Chapter 12: Exorcism In Gao Lao Village
However, Ba Jie fought a great battle with Sun Wukong and was captured by Sun Wukong.
Sun Wukong tied up Pig Ba Jie’s hands and feet, reported back to Master, mounted a cloud, and went to the South Sea.
There was only the vast ocean stretching to the horizon, with waters connecting to the sky; layers upon layers of snow-white waves, endless rolling swells; water splashing across the fields, waves surging all around. Mount Luojia had towering peaks; the Purple Bamboo Grove had precious trees and golden lotuses.
Sun Wukong arrived outside the mountain, reported to the Bodhisattva, entered within, pressed Ba Jie to bow down, and recounted the encounters of that day from beginning to end, asking the Bodhisattva to discern the truth.
Guanyin Bodhisattva said: “Wu Neng, you were wrong. The pilgrim has always been by Wukong’s side, with Ding Jia, Gong Cao, and monastery guardians taking turns. They never leave day or night. The one you met was fake.”
Ba Jie still did not believe it and said:
“Bodhisattva, I have been with Master for many days. He has a heart full of compassion, enveloped in Buddha’s light, not accepting even the slightest bribe. How could he be fake?
He even gave this old pig a golden flower from Buddhism, which Venerable Ananda gave to Master and Master passed on to me.”
Sun Wukong stood up upon hearing this and said: “What did you say, Ananda!”
Ba Jie said: “What’s wrong?”
Sun Wukong turned to Guanyin Bodhisattva and said: “Bodhisattva, back at Guanyin Monastery, it was this ‘Ananda’ who caused our master and disciples to suffer imprisonment. I hope Bodhisattva will investigate clearly!”
Guanyin Bodhisattva said: “I already know this person’s background.”
Sun Wukong said: “What is his background?”
Guanyin Bodhisattva said:
“In the past, there was a little dragon who was the bell ringer under Buddha Ancestor. Because his will was not firm, he missed the bell-ringing time.
Venerable Ananda discovered it and reported to Buddha Ancestor. Fearing punishment, that little dragon secretly fled to the mortal realm.
Because he had listened to lectures under Buddha Ancestor, he carried some Buddha’s aura on him, which is why you, Ba Jie, could not distinguish true from false.”
Sun Wukong said: “So that’s how it is! Hey, Old Sun has never provoked him, so why has he been opposing our master and disciples all along?”
Guanyin Bodhisattva said: “There is some reason behind this.”
Sun Wukong said: “Please Bodhisattva explain.”
Guanyin Bodhisattva said:
“This little dragon is named Ao Tu, the fifth son of the Dragon King of Jing River outside Chang’an City. That Dragon King of Jing River violated heavenly law and was taken to the dragon slaying platform for execution.
The supervising official named Wei Zheng was a minister of Emperor Taizong of the Great Tang.
To seek survival, the Dragon King of Jing River appeared in a dream to Emperor Taizong at night, asking Emperor Taizong to plead for him and spare his life.
Emperor Taizong agreed. The next day, he summoned Wei Zheng to the palace to play chess, thinking he could delay Wei Zheng and save the Dragon King of Jing River. However, he did not expect Wei Zheng to slay the dragon in his dream, and thus the Dragon King of Jing River died.
Afterward, the dragon soul of the Dragon King of Jing River lingered in the Underworld and sued Emperor Taizong for the crime of ‘promising to save but killing instead,’ leading to Emperor Taizong’s three-day journey in the Underworld.
After Emperor Taizong’s journey in the Underworld, he saw too many wronged souls and thus developed a Buddhist heart, which led to the later mission sending your Master to travel tens of thousands of miles to seek the true sutras of my Buddha’s Great Vehicle.”
Sun Wukong listened and understood, saying:
“So that ‘muddy eel’ resents King Tang for not saving his father and thus takes it out on my Master!”
Guanyin Bodhisattva said: “Exactly.”
Ba Jie interrupted: “Then where did his golden flower come from?”
Guanyin Bodhisattva said: “It must have been stolen from Venerable Ananda!”
Sun Wukong said angrily: “This ‘muddy eel’ only does these sneaky things like stealing chickens and dogs. If Old Sun catches him, I will definitely peel off his dragon skin and draw out his dragon tendons!”
Guanyin Bodhisattva said: “Wukong, do not get angry. If you encounter him again, just go to Western Heaven and ask Venerable Ananda to come, and you will be able to subdue him.”
Sun Wukong said joyfully: “Thank you, Bodhisattva, for your guidance!”
Afterward, Sun Wukong took Pig Ba Jie and left the South Sea, returning to Gao Lao Village. He explained the reason clearly to Tang Sanzang, and Tang Sanzang accepted Pig Ba Jie.
