Jiang Kunsan (姜坤三), magistrate of Tongtai Prefecture (铜台府), was raised by his late uncle Jiang Qianyi (姜干一). One night the uncle's portrait in Jiang's bedchamber coughed and rebuked him for rashly jailing the pilgrim Tang Sanzang (唐三藏). The portrait warned that the underworld had taken notice and that release was required to avert disaster. Alarmed, Jiang reviewed the case and publicly apologized in court. Earlier Sun Wukong (孙悟空) had slipped from prison and flown to Diling County (地灵县) to force the county magistrate to report the truth. The Kou brothers Kou Liang (寇梁) and Kou Dong (寇栋) arrived and recanted their accusation. Officials produced a pass from the King of Tianzhu (天竺国国王) confirming Tang Sanzang's status as a royal guest. Despite the formal vindication, Wukong insisted on a full inquiry and proposed summoning the dead to resolve doubt. At the ancestral hall Tang Sanzang chanted sutras and Kou Zhang confessed that brigands had attacked, clearing the pilgrims. Wukong then descended into the netherworld. He confronted the Ten Kings and consulted the Bodhisattva Dizang (地藏菩萨). He learned that Kou Hong's (寇洪) soul had been assigned a clerkship at the Cuiyun Palace. By appeal to Kou Hong's merits Wukong secured the soul. He overturned the coffin and restored Kou Hong to life. The true account was told and the wrongful arrest was overturned. The pilgrims resumed their westward route. They reached Yuzhen Temple (玉真观) at the foot of Lingshan (灵山). A youth announced a host from the Golden Summit Great Immortal (金顶大仙). The immortal entertained them and led them up a mountain path. Five li on they faced the Lingyun Crossing (凌云渡) where only a single slippery log spanned a roaring gorge. Tang Sanzang hesitated. A bottomless boat piloted by the Guide Buddha (接引佛祖) or Baoduan Guangwang Buddha (宝幢光王佛) ferried them safely. A floating corpse passed and the ferryman spoke of shedding the mortal shell. The passage marked a spiritual turning point. At the Great Leiyin Temple (大雷音寺) the Tathagata (如来佛祖) appeared and commissioned Ananda (阿难) and Kashyapa (迦叶) to assemble scriptures. A quarrel over human payments and worldly procedure provoked Sun Wukong. Eventually five thousand and forty eight written scrolls were handed over. The Ancient Lamp Buddha (燃灯古佛) then warned that the highest truth might be wordless. Bai Xiong (白雄尊者) transformed into a roc. A sudden gust tore the bundles and scattered the books. Some recovered volumes proved blank. In the Mahavira Hall (大雄宝殿) the Tathagata explained that the ultimate sutra may be without characters and that a written version would be supplied for the East so the pilgrims could complete their mission. With the scriptures secured the party prepared to return to the Tang realm. FREE transcripts of the audio files are available for download at: https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/

铜台府刺史姜坤三自幼由伯父姜干一抚育为官。某夜寝室画像忽然咳嗽显灵，像中伯父厉声指责他因轻信寇家指证而错拘一行取经僧人，且称阴曹已发命令须速释以免大祸。姜坤三惶恐自责，连夜催检案卷。城中孙悟空已逃出牢笼，飞赴地灵县戏弄县令并促其将实情禀报。寇家二子与寇张氏到府翻供，呈来天竺国国王文牒证实唐僧无辜。官府当庭释还唐三藏并致歉。 悟空不甘草率了事，主张查明真凶并招魂问冤。唐僧在灵堂念经超度，寇张氏自陈强贼作案经过。悟空遂下阴曹，与十代冥王相见并见地藏菩萨。地藏念及寇洪生前善行，允其留作主簿并加一纪寿命。悟空夺回魂魄返阳，掀翻棺木使寇洪起死回生，亲陈遇害始末。冤案昭雪后，众人欣然上路。 取经路上，师徒至灵山脚玉真观。金顶大仙设斋款待，次晨引入山中小门。行五里抵凌云渡，只见一根光滑独木横跨万丈深渊，唐僧惧桥难渡。接引佛祖以无底船渡众。船行如飞，浪打无浸，船旁飘过浮尸，示众人须脱去俗躯。过渡后众人心境开朗，登灵鹫山入大雷音寺。 如来示现，命阿难迦叶从三十五部藏中取经以传东土。因取经涉及人事供养，阿难迦叶一度索人情，孙悟空愤而夺卷申辩。终得有字经五千零四十八卷堆满阁内。燃灯古佛又现身示警，称最高真经可为无字。白雄尊者化鹏飞降。忽有风掠绳索，书卷散落，拾起多见空白。众人惊愕聚于大雄宝殿。佛祖平心释疑，言真经本无字，文字为第二义。为便于东土众生领会，佛特付有字经以示传承。师徒得经，欢喜下山返程。 音频文件的字幕稿可在以下网址免费下载： https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/