第七回 · 雷將圍困 The Thirty-Six Thunder Generals — Journey to the West

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

雷將圍困 The Thirty-Six Thunder Generals

他tā兩liǎng個gè鬥dòu在zài一yí處chù，勝shèng敗bài未wèi分fēn。早zǎo有yǒu佑yòu聖shèng真zhēn君jūn又yòu差chāi將jiàng佐zuǒ發fā文wén到dào雷léi府fǔ，調diào三sān十shí六liù員yuán雷léi將jiàng齊qí來lái，把bǎ大dà聖shèng圍wéi在zài垓gāi心xīn，各gè騁chěng兇xiōng惡è鏖áo戰zhàn。那nà大dà聖shèng全quán無wú一yì毫háo懼jù色sè，使shǐ一yì條tiáo如rú意yì棒bàng，左zuǒ遮zhē右yòu擋dǎng，後hòu架jià前qián迎yíng。一yì時shí見jiàn那nà眾zhòng雷léi將jiàng的de刀dāo槍qiāng劍jiàn戟jǐ、鞭biān簡jiǎn撾wō鎚chuí、鉞yuè斧fǔ金jīn瓜guā、旄máo鐮lián月yuè鏟chǎn，來lái的de甚shèn緊jǐn，他tā即jí搖yáo身shēn一yí變biàn，變biàn做zuò三sān頭tóu六liù臂bì，把bǎ如rú意yì棒bàng幌huǎng一yì幌huǎng，變biàn作zuò三sān條tiáo六liù隻zhī手shǒu。使shǐ開kāi三sān條tiáo棒bàng，好hǎo便biàn似sì紡fǎng車chē兒ér一yì般bān，滴dī流liú流liú在zài那nà垓gāi心xīn裡lǐ飛fēi舞wǔ，眾zhòng雷léi神shén莫mò能néng相xiāng近jìn。真zhēn個gè是shì：他tā两liǎng个gè斗dòu在zài一yí处chù，胜shèng败bài未wèi分fēn。早zǎo有yǒu佑yòu圣shèng真zhēn君jūn又yòu差chāi将jiàng佐zuǒ发fā文wén到dào雷léi府fǔ，调diào三sān十shí六liù员yuán雷léi将jiàng齐qí来lái，把bǎ大dà圣shèng围wéi在zài垓gāi心xīn，各gè骋chěng凶xiōng恶è鏖áo战zhàn。那nà大dà圣shèng全quán无wú一yì毫háo惧jù色sè，使shǐ一yì条tiáo如rú意yì棒bàng，左zuǒ遮zhē右yòu挡dǎng，后hòu架jià前qián迎yíng。一yì时shí见jiàn那nà众zhòng雷léi将jiàng的de刀dāo枪qiāng剑jiàn戟jǐ、鞭biān简jiǎn挝wō锤chuí、钺yuè斧fǔ金jīn瓜guā、旄máo镰lián月yuè铲chǎn，来lái的de甚shèn紧jǐn，他tā即jí摇yáo身shēn一yí变biàn，变biàn做zuò三sān头tóu六liù臂bì，把bǎ如rú意yì棒bàng幌huǎng一yì幌huǎng，变biàn作zuò三sān条tiáo六liù只zhī手shǒu。使shǐ开kāi三sān条tiáo棒bàng，好hǎo便biàn似sì纺fǎng车chē儿ér一yì般bān，滴dī流liú流liú在zài那nà垓gāi心xīn里lǐ飞fēi舞wǔ，众zhòng雷léi神shén莫mò能néng相xiāng近jìn。真zhēn个gè是shì：

圓yuán陀tuó陀tuó，光guāng灼zhuó灼zhuó，亙gèn古gǔ常cháng存cún人rén怎zěn學xué？圆yuán陀tuó陀tuó，光guāng灼zhuó灼zhuó，亘gèn古gǔ常cháng存cún人rén怎zěn学xué？

入rù火huǒ不bù能néng焚fén，入rù水shuǐ何hé曾céng溺nì？入rù火huǒ不bù能néng焚fén，入rù水shuǐ何hé曾céng溺nì？

光guāng明míng一yì顆kē摩mó尼ní珠zhū，劍jiàn戟jǐ刀dāo槍qiāng傷shāng不bù著zháo。光guāng明míng一yì颗kē摩mó尼ní珠zhū，剑jiàn戟jǐ刀dāo枪qiāng伤shāng不bù著zháo。

也yě能néng善shàn，也yě能néng惡è，眼yǎn前qián善shàn惡è憑píng他tā作zuò。也yě能néng善shàn，也yě能néng恶è，眼yǎn前qián善shàn恶è凭píng他tā作zuò。

善shàn時shí成chéng佛fó與yǔ成chéng仙xiān，惡è處chù披pī毛máo並bìng帶dài角jiǎo。善shàn时shí成chéng佛fó与yǔ成chéng仙xiān，恶è处chù披pī毛máo并bìng带dài角jiǎo。

無wú窮qióng變biàn化huà鬧nào天tiān宮gōng，雷léi將jiàng神shén兵bīng不bù可kě捉zhuō。无wú穷qióng变biàn化huà闹nào天tiān宫gōng，雷léi将jiàng神shén兵bīng不bù可kě捉zhuō。

