Return to the Eastern Land; The Five Sages Attain Buddhahood

We will tell not of how the four travelers escaped and rose on the wind with the vajrapanis, but of the multitude at the Temple of Deliverance in Chen Village. When they rose at dawn to prepare more fruits and delicacies for offerings, they went to the tower’s ground floor and found the Tang Priest gone. Questions flew and searches began; panic spread through the crowd, and none knew what to do.
“We have let those living Buddhas slip away entirely,” they lamented, their cries reaching the sky. With nothing they could do to remedy it, they carried all the prepared food to the tower base as offerings and burned paper spirit money. From that time onward, four major sacrifices and twenty-four minor observances were held each year. In addition, crowds came hour after hour, day by day, to burn incense and make vows, seeking healing, safety, happy marriages, wealth, or sons. Truly:
Incense smoked in the golden burner for a thousand years;
The light burned in the lamps of jade through eternity.
We turn from this scene to recount how the Eight Vajrapanis caught up the four pilgrims once more upon a fragrant wind. Several days passed before the lands of the East came into view, and the city of Chang’an gradually appeared.
Emperor Taizong had watched the Tang Priest depart Chang’an on the twelfth day of the ninth month, thirteenth year of Zhenguan. In the sixteenth year of his reign, he ordered officials of the Works Department to build a Watching for the Scriptures Tower outside Chang’an to await the returning pilgrims. The emperor visited the tower in person every year. By chance, on the very day Taizong arrived, auspicious radiance filled the western sky and gusts of scented wind swept through.
“Holy Monk,” the vajrapanis said, halting mid-air, “this is Chang’an. We dare not descend, for the people here are sharp-witted and might spread word of our true forms. The Great Sage and your other two disciples cannot enter the city either. You must go alone to deliver the scriptures to your sovereign, then return to us here among the clouds to report the completion of your mission.”
“Your words hold merit,” the Great Sage replied, “yet how can my master carry the scripture pole and lead the dragon horse by himself? We must accompany him into the city. We beg you to wait a short while above; we will not keep you lingering long.”
“The Bodhisattva Guanyin informed the Tathagata,” the vajrapanis answered, “that the return journey should take merely eight days, to complete the fixed tally of scripture scrolls. We have already spent more than four days traveling. We fear Pig’s fondness for blessings and honors will make us exceed the time limit.”
“The Master is now a Buddha,” Pig smiled. “I also strive to attain Buddhahood—why would I be greedy? Bold guardians! Wait here while we hand over the scriptures, then we shall return and journey westward with you.”
The idiot slung the pole over his shoulder; Friar Sand held the horse’s reins, and Brother Monkey guided the holy monk. They descended through the clouds and landed beside the Watching for the Scriptures Tower.
When Emperor Taizong and his officials saw them, they hurried down to greet the travelers. “You have returned, Imperial Younger Brother.”
The Tang Priest knelt to kowtow, and Taizong hastened to raise him. “Who are these three?”
“They are disciples I gathered along the road,” Sanzang answered. Taizong was overjoyed.
“Bring the imperial carriage forward,” he ordered his attendants. “Invite my Imperial Younger Brother to mount his steed and return to the palace with us.” The Tang Priest gave thanks and mounted his horse. The Great Sage followed close behind, twirling his golden cudgel. Pig and Friar Sand led the horse and bore the scripture pole, escorting the emperor back into Chang’an. Truly:
In that year of peace and rising prosperity
Civil and military officials are calm and magnificent.
At a land and water mass the clergy displayed the dharma;
The monarch commands his ministers in the throne hall of the palace.
A passport was given to Tang Sanzang;
The primal cause of the scriptures has been matched to the Five Elements.
Through painful tempering all monsters have been destroyed;
Now he returns in triumph to the capital.
Word spread through Chang’an that the scripture-seeking pilgrim had come home.
The monks of Hongfu Monastery, where Sanzang once resided, noticed the tops of many pine trees all leaning eastward. They cried out in astonishment, “Strange beyond measure! There is no wind today—why bend the pine boughs?”
“Fetch our kasayas at once!” said one monk who had once been Sanzang’s disciple. “The Master who went to fetch the scriptures has returned.”
“How can you know?” the others asked.
