Buddha

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Buddha
Alias(es)	Tathagata Buddha; Tathagata; Daoist Duobao
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Buddhist Sect; Western Heaven; Great Thunderclap Monastery
Occupation/Role	Leader of the Buddhist Sect; overseer of the Journey to the West Tribulation
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 2

Background / History

Before becoming Tathagata Buddha, he was Daoist Duobao, Tongtian's eldest disciple of the Jie Sect. After the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation shattered the Jie Sect and Tongtian was confined to the Primordial Era, the Western Sages persuaded Duobao to join Buddhism; he donned a kasaya and became Tathagata of the Western Heaven 10 33.

His past as Duobao remains a source of tension with Taoist figures. According to Zhu Bajie, Tathagata repeatedly provoked Taishang Laojun after becoming a Buddha, until Laojun beat him on the head; Tathagata retained the resulting bumps as Buddhist ritual scars because they suited a benevolent image 34.

Appearance

Tathagata is depicted enthroned on a lotus seat, bearing the numerous ritual scars on his head associated with his rank 34 41.

• His head is covered in ritual-scar bumps, said to have originated from Taishang Laojun's beating 34.
• He is frequently shown smoking a cigarette while seated on his lotus throne 41.
• His expression often turns grim or ashen when the pilgrimage deviates from its intended course 14 39.

Personality

Tathagata is deeply invested in completing the Journey to the West Tribulation, which he regards as essential to Buddhism's prosperity. He is willing to overlook Tang Sanzang's violations of Buddhist precepts—including eating meat, drinking alcohol, and lust—so long as the scripture seeker reaches Spirit Mountain and completes the pilgrimage 4 17.

He is controlling and pragmatic toward the pilgrims. He orders Guanyin to place the Golden Fillet on Sun Wukong, intending to bind the monkey permanently to Buddhism, and later seeks alternative means to bring Wukong under the sect's control 5 42. He also protects Sha Wujing because the former heavenly general is vital to the journey 32.

As the pilgrimage repeatedly derails, Tathagata becomes increasingly frustrated, suspicious, and exhausted. He cannot identify the “variable” disrupting the tribulation, yet cannot simply dispose of Tang Sanzang because the monk remains indispensable 14 46. He enjoys the flattery of the Buddhas beneath him and increasingly relies on cigarettes to calm himself and clear his thoughts 18 28 42.

Abilities & Skills

Divination and Surveillance

Tathagata can observe the pilgrimage through the Mystic Light Mirror and perform calculations to investigate anomalies.

• Identified Tang Sanzang as Golden Cicada through divination, though Tang's behavior left him uncertain 2.
• Repeatedly monitors the pilgrims and their disrupted tribulations through the Mystic Light Mirror 4 44.
• Confirmed that Zhu Bajie's soul remained intact after accidentally destroying his body 40.
• Cannot successfully deduce the identity of the variable interfering with the Journey to the West 14 39.

Overwhelming Divine Force

Tathagata possesses the strength to dominate lesser immortals and heavenly forces directly.

• Previously suppressed Sun Wukong beneath Five Finger Mountain for five hundred years 1.
• Sent the Jade Emperor's heavenly soldiers flying away with a wave of his hand while defending Sha Wujing 32.
• Accidentally killed Zhu Bajie with a palm strike when the maddened disciple rampaged through Spirit Mountain 39.

Strategic Control of the Pilgrimage

As Buddhism's leader, Tathagata coordinates the trials, personnel, and contingencies of the scripture journey.

• Directed Guanyin to give Tang Sanzang the Golden Fillet for controlling Sun Wukong 5.
• Ordered Tang Sanzang's resurrection through two Nine-Turn Golden Elixirs after Sun Wukong killed him 11.
• Sent Bodhisattvas and guardians to recover missing disciples, accompany the pilgrims, and preserve scheduled tribulations 26 39 41.
• Planned to remove Sun Wukong from the group when the monkey's presence threatened future trials 48.

Equipment / Items

• Mystic Light Mirror — Used to observe Tang Sanzang and the pilgrimage from Spirit Mountain 4 17.
• Cigarettes — Initially brought to him by Lingji Bodhisattva from Tang Yu; Tathagata develops a craving and considers smoking helpful for clearing his mind 26 28 42.
• Sage's artifact — Wielded during the historical battle against the Demon King of the Myriad Monster Nation 26.
• Buddhist treasury — Maintains the sect's treasures and scriptures, though Zhu Bajie's rampage led to its contents being scattered and some scriptures burned 39 40.

