第十二回 · 濟孤榜文 The Proclamation for the Forsaken Souls — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional 含詞賦 With rhapsody

濟孤榜文 The Proclamation for the Forsaken Souls

太tài宗zōng文wén武wǔ俱jù各gè拈niān香xiāng，拜bài了le佛fó祖zǔ金jīn身shēn，參cān了le羅luó漢hàn。又yòu見jiàn那nà大dà闡chǎn都dū綱gāng陳chén玄xuán奘zàng法fǎ師shī引yǐn眾zhòng僧sēng羅luó拜bài唐táng王wáng。禮lǐ畢bì，分fēn班bān各gè安ān禪chán位wèi。法fǎ師shī獻xiàn上shàng濟jì孤gū榜bǎng文wén與yǔ太tài宗zōng看kàn。榜bǎng曰yuē：至zhì德dé渺miǎo茫máng，禪chán宗zōng寂jì滅miè。清qīng淨jìng靈líng通tōng，周zhōu流liú三sān界jiè。千qiān變biàn萬wàn化huà，統tǒng攝shè陰yīn陽yáng。體tǐ用yòng真zhēn常cháng，無wú窮qióng極jí矣yǐ。觀guān彼bǐ孤gū魂hún，深shēn宜yí哀āi愍mǐn。此cǐ奉fèng太tài宗zōng聖shèng命mìng：選xuǎn集jí諸zhū僧sēng，參cān禪chán講jiǎng法fǎ。大dà開kāi方fāng便biàn門mén庭tíng，廣guǎng運yùn慈cí悲bēi舟zhōu楫jí，普pǔ濟jì苦kǔ海hǎi群qún生shēng，脫tuō免miǎn沉chén痾ē六liù趣qù。引yǐn歸guī真zhēn路lù，普pǔ玩wán鴻hóng濛méng；動dòng止zhǐ無wú為wéi，混hùn成chéng純chún素sù。仗zhàng此cǐ良liáng因yīn，邀yāo賞shǎng清qīng都dū絳jiàng闕què；乘chéng吾wú勝shèng會huì，脫tuō離lí地dì獄yù凡fán籠lóng。早zǎo登dēng極jí樂lè任rèn逍xiāo遙yáo，來lái往wǎng西xī方fāng隨suí自zì在zài。詩shī曰yuē：太tài宗zōng文wén武wǔ俱jù各gè拈niān香xiāng，拜bài了le佛fó祖zǔ金jīn身shēn，参cān了le罗luó汉hàn。又yòu见jiàn那nà大dà阐chǎn都dū纲gāng陈chén玄xuán奘zàng法fǎ师shī引yǐn众zhòng僧sēng罗luó拜bài唐táng王wáng。礼lǐ毕bì，分fēn班bān各gè安ān禅chán位wèi。法fǎ师shī献xiàn上shàng济jì孤gū榜bǎng文wén与yǔ太tài宗zōng看kàn。榜bǎng曰yuē：至zhì德dé渺miǎo茫máng，禅chán宗zōng寂jì灭miè。清qīng净jìng灵líng通tōng，周zhōu流liú三sān界jiè。千qiān变biàn万wàn化huà，统tǒng摄shè阴yīn阳yáng。体tǐ用yòng真zhēn常cháng，无wú穷qióng极jí矣yǐ。观guān彼bǐ孤gū魂hún，深shēn宜yí哀āi愍mǐn。此cǐ奉fèng太tài宗zōng圣shèng命mìng：选xuǎn集jí诸zhū僧sēng，参cān禅chán讲jiǎng法fǎ。大dà开kāi方fāng便biàn门mén庭tíng，广guǎng运yùn慈cí悲bēi舟zhōu楫jí，普pǔ济jì苦kǔ海hǎi群qún生shēng，脱tuō免miǎn沉chén疴ē六liù趣qù。引yǐn归guī真zhēn路lù，普pǔ玩wán鸿hóng蒙méng；动dòng止zhǐ无wú为wéi，混hùn成chéng纯chún素sù。仗zhàng此cǐ良liáng因yīn，邀yāo赏shǎng清qīng都dū绛jiàng阙què；乘chéng吾wú胜shèng会huì，脱tuō离lí地dì狱yù凡fán笼lóng。早zǎo登dēng极jí乐lè任rèn逍xiāo遥yáo，来lái往wǎng西xī方fāng随suí自zì在zài。诗shī曰yuē：