“When the Master departed long ago,” the former disciple explained, “he said that if the pine tops turned east three, four, six or seven years after his leaving, he would come back. My Master speaks with a Buddha’s sacred voice; thus I am certain.” They quickly robed themselves and set out.
By the time they reached Western Street, messengers had arrived with news: “The scripture pilgrim has just returned, and His Majesty is escorting him into the city.” The monks hurried forward to meet the procession. They dared not draw near the imperial carriage, but followed it all the way to the palace gates, where Sanzang dismounted and entered with his disciples.
The Tang Priest stood at the foot of the throne hall steps, together with the dragon horse, the load of sutras, Monkey, Pig and Friar Sand. Emperor Taizong summoned his Imperial Younger Brother inside and offered him a seat, which Sanzang accepted with gratitude. The scriptures were carried forward. Monkey and the others unrolled the scrolls, and palace attendants presented them to the emperor.
“How many scripture scrolls have you brought? How did you obtain them?” the emperor asked.
“When your clerical subject reached Vulture Peak and met the Lord Buddha,” Sanzang recounted, “he bade the arhats Ananda and Kasyapa first take us to a precious tower for vegetarian refreshment, then lead us to the scripture library to receive the sutras. The arhats demanded a gift, yet we had nothing to offer. They gave us scrolls regardless. After we thanked the Buddha and set out eastward, a demonic gust of wind snatched the scriptures away. By our magic powers we recovered them, but the scrolls had been scattered far and wide. When we unrolled them, we found they were blank, wordless texts. Horrified, we returned to the Buddha to beg for the true scriptures.
The Lord Buddha told us: ‘When these sutras were first recited, bhikkhus and holy monks went down the mountain to preach them to Elder Zhao’s household in Sravasti. The teaching brought peace to the living and deliverance to the departed of that family. The household offered merely three bushels and three pecks of granular gold as payment. I judged they bought the scriptures too cheaply, and ensured that Zhao’s descendants would live in poverty.’
We then understood the two arhats intended to collect a gift, and that the Buddha knew of it all. We had no choice but to give them our purple-gold begging bowl. Only then did they hand over the complete, written true scriptures. There are thirty-five canonical texts, with selected scrolls from each, forming one complete Canon.”
Taizong’s delight deepened. “Command the Protocol Office to arrange a thanksgiving banquet in the Eastern Hall.” As he spoke, he caught sight of the three disciples standing below the steps, their appearances most unusual. “Are your disciples foreign travelers?”
Sanzang bowed and introduced them. “My senior disciple bears the surname Sun; his Dharma name is Wukong, also known as Sun the Novice. He hails from Water Curtain Cave on Mountain of Flowers and Fruit in Aolai Country, Eastern Divine Continent. Five hundred years ago he wrought great havoc in Heaven’s palaces, until the Lord Buddha trapped him beneath Double Boundary Mountain. Guanyin Bodhisattva persuaded him to reform and seek conversion. I freed him when I passed that place, and I owe my survival entirely to his protection.
My second disciple is Zhu Wuneng, whom we call Pig. He came from Cloud Pathway Cave on Mountain of Blessing. Once a monster in Gao Village of Stubet, he was converted by the Bodhisattva and subdued by Wukong. He has labored faithfully, carrying the luggage and aiding us across countless rivers.
My third disciple is Sha Wujing. Formerly a monster of Flowing Sands River, he too accepted conversion through the Bodhisattva and upholds the Buddhist faith.
This horse is not the steed Your Majesty gave me.”
“How can that be?” Taizong asked. “Its markings are identical.”
“When I attempted to cross Eagle’s Sorrow Gorge by Coiled Snake Mountain,” Sanzang replied, “my original horse was devoured by this dragon. Sun the Novice sought Guanyin’s counsel regarding its origin. It is the son of the Western Sea Dragon King, punished for filial disobedience. The Bodhisattva saved it, bade it serve me, and transformed it into a horse matching my original steed’s appearance. It has endured hardship climbing ridges, fording streams and traversing wild terrain. I rode it outward, and it bore the scriptures home; I have relied heavily upon its toil.”
Taizong heaped endless praise. “How long did your journey to the far West take?”
“The Bodhisattva told me the distance measured thirty-six thousand miles,” Sanzang said. “I kept no written record of each stage, yet we endured fourteen cycles of winter and summer. Every day brought mountains and rivers, vast forests and wide waters. I also met many kings who inspected and sealed my passport. Disciples, bring forth the passport and present it to His Majesty.”
