Journey to the West - Chapter 36 Part 1

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0:16 Details are in the descriptions. Thank you. Journey to the West, an audio drama series. Chapter 36, Part 1 We speak of how Gray Sage soon descended from his cloud and told his master everything from Bodhisattwa borrowing the boys to the supreme and venerable Elder retrieving his treasures. Sanzan was endlessly grateful.

0:47 With his faith further solidified, he climbed back onto the saddle, prepared to throw his life into travelling the road westward. Meanwhile, Zubatier carried their luggage as Shaw Monk placed the bridle on the horse and soon seemed to have held his iron rod. They cleared a path as they made their way down the high mountain. Words cannot begin to describe how they rested by the water with only the wind for food, all the while covered by frost and dew.

1:16 After travelling for a long time, Master and disciples once again were blocked by a mountain. San Zhan called loudly from his horse. Oh disciples, look at how steep and craggy that mountain is. We've got to be careful and be on high alert. I fear monstrous obstacles will come for us, Sindo replied.

1:36 Stop thinking about nonsense, master. As long as you calm your nature and preserve your spirit, nothing will happen, Sansang said. Oh, disciples, why is West Heaven this hard to reach? I remember that since I left the city of Chang'an, having gone through all of spring, summer, autumn and winter along the way, four or five years have already passed.

1:59 Why are we still not there? Singja heard that and burst into laughter, saying It's too early, too early, we've yet made it out of the gates, Bhatia said. Big Brother, quit lying. How could there possibly be such a huge gate in the human world? Singjo replied. Brother, we are still running inside the living room. Sharma laughed and said.

2:26 Elder brother, stop scaring me with your Bluffs. Even if such a huge living room exists, there isn't anywhere to buy a roof beam that fits his size, Singjo explained. Brothers, if you look at the way elders and us, then the Azure skies are the roof tiles, the sun and moon, the window lattice, the four mountains and five peaks pillars, and the vast land is 1 spacious living room. Bazi heard that and said never mind, never mind, we might as well move around a bit more before making our way back. Sinjar said.

3:00 Quit talking nonsense, just follow elder son as you walk on. Splendid grey sage. Carrying his iron rod horizontally, he let the tongue monk and cut open a path through the mountain. As they moved straight forward, the Master looked into the distance from his horse. What a scenic mountain there was.

3:19 The peaks rubbed against stars with treetops seemingly connected with clouds. In mist and shadows they could hear cries from apes and cranes, monsters and beasts, frightened woodcutters and hunters. What a fine and rugged place it was. Strange plants curled and hung on each other, cold streams to make your hair stand as chill wind wakes you from slumber. Khan was roared as birds chirped, hoofed creatures travelled in grooves, for the snowman's land was where wolves roamed.

3:53 This could not have been a cultivating place for Buddha, for here is but one field belonging to birds and beasts. The master, frightened and shaking, enter the death of the mountain, feeling sorrowful in his heart, he rained the horse and called out. Oh Wukong, ever since the Emperor sent me off with a promise and I met you 3 disciples, I have been riding this horse, searching around slopes and streams, climbing up ranges and peaks, just to find scriptures, guarding myself as I am doing now.

4:26 When can I return home and pay respect to the Royal Court? Grace 8 soon heard that and chuckled coldly, telling him, Master, there is no need to think too much, stop being anxious right now, just relax and move forward. Your merit will naturally be completed. Master and disciples then enjoy the scenery as they walked in confident steps before they realized the red sun was sinking in the West. The elders stared into the distance from the horse and spotted that within the concave of the mountain were layers of buildings and halls.

5:02 San San, said disciples, It's getting dark now. Fortunately there are some buildings over there not far from us. I think it must be some sort of temple. Let's all ask to stay the night there and resume the journey tomorrow. Simda replied. You're right, Master. There's no hurry yet though. Wait till I have a look at what sort of place it is. The great Sage hopped into the air and observed carefully. There certainly was a gate in the mountain. What he?

5:30 Saw were. Red walls made from bricks, golden nails on door planks, Layers and layers of palaces hidden inside the form of the mountain. Grand halls and pagodas stood as statues emitted the light of glory. Green and tranquil were the gardens. Knowledge and music sounded from the dais. The forest shielded this land of treasure. The mountain embraced this palace of Buddhism. Half of the walls shone in misty light as a road of incense became obscured by fragrant fog.

6:05 Grace E Sun came down from his cloud and reported to San Zhang. Master, it is indeed a Buddhist temple. We can certainly ask to stay the night there. Let's get going. The elder then hurried the horse forward and came all the way straight to the mountain gate. Seemed to ask, Master, what sort of temple is this?

