At this very moment, the monkey felt incredibly pleased because he had managed to strike fear into the hearts of all the gods and immortals!
Look, no one dared to come to the Lingxiao Palace now!
Sun Wukong sat alone on the throne, drinking wine, his heart filled with joy. This was the Great Sage Equalling Heaven, this was the treatment he deserved!
The Jade Emperor was incompetent. This throne, thirty years east, thirty years west, it was time for Old Sun to sit on it!
On Spirit Mountain, Tathagata was lecturing when he suddenly stopped and said, "It seems the demonic monkey has reached the final stage. It's time for me to act!"
That's right, this was to strengthen his Western influence and also to build up momentum for the monkey!
All the previous plans had been successful, so it was time for him to make his move!
Afterwards, Tathagata, riding his meritorious golden lotus, went to the Heavenly Court!
The monkey was drinking wine when he saw a guy with a head full of bumps. He mused, wasn't this the Buddha from the West! He had heard of him, but he never expected this Buddha to come here.
"Bold demonic monkey, how can you sit on the Jade Emperor's throne!" Tathagata roared!
Sun Wukong sneered dismissively and did not get off the throne. He said, "The Jade Emperor is unjust. As for this throne, naturally, I can sit on it!"
"What abilities do you possess that allow you to claim the Jade Emperor's throne?" Tathagata immediately asked!
Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong's spirits lifted. He said, "This Old Sun has many tricks! I have seventy-two transformations, immortal and ageless. I can ride the somersault cloud, traveling a hundred and eight thousand li in one leap. How can I not sit on this throne?"
Tathagata laughed heartily and said, "Let me make a bet with you! If you have the ability to leap out of my right palm in one somersault, I'll consider you the winner. You won't have to fight any more battles, and I'll ask the Jade Emperor to reside in the West and give you the Heavenly Palace! If you cannot leap out of my palm, you must convert to my Buddha!"
Sun Wukong immediately chuckled. How arrogant this Tathagata was! His palm was big, but with one somersault of a hundred and eight thousand li, he would be long gone. He was actually betting with me?
He agreed!
So, Sun Wukong leaped onto Tathagata's palm and somersaulted out!
When Sun Wukong looked again, good heavens, this must have been the extreme edge of the sky. After all, one somersault was a hundred and eight thousand li. There were five bright red sky-supporting pillars here, and mist swirled all around!
Sun Wukong laughed heartily and prepared to return. But then he stopped. If he went back, that old Tathagata wouldn't honor his word, and wouldn't all his efforts be in vain? So, he pulled out a hair, transformed it into a brush, and wrote: Great Sage Equalling Heaven, visited here! He also left a puddle of urine. Well, he had drunk too much earlier and couldn't hold it in.
Then Sun Wukong swaggered back in a somersault cloud, landing back in Tathagata's palm. He boldly declared, "Old Tathagata, you have lost!"
Tathagata chuckled and said, "What proof do you have?"
Sun Wukong, as if he had foreseen this, said, "I left a mark over there!"
Tathagata scoffed, "Was it 'Great Sage Equalling Heaven, visited here!' and you also left some urine?"
Sun Wukong was greatly shocked. How did this Tathagata know? Could he divine the future?
Just then, Tathagata immediately said, "You urine-spewing monkey, you never left my palm. Look back now!"
Sun Wukong looked back and, good heavens, his mark was actually written on Tathagata's hand! His eyes darted, and he was about to escape!
Tathagata, however, flipped his hand and slapped Sun Wukong down to the mortal realm. At the same time, his palm transformed into the five elements—gold, wood, water, fire, and earth—becoming the Five Elements Mountain, which pressed down on Sun Wukong!
Sun Wukong cried out, but alas, Tathagata's magical powers were too great. Sun Wukong, as he was now, was no match for him and was directly suppressed beneath the Five Elements Mountain!
At this moment, Di Xin and others emerged. The Jade Emperor also came out and glanced at Di Xin, "You sly dog, you're quite the player. You ran away without calling me, and I got hit with a stick!"
