诗曰：§ 大有唐王降敕封，钦差玄奘问禅宗。
The Great Tang Emperor issued an edict Sending Sanzang to learn the Dhyana teachings.
坚心磨琢寻龙穴，着意修持上鹫峰。
With firmness and patience he seeks the dragon's lair, Determined to carry on till he climbs the Vulture Peak.
自今别驾投西去，秉教迦持悟大空。
Now he leaves the Emperor and sets out for the West Cleaving to the faith, and aware of the Great Void.
却说三藏自贞观十三年九月望前三日，蒙唐王与多官送出长安关外。
It has been told already how Sanzang was seen off at the checkpoint outside Chang'an by the Tang Emperor and a host of officials on the twelfth day of the ninth month in the thirteenth year of Zhen Guan.
一二日马不停蹄，早至法门寺。
For two days his horse's hoofs were never still, and he soon reached the Fa Men Monastery,
本寺住持上房长老，带领众僧有五百余人，两边罗列，接至里面，相见献茶。
where the abbot came out to meet him at the head of five hundred and more monks drawn up in two lines.
Taking Sanzang inside, he greeted him, offered him tea, and then gave him a monastic meal.
茶罢进斋，斋后不觉天晚，正是那：§ 影动星河近，月明无点尘。
By the time the meal was over night had fallen.
As it approached the Milky Way, The moon was free from any dust.
雁声鸣远汉，砧韵响西邻。
The wild goose called to the distant traveler, While washing-boards could be heard by neighbors.
归鸟栖枯树，禅僧讲梵音。
Roosting birds perch in the withered trees; The dhyana monks chant Sanskrit music.
蒲团一榻上，坐到夜将分。
On their seats with hassocks of rushesThey sit until the middle of the night.
众僧们灯下议论佛门定旨，上西天取经的原由。
In the lamplight the monks were discussing the true teachings of the Buddhist faith and the reasons for going to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures.
有的说水远山高，有的说路多虎豹，有的说峻岭陡崖难度，有的说毒魔恶怪难降。
Some said that there would be wide rivers and high mountains to cross, some that there would be many a tiger and leopard along the way, some that the lofty ranges and cliffs would be hard to cross, and some that there would be evil demons and foul fiends difficult to subdue.
众僧们莫解其意，合掌请问道："法师指心点头者，何也？"
The monks, unable to understand what he meant, put their hands together and asked, “Why do you point to your heart and nod your head, Master?”
三藏答曰："心生，种种魔生；心灭，种种魔灭。
“When the heart and mind live,” Sanzang replied, “every kind of evil lives; but when they are extinguished, evil is extinguished too.
我弟子曾在化生寺对佛设下洪誓大愿，不由我不尽此心。
I made a great vow to the Buddha in the Huasheng Monastery that if I failed to achieve this mission it would not be for lack of trying.
这一去，定要到西天，见佛求经，使我们法轮回转，愿圣主皇图永固。"
I am determined to reach the Western Heaven, where I may see the Buddha and ask for the scriptures, so that the Wheel of the Law may revolve, and our sage Emperor enjoy eternal security.”
众僧闻得此言，人人称羡，个个宣扬，都叫一声"忠心赤胆大阐法师"，夸赞不尽，请师入榻安寐。
On hearing his words the monks all expressed their admiration, saying as if with one voice, “What a loyal and brave Hierarch.” With praises still on their lips they invited the Master to go to bed and wished him a peaceful night's sleep.
早又是竹敲残月落，鸡唱晓云生。
Before long the bamboo clappers were sounding for the setting moon, while the cocks greeted the dawn with their crowing.
那众僧起来，收拾茶水早斋。
The monks all got up and prepared tea and breakfast.
玄奘遂穿了袈裟，上正殿，佛前礼拜，道："弟子陈玄奘，前往西天取经，但肉眼愚迷，不识活佛真形。
Sanzang put on his cassock and went to worship the Buddha in the main hall. “Your disciple Chen Sanzang,” he said, “is going to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures, but my fleshly eye is too dim to see the true image of the living Buddha.
但愿我佛慈悲，早现丈六金身，赐真经，留传东土。"
My only wish is that Buddha in his mercy will soon appear to me in his golden body and give me the true scriptures to take back and propagate in the land of the East.”
祝罢，回方丈进斋。
When he had prayed he went back to the abbot's room for breakfast.
斋毕，那二从者整顿了鞍马，促趱行程。
After breakfast his two attendants saddled the horse and set off at a good pace.
三藏出了山门，辞别众僧。
At the gate of the monastery Sanzang took his leave of the monks,