6:25 San Zhang said The hoofs of the horse have barely stopped moving, the tips of my feet have yet left the stirrups, and you're asking me what tempo this is? How very senseless of you, Singer explained. Well, you, the elder, have been a monk since a young age. You must have studied confusion classics before moving on to Scripture. Only when you have excelled in both literature and philosophy can the Tongue emperor grace you with his favours. There are huge characters written above the gates, how can you not recognize them?

6:58 The elder scolded. Unruly monkey. You're not making sense. I was just hurrying the horse westward with the sun shining in my face. Moreover, even though there are characters on the gates, they're also obscured by dust. That's why I haven't been paying attention. Seemed to her that and bent his waist a couple of times before growing to the height of over 2 John. Wiping away the dust, he said.

7:22 Master, please have a look on it, we're 5 characters, Chu Xian Bao Lin SU, it literally means imperially founded Precious Wood Monastery, we will call it the Bao Lin Monastery from now on. Xinto withdrew his magical form and asked. Master, which one of us shall enter the temple and ask to stay the night? Sanzan answered.

7:46 Let me go, all of your faces are ugly in your speech course, with your hot temper and arrogant attitudes, you would offend the monks in this place, and they wouldn't allow us to stay, and that would just ruin the plan. Sinja said. If so, then please head inside, Master, enough is said. And so the elder put away his staff and united his cake.

8:07 After straightening his clothes, he pressed his palms together and made his way through the mountain gate. What he could see on his sides, behind red lacquered fences were two gods of Vejlu, both sculpted to look mighty and grotesque, with ice bulging and fists harder than metal. Their golden armour shone bright colours.

8:28 The West truly loves worshipping Buddha, for the incense in the stone stove was still burning red. Having seen this, Sunzong nodded and sighed. In that land of the east of mine, if anyone could build huge Bodhisattva statues like these with clay and burn incense are suffering, then this disciple would have no need to head to West Heaven. Just as he was sighing, he reached the second layer of mountain gates.

8:56 What he saw were portraits of the four heavenly kings Ditalastra, Vashvalu, Viluduk and Vulpaksh. They were placed in four directions respectively to symbolize harmonious comings of wind and rain. Once he made it through the second layer of gates, he saw 4 pine trees standing green and lush. The treetops resembled umbrellas.

9:21 Suddenly looking up, he saw it was the treasure hall of Mahavir, or Great Hero, where Buddha was worshipped. The elder pressed his palms together and paid his respect by prostrating. Afterwards he got up and made his way around Buddha's dais and came out from the back door. What he then saw behind the Buddha statue was the sculpture of Guan Yin delivering the creatures of the South Sea from torment. On the walls were all fish, shrimp, crab and turtles sculpted by excellent workers.

9:54 Poking their heads and tails out, they jumped and played amidst ocean waves. The elder once again nodded several times and let out emotional sighs, saying how very unfortunate, even scaled creatures worship Buddha, yet people still refuse to cultivate. Just when he was exclaiming, A labourer walked out from the third layer of gates. He saw that San Zhang had an extraordinary and unworldly appearance, so he quickly walked up to greet him, asking Where are you from?

10:26 Master? San Zhang answered, This disciple serves the throne of great tongue in the land of the East. I am sent to West Heaven to see Buddha and bring back scriptures. We reached your respected realm today and it was getting late. We would like to stay the night, the labourer replied. Mind me not master, for I don't make the decisions.

10:48 I'm just a labourer in charge of sweeping the floors, ringing bells and trivial tasks. There is another old master inside who overseas the place. Allow me to report to him first. If he lets you stay, I will come back to welcome you inside. If not, I dare not keep you around. San San said. Thank you for taking the trouble. The labourer then hurried to the Abbot room and reported, elderly Lord, someone has arrived outside. The Abbot by imperial appointment got up, changed his clothes and pressed his monk cap before putting on his Kashai. Quickly opening up the gate to greet the guest, he asked the labourer where is the person?

11:30 The labourer pointed with his finger and said, Isn't there someone right behind the main hall? And there Sansang was with his bald head, his bodied arm, robe of 25 stripes and a pair of monk shoes soiled by mud. Leaning against the back door. The imperial Abbott saw him and became outraged, saying This laborer is not beaten enough.

11:55 Do you not know that I am an Abbott by imperial appointment? Only when officials from the cities come to offer incense do I come out to greet them. When it is only the sort of monk, how dare you speak more falsehood than truth and tell me to come greet him. Look at his face. He's not an honest face. He's likely one of those travelling monks who's here asking to stay the night after it's gotten dark. Our rooms are not for him to mess around in. Just tell him to squat in the front corridors. What's the point of reporting to me? He then turned around and withdrew himself. The elder heard his words and couldn't help but cry tears, saying Poor me, poor me.

12:40 A man truly becomes cheap when he's away from home. This disciple has left the family since childhood to become a monk. Never have I confessed the sin of consuming meat or thought an evil thought, nor have I ever read scripture with an angry heart to corrupt my mind of Chan. Never have I thrown tiles and bricks to damage a Buddhist hall, nor have I ever peeled real gold from the face of an Arrowhead.

