In Journey to the West, Venerable Crow’s Nest (Wuchao Chan Master) is a mysterious figure.
His sanctuary resides on Futu Mountain — “Futu” meaning “Buddha” — indicating his identity as a Buddhist master. Moreover, his spiritual power is profound; even Sun Wukong could not harm him. This suggests he was likely a high-ranking Bodhisattva.
Bajie’s Rejection
Bajie once mentioned that the sage invited him to become a disciple. Why did he refuse?
Bajie said: “No matter. This mountain is called Futu Mountain, where Venerable Crow’s Nest cultivates. I once met him.”
Tripitaka asked: “What is his practice?”
Bajie replied: “He possesses profound cultivation. He urged me to study under him, but I declined.”— Journey to the West, Chapter 19
The Root Cause: Earthly Desires
The reason is simple: Zhu Bajie (Pigsy) was playful, lazy, and gluttonous. The ascetic, reclusive lifestyle offered by Venerable Crow’s Nest held no appeal for him.
Guanyin’s Persuasive Strategy
Later, when Guanyin Bodhisattva recruited Bajie for the pilgrimage, her approach differed significantly:
- Confronting Consequences: She condemned his celestial crimes and mortal misdeeds, warning that “dual punishment” awaited him if he continued. This forced Bajie to confront the severity of his actions.
- Offering Redemption: Promising a path to atonement, she declared: “I bear the Buddha’s decree to find a scripture-seeker in the East. If you escort him to the Western Heaven, you shall redeem your sins and escape calamity.” This gave Bajie hope for absolution.
- Authority and Trust: Guanyin’s supreme status and vast connections across heaven, earth, and the underworld commanded Bajie’s trust.
- Flexible Requirements: Beyond instructing him to abstain from meat and wine, she imposed few other restrictions — a stark contrast to rigid asceticism.
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