English
This book, from the Taoist and Buddhist points of view, is in many respects comparable to “Pilgrim’s Progress,” so well known in Western lands. Likeits Western counterpart, it, too, has exercised a strong influence during times when spiritual life was at a low ebb. At the same time, because of its humourous style, it has been regarded as light reading and has been frequently played as drama in the Chinese theatre. In its dramatic form it bears the name “ Ch‘ii T‘ang Ching” (I Hf #&) (“The Writings Fetched During the Tang Dynasty”). One cannot say with certainty who the author was. Some have thought it was Kublai Khan’s advisor, Ch‘iu Ch‘u-chi (5% 8 #). One thing is sure: the historical background is the official mission of the monk Hsiian- chuang (¥& #) to the fairyland of India in 629-645, his purpose being to secure several Mahayana scriptures. The hero of the book is, therefore, called Hsiian- chuang. The scene is laid partly in the heavenly regions, partly in the kingdom of death, and partly on earth. The author has in a very clever way personified the various aspects of human nature, the passionate, and [63] TRUTH AND TRADITION IN BUDDHISM the sensuous, but he reveals, too, the longing of the human heart after God and redemption. Most of the well-known Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist gods take part. The author shows, with sure hand, the inter- relation of these religious systems, how they interlock, how they supplement one another, and how at that time they had come to their most beautiful fruitage in the Mahayana school, or higher Buddhism. It is probable that the author had some knowledge of Christianity gained, it may be, from the Nestorian movement in its latter days. The object of the book is to show what help the different religious systems can give to the poor human being in his struggle for redemption. In this connec. tion the author sets forth what he considers to be the most primitive type of human nature, a human type that stands no higher than an ape. One of the chief characters in the drama, therefore. is an ape, who in untamable wildness makes his waj into human society and takes a human name. He takes as surname the character ‘‘sun’’ (#). Later when his more spiritual longings begin to awaken, he uses the characters “wu” (f#) and “kung” (2)— meaning “he who ponders on the mysterious.” Whe he becomes resourceful and practical, he takes a1 additional name “‘ Hsing-ché”’ (47 #), the practical. Sun (#), who was originally born of a block of stone and had, therefore, like his brothers, much of the roc] nature in him, soon began to stand out among hi fellow-apes. There was a beautiful river which flowe close by the place where they all lived. One tim [64] THE JOURNEY TO THE WEST they thought they would like to explore and find the source of the river. So they followed it back till they came to a place where it fell in a cascade from the mouth of a cave. Determined not to be baffled in their search for the source of the stream they agreed that he should be king who could leap through the waterfall into the cave and come back unscathed. ‘This was done by our hero, who thus became ruler in the kingdom of the apes. Hidden by the waterfall, he discovered an iron bridge which led to a spacious hall, comfortable and well lighted. Over this he led the ape colony and here they settled and lived for a long time in joy and comfort. The place was called ‘The Heavenly Cave Veiled with Curtains of Water, the Happy Flower and Fruit Garden.”’ One day, however, the apes noticed that their king was strangely silent, and soon he began to weep. They crowded round him in consternation, to hear what was the matter. Sun explained: “In spite of the fact that I am happy now, I am afraid when I think of the future.” 'The apes assured him that there was no cause for fear. Sun continued: “Although we, as long as we do not come into conflict with the laws and customs of human society, need not fear wild animals, a time will come when we are old and feeble and will begin to fear the great judge of death, who will drag us out of the land of the living.” When the apes heard this, they also covered their faces in sorrow, for they, too, feared death. After a time one of them had a revelation, and he stood forth in their midst and said: “Great King, [65] TRUTH AND TRADITION IN BUDDHISM this sorrow of thine is an opportunity to attain the endless life. Of all the wonders of this world, the three greatest are these: the Buddhas, the immortal Taoists, and the Confucian gods. These have gone beyond all changes and will never be born again to | another death, but will live as long as heaven and earth exist.”” The king asked if he knew where they lived, and the answer came: ‘They live beyond death, in the ancient valley between the mountains of the spirits.” When