Sun Wukong went in and saw the Patriarch sleeping with his face inward. He knelt down in front of the bed and said: “Master, I am kneeling here waiting for you!” The Patriarch heard the sound and got up. After sitting cross-legged, he sternly asked Sun Wukong what he was doing. Wukong said: “Master, didn’t you promise me in front of everyone during the day, to let me come in from the back door at the third watch and teach me the skill of immortality?”
Bodhi Patriarch was very happy to hear this. He thought to himself: “This monkey is indeed born of heaven and earth. Otherwise, how could he guess my riddle?” So he let Sun Wukong kneel in front of the bed and taught him the skill of immortality. Sun Wukong listened attentively, understood with his heart, remembered the formula firmly, and kowtowed to thank the Patriarch for his kindness.
Three years passed quickly, and the Patriarch also taught Sun Wukong the skill of seventy-two transformations and the ability to ride on somersault clouds. With this ability, he could travel one hundred and eighty thousand miles with one somersault. Sun Wukong was a monkey who liked to jump around, so it was easy for him to learn somersault clouds.
One summer, Sun Wukong and his fellow disciples were playing in front of the cave door. They asked Sun Wukong to transform into something for them to see. Sun Wukong was very happy and proudly recited a spell. He changed into a big tree.
