原文 Original text
繁體 Traditional
Reader's edition
含詞賦 With rhapsody
僧官拒宿
The Abbot Refuses Lodging
那師父踏腳跡，跟他進方丈門裡。只見那僧官脫了衣服，氣呼呼的坐在那裡，不知是念經，又不知是與人家寫法事，見那桌案上有些紙劄堆積。唐僧不敢深入，就立於天井裡，躬身高叫道：「老院主，弟子問訊了。」那和尚就有些不耐煩他進裡邊來的意思，半答不答的還了個禮，道：「你是那裡來的？」三藏道：「弟子乃東土大唐駕下差來，上西天拜活佛求經的。經過寶方，天晚，求借一宿，明日不犯天光就行了。萬望老院主方便方便。」那僧官才欠起身來道：「你是那唐三藏麼？」三藏道：「不敢，弟子便是。」僧官道：「你既往西天取經，怎麼路也不會走？」三藏道：「弟子更不曾走貴處的路。」他道：「正西去，只有四五里遠近，有一座三十里店，店上有賣飯的人家，方便好宿。我這裡不便，不好留你們遠來的僧。」三藏合掌道：「院主，古人有云：『庵觀寺院，都是我方上人的館驛，見山門就有三升米分。』你怎麼不留我，卻是何情？」僧官怒聲叫道：「你這遊方的和尚，便是有些油嘴油舌的說話。」三藏道：「何為油嘴油舌？」僧官道：「古人云：『老虎進了城，家家都閉門。雖然不咬人，日前壞了名。』」三藏道：「怎麼『日前壞了名』？」他道：「向年有幾眾行腳僧，來於山門口坐下。是我見他寒薄，一個個衣破鞋無，光頭赤腳，我嘆他那般襤褸，即忙請入方丈，延之上坐，款待了齋飯，又將故衣各借一件與他，就留他住了幾日。怎知他貪圖自在衣食，更不思量起身，就住了七八個年頭。住便也罷，又幹出許多不公的事來。」三藏道：「有甚麼不公的事？」僧官道：「你聽我說：那师父踏脚迹，跟他进方丈门里。只见那僧官脱了衣服，气呼呼的坐在那里，不知是念经，又不知是与人家写法事，见那桌案上有些纸札堆积。唐僧不敢深入，就立于天井里，躬身高叫道：「老院主，弟子问讯了。」那和尚就有些不耐烦他进里边来的意思，半答不答的还了个礼，道：「你是那里来的？」三藏道：「弟子乃东土大唐驾下差来，上西天拜活佛求经的。经过宝方，天晚，求借一宿，明日不犯天光就行了。万望老院主方便方便。」那僧官才欠起身来道：「你是那唐三藏么？」三藏道：「不敢，弟子便是。」僧官道：「你既往西天取经，怎么路也不会走？」三藏道：「弟子更不曾走贵处的路。」他道：「正西去，只有四五里远近，有一座三十里店，店上有卖饭的人家，方便好宿。我这里不便，不好留你们远来的僧。」三藏合掌道：「院主，古人有云：『庵观寺院，都是我方上人的馆驿，见山门就有三升米分。』你怎么不留我，却是何情？」僧官怒声叫道：「你这游方的和尚，便是有些油嘴油舌的说话。」三藏道：「何为油嘴油舌？」僧官道：「古人云：『老虎进了城，家家都闭门。虽然不咬人，日前坏了名。』」三藏道：「怎么『日前坏了名』？」他道：「向年有几众行脚僧，来于山门口坐下。是我见他寒薄，一个个衣破鞋无，光头赤脚，我叹他那般褴褛，即忙请入方丈，延之上坐，款待了斋饭，又将故衣各借一件与他，就留他住了几日。怎知他贪图自在衣食，更不思量起身，就住了七八个年头。住便也罢，又干出许多不公的事来。」三藏道：「有甚么不公的事？」僧官道：「你听我说：
閑時沿牆拋瓦，悶來壁上扳釘。闲时沿墙抛瓦，闷来壁上扳钉。
冷天向火折窗櫺。冷天向火折窗櫺。
夏日拖門攔徑。夏日拖门拦径。
幡布扯為腳帶，牙香偷換蔓菁。幡布扯为脚带，牙香偷换蔓菁。
常將琉璃把油傾。常将琉璃把油倾。
奪碗奪鍋賭勝。」夺碗夺锅赌胜。」
逐句解 Line by line
那師父踏腳跡，跟他進方丈門裡。
那师父踏脚迹，跟他进方丈门里。
The master, treading in the servitor's footsteps, followed him in through the door of the abbot's quarters.
