第三十九回 · 念咒辨真 The Test of the Fillet-Spell — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

念咒辨真 The Test of the Fillet-Spell

行xíng者zhě心xīn中zhōng不bú快kuài，又yòu見jiàn那nà八bā戒jiè在zài傍bàng冷lěng笑xiào，行xíng者zhě大dà怒nù道dào：「你nǐ這zhè夯hāng貨huò怎zěn的de？如rú今jīn有yǒu兩liǎng個gè師shī父fù，你nǐ有yǒu得de叫jiào，有yǒu得de應yìng，有yǒu得de伏fú侍shì哩lī，你nǐ這zhè般bān歡huān喜xǐ得de緊jǐn！」八bā戒jiè笑xiào道dào：「哥gē啊a，說shuō我wǒ獃dāi，你nǐ比bǐ我wǒ又yòu獃dāi哩lī。師shī父fù既jì不bú認rèn得dé，何hé勞láo費fèi力lì？你nǐ且qiě忍rěn些xiē頭tóu疼téng，叫jiào我wǒ師shī父fù念niàn念niàn那nà話huà兒er，我wǒ與yǔ沙shā僧sēng各gè攙chān一yí個gè聽tīng著zhe。若ruò不bú會huì念niàn的de，必bì是shì妖yāo怪guài，有yǒu何hé難nán也yě？」行xíng者zhě道dào：「兄xiōng弟dì，虧kuī你nǐ也yě。正zhèng是shì，那nà話huà兒er只zhǐ有yǒu三sān人rén記jì得dé。原yuán是shì我wǒ佛fó如rú來lái心xīn苗miáo上shàng所suǒ發fā，傳chuán與yǔ觀guān世shì音yīn菩pú薩sà，菩pú薩sà又yòu傳chuán與yǔ我wǒ師shī父fù，便biàn再zài沒méi人rén知zhī道dào。也yě罷ba，師shī父fù，念niàn念niàn。」真zhēn個gè那nà唐táng僧sēng就jiù念niàn起qǐ來lái。那nà魔mó王wáng怎zěn麼me知zhī得de，口kǒu裡lǐ胡hú哼hēng亂luàn哼hēng。八bā戒jiè道dào：「這zhè哼hēng的de卻què是shì妖yāo怪guài了le。」他tā放fàng了le手shǒu，舉jǔ鈀pá就jiù築zhù。那nà魔mó王wáng縱zòng身shēn跳tiào起qǐ，踏tà著zhe雲yún頭tóu便biàn走zǒu。行xíng者zhě心xīn中zhōng不bú快kuài，又yòu见jiàn那nà八bā戒jiè在zài傍bàng冷lěng笑xiào，行xíng者zhě大dà怒nù道dào：「你nǐ这zhè夯hāng货huò怎zěn的de？如rú今jīn有yǒu两liǎng个gè师shī父fù，你nǐ有yǒu得de叫jiào，有yǒu得de应yìng，有yǒu得de伏fú侍shì哩lī，你nǐ这zhè般bān欢huān喜xǐ得de紧jǐn！」八bā戒jiè笑xiào道dào：「哥gē啊a，说shuō我wǒ呆dāi，你nǐ比bǐ我wǒ又yòu呆dāi哩lī。师shī父fù既jì不bú认rèn得dé，何hé劳láo费fèi力lì？你nǐ且qiě忍rěn些xiē头tóu疼téng，叫jiào我wǒ师shī父fù念niàn念niàn那nà话huà儿er，我wǒ与yǔ沙shā僧sēng各gè搀chān一yí个gè听tīng着zhe。若ruò不bú会huì念niàn的de，必bì是shì妖yāo怪guài，有yǒu何hé难nán也yě？」行xíng者zhě道dào：「兄xiōng弟dì，亏kuī你nǐ也yě。正zhèng是shì，那nà话huà儿er只zhǐ有yǒu三sān人rén记jì得dé。原yuán是shì我wǒ佛fó如rú来lái心xīn苗miáo上shàng所suǒ发fā，传chuán与yǔ观guān世shì音yīn菩pú萨sà，菩pú萨sà又yòu传chuán与yǔ我wǒ师shī父fù，便biàn再zài没méi人rén知zhī道dào。也yě罢ba，师shī父fù，念niàn念niàn。」真zhēn个gè那nà唐táng僧sēng就jiù念niàn起qǐ来lái。那nà魔mó王wáng怎zěn么me知zhī得de，口kǒu里lǐ胡hú哼hēng乱luàn哼hēng。八bā戒jiè道dào：「这zhè哼hēng的de却què是shì妖yāo怪guài了le。」他tā放fàng了le手shǒu，举jǔ钯pá就jiù筑zhù。那nà魔mó王wáng纵zòng身shēn跳tiào起qǐ，踏tà着zhe云yún头tóu便biàn走zǒu。

