第三十六回 · 道人相迎 The Servitor at the Gate — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

道人相迎 The Servitor at the Gate

正zhèng讚zàn嘆tàn間jiān，又yòu見jiàn三sān門mén裡lǐ走zǒu出chū一yí個gè道dào人rén。那nà道dào人rén忽hū見jiàn三sān藏zàng相xiàng貌mào稀xī奇qí，丰fēng姿zī非fēi俗sú，急jí趨qū步bù上shàng前qián施shī禮lǐ道dào：「師shī父fù那nà裡lǐ來lái的de？」三sān藏zàng道dào：「弟dì子zǐ是shì東dōng土tǔ大dà唐táng駕jià下xià差chāi來lái，上shàng西xī天tiān拜bài佛fó求qiú經jīng的de。今jīn到dào寶bǎo方fāng，天tiān色sè將jiāng晚wǎn，告gào借jiè一yì宿xiǔ。」那nà道dào人rén道dào：「師shī父fù莫mò怪guài，我wǒ做zuò不bù得de主zhǔ，我wǒ是shì這zhè裡lǐ掃sǎo地dì、撞zhuàng鐘zhōng、打dǎ勤qín勞láo的de道dào人rén。裡lǐ面miàn還hái有yǒu個gè管guǎn家jiā的de老lǎo師shī父fù哩lī，待dài我wǒ進jìn去qù稟bǐng他tā一yì聲shēng。他tā若ruò留liú你nǐ，我wǒ就jiù出chū來lái奉fèng請qǐng；若ruò不bù留liú你nǐ，我wǒ卻què不bù敢gǎn羈jī遲chí。」三sān藏zàng道dào：「累lěi及jí你nǐ了le。」正zhèng赞zàn叹tàn间jiān，又yòu见jiàn三sān门mén里lǐ走zǒu出chū一yí个gè道dào人rén。那nà道dào人rén忽hū见jiàn三sān藏zàng相xiàng貌mào稀xī奇qí，丰fēng姿zī非fēi俗sú，急jí趋qū步bù上shàng前qián施shī礼lǐ道dào：「师shī父fù那nà里lǐ来lái的de？」三sān藏zàng道dào：「弟dì子zǐ是shì东dōng土tǔ大dà唐táng驾jià下xià差chāi来lái，上shàng西xī天tiān拜bài佛fó求qiú经jīng的de。今jīn到dào宝bǎo方fāng，天tiān色sè将jiāng晚wǎn，告gào借jiè一yì宿xiǔ。」那nà道dào人rén道dào：「师shī父fù莫mò怪guài，我wǒ做zuò不bù得de主zhǔ，我wǒ是shì这zhè里lǐ扫sǎo地dì、撞zhuàng钟zhōng、打dǎ勤qín劳láo的de道dào人rén。里lǐ面miàn还hái有yǒu个gè管guǎn家jiā的de老lǎo师shī父fù哩lī，待dài我wǒ进jìn去qù禀bǐng他tā一yì声shēng。他tā若ruò留liú你nǐ，我wǒ就jiù出chū来lái奉fèng请qǐng；若ruò不bù留liú你nǐ，我wǒ却què不bù敢gǎn羁jī迟chí。」三sān藏zàng道dào：「累lěi及jí你nǐ了le。」

逐句解 Line by line

正zhèng讚zàn嘆tàn間jiān，又yòu見jiàn三sān門mén裡lǐ走zǒu出chū一yí個gè道dào人rén。正zhèng赞zàn叹tàn间jiān，又yòu见jiàn三sān门mén里lǐ走zǒu出chū一yí个gè道dào人rén。

Even as he was voicing his admiration, a Daoist servitor came out through the three gates.

三門 the temple's triple gate (the 山門). 道人 (dào rén) here not a Daoist priest but a lay servitor or handyman of the monastery — a menial, as his own words make plain.

那nà道dào人rén忽hū見jiàn三sān藏zàng相xiàng貌mào稀xī奇qí，丰fēng姿zī非fēi俗sú，急jí趨qū步bù上shàng前qián施shī禮lǐ道dào：「師shī父fù那nà裡lǐ來lái的de？」那nà道dào人rén忽hū见jiàn三sān藏zàng相xiàng貌mào稀xī奇qí，丰fēng姿zī非fēi俗sú，急jí趋qū步bù上shàng前qián施shī礼lǐ道dào：「师shī父fù那nà里lǐ来lái的de？」

The fellow, suddenly struck by Tripitaka's rare features and uncommon bearing, hurried forward, made a bow, and asked: “Master, where do you come from?”

