Chapter 452: No Need for the Sutra

Outside the mountain gate of the Thunder Sound Temple, the Four Great Vajras holding pestles stand solemnly, their divine aura imposing.

Seeing Master Xuan Zang and his three disciples approach the steps, a Vajra stepped forward a few paces, its voice like a great bell asking, "Are the newcomers the holy monks from the Eastern Tang, traveling westward to worship the Buddha and seek the sutras?"

Xuan Zang stepped forward, palms together, bowed and replied, "Indeed I am disciple Xuan Zang, having led my disciples through countless perils to reach Spiritual Mountain, seeking an audience with my Buddha Tathagata."

The Vajra nodded, its expression softening slightly, "If so, holy monk, please wait a moment while we go inside to report."

Having said so, it turned and entered the mountain gate.

A moment later, the Vajra reappeared, stepping aside to clear the path, and in a deep voice said, "The Buddha has given an order; holy monk, please enter."

"Thank you, Vajra," Xuan Zang bowed again in gratitude, then straightened his robes, led his three disciples, and stepped into the core of this Western Pure Land—the Great Thunder Sound Temple.

Passing through successive halls, with fragrant flowers carpeting the ground and auspicious mist swirling, he proceeded to the most magnificent and solemn Great Hero Hall.

Inside the hall, Tathagata Buddha sat upright on a nine‑rank lotus platform, his golden body six chi tall, radiating ten thousand rays of light; to his left and right stood Manjushri and Samantabhadra, in front five hundred Arhats, behind three thousand Jie Di Deities, and myriad celestial bodhisattvas, Vajras, monks and nuns gathered together, the Brahma Sound faintly echoing, the scene vast and countless.

Xuan Zang dared not delay; he approached the hall, faced the Tathagata Buddha on the lotus platform, threw himself down in a deep bow, performing the grand obeisance.

After the bow, he turned to the surrounding buddhas and bodhisattvas, bowing to each in turn again.

Having completed three rounds of bows to each, he turned back, knelt long before the Buddha's lotus platform, raised both hands high with the passage document, presenting it above his head.

The Tathagata Buddha lowered his wise eyes slightly, extended a golden arm, took the document—bearing the seals of countless nations after enduring ninety‑nine eighty‑one trials—examined it, nodded faintly, and returned the document to Xuan Zang.

Xuan Zang took it with both hands, bowed his head to the ground, then lifted his gaze, and in a clear, respectful voice began to speak:

"Disciple Xuan Zang, acting on the decree of the Eastern Tang emperor, unafraid of the distant journey, having trekked one hundred and eighty thousand li, enduring countless hardships, has arrived at the treasured Mountain Spirit Eagle Peak Great Thunder Sound Temple to behold my Buddha; what I seek is only the true sutra."

"May this true sutra be transmitted eastward to the Tang, widely proclaiming the wondrous Dharma to alleviate the suffering and confusion of the Eastern peoples; I earnestly request the Buddha's compassion, that you grant the sutra promptly so the disciple may return to the East soon, report the emperor's trust, and soothe the longing of sentient beings."

The Tathagata Buddha, having listened, slowly opened his golden mouth, his voice vast and compassionate, resonating through the hall: "Rise."

"In your Eastern Southern Shanyin Continent, because the heavens are high and the earth is thick, the resources abundant, the population dense, it has consequently given rise to many evils."

"Sentient beings are overly greedy and murderous, overly lustful and deceitful, often cheating and fraudulent; they do not follow my Buddha's teachings, do not pursue virtuous causes, do not revere the three lights of heaven, earth, sun and moon, do not value the five grains; they are disloyal and unfilial, unjust and unkind, constantly acting with concealed hearts, habitually using large and small scales to cheat others, and some even kill lives and beasts, creating boundless sins."

"When evil deeds overflow, the disaster of Hell arises, souls eternally fall into darkness, suffering the grinding torment of pestles, sometimes transforming into beasts with fur and horns, repaying their karmic debt with flesh, feeding others with blood and meat. Those forever doomed to the Avici Hell, unable to ascend, are all due to this."

The Buddha paused, then continued, "Although your Eastern ancestors like Confucius have established teachings of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom, and successive emperors have instituted punishments of exile, flogging, twisting, and beheading to govern, yet the multitude of ignorant and indulgent people are too many, making complete cultivation difficult."

"Now I possess the Triple Basket of Sutras, which can transcend suffering and explain calamities. These three baskets are: the 'Dharma' basket, discussing heaven; the 'Treatise' basket, speaking of earth; the 'Sutra' basket, delivering spirits. In total thirty‑five sections, amounting to fifteen thousand one hundred forty‑four scrolls. This is the true path of cultivation, the gateway to goodness."

"Across the Four Great Continents of the world, all astronomy, geography, peoples, birds and beasts, flora, implements, and human affairs are recorded; nothing is omitted, nothing is left unexplained."

"You who have traveled from afar, your resolve is commendable."

Having spoken, the Tathagata Buddha turned his head, looking at the two standing elders beside him: "Ah Nuo, Jia Ye."

"The disciples are present," Ah Nuo and Jia Ye replied, stepping forward.