逐句解 Line by line

行xíng者zhě心xīn中zhōng不bú快kuài，又yòu見jiàn那nà八bā戒jiè在zài傍bàng冷lěng笑xiào，行xíng者zhě大dà怒nù道dào：「你nǐ這zhè夯hāng貨huò怎zěn的de？行xíng者zhě心xīn中zhōng不bú快kuài，又yòu见jiàn那nà八bā戒jiè在zài傍bàng冷lěng笑xiào，行xíng者zhě大dà怒nù道dào：「你nǐ这zhè夯hāng货huò怎zěn的de？

Pilgrim, ill at ease in his heart, saw again that Eight Rules smirking off to the side, and cried in a great rage: "You lump — what's the matter with you?

心中: 中 = zhōng. Deictic 那八戒: 那 = nà. 在傍冷笑: 傍 = bàng ("at the side"). 夯貨 = "blockhead."

如rú今jīn有yǒu兩liǎng個gè師shī父fù，你nǐ有yǒu得de叫jiào，有yǒu得de應yìng，有yǒu得de伏fú侍shì哩lī，你nǐ這zhè般bān歡huān喜xǐ得de緊jǐn！」如rú今jīn有yǒu两liǎng个gè师shī父fù，你nǐ有yǒu得de叫jiào，有yǒu得de应yìng，有yǒu得de伏fú侍shì哩lī，你nǐ这zhè般bān欢huān喜xǐ得de紧jǐn！」

Now there are two masters — you've got someone to call, someone to answer, someone to wait on; that's why you're so pleased!"

Three 有得 = "have [someone] to—", 得 = de; 歡喜得緊 complement 得 = de. 有得應: 應 = yìng ("to answer").

八bā戒jiè笑xiào道dào：「哥gē啊a，說shuō我wǒ獃dāi，你nǐ比bǐ我wǒ又yòu獃dāi哩lī。八bā戒jiè笑xiào道dào：「哥gē啊a，说shuō我wǒ呆dāi，你nǐ比bǐ我wǒ又yòu呆dāi哩lī。

Eight Rules laughed: "Brother, you call me a fool — but you're an even bigger fool.

說我獃，你比我又獃哩 = "you say I'm a dolt, yet you're the greater dolt."

師shī父fù既jì不bú認rèn得dé，何hé勞láo費fèi力lì？师shī父fù既jì不bú认rèn得dé，何hé劳láo费fèi力lì？

If Master can't be told apart, why put yourself to the trouble?

既不認得: 得 = dé ("recognize"). 何勞費力 = "why exert yourself?"

你nǐ且qiě忍rěn些xiē頭tóu疼téng，叫jiào我wǒ師shī父fù念niàn念niàn那nà話huà兒er，我wǒ與yǔ沙shā僧sēng各gè攙chān一yí個gè聽tīng著zhe。你nǐ且qiě忍rěn些xiē头tóu疼téng，叫jiào我wǒ师shī父fù念niàn念niàn那nà话huà儿er，我wǒ与yǔ沙shā僧sēng各gè搀chān一yí个gè听tīng着zhe。

Just bear your headache a while, have my master recite that spell, and Sha Monk and I will each hold one and listen.

Deictic 那話兒: 那 = nà; suffix 兒 = er. 各攙一個聽著: durative 著 = zhe.

若ruò不bú會huì念niàn的de，必bì是shì妖yāo怪guài，有yǒu何hé難nán也yě？」若ruò不bú会huì念niàn的de，必bì是shì妖yāo怪guài，有yǒu何hé难nán也yě？」

Whichever can't recite it must be the fiend — what's so hard in that?"

若不會念的，必是妖怪 = "the one who can't chant it is surely the monster." 有何難: 難 = nán.

行xíng者zhě道dào：「兄xiōng弟dì，虧kuī你nǐ也yě。行xíng者zhě道dào：「兄xiōng弟dì，亏kuī你nǐ也yě。

Pilgrim said: "Brother, I'm obliged to you.

虧你也 = "good of you, well thought."

