Tang Sanzang, the tenth reincarnation of the Golden Cicada, neither recites Buddhist scriptures nor cultivates compassion. One thought for mercy, one thought for slaughter.
He believes that might makes right.
The laws of Heaven, the precepts of Buddhism: to him, they're all bullshit.
Demons and monsters block the road west and eat people? Kill them.
A bodhisattva's mount runs amok? Kill it.
A god's descendants prey on the common people? Kill them all the same.
The journey west isn't about obtaining scriptures. It's about settling scores.
Tang Sanzang doesn't know the original story, and he doesn't care.
He knows only this: man-eating monsters deserve to die, and so do gods who deceive the people.
Sanzang isn't Tripitaka. He doesn't save the world; he buries the wicked.
"First, bury evil thoughts, sever delusions, and cut off the source of inner demons."
"Second, bury selfish desires, end the turmoil of greed and anger, and destroy the roots of affliction."
"Third, bury worldly attachments, leave behind the temptations of mortal life, and break through the barrier of ignorance."
Seeking scriptures is a pretense. Slaughter is the truth.
On this road, he kills any god that stands in his way and any Buddha that opposes him. Through the Three Burials, he proves the Three Scriptures.
Three burials and four apprentices: The eldest disciple is Wukong. Wukong observes the world: he sees through the vanity and vanity, and subdues his anger. The second disciple, Xiong Er, realized that he could restrain his greed: restrain his greed and uphold the precepts. The third disciple, White Snake, learned how to be brave and defeat cowardice: stand up fearlessly, cut off cowardice, and dare to face difficulties. The fourth disciple and the six ears understood the thought of purifying dust: wash away karma and distracting thoughts, and the original mind will be pure. PS: The foundation of cultivation in the original work of "Journey to the West" is the five major systems of heavenly immortals, earthly immortals, gods, human immortals, and ghost immortals. These are the five independent tracks of Daoguo, not the mandatory upgrade chain of "Ghost Immortal→Human Immortal→Earth Immortal→Heaven Immortal" in the online article. The system of the five tracks is complex. In order to facilitate everyone's reading, the cultivation levels of the five tracks are unified. Mortal Realm—Sanxian (Earth Immortal)—Celestial Immortal—Golden Immortal—Taiyi Golden Immortal—Daluo Golden Immortal—Quasi Saint—Sage