大道幽深，如何消息，说破鬼神惊骇。
Deep and mysterious is the Great Way; What news is there of it?” When revealed it will alarm ghosts and divine beings.
挟藏宇宙，剖判玄光，真乐世间无赛。
It controls the universe, Divides darkness and light; In the world of true happiness there is no competition.
灵鹫峰前，宝珠拈出，明映五般光彩。
Before the Vulture Peak Pearls and jewels emerge, Shining with every color.
却说三藏师徒四众，别樵子下了隐雾山，奔上大路。
The story tells how Sanzang and his three disciples took their leave of the woodcutter on the Hidden Clouds Mountain and hurried along the main road.
行经数日，忽见一座城池相近，三藏道：“悟空，你看那前面城池，可是天竺国么？”
After they had been going for several days they suddenly saw a walled and moated city not far before them. “Wukong,” said Sanzang, “is that city ahead of us India, do you think?”
如来处虽称极乐，却没有城池，乃是一座大山，山中有楼台殿阁，唤做灵山大雷音寺。
“Although the Tathagata lives in a paradise there are no cities there.
It's a great mountain, Vulture Peak, on which are the high buildings and halls of Thunder Monastery.
就到了天竺国，也不是如来住处，天竺国还不知离灵山有多少路哩。
Even if we've now reached the land of India this isn't where the Buddha lives.
I don't know how far India is from Vulture Peak.
那城想是天竺之外郡，到前边方知明白。”
Presumably this city is one of the frontier prefectures of India.
We'll know when we get there.”
不一时至城外，三藏下马，入到三层门里，见那民事荒凉，街衢冷落。
Soon they were outside the city, where Sanzang dismounted to go in through the triple gates.
Here they found the people destitute and the streets deserted.
又到市口之间，见许多穿青衣者左右摆列，有几个冠带者立于房檐之下。
When they reached the market there were many black-clad government servants lined up on either side of a number of officials wearing their hats and sashes of office and standing under the eaves of a building.
他四众顺街行走，那些人更不逊避。
As the four travelers came along the road these men did not give way at all,
猪八戒村愚，把长嘴掬一掬，叫道：“让路！
so Pig in his rough way raised his snout and shouted, “Out of the way!
让路！”
Out of the way! ”
那些人猛抬头，看见模样，一个个骨软筋麻，跌跌蹡蹡，都道：“妖精来了！
When the men looked up with a start and saw what he looked like their bones went soft, their sinews turned numb and they fell over, shouting, “Evil spirits!
唬得那檐下冠带者战兢兢躬身问道：“那方来者？”
This gave the officials standing under the eaves such a fright that they were shivering as they bowed and asked, “Where are you from?”
三藏恐他们闯祸，一力当先对众道：“贫僧乃东土大唐驾下拜天竺国大雷音寺佛祖求经者。
Sanzang, who was worried that his disciples would cause trouble, pushed himself forward and said to the men, “I am a monk sent by His Majesty the Great Tang emperor to worship the Lord Buddha and fetch the scriptures in the Great Thunder Monastery in the land of India.
那官人却才施礼道：“此处乃天竺外郡，地名凤仙郡。
Only then did the officials return his courtesy and say, “This is the prefecture of Fengxian, one of the frontier prefectures of India.
连年干旱，郡侯差我等在此出榜，招求法师祈雨救民也。”
Because we have been suffering from drought for years on end the marquis has sent us to put up a notice here calling for masters of the Dharma to pray for rain and save the people.”
行者闻言道：“你的榜文何在？”
“Where's the notice?” asked Monkey when he heard this.
众官道：“榜文在此，适间才打扫廊檐，还未张挂。”
“Here,” the officials said. “The arcade has only just been swept clean: we haven't posted it yet.”
行者道：“拿来我看看。”
“Bring it here and show me,” said Brother Monkey.
众官即将榜文展开，挂在檐下。
The officials then opened the notice out and hung it up under the eaves.
行者四众上前同看。
Monkey and the others went up to read it,
为榜聘明师，招求大法事。
issues this notice to invite enlightened teachers and great masters of the Dharma.