一yì爐lú永yǒng壽shòu香xiāng，幾jǐ卷juǎn超chāo生shēng籙lù。一yì炉lú永yǒng寿shòu香xiāng，几jǐ卷juǎn超chāo生shēng箓lù。

無wú邊biān妙miào法fǎ宣xuān，無wú際jì天tiān恩ēn沐mù。无wú边biān妙miào法fǎ宣xuān，无wú际jì天tiān恩ēn沐mù。

冤yuān孽niè盡jìn消xiāo除chú，孤gū魂hún皆jiē出chū獄yù。冤yuān孽niè尽jìn消xiāo除chú，孤gū魂hún皆jiē出chū狱yù。

願yuàn保bǎo我wǒ邦bāng家jiā，清qīng平píng萬wàn咸xián福fú。愿yuàn保bǎo我wǒ邦bāng家jiā，清qīng平píng万wàn咸xián福fú。

逐句解 Line by line

太tài宗zōng文wén武wǔ俱jù各gè拈niān香xiāng，拜bài了le佛fó祖zǔ金jīn身shēn，參cān了le羅luó漢hàn。太tài宗zōng文wén武wǔ俱jù各gè拈niān香xiāng，拜bài了le佛fó祖zǔ金jīn身shēn，参cān了le罗luó汉hàn。

Taizong and his civil and military officers all offered incense, made obeisance to the golden body of the Buddha-Patriarch, and paid reverence to the arhats.

佛祖金身 is 'the golden body of the Buddha-Patriarch.' The two occurrences of 了 take the aspectual le.

又yòu見jiàn那nà大dà闡chǎn都dū綱gāng陳chén玄xuán奘zàng法fǎ師shī引yǐn眾zhòng僧sēng羅luó拜bài唐táng王wáng。又yòu见jiàn那nà大dà阐chǎn都dū纲gāng陈chén玄xuán奘zàng法fǎ师shī引yǐn众zhòng僧sēng罗luó拜bài唐táng王wáng。

Then the Grand Expositor and Chief Samgha-Controller, the Dharma Master Chen Xuanzang, led the assembled monks in ranged obeisance to the Tang king.

那 in 又見那 is the demonstrative nà; 都 in 都綱 ('Chief Samgha-Controller') is dū.

禮lǐ畢bì，分fēn班bān各gè安ān禪chán位wèi。礼lǐ毕bì，分fēn班bān各gè安ān禅chán位wèi。

The rites concluded, they divided into ranks and each settled in his meditation-seat.

分 in 分班 ('to divide into ranks') is fēn. 禪位 here is the monk's assigned meditation-place.

法fǎ師shī獻xiàn上shàng濟jì孤gū榜bǎng文wén與yǔ太tài宗zōng看kàn。榜bǎng曰yuē：法fǎ师shī献xiàn上shàng济jì孤gū榜bǎng文wén与yǔ太tài宗zōng看kàn。榜bǎng曰yuē：

The Dharma Master presented the Proclamation for the Relief of the Forsaken for Taizong to read. The proclamation said:

濟孤榜文 ('Proclamation for the Relief of the Forsaken [souls]') is the liturgical statement of the assembly's purpose. The lead-in 榜曰 ('the proclamation said') heads the document.

至zhì德dé渺miǎo茫máng，禪chán宗zōng寂jì滅miè。清qīng淨jìng靈líng通tōng，周zhōu流liú三sān界jiè。至zhì德dé渺miǎo茫máng，禅chán宗zōng寂jì灭miè。清qīng净jìng灵líng通tōng，周zhōu流liú三sān界jiè。

'Supreme virtue is vast and boundless; the Chan school, still and extinguished. Pure and numinous and penetrating, it flows through the Three Realms.'