Sun Wu-kung heard this, his immediate decision was to travel abroad and meet these three wonderful groups. The next day his subjects prepared a great farewell banquet where peaches, precious herbs, and costly wines raised the spirit of festivity to the highest point, and the following day Sun Wu-kung started off on his long journey. He made himself a little boat, took a bamboo pole in his hand, and let himself be carried down with the current. A south-east wind drove him into the country of Shenpu. From there he continued his journey by land until he met a company of fishers and salt-burners. Sun transformed himself into a tiger, which rushed fiercely upon the workmen. Most of them took flight; one, however, took to his heels so late that Sun caught him. As it was necessary for him to have some clothing, he stripped his victim and dressed himself as a man. He now began to walk as a human being, and when, after a time, he entered a city, he had acquired a good carriage and a proper gait. He stayed long enough in the city to learn human speech and customs, [66] THE JOURNEY TO THE WEST and contrary to his previous practice, he began to take his meals in the daytime and to sleep at night. During this time he searched continually for the dwelling-place of the three groups of immortals, but nowhere did he find any who could help him to find them; none sought eternal life, all were striving after riches, comfort, and fame. After nine years of vain search, Sun came to the borders of the great western - ocean; here he secured a boat and sailed across to the land of the unicorns. On his arrival there, he saw rising majestically before him a high mountain, thickly wooded and very beautiful. He climbed it, till he reached the summit. While he stood and looked about him, he heard a voice singing. Following the sound he came upon a man chopping wood, and from the words of the song, Sun surmised that he was in the presence of a holy man. He was directed by the pious wood-cutter to the house of a wise and holy teacher who lived in the neighbourhood. This was no other than Hsii-p‘u-t‘l (48 # #2), one of Buddha’s most valued disciples. He was the Indian Subhuti, to whom, according to ‘The Diamond Sutra,’ Buddha himself expounded many deep and weighty truths. The ape king succeeded in gaining an audience with this exalted one, just as he began his daily lectures to his thirty disciples, and after a short examination Sun was admitted into the group of pupils, receiving at the same time the special name, Wu-kung. After many years of study he attained to the higher understanding of both the physical and psychical [67] TRUTH AND TRADITION IN BUDDHISM worlds, but the crowning achievement was his mastery of the secret arts of magic. With the help of seventy- two different formule and motions, he was prepared to make himself invisible, assume various bodily forms, and ride on the clouds through the heavens with the speed of lightning. His proficiency was such that he became a menace to the security of the school, so he was banished by the master. Returning to his old friends in “The Heavenly Cave Veiled with Curtains of Water,” he was received with great joy. His return was opportune, for just at that time his kingdom was threatened by powerful enemies. Sun immediately exercised his magical powers and destroyed them all. The apes felt themselves safer than ever under their learned and powerful king. After this victory he became intolerably arrogant and ambitious. He established his fame and _ his kingdom by means of several successful expeditions out into the world; to the deep caves of the dragons, where he appropriated multitudes of swords and an immense club; and later down to the borders of the sea, where he took for himself that mysterious spear which later was such a great help to him. While he was in Hades he took the opportunity of questioning the ten kings who punish the ungodly spirits and keep the death records of all living things. In the register he found his own name, and the span of his life was given as three hundred and forty-two years. Sun seized a pencil and struck out all that concerned him and his nearest ones. Now he had really become an immortal (hsien, {jl!). [68] THE JOURNEY TO THE WEST The following day representatives from the caves of the abyss and from the kingdom of death came up to the throne of God! with the prayer that heaven would lay hold upon Sun Wu-kung, the frightful monster who was everywhere causing the greatest confusion. The Eternal One upon the throne, Yii-ti (= %#), at first decided to send out some of the heavenly legions to arrest Sun, but yielding to the prayer of the angel Venus (Tai-pai chin-hsing, * H & 4), he changed this decision and determined to try by establishing Sun in the heavenly world to get him if possible to mend his ways.