Tathagata saw that everyone was present and said, "Your Majesty, the matter has now been resolved. Regarding what happens next, how do you fellow Daoists plan to arrange it!"
Di Xin chuckled and said, "The ninety-nine eighty-one tribulations will naturally begin with Sun Wukong's conversion to Buddhism. We have our own plans! Tathagata need not worry so much!"
Hearing Di Xin's words, Tathagata rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, your mother! How can I not worry? If you guys make arrangements, what will happen to us then?"
If another powerful being was arranged, the pilgrim might very well perish!
But seeing Di Xin's demeanor, it was clear he wouldn't say much more to him. Tathagata, too lazy to endure this humiliation, flew away directly!
"Great Emperor Ziwei, how do you plan to arrange things!" the Jade Emperor said with authority at this moment!
Di Xin pouted. What does it matter to you how I arrange things!
However, he still said, "The demon race is too active nowadays, which has severely affected the majesty of the Heavenly Court. Therefore, I plan to use this westward journey to clean up the demon race!"
The Jade Emperor raised an eyebrow. Good heavens, this Di Xin is a bit ruthless. Is he trying to get revenge on the demon race!
Thinking back to ancient times, the demon race had indeed slaughtered many humans. Di Xin, having been a Human King before, it was normal for him to consider the human race!
Not only would they scheme against the demon race, but they would also accumulate merit. The arrangements for the Three Religions were also numerous. All of this awaited the pilgrim!
In a hazy state, five hundred years had passed in the mortal world. It was now the prosperous era of the Eastern Tang Dynasty. King Tang, due to years of slaughter, ordered a grand Water and Land Dharma Assembly to be held to redeem the souls of the deceased!
The Water and Land Dharma Assembly was grand and attracted countless monks!
On Spirit Mountain in the West, Tathagata said, "I see that among the Four Great Continents, the good and evil of sentient beings are varied! Among them, the Eastern Continent of Shenzhou... respects heaven and earth, and their hearts are pure and their temperaments are calm! The Northern Continent of Julu... although they love their kin, it is only to make a living. Their natures are simple and their emotions are straightforward, with little cruelty; our Western Continent of Niuhe... is neither greedy nor murderous, nurturing their qi and concealing their spirit. Although they do not have ultimate truth, everyone lives a long life; but in the Southern Continent of Bujiao... they are greedy, lecherous, and gloat over misfortune. They kill and fight often, truly a place of sharp tongues and a sea of evil disputes. I now have the True Scriptures of the Three Collections, which can exhort people to do good."
The various Buddhas nodded, but their eyes drifted. Why are you saying this now? We don't not know this. Aren't we all great divine beings? Do we need you to tell us this?
Seeing that no one was responding, Tathagata glanced at Venerable Ananda beside him!
Venerable Ananda immediately understood and said, "May I ask the Buddha, which are the True Scriptures of the Three Collections!?"
Tathagata nodded. It was still his two dogs that were more obedient. After the West flourished, these people had clearly become a bit arrogant and didn't quite take the Buddha seriously!
Of course, these things would be dealt with later!
He said, "I have the Dharma Collection, which discusses heaven; the Sutra Collection, which discusses earth; and the Abhidharma Collection, which saves ghosts. The Three Collections total thirty-five parts, comprising fifteen thousand one hundred and forty-four scrolls, which are the path to cultivating truth and the gate to righteousness and goodness. I wish to send them to the Eastern Land, so that the common people may not lightly insult my Buddha's true scriptures. I wonder who is willing to undertake this journey!"
Guanyin then stepped forward and said, "Buddha, this humble monk is willing to go!"
This was all pre-arranged. He, Guanyin, was responsible for this journey. Manjusri and Samantabhadra were somewhat envious and jealous. "Hey, we're all Bodhisattvas, why are you so outstanding and your cultivation so high! Now that something good has come up, you're taking it all for yourself. Isn't that unfair!"