寂滅 renders nirvāṇa; 三界 (the Three Realms of desire, form, and formlessness) is the whole of conditioned existence. The proclamation opens in the high parallel-prose register of a Buddhist memorial.

千qiān變biàn萬wàn化huà，統tǒng攝shè陰yīn陽yáng。體tǐ用yòng真zhēn常cháng，無wú窮qióng極jí矣yǐ。千qiān变biàn万wàn化huà，统tǒng摄shè阴yīn阳yáng。体tǐ用yòng真zhēn常cháng，无wú穷qióng极jí矣yǐ。

'In a thousand transformations and myriad changes, it governs the yin and the yang. In essence and function truly constant, it is without limit or end.'

體用 ('essence and function') is a technical pair of Chinese Buddhist and Neo-Confucian metaphysics. 統攝 ('to govern, to embrace') reads 攝 as shè.

觀guān彼bǐ孤gū魂hún，深shēn宜yí哀āi愍mǐn。此cǐ奉fèng太tài宗zōng聖shèng命mìng：選xuǎn集jí諸zhū僧sēng，參cān禪chán講jiǎng法fǎ。观guān彼bǐ孤gū魂hún，深shēn宜yí哀āi愍mǐn。此cǐ奉fèng太tài宗zōng圣shèng命mìng：选xuǎn集jí诸zhū僧sēng，参cān禅chán讲jiǎng法fǎ。

'Regarding those forsaken souls, they are deeply to be pitied. Herein, in obedience to Taizong's sage command, we have selected and assembled the monks to sit in Chan and expound the Law.'

哀愍 ('to pity, to grieve for') governs the whole rite's motive: compassion for the unmourned dead.

大dà開kāi方fāng便biàn門mén庭tíng，廣guǎng運yùn慈cí悲bēi舟zhōu楫jí，普pǔ濟jì苦kǔ海hǎi群qún生shēng，脫tuō免miǎn沉chén痾ē六liù趣qù。大dà开kāi方fāng便biàn门mén庭tíng，广guǎng运yùn慈cí悲bēi舟zhōu楫jí，普pǔ济jì苦kǔ海hǎi群qún生shēng，脱tuō免miǎn沉chén疴ē六liù趣qù。

'Opening wide the gate of expedient means, broadly plying the boat and oar of compassion, we would universally ferry the multitudes from the sea of suffering, and free them from the deep affliction of the Six Ways.'

方便 (fāngbiàn, Sanskrit upāya) is 'expedient means'; 慈悲舟楫 ('the boat and oar of compassion') and 苦海 ('the sea of suffering') are stock Buddhist metaphors. 六趣 (liù qù) is the Six Ways of rebirth.

引yǐn歸guī真zhēn路lù，普pǔ玩wán鴻hóng濛méng；動dòng止zhǐ無wú為wéi，混hùn成chéng純chún素sù。引yǐn归guī真zhēn路lù，普pǔ玩wán鸿hóng蒙méng；动dòng止zhǐ无wú为wéi，混hùn成chéng纯chún素sù。

'Leading them back to the true path, they shall roam freely in the primal vastness; in movement and rest, in non-action, they shall be merged into pure simplicity.'

The vocabulary turns markedly Daoist here — 鴻濛 (the primal chaos), 混成純素 ('merged into pure simplicity') — and 無為 (wú wéi, 'non-action') reads 為 as wéi. The blend enacts the syncretic ideal the chapter's debate defended.

