Slaying demons at Lion Camel Ridge (18)
A year passed, and winter gave way to spring.
The Great Thunderclap Temple in the Western Heaven sent Kirtimukha Sangharama) back to Spirit Mountain to report back.
The Tathagata Buddha asked, "Where are the Pilgrim now?"
The Kirtimukha Sangharama reported, "Reporting to the World-Honored One, the Pilgrim have arrived at Lion Camel Ridge. However, there are three Demon in Lion Camel Ridge who have devoured countless people and have allied themselves with Demon Dragon, Pilgrim from passing through. They are currently performing rituals to release the souls of the departed in Lion Camel Ridge."
Tathagata hearing this, the Buddha nodded and said, "The Green Lion and White Elephant are the Mount of Manjushri Bodhisattva and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. Dragon-Subduing Arhat and Tiger-Taming Arhat, go to Mount Wutai and Mount Emei and summon these two Bodhisattva to see you."
Having heard this, the Dragon-Subduing and Tiger-Taming received the Buddha's decree and departed.
Before long, the Dragon-Subduing and Tiger-Taming and Tiger-Taming Bodhisattva arrived to see him.
Two Bodhisattva bowed to the Buddha.
The Tathagata Buddha asked, "How many days has the Bodhisattva's beast been down the mountain?"
Manjushri Bodhisattva said, "It has been many days."
The Tathagata Buddha said, "A few days in the mountains are like a thousand years in the world. Countless lives have been harmed. Please, Bodhisattva, bring them back."
Manjushri Samantabhadra accepted the order upon hearing this.
Upon hearing this, one of the Monks the Monks:
"World-Honored One, in the past, how many holy beings of the Western Heaven were poisoned by the Demon Dragon in the Pansi Ridge? Fortunately, Amitabha Buddha's Dharma power annihilated one of the demons, and that Demon Dragon escaped with its remaining forces. Now it has reappeared, carrying the Bodhisattva's Mount. Why not send Buddhist Soldiers to Demon Dragon Annihilation?"
Upon hearing this, the Tathagata Buddha looked at the speaker, who was none other than Great Brahma King, the chief of the Twenty Heavenly Deities.
Previously, Tathagata Buddha discussed the Eastern Migration of Buddhism with the the Monks, some, including Mahakala Bodhisattva, opposed it.
Later, Mahakala Bodhisattva and the others stopped speaking due to other matters, and the Eastern Migration was almost a done deal. However, Amitabha Buddha intervened at this time, breaking the Great Formation of Stars of the Celestial Cycle and killing the Great Sun Demon King. The Demon Dragon fled in panic, and thus the Eastern Migration was delayed.
Those Monks had originally agreed to Eastern Migration became somewhat uncertain about their stance because of Amitabha Buddha's appearance.
The Tathagata Buddha said, "The Demon Dragon is a very serious matter and should not be acted upon lightly. You two Bodhisattva should go and retrieve your beasts. If the Demon Dragon obstructs you, do not argue with him."
Upon hearing this, Manjushri Samantabhadra received the Buddha's decree and departed.
The Great Brahma King, "The Demon Dragon has always been rampant. Now, it has even taken the Bodhisattva's beast with it, which is clearly a blatant provocation against the Western Heaven deities. The World-Honored One is instructing the two Bodhisattva not to contend with the Demon Dragon. Does this mean that we are about to give up Spirit Mountain and move our teachings Eastern Migration again?"
The Tathagata Buddha addressed the assembly, saying, "The Eastern Migration of our religion is an inevitable trend that cannot be defied."
The Great Brahma King, "If it was such a powerful force, why was the Demon Dragon so easily defeated and forced to flee by Amitabha Buddha?"
The Tathagata Buddha addressed the assembly, saying, "Do you know that in the past, the Yellow Emperor fought Chi You in the land of China, suffering nine defeats in nine battles, before finally capturing and killing him in a single battle at the Wilderness of Zhuolu? This is the inevitable course of events."
The Great Brahma King, "We, the holy beings of the Western Heaven, know nothing of the affairs of those China Chinese."
The Tathagata Buddha shook his head and sighed helplessly.
On the other side, Manjushri Bodhisattva and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva arrived at Lion Camel Ridge.
There, a dark, ominous wind swept through, and a bloody aura shrouded the sky in gloom. The height resembled Mount Dushuo, a perilous place surpassing even the most dangerous in the Hall of Senluo. A Black Flag ridge covered the area, where thousands of demons and monsters bowed in worship. If one were to enter this place lightly, one would pitifully incur the debt of death.
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva asked, "This place is dangerous; how do we enter?"
Manjushri Bodhisattva said, "You must not enter lightly; you must first transform yourself."