Taizong examined the document, issued on the twelfth day of the ninth month, thirteenth year of Zhenguan. “Truly a lengthy journey,” he remarked with a faint smile. “It is now the twenty-seventh year of Zhenguan.”
The passport bore the seals of the rulers of Elephantia, Wuji, Tarrycart, Western Liang Womenland, Jisai, Purpuria, Leonia, Bhiksuland and Dharmadestructia, alongside seals from chief officials of Fengxian, Yuhua and Jinping. After reading through it, Taizong set the passport aside.
Palace attendants soon arrived to summon them to the banquet. Taizong took Sanzang by the hand and walked out of the throne hall. “Do your disciples understand court etiquette?”
“My disciples were all wild mountain demons,” Sanzang answered. “They know none of the rituals of China’s sacred court. I beg Your Majesty to pardon any missteps.”
“Fear not,” Taizong laughed. “They are all invited to join us at the Eastern Pavilion feast.”
Sanzang thanked him and called his three disciples, and all proceeded to the pavilion. It was a vision worthy of the great land of China, no ordinary place:
Coloured silks hung from the gates,
Red carpets were spread on the floor.
Heavy, rare fragrances,
Fresh and exotic foods.
Amber cups,
Glazed dishes,
Set with gold and nephrite;
Plates of yellow gold,
White jade bowls,
Inlaid with patterns.
Tender braised turnips,
Sugar-dredged taros,
Wonderful sweet mushrooms,
Fine fresh seaweed,
Several servings of bamboo shoots with ginger,
A number of rounds of mallows with honey,
Wheat gluten with leaves of the tree of heaven,
Tree fungus and thin strips of beancurd,
Agar and aster,
Noodles with ferns and dried rose-petals,
Peppers stewed with radish,
Melon shredded with mustard.
The vegetable dishes were exquisite,
But rare and wonderful fruits outshone them all:
Walnuts and persimmon cakes,
Longans and lichees,
Chestnuts from Xuanzhou and Shandong jujubes,
Gingko fruit from south of the Yangtze and hare-head pears,
Hazelnuts, pine nuts and lotus seeds, all big as grapes,
Torreya nuts and melon seeds the size of water chestnuts,
Olives and wild apples,
Crabapples,
Lotus root and arrowhead,
Crisp plums and red bayberries.
Nothing was missing,
All was complete.
There were steamed honey pastries and other confections,
Fine wines, fragrant tea and extraordinary delicacies.
No words could describe the endless feast:
The great land of China was no western wilderness.
The master, his three disciples, and all civil and military officials lined left and right as Emperor Taizong took the central seat. Singers, dancers and instrumentalists performed; the celebration continued in solemn order until dusk. Truly:
The monarch's banquet was finer than those of ancient Tang and Yu;
Great was the blessing of the true scriptures obtained.
This was a story to be told with glory for ever:
The light of the Buddha shines throughout the imperial capital.
That evening they thanked the emperor for his generosity. Taizong returned to the palace quarters and the officials departed. The Tang Priest and his followers went back to Hongfu Monastery, where the monks knelt to welcome him.
No sooner had he passed through the gate than the monks told him: “Master, all these treetops leaned eastward this morning. Remembering your prophecy, we hurried outside the city to greet you—and indeed you have come.” The venerable elder was filled with joy and entered the abbot’s lodgings. For once, Pig did not clamor for food and drink; Monkey and Friar Sand also remained composed. Their pilgrimage accomplished, peace naturally settled upon them. They retired to rest at nightfall.
Early the next morning, Taizong addressed his officials at dawn audience. “I lay awake all night, wondering how we might reward our Imperial Younger Brother for his profound achievement. I have framed some informal words to express our gratitude, yet have not written them down. Secretariat officials, record them as I speak.”
This was the text he dictated:
It is known that Heaven and Earth possess form, manifesting the vault and support within which all life dwells, while the four seasons are invisible, concealing the cold and heat that transform all creatures. Thus, by observing Heaven and Earth even the ignorant may grasp their origin, yet few wise people can fathom the full measure of Yin and Yang.
