Now, Sha Seng and Bajie rested in the forest for half a day, and only returned when the sky was growing late.
Tang Seng had spent half the day tending to Tiger Vanguard, and it had truly exhausted him.
When Tiger Vanguard was thirsty, he wanted water; when hungry, he needed food; when in pain, he needed to be turned over; once he had eaten and drunk his fill, even his bodily needs had to be attended to.
Tang Seng had thought that after eating the ginseng fruit, he could be considered hale and hearty. Never had he imagined that looking after a single person could be so tiring.
Ao Tu laughed and said, “Monk Tang, on ordinary days you have three disciples attending you closely. When you are thirsty, a disciple fetches water for you; when you are hungry, a disciple begs alms for you; when you travel, the white horse does the walking in your stead. Now that you must do things yourself, I imagine you feel quite at a loss.”
Hearing this, Tang Seng thought back on all that had happened along the journey, and was instantly overwhelmed with shame. He murmured, “Amitabha.”
That evening, Bajie and Sha Seng returned.
Tang Seng asked the two of them, “Bajie, Wujing, did you find the corpse?”
Bajie said, “Master, this is a wild mountain and desolate wilderness. There was nowhere to look.”
Sha Seng echoed him, “The two of us searched for half a day and saw no corpse. Perhaps it was eaten by wild beasts.”
Tang Seng then said to Ao Tu:
“Benefactor, those two disciples of mine say that your younger sister’s remains may have been devoured by wild beasts.”
Ao Tu asked, “What sort of wild beast devoured her?”
Tang Seng faltered. “This…”
Ao Tu asked again, “Even if wild beasts devoured her, human bones would remain. Where are the human bones?”
Tang Seng could not answer.
Ao Tu said, “Monk Tang, you did not see it with your own eyes, nor did you set foot there yourself. How dare you speak so lightly? Cultivation! Cultivation! If you do not personally attend to matters, how can you truly cultivate? Your body is entangled in karmic obstacles, yet you have your disciples do everything in your place. When will the karmic burden upon you ever be lessened?”
Hearing this, Tang Seng kowtowed and bowed.
“Amitabha. Benefactor, you speak rightly. This poor monk knows his fault. I am willing to go into the mountains myself and search for the remains!”
The next day, when it was full daylight, Tang Seng prepared to set out.
Ao Tu asked, “Monk Tang, where are you going?”
Tang Seng said, “Benefactor, this poor monk is preparing to enter the mountains in person to search for your younger sister’s remains.”
Ao Tu said, “How can you enter the mountains dressed in a kasaya? Change into these coarse, short clothes of mine. Only then will it be easier to walk.”
Tang Seng hesitated. “This… Benefactor, how could this poor monk wear the clothes of a layman?”
Ao Tu smiled and said, “Try reciting a scripture and see whether it can bring my sister’s remains back.”
Tang Seng said, “Benefactor, you jest.”
Ao Tu said, “You see? Reciting scriptures cannot recover the remains, but this set of coarse, short clothes can make it convenient for you to walk in the mountains. Tell me, should you change or not?”
Hearing this, Tang Seng gave a bow and changed into the clothes.
Ao Tu also dressed himself properly, took up a hoe, then picked up a carrying basket and had Tang Seng carry it on his back. “I will go with you.”
Tang Seng said, “Many thanks, Benefactor.”
The two went up the mountain.
The mountain road was difficult. After walking for a long while, even though Tang Seng had eaten the ginseng fruit, he gradually felt his strength failing.
Looking again at Ao Tu, he was bright-eyed and full of vigor. Tang Seng could not help saying:
“Benefactor, your physique is truly robust.”
Ao Tu said, “This is the effect of the Six-Syllable Mantra taught by the King Buddha of Spirit Mountain. It is not that my physique is robust.”
Hearing this, Tang Seng wanted Ao Tu to teach him the mantra. But when he thought of the sins he had committed, he could not bring himself to ask, and could only sigh helplessly.
After resting for a while, the two continued on. Along the way, Ao Tu picked several medicinal herbs—bupleurum, dipsacus, and drynaria. Tang Seng recognized none of them.
Ao Tu said, “Monk Tang, you do not even recognize these common medicinal herbs. As you travel through wild mountains and desolate wilderness, if you fall ill or are injured, where will you find a physician? Where will you seek treatment?”
Tang Seng said, “Naturally, my eldest disci…”
For a moment, he was speechless.
They walked for a long time more and came to the place where Wukong had previously beaten to death the incarnation of the White Bone Spirit.
There they saw some minced flesh, torn clothing, and a scattering of disorderly bones.
