In a recent battle, the Buffalo Demon had used his magic band to strip all the gods of their weapons once again.
“The powers of this monster are stronger than anything I have ever seen before,” Wukong said to himself.
“But I know someone who can definitely defeat him.”
The Buddha’s Guidance
With a tremendous leap, the Monkey King mounted a cloud and hurried toward the Spirit Mountain.
Tathagata ordered that he be brought into his presence, and the Diamond Guardians had no objection to letting him pass. The Monkey King prostrated himself on the ground, and Tathagata said to him:
“I know why you are here, and I also know who the demon is. Unfortunately, you must go to Laozi for help.”
The Monkey King concluded:
“In that case, there is nothing more to be said.”
The Missing Buffalo
And mounting his cloud, he headed toward the Tushita Palace in the Heaven of Indifference, which lay even beyond the Thirty-Third Heaven.
After bowing quickly before Lao Tse, Wukong asked:
“May I speak with you for a moment?”
Lao Tse asked in return:
“Do you want to explain to me what you are doing here? Why have you abandoned your mission to go in search of the scriptures?”
Wukong replied:
“That seems like a journey that will never end. At present, it is at a standstill. That is precisely why I’ve decided to come to you.”
Laozi asked:
“How can I help you?”
The Monkey King answered again:
“I am trying to find a clue that will clear my path toward the Western Paradise.”
“What clue do you expect to find in my palace?” Lao Tse inquired once more.
Wukong entered the mansion, glancing nervously from side to side. After walking through an authentic labyrinth of corridors, he discovered beside the stables a young boy who was fast asleep. In his hands was a halter, but there was no sign of the buffalo.
“Your buffalo has escaped!” cried the Monkey King.
“Where is that cursed beast now?” asked Lao Tse.
Sun Wukong replied:
“In the Cave of the Golden Helmet, which, as you know, is located on the mountain of the same name. It first captured Master Tang and then seized my golden-banded iron bar.”
Subduing the Beast
Thereupon, Lao Tse took his banana-leaf fan, mounted a cloud, and was followed by the Monkey King. They rushed toward the Mountain of the Golden Helmet.
Lao Tse said to Wukong:
“I think you should go down and challenge him once more. That will make my task much easier.”
With a leap, the Monkey King returned directly in front of the cave and, raising his voice, declared:
“Come out at last from your hiding place, weeping beast, and prepare yourself for death!”
The demons ran inside the cave to inform the monster of his arrival.
The monster exclaimed in annoyance:
“How annoying that blasted monkey is! I wonder who he has brought with him this time.”
Taking up his spear, he confidently strode toward the entrance of the cave.
When the Monkey King saw him, he shouted:
“Rest assured, foul beast, that you will not live to cross that threshold again! Do not flee and taste the strength of my fists!”
Before the monster could react, Wukong suddenly leapt in front of him, slapped him hard across the face, and fled swiftly. The demon quickly recovered and chased after him with his spear raised. Just then, he heard someone call from atop the mountain:
“What is that ox waiting for before returning home?”
The demon looked up, and upon seeing that it was Lao Tse, his heart skipped a beat and he began to tremble.
He muttered in fury:
“That monkey is the most wicked creature on earth! How did he manage to find my master?”
On his part, Lao Tse recited an incantation and began fanning with his fan. The monster hurled the magic band at him, but the master caught it effortlessly. He waved the fan a second time, and the demon immediately lost all his strength. His muscles stiffened, and soon he transformed into a bluish buffalo.
Calamity dispelled, journey resumed
After bidding farewell to the other gods, Lao Tse mounted the buffalo and rose high into the air, heading toward the Tushita Palace.
Sun Wukong and the other gods then stormed the cave and slaughtered all the remaining demons—just over a hundred. Having recovered their weapons, Devaraja Li and his son returned to Heaven, the lords of thunder returned to their mansions, the Star of Fire went back to his palace, and the River Lord plunged into the waters of a river. The monks resumed their journey westward.
Leave a Reply