第四十五回 · 鹿力祈禳 Deer-Power's Prayer — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition 含詞賦 With rhapsody

鹿力祈禳 Deer-Power's Prayer

鹿lù力lì大dà仙xiān上shàng前qián，又yòu拜bài云yún：鹿lù力lì大dà仙xiān上shàng前qián，又yòu拜bài云yún：

「揚yáng塵chén頓dùn首shǒu，謹jǐn辦bàn丹dān誠chéng。「扬yáng尘chén顿dùn首shǒu，谨jǐn办bàn丹dān诚chéng。

微wēi臣chén歸guī命mìng，俯fǔ仰yǎng三sān清qīng。微wēi臣chén归guī命mìng，俯fǔ仰yǎng三sān清qīng。

自zì來lái此cǐ界jiè，興xīng道dào除chú僧sēng。自zì来lái此cǐ界jiè，兴xīng道dào除chú僧sēng。

國guó王wáng心xīn喜xǐ，敬jìng重zhòng玄xuán齡líng。国guó王wáng心xīn喜xǐ，敬jìng重zhòng玄xuán龄líng。

羅luó天tiān大dà醮jiào，徹chè夜yè看kàn經jīng。罗luó天tiān大dà醮jiào，彻chè夜yè看kàn经jīng。

幸xìng天tiān尊zūn之zhī不bú棄qì，降jiàng聖shèng駕jià而ér臨lín庭tíng。幸xìng天tiān尊zūn之zhī不bú弃qì，降jiàng圣shèng驾jià而ér临lín庭tíng。

俯fǔ求qiú垂chuí念niàn，仰yǎng望wàng恩ēn榮róng。俯fǔ求qiú垂chuí念niàn，仰yǎng望wàng恩ēn荣róng。

是shì必bì留liú些xiē聖shèng水shuǐ，與yǔ弟dì子zǐ們men延yán壽shòu長cháng生shēng。」是shì必bì留liú些xiē圣shèng水shuǐ，与yǔ弟dì子zǐ们men延yán寿shòu长cháng生shēng。」

逐句解 Line by line

鹿lù力lì大dà仙xiān上shàng前qián，又yòu拜bài云yún：鹿lù力lì大dà仙xiān上shàng前qián，又yòu拜bài云yún：

Deer-Power the Immortal came forward and, bowing again, intoned:

上前 "to step forward." 又拜云 "bowing again, he chanted" -- the tag that tells you a set-piece of verse is about to start.

「揚yáng塵chén頓dùn首shǒu，謹jǐn辦bàn丹dān誠chéng。「扬yáng尘chén顿dùn首shǒu，谨jǐn办bàn丹dān诚chéng。

“Raising the dust, we bow our heads, and dress our cinnabar-red sincerity;

揚塵頓首 "raising the dust, knocking the head" -- prostration so thorough it stirs the floor. 丹誠 "cinnabar-red sincerity," where the red of the alchemist's cinnabar stands for the utmost of anything.

微wēi臣chén歸guī命mìng，俯fǔ仰yǎng三sān清qīng。微wēi臣chén归guī命mìng，俯fǔ仰yǎng三sān清qīng。

we, your humble servants, yield up our lives, looking up and down to the Three Pure Ones.

微臣歸命 "this lowly servant commits his life." 俯仰三清 "bowing and looking up to the Three Pure Ones."

自zì來lái此cǐ界jiè，興xīng道dào除chú僧sēng。自zì来lái此cǐ界jiè，兴xīng道dào除chú僧sēng。

Since we came into this land, we have exalted the Way and cast out the monks.

興道除僧: 興 = xīng. "Exalt the Way, purge the monks." This is the line to remember -- the arc's central injustice, stated by its authors as a boast, in four characters, in a prayer.

國guó王wáng心xīn喜xǐ，敬jìng重zhòng玄xuán齡líng。国guó王wáng心xīn喜xǐ，敬jìng重zhòng玄xuán龄líng。

The king rejoiced in his heart and held the elder sages in esteem.

敬重: 重 = zhòng, to esteem, not chóng, to repeat. 玄齡 "those of profound years," meaning the Daoist masters themselves.

羅luó天tiān大dà醮jiào，徹chè夜yè看kàn經jīng。罗luó天tiān大dà醮jiào，彻chè夜yè看kàn经jīng。

At the Grand Rite of the Whole Heaven, night through we pored over the scriptures.

羅天大醮 is a grand 醮 (jiào) of the 羅天 kind -- the largest and most encompassing offering-rite Daoism has, the one you commission when nothing smaller will do. 看經: 看 = kàn.

幸xìng天tiān尊zūn之zhī不bú棄qì，降jiàng聖shèng駕jià而ér臨lín庭tíng。幸xìng天tiān尊zūn之zhī不bú弃qì，降jiàng圣shèng驾jià而ér临lín庭tíng。

Blessed that the Venerable did not forsake us, you brought your sacred carriage down to this court.

不棄: the falling tone of 棄 pulls 不 to bú. 降聖駕: 降 = jiàng, bringing the holy carriage down.

俯fǔ求qiú垂chuí念niàn，仰yǎng望wàng恩ēn榮róng。俯fǔ求qiú垂chuí念niàn，仰yǎng望wàng恩ēn荣róng。

Bowing, we beg your regard; looking up, we hope for your grace.

俯求垂念 "bowing, we beg your attention." 仰望恩榮 "looking up, we hope for favour and glory."

We beg you leave a little holy water, to lengthen the lives of us your disciples.”

弟子: 子 = zǐ, disciples. 延壽長生: 長 = cháng, to stretch out a life.

總評 Commentary

Deer-Power's prayer copies Tiger-Power's form exactly -- four-character parallel lines, memorial diction, the same abject opening -- but adds a paragraph of history. It tells heaven how the sect rose: royal favour, won by driving out the Buddhists.

興道除僧 is the phrase to keep. Four characters, offered as a credential: we exalted the Way and we got rid of the monks. Nothing in the chapter states the injustice more plainly than the people who committed it, praying.

And the rite they cite as proof of their devotion, the 羅天大醮, is the top of the range -- the most expensive ceremony available, run through the night. All of it is being read aloud to a monkey in a statue's chair who is about to answer with a chamber pot.