本原自性佛前修,迷悟岂居前后?
If you wish to cultivate your nature before the Buddha, Why stay halfway between awakening and confusion?”
悟即刹那成正,迷而万劫沉流。
Once awakened you can achieve the Right in an instant; The confused will drift for ten thousand aeons.
若能一念合真修,灭尽恒沙罪垢。
If you can invoke the Buddha and cultivate the Truth, Sins countless as the Ganges sands can be wiped out.
却说那八戒、沙僧与怪斗经个三十回合,不分胜负。
Pig and Friar Sand had fought thirty inconclusive rounds with the monster.
你道怎么不分胜负?
Do you know why they were inconclusive?
只为唐僧命不该死,暗中有那护法神祇保着他:空中又有那六丁六甲、五方揭谛、四值功曹、一十八位护教伽蓝,助着八戒沙僧。
Yet because the Tang Priest was not fated to die he was being secretly protected by Dharma-guarding deities.
There were also the Six Dings, the Six Jias, the Revealers of the Truth of the Five Regions, the Four Duty Gods, and the Eighteen Defenders of the Faith helping Pig and Friar Sand in mid-air.
且不言他三人战斗,却说那长老在洞里悲啼,思量他那徒弟。
We must leave the three of them locked in struggle and return to Sanzang sobbing his heart out in the cave and speculating about his disciples.
眼中流泪道:"悟能啊,不知你在那个村中逢了善友,贪着斋供;悟净啊,你又不知在那里寻他,可能得会?
“I wonder if you have met a benefactor in a village somewhere, Pig,” he thought, tears streaming down his face, “and have been overcome by your greed for the offerings.
Wherever are you looking for him, Friar Sand?
Will you find him?”
岂知我遇妖魔,在此受难!
Little do you know of my sufferings at the hands of this fiend I have run into.
几时得会你们,脱了大难,早赴灵山!"
When will I see you again and be delivered from my troubles so that we can hurry to the Vulture Peak?”
正当悲啼烦恼,忽见那洞里走出一个妇人来,扶着定魂桩叫道:"那长老,你从何来?
As he fretted and wailed he saw a woman come out from the innermost part of the cave. “Venerable father,” she said, leaning on the soul-fixing stake, “where have you come from?”
那里有座城,叫做宝象国。
in the city called Elephantia.
我是那国王的第三个公主,乳名叫做百花羞。
I'm the third daughter of the king, and my childhood name was Prettier-than-a-flower.
只因十三年前八月十五日夜,玩月中间,被这妖魔一阵狂风摄将来,与他做了十三年夫妻。
Thirteen years ago, on the fifteenth night of the eighth month, that evil monster came and snatched me away in a whirlwind while we were out enjoying the full moon.
I have been his wife all these thirteen years
思量我那父母,不能相见。
I miss my parents, and I can never see them.
唐僧道:"贫僧乃是差往西天取经者。
“I was sent to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures,” replied Sanzang.
如今要拿住我两个徒弟,一齐蒸吃理。"
Now he's going to capture my two disciples and steam us all together, then eat us.”
那公主陪笑道:"长老宽心。
“Don't worry, venerable sir,” said the princess with a smile.
那宝象国是你西方去的大路。
Elephantia lies on the main route to the West,
那公主急转后面,即修了一纸家书,封固停当;到桩前解放了唐僧,将书付与。
The princess hurried back inside, wrote a letter to her family, sealed it, released Sanzang from the stake, and handed him the letter.
唐僧得解脱,捧书在手道:"女菩萨,多谢你活命之恩。
“Bodhisattva,” he said, taking the letter now that he was free, “I am very grateful to you for saving my life.
贫僧这一去,过贵处,定送国王处。
When I reach your country I shall give this to the King.
只恐日久年深,你父母不肯相认,奈何?
My only worry is that after all these years your parents may not believe that the letter is from you, and what would I do then?”
切莫怪我贫僧打了诳语。"
I couldn't have them thinking that I was trying to deceive them.”