13:08 Alas, poor me. I wonder, in which lifetime did I offend heaven and earth that resulted in me coming across unsavory people all the time in this life? Monk, it's fine if you don't let us stay the night, but why say such mean words and tell us to squat in the front corridors? If I never tell Singju, then it'll be just fine if I did.

13:31 That monkey will enter with his rod and break all your ankles. The elder then said to himself, Never mind, never mind. As the idiom goes, propriety is a person's priority. Let me go inside and ask him about it, see what he thinks. The master then followed the Abbot in his steps, coming through the gate to the Abbot room.

13:56 The imperial Abbot took off his clothes and sat down panting. His desk was piled with papers, but it was unclear if they were scriptures he was reading or documents for rights that he was writing for someone else. The tongue muck dared not head deeper, so he just stood in the courtyard and shouted loudly with a bow. Elderly head of the monastery, does disciple sense his greetings?

14:21 That monk grew rather impatient at his insistence to come inside, so he made just half the attempt to return the greeting, asking Where are you from? Samsung answered. This disciple is sent by the throne of Great Tongue in the land of the East. I am heading to West Heaven to see the living Buddha and Sikh scriptures.

14:41 We've arrived later at your respective place. I pray that you let us stay the night. We will leave before tomorrow. Light, I sincerely hope the elderly head of the monastery can grant us this convenience. Only then did the imperial Abbot get up to ask. Are you that Tang San Tzang? San Tzang replied.

15:02 Thank you for asking, for I am. The imperial Abbot said. If you are seeking scriptures in West Heaven, why can't you even take the right path? San Tzang said. This disciple has not walked the paths of your respected realm, the imperial Abbot explained. Head straight West in only about four or five Lee, there is a lodge called the 30 Lee Inn.

15:27 The owner there sells food and is a good place to rest. It's rather inconvenient for us to let you far away. Monks stay. Pressing his palms together, San San said head of the monastery. As the ancients say, temples are rest houses for those who practice religion. Just by seeing the mountain gate, 1 is allowed to get a share of three shung of rice. Why won't you let us stay?

15:53 What is your reasoning here? Shung is a unit for volume. 1 shung is roughly equivalent to 1 modern litter. In that sense, 3 shung of rice is a lot of rice. Unraged. The imperial Abbot shouted. Travelling monk, you indeed have a slick tongue. San Tzan asked. What do you mean a slick tongue? The imperial Abbott answered. As the ancients say, when a tiger enters the city, every family shuts their doors.

16:24 Though it may not bite. Its name has been tainted before, San Zhang asked. What do you mean that its name has been tainted before? The Abbott explained. Years ago, several travelling mannequins came and sat before the mountain gate. I saw that they were thinly dressed for the cold, with torn clothes and no shoes, board heads and bare feet. Feeling rather pity for their sorry state, I quickly invited them inside the Abbott room, put them in seats of honour and fed them vegetarian meals.

16:57 I also lent them each a set of old cloves and let them stay for a few days. Who could have thought that they grew greedy for the free clothes and food and gave up the idea of leaving? They ended up living here for seven or eight years. Living here is one thing, but they also did many shady things. San Tang asked what shady things? The imperial Abbot answered.

17:23 Listen to what I have to say. When idle, they toss tiles by the fences. When bored, they pull nails off our walls. In cold days, they lit fire with ripped window frames. In the summer, they dragged outdoors to block the road. Flags were torn to make leggings, agawood swapped for turnips from glass vases.

17:44 They often dumped our oil for gambling. They took our bows and pots. San Zung heard that and secretly thought to himself, Poor me, is this disciple anything like that kind of unruly monk? He was about to cry but fear that the old monk in the temple would mark him for it, so instead he discreetly pulled his clothes to wipe away tears.

18:09 Swallowing all his dissatisfaction, he quickly made his way outside and saw his three disciples. Xinjia picked up a hint of anger on his master's face, so he moved forward to ask. Master, did the monks in the temple hit you? The town monk answered. They didn't hit me. Baja said. They must have, otherwise why do you sound like you've been crying? Sinjar then asked.

18:35 Did they berate you? The town monk answered. They didn't berate me either, Sinjar said. If you weren't hit or berated, why this distraught? Are you missing home? The town monk explained. Disciples, this place is inconvenient for us. Sinjar chuckled and said. I'm assuming it's the place of Taoist. The town monk said angrily.

19:01 Only in Taoist temples are there Taoist. In monasteries there are only monks, Singja said. Then you aren't very capable. If they are monks, then they're just like us. As the idiom goes, when gathered in Buddha's assembly, we're all bound by destiny. You sit here for now. Let me go inside and have a look. Journey to the West, an audio drama series, is an independent production by The 5th Monkey.

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