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前緣姻眷
A Match of Former Karma
行者道:「陛下的駙馬是上界的奎星,令愛乃侍香的玉女,因思凡降落人間。不非小可,都因前世前緣,該有這些姻眷。那怪被老孫上天宮啟奏玉帝,玉帝查得他四卯不到,下界十三日,就是十三年了。──蓋天上一日,下界一年。──隨差本部星宿收他上界,貶在兜率宮立功去訖。老孫卻救得令愛來也。」那國王謝了行者的恩德,便教:「看你師父去來。」行者道:「陛下的驸马是上界的奎星,令爱乃侍香的玉女,因思凡降落人间。不非小可,都因前世前缘,该有这些姻眷。那怪被老孙上天宫启奏玉帝,玉帝查得他四卯不到,下界十三日,就是十三年了。──盖天上一日,下界一年。──随差本部星宿收他上界,贬在兜率宫立功去讫。老孙却救得令爱来也。」那国王谢了行者的恩德,便教:「看你师父去来。」
逐句解 Line by line
行者道:「陛下的駙馬是上界的奎星,令愛乃侍香的玉女,因思凡降落人間。
行者道:「陛下的驸马是上界的奎星,令爱乃侍香的玉女,因思凡降落人间。
Pilgrim said, “Your Majesty’s son-in-law was the Kui star of the upper realm, and your daughter the incense-tending jade-maiden, who for yearning of the mortal world came down among men.
駙馬 (fùmǎ), the emperor’s son-in-law. 令愛 (lìng’ài), a courteous “your daughter.” 思凡降落 (sī fán jiàng luò), to descend for longing of the mortal world; 降 here “to descend,” read jiàng.
不非小可,都因前世前緣,該有這些姻眷。
不非小可,都因前世前缘,该有这些姻眷。
It was no small matter, but all owing to the karma of a former life, that they should be joined in this marriage-bond.
前世前緣 (qián shì qián yuán), the karmic affinity of a former existence. 姻眷 (yīn juàn), marriage-ties, wedded kin. 都 read dōu.
那怪被老孫上天宮啟奏玉帝,玉帝查得他四卯不到,下界十三日,就是十三年了。
那怪被老孙上天宫启奏玉帝,玉帝查得他四卯不到,下界十三日,就是十三年了。
The fiend, upon old Sun’s going up to the Heavenly Palace and reporting to the Jade Emperor, was found by inquiry to have missed four musters — thirteen days below, which is thirteen years.
四卯不到 (sì mǎo bù dào), absent from four roll-calls. 查得 with 得 as de; 那 read nà.
──蓋天上一日,下界一年。
──盖天上一日,下界一年。
— for a day in Heaven is a year in the world below.
天上一日,下界一年, the celestial-mortal time ratio, stated as an aside.
──隨差本部星宿收他上界,貶在兜率宮立功去訖。
──随差本部星宿收他上界,贬在兜率宫立功去讫。
— whereupon his own bureau was sent to fetch him back to Heaven, and he was demoted to earn merit in the Tushita Palace.
本部星宿 (běn bù xīng xiù), the star-officers of his own bureau; 宿 read xiù. 隨差, thereupon dispatched; 差 read chāi. 去訖 (qù qì), has gone, and there an end.
老孫卻救得令愛來也。」
老孙却救得令爱来也。」
And so old Sun has rescued your daughter and brought her home.”
救得 (jiù de), to have rescued; 得 read de.
那國王謝了行者的恩德,便教:「看你師父去來。」
那国王谢了行者的恩德,便教:「看你师父去来。」
The king thanked Pilgrim for his kindness, and said, “Go now and see to your master.”
恩德 (ēndé), kindness, benefaction. 那 read nà.
總評 Commentary
Wukong’s public account renders the celestial disclosures into a form the mortal court can grasp, and in doing so restates the chapter’s governing idea: the whole affair, demon and princess alike, was the earthly unfolding of a karmic bond contracted among the stars. The aside on the time-ratio, thirteen heavenly days as thirteen earthly years, supplies the mechanism by which so brief a truancy above wrought so long a captivity below.
The passage completes the transfer of understanding from Heaven to earth that the reunion required, and the king’s simple thanks and his bidding to “see to your master” turn the narrative from explanation to the last unfinished task — the restoration of the tiger-transformed Tripitaka. With the cosmic account settled, the chapter’s remaining business is the freeing of the pilgrim and the mending of the band.