仗zhàng此cǐ良liáng因yīn，邀yāo賞shǎng清qīng都dū絳jiàng闕què；乘chéng吾wú勝shèng會huì，脫tuō離lí地dì獄yù凡fán籠lóng。仗zhàng此cǐ良liáng因yīn，邀yāo赏shǎng清qīng都dū绛jiàng阙què；乘chéng吾wú胜shèng会huì，脱tuō离lí地dì狱yù凡fán笼lóng。

'By this good cause, they shall be summoned to the reward of the Pure Capital and its crimson towers; availing themselves of our excellent assembly, they shall escape from hell and the cage of the mortal world.'

清都絳闕 ('the Pure Capital and crimson towers') is the Daoist celestial city; 都 in 清都 is dū. 乘 in 乘吾勝會 ('availing of our assembly') is chéng.

早zǎo登dēng極jí樂lè任rèn逍xiāo遙yáo，來lái往wǎng西xī方fāng隨suí自zì在zài。早zǎo登dēng极jí乐lè任rèn逍xiāo遥yáo，来lái往wǎng西xī方fāng随suí自zì在zài。

'Soon they shall ascend to the Land of Ultimate Bliss to wander at will, and come and go in the Western Quarter as they please.'

極樂 ('the Land of Ultimate Bliss,' Sukhāvatī) reads 樂 as lè; 西方 ('the Western Quarter') is the Pure Land of Amitābha — and, for the novel, a quiet foreshadowing of the westward road.

詩shī曰yuē：诗shī曰yuē：

The poem says:

The lead-in 詩曰 introduces the proclamation's closing votive verse.

一yì爐lú永yǒng壽shòu香xiāng，幾jǐ卷juǎn超chāo生shēng籙lù。一yì炉lú永yǒng寿shòu香xiāng，几jǐ卷juǎn超chāo生shēng箓lù。

One censer of longevity's incense, a few scrolls of the rebirth registers.

超生籙 ('registers of rebirth') are the ritual rolls that release souls to a better birth. 卷 in 幾卷 is read juǎn (per the reader's convention for 卷); as a measure for scrolls it could also be argued juàn.

無wú邊biān妙miào法fǎ宣xuān，無wú際jì天tiān恩ēn沐mù。无wú边biān妙miào法fǎ宣xuān，无wú际jì天tiān恩ēn沐mù。

The boundless wondrous Law proclaimed; the limitless grace of Heaven bathing all.

無邊／無際 ('boundless'／'limitless') set the verse's hyperbolic scale.

冤yuān孽niè盡jìn消xiāo除chú，孤gū魂hún皆jiē出chū獄yù。冤yuān孽niè尽jìn消xiāo除chú，孤gū魂hún皆jiē出chū狱yù。

Grievances and sins all dissolved away; the forsaken souls all freed from prison.

冤孽 ('grievances and sins') are the karmic bonds that hold souls in the hell-prison; 盡 in 盡消除 is jìn ('utterly').

願yuàn保bǎo我wǒ邦bāng家jiā，清qīng平píng萬wàn咸xián福fú。愿yuàn保bǎo我wǒ邦bāng家jiā，清qīng平píng万wàn咸xián福fú。

May it guard our realm and household — in peace and quiet, myriad blessings for all.

The verse closes, as such votive poems do, on a prayer for the peace and prosperity of the state.

總評 Commentary

The proclamation states, in the high parallel-prose register of a Buddhist memorial, the whole doctrinal and moral rationale of the Grand Mass: out of compassion for the unmourned dead, the assembly opens the 'gate of expedient means' to ferry the forsaken souls from the sea of suffering to the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Its language is strikingly syncretic, sliding from Buddhist categories (the Three Realms, the Six Ways, expedient means, Sukhāvatī) into unmistakably Daoist ones (the primal vastness, non-action, pure simplicity, the Pure Capital and its crimson towers) — an enactment, in liturgical prose, of the very Three-Teachings harmony the court has just affirmed. The closing votive verse condenses the same aspiration into a prayer for released souls and a peaceful realm. The proclamation's body is set as Reader's-edition parallel prose and the closing poem as verse; because the passage embeds that poem it carries the 含詞賦 chip — flag if you would rather split the bang (Reader's edition) from the shi (含詞賦).