踏腳跡 "to tread in another's footprints"; 那 read nà.
只見那僧官脫了衣服，氣呼呼的坐在那裡，不知是念經，又不知是與人家寫法事，見那桌案上有些紙劄堆積。
只见那僧官脱了衣服，气呼呼的坐在那里，不知是念经，又不知是与人家写法事，见那桌案上有些纸札堆积。
He saw the abbot, robe now off, sitting there in a huff — whether reciting sūtras or drafting some ritual document for a patron there was no telling — with a heap of papers piled on the desk before him.
氣呼呼 "puffing with anger, in a huff"; 法事 (fǎ shì) a Buddhist service or its paperwork; 紙劄 (zhǐ zhá) papers, documents; 那 read nà (three times).
唐僧不敢深入，就立於天井裡，躬身高叫道：「老院主，弟子問訊了。」
唐僧不敢深入，就立于天井里，躬身高叫道：「老院主，弟子问讯了。」
Tripitaka, not daring to go far in, stood in the courtyard, bowed, and called out: “Venerable prior, this disciple pays his respects.”
天井 (tiān jǐng) the small open courtyard of a building; 院主 (yuàn zhǔ) "prior, head of the cloister"; 問訊 (wèn xùn) the Buddhist gesture-and-word of greeting.
那和尚就有些不耐煩他進裡邊來的意思，半答不答的還了個禮，道：「你是那裡來的？」
那和尚就有些不耐烦他进里边来的意思，半答不答的还了个礼，道：「你是那里来的？」
The monk, plainly none too pleased that the visitor had come inside, returned the greeting half-heartedly and said: “Where are you from?”
不耐煩 "impatient, put out"; 半答不答 "half-answering, scarcely answering." 還了個禮 "returned a courtesy," 還 here read huán ("to return a bow"); 那 read nà; 和尚 read hé shàng.
三藏道：「弟子乃東土大唐駕下差來，上西天拜活佛求經的。
三藏道：「弟子乃东土大唐驾下差来，上西天拜活佛求经的。
Tripitaka said: “This disciple is one dispatched by the throne of Great Tang in the Eastern Land, bound for the Western Heaven to worship the living Buddha and seek the scriptures.”
差 read chāi ("dispatched"); 活佛 "the living Buddha"; 佛 read fó, 藏 read zàng.
經過寶方，天晚，求借一宿，明日不犯天光就行了。
经过宝方，天晚，求借一宿，明日不犯天光就行了。
“Passing your precious place, and the day being late, I beg a night's lodging; tomorrow I'll be gone before daybreak.”
不犯天光 "without trespassing on the daylight," i.e. leaving before dawn; 就行了 "and that will do."
萬望老院主方便方便。」
万望老院主方便方便。」
“I earnestly beg the venerable prior to oblige me.”
方便 (fāng biàn) "to accommodate, do a kindness"; the reduplication is entreating.
那僧官才欠起身來道：「你是那唐三藏麼？」
那僧官才欠起身来道：「你是那唐三藏么？」
Only then did the abbot half-rise and say: “Are you that Tang Tripitaka?”
欠起身 "to rise partway," a grudging half-courtesy; 那 read nà (twice); 藏 read zàng.
三藏道：「不敢，弟子便是。」
三藏道：「不敢，弟子便是。」
Tripitaka said: “I dare not claim it — but I am he.”
不敢 here a modest formula, "I dare not presume"; 藏 read zàng.
僧官道：「你既往西天取經，怎麼路也不會走？」
僧官道：「你既往西天取经，怎么路也不会走？」
The abbot said: “If you're bound for the Western Heaven to fetch scriptures, how is it you can't even find your way?”
不會走 "cannot walk the road, don't know the way," 會 read huì. A gratuitous jab.
三藏道：「弟子更不曾走貴處的路。」
三藏道：「弟子更不曾走贵处的路。」
Tripitaka said: “This disciple has never yet travelled the road of your honoured district.”