Heaven and Earth, enveloped by Yin and Yang, are easy to comprehend because they bear visible shapes; Yin and Yang defy understanding because they have no fixed form. When forms are clear and tangible, even fools remain unconfused; when shapes are hidden and unseen, the wisest grow lost.
The Buddhist Way honors emptiness, rides upon mystery, and governs stillness, yet saves all beings and pervades every realm. When it lifts its numinous power, nothing stands higher; when it restrains its divine strength, nothing lies lower. Expanded, it fills the cosmos; contracted, it fits within an inch. It knows neither birth nor death, enduring through countless aeons, eternal. Half hidden, half revealed, it governs all blessings and sustains them forever. Mysterious is the wonderful Way; none who follow it can define its bounds. Silent flows the Dharma; none who grasp it can trace its source. How then can mortal fools pursue it free of doubt and delusion?
The great teaching arose in the West. Later, a wondrous dream came to the Han imperial court, spreading radiance and compassion toward the East. In ancient times, the Buddha’s manifestations converted people before words could travel far. When his traces appeared and vanished alternately, mankind looked upward and followed. Later his image faded, he entered nirvana and departed the world; his golden countenance vanished, shedding light no longer across the three thousand realms. Images of his likeness were carved, vainly striving to reproduce the thirty-two sacred marks of a Buddha. Thereafter his subtle teachings spread wide, rescuing beings trapped on the three paths of transmigration; his legacy guided all living things through the ten stages of spiritual growth. The Buddha’s scriptures divide into Mahayana and Hinayana. There also exist delusive arts that twist truth into falsehood.
Now our priest Xuanzang, Master of the Law, stands as a leader of the Dharma faith. In youth he was sharp and perceptive, quickly recognizing the value of the three voids. As he matured, clarity of spirit embraced the four forms of patience in his conduct. Not even pines swaying in wind or moonbeams mirrored in water match his purity; immortal dew and bright pearls cannot rival his radiance. His wisdom encompasses all without entanglement; his spirit penetrates the formless. Rising far above the six defilements, his fragrance lingers through a thousand ages. When he turned inward, he grieved at the suffering of the true Dharma; when he dwelt upon the gate of mystery, he sorrowed at the distortion of profound texts. He longed to restore order, that ancient teachings might spread once more; to root out spurious scriptures and preserve authentic texts for later scholars. Therefore he turned his heart toward the Pure Land and set forth on a Dharma journey to the West. Alone, staff in hand, he braved the perils of distant lands. At dawn swirling snow swallowed the landscape; at evening rising dust blotted out the sky. He advanced through mist across a thousand leagues of mountains and rivers, enduring frost and rain through hundreds of seasonal shifts. With single-minded resolve he endured hardship, yearning deeply for his destination. For fourteen years he wandered the western regions, visiting every foreign kingdom in search of true teaching. He stood beneath the Twin Trees and beside the Eight Rivers, savoring the Way amid wind and storm. In Deer Park and on Vulture Peak he beheld wonders. He received sacred words from ancient sages and authentic teachings from noble worthies, probing deep into the marvelous gates and unraveling all mysteries. The Way of the Three Vehicles and Six Disciplines gallop across the field of his heart; a hundred volumes of Canon scrolls surge like waves within his eloquence. He traveled through innumerable lands and gathered vast collections of scriptures.
He obtained 5,048 scrolls from all thirty-five essential Mahayana texts, to be translated and propagated across China, that this wondrous cause may flourish. Clouds of mercy drawn from the far West shall pour Dharma rain upon the East. The once incomplete sacred teachings are now whole again; sinful common folk are guided toward blessings. Raging karmic flames are quenched, all delivered from delusion’s paths; the turbid waters of wisdom grow clear, and all gather upon the further shore. From this we learn that the wicked fall by their own karma, while the virtuous rise by destiny. The roots of rise and fall lie within one’s own deeds. We may compare this to cassia growing on a high mountain, nourished only by cloud and dew to bloom; or a lotus emerging from green waters, its leaves unsoiled by drifting dust. It is not that the lotus is inherently pure or the cassia stainless; they thrive because one clings to lofty heights where trivial evils cannot bind it, while the other rests in clean waters where filth cannot defile it. If mindless plants may grow virtuous by dwelling in good places, how much more should conscious people gain blessings through wholesome karmic causes. We may hope the true scriptures spread endlessly, as sun and moon alternate; and this blessing endure eternally, coextensive with Heaven and Earth.