The two Bodhisattva then transformed themselves into two monks and entered the ridge.
A Little Demon patrolling the mountain came down, banging on a clapper. Because he obeyed the Great King's orders, he was newly promoted to Little Drill Wind and patrolled the mountains.
As he descended, he saw Manjushri and Samantabhadra and asked:
"Hey you two monks up ahead, what are you doing?"
Manjushri Bodhisattva stepped forward and said:
"We are both monks from a temple. I raise lions, and he leads elephants. A few days ago, our lions and elephants went missing, and the old monk punished us, ordering us to come down the mountain to search for them. When we arrived here, we found that the lions and elephants had all hidden in these mountains."
Upon hearing this, Little Drill Wind said, "This mountain is eight hundred li in circumference. How are you going to find it? Don't wander around. After I've finished patrolling the mountain, I'll ask my brothers if they've seen it."
Manjushri Bodhisattva said, "Thank you! Thank you!"
The two then followed Little Drill Wind.
Soon after, Little Drill Wind finished patrolling the mountain and asked around, but no one had seen it. Little Drill Wind said, "It's not here. You should look elsewhere!"
As they were talking, they saw the Green Lion and White Elephant coming out to report for duty. Upon seeing the two monks, the Green Lion asked, "Who are these people? Where did they come from?"
Little Drill Wind said, "They are monks from the foot of the mountain who came here to search for the lost lions and elephants from their temple."
Upon hearing this, the Green Lion said, "Strange! The monks at the foot of the mountain were all eaten up ten years ago. Where are there any monks left? Where did you come from?"
Upon seeing this, Manjushri Bodhisattva revealed his true form and roared, "You wicked creature, why don't you repent!"
The Green Lion was shocked and turned to leave, but Manjushri Bodhisattva recited True Words and it turned back into its Original Form.
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva also manifested his True Form and recited True Words.
The White Elephant cried out, "Oh no! Your Great King, save me!"
Ao Tu heard this and came out.
When Manjushri Samantabhadra saw Ao Tu come out, they dared not argue. They each threw their Lotus Throne onto the backs of the two demons, leaped up and sat on them, and prepared to leave.
Ao Tu said, "Bodhisattva, please wait a moment." With that, he stepped forward and blocked the way for the two Bodhisattva.
Manjushri Samantabhadra then stopped.
Ao Tu asked, "What brings you two Bodhisattva here?"
Manjushri Bodhisattva said, "These are our two beasts. They were lost in the mountains due to a moment of carelessness, and we have come today to retrieve them."
Ao Tu said, "Now that you two Bodhisattva have arrived, please do not rush to leave. I have a Formation here that I wish to share with Bodhisattva both. Please enter the mountain."
Manjushri Bodhisattva and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva exchanged a glance.
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva said, "I'm afraid this will cause a lot of inconvenience."
Manjushri Bodhisattva said, "We two have come on the Buddha's decree, and we must return to report back."
Ao Tu laughed and said, "It's alright. This Formation was specially prepared for the Tathagata Monk. If you two Bodhisattva insist on leaving, you can test this formation Tathagata the Buddha first."
Upon hearing this, Manjushri and Samantabhadra simultaneously clasped their hands together and said, "Please, Benefactor."
Ao Tu laughed and said, "Please, Bodhisattva!"
The two Bodhisattva then freed the lion and elephant, and followed Ao Tu into the mountains.
Ao Tu then demonstrated the Cultivation Technique to the two Bodhisattva.
Manjushri Bodhisattva said, "This method can also teach demons to pray according to the technique, and to offer Incense Offerings and Faith."
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva said, "You may offer your soul as well."
Ao Tu said, "Regarding the matter of Incense Offerings, I have already ordered the statue to be sculpted in Lion Camel City, and it will be completed soon; as for the soul, it is of no use to me."
The two Bodhisattva, upon hearing this, couldn't figure out what kind of Formation it was, demanding Incense Offerings and flesh, but not souls.
Next, the two Bodhisattva were Ao Tu in the Lion Camel Cave Ao Tu.
Several months later, Tang Sanzang had finished converting the souls in the Lion Camel Cave and proposed to set off on his journey to the Journey to the West.
Ao Tu laughed and said, "Don't rush off, there's still one place that needs your guidance."
Ao Tu then led the demons and Tang Sanzang and his disciples away from Lion Camel Cave, heading towards Lion Camel City, which was four hundred miles away.
Meanwhile, because Manjushri and Samantabhadra had left Spirit Mountain and had not returned to deliver their orders for a long time, the Tathagata Buddha sent more than a dozen of the Eight Divisions of Heavenly Dragons to investigate.
Ao Tu saw it from afar and ordered, "Golden-Winged Great Peng, go and eat."