更不曾 "have not even once," 更 read gèng; 貴處 "your honoured place," 處 read chù; 藏 read zàng.
他道：「正西去，只有四五里遠近，有一座三十里店，店上有賣飯的人家，方便好宿。
他道：「正西去，只有四五里远近，有一座三十里店，店上有卖饭的人家，方便好宿。
He said: “Due west, only four or five li off, there's a Thirty-Li Inn, with folk selling food — convenient, and good for lodging.”
里 (lǐ) the Chinese mile; 三十里店 an inn named for its distance (thirty lǐ) from somewhere. The abbot fobs him off toward a commercial inn.
我這裡不便，不好留你們遠來的僧。」
我这里不便，不好留你们远来的僧。」
“Here it's not convenient; I can't lodge you monks come from afar.”
不便 / 不好 "inconvenient / not good to do." A flat refusal.
三藏合掌道：「院主，古人有云：『庵觀寺院，都是我方上人的館驛，見山門就有三升米分。』
三藏合掌道：「院主，古人有云：『庵观寺院，都是我方上人的馆驿，见山门就有三升米分。』
Tripitaka, pressing his palms together, said: “Prior, the ancients had a saying: ‘Convents and abbeys, temples and cloisters are all the way-stations of us who travel; at the sight of a temple gate one is due three pints of rice.’”
庵觀寺院 the four kinds of religious house (觀 read guàn, the Daoist abbey); 館驛 (guǎn yì) a post-house, way-station; 三升米分 "a three-pint measure of rice as one's due," 分 read fèn ("a due share"); 都 read dōu, 藏 read zàng.
你怎麼不留我，卻是何情？」
你怎么不留我，却是何情？」
“Why then do you not lodge me — what feeling is this?”
何情 "what sort of sentiment," i.e. what has become of common feeling.
僧官怒聲叫道：「你這遊方的和尚，便是有些油嘴油舌的說話。」
僧官怒声叫道：「你这游方的和尚，便是有些油嘴油舌的说话。」
The abbot shouted angrily: “You wandering monk — you've a glib and oily tongue, that's what.”
遊方 "wandering on religious travels"; 油嘴油舌 "oily mouth and oily tongue," glib; 和尚 read hé shàng.
三藏道：「何為油嘴油舌？」
三藏道：「何为油嘴油舌？」
Tripitaka said: “What do you mean, a glib and oily tongue?”
何為 "what is meant by," 為 read wéi; 藏 read zàng.
僧官道：「古人云：『老虎進了城，家家都閉門。
僧官道：「古人云：『老虎进了城，家家都闭门。
The abbot said: “The ancients said: ‘When a tiger comes into town, every household bars its door.’”
都 read dōu. The abbot answers insult with a proverb likening the itinerant monk to a predatory beast.
雖然不咬人，日前壞了名。』」
虽然不咬人，日前坏了名。』」
“Though he bites no one, his reputation was ruined long before.’”
日前壞了名 "his name was spoiled beforehand" — the tiger is shunned on sight, regardless of present conduct.
三藏道：「怎麼『日前壞了名』？」
三藏道：「怎么『日前坏了名』？」
Tripitaka said: “How ‘his reputation was ruined long before’?”
藏 read zàng. Tripitaka, stung, presses the abbot to explain the slur.
他道：「向年有幾眾行腳僧，來於山門口坐下。
他道：「向年有几众行脚僧，来于山门口坐下。
He said: “Some years ago a party of itinerant monks came and sat down at our temple gate.”
向年 "in a former year"; 行腳僧 (xíng jiǎo sēng) monks who travel on foot, mendicants; 行 read xíng.
是我見他寒薄，一個個衣破鞋無，光頭赤腳，我嘆他那般襤褸，即忙請入方丈，延之上坐，款待了齋飯，又將故衣各借一件與他，就留他住了幾日。
是我见他寒薄，一个个衣破鞋无，光头赤脚，我叹他那般褴褛，即忙请入方丈，延之上坐，款待了斋饭，又将故衣各借一件与他，就留他住了几日。
“Seeing how poor they were — every one in torn clothes and without shoes, bare-headed and barefoot — I pitied their raggedness, hastily asked them into the abbot's quarters, seated them in the places of honour, served them a vegetarian meal, lent each an old garment of mine, and let them stay a few days.”