Once the text was transcribed, the holy monk waiting outside the palace gate was summoned. At the call, Sanzang hurried forward and performed the kowtow ritual. Taizong invited him into the throne hall and handed him the document. Sanzang read it through, prostrated himself again in gratitude, and submitted a memorial: “Your Majesty’s writing carries lofty ancient style; its reasoning is profound and subtle. Yet I wonder, what title shall it bear?”
“These words we composed last night,” Taizong replied. “We would name it Preface to the Holy Teaching. Does this suit you?” The venerable elder kowtowed and expressed profound thanks.
Taizong continued: “Our talent pales beside the inscriptions on jade tablets; our words are unworthy of carving upon metal and stone. Of the inner esoteric scriptures we remain ignorant. This hastily composed text is clumsy and base, staining golden scrolls with brush and ink like pebbles scattered amid a forest of pearls. Reflecting upon it brings only embarrassment. It holds little merit, yet you trouble yourself to thank us.”
All officials bowed and paid homage to the imperial Preface to the Holy Teaching, which was to be circulated throughout the capital and all provinces.
“Imperial Younger Brother,” Taizong asked, “would you recite some of the true scriptures for us?”
“Your Majesty,” Sanzang answered, “recitation of true sutras ought to take place upon Buddhist ground. A throne hall is no fitting venue.”
Taizong accepted this gladly. “Which monastery in Chang’an is the purest?” Academician Xiao Yu stepped forward to memorialize: “The Monastery of the Wild Goose Stupa within the city is foremost in purity.”
Taizong ordered his officials: “Each of you reverently carry several scripture scrolls and accompany us to the Wild Goose Stupa Monastery. There we shall invite our Younger Brother to preach upon the sutras.” The officials, each bearing scrolls, traveled with the emperor to the monastery, where a high preaching platform was erected and all things neatly arranged.
“Pig, Friar Sand,” the venerable elder instructed, “bring the dragon horse and set the luggage in order. Monkey shall remain beside me.” He turned to the emperor: “If Your Majesty wishes to spread the true scriptures across the world, copies must first be made for publication. The original texts should be preserved as supreme treasures, never disrespected or defiled.”
“Well spoken, well spoken,” Taizong smiled. He ordered Hanlin Academy and Palace Secretariat scholars to transcribe the scriptures, and founded a new Copying Monastery east of the city walls.
The venerable elder climbed the platform with several scrolls in hand, ready to begin reciting. Then fragrant breezes swirled around, and the Eight Great Vajrapanis appeared mid-air, shouting: “Scripture-reciter, lay down those scrolls and return west with us!” Monkey, Pig, Friar Sand and the white horse all rose from the ground. Sanzang set down the scriptures and ascended to the ninth layer of clouds, departing with them through the sky. Taizong and all officials fell to their knees, bowing toward the heavens. Truly:
The holy monk long strove to fetch the scriptures;
For fourteen years across the West he strayed.
He journeyed hard and met with much disaster;
By mountains and by rivers long delayed.
Completing eight times nine and one nine more,
His deeds filled worlds in numbers beyond measure.
He went back to his country taking sutras
That people in the East will always treasure.
After Taizong and the officials finished their worship, eminent monks were chosen to conduct a grand Land and Sea Mass at the Wild Goose Stupa Monastery, where the true Mahayana Canon would be recited to save tormented ghosts of the underworld and spread goodness far and wide. We shall not describe the copying and circulation of the scriptures across the empire.
The tale turns instead to the Eight Vajrapanis guiding the elder, his three disciples and the horse back to Vulture Peak. The round trip to Chang’an and back occupied exactly eight days. All the divinities of Vulture Peak were gathered listening to the Buddha preach when the Eight Vajrapanis led the master and disciples forward.
“In obedience to your golden command,” they reported to the Tathagata, “we have escorted the holy monk to the Tang realm, where he delivered the scriptures. We now return to report our mission accomplished.”
The Tang Priest and his disciples were called forward to receive their spiritual ranks.
