第七回 · 設宴謝佛 The Banquet of Thanksgiving — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

設宴謝佛 The Banquet of Thanksgiving

如rú來lái佛fó祖zǔ殄tiǎn滅miè了le妖yāo猴hóu，即jí喚huàn阿ā儺nuó、迦jiā葉shè，同tóng轉zhuǎn西xī方fāng極jí樂lè世shì界jiè。時shí有yǒu天tiān蓬péng、天tiān佑yòu，急jí出chū靈líng霄xiāo寶bǎo殿diàn道dào：「請qǐng如rú來lái少shǎo待dài，我wǒ主zhǔ大dà駕jià來lái也yě。」佛fó祖zǔ聞wén言yán，回huí首shǒu瞻zhān仰yǎng。須xū臾yú，果guǒ見jiàn八bā景jǐng鸞luán輿yú、九jiǔ光guāng寶bǎo蓋gài，聲shēng奏zòu玄xuán歌gē妙miào樂yuè，詠yǒng哦ó無wú量liàng神shén章zhāng，散sàn寶bǎo花huā，噴pēn真zhēn香xiāng，直zhí至zhì佛fó前qián謝xiè曰yuē：「多duō蒙méng大dà法fǎ，收shōu殄tiǎn妖yāo邪xié。望wàng如rú來lái少shǎo停tíng一yí日rì，請qǐng諸zhū仙xiān做zuò一yì會huì筵yán，奉fèng謝xiè。」如rú來lái不bù敢gǎn違wéi悖bèi，即jí合hé掌zhǎng謝xiè道dào：「老lǎo僧sēng承chéng大dà天tiān尊zūn宣xuān命mìng來lái此cǐ，有yǒu何hé法fǎ力lì？還hái是shì天tiān尊zūn與yǔ眾zhòng神shén洪hóng福fú。敢gǎn勞láo致zhì謝xiè？」玉yù帝dì傳chuán旨zhǐ，即jí著zhuó雷léi部bù眾zhòng神shén，分fēn頭tóu請qǐng三sān清qīng、四sì御yù、五wǔ老lǎo、六liù司sī、七qī元yuán、八bā極jí、九jiǔ曜yào、十shí都dōu、千qiān真zhēn萬wàn聖shèng，來lái此cǐ赴fù會huì，同tóng謝xiè佛fó恩ēn。如rú来lái佛fó祖zǔ殄tiǎn灭miè了le妖yāo猴hóu，即jí唤huàn阿ā傩nuó、迦jiā叶shè，同tóng转zhuǎn西xī方fāng极jí乐lè世shì界jiè。时shí有yǒu天tiān蓬péng、天tiān佑yòu，急jí出chū灵líng霄xiāo宝bǎo殿diàn道dào：「请qǐng如rú来lái少shǎo待dài，我wǒ主zhǔ大dà驾jià来lái也yě。」佛fó祖zǔ闻wén言yán，回huí首shǒu瞻zhān仰yǎng。须xū臾yú，果guǒ见jiàn八bā景jǐng鸾luán舆yú、九jiǔ光guāng宝bǎo盖gài，声shēng奏zòu玄xuán歌gē妙miào乐yuè，咏yǒng哦ó无wú量liàng神shén章zhāng，散sàn宝bǎo花huā，喷pēn真zhēn香xiāng，直zhí至zhì佛fó前qián谢xiè曰yuē：「多duō蒙méng大dà法fǎ，收shōu殄tiǎn妖yāo邪xié。望wàng如rú来lái少shǎo停tíng一yí日rì，请qǐng诸zhū仙xiān做zuò一yì会huì筵yán，奉fèng谢xiè。」如rú来lái不bù敢gǎn违wéi悖bèi，即jí合hé掌zhǎng谢xiè道dào：「老lǎo僧sēng承chéng大dà天tiān尊zūn宣xuān命mìng来lái此cǐ，有yǒu何hé法fǎ力lì？还hái是shì天tiān尊zūn与yǔ众zhòng神shén洪hóng福fú。敢gǎn劳láo致zhì谢xiè？」玉yù帝dì传chuán旨zhǐ，即jí着zhuó雷léi部bù众zhòng神shén，分fēn头tóu请qǐng三sān清qīng、四sì御yù、五wǔ老lǎo、六liù司sī、七qī元yuán、八bā极jí、九jiǔ曜yào、十shí都dōu、千qiān真zhēn万wàn圣shèng，来lái此cǐ赴fù会huì，同tóng谢xiè佛fó恩ēn。

