Simply put, Sun Wukong both escaped Buddha’s palm and didn’t fully escape it. However, both parties cheated in the process — yet neither point truly mattered, for the gods cared only whether Wukong was defeated. Why is this so?
Gradually, Wukong began to question his fate:“This is all Tathagata’s fault! He sits comfortably in his paradise, hoarding scriptures! If he truly cared about spreading truth, he should have delivered them himself to the East. Instead, he sent us through endless trials. Now my master lies dead! I’ll confront Buddha—demand the scriptures or freedom…
Having escaped the perils of thorns and entangled tree spirits, the pilgrims continued westward. Soon winter came to an end, and spring returned, spreading its presence everywhere. The master and his disciples preferred the languid fragrance of flowers and the soft comfort of meadows.