The Bodhisattva parted ways with him and, together with Moksha, headed east. After traveling for a long time, they came upon a high mountain, shrouded in an ominous aura, making it impossible to ascend. Just as they were about to ride the clouds over the mountain, a sudden gust of wind arose, and a demon appeared. He was extremely ferocious; his mouth was like a filthy lotus seedpod hanging down, his ears were like palm-leaf fans, and his eyes shone with golden light. His fangs were as sharp as steel files, and his long mouth opened like a brazier of fire.
A golden helmet is tightly fastened to the cheek straps, and silk ribbons adorn the armor, revealing the scales of a python. He wields a rake with dragon claws, and a curved bow hangs at his waist.
With imposing power, they defy the tyrant; with lofty ambition, they overwhelm the gods.
He charged forward, indiscriminately raising his rake to strike the Bodhisattva. The monk Muzha blocked his way, shouting, "You wicked monster, how dare you be so rude! Take this!" The demon retorted, "This monk is courting death! Take this!" The two clashed and fought at the foot of the mountain, vying for victory. It was truly a fierce battle—the demon was ferocious, Huian powerful. His iron cudgel pounded, his rake met him head-on. Dust billowed, darkening the sky; flying sand and stones startled even ghosts and gods. The nine-toothed rake gleamed, its double rings jingling; the staff, black and gleaming, flew in both hands. This was the prince of the Heavenly King, that was the marshal's spirit. One was a protector on Mount Putuo, the other a demon in a mountain cave. This encounter was a contest of strength; it was unknown who would win or lose.
Just as the two were locked in fierce combat, Guanyin, in mid-air, tossed down a lotus flower, deflecting the rake. The monster, startled, asked, "Where are you, monk? What tricks do you have to fool me?" Mucha replied, "You worthless mortal! I am a disciple of the Bodhisattva of the South Sea. This lotus flower was thrown by my master; you don't even recognize it?" The monster said, "The Bodhisattva of the South Sea, is that Guanyin who sweeps away the three calamities and saves from the eight difficulties?" Mucha said, "Who else could it be?" The monster dropped his rake, bowed deeply, and said, "Brother, where is the Bodhisattva? Please introduce me." Mucha pointed upwards, "Isn't that her?" The monster kowtowed again, shouting loudly, "Bodhisattva, forgive me, forgive me!"
Guanyin descended from the clouds and asked, "Where did you come from, wild boar that has become a spirit? And what kind of wicked old pig dares to block my way here?" The monster replied, "I am neither a wild boar nor an old pig. I was originally Marshal Tianpeng of the Milky Way. But because I was drunk and teasing Chang'e, the Jade Emperor punished me with two thousand blows and banished me to the mortal realm. My spirit, however, came to possess another body to reincarnate, but I took the wrong path and was reborn into the womb of a sow, thus becoming what I am today. I killed the sow, which killed all the other pigs, and now I've taken over this mountain, living by eating people. I never expected to run into a Bodhisattva like you; I beg you to save me!" The Bodhisattva asked, "What is this mountain called?"
The monster said, "It's called Fuling Mountain. There's a cave in the mountain called Yunzhan Cave. There used to be a woman named Luan Erjie in the cave. She saw that I had some martial arts skills, so she took me in as her head and called me Daoxianmen."
Less than a year later, he died, leaving me all his possessions in the cave. Having lived here for many years, I have no means of support and have only survived by cannibalism. I humbly beg the Bodhisattva's forgiveness.
The Bodhisattva said, "As the ancients said, if you want a future, don't do something that has no future. You have already broken the law in the upper realm, and now you still haven't changed your evil intentions, harming living beings and creating sins. Aren't you being punished for both crimes?"
The monster said, "Future, future! If I follow your advice, I'll starve! As the saying goes, if you follow the law, you'll be beaten to death; if you follow the law, you'll starve to death. Go away! Go away! I'd rather catch a passerby and eat his mother, all fat and greasy! What do I care about two crimes, three crimes, a thousand crimes, ten thousand crimes!" The Bodhisattva said, "If a person has good intentions, Heaven will surely grant them. If you are willing to take refuge in the true path, you will have a place to sustain yourself. There are five grains in the world, enough to satisfy hunger, why eat people to survive?" Upon hearing this, the monster seemed to awaken from a dream, and bowed to the Bodhisattva, saying, "I wish to follow the righteous path, but I have offended Heaven, and I have nowhere to pray!" The Bodhisattva said, "I have received the Buddha's decree to go to the Eastern Land to find a scripture seeker. You can become his disciple and travel to the Western Heaven to atone for your sins, and I guarantee you will be freed from the calamities." The monster readily agreed, "I will follow, I will follow!" The Bodhisattva then touched his head and gave him the precepts, pointing to his body as his surname, so he was given the surname Pig, and a Dharma name, Zhu Wuneng. He then accepted the mission and returned to his true nature, observing a vegetarian diet and abstaining from the five pungent vegetables and three forbidden foods, waiting exclusively for the person who would come to fetch the scriptures.
The Bodhisattva, along with Moksha, bid farewell to Wuneng and arrived amidst the clouds. As they walked, they saw a jade dragon calling out in the sky. The Bodhisattva approached and asked, "What dragon are you, suffering here?" The dragon replied, "I am the son of Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea. Because I set fire to the pearl in the palace, my father reported me to the Heavenly Court for my disobedience. The Jade Emperor has hung me in the air and beaten me three hundred times; I will be executed soon. I beg the Bodhisattva to save me!" Upon hearing this, Guanyin and Moksha rushed into the South Heavenly Gate, where the two Heavenly Masters, Qiu and Zhang, were already waiting. They asked, "Where are you going?" The Bodhisattva said, "This humble monk wishes to see the Jade Emperor." The two Heavenly Masters immediately reported this to the Jade Emperor, who then descended from his palace to greet them. The Bodhisattva stepped forward and bowed, saying, "This humble monk, acting on the Buddha's orders, traveled to the Eastern Land to find the pilgrim. On the way, I encountered a wicked dragon hanging precariously. I have come to plead for its life, requesting that it be spared and given to this humble monk to serve as a mount for the pilgrim." Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor immediately issued a decree of pardon, sending a celestial general to release the dragon and deliver it to the Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva thanked him and left. The little dragon kowtowed, grateful for his life, and obeyed the Bodhisattva's commands. The Bodhisattva placed him in a deep ravine, waiting for the pilgrim to arrive so he could transform into a white horse and travel west to perform meritorious deeds. The little dragon accepted his orders and disappeared without a trace.
The Bodhisattva led the pilgrim Moksha across the mountain and headed east. After traveling a short while, they suddenly saw countless golden rays and auspicious clouds. Moksha said, "Master, that place emitting light is the Five Elements Mountain, and there is the Tathagata's seal there." The Bodhisattva said, "This is the Great Sage Equaling Heaven who disrupted the Peach Banquet and caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace; he is now imprisoned here." Moksha said, "Indeed, indeed." Master and disciple went up the mountain to examine the seal, which was the six-syllable mantra "Lo Mani Padme Hum."
After reading it, the Bodhisattva felt a pang of inexplicable regret and composed a poem: "How lamentable that the monkey did not serve the public, in his youth he arrogantly flaunted his heroism. He deceived and disrupted the Peach Banquet, and boldly made a secret trip to the Tushita Palace."
Unrivaled among ten thousand soldiers, his might shines in the highest heavens. Since being imprisoned by the Buddha, when will he be free to display his power again?
Guanyin's poem, on the surface, marvels at the might and fortune of the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, but the feelings between the lines are also an expression of her own melancholy.
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