"You two, lead his four followers to the foot of the Precious Tower, partake of some vegetarian fare, and rest briefly. Then…"

"My Buddha, a disciple has a doubt in his heart."

The Tathagata Buddha's words were interrupted by a suddenly sounding voice.

That voice came from the still‑kneeling Xuan Zang.

For a moment, the entire hall fell silent.

All Buddhas, bodhisattvas, Arhats, and Vajras' gazes simultaneously fell upon this dust‑covered, just‑experienced "rebirth" monk from the Eastern Land.

Manjushri and Samantabhadra slightly frowned, the five hundred Arhats showed varied expressions, and the celestial bodhisattvas wore looks of surprise.

Above the lotus platform, the Tathagata Buddha's countenance remained majestic and serene, neither joyful nor angry, his gaze calmly fixed on Xuan Zang as he slowly spoke:

"Xuan Zang, what doubts do you hold in your heart? Speak freely."

Xuan Zang slowly straightened his torso, his gaze steady, facing the Buddha's light that seemed to illuminate the entire universe, and asked:

"Just now the Buddha said, in my Eastern Southern Shanyin Continent, because sentient beings have committed boundless evils, there is the disaster of Hell, sinking into a sea of suffering. The Buddha has a true sutra that can relieve calamities. Upon hearing this, the disciple's heart fills with infinite gratitude and hope."

He paused, his voice not loud but each word clear, echoing in the silent great hall:

"However, a doubt remains in my heart, puzzling me endlessly, like a fishbone stuck in my throat, unable to speak without relief."

"Since departing from the East, the disciple has traveled all the way......."

Xuan Zang's gaze slowly swept over the hall's various majestic, compassionate, and fierce Dharma Images, finally fixing again on the Tathagata Buddha's face, and he asked a startling question:

"Why, though I have seen with my eyes, heard with my ears, and experienced personally, near my Spiritual Mountain Buddhist realm, is it not wholly auspicious?"

"In the Lion‑Camel Kingdom, the populace was almost entirely slaughtered, skeletons piled like mountains, turning the land into a demonic realm; centuries have passed, resentment soaring to the heavens! The three evil beasts—Green Lion, White Elephant, Great Roc—what are their origins? Even the heavens' gods and Buddhas truly know not? Truly… unstoppable?"

"By the Heaven‑Reaching River, Inspiration King annually demands boys and girls as sacrifices; any dissent stirs storms, causing every riverside household to mourn, each door filled with wails! Is his origin truly hidden?"

"That small Thunder Sound Temple, that Crimson‑Purple Kingdom… countless places, myriad demons entrenched, killing lives and disrupting a region; how many are linked to celestial mounts, child attendants, pet beasts, or even the relatives of bodhisattvas?"

Xuan Zang's voice rose gradually, bearing the accumulated doubts:

"They are disloyal and unfilial, unjust and unkind, killing lives and beasts, creating boundless sins, their crimes overflowing with evil! Their conduct mirrors the Eastern evils you described, how similar! Moreover, because they possess magical power, their havoc is even greater!"

"Why does our Buddhist realm sit idly as these demons run rampant, harming sentient beings, without promptly subduing them, granting the people of Western Niu He Continent true peace and prosperity?"

"Why do those who commit heinous crimes often, with just a single command from their master—'descend to the mortal realm on their own' or 'lenient discipline'—be lightly taken away, escaping severe punishment?"

"Those unjustly dead citizens, shattered families and nations, whose grievances and suffering—who should repay them? Who should deliver salvation?"

Finally, Xuan Zang stared into the Tathagata Buddha's eyes and uttered the most rebellious words:

"If even the Western Niu He Continent, closest to this Buddha's light, is overrun with demons, divine mounts causing havoc, and the people cannot find peace… is this not a clear statement to the disciple—"

He inhaled deeply, each word measured, his voice striking like gold and jade, hammering the hearts of every deity present.

"The Buddhist teaching of 'universal salvation' and 'compassion in the heart'… is it merely this?!"

"If so, then I shall forgo the sutra."

"Disciple, though foolish, I earnestly implore the Buddha… to resolve my doubts!"

As his words fell, within the Great Hero Hall, a death‑like silence settled.

A pin could be heard dropping.

The Buddhas and bodhisattvas' faces, their jeweled light seemingly frozen for a moment.

Behind him, Sun Wukong's eyes glittered with golden light; though shocked, a grin spread at the corners of his mouth, unstoppable.

Zhu Bajie's face showed terror, and his gaze toward the Sand Monk was filled with: "Master's gone mad!"

The Sand Monk only pursed his lips, remained silent, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

The various parties showed differing expressions.

Only on the lotus platform, the Tathagata Buddha's towering six‑zhang golden body still shone with boundless brilliance, his face still calm and unruffled, as if Xuanzang's question that could shake the three realms had not raised the slightest ripple in his heart.

He simply watched quietly the Eastern monk below who dared to stare at him, dared to question the whole Ling Shan order, for a long time; only then did he slowly speak, his voice still vast and merciful:

"Xuanzang, are you certain you don't want this sutra?"