逐句解 Line by line

如rú來lái佛fó祖zǔ殄tiǎn滅miè了le妖yāo猴hóu，即jí喚huàn阿ā儺nuó、迦jiā葉shè，同tóng轉zhuǎn西xī方fāng極jí樂lè世shì界jiè。如rú来lái佛fó祖zǔ殄tiǎn灭miè了le妖yāo猴hóu，即jí唤huàn阿ā傩nuó、迦jiā叶shè，同tóng转zhuǎn西xī方fāng极jí乐lè世shì界jiè。

The Buddha, having quelled the fiendish monkey, at once called Ānanda and Kāśyapa to return with him to the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss.

殄滅 (tiǎn miè) is to wipe out or put down. Notice the timing: the job is finished, so he turns to leave. No lingering, no speech, no victory lap. The Jade Emperor's court will not hear of it.

時shí有yǒu天tiān蓬péng、天tiān佑yòu，急jí出chū靈líng霄xiāo寶bǎo殿diàn道dào：「請qǐng如rú來lái少shǎo待dài，我wǒ主zhǔ大dà駕jià來lái也yě。」时shí有yǒu天tiān蓬péng、天tiān佑yòu，急jí出chū灵líng霄xiāo宝bǎo殿diàn道dào：「请qǐng如rú来lái少shǎo待dài，我wǒ主zhǔ大dà驾jià来lái也yě。」

Just then the Marshals Tianpeng and Tianyou hurried out of the Treasure Hall of Divine Mists and said: "Pray, Tathāgata, wait a little — our Lord's great carriage is coming."

天蓬 is Tiānpéng, Marshal of the Heavenly Reeds — and worth flagging, because after a drunken disgrace and a badly aimed rebirth this is the character who returns to the novel as Zhu Bajie, the pig. Here he is still in good standing, near the top of the celestial establishment. 少待 keeps 少 as shǎo, wait a little. 大駕 is the great carriage: the Jade Emperor is coming himself, in state.

佛fó祖zǔ聞wén言yán，回huí首shǒu瞻zhān仰yǎng。須xū臾yú，果guǒ見jiàn八bā景jǐng鸞luán輿yú、九jiǔ光guāng寶bǎo蓋gài，聲shēng奏zòu玄xuán歌gē妙miào樂yuè，詠yǒng哦ó無wú量liàng神shén章zhāng，散sàn寶bǎo花huā，噴pēn真zhēn香xiāng，直zhí至zhì佛fó前qián謝xiè曰yuē：佛fó祖zǔ闻wén言yán，回huí首shǒu瞻zhān仰yǎng。须xū臾yú，果guǒ见jiàn八bā景jǐng鸾luán舆yú、九jiǔ光guāng宝bǎo盖gài，声shēng奏zòu玄xuán歌gē妙miào乐yuè，咏yǒng哦ó无wú量liàng神shén章zhāng，散sàn宝bǎo花huā，喷pēn真zhēn香xiāng，直zhí至zhì佛fó前qián谢xiè曰yuē：

The Buddha heard and turned to look up in reverence. In a moment there indeed appeared the eight-scened phoenix-carriage and the nine-radiance treasure-canopy; sounding mystic songs and wondrous music, chanting numberless divine stanzas, scattering jeweled flowers and breathing true fragrance, the procession came straight before the Buddha and gave thanks, saying:

鸞輿 (luán yú) is the phoenix-carriage an emperor rides. 妙樂 keeps 樂 as yuè, music, not lè, joy. 詠哦 (yǒng é) is to chant or intone. Carriage, canopy, music, scattered flowers, incense — the full state arrival, which turns a thank-you into a rite.

「多duō蒙méng大dà法fǎ，收shōu殄tiǎn妖yāo邪xié。望wàng如rú來lái少shǎo停tíng一yí日rì，請qǐng諸zhū仙xiān做zuò一yì會huì筵yán，奉fèng謝xiè。」「多duō蒙méng大dà法fǎ，收shōu殄tiǎn妖yāo邪xié。望wàng如rú来lái少shǎo停tíng一yí日rì，请qǐng诸zhū仙xiān做zuò一yì会huì筵yán，奉fèng谢xiè。」

"We are deeply indebted to your great Dharma for capturing and quelling the fiend. We beg the Tathāgata to stay one day, that we may invite all the immortals to a banquet of thanksgiving."

