話說那國王見孫行者有呼龍使聖之法，即將關文用了寶印，便要遞與唐僧，放行西路。那三個道士慌得拜倒在金鑾殿上啟奏。那皇帝即下龍位，御手忙攙道：「國師今日行此大禮，何也？」道士說：「陛下，我等至此匡扶社稷，保國安民，苦歷二十年來今日這和尚弄法力，抓了功去，敗了我們聲名。陛下以一場之雨，就恕殺人之罪，可不輕了我等也？望陛下且留住他的關文，讓我兄弟與他再賭一賭，看是何如？」那國王著實昏亂，東說向東，西說向西，真個收了關文，道：「國師，你怎麼與他賭？」虎力大仙道：「我與他賭坐禪。」國王道：「國師差矣。那和尚乃禪教出身，必然先會禪機，才敢奉旨求經，你怎與他賭此？」大仙道：「我這坐禪，比常不同，有一異名，教做雲梯顯聖。」國王道：「何為雲梯顯聖？」大仙道：「要一百張桌子，五十張作一禪臺，一張一張疊將起去，不許手攀而上，亦不用梯凳而登，各駕一朵雲頭，上臺坐下，約定幾個時辰不動。」
话说那国王见孙行者有呼龙使圣之法，即将关文用了宝印，便要递与唐僧，放行西路。那三个道士慌得拜倒在金銮殿上启奏。那皇帝即下龙位，御手忙搀道：「国师今日行此大礼，何也？」道士说：「陛下，我等至此匡扶社稷，保国安民，苦历二十年来今日这和尚弄法力，抓了功去，败了我们声名。陛下以一场之雨，就恕杀人之罪，可不轻了我等也？望陛下且留住他的关文，让我兄弟与他再赌一赌，看是何如？」那国王着实昏乱，东说向东，西说向西，真个收了关文，道：「国师，你怎么与他赌？」虎力大仙道：「我与他赌坐禅。」国王道：「国师差矣。那和尚乃禅教出身，必然先会禅机，才敢奉旨求经，你怎与他赌此？」大仙道：「我这坐禅，比常不同，有一异名，教做云梯显圣。」国王道：「何为云梯显圣？」大仙道：「要一百张桌子，五十张作一禅台，一张一张叠将起去，不许手攀而上，亦不用梯凳而登，各驾一朵云头，上台坐下，约定几个时辰不动。」
Now, when the king saw that Pilgrim Sun could summon dragons and command divine beings, he stamped the travel document with his royal seal and was about to hand it to the Tang Monk and let him go west. In alarm, the three Daoists prostrated themselves in the Hall of Golden Chimes and addressed the throne. The emperor at once descended from his dragon throne and hurried to raise them with his own hands. “State Preceptors, why do you offer such a great obeisance today?” The Daoists said, “Your Majesty, we came here to uphold the realm, protect the kingdom and bring peace to the people. We have laboured for twenty years, only for these monks to play their magic tricks today, snatch away our credit and ruin our good name. If Your Majesty pardons murder for the sake of a single shower of rain, does that not slight us? We beg Your Majesty to hold back their travel document and let us brothers compete with them once more. What do you say?” The king was thoroughly muddle-headed: tell him east and he turned east; tell him west and he turned west. Sure enough, he put away the document. “State Preceptor, what contest do you propose?” The Great Immortal Tiger Strength said, “I shall compete with him in sitting meditation.” The king said, “State Preceptor, you are mistaken. That monk comes from the Buddhist teaching. Surely he must have mastered meditation before daring to obey the imperial command to fetch scriptures. Why compete with him in that?” The great immortal said, “My sitting meditation is unlike the ordinary kind. It has a special name: ‘Manifesting sacred power on a cloud ladder.’” The king said, “What does that mean?” The great immortal said, “We need a hundred tables. Fifty will make each meditation platform, stacked one on top of another. Neither of us may climb up with our hands or use a ladder or stool. Each must ride a cloud to the top, sit down and remain motionless for an agreed number of hours.”