相貌 (xiàng mào) features, countenance, 相 read xiàng; 丰姿 (fēng zī) fine bearing; 那 read nà.

三sān藏zàng道dào：「弟dì子zǐ是shì東dōng土tǔ大dà唐táng駕jià下xià差chāi來lái，上shàng西xī天tiān拜bài佛fó求qiú經jīng的de。三sān藏zàng道dào：「弟dì子zǐ是shì东dōng土tǔ大dà唐táng驾jià下xià差chāi来lái，上shàng西xī天tiān拜bài佛fó求qiú经jīng的de。

Tripitaka said: “This disciple is one dispatched by the throne of Great Tang in the Eastern Land, going to the Western Heaven to worship the Buddha and seek the scriptures.”

駕下 (jià xià) "beneath the imperial carriage," i.e. by imperial command; 差 read chāi ("to be dispatched"); 佛 read fó. Tripitaka's standard self-introduction.

今jīn到dào寶bǎo方fāng，天tiān色sè將jiāng晚wǎn，告gào借jiè一yì宿xiǔ。」今jīn到dào宝bǎo方fāng，天tiān色sè将jiāng晚wǎn，告gào借jiè一yì宿xiǔ。」

“Today I have come to your precious place; the sky grows late, and I beg the loan of a night's lodging.”

寶方 (bǎo fāng) "precious place," a courteous term for another's establishment; 將晚 "about to be late," 將 read jiāng.

那nà道dào人rén道dào：「師shī父fù莫mò怪guài，我wǒ做zuò不bù得de主zhǔ，我wǒ是shì這zhè裡lǐ掃sǎo地dì、撞zhuàng鐘zhōng、打dǎ勤qín勞láo的de道dào人rén。那nà道dào人rén道dào：「师shī父fù莫mò怪guài，我wǒ做zuò不bù得de主zhǔ，我wǒ是shì这zhè里lǐ扫sǎo地dì、撞zhuàng钟zhōng、打dǎ勤qín劳láo的de道dào人rén。

The servitor said: “Don't take it amiss, Master — I can't decide such things. I'm only the fellow here who sweeps the floors, strikes the bell, and does the drudgery.”

做不得主 "cannot be the one to decide," 得 the potential particle de; 撞鐘 "to strike the bell"; 打勤勞 "to do the hard chores"; 那 read nà.

裡lǐ面miàn還hái有yǒu個gè管guǎn家jiā的de老lǎo師shī父fù哩lī，待dài我wǒ進jìn去qù稟bǐng他tā一yì聲shēng。里lǐ面miàn还hái有yǒu个gè管guǎn家jiā的de老lǎo师shī父fù哩lī，待dài我wǒ进jìn去qù禀bǐng他tā一yì声shēng。

“Inside there's an old master who keeps the house — let me go in and report it to him.”

管家 (guǎn jiā) the steward, the monk in charge of household affairs; 還 read hái.

他tā若ruò留liú你nǐ，我wǒ就jiù出chū來lái奉fèng請qǐng；他tā若ruò留liú你nǐ，我wǒ就jiù出chū来lái奉fèng请qǐng；

“If he'll have you stay, I'll come out and respectfully invite you in;”

奉請 (fèng qǐng) "to respectfully invite." The servant's careful deference continues.

若ruò不bù留liú你nǐ，我wǒ卻què不bù敢gǎn羈jī遲chí。」若ruò不bù留liú你nǐ，我wǒ却què不bù敢gǎn羁jī迟chí。」

“and if he won't, I dare not keep you waiting.”

羈遲 (jī chí) "to detain and delay." The servant is scrupulously careful of his place.

三sān藏zàng道dào：「累lěi及jí你nǐ了le。」三sān藏zàng道dào：「累lěi及jí你nǐ了le。」

Tripitaka said: “I've put you to trouble.”

累及 (lěi jí) "to trouble, involve"; 藏 read zàng.

總評 Commentary

Tripitaka is met at the gate not by a monk but by a 道人 — despite the name (literally "man of the Way"), a lay servitor or handyman of the monastery, who sweeps, rings the bell, and does the menial work. His careful, self-effacing courtesy — he cannot decide such matters himself, but will go and report the visitor to the steward — sets up by contrast the rudeness of the man he goes to fetch.

The exchange is quietly characterizing. The servant treats the impressive-looking pilgrim with instinctive respect; Tripitaka answers with his customary formal self-introduction and a polite acknowledgment of the trouble he causes. Everything about the meeting is decorous — which makes the abbot's contemptuous reception, when it comes, all the more jarring.