New Journeys to the West
Singapore International School ( Hong Kong ), Cheung , Clement Raphael - 10
M onk Tang and his three disciples , Monkey King , Pigsy and the Friar of Sand , have gotten the Sanzang Jing , as commanded by Emperor Tang Taizong . They have suffered eighty times by monsters and obstacles . They are now travelling on a cloud back to Emperor Tang ’ s palace . However , Guanyin has predicted that they would suffer eighty-one times . Thus , to fulfil her predictions , Guanyin made them suffer once more , by squalls and gales . The quartet has to walk back to China via the Silk Road .
The merchants of the Silk Road know that the quartet has arrived there with the Sanzang Jing . They rumoured about what is written inside the Sanzang Jing . No one knows what is in the Sanzang Jing because it is written in Sanskrit , a foreign Indian language . One day , a merchant named Fort Chune , who loved luck , threatened , “ Give me your book of luck !” “‘ Book of Luck ’? I am afraid I do not know which ‘ Book of Luck ’ are you talking about ,” replied
Monk Tang calmly . “ You know which one ! The Sanzang Jing !” snapped Fort . “ Oh , no you don ’ t !” growled the Monkey King . “ You don ’ t give it to me , eh ? Then I ’ ll curse you !” snarled Fort . “ Your threat has rung a bell ,” said the Monkey King , raging , “ Comrades , KILL !” “ Hold your horses – disciples , putting people to death may not always be the best way . Let me teach ,” Monk Tang ordered . “ The Sanzang Jing is not about luck as it is not one of the true values of Buddhism .” Having heard that , Fort remained , “ If luck is not a true value , what is , huh ? Tell me , I ’ d like to know .”
“ If you ’ d like to know , you can follow us on our mission to translate the Sanzang Jing written in Sanskrit .” Monk Tang said wisely .
“ Yeah , why not ?” agreed Fort . ➿➿➿➿➿➿
They walked and walked … They reached Dunhuang and took a brief rest there . Another merchant came about and said , “ Hi , I ’ m Herk . Herk Yules . I am a merchant that sells wine . If you give me the Sanzang Jing , I ’ ll give you ten bottles of brewed rice wine !” “ OOH !” Pigsy squealed , “ Monk Tang , may we trade ?” “ PIGSY !” boomed Monk Tang , “ Nothing – ABSOLUTELY NOTHING – can replace the Sanzang Jing . How can you be a righteous , loyal disciple of mine when you don ’ t even obey the simple rules and regulations ?!” “ Well ,” stated Herk , “ I ’ ll give you all my wine !” “ PLEASE !” pleaded Pigsy . “ Tell me , Herk , what makes you want so dearly the Sanzang Jing ?” asked Monk Tang curiously . “ Eating the Sanzang Jing will make you as strong as Hercules ! Oh , how sweet is that …” “ One thing doesn ’ t add up ,” remarked Pigsy , “ Aren ’ t you Herk Yules yourself ?” Herk Yules said , “ I ’ m the merchant Herk Yules , not the strong guy Hercules , but I want to be as strong as Hercules !” ( He had a mighty gasp between Herk and Yules , but pronounced Hercules as “ her- COOLS ”, with the stress on the second syllable .)
“ Okay , but the Sanzang Jing is not about strength as it is not one of the true values of Buddhism .”
Having heard that , Herk remained “ If strength isn ’ t a true value , then what is ?” “ If you ’ d like to know , follow us on our mission to translate the Sanzang Jing .” Monk Tang invited . “ Not a problem !” Herk concurred .
➿➿➿➿➿➿
The group of six were near Chang ’ an by now . An old man called Ron J . Evity walked around and observed that a group of six had the Sanzang Jing . He used up all his might to run towards them and pleaded , “ Please give me the Sanzang Jing ! I am so old , monk . I need it , PLEASE !”
“ I think I know what you ’ re talking about ,” blurted out the Friar of Sand , “ You ’ re thinking that the Sanzang Jing is a longevity pill or a book about how to live for a thousand millennia ! But I ’ m afraid the Sanzang Jing is not about longevity because it has nothing to do with the true values of Buddhism . I believe we didn ' t go that far away for some mumbo-jumbo longevity nonsense .”