so presumptuous as to want to seize the honored throne of the Exalted Jade Emperor? He began practicing religion when he was very young, and he has gone through the bitter experience of one thousand seven hundred and fifty kalpas, with each kalpa lasting a hundred and twenty-nine thousand six hundred years. Figure out yourself how many years it took him to rise to the enjoyment of his great and limitless position! You are merely a beast who has just attained human form in this incarnation. How dare you make such a boast? Blasphemy! This is sheer blasphemy, and it will surely shorten your allotted age. Repent while there’s still time and cease your idle talk! Be wary that you don’t encounter such peril that you will be cut down in an instant, and all your original gifts will be wasted.”

“Even if the Jade Emperor has practiced religion from childhood,” said the Great Sage, “he should not be allowed to remain here forever. The proverb says,

Many are the turns of kingship:

By next year the turn will be mine!

Tell him to move out at once and hand over the Celestial Palace to me. That’ll be the end of the matter. If not, I shall continue to cause disturbances and there’ll never be peace!” “Besides your immortality and your transformations,” said the Buddhist Patriarch, “what other powers do you have that you dare to usurp this hallowed region of Heaven?” “I’ve plenty of them!” said the Great Sage. “Indeed, I know seventy-two transformations and a life that does not grow old through ten thousand kalpas. I know also how to cloud somersault, and one leap will take me one hundred and eight thousand miles. Why can’t I sit on the Heavenly throne?”

The Buddhist Patriarch said, “Let me make a wager with you. If you have the ability to somersault clear of this right palm of mine, I shall consider you the winner. You need not raise your weapon in battle then, for I shall ask the Jade Emperor to go live with me in the West and let you have the Celestial Palace. If you cannot somersault out of my hand, you can go back to the Region Below and be a monster. Work through a few more kalpas before you return to cause more trouble.”

When the Great Sage heard this, he said to himself, snickering, “What a fool this Tathāgata is! A single somersault of mine can carry old Monkey one hundred and eight thousand miles, yet his palm is not even one foot across. How could I possibly not jump clear of it?” He asked quickly, “You’re certain that your decision will stand?” “Certainly it will,” said Tathāgata. He stretched out his right hand, which was about the size of a lotus leaf. Our Great Sage put away his compliant rod and, summoning his power, leaped up and stood right in the center of the Patriarch’s hand. He said simply, “I’m off!” and he was gone—all but invisible like a streak of light in the clouds. Training the eye of wisdom on him, the Buddhist Patriarch saw that the Monkey King was hurtling along relentlessly like a whirligig.

As the Great Sage advanced, he suddenly saw five flesh-pink pillars supporting a mass of green air. “This must be the end of the road,” he said. “When I go back presently, Tathāgata will be my witness and I shall certainly take up residence in the Palace of Divine Mists.” But he thought to himself, “Wait a moment! I’d better leave some kind of memento if I’m going to negotiate with Tathāgata.” He plucked a hair and blew a mouthful of magic breath onto it, crying, “Change!” It changed into a writing brush with extra thick hair soaked in heavy ink. On the middle pillar he then wrote in large letters the following line: “The Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, has made a tour of this place.” When he had finished writing, he retrieved his hair, and with a total lack of respect he left a bubbling pool of monkey urine at the base of the first pillar. He reversed his cloud somersault and went back to where he had started. Standing on Tathāgata’s palm, he said, “I left, and now I’m back. Tell the Jade Emperor to give me the Celestial Palace.”

“You pisshead ape!” scolded Tathāgata. “Since when did you ever leave the palm of my hand?” The Great Sage said, “You are just ignorant! I went to the edge of Heaven, and I found five flesh-pink pillars supporting a mass of green air. I left a memento there. Do you dare go with me to have a look at the place?” “No need to go there,” said Tathāgata. “Just lower your head and take a look.” When the Great Sage stared down with his fiery eyes and diamond pupils, he found written on the middle finger of the Buddhist Patriarch’s right hand the sentence, “The Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, has made a tour of this place.” A pungent whiff of monkey urine came from the fork between the thumb and the first finger. Astonished, the Great Sage said, “Could this really happen? Could this really happen? I wrote those words on the pillars supporting the sky. How is it that they now appear on his finger? Could it be that he is exercising the magic power of foreknowledge without divination? I won’t believe it! I won’t believe it! Let me go there once more!”

Dear Great Sage! Quickly he crouched and was about to jump up again, when the Buddhist Patriarch flipped his hand over and tossed the Monkey King out of the West Heaven Gate. The five fingers were transformed into the Five Phases of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. They became, in fact, five connected mountains, named Five-Phases Mountain, which pinned him down with just enough pressure to keep him there. The thunder deities, Ānanda, and Kāśyapa all folded their hands and cried in acclamation:

Praise be to virtue! Praise be to virtue!

He learned to be human, born from an egg that year,

And aimed to reap the authentic Way’s fruit.

He lived in a fine place by kalpas untouched.

One day he changed, expending vim and strength.

Craving high place, he flouted Heaven’s reign,

Mocked saints and stole pills, breaking great relations.

