–Mao Zedong, November 17, 1961 Since storm and thunder first swept o’er the earth,Sprung evil sprites from piles of bones of dearth.The monk, misled, may yet be taught his worth;But fiends and ghosts must bring destruction’s mirth.
By the dim light of the oil lamps, Tripitaka spent a long time meditating on the King Liang’s Water Litany (Liang Dynasty Water Repentance Liturgy), followed by the recitation of the Authentic Sutra of the Peacock(True Peacock Sutra).
After rescuing the Princess of the Sacred Elephant Kingdom and receiving the grateful honors from her father, the group journeyed onward without rest for many days. They ate only when hunger or thirst overtook them, traveling by daylight and resting when the sun dipped below the horizon.
Xuanzang was about to leave the desert and enter an oasis. Ahead awaited the 36 Western kingdoms. How would these distant lands, far removed from Chinese civilization, receive a monk from the Tang Empire?