Praying for rain in Fengxian County (7)

Meanwhile, Kasyapa created three mountains to make things difficult for Wukong.

Upon hearing this, Wukong was furious, but he suppressed his anger and said:

"Kasyapa, you have already received the Merit, what more do you want, Golden Mountain?"

Kasyapa sneered, "I accepted the Merit because I won't hold your past actions against you. Now that we're getting things done, we naturally need people to handle things!"

Wukong couldn't stand this insult, so he started yelling and calling for Tathagata outside.

Kasyapa shouted, "Sun Wukong, don't be so insolent! You were once an official, do you know the ways of this place?"

Wukong asked, "What's the trick?"

Kasyapa said, "Officials should cultivate good relationships. Ten people praising you are not as valuable as one person criticizing you! If you offend me, even if you meet the Buddha, I can ensure that this so-called Alu won't stay on Spirit Mountain for long!"

Upon hearing this, Wukong was so angry he had no choice but to return.

Upon entering the cave, Ao Tu asked with a smile, "How did it go?"

Wukong then recounted the events.

Ao Tu laughed loudly.

Tang Sanzang said, "This... what should we do?"

Ao Tu laughed and said, "Nephew, why don't you come to the Eastern Land with your uncle? It's just a pity about Merit you've accumulated over the years; consider it a lesson you'll learn!"

Upon hearing this, Wukong became angry and said:

"Don't rush! Even if we go to the Eastern Land, let's wait until Old Sun, bring back that Merit!"

Ao Tu said, "I've heard that Ananda Kasyapa in the Buddhist Sect are known for being extremely stingy. How can we get back the gifts we've given away?"

Wukong said, "Daoist, don't be impatient! This time, Old Sun, will fight him to the bitter end! Bajie, let's go!"

Bajie asked, "Brother! Where are we going?"

Wukong said, "I'll take you to move Golden Mountain!"

Bajie exclaimed excitedly, "Such a good thing! I wonder where we can get it?"

Wukong said, "You'll know when you get here!"

So he took Bajie with him and hurried all the way to Spirit Mountain.

Bajie said, "Isn't this Thunderclap Monastery? What Golden Mountain are there here?"

Wukong laughed, "Fool, how could you know that there are Golden Mountain right here! You wait here, I'll be right back!"

Bajie asked, "Brother! Where are you going?"

The question had barely been asked when Wukong disappeared.

Seeing Bajie, Pigsy had no choice but to find a blue brick to sit on and wait.

A young Śrāmaṇera in the temple saw this and came over to shoo him away, saying, "Fat Monk, if you're not going to offer incense, don't sit here!"

Bajie said, "I'll offer incense! I'll offer incense!"

The young Śrāmaṇera said, "Medium-grade Sandalwood Incense, twenty taels of gold per stick."

Bajie stared wide-eyed and said, "Twenty taels of gold! I've been Old Pig for thirty years, saving every penny, and I haven't saved a single tael of gold! Is there a cheaper option?"

The young Śrāmaṇera scoffed, "For the cheapest option, don't go inside the temple. Just light a candle outside, kowtow a few times, and that's considered worshipping Buddha!"

Having no other choice, Bajie had to take advantage of the young Śrāmaṇera's inattention, transform himself into a large Shitou, and slip past him.

On the other side, Wukong went straight to the Hall of the Eighteen Arhats, found the Cloth-Bag Arhat, chatted for a few words, and took out the bag.

When he returned, he couldn't find Bajie and called out, "Bajie! Bajie!"

Bajie then transformed back to normal.

Wukong said, "Idiot, why did you turn into a Shitou?"

Bajie said, "Brother! You don't know, even sitting here costs money!"

Wukong laughed and said, "There are many poor people down that mountain. If they could just sit there for free, wouldn't they all come up to Spirit Mountain and sit there? Come with me, let's go move Golden Mountain!"

Bajie asked, "Where are we moving it from?"

Wukong said, "Come here!"

The two arrived at the Treasure Pavilion.

Under the Tathagata Buddha's seat were two Venerable, Ananda Kasyapa.

Ananda was in charge of the Treasure Pavilion, while Kasyapa served the Buddha.

Now that Ananda is away on business, Kasyapa has to serve the Buddha and manage the Treasure Pavilion, so there are many oversights.

Since no one usually dares to cause trouble on Spirit Mountain, no one paid attention to the slight oversight.

