太師啟奏 The Grand Preceptor's Counsel
傍邊閃過當駕的太師啟奏道：「東土大唐，乃南贍部洲，號曰中華大國。到此有萬里之遙，路多妖怪。這和尚一定有些法力，方敢西來。望陛下看中華之遠僧，且召來驗牒放行，庶不失善緣之意。」傍边闪过当驾的太师启奏道：「东土大唐，乃南赡部洲，号曰中华大国。到此有万里之遥，路多妖怪。这和尚一定有些法力，方敢西来。望陛下看中华之远僧，且召来验牒放行，庶不失善缘之意。」
逐句解 Line by line
From the side there stepped forth the Grand Preceptor then on carriage-duty, who declared: “The Great Tang of the east lies in the Southern Jambu Continent, and is styled the great land of the Middle Flower.
傍邊: 傍 = bàng, “at the side.” 當駕: 當 = dāng, “on duty” (the officer of the day). 南贍部洲 Jambudīpa, the southern of the four Buddhist continents. 中華: 中 = zhōng.
To reach this place is a journey of ten thousand li, and the road is thick with demons.
萬里 “ten thousand li” (the measure 里 left untranslated). 妖怪 “demons, monsters.”
This monk must surely command some magic power, to have dared come west at all.
一定: 一 = yí before 定 (4th tone). 方敢西來 “only then dared come west.”
I beg Your Majesty, out of regard for a monk come far from the Middle Flower, to summon them, inspect their document, and let them pass, so as not to lose the intent of a good karmic bond.”
看中華: 看 = kàn; 中 = zhōng. 驗牒放行: 行 = xíng, “inspect the document and let pass.” 善緣 “a good karmic affinity.”
The Grand Preceptor supplies the voice of statecraft against the king's hostility: distance, danger, and the traveller's evident power all argue for caution, and the Buddhist courtesy of 善緣 (a “good karmic bond”) offers the king a face-saving reason to receive rather than arrest. It is this prudent counsel that gets the pilgrims through the gate — just before the immortals arrive to undo it.