Journey to the West

7. Guanyin Bestows Sacred Treasures

The Bodhisattva Guanyin, under the command of the Buddha Tathagata of the Western Heaven, journeyed to the Eastern Land of the Great Tang to seek a pilgrim for the scriptures. Along the way, the Bodhisattva persuaded Sha Wujing, Zhu Bajie, the White Dragon Horse, and Brother Sun to become disciples of the scripture pilgrim and to embrace the Buddhist faith. In the city of Chang'an, she ultimately selected the Master Xuanzang, who was presiding over the "Water and Land Assembly" at the Temple of Transformation, and bestowed upon him two sacred treasures granted by the Tathagata: the brocade cassock and the nine-ringed staff. Xuanzang took leave of Emperor Taizong and embarked on the journey to the Western Heaven to obtain the scriptures.