Evil, full to the brim, now meets retribution.

We know not when he may find release.

After the Buddhist Patriarch Tathāgata had vanquished the monstrous monkey, he at once called Ānanda and Kāśyapa to return with him to the Western Paradise. At that moment, however, Tianpeng11 and Tianyou, two celestial messengers, came running out of the Treasure Hall of Divine Mists and said, “We beg Tathāgata to wait a moment, please! Our Lord’s grand carriage will arrive momentarily.” When the Buddhist Patriarch heard these words, he turned around and waited with reverence. In a moment he did indeed see a chariot drawn by eight colorful phoenixes and covered by a canopy adorned with nine luminous jewels. The entire cortege was accompanied by the sound of wondrous songs and melodies, chanted by a vast celestial choir. Scattering precious blossoms and diffusing fragrant incense, it came up to the Buddha, and the Jade Emperor offered his thanks, saying, “We are truly indebted to your mighty dharma for vanquishing that monster. We beseech Tathāgata to remain for one brief day, so that we may invite the immortals to join us in giving you a banquet of thanks.” Not daring to refuse, Tathāgata folded his hands to thank the Jade Emperor, saying, “Your old monk came here at your command, Most Honorable Deva. Of what power may I boast, really? I owe my success entirely to the excellent fortune of Your Majesty and the various deities. How can I be worthy of your thanks?” The Jade Emperor then ordered the various deities from the Thunder Department to send invitations abroad to the Three Pure Ones, the Four Ministers, the Five Elders, the Six Women Officials,12 the Seven Stars, the Eight Poles, the Nine Luminaries, and the Ten Capitals. Together with a thousand immortals and ten thousand sages, they were to come to the thanksgiving banquet given for the Buddhist Patriarch. The Four Great Imperial Preceptors and the Divine Maidens of Nine Heavens were told to open wide the golden gates of the Jade Capital, the Treasure Palace of Primal Secret, and the Five Lodges of Penetrating Brightness. Tathāgata was asked to be seated high on the Numinous Terrace of Seven Treasures, and the rest of the deities were then seated according to rank and age before a banquet of dragon livers, phoenix marrow, juices of jade, and immortal peaches.

In a little while, the Jade-Pure Celestial Worthy of Commencement, the Highest-Pure Celestial Worthy of Numinous Treasure, the Great-Pure Celestial Worthy of Moral Virtue,13 the Immortal Masters of Five Influences, the Star Spirits of Five Constellations, the Three Ministers, the Four Sages, the Nine Luminaries, the Left and Right Assistants, the Devarāja, and Prince Naṭa all marched in leading a train of flags and canopies in pairs. They were all holding rare treasures and lustrous pearls, fruits of longevity and exotic flowers to be presented to the Buddha. As they bowed before him, they said, “We are most grateful for the unfathomable power of Tathāgata, who has subdued the monstrous monkey. We are grateful, too, to the Most Honorable Deva, who is having this banquet and asked us to come here to offer our thanks. May we beseech Tathāgata to give this banquet a name?”

Responding to the petition of the various deities, Tathāgata said, “If a name is desired, let this be called ‘The Great Banquet for Peace in Heaven.’” “What a magnificent name!” the various Immortals cried in unison. “Indeed, it shall be the Great Banquet for Peace in Heaven.” When they finished speaking, they took their seats separately, and there was the pouring of wine and exchanging of cups, pinning of corsages14 and playing of zithers. It was indeed a magnificent banquet, for which we have a testimonial poem. The poem says:

That Immortal Peach Feast the ape disturbed

Is topped by this Banquet for Peace in Heav’n.

Dragon flags and phoenix carts glow in halos bright;

Blazing signs and banners whirl in hallowed light.

The tunes and songs divine are sweet and fair;

Phoenix pipes and jade flutes both loudly play.

Fragrant incense shrouds this assembly of saints.

All the world’s tranquil to praise the Holy Court.

As all of them were feasting merrily, the Lady Queen Mother also led a host of divine maidens and immortal singing girls to come before the Buddha, dancing with nimble feet. They bowed to him, and she said, “Our Festival of Immortal Peaches was ruined by that monstrous monkey. We are beholden to the mighty power of Tathāgata for the enchainment of this mischievous ape. In the celebration during this Great Banquet for Peace in Heaven, we have little to offer as a token of our thanks. Please accept, however, these few immortal peaches plucked from the large trees by our own hands.” They were truly

Half red, half green, and spouting aroma sweet,

These luscious divine roots of ten thousand years.

Pity those fruits planted at Wuling Spring!15

How could they match the marvels of Heaven’s home:

Those tender ones of purple veins so rare in the world,

And those peerlessly sweet of pale yellow pits?

They lengthen age, prolong life, and change your frame.

He who’s lucky to eat them will ne’er be the same.

After the Buddhist Patriarch had pressed together his hands to thank the Queen Mother, she ordered the immortal singing girls and the divine maidens to sing and dance. All the immortals at the banquet applauded enthusiastically. Truly there were

Whorls of Heavenly incense filling the seats,

And profuse array of divine petals and stems.

