At the Heavenly River(Heaven-Reaching River), the ancient turtle entrusted Tang Monk to ask Tathagata when it could “shed its shell and attain human form,” but Tang Monk ultimately failed/forgot to inquire.
When assigning the mission, Tathagata Buddha explicitly stated that scriptures “cannot be lightly bestowed.” If obtained too easily, the people of the Eastern Land might disdain or slander them.
Many friends might have this question while watching Journey to the West, especially those who haven’t read the original novel but learned about the story through movies or TV shows.
Which was the hardest of the eighty-one tribulations faced by the Tang Monk and his disciples on their journey to fetch the scriptures? In Journey to the West, the four pilgrims battled demons and overcame obstacles all the way to the Western Heaven. Each trial seemed arduous. But comparing them, which one posed the…