Wu Cheng-en - Journey to the West (vol. 1)

“I want five thousand ounces of silver for the cassock and two thousand for the staff,” said the Bodhisattva.

“What's so good about the cassock to make it worth that much?” asked Xiao Yu.

“On the one hand it is good and on the other it isn't,” replied the Bodhisattva. “On the one hand it has a price and on the other it hasn't.”

“What's good about it and what isn't?” asked the minister.

“Whoever wears this cassock of mine will not sink into the mire, will not fall into Hell, will not be ensnared by evil and will not meet disaster from tiger or wolf: these are its good points. But as for a stupid monk who is greedy and debauched, who takes delight in the sufferings of others, does not eat vegetarian food, and breaks the monastic bans; or a common layman who harms the scriptures and slanders the Buddha-such people have great difficulty even in seeing this cassock of mine: that is its disadvantage.”

“What did you mean by saying that it both has a price and hasn't got one?” asked the minister, continuing his questions.

“Anyone who doesn't obey the Buddha's Law or honour the Three Treasures but still insists on buying the cassock and the staff will have to pay seven thousand ounces for them: in that case they have a price. But if anyone who honors the Three Treasures, takes pleasure in goodness, and believes in our Buddha, wants to have them, then I'll give him the cassock and staff as a gift. In that case they have no price.” Xiao Yu's cheeks coloured, showing that he was a good man, and he dismounted to greet the Bodhisattva.

“Elder of the Great Law,” he said, “forgive me. Our Great Tang Emperor is a true lover of goodness, and every one of the civil and military officials in his court acts piously. This cassock would be just right for the Hierarch, Master Chen Xuanzang, to wear in the Great Land and Water Mass that is now being conducted. You and I shall go into the palace to see His Majesty.”

The Bodhisattva gladly followed him as he turned around and went straight in through the Donghua Gate. The eunuchs reported their arrival, and they were summoned to the throne hall. Xiao Yu led the two scabby monks in, and they stood beneath the steps of the throne.

“What have you come to report, Xiao Yu?” the Emperor asked. Xiao Yu prostrated himself in front of the steps and replied, “When your subject went out through the Donghua Gate I met two monks who were selling a cassock and a staff. It occurred to me that this cassock would be suitable for Master Xuanzang to wear. So I have brought the monks for an audience with Your Majesty.” The delighted Taizong asked how much the cassock cost. Still standing beneath the steps, and not making any gestures of courtesy, the Bodhisattva and Moksa replied, “The cassock costs five thousand ounces of silver, and the staff two thousand.”

“What advantages does the cassock have to make it worth so much?” the Emperor asked. To this the Bodhisattva replied:

“This cassock

Has a strand of dragon cape,

To save from being eaten by the Roc,

And a thread of a stork jacket,

To deliver from mortality and lead to sainthood.

When one sits

Ten thousand spirits come to pay homage;

In all your actions

The Seven Buddhas will be with you.

“This cassock is made of silk reeled from giant ice-worms,

Twisted into yarn by skilful craftsmen,

Woven by fairy beauties,

Finished by goddesses.

The strips of cloth are joined with embroidered seams,

Each piece thick with brocade.

The openwork decoration has a flower pattern

Shimmering with color, shining with jeweled beauty.

The wearer of the cassock is wreathed in red mist,

And when it is taken off, coloured clouds fly.

Its primal light slipped out through the Three Gates of Heaven,

The magic vapour arose before the Five Sacred Peaks.

It is embroidered with layer upon layer of passion-flowers,

And gleams with pearls that shine like stars.

At the four corners are night-shining pearls,

Set at the top is an emerald.

Although it does not completely illuminate the Original Body

It shines with the light of the Eight Treasures.

“This cassock

Is normally kept folded,

And will only be worn by a sage.

When kept folded,

A rainbow shines through its thousand layers of wrapping;

When it is worn by a sage,

It will astonish the heavenly spirits and scare all demons.

On top is an as-you-wish pearl,

A Mani Pearl,

A dust-repelling pearl,

And a wind-calming pearl;

There is also red agate,

Purple coral,

Night-shining pearls,

And relics of the Buddha.

They steal the white of the moon,

Rival the sun in redness.

Their magic essence fills the sky,

Their auspicious light honors the sage.

Their magic essence fills the sky,

Shining through the gates of Heaven;

Their auspicious light honors the sage,

Illuminating the whole world.

Shining on mountains and rivers,

The essence frightens tigers and leopards;

Illuminating oceans and islands,

The light startles fishes and dragons.

At the side are two rows of gold-plated hooks,

At the neck are loops of whitest jade.”

There is a poem that goes:

“Great are the Three Jewels, and honoured be the Way;

The Four Kinds of Life and Six Paths are all explained.

Whoever knows and teaches the law of Man and Heaven,

Can pass on the lamp of wisdom when he sees his original nature.

It protects the body and makes it a world of gold,

Leaves body and mind pure as an ice-filled jar of jade.

Ever since Buddha made his cassock

No one will ever dare to end the priesthood.”

When the Tang Emperor heard these words spoken in his throne hall he was filled with joy, and he asked another question: “Monk, what is so wonderful about your nine-ringed staff?”

“This staff of mine,” the Bodhisattva replied, “is:

A nine-ringed iron staff inlaid with copper,

A nine-sectioned Immortal's cane to preserve eternal youth.

Held in your hand it's as light as a bone,

As you go down the mountain it brings white clouds.

The Fifth Patriarch took it through the gates of Heaven;

When Lo Bu searched for his mother he used it to smash the gates of Earth.

Untouched by the filth of mortal dust,

It gladly accompanies the godly monk as he climbs the jade mountain.”

The Tang Emperor then ordered that the cassock be unfolded. On examining it from top to bottom he saw that it was indeed a fine article.

“Elder of the Great Law,” he said, “I tell you truthfully that I am now propagating the good word and widely sowing seeds of blessing. At this moment many monks are assembled at the Huasheng Monastery for recitation of the surras. Among them is one monk of outstanding virtue whose Buddha-name is Xuanzang, and we wish to buy those two treasures of yours to give him. So what is your price?”

The Bodhisattva and Moksa put their hands together, intoned the name of the Buddha, and bowed down. “If he really is a virtuous monk,” she said, “I shall give them to him, and I refuse to accept any money for them.” With that she turned and left.

The Emperor immediately told Xiao Yu to stop her as he rose to his feet and called out, “You told us that you wanted five thousand ounces for the cassock and two thousand for the staff, but now that we have said we shall buy them, you refuse to take any money. Are you going to say that I abused my power to seize your things? We would never dream of it. We shall pay the price you asked, and will take no refusal.”

Raising her hand the Bodhisattva said, “I made a vow that I would give them free to anyone who honoured the Three Treasures, delighted in goodness, and believed in our Buddha. Now I have seen that Your Majesty is a good and virtuous respecter of our Buddhist faith, and have heard that there is a monk of virtuous conduct who preaches the Great Law, it is only right that I should offer them to him; I don't want any money for them. I am leaving the things here. Good-bye.” The Tang Emperor was very pleased with the monk's sincerity, and ordered that a large vegetarian banquet be given to thank him in the Imperial Kitchen. This the Bodhisattva refused to accept and went airily off. There is no need to describe how she returned to her hide-out in the local god's temple.