Jade capital and golden arches in what great splendor!

How priceless, too, the strange goods and rare treasures!

Every pair had the same age as Heaven.

Every set increased through ten thousand kalpas.

Mulberry fields or vast oceans, let them shift and change.

He who lives here has neither grief nor fear.

The Queen Mother commanded the immortal maidens to sing and dance, as wine cups and goblets clinked together steadily. After a little while, suddenly

A wondrous fragrance came to meet the nose,

Rousing Stars and Planets in that great hall.

The gods and the Buddha put down their cups.

Raising his head, each waited with his eyes.

There in the air appeared an aged man,

Holding a most luxuriant long-life plant.

His gourd had elixir often thousand years.

His book listed names twelve millennia old.

Sky and earth in his cave knew no constraint.

Sun and moon were perfected in his vase.16

He roamed the Four Seas in joy serene,

And made the Ten Islets17 his tranquil home.

Getting drunk often at the Peaches Feast

He woke; the moon shone brightly as of old.

He had a long head, short frame, and large ears.

His name: Star of Long Life from South Pole.

After the Star of Long Life arrived and greeted the Jade Emperor, he also went up to thank Tathāgata, saying, “When I first heard that the baneful monkey was being led by Laozi to the Tushita Palace to be refined by alchemical fire, I thought peace was surely secured. I never suspected that he could still escape, and it was fortunate that Tathāgata in his goodness had subdued this monster. When I got word of the thanksgiving banquet, I came at once. I have no other gifts to present to you but these purple agaric, jasper plant, jade-green lotus root, and golden elixir.” The poem says:

Jade-green lotus and golden drug are given to Śākya.

Like the sands of Ganges is the age of Tathāgata.

The brocade of the three wains is calm, eternal bliss.18

The nine-grade garland is a wholesome, endless life.19

The true master of the Mādhyamika School20

Dwells in the Heaven of both form and emptiness.21

The great earth and cosmos all call him Lord.

His sixteen-foot diamond frame’s great in blessing and age.22

Tathāgata accepted the thanks cheerfully, and the Star of Long Life went to his seat. Again there was pouring of wine and exchanging of cups. The Great Immortal of Naked Feet also arrived. After prostrating himself before the Jade Emperor, he too went to thank the Buddhist Patriarch, saying, “I am profoundly grateful for your dharma, which subdued the baneful monkey. I have no other things to convey my respect but two magic pears and some lire dates, which I now present to you.”

The poem says:

The Naked-Feet Immortal brought fragrant pears and dates

To give to Amitābha, whose count of years is long.

Firm as a hill is his Lotus Platform of Seven Treasures;

Brocadelike is his Flower Seat of Thousand Gold adorned.

No false speech is this—his age equals Heaven and Earth;

Nor is this a lie—his luck is great as the sea.

Blessing and long life reach in him their fullest scope,

Dwelling in that Western Region of calm, eternal bliss.

Tathāgata again thanked him and asked Ānanda and Kāśyapa to put away the gifts one by one before approaching the Jade Emperor to express his gratitude for the banquet. By now, everyone was somewhat tipsy. A Spirit Minister of Inspection then arrived to make the report, “The Great Sage is sticking out his head!” “No need to worry,” said the Buddhist Patriarch. He took from his sleeve a tag on which were written in gold letters the words Oṁ maṇi padme hūṁ. Handing it over to Ānanda, he told him to stick it on the top of the mountain. This deva received the tag, took it out of the Heaven Gate, and stuck it tightly on a square piece of rock at the top of the Mountain of Five Phases. The mountain immediately struck root and grew together at the seams, though there was enough space for breathing and for the prisoner’s hands to crawl out and move around a bit. Ānanda then returned to report, “The tag is tightly attached.”

Tathāgata then took leave of the Jade Emperor and the deities, and went with the two devas out of the Heaven Gate. Moved by compassion, he recited a divine spell and called together a local spirit and the Fearless Guards of Five Quarters to stand watch over the Five-Phases Mountain. They were told to feed the prisoner with iron pellets when he was hungry and to give him melted copper to drink when he was thirsty. When the time of his chastisement was fulfilled, they were told, someone would be coming to deliver him. So it is that

The brash, baneful monkey in revolt against Heaven

Is brought to submission by Tathāgata.

He drinks melted copper to endure the seasons,

And feeds on iron pellets to pass the time.

Tried by this bitter misfortune sent from the Sky,

He’s glad to be living, though in a piteous lot.

If this hero is allowed to struggle anew,

He’ll serve Buddha in future and go to the West.

Another poem says:

Prideful of his power once the time was ripe,

He tamed dragon and tiger, flaunting wily might.

Stealing peaches and wine, he roamed Heaven’s House.

He found trust and grace in the City of Jade.

He’s now bound, for his evil’s full to the brim.

By good stock23 unfailing his breath will rise again.

If he’s indeed to flee Tathāgata’s hands,

He must await from Tang court the holy monk.

We do not know in what month or year hereafter the days of his penance will be fulfilled; let’s listen to the explanation in the next chapter.