正zhèng是shì，那nà話huà兒er只zhǐ有yǒu三sān人rén記jì得dé。正zhèng是shì，那nà话huà儿er只zhǐ有yǒu三sān人rén记jì得dé。

Just so — that spell only three men know.

Deictic 那話兒: 那 = nà; suffix 兒 = er. 記得: 得 = dé.

原yuán是shì我wǒ佛fó如rú來lái心xīn苗miáo上shàng所suǒ發fā，傳chuán與yǔ觀guān世shì音yīn菩pú薩sà，菩pú薩sà又yòu傳chuán與yǔ我wǒ師shī父fù，便biàn再zài沒méi人rén知zhī道dào。原yuán是shì我wǒ佛fó如rú来lái心xīn苗miáo上shàng所suǒ发fā，传chuán与yǔ观guān世shì音yīn菩pú萨sà，菩pú萨sà又yòu传chuán与yǔ我wǒ师shī父fù，便biàn再zài没méi人rén知zhī道dào。

It was first sent forth from the heart-sprout of our Buddha Tathāgata, passed to the Bodhisattva Guanshiyin, and the Bodhisattva passed it again to my master — and then no one else knows it.

我佛如來: 佛 = fó. 觀世音: 觀 = guān. 心苗上所發 = "issued from the heart's sprout."

也yě罷ba，師shī父fù，念niàn念niàn。」也yě罢ba，师shī父fù，念niàn念niàn。」

Well, then — Master, recite it."

也罷: 罷 = ba ("very well then").

真zhēn個gè那nà唐táng僧sēng就jiù念niàn起qǐ來lái。真zhēn个gè那nà唐táng僧sēng就jiù念niàn起qǐ来lái。

Sure enough, that Tang Monk began to recite.

Deictic 那唐僧: 那 = nà. 就念起來 = "began to chant."

那nà魔mó王wáng怎zěn麼me知zhī得de，口kǒu裡lǐ胡hú哼hēng亂luàn哼hēng。那nà魔mó王wáng怎zěn么me知zhī得de，口kǒu里lǐ胡hú哼hēng乱luàn哼hēng。

How was that demon-king to know it? In his mouth he only mumbled and droned at random.

Deictic 那魔王: 那 = nà. 怎麼知得: 得 = de. 胡哼亂哼 = "muttering and droning wildly."

八bā戒jiè道dào：「這zhè哼hēng的de卻què是shì妖yāo怪guài了le。」八bā戒jiè道dào：「这zhè哼hēng的de却què是shì妖yāo怪guài了le。」

Eight Rules said: "The one droning is the fiend, then!"

這哼的卻是妖怪了 = "the mumbler is the monster."

他tā放fàng了le手shǒu，舉jǔ鈀pá就jiù築zhù。他tā放fàng了le手shǒu，举jǔ钯pá就jiù筑zhù。

He let go his hold, raised his rake, and made to strike.

放了手，舉鈀就築: 鈀 = pá (Bajie's rake); 築 = "to smite down."

那nà魔mó王wáng縱zòng身shēn跳tiào起qǐ，踏tà著zhe雲yún頭tóu便biàn走zǒu。那nà魔mó王wáng纵zòng身shēn跳tiào起qǐ，踏tà着zhe云yún头tóu便biàn走zǒu。

That demon-king sprang up with a leap, and treading a cloud-head, made off.

Deictic 那魔王: 那 = nà. 踏著雲頭: durative 著 = zhe.

總評 Commentary

The impasse of force is broken by Bajie, of all people, with a stroke of real wit: since the two Tripitakas cannot be told apart by sight, have the master recite the Tight-Fillet Spell — the fiend, whatever else he can counterfeit, cannot know a charm that "only three men know." It is a lovely turn that the dull-witted pig should find the answer the mighty Wukong could not, and the novel savours it: Bajie caps Wukong's earlier jibe by calling him "the greater dolt," and Wukong, for once, thanks him outright.

The test also states, in passing, the spell's sacred pedigree — issued "from the heart-sprout of the Buddha Tathāgata," handed to Guanyin, and by her to Tripitaka alone — which is why no counterfeit can reproduce it: it is knowledge of the spirit, not of the eye, and so exactly the instrument the chapter's theme of true-and-false requires. The trap springs at once: the true monk chants, the false one can only "mumble and drone," and Bajie's rake goes up — whereupon the exposed fiend leaps for his cloud and flees again, carrying the chase toward its final turn, and the arrival of Mañjuśrī.