The Battle in Journey to the West

"Very well, very well! But where could these Mahayana Buddhist Sutras be?" exclaimed Emperor Taizong of Tang with great joy.

"In the Western Kingdom of India, there exists a Great Thunderclap Monastery, and the Buddhist scriptures are within that monastery. Your Majesty could send someone to the Thunder Monastery of Western Heaven to retrieve the scriptures, and then seek to universally save all beings. Namo Amitabha Buddha, this poor monk must leave!" With those words, Guanyin had vanished, leaving only countless petals falling from the sky.

Thus, the task of fetching the scriptures was catalyzed.

Although Guanyin had facilitated this event, she also had a headache. The monkey head refused to obey, unwilling to leave the Five Elements Mountain to undertake the journey for the scriptures. What to do? Without him, how could one ensure the safety of Xuanzhuang?

She returned to the Five Elements Mountain and met Wukong. Seeing Guanyin’s arrival, Wukong could not help but laugh, saying, "Congratulations, Bodhisattva, on facilitating the great affair of fetching the scriptures. However, you might have forged a great mistake for all ages!"

Guanyin’s brow furrowed. How did Guang Chengzi just tell her, and this monkey head seemed to already know about it? She asked, "What great mistake for all ages are you talking about?"

Wukong laughed, "Naturally, it’s the spread of these Tripitaka Mahayana Buddhist Sutras. It’s a colossal error! You, Bodhisattva, with your profound Buddhist knowledge, surely must know that these Tripitaka sutras are nothing but brainwashing. The real Buddhist scriptures lie elsewhere; you must inquire with Tathagata!"

Guanyin retorted, "Nonsense! Our Buddhist sect is orthodox. Where would there be any teachings of brainwashing? Considering your five hundred years of suffering, I thought to deliver and transform you, but you mock me like this! Mr. Sun, let me tell you, by refusing to come out this time, you’re missing this village and this shop won’t be there in the future! If you think about coming out later, it won’t be so easy!"

Wukong, being well-versed in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, naturally knew that the Mahayana Buddhist Sutras Tathagata wanted to spread were not meant to universally save beings but to brainwash them, all to gain more followers. Such a doctrine of Buddhism, far from helping one achieve True Fruition, can lead people to deviation into madness and plunge into irreversible disasters. He couldn’t even guess how many would desert their families and ruin their lives because of such teachings!