Relationships

• Tang Sanzang / Tang Yu — Designated scripture seeker whose completion of the pilgrimage Tathagata considers indispensable; Tang's actions repeatedly undermine his plans 4 11 46.
• Sun Wukong — Crucial yet unruly pilgrim Tathagata seeks to control and absorb into the Buddhist Sect 5 42.
• Guanyin Bodhisattva — Senior subordinate responsible for guiding and monitoring the pilgrimage; their shared failures strain their working relationship 5 14 48.
• Lingji Bodhisattva — Subordinate who supplies him with cigarettes, hides some for himself, and is later punished for mishandling the missing Bodhisattvas 26 28 41.
• Zhu Bajie — Essential pilgrim whom Tathagata accidentally kills during a madness-induced raid on Spirit Mountain, then arranges to revive 39 40.
• Sha Wujing / Juan Lian — A necessary member of the pilgrimage whom Tathagata protects from the Jade Emperor's execution order 32.
• Tongtian — Former master from the Jie Sect; Tongtian resents Buddhism for converting Duobao and other disciples 10 49.
• Taishang Laojun — Taoist figure who allegedly caused Tathagata's ritual scars by beating him during his earlier arrogance as Daoist Duobao 34.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Early Pilgrimage Disruptions

Tathagata initially attributes Tang Sanzang's abnormal conduct to possible mental stimulation while confirming that he is still Golden Cicada. Once Sun Wukong is freed, Tathagata expects the pilgrimage to proceed normally, only to witness the monk openly eating chicken 2 4.

He decides to tolerate Tang's misconduct until the pilgrimage is complete, then orders Guanyin to use the Golden Fillet to secure Sun Wukong's loyalty to Buddhism 4 5. This plan fails when Tang places the fillet on the Black Bear Spirit instead 13 14.

Maintaining the Script

Tathagata repeatedly adapts Buddhist trials after Tang Sanzang derails them. He attempts to preserve the Guanyin Monastery and Buddha's Robe Ceremony tribulations after Tang trades away his kasaya, and he has Tang resurrected after Sun Wukong kills him in a drunken frenzy 9 11.

He increasingly suspects that an unknown variable is sabotaging the Buddhist Sect, but he dismisses Tang Sanzang as the likely culprit because the monk apparently risks and loses his own life 11 14.

Cigarette Dependence and Spirit Mountain Crisis

Lingji brings Tathagata cigarettes acquired from Tang Yu. Tathagata finds them refreshing and mentally clarifying, but rapidly becomes dependent on them when his supply runs out 26 28.

The habit spreads across Spirit Mountain, where cigarettes become a status symbol among Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The resulting smoke visibly yellows the walls of Great Thunderclap Monastery 43 44.

Nine-Colored Bewitching Flower Incident

When Manjushri, Samantabhadra, and Zhu Bajie are driven mad by the Nine-Colored Bewitching Flower's pistil, Tathagata struggles to contain the damage. He mobilizes the Eighteen Arhats and Five Directions Guardians to recover the missing Bodhisattvas, then accidentally kills Zhu Bajie during the latter's raid on the Buddhist treasury 39.

After confirming Zhu Bajie's soul survives, Tathagata leaves him in the Underworld to recover and orders Ananda and Kashyapa to replace the burned scriptures 40. He later punishes Manjushri, Samantabhadra, and Lingji after the flower's effects fade 41.

White Bone Demon and Baoxiang Kingdom

Tathagata attempts to retain control over the White Bone Demon tribulation, considering the use of the Six-Eared Macaque as a more obedient replacement for Sun Wukong 42. Tang Sanzang's unexpected exposure of the demoness further disrupts the intended “Three Attacks on White Bone Demon” trial 44.

Approaching the Baoxiang Kingdom, Tathagata plans to separate Sun Wukong from Tang's group to preserve future trials. When Guanyin refuses the assignment, he instead dispatches Joyful Buddha to take Wukong away 48.

Notable Quotes

“Let him eat. As long as he obediently comes to Spirit Mountain as planned and completes the Journey to the West Tribulation, we don't need to question anything during this period.” 4

“Tang Sanzang, though the journey to the Western Heaven will be arduous and fraught with peril, you must never forget your original intention.” 32

“Hand them over.” 33

Trivia

• Tathagata's ritual scars are said to be the result of Taishang Laojun beating him when he was Daoist Duobao 34.
• He retains the scars because he believes they make him look kind and benevolent; their number is treated as a marker of Buddhist status 34.
• He once chews loose tobacco from an empty cigarette case when he cannot find another cigarette to smoke 28.
• Although he publicly maintains Buddhist dignity, he is repeatedly depicted enjoying cigarettes and the praise of his subordinates 18 42.