Wukong spent that day happily with the others in front of Three Star Cave, impatiently awaiting evening. At dusk, he went with the others to sleep, pretended to close his eyes, and settled in to wait. In the mountain, there was no one announcing the watch and no way to tell the time. He could only count his breaths in and out to mark the time. When the appointed time came, he got up quietly, dressed, pushed open the front door, avoided the others, and walked outside. The moon was bright and the dew lay cold upon the ground. In the woods, the birds and animals slept. Fireflies dispelled the shadows. Geese flew through the clouds in a V. It was exactly the third watch, the perfect time to seek the Way.1
He went around to the back door and saw that the door was ajar. Wukong thought happily, “So the old master really does intend to teach me the Way, since he’s left the door open.” Turning sideways, he crept through the crack in the door and walked to the patriarch’s bed. Seeing that the patriarch was lying on his side facing away from him, fast asleep. Wukong didn’t dare make a noise, but knelt before the bed. Before long, the patriarch woke up, stretched, and muttered to himself, “Most difficult is the mysterious Way. Do not take for granted the golden pearl. Without the incantation from a perfect man, the tongue is tied and devoid of speech.”2
Wukong called out: “Master, your disciple has been kneeling here for a long time.” Hearing Wukong’s voice, the patriarch pulled his robe around his shoulders and sat up, saying “This monkey! What are you doing back here when you should be sleeping out front?” Wukong said, “Yesterday, master told me to come here through the back door at the third watch so that he could instruct me in the Way, so I dared to come call on my master at his bed.” The patriarch was pleased, thinking to himself: “So he really is born of heaven and earth, otherwise how could he have guessed the meaning of my riddle?” Wukong said, “Your disciple is here alone, there is no one else to hear. I beg my master’s mercy, to teach me the Way of immortality. I will forever be grateful.” The patriarch said, “Fate smiles upon you today. Come closer and listen carefully. since you have solved my riddle, I will transmit to you the subtle Way of immortality.” Wukong bowed his thanks, then knelt below the bed and listened hard. The patriarch said:
The central principle, the critical key: simply safeguard the life you keep.
Sperm, breath, and spirit are vital to life. Secure them tightly lest outward they seep.
Seal them within and let not them escape. Heed my teachings to follow the Way.
Master the key to obtain much good. Find peace by keeping desire at bay.
Tranquility shines with purest light. In golden pearl and moon delight.
With heart, lungs, gut, mind intertwined, immortality you shall find.
When intertwined, life is strong. Plant the lotus in the flame.
When vital humors recirculate, Buddha and immortal shall be your name. 3
From this moment the central principle was unveiled. His cup of fortune brimming over, Wukong quickly memorized the formula, deeply bowed to the patriarch in thanks, and left through the back door. He saw that the eastern sky had begun to lighten, illuminating the westward road in golden light. He returned the way he had come, snuck through the front door, and went to his sleeping place. Sitting there, he called out in a voice that shook the beds around him4 “The sun has risen! The sun has risen! Wake up!” The others were still fast asleep and didn’t know the fortune that had befallen Wukong. All that day Wukong played the fool before the others, and cultivated immortality in secret.5
Formula, incantation, or mnemonic device?
A 口诀 is a mnemonic, usually one that rhymes. A popular one is the 乘法口诀, a rhyme for memorizing multiplication tables. However, Wukong usually mutters a 口诀 when performing magic, so it also acts like an incantation.
Before long, three more years had passed. The patriarch again ascended the platform to lecture.6 Suddenly he called, “Is Wukong present?” Wukong approached and knelt before the master, saying, “Your disciple is here.” The patriarch said, “What arts have you cultivated of late?” Wukong said, “Your disciple has recently had a breakthrough on the order of the cosmos, and has gradually gained a firm understanding of the root origin of all things.”7 The patriarch said, “As you have apprehended both the order and the origin, you have already entered a divine state. All that’s left is that you avert the three calamities.”8
Hearing this, Wukong muttered to himself at length, then said, “Master must be mistaken. I have often heard that those who follow the Way and excel in virtue live as long as the heavens, fear neither water nor fire, and are free from illness. How can there still be three calamities?” The patriarch said “This is no ordinary magic. You have seized the energy of the universe and approached the mysteries of the heavens. The spirits do not easily tolerate those who achieve immortality. Though you will have eternal youth, after 500 years, the heavens will strike you with the calamity of lightning. You must make preparations and guard against it. If you avoid it, you will live long as the heavens. If you cannot, your life will end thus. After another 500 years, the heavens will burn you with the calamity of fire. It is not the fire of heaven, nor is it common fire. It is dark fire.8 It will ignite at the soles of your feet and cremate your viscera and your limbs, and reduce a thousand years cultivation to nothing in an instant. After another 500 years, you will be devastated by the calamity of wind. This is not a wind from the north, south, east, or west, nor a wind of the seasons, nor the wind that blows through the meadows, willows, pines, and bamboos. It is a resentful wind. It will begin in your skull and flow into your bowels, through your center, through your orifices, scouring away your flesh and bones. You must avoid them all.”
1 Oh look, another poem-as-description that I’m turning into prose. ↩
2 This seems like a mantra or some kind of chant – maybe he wakes up and meditates on this every night? I’m not sure. ↩
3 Click here to read my full post on my difficulties translating this poem/chant/incantation/formula/??? It was a wild ride (and also the reason this post took so damn long).↩
4 Wukong is definitely the least favorite roommate. ↩
5 According to Prof. Yu, this involves breathing exercises. I’m not sure how that’s supposed to prevent you excreting bodily fluids and achieve immortality though. ↩
6 I’ve left out what he’s lecturing on here – he’s talking about Buddhist koans and outward conduct. ↩
7 Wow this sounds really pretentious in English and only a little bit better in Chinese. ↩
8 It is Yin fire, as in Yin and Yang. Yin refers to the dark, the feminine, the negative, etc. ↩
Etymology Adventures 