國王見此有些難處，就便傳旨問道：「那和尚，我國師要與你賭『雲梯顯聖』坐禪，那個會麼？」行者聞言，沉吟不答。八戒道：「哥哥，怎麼不言語？」行者道：「兄弟，實不瞞你說。若是踢天弄井、攪海翻江、擔山趕月、換斗移星諸般巧事，我都幹得；就是砍頭剁腦、剖腹剜心、異樣騰那卻也不怕；但說坐禪，我就輸了。我那裡有這坐性？你就把我鎖在鐵柱子上，我也要上下爬蹅，莫想坐得住。」三藏忽的開言道：「我會坐禪。」行者歡喜道：「卻好，卻好。可坐得多少時？」三藏道：「我幼年遇方上禪僧講道，那性命根本上，定性存神，在死生關裡，也坐二三個年頭。」行者道：「師父若坐二三年，我們就不取經罷。多也不上二三個時辰，就下來了。」三藏道：「徒弟呀，卻是不能上去。」行者道：「你上前答應，我送你上去。」
国王见此有些难处，就便传旨问道：「那和尚，我国师要与你赌『云梯显圣』坐禅，那个会么？」行者闻言，沉吟不答。八戒道：「哥哥，怎么不言语？」行者道：「兄弟，实不瞒你说。若是踢天弄井、搅海翻江、担山赶月、换斗移星诸般巧事，我都干得；就是砍头剁脑、剖腹剜心、异样腾那却也不怕；但说坐禅，我就输了。我那里有这坐性？你就把我锁在铁柱子上，我也要上下爬蹅，莫想坐得住。」三藏忽的开言道：「我会坐禅。」行者欢喜道：「却好，却好。可坐得多少时？」三藏道：「我幼年遇方上禅僧讲道，那性命根本上，定性存神，在死生关里，也坐二三个年头。」行者道：「师父若坐二三年，我们就不取经罢。多也不上二三个时辰，就下来了。」三藏道：「徒弟呀，却是不能上去。」行者道：「你上前答应，我送你上去。」
Seeing that there was some difficulty in this, the king sent down his command to ask, “Monks, Our State Preceptor wishes to compete with you in sitting meditation, ‘manifesting sacred power on a cloud ladder.’ Which of you can do it?” At these words Pilgrim pondered and made no answer. Bajie said, “Brother, why do you say nothing?” Pilgrim said, “Brother, to tell you the truth, I can kick the heavens and play tricks with wells, churn the seas and overturn rivers, carry mountains and chase the moon, shift the Dipper and move the stars—all manner of clever feats. Nor am I afraid of having my head cut off or my skull chopped, my belly opened or my heart gouged out, or any extraordinary transformation. But sitting meditation? There I lose. How could I ever sit still? Chain me to an iron pillar, and I would still climb up and down it. Do not expect me to stay in one place.” Sanzang suddenly spoke. “I can sit in meditation.” Pilgrim said delightedly, “Excellent, excellent! How long can you sit?” Sanzang said, “As a boy I heard a wandering Chan monk expound the Way. At the very root of life, one stills the nature and preserves the spirit. Even at the pass between life and death, one can sit for two or three years.” Pilgrim said, “Master, if you sit for two or three years, we might as well give up fetching scriptures. Two or three hours at most, and then you come down.” Sanzang said, “Disciple, the trouble is that I cannot get up there.” Pilgrim said, “Go forward and accept. I shall take you up.”
那長老果然合掌當胸道：「貧僧會坐禪。」國王教傳旨，立禪臺。國家有倒山之力，不消半個時辰，就設起兩座臺，在金鑾殿左右。
那长老果然合掌当胸道：「贫僧会坐禅。」国王教传旨，立禅台。国家有倒山之力，不消半个时辰，就设起两座台，在金銮殿左右。
The elder duly pressed his palms together before his chest. “This poor monk can sit in meditation.” The king ordered the meditation platforms erected. A kingdom has the strength to overturn mountains: in less than an hour, two platforms stood to left and right of the Hall of Golden Chimes.