Tang Seng bowed with compassion and said, “Amitabha. Benefactor, restrain your grief.”
Then he bent down and picked up the shattered bones on the ground one by one, placing them into the basket on his back.
The two returned. As they passed through a mountain hollow, a gust of sinister wind suddenly swept over them, and a pack of vicious wolves with gray fur and silver tails leapt out. Each of them arched its back, bared teeth like steel, and glared at the two ferociously.
Tang Seng said in panic, “Benefactor, what are we to do?”
Ao Tu said, “Do not be afraid. I have the Six-Syllable Mantra passed down by the King Buddha of Spirit Mountain. It can repel evil and ferocity.”
Ao Tu pressed his palms together and recited, “Om mani padme hum!”
As the mantra was spoken, waves of Buddhist sound rang out, and the pack of vicious wolves fled in panic.
Seeing this, Tang Seng was filled with envy.
The two returned home and buried the remains in the grave, then paid their respects with sincere devotion.
That night, they also prepared the medicinal herbs and gave them to Tiger Vanguard to take.
After Tiger Vanguard took the herbs, he still cried out in pain.
Ao Tu said, “His injury is too severe. We still need to invite a physician here to treat him.”
Tang Seng said, “Tomorrow, this poor monk will personally go down the mountain and invite a physician.”
Sha Seng said, “Master, the mountain is high and the road is far. Let me go in your stead.”
Tang Seng shook his head. “This is my sin and responsibility. It should not be done by you in my stead. It is better that I go in person.”
Sha Seng said worriedly, “But the road is so far…”
Bajie said, “Junior Brother Sha, what are you worried about? With this benefactor here, nothing will happen to Master!”
The next day, Tang Seng prepared to set out.
Ao Tu asked, “Monk Tang, what are you going to do?”
Tang Seng said, “Benefactor, this poor monk is going to the town below the mountain to invite a physician to treat your younger brother’s leg injury.”
Ao Tu said, “How much money do you have?”
Tang Seng said, “This poor monk is one who has left the household. I have no money to speak of.”
Ao Tu said, “Without money, how will you invite a physician here?”
Tang Seng said, “Though this poor monk has no money, I have a sincere heart. I will surely be able to move a physician and invite him here to treat your younger brother.”
Ao Tu said, “Then go.”
Tang Seng then mounted the white horse and went down the mountain in search of a physician.
When he arrived in the town, Tang Seng found a medical clinic and explained his purpose.
When the physician heard it was White Tiger Ridge, he shook his head again and again, saying:
“I won’t go! I won’t go! That White Tiger Ridge is steep and perilous. I hear demons have entrenched themselves there. Find someone else.”
Tang Seng had no choice but to seek other physicians, but once they heard it was White Tiger Ridge, most were unwilling to go.
Only one money-grubbing physician was willing to make a house call, but he demanded a great deal of money, which Tang Seng could not produce. Tang Seng said:
“This poor monk is one who has left the household and carries no money. Might I ask the physician, for the sake of the Buddha, to make the visit free of charge?”
The physician said, “The Buddha? Can the Buddha take a pulse? Can the Buddha conjure up medicinal ingredients? If you have no money, what illness do you expect me to treat? Besides, isn’t that white horse of yours worth money? Sell the horse, gather enough silver, then come and ask me to make the visit!”
Tang Seng was utterly helpless. He wandered through the town for an entire day but still found no physician willing to make the trip. In the end, as the sky grew late, he returned hungry and empty-bellied.
Ao Tu laughed and said, “It seems a monk’s sincerity is not worth that much after all!”
Tang Seng said, “Benefactor, back when I was in the Great Tang, the Buddhist Dharma could not be considered especially flourishing, yet whenever this poor monk begged for alms, the common people were all kind-hearted, revered our Buddha, and gave generously. Now that I have reached these Western lands, which are closer to Spirit Mountain, the people should be even more devout toward Buddha. But why…”
Ao Tu said, “Do not blame the common people. Your method is wrong. Tomorrow, come with me.”
The next day at daybreak, Ao Tu said to Tang Seng:
“Monk Tang, lend me your kasaya and monk’s staff to wear and carry for a day.”
Hearing this, Tang Seng said, “Benefactor, these were bestowed by the Bodhisattva. I dare not lightly give them to another.”
Ao Tu smiled and said, “Monk Tang, ‘All that has form is illusory.’ Worn on your body, this kasaya cannot invite a physician. Even if it possesses divine power, how can it save all living beings?”
Hearing this, Tang Seng bowed and said, “Amitabha. Benefactor, your Buddhist Dharma is profound. This poor monk knows his fault!”