Praying for Rain in Fengxian County (VI)

Now, Alu wanted to go to Spirit Mountain and asked Wukong to make an introduction.

Fearing that his previous plan to transform monkey hair into Alms Bowl had failed, Wukong dared not agree easily and could only vaguely reply:

"In Old Sun opinion, Spirit Mountain is a Buddhist land, so one should not be too attached to selfish desires. As long as one has even a little sincerity in one's heart, one will surely see the Buddha! If it is truly impossible, then it is not too late to come and find Old Sun!"

Upon hearing this, Bajie looked at Wukong with a strange expression.

Tang Sanzang said, "Wukong's words are very true. As long as your heart is sincere in worshipping Buddha, Buddha will surely see you!"

Sha Wujing said, "My master and Elder Brother are right, sincerity is enough for an introduction!"

Seeing that all three of them said the same thing, Bajie had no choice but to lie to himself and say:

"Indeed! Indeed! As long as you bring sincerity, Buddha will see you."

Wukong smacked Bajie and said, "Fool, I meant sincerity! Sincerity!"

Bajie hurriedly said, "It's sincerity! It's sincerity!"

Upon hearing this, Alu had no choice but to go to Spirit Mountain himself with sincerity. He also asked Tang Sanzang and the others to help keep an eye on the Daoist Baoshan, lest his uncle-master become impatient and push the mountain down.

Tang Sanzang and his companions agreed.

Alu then sent out the Golden Body, which traveled through mountains and rivers to reach Spirit Mountain and seek an audience with the Buddha.

The temple's guardian Sangharama asked, "Do you have the sincerity to see the Buddha?"

Alu said, "This disciple has a sincere heart and requests an audience with the Buddha!"

Sangharama said, "Very well! Very well! You may go down the mountain first and stay at Good Person's inn in the Tianzhu Kingdom. Come back in 350 years!"

Alu asked, "Why is it taking so long?"

Sangharama said, "Many people sincerely worship Buddha; there is always a hierarchy of arrival."

Alu said, "I'm in a hurry, I can't wait that long!"

Sangharama said, "Since the matter is urgent, we should show even more sincerity."

Alu asked, "What sincerity?"

Sangharama said, "How can a grown man like you have no manners at all? I'm here to inform them for you, but I don't know if the Vajras guarding the temple or the Arhat at the gate will be in a good mood today. If they are, fine, but if they are, I'll offend them. You have no sincerity at all. Are you just ordering them around for nothing?"

Upon hearing this, Alu said, "So, you're asking me for a bribe?"

Sangharama said, "Indeed! Indeed!"

Alu said, "I know someone there."

Sangharama asked, "Who is it?"

Alu said, "The Venerable Kasyapa transmitted the Buddhist scriptures to me!"

Sangharama said, "Very well! Very well! In that case, there's no need to bring the documents for seeing the Buddha; just bring the documents for seeing the Venerable!"

Having heard this, Alu had no choice but to return home, unable to offer any compensation.

In fact, Alu was also a man of understanding. He learned the Buddhist scriptures scriptures from Kasyapa not because of his good learning, but because he gave a Magic Artifact to Kasyapa as a gift. Kasyapa saw his sincerity and then passed on the True Scriptures scriptures of the Buddha.

Now that Alu has ascended Spirit Mountain, if he were to use half of his accumulated Merit to bribe officials, he would still be able to see the Buddha.

However, he did not offer Merit.

Firstly, those Merit were extremely precious, and it would be a waste to give them to the monks of Spirit Mountain for nothing. Secondly, Alu had received secret instruction from his master on how to conduct himself, so Alu returned to Fengxian County.

Back in the mountains, Ao Tu laughed and asked, "Nephew, how was it? Did you see the Buddha?"

Alu said, "I haven't seen it."

Ao Tu said, "Is it because you lack sincerity and your manners are inadequate?"

Alu said, "That's right! It's just that I left in a hurry and didn't bring any gifts. The temple's guardian Sangharama thought I wasn't sincere and said that running errands for me would be too much trouble, so he asked me for a bribe. I didn't have any bribes, so I had to come back."

Tang Sanzang said, "This..."

Wukong asked, "Don't you know Kasyapa? Why didn't you mention his name?"

