Searching for the Buddha

"Forget it, I'll stop thinking about it now. I'll go see the Buddha Tathagata and discuss this with him. If he's willing to send this Western Sutra to my Eastern Lands, spreading its good deeds will fulfill my wish."

"If he won't give it to me, then please make him loosen the Tightening Incantation. I'll return Tightening Headband to him and go back to my Water Curtain Cave in Flower-Fruit Mountain."

After thinking it over, Sun Wukong summoned his Somersault Cloud and arrived at Thunderclap Monastery.

Just as Sun Wukong landed, the path suddenly turned, and he looked up to see the Four Great Vajras blocking his way. The Four Great Vajras asked, "Where do you intend to go?"

Seeing this, Sun Wukong could only politely say, "I have some matters I wish to discuss with the Tathagata."

However, at this moment, one of the Vajras suddenly rebuked Sun Wukong, saying:

"You monkey, you're being incredibly rude! We went through all that trouble to help you capture the Bull Devil King, and you haven't even said thank you."

"Now that you're here, you must tell us what you need before we let you through. This place is different from the Southern Heavenly Gate; you can't just come and go as you please."

Because Sun Wukong was already troubled by the demons he had encountered before, and now, upon hearing those words spoken today, he was instantly enraged and couldn't help but shout and yell, Tathagata disturbing the Buddha.

The Buddha Tathagata was sitting on the lotus platform discussing Buddhist teachings with his disciples when he said, "Now that Sun Wukong has arrived, you should go out and greet him."

Upon hearing this, the other disciples followed the Tathagata Buddha's instructions and immediately went out to see Sun Wukong, saying, "Master Great Sage Sun wants you to come over now."

Upon hearing this, the Four Great Vajras immediately stepped aside to let Sun Wukong proceed. The disciples led Sun Wukong to the foot of the Lotus Platform. Upon seeing the Buddha, Sun Wukong Buddha Tathagata down and then couldn't help but shed tears.

Seeing this, the Tathagata Buddha asked, "Sun Wukong, what has happened that makes you cry here?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong wiped away his tears and said:

"I have been deeply influenced by your teachings and have become a disciple of Buddha, hoping to attain enlightenment and protect Tang Xuanzang. The journey has been fraught with hardship, but now, as we pass through the Lion Camel Cave on Lion Camel Mountain, three Yaomo have captured my master."

"I was captured too and put in that steamer, but luckily I escaped. I went back that very night and rescued my master, but who knew that monster was so ruthless? It captured my master again and ate him that very night."

At this point, Sun Wukong became even more emotional, so he wiped away his tears, suppressed his grief, and continued:

"Now there is no trace of my remains, and my body is still bound there, my life soon in danger. I have no choice but to come to you, hoping you will have mercy and let me return to my Flower-Fruit Mountain."

Before he could finish speaking, tears streamed down his face, and he couldn't stop crying. Tathagata this, Buddha smiled and said, "Wukong, don't be upset now. That Divine Ability is incredibly powerful; you can't possibly defeat him. That's why you're heartbroken."

Sun Wukong knelt below, his chest drooping, and said to the Buddha Tathagata:

"To tell you the truth, I once wreaked havoc in Heaven, calling myself the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, and I've never suffered a loss since ancient times. Yet today I've fallen into the hands of such Yaomo. It's truly shameful!"

"Please don't say that! I know that monster too."

Tathagata Sun Wukong saw Sun Wukong in this state, he quickly comforted Sun Wukong.

After speaking, Sun Wukong suddenly realized something and said to the Buddha Tathagata, "Buddha, I've heard people say before that one of the demons seems to be your relative."

Tathagata, Buddha didn't think so, and quickly said to Sun Wukong, "You monkey, don't talk nonsense. Which demon is related to me?"

"If you're not related to that monster, how did you recognize it?"

Sun Wukong laughed and Tathagata to Buddha, as if he wasn't the one who had just been crying.

"You shameless monkey, you're trying to be clever in front of me. I have discerning eyes, so I can see right through you. However, of the three monsters you just mentioned, two of them have masters."

Tathagata this, Buddha said helplessly to Sun Wukong.

After saying this, he continued, "The two of you will now go to Mount Wutai and Mount Emei respectively, and summon Wenshu and Puxian."

After hearing the Buddha Tathagata's words, the servant turned and left. The Buddha Tathagata said to Sun Wukong:

"The Azure Lion and the elephant demon are the mounts of these two bodhisattvas, but the Kunpeng is actually related to me."

Sun Wukong was immediately captivated by the words spoken by the Buddha Tathagata.

"Is it from your father's side or your mother's side?"

At this moment, Sun Wukong, completely disregarding the occasion, teased the Buddha Tathagata.

However, the Buddha Tathagata ignored Buddha Tathagata Sun Wukong's words and continued, "Since the beginning of Chaos, when heaven and earth merged, all things were born. Among all things, there were birds and beasts, and among the beasts, the Qilin was the king."

"As for birds, the Phoenix reigns supreme. After frantically absorbing the Qi of Chaos, it gave birth to the Peacock and the Great Peng. The Peacock is the most ferocious when it is born, capable of devouring people, wiping out everyone within a radius of several miles."

The Buddha Tathagata looked up at the sky, recalling past events.

"I attained my golden body atop the snowy mountain, only to be devoured by him in one gulp. I wanted to leave but feared defiling my body, so I cast aside her back and ascended the Spirit Mountain."

"When I wanted to kill her, I was struck by the Buddhas' wrath for a thousand kalpas. The Peacock was like a wound to my mother, so I left her on Spirit Mountain Ling, where she is known as the Bodhisattva Peacock Great Wisdom King."

"Where did that Kunpeng come from? Could it be the Great Peng?"

Sun Wukong looked at the Buddha Tathagata with a puzzled expression, but the response he received was a nod of approval from the Buddha Tathagata.

"The Great Peng and the Peacock were born of the same mother, so we are related in some way."

Then the Buddha Tathagata explained the truth to Sun Wukong.

"Tathagata, if things are going to be like this, you're probably still that demon's nephew."

Sun Wukong, scratching the monkey hair on his body, said with a mischievous grin.

"Only I can subdue that monster, so I plan to come with you."

The Buddha Tathagata sighed and slowly spoke to Sun Wukong.

"So I hope you'll be merciful and come with me to subdue the monster."

After speaking, Sun Wukong saw the Buddha Tathagata descend, leading his disciples out of the mountain gate, where they saw Wenshu and Bodhisattva Puxian.

The two Bodhisattvas Buddha Tathagata, and the Buddha Tathagata said:

"How long have your two mounts been down the mountain?"

After pondering for a long time, Bodhisattva Wenshu said, "It should be about seven days."