原文 Original text
繁體 Traditional
Reader's edition
做個輔星 Stand As An Attendant Star
八戒道：「怎麼樣助？」行者道：「你在我左邊立下，做個輔星。」又叫沙僧：「你在我右邊立下，做個弼宿。等老孫助他些無根水兒。」八戒道：「怎么样助？」行者道：「你在我左边立下，做个辅星。」又叫沙僧：「你在我右边立下，做个弼宿。等老孙助他些无根水儿。」
逐句解 Line by line
八戒道：「怎麼樣助？」
八戒道：「怎么样助？」
Eight Rules said, "Help him how?"
A fair question.
行者道：「你在我左邊立下，做個輔星。」
行者道：「你在我左边立下，做个辅星。」
Pilgrim said, "Stand at my left hand and be the Assistant Star."
輔 and 弼 are the two attendant stars that flank the Dipper in Daoist star lore. He is arranging his brothers around himself as though staging a formal ceremony.
又叫沙僧：「你在我右邊立下，做個弼宿。
又叫沙僧：「你在我右边立下，做个弼宿。
He called to Sha the monk as well: "Stand at my right hand and be the Supporting Mansion.
宿 is xiù here, a lunar mansion — one of the twenty-eight star stations — not the sù of lodging for the night.
等老孫助他些無根水兒。」
等老孙助他些无根水儿。」
"Let Old Sun help him to a little rootless water."
And with the two of them positioned, the ceremony is complete. Neither is given anything to do.
Eight Rules asks how, and gets a ritual position instead of a job. The two attendant stars flank the Dipper in Daoist star lore, and Pilgrim is arranging his brothers around himself as though staging a formal rain ceremony.
It is entirely for show. Neither of them is given anything to do, and the water, when it comes, will come from a summons he could have made standing anywhere. But the ceremony has to look like a ceremony — which is the same principle that governed the eight hundred and eight drugs.