Wu Cheng-en - Journey to the West (vol. 3)

Quickly he handed it to Sanzang with the remark, “There's nothing in this scroll, Master.” Monkey opened out another scroll to find that it had nothing written in it either. Pig opened another and it too had nothing in it.

“Open them all for us to examine,” said Sanzang. Every single scroll was blank paper.

“We Easterners really do have no luck,” he said, sighing and groaning. “What point is there in fetching wordless scriptures like these? How could I ever face the Tang emperor? I will have no way of avoiding execution for the crime of lying to my sovereign.”

Monkey, who already understood what had happened, then said to the Tang Priest, “Say no more, Master. Ananda and Kasyapa gave us these scrolls of blank paper because we hadn't got any presents to give them when they asked for them. Let's go back, report them to the Tathagata and get them accused of extortion.”

“That's right,” shouted Pig, “that's right. Let's report them.” The four of them then hurried up the mountain again, and after a few steps they were rushing back to the Thunder Monastery.

Before long they were once more outside the gates of the monastery, where everyone raised their clasped hands in greeting. “Have you holy monks come to exchange your scriptures?” they asked with smiles. Sanzang nodded and expressed his thanks. The vajrapanis did not block them, but let them go straight in to the Mahavira Hall.

“Tathagata,” yelled Monkey, “our master and the rest of us have had to put up with endless monsters, demons, troubles and hardships to get here from the East to worship you. You gave the orders for the scriptures to be handed over, but Ananda and Kasyapa didn't do so because they were trying to extort things from us. They conspired and deliberately let us take away blank paper versions without a single word written on them. But what's the point in taking those? I beg you to have them punished, Tathagata.”

“Stop yelling,” replied the Lord Buddha with a smile. “I already know that they asked you for presents. But the scriptures cannot be casually passed on. Nor can they be taken away for nothing. In the past bhiksus and holy monks went down the mountain and recited these scriptures to the family of the elder Zhao in the land of Sravasti. This ensured peace and safety for the living and deliverance for the dead members of the family. All that was asked for was three bushels and three pecks of granular gold. I said they had sold the scriptures too cheap, so I saw to it that Zhao's sons and grandsons would be poor. You were given blank texts because you came here to fetch them empty-handed. The blank texts are true, wordless scriptures, and they really are good. But as you living beings in the East are so deluded and have not achieved enlightenment we'll have to give you these ones instead. Ananda, Kasyapa,” he called, “fetch the true scriptures with words at once. Choose a few rolls from each title to give them, then come back here and tell me how many.”

The two arhats then led the four pilgrims to the foot of the library building and once again asked the Tang Priest for a present. Having nothing else to offer, he ordered friar Sand to bring out the begging bowl of purple gold and presented it with both hands. “Your disciple is poor and has come a very long way,” he said, “and I did not bring any presents with me. This bowl was given to me by the Tang emperor with his own hands to beg for food with on my journey. I now offer it to you as a token of my heartfelt feelings. I beg you arhats not to despise it but to keep it. When I return to my court I shall report this to the Tang emperor, who will certainly reward you richly. I only ask you to give me the true scriptures that have words to save me from failing in my imperial mission and making this long, hard journey for nothing.”

Ananda accepted the bowl with no more than a hint of a smile. The warriors guarding the precious library building, the kitchen staff responsible for the spices and the arhats in charge of the library rubbed each other's faces, patted each other's backs, flicked each other with their fingers and pulled faces.

“Disgraceful,” they all said with grins, “disgraceful. Demanding presents from the pilgrims who've come to fetch the scriptures!” A moment later Ananda was frowning with embarrassment but still holding the bowl and not letting go. Only then did Kasyapa go into the library to check the scriptures through one by one and give them to Sanzang.

“Disciples,” called Sanzang, “take a good look at them, not like last time.” The three of them took the rolls and examined them one by one. All had words. 5,048 rolls were handed over, the total in a single store. They were neatly packed up and put on the horse, and those left over were made into a carrying-pole load for Pig to take. Friar Sand carried their own luggage, and as Brother Monkey led the horse the Tang Priest took his staff, pushed his Vairocana mitre into position, shook his brocade cassock, and went happily into the presence of the Tathagata. Indeed:

Sweet taste the True Scriptures of the Great Store,

Created fine and majestic by the Tathagata.

Remember what Xuanzang suffered to climb this mountain:

Ananda's greed was something ridiculous.

What they did not notice at first Dipamkara helped them to see;

Later the scriptures were real and they then found peace.

Successful now, they would take the scriptures to the East;

Where all could be refreshed by their life-giving richness.

Ananda and Kasyapa led the Tang Priest to see the Tathagata, who ascended his lotus throne and directed the two great arhats Dragon-queller and Tiger-subduer to strike the cloud-ringing stone chimes that summoned all the Three Thousand Buddhas, Three Thousand Protectors, Eight Vajrapanis, Four Bodhisattvas, Five Hundred Arhats, Eight Hundred Bhiksus, the host of laymen, bhiksunis, laywomen, and the greater and lesser honoured ones and holy monks of every cave, every heaven, the blessed lands and the magic mountains. Those who were supposed to sit were asked to ascend their precious thrones, and those who were supposed to stand stood on either side. All of a sudden heavenly music rang out from afar and magical sounds wafted around. The air was full of countless beams of auspicious light and of aura upon aura as all the Buddhas gathered together to pay their respects to the Tathagata.

“How many rolls of scripture have you given them, Ananda and Kasyapa?” the Tathagata asked. “Please tell me the numbers one by one.”

The two arhats then reported, “We are now handing over for the Tang court the

Nirvana sutra-400 rolls

Bodhisattva sutra-360 rolls

Akasagarbha sutra-20 rolls

Surangama sutra-30 rolls

Collection of sutras on the meaning of grace-40 rolls

Determination sutra-40 rolls

Ratnagarbha sutra-20 rolls

Avatamsaka sutra-81 rolls

Sutra on Worshipping Bhutatathata-30 rolls

Mahaprajnaparamita sutra-600 rolls

Mahaprabhasa sutra-50 rolls

Adbhuta-dharma sutras-550 rolls

Vimalakirti sutra-30 rolls

The Three Sastras-42 rolls

Diamond sutra-1 rolls

Saddharma sastra-20 rolls

Buddhacaritakavya sutra-116 rolls

Pancanaga sutra-20 rolls

Bodhisattva-vinaya sutra-60 rolls

Mahasamnipata sutras-30 rolls

Makara sutra-140 rolls

Saddharma-pundarika sutra-10 rolls

Yoga sutra-30 rolls

Precious Eternity sutra-170 rolls

Sutra on the Western Heaven-30 rolls

Samghika sutra-110 rolls

Samyukta-Buddhadesa sutra-1,638 rolls

Mahayana-sraddhotpadasa sastra-50 rolls

Great Wisdom sutra-90 rolls

Ratna-prabhava sutra-140 rolls

Original Pavilion sutra-56 rolls

Principal vinaya sutra-10 rolls

Mahamayuri-vidyarajni sutra-14 rolls