“Holy Monk,” the Tathagata said, “in a former life you were my second disciple, Golden Cicada. You neglected my Dharma sermon and showed insufficient reverence for my great teaching, so I sent your soul to be reborn in the East. Now happily you have embraced the faith, relied upon my support, and achieved great merit fetching the true scriptures. You shall be elevated to Buddhahood as Candana-punya Buddha.
Sun Wukong: Five hundred years ago you wrought havoc in Heaven’s palaces. I employed mighty magic to seal you beneath Five Elements Mountain. At last your heavenly punishment ended, and you accepted conversion to Sakyamuni’s teaching. You subdued your evil nature, won glory defeating monsters and demons along the road, and brought every undertaking to completion. You shall receive Buddhahood as the Victorious Fighting Buddha.
Zhu Wuneng: Once you were Marshal Tian Peng, water god of the Heavenly River. Drunkenly you harassed an immortal maiden at the Peach Banquet, and were cast down to be reborn as a beast. Drawn to mortal flesh, you sinned in Cloud Pathway Cave on Mountain of Blessing before embracing the great faith and entering our sect. You guarded the holy monk on the journey, yet your heart remains unpurified, and lust still lingers within you. Still, you earned merit bearing the luggage. You shall be appointed Altar Cleanser.”
“Both of them became Buddhas!” Pig cried out. “Why am I only Altar Cleanser?”
“Because you possess a ravenous appetite, a lazy body and a vast belly,” the Tathagata replied. “Countless believers across the four continents uphold our teachings. I charge you to clean the offering altars following every Buddhist ceremony. This rank guarantees abundant food. What fault do you find with it?”
“Sha Wujing: Once you were Curtain-lifting General. You shattered a crystal goblet at the Peach Banquet and were exiled to the mortal world. You fell into Flowing Sands River, killing and eating travelers until you accepted our teaching. Sincerely you relied upon my grace, winning merit protecting the holy monk and leading the horse through mountains. You shall be elevated as the Golden Arhat.”
Then he spoke to the white horse: “You were originally the son of Guangjin, Dragon King of the Western Ocean. You disobeyed your father and suffered punishment for filial ingratitude, until you too turned to the Dharma. Every day you carried the holy monk westward, then bore the sacred scriptures back east. For these achievements you shall become a Heavenly Dragon of the Eight Classes of Beings.”
The venerable elder and his three disciples kowtowed to offer thanks, and the horse likewise showed its gratitude. A guardian deity was ordered to lead the horse straight to the Dragon-transforming Pool beside the precipice behind Vulture Peak and push it into the waters. At once the horse stretched its frame, shed its coat, and sprouted horns. Golden scales covered its body, and a silver beard grew upon its jaws. Radiant with auspicious aura, clouds of good omen swirling beneath every claw, it rose from the pool and coiled around the Heaven-supporting Winged Column. All Buddhas marveled at the Tathagata’s boundless magic.
“Master,” Monkey said to the Tang Priest, “now I am a Buddha just like you. Surely I need no longer wear this golden band. Will you recite the Band-tightening Spell again? Speak the Band-loosening Spell at once, take it off and smash it to fragments. Do not let that Bodhisattva torment anyone else with it.”
“In former times you were unruly, and this magic band was needed to restrain you,” Sanzang answered. “Now you are a Buddha, it may be removed; there is no reason for it to remain. Reach up and feel.” When Monkey touched his head, he found the band had vanished entirely.
Candana-punya Buddha, Victorious Fighting Buddha, the Altar Cleanser and the Golden Arhat had all fulfilled their vows and attained their proper stations. The heavenly dragon horse also returned to its true form. A poem bears witness:
All of reality turns to dust;
When the four appearances combine the body is renewed.
The substance of the Five Elements is all void;
Forget about the passing fame of fiends.
With Candana-punya comes the great awakening;
When duties are completed they escape from suffering.
Great is the blessing of scriptures spread abroad;
Within the only gate five sages dwell on high.
Once the five holy beings had taken their places, all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, arhats, guardians, bhikkhus, lay devotees, deities, immortals, heavenly generals, local gods and all cultivators who had gathered to hear the sermon returned to their own stations. Behold the scene:
Coloured mists surround the Vulture Peak;
Auspicious clouds are massed in the world of bliss.
Golden dragons lie at peace,
Jade tigers all are quiet.
Black hares come and go at will;
Tortoises and snakes coil all around.
