话表八金刚既送唐僧回国不题。
The story goes on to tell how the Eight Vajrapanis escorted the Tang Priest back to their country, but we will not go into that now.
那三层门下,有五方揭谛、四值功曹、六丁六甲、护教伽蓝,走向观音菩萨前启道:“弟子等向蒙菩萨法旨,暗中保护圣僧,今日圣僧行满,菩萨缴了佛祖金旨,我等望菩萨准缴法旨。”
Outside the gates the Protectors of the Four Quarters and the Centre, the Four Duty Gods, the Six Dings, the Six Jias and the Guardians of the Faith went up to the Bodhisattva Guanyin and said, “We, your disciples, have given secret help to the holy monk in obedience to your dharma command, Bodhisattva.
Now that they have fulfilled their deeds and you have reported your mission accomplished to the Lord Buddha, we would like to report the completion of our mission.”
菩萨亦甚喜道:“准缴,准缴。”
“Permission granted.” The Bodhisattva replied with delight, “permission granted.”
又问道:“那唐僧四众,一路上心行何如?”
The Bodhisattva then went on to ask, “What were the thoughts and actions of the Tang Priest and his three disciples on their journey?”
诸神道:“委实心虔志诚,料不能逃菩萨洞察。
“They really were pious and determined,” the deities all replied, “as we are sure will not have escaped your profound perception.”
但只是唐僧受过之苦,真不可言。
But the Tang Priest's sufferings truly beggar description.
他一路上历过的灾愆患难,弟子已谨记在此,这就是他灾难的簿子。”
Your disciples have made a careful record of the disasters and hardships that he has endured on his journey.
This is the account of his ordeals.”
菩萨从头看了一遍。
The Bodhisattva read it through from the beginning,
上写着:§“蒙差揭谛皈依旨,谨记唐僧难数清:§金蝉遭贬第一难,出胎几杀第二难,§满月抛江第三难,寻亲报冤第四难,§出城逢虎第五难,落坑折从第六难,§双叉岭上第七难,两界山头第八难,§陡涧换马第九难,夜被火烧第十难,§失却袈裟十一难,收降八戒十二难,§黄风怪阻十三难,请求灵吉十四难,§流沙难渡十五难,收得沙僧十六难,§四圣显化十七难,五庄观中十八难,§难活人参十九难,贬退心猿二十难,§黑松林失散二十一难,宝象国捎书二十二难,§金銮殿变虎二十三难,平顶山逢魔二十四难,§莲花洞高悬二十五难,乌鸡国救主二十六难,§被魔化身二十七难,号山逢怪二十八难,§风摄圣僧二十九难,心猿遭害三十难,§请圣降妖三十一难,黑河沉没三十二难,§搬运车迟三十三难,大赌输赢三十四难,§祛道兴僧三十五难,路逢大水三十六难,§身落天河三十七难,鱼篮现身三十八难,§金山遇怪三十九难,普天神难伏四十难,§问佛根源四十一难,吃水遭毒四十二难,§西梁国留婚四十三难,琵琶洞受苦四十四难,§再贬心猿四十五难,难辨猕猴四十六难,§路阻火焰山四十七难,求取芭蕉扇四十八难,§收缚魔王四十九难,赛城扫塔五十难,§取宝救僧五十一难,棘林吟咏五十二难,§小雷音遇难五十三难,诸天神遭困五十四难,§稀柿衕秽阻五十五难,朱紫国行医五十六难,§拯救疲癃五十七难,降妖取后五十八难,§七情迷没五十九难,多目遭伤六十难,§路阻狮驼六十一难,怪分三色六十二难,§城里遇灾六十三难,请佛收魔六十四难,§比丘救子六十五难,辨认真邪六十六难,§松林救怪六十七难,僧房卧病六十八难,§无底洞遭困六十九难,灭法国难行七十难,§隐雾山遇魔七十一难,凤仙郡求雨七十二难,§失落兵器七十三难,会庆钉钯七十四难,§竹节山遭难七十五难,玄英洞受苦七十六难,§赶捉犀牛七十七难,天竺招婚七十八难,§铜台府监禁七十九难,凌云渡脱胎八十难,§路经十万八千里,圣僧历难簿分明。”
and this is what was written in it: “We Protectors were sent at the Bodhisattva's command, To keep a close record of the Tang Priest's ordeals.
The Golden Cicada's exile was the first ordeal; Being born and almost killed was the second ordeal; Abandonment in the river under the full moon was the third ordeal; Finding his mother and getting revenge was the fourth ordeal; The tigers he met after leaving the city were the fifth ordeal; Falling into the pit was the sixth ordeal; The Double Forked Peak was the seventh ordeal; The Double Boundary Mountain was the eighth ordeal; Exchanging horses at the ravine was the ninth ordeal; The fire at night was the tenth ordeal; The loss of the cassock was the eleventh ordeal; Subduing Pig was the twelfth ordeal; The obstacles created by the Yellow Wind Monster were the thirteenth ordeal; Asking the help of Lingji was the fourteenth ordeal; The hard crossing of the Flowing Sands River was the fifteenth ordeal; Winning over Friar Sand was the sixteen
菩萨将难簿目过了一遍,急传声道:“佛门中九九归真,圣僧受过八十难,还少一难,不得完成此数。”
Casting her eyes over the record, the Bodhisattva quickly said, “In the Buddha's school 'nine nines' are needed before one can come to the truth.
The eighty ordeals that the holy monk has endured are one short of the full number.
即令揭谛,“赶上金刚,还生一难者。”
“Go after the vajrapanis,” she ordered a protector, “and tell them to create another ordeal.”
这揭谛得令,飞云一驾向东来。
The protector headed East by cloud as soon as he was given this order,
一昼夜赶上八大金刚,附耳低言道:“如此如此,谨遵菩萨法旨,不得违误。”
and after a day and a night he caught up with the Eight Vajrapanis.“It's like this, you see,” he said, whispering in their ears in explanation, adding, “so you must do as the Bodhisattva commands and not disobey.”
八金刚闻得此言,刷的把风按下,将他四众,连马与经,坠落下地。
When the Eight Vajrapanis heard this they stopped the wind with a swishing sound and dropped the four of them to the ground, horse, scriptures and all.
正是那:§九九归真道行难,坚持笃志立玄关。
It was a case of The Way of reaching the truth through the nine nines is hard; Hold fast to your determination to stand at the mysterious pass.
必须苦练邪魔退,定要修持正法还。
Only through rigorous effort can the demons be repelled; Perseverance is essential to the true Dharma's return.
莫把经章当容易,圣僧难过许多般。
Do not mistake the scriptures for something easily won; Of many a kind were the hardships endured by the holy monk.
古来妙合参同契,毫发差殊不结丹。
The marvellous union has always been hard to achieve: The slightest mistake and the elixir will not be made.
因是我们走快了些儿,教我们在此歇歇哩。”
“They're giving us a rest here after going so fast.”
大圣道:“俗语云,十日滩头坐,一日行九滩。”
“As the saying goes,” remarked the Great Sage, “'Wait ten days on a sandbank, then cross nine in a single day.”
师父,你听听水响。”
Listen to the water, Master.”
行者道:“水响想是你的祖家了。”
“From the sound of the water I suppose it must be your family home,” observed Brother Monkey.
八戒道:“他祖家乃流沙河。”
“His home is the River of Flowing Sands,” said Pig.
沙僧道:“不是,不是,此通天河也。”
“No, it's not that,” replied Friar Sand. “It's the River of Heaven.”