Alu said, "I have reported it. However, there are matters for those who wish to see Buddha Buddha, and matters for those Venerable wish to see the Venerable. I have no such matters, so I cannot see either."

Ao Tu laughed and said, "Good nephew, don't go to Spirit Mountain to worship Buddha. Come back to the Eastern Land with your uncle to cultivate in seclusion!"

Upon hearing this, Alu hurriedly pleaded with Wukong:

"Great Sage, I beg you to help me, considering our past acquaintance!"

Wukong sighed, "Very well, Old Sun, will lend you a hand. But whether it succeeds or not, I can't guarantee."

Alu said, "It is already a great blessing that the Great Sage is willing to help; I dare not ask for more. Please come behind me, Great Sage."

Wukong asked, "What are you doing behind me?"

Alu said, "You'll know when the Great Sage arrives."

Wukong then unlocked the chains and walked behind Alu.

A Merit Golden Light appeared behind Alu's head.

Alu said, "Great Sage, this is the Merit I've accumulated over the years. I used some to assist in the Incense Offerings offerings for the condensation of the Golden Body; please take the rest, Great Sage, so I can use it for bribes."

Wukong said, "These are the rains you've painstakingly collected for the people. How can I take them? You should keep them for yourself!"

Alu said, "If we don't take it, things might get unstable. Please, Great Sage, take it!"

Wukong had no choice but to take it.

With one Somersault Cloud, they arrived at Spirit Mountain.

When Wukong arrived, there was no need for the Sangharama to announce his arrival; he went straight to the Precious Hall, intending to see the Buddha directly and explain the matter.

To their surprise, upon reaching the entrance, they were stopped by the Four Great Guardian Kings. Kasyapa stepped forward and said, "Who do we have here, rushing in so forcefully? It's Sun Wukong! Didn't you say you weren't coming to Spirit Mountain?"

Wukong laughed and said, "What do you mean by that, Venerable? I still have to protect my master on his Journey to the West. How could I not come to Spirit Mountain?"

Kasyapa sneered, "You tricked me by turning monkey hair into Alms Bowl, causing me to suffer a great loss. I thought you no longer needed me!"

Upon hearing this, Wukong realized that things had Dao Fruit failed, and had no choice but to bite the bullet and say:

"Old Sun, have urgent business to discuss with the Buddha. I hope the Venerable will inform him."

Kasyapa said, "Sun Wukong, how dare you try to deceive me? Journey to the West for so many years, what urgent matter could there be? If there truly were an urgent matter, wouldn't the Buddha know?"

Wukong said, "Venerable, this matter is related to you."

Kasyapa asked, "What does this have to do with me?"

Wukong asked, "Do you still remember that monk from the Chechi Kingdom, the one to Venerable personally transmitted the Dharma?"

Kasyapa thought for a moment and remembered that it was the monk who had given him the Golden Furnace. He was at least polite; normally, he would have seen him. But the monk was oblivious and had instead invited Sun Wukong over. So he said:

"It's that Alu from the Chechi Kingdom! I don't remember him!"

Upon hearing this, Wukong knew perfectly well that Kasyapa was deliberately making things difficult. However, having no other option and unable to break through, he had no choice but to humble himself and offer up the ball of Merit, which shone brilliantly with Golden Light, saying:

"This is a favor from Alu to the Venerable; I hope you will be lenient!"

Kasyapa was overjoyed upon seeing it. He snatched the ball of Merit, examined it briefly to verify its authenticity, and quickly put it away, saying:

"Sun Wukong, for the sake of these Merit, let's forget about the Alms Bowl. Come with me!"

Wukong then followed Kasyapa.

Kasyapa did not take Wukong directly into the hall to see the Buddha, but instead went to the Rear Garden and stopped in an open space.

Wukong asked, "What brings you here?"

Kasyapa asked, "Sun Wukong, do you see those three big mountains ahead?"

Wukong asked, "Where are the three great mountains?"

Kasyapa pointed to the open space in front of him and laughed, "Right here, there is a Golden Mountain, a silver mountain, and a jade mountain, each Three Zhang and three inches high. When these three mountains are all gathered together, I will take you to see the Buddha!"