Phoenixes red and green are in high spirits;
Joyful the dark apes and white deer.
Throughout the year amazing flowers bloom;
Immortal fruit grows in all four seasons.
Lofty pine and ancient juniper,
Blue-green cypress and slender bamboo.
Plums of every color, in blossom or in fruit,
Eternal peaches, sometimes ripe and sometimes new.
A thousand kinds of fruit and flower vie in beauty;
All of the sky is filled with auspicious mists.
All pressed their palms together before their chests in salutation and recited in unison:
Homage to the ancient Dipamkara Buddha.
Homage to Bhaisajya-guru-vaiduryaprabhasa Buddha.
Homage to Sakyamuni Buddha.
Homage to the Buddhas of Past, Present and Future.
Homage to the Pure and Happy Buddha.
Homage to Vairocana Buddha.
Homage to Ramadhvaja-raja Buddha.
Homage to Maitreya Buddha.
Homage to Amitabha Buddha.
Homage to Amitayus Buddha.
Homage to the Buddha Who Leads to the Truth.
Homage to the Imperishable Vajra Buddha.
Homage to Ratnaprabhasa Buddha.
Homage to the Nagaraja Buddha.
Homage to the Buddha of Zealous Goodness.
Homage to the Precious Moonlight Buddha.
Homage to the Buddha Free of Stupidity.
Homage to Varuna Buddha.
Homage to Narayana Buddha.
Homage to Punyapuspa Buddha.
Homage to the Buddha of Meritorious Talent.
Homage to the Good Wandering Buddha.
Homage to the Illustrious Candana-punya Buddha.
Homage to the Manidhvaja Buddha.
Homage to the Buddha of the Torch of Wisdom.
Homage to the Buddha of Great Virtues.
Homage to the Brilliant Buddha of Great Compassion.
Homage to the Maitribala-raja Buddha.
Homage to the Wise and Good Leader Buddha.
Homage to the Vyuharaja Buddha.
Homage to the Buddha of Golden Splendor.
Homage to the Buddha of Brilliant Talent.
Homage to the Buddha of Wisdom.
Homage to the Buddha of the World's Calm Light.
Homage to the Sunlight and Moonlight Buddha.
Homage to the Sunlight and Moonlight Pearl Buddha.
Homage to the Supreme Buddha King of the Banner of Wisdom.
Homage to the Sughosa Buddha.
Homage to the Buddha of the Banner of Unceasing Radiance.
Homage to the Buddha of the World-watching Lamp.
Homage to the Supreme Dharma King Buddha.
Homage to the Buddha of Sumeru Light.
Homage to Buddha Prajnabala King.
Homage to the Brilliant Buddha of the Golden sea.
Homage to the Buddha of Universal Light.
Homage to the Buddha of Illustrious Talent.
Homage to Candana-punya Achievement Buddha.
Homage to the Victorious Fighting Buddha.
Homage to the Bodhisattva Guanyin.
Homage to the Bodhisattva Mahasthama.
Homage to the Bodhisattva Manjusri.
Homage to the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra.
Homage to the Bodhisattvas of the Ocean of Purity.
Homage to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the Lotus Pool Assembly.
Homage to all the Bodhisattvas of the Utterly Blissful Western Heaven.
Homage to the Three Thousand Protector Bodhisattvas.
Homage to the Five Hundred Arhat Bodhisattvas.
Homage to the Bhikkhu, Bhikkhuni, Upasaka and Upasika Bodhisattvas.
Homage to the Bodhisattvas of the Boundless Dharma.
Homage to the Holy Vajra Bodhisattvas.
Homage to the Altar-cleansing Bodhisattva.
Homage to the Golden Arhat Bodhisattva of the Eight Treasures.
Homage to the Bodhisattva Heavenly Dragon of Eight Classes of Beings.
Thus it is that all the Buddhas of every world
Are willing with this achievement
To adorn the Pure Land of the Buddha.
Above we can repay the fourfold kindness,
Below we save those suffering in the three paths of life.
Let anyone who sees or hears
Cherish the enlightened mind.
May all be reborn in the Land of Bliss,
To end this present life of retribution.
All the Buddhas of Past, Present and Future in the Ten Regions, all the Bodhisattvas and Mahasattvas,
Maha-prajnaparamita.
Here ends the Journey to the West.