Wukong then led Bajie into the Treasure Pavilion, where they used a few Sleepy Bug to put the monks guarding the Treasure Pavilion to sleep.

The two went inside and were greeted by a world of treasures.

Walls of Gold Bricks and silver bricks were piled up, Pearl and jade gleamed, Tridacna were as big as oxen, and glass shone with seven colors. When Bajie saw them, he raised his hand to move them, but he could hardly lift them.

Inside, there was an inner chamber; when opened, it revealed the location where Buddhist scriptures were stored.

Bajie exclaimed happily, "Brother! Let's take this scripture back, and that'll solve everything!"

Wukong shouted, "Bajie, no! Your tribulation is not over yet. If you take the Scripture now, you will not attain Right Fruit! Quickly, go and move the gold, silver, and jade!"

Bajie agreed and went to move the gold and silver, but he was very tired and said, "Brother! There's too much gold and silver here, it's very heavy, I can't move it!"

Wukong laughed, "Watch Old Sun!"

As he spoke, he tossed the cloth bag into the air, and countless Gold Bricks, silver bricks, jade stones, and agates were sucked into the bag.

Bajie jumped up and down with joy, exclaiming, "Good! Good! Good!"

Outside, many believers are going to Spirit Mountain to worship Buddha.

These people included Good Person, wealthy landowners, merchants, nobles, and pilgrims who had traveled from afar to pay homage to the Buddha.

Wukong, holding the cloth bag, and Bajie, riding the clouds in the air, untied the bag and poured out the gold and silver inside.

What a shower of gold and silver!

A piece of gold, a piece of silver!

Gold is dazzling and brilliant, silver is sparkling and radiant!

They were spread all over the ground, countless in number.

Look at those towering golden peaks, piled high like majestic mountains, and those snowy white hills layered upon each other.

Gold dust glitters across the ground, silver flakes carpet the steps like brocade.

Pearls and jade are scattered in a crisscross pattern, their shimmering light illuminating the pavilions and terraces.

This is truly Sage and blissful land of the Spirit Mountain, where not a trace of sorrow is seen in the human world below!

Wukong shouted, "Venerable Kasyapa, the personnel you requested, Old Sun, have delivered them to you!"

In an instant, Spirit Mountain was thrown into chaos, with Śrāmaṇera crying out in alarm and monks running for their lives.

Sangharama Vajras stepped forward to stop him, but was pressed down by gold and silver, bowing and lowering his head, unable to straighten up.

Arhat Bodhisattva came to dissuade him, but Wukong wouldn't listen. He only shouted for Kasyapa to come out and deal with the matter.

The Cloth-Bag Arhat rushed over, took the bag away, and stopped the trouble.

The commotion finally alerted the Tathagata Buddha, who summoned Wukong and his companions to the Precious Hall and asked:

"Wukong, why are you making a ruckus in the temple and disturbing the worshippers?"

Wukong said, "Old Sun protecting my master, we passed through Fengxian County and met a good monk who brought rain to the people and attained Golden Body. He was an old acquaintance of mine, the monk Alu who practiced the * Treatise on the True Dharma * bestowed by the Buddha. I wanted to introduce him to the Buddha to strengthen our Western Heaven Buddhist Sect. However, Venerable Kasyapa accepted bribes and then demanded Golden Mountain. My family has always been poor; my junior brother Zhu Wuneng been a son-in-law in Gao Village, but he has no savings after becoming a monk; my third junior brother Sha Wujing used to eat people in the Flowing Sand River and has no surplus wealth; only my master Tang Sanzang has some valuable belongings. I originally wanted to sell his Kasaya, Buddhist Staff, Alms Bowl, White Horse to raise money for Venerable Kasyapa's bribes, but then I remembered that the Kasaya Buddhist Staff were bestowed by the Buddha and I dared not sell them easily. Selling only the Alms Bowl White Horse wouldn't be worth much money, so I had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure. I hope the Buddha will forgive me."

Upon hearing this, the Tathagata Buddha, having already seen through Wukong's thoughts, smiled and said:

"You impudent monkey! Mahākāśyapa, what favor did you receive from him? Return it to him at once!"

Upon hearing this, Kasyapa was so angry that he gritted his teeth and had no choice but to give Wukong the Merit he had painstakingly accumulated, as if cutting off his own flesh.

Wukong accepted the Merit and said happily:

"Buddha's judgment is wise! That Alu is indeed Youde. Why not invite him to Spirit Mountain and have him meet us?"