Canonical Classics ← 第四十五回
第四十五回
sānqīngguànshèngliúmíng
chēchíguóhóuwángxiǎn

At the Abbey of the Three Pure Ones the Great Sage leaves his name; in the Kingdom of Cart-Slow the Monkey King displays his magic.

法不靈驗
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原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

法不靈驗 “His Method Has No Power”

xíngzhěshēngdào:「xiàlóngshénzàijiāzhǐshìzhèguóshīlíngqǐngláiděngshàngqǐngláikàn。」guówángdào:「dēngtánguǎrénháizàihòu。」xíngzhěshēngdào:「xiàlóngshénzàijiāzhǐshìzhèguóshīlíngqǐngláiděngshàngqǐngláikàn。」guówángdào:「dēngtánguǎrénháizàihòu。」


逐句解 Line by line

xíngzhěshēngdào:「xiàlóngshénzàijiāzhǐshìzhèguóshīlíngqǐnglái xíngzhěshēngdào:「xiàlóngshénzàijiāzhǐshìzhèguóshīlíngqǐnglái

Pilgrim said in a stern voice, “Your Majesty, the dragon-gods are all at home; it is only that this Preceptor's method has no power, and he cannot summon them.

行者: = xíng. 俱在家 "all at home," answering the excuse in its own words. 法不靈: the rising tone of keeps at . 請他不來 "cannot get them to come."

děngshàngqǐngláikàn。」 děngshàngqǐngláikàn。」

Wait while this monk calls them, and you shall see.”

等和尚請來你看: = kàn -- "wait while this monk calls them and you shall see." An offer of evidence, not of argument.

guówángdào:「dēngtánguǎrénháizàihòu。」 guówángdào:「dēngtánguǎrénháizàihòu。」

The king said, “Go up to the altar at once; I will still wait here for the rain.”

即去登壇 "go up the altar at once." 還在此候雨: = hái, still waiting.


總評 Commentary

Wukong contradicts him flatly and specifically: the gods are all at home, your method simply does not reach them. Then, instead of arguing the point, he offers to settle it by doing the thing.

The king agrees, and it is worth giving him credit for it. Muddled as he is, he still wants the matter decided by result rather than by rank, and that instinct is the only reason the pilgrims get their turn. The altar passes to them with the whole court watching.