少停一日 keeps 少 as shǎo, with 一日 taking yí before rì (falling tone); 做一會筵 takes yì before huì. But the word doing the real work is 望, we beg, we hope. The sovereign of Heaven is not issuing an instruction.

如rú來lái不bù敢gǎn違wéi悖bèi，即jí合hé掌zhǎng謝xiè道dào：「老lǎo僧sēng承chéng大dà天tiān尊zūn宣xuān命mìng來lái此cǐ，有yǒu何hé法fǎ力lì？還hái是shì天tiān尊zūn與yǔ眾zhòng神shén洪hóng福fú。敢gǎn勞láo致zhì謝xiè？」如rú来lái不bù敢gǎn违wéi悖bèi，即jí合hé掌zhǎng谢xiè道dào：「老lǎo僧sēng承chéng大dà天tiān尊zūn宣xuān命mìng来lái此cǐ，有yǒu何hé法fǎ力lì？还hái是shì天tiān尊zūn与yǔ众zhòng神shén洪hóng福fú。敢gǎn劳láo致zhì谢xiè？」

The Tathāgata dared not refuse; he joined his palms and said in thanks: "This old monk came at the Great Heavenly Honored One's command — what power have I? It is rather the blessing of the Honored One and the gods. How dare you trouble to thank me?"

違悖 keeps 違 as wéi, to go against. 老僧 (lǎo sēng) is this old monk — the Buddha's own modest way of referring to himself, minutes after ending a rebellion no army could touch. 還是 keeps 還 as hái. Emperor thanks Buddha, Buddha hands the credit straight back: two authorities being elaborately careful with each other.

玉yù帝dì傳chuán旨zhǐ，即jí著zhuó雷léi部bù眾zhòng神shén，分fēn頭tóu請qǐng三sān清qīng、四sì御yù、五wǔ老lǎo、六liù司sī、七qī元yuán、八bā極jí、九jiǔ曜yào、十shí都dōu、千qiān真zhēn萬wàn聖shèng，來lái此cǐ赴fù會huì，同tóng謝xiè佛fó恩ēn。玉yù帝dì传chuán旨zhǐ，即jí着zhuó雷léi部bù众zhòng神shén，分fēn头tóu请qǐng三sān清qīng、四sì御yù、五wǔ老lǎo、六liù司sī、七qī元yuán、八bā极jí、九jiǔ曜yào、十shí都dōu、千qiān真zhēn万wàn圣shèng，来lái此cǐ赴fù会huì，同tóng谢xiè佛fó恩ēn。

The Jade Emperor issued a decree, ordering the gods of the Thunder Bureau to go in all directions and invite the Three Pure Ones, the Four Sovereigns, the Five Elders, the Six Directors, the Seven Primes, the Eight Poles, the Nine Luminaries, the Ten Capitals, and all the thousand-true and myriad-holy, to come to the gathering and join in thanking the Buddha's grace.

即著 takes 著 as zhuó, to dispatch. Then the guest list, which is a party trick: 三清, 四御, 五老, 六司, 七元, 八極, 九曜, 十都 — three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, counting the entire Daoist pantheon upward in order. The whole cosmos, invited by numbers.

總評 Commentary

With the monkey sealed, the chapter changes register completely — from cosmic combat to imperial ceremony. The Jade Emperor, helpless throughout the episode, now arrives in full state to give thanks, and the prose opens out into the vocabulary of celestial pageantry: phoenix-carriage, nine-radiance canopy, mystic music, jewelled flowers, true incense.

The exchange of courtesies is quietly significant. The Jade Emperor petitions the Buddha to stay (望如來少停一日); the Buddha turns all the credit back on the Emperor and the gods — what power have I? This mutual deference handles the novel's blending of traditions with real delicacy. Neither authority is humiliated, and yet the order of precedence is unmistakable. The Buddha did what the whole Daoist heaven could not, everyone in the room knows it, and the elaborate thanks are the form in which that knowledge is made bearable.

The roll-call — 三清, 四御, 五老… 十都, the pantheon counted out one through ten — is worth pausing on. It summons the entire celestial civil service to a banquet honouring a Buddhist rescue. In the chapter's deep structure, this is the Daoist cosmos formally acknowledging the higher standing of Buddhist prajñā, and doing it in full dress. The feast that follows, the 安天大會, takes its very name from the restoration the Buddha alone accomplished.