Chapter 17: Ba Jie's Compassion

The story goes that after Sun Wukong's third defeat of the White Bone Demon, he was driven back to Hua Guo Shan by Tang Seng. But not long after, Tang Seng fell into peril in Baoxiangguo, where Huangpaoguai transformed him into a tiger. With no other choice, Ba Jie had no choice but to go to Hua Guo Shan to seek the help of the Handsome Monkey King. After much coaxing, he finally managed to provoke the Handsome Monkey King into agreeing to leave the mountain and rescue their master.

The Monkey King somersaulted on his Somersault Cloud, flying along with Ba Jie while complaining: "How heartless the Master was! Back then he wrote me a letter of dismissal, dead set on no longer having me as his disciple. Once I rescue that old monk from his plight, I'll return to my Hua Guo Shan and live a carefree life."

Ba Jie said: "Brother Monkey, you're wrong about this. The Master is actually a man who values affection, and he cares about you deeply too. It's just that he's a truly compassionate Dharma Master, unlike others who only feign compassion."

Wukong said: "Oh, how so? How are others feigning compassion, and how is the Master's compassion real?"

Ba Jie said: "Think back then, when old Pig me was banished to the mortal world and reborn in a pig's womb. Those old friends of mine in Tianting had all sorts of things to say. Some gloated over my misfortune, some said I was pitiful. But those fellows who chattered about how pitiful I was — when I was being banished, not a single one stepped forward to plead for me! Why do you think that is? They only knew how to protect themselves, unwilling to offend the Jade Emperor. Seeing others suffer, they'd only mouth a few sympathetic words. But they'd never step forward to lend a hand to those in misery. How could such people truly feel compassion for others?"

"Our Master is different — he truly thinks of others. Not a blade of grass, not a flower, not a single insect does he wish to harm. Even though he wronged you, considering he's a mortal with mortal eyes, it's understandable! When you said that person was a demon in disguise, it's not that he didn't have his doubts. He's the kind who'd rather be hurt himself than hurt others. Ever since becoming his disciple, old Pig has truly felt what it means to be cared for. Aren't you the same, Brother Monkey? Back when the Master rescued you from Wuzhishan, he climbed that mountain step by step, all the way to the peak, and removed the suppression talisman of Rulai Fozu. Think about it — he was just a mortal, how much suffering that must have cost him. Ever since we followed the Master, he teaches us principles every day. He also knows old Pig has a big appetite, so when we eat vegetarian meals, he never takes more himself, just to leave more for us brothers — you know this, Brother Monkey. Think back, was there ever anyone who cared for us like that? The Master truly treats us like family, and toward you especially, he loves you deeply and corrects you strictly…"

"Brother Monkey, although your abilities are unmatched and everyone calls you Great Sage, those fellows in Tianting only see the staff in your hand — which of them is truly on your side? The Master is different! Old Pig now doesn't regret at all leaving that heartless, ungrateful place in Tianting. Living like a puppet every day, I grew sick of it long ago. Although the road west is a bit bitter, my heart is warm. Sometimes when I bluster about splitting up, those aren't my true feelings. Without the Master, where would we go? I dare say to you — if one day we truly obtain the true scriptures and attain the right fruit, those gods in Tianting won't know how jealous and resentful they'll be!"

Wukong, hearing these words, was already brimming with hot tears, and wept: "Stop, stop! As long as the Master still wants old Sun as his disciple, how could old Sun be unwilling! No matter how hard, I'll protect him all the way to Xitian!"

Sun Xingzhe arrived at Baoxiangguo, subdued Huangpaoguai, and used his magic power to transform Tang Sanzang back into human form, then knelt on the ground weeping: "It was the disciple's fault!"

Tang Seng also wept: "It was the Master's fault! The Master wronged you!"

After master and disciples were reunited, they went through many more trials and finally obtained the true scriptures, attaining the right fruit.

On this day, Tianting held another grand Peach Banquet, inviting a host of Buddhas, Arhats, and Bodhisattvas to attend. Tang Seng and his four disciples were all on the invitation list.

The four master and disciples stepped on five-colored auspicious clouds, draped in five-colored radiant light as they came to attend. The Jade Emperor personally descended the steps to welcome them. The host of gods, upon seeing them, each muttered secretly in their hearts: "Who would have thought that pig-head and Juanlian really attained the right fruit — now they're even more imposing than us, how absurd." "That fellow Tianpeng is clearly just a pig, yet he can become a Bodhisattva? Hmph! What a laughingstock!"

"Even after attaining the right fruit, he's still a pig Demon!"

Those muttering these things in their hearts were precisely the very gods who had once said Tianpeng was pitiful.

The four master and disciples, now having attained the right fruit, already possessed Hexintong — whatever the host of Heavenly Gods were thinking in their hearts, they saw through it all completely.

Douzhanshengfo forcibly suppressed the fury in his heart, his expression already changed. The Altar-Cleansing General hurriedly used a secret technique of mind-to-mind transmission to say: "Brother Monkey, old Pig came here to feast, don't let me go home with an empty stomach!"

Douzhanshengfo, hearing this, sighed, and also used the secret technique to reply to Ba Jie: "Ba Jie, you're right! How could these fellows understand what compassion is? Seeing others fall into hardship, they only stand by and murmur a word of pity. But once others are doing better than them, their hearts fill with resentment and jealousy. They'd love nothing more than for others to turn back into that pitiful state they were in before. This place called Tianting is rotten beyond saving — why not find a chance to wreak havoc in it again?"

Ba Jie said: "Brother Monkey, look at that hot temper of yours — you've forgotten about compassion again. How others behave is their business; what matters is that we keep compassion in our hearts!"

Zhandan Gongdefo praised: "Ba Jie has already comprehended compassion; Wukong still needs to work harder!"

Douzhanshengfo said: "Master, you're taking Ba Jie's side again! He clearly can't shake that gluttonous habit of his! Buddha's compassion also has the means to subdue demons! In my view, these gods have been lounging up in heaven a bit too long — it's time they descended to the mortal world to temper themselves!"

The Golden Body Arhat laughed: "Big Brother hasn't shaken that hatred-of-evil temper of his either — if he could change, he wouldn't be Big Brother!"

The four master and disciples chatted and laughed here through their shared mind realm, while the host of Tianting gods remained completely unaware, still conjuring up all manner of wicked thoughts in their hearts…

(End of Chapter)