寒薄 "poor, threadbare," 薄 read bó (the literary "meager" reading); 襤褸 (lán lǚ) "ragged"; 延之上坐 "to usher them to the upper seats"; 款待 "to entertain, feast"; 故衣 "old clothes," 將 read jiāng (coverb); 那 read nà.
怎知他貪圖自在衣食，更不思量起身，就住了七八個年頭。
怎知他贪图自在衣食，更不思量起身，就住了七八个年头。
“Who'd have known they'd covet their ease and their board, never once think of moving on, and end by staying seven or eight whole years?”
貪圖自在 "to covet comfort"; 更不思量 "never even considered," 更 read gèng; 年頭 "years" (colloquial).
住便也罷，又幹出許多不公的事來。」
住便也罢，又干出许多不公的事来。」
“Their staying would have been one thing — but they went and did all manner of dishonest things besides.”
也罷 "would be all right, one thing," 罷 read bà; 不公 "unjust, dishonest."
三藏道：「有甚麼不公的事？」
三藏道：「有甚么不公的事？」
Tripitaka said: “What dishonest things?”
甚麼 "what," 甚 read shén; 藏 read zàng.
僧官道：「你聽我說：
僧官道：「你听我说：
The abbot said: “Listen and I'll tell you:”
The line introduces the doggerel catalogue that follows.
閑時沿牆拋瓦，悶來壁上扳釘。
闲时沿墙抛瓦，闷来壁上扳钉。
At leisure, they flung tiles along the walls; out of boredom, prised the nails from the plaster.
沿牆 "along the wall"; 扳釘 "to pry out nails," 扳 read bān. A list of petty vandalisms.
冷天向火折窗櫺。
冷天向火折窗櫺。
On cold days, for firewood, they broke up the window-lattices.
向火 "toward the fire," i.e. to warm oneself; 窗櫺 (chuāng líng) window-lattice.
夏日拖門攔徑。
夏日拖门拦径。
On summer days they hauled off doors to block the paths.
拖門 "to drag away doors"; 攔徑 "to bar the way."
幡布扯為腳帶，牙香偷換蔓菁。
幡布扯为脚带，牙香偷换蔓菁。
Temple banners they tore up for foot-bindings; fine incense they filched and traded for turnips.
幡布 "banner-cloth"; 扯為 "tore it to make," 為 read wéi; 牙香 fine incense; 蔓菁 (mán jīng) turnip.
常將琉璃把油傾。
常将琉璃把油倾。
The glazed lamps they were forever tipping to pour off the oil.
琉璃 (liú lí) here the glazed oil-lamp; 將 read jiāng (coverb); 把油傾 "to pour out the oil."
奪碗奪鍋賭勝。」
夺碗夺锅赌胜。」
And they'd snatch bowls and snatch pots to wager on their games.”
奪 "to seize, snatch"; 賭勝 "to gamble for the win." The catalogue of the freeloaders' misdeeds ends the abbot's justification.
總評 Commentary
Tripitaka follows the servitor in and finds the abbot sulking amid a heap of papers. The long exchange that follows is the chapter's central set-piece of discourtesy. Tripitaka is scrupulously humble — bowing in the courtyard, begging only a single night and promising to leave before dawn — while the abbot answers with sarcasm (how can a scripture-pilgrim not know his own road?), fobs him off toward a commercial inn some li away, and finally refuses outright.
When Tripitaka appeals to the old custom of monastic hospitality — that temples are the way-stations of religious travellers, and a monk is due three pints of rice at any gate he reaches — the abbot retorts with a proverb likening the wandering monk to a tiger that every household shuns on sight, then justifies his hardness with a grievance: years ago he took in a band of poor mendicants out of pity, fed and clothed them, and they repaid him by squatting for seven or eight years and wrecking the place.
That grievance spills into the doggerel catalogue that closes the passage — a comic litany of the freeloaders' vandalism, from prising nails out of the walls and burning the window-lattices to tearing up temple banners for foot-cloths and draining the lamp-oil. The list is funny in itself, but it also completes the portrait of the abbot: a man who has let one bad experience harden into a blanket contempt for the poor and travelling, and who cites his single past kindness not as charity but as the reason he now extends none.