By then it was late, and the master and two disciples entered the village to seek lodging.
Because Ao Tu had impersonated Tang Sanzang and done many good deeds, the villagers of Gao Lao Village were extremely enthusiastic, with every household offering vegetarian meals and everyone worshiping the Buddha.
Tang Sanzang thought to himself of Buddha Ancestor’s blessing and stayed comfortably in Gao Lao Village for a night.
As for Ao Tu, as Tang Sanzang and his disciples began to linger in the Gao Lao Village area, his system progress also increased accordingly.
The next day, Tang Sanzang and his disciples prepared to leave the Gao Lao Village area.
Upon hearing this, the villagers of Gao Lao Village all rushed over, not allowing Tang Sanzang to leave.
Tang Sanzang was at a loss.
“Why won’t you let this poor monk leave?”
Those villagers said upon hearing this:
“Why, Holy Monk, you really forget things easily. You haven’t settled the land you promised us yet?”
Tang Sanzang was even more baffled after hearing this.
The villagers did not waste words and all took out their receipts.
“Monk, you want to renege?”
“We already paid the money!”
“If you can’t produce the land, don’t think about leaving!”
Tang Sanzang looked at those receipts and said: “This, these are not signed by this poor monk.”
But the villagers would not acknowledge it.
“Not signed by you? Who are you fooling? It’s written in black and white clearly. Isn’t Chen Xuanzang you?”
“This…” Tang Sanzang was speechless, “This poor monk’s lay name is indeed Chen Xuanzang, but the Chen Xuanzang on this is not this poor monk.”
The villagers said:
“Not you? How could it not be you? There’s only one baldhead like you in the entire Gao Lao Village. Do you dare say it’s not you?”
Tang Sanzang did not know how to refute.
Sun Wukong bared his teeth and said: “The one who signed is not my Master; it was a monster who signed. It’s got nothing to do with my Master. Get out of the way quickly!”
The villagers said upon hearing this: “Monster? I think you look like a monster!”
Sun Wukong was so angry his seven orifices smoked. He took out the golden fillet cudgel, but facing these common people, he could not bring himself to hit them.
In the end, with no other choice, Tang Sanzang and his disciples were blocked back by the villagers.
The villagers treated the three master and disciples to good food and drink, but just would not let the three leave.
Another day passed like this. Tang Sanzang tried to explain to the villagers, but everyone only hoped for the land and no one listened to Tang Sanzang’s explanation.
Tang Sanzang thought of sneaking away at night.
But the villagers, fearing Tang Sanzang would escape, had long arranged for people to watch in shifts. At night, as soon as Tang Sanzang and his disciples tried to leave, they were discovered.
“This monk wants to run!”
The people blocked Tang Sanzang back again.
With no choice, Tang Sanzang had to tell Sun Wukong:
“Wukong, you have great abilities. Just open up the fields for them and let us go west?”
Sun Wukong said: “Old Sun never does things without a proper reason. The fields were promised by that monster; that monster should do it. How can Old Sun do it? Wouldn’t that lower the reputation of the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven!”
Tang Sanzang said: “Then can you find that monster?”
Sun Wukong said: “This—that monster is sly as a fox. If he doesn’t show up, Old Sun can’t easily find him!”
Tang Sanzang sighed and looked at Pig Ba Jie, saying:
“Ba Jie, see if you can…”
Ba Jie hurriedly said upon seeing this: “Master, I can’t. When we took the money, it was agreed that Senior Brother would plow the fields.”
Sun Wukong, upon hearing this, grabbed Ba Jie’s ear and said:
“Who did you agree with? Who! Who!”
Ba Jie shouted in pain and begged for mercy: “Senior Brother, no one, no one. I remembered wrong!”
Sun Wukong said: “You should be the one to plow those fields. Who told you to provoke that monster!”
Ba Jie said: “How was it me who provoked him? Bodhisattva said it was the trouble caused by King Tang’s ‘promising to save but killing instead.’ How can you blame this old pig?”
Tang Sanzang said: “Ba Jie, do not talk nonsense!”
Sun Wukong increased his grip:
“Idiot, what did you say? Hurry up and go, or I’ll beat you two thousand times!”
Pig Ba Jie had no choice but to go plow the fields.
While walking, he muttered curses: “Damn Marshal of the Heavenly Horses, making me come plow fields and do hard labor. This old pig is here to protect the pilgrim on the journey to fetch sutras from Western Heaven, not to be a laborer! You want me to plow? I won’t plow!”
Over the next few days, Ba Jie went out early and returned late, pretending to work but not putting in effort. After several days in a row, he had not plowed even a few acres.