逐句解 Line by line

他tā兩liǎng個gè鬥dòu在zài一yí處chù，勝shèng敗bài未wèi分fēn。早zǎo有yǒu佑yòu聖shèng真zhēn君jūn又yòu差chāi將jiàng佐zuǒ發fā文wén到dào雷léi府fǔ，調diào三sān十shí六liù員yuán雷léi將jiàng齊qí來lái，把bǎ大dà聖shèng圍wéi在zài垓gāi心xīn，各gè騁chěng兇xiōng惡è鏖áo戰zhàn。他tā两liǎng个gè斗dòu在zài一yí处chù，胜shèng败bài未wèi分fēn。早zǎo有yǒu佑yòu圣shèng真zhēn君jūn又yòu差chāi将jiàng佐zuǒ发fā文wén到dào雷léi府fǔ，调diào三sān十shí六liù员yuán雷léi将jiàng齐qí来lái，把bǎ大dà圣shèng围wéi在zài垓gāi心xīn，各gè骋chěng凶xiōng恶è鏖áo战zhàn。

The two fought locked together, victory undecided. Soon the True Lord Yousheng dispatched his officers to send word to the Thunder Mansion, and summoned thirty-six Thunder Generals to come all at once, ringing the Great Sage in their midst, each unleashing his ferocity in pitched battle.

一處: yí (before chù, 4th tone). 差將佐: 差 = chāi (to dispatch on a charge), and 將佐 = jiàng zuǒ (officers — military rank jiàng). 垓心 (gāi xīn), the dead center of an encircling host. 鏖戰 (áo zhàn), a fierce pitched fight.

那nà大dà聖shèng全quán無wú一yì毫háo懼jù色sè，使shǐ一yì條tiáo如rú意yì棒bàng，左zuǒ遮zhē右yòu擋dǎng，後hòu架jià前qián迎yíng。那nà大dà圣shèng全quán无wú一yì毫háo惧jù色sè，使shǐ一yì条tiáo如rú意yì棒bàng，左zuǒ遮zhē右yòu挡dǎng，后hòu架jià前qián迎yíng。

The Great Sage showed not the least trace of fear; wielding his one As-You-Will cudgel, he warded left and blocked right, parried behind and met in front.

一毫: yì (before háo, 2nd tone); 一條: yì (before tiáo, 2nd tone). The four-direction defense (左遮右擋，後架前迎) is formulaic combat-prose, conveying him beset on every side yet unflinching.

一yì時shí見jiàn那nà眾zhòng雷léi將jiàng的de刀dāo槍qiāng劍jiàn戟jǐ、鞭biān簡jiǎn撾wō鎚chuí、鉞yuè斧fǔ金jīn瓜guā、旄máo鐮lián月yuè鏟chǎn，來lái的de甚shèn緊jǐn，他tā即jí搖yáo身shēn一yí變biàn，變biàn做zuò三sān頭tóu六liù臂bì，把bǎ如rú意yì棒bàng幌huǎng一yì幌huǎng，變biàn作zuò三sān條tiáo六liù隻zhī手shǒu。一yì时shí见jiàn那nà众zhòng雷léi将jiàng的de刀dāo枪qiāng剑jiàn戟jǐ、鞭biān简jiǎn挝wō锤chuí、钺yuè斧fǔ金jīn瓜guā、旄máo镰lián月yuè铲chǎn，来lái的de甚shèn紧jǐn，他tā即jí摇yáo身shēn一yí变biàn，变biàn做zuò三sān头tóu六liù臂bì，把bǎ如rú意yì棒bàng幌huǎng一yì幌huǎng，变biàn作zuò三sān条tiáo六liù只zhī手shǒu。

All at once, seeing the Thunder Generals' sabers, spears, swords and halberds, their whips, maces, bludgeons and hammers, their battle-axes, war-hammers and gold-melon maces, their banner-blades, sickles and crescent-spades all pressing in hard, he shook his body and changed: he made himself three heads and six arms, gave the cudgel a shake, and turned it into three cudgels worked by six hands.

一時: yì (before shí, 2nd tone); 一變: yí (before biàn, 4th tone); 幌一幌 is the V-一-V echo, yì (before huǎng, 3rd tone). 甚緊: 甚 = shèn ("very"). The weapon-catalogue is a stock fù device; the three-heads-six-arms transformation is the monkey's signature combat form.

使shǐ開kāi三sān條tiáo棒bàng，好hǎo便biàn似sì紡fǎng車chē兒ér一yì般bān，滴dī流liú流liú在zài那nà垓gāi心xīn裡lǐ飛fēi舞wǔ，眾zhòng雷léi神shén莫mò能néng相xiāng近jìn。真zhēn個gè是shì：使shǐ开kāi三sān条tiáo棒bàng，好hǎo便biàn似sì纺fǎng车chē儿ér一yì般bān，滴dī流liú流liú在zài那nà垓gāi心xīn里lǐ飞fēi舞wǔ，众zhòng雷léi神shén莫mò能néng相xiāng近jìn。真zhēn个gè是shì：

Plying the three cudgels, just like a spinning-wheel he whirled, twirling round and round in the heart of the ring, dancing through the air — and the Thunder Gods could come nowhere near. Truly it was:

好便似: 似 = sì ("resembles"). 一般: yì (before bān, 1st tone). 滴流流, a whirling onomatopoeia. The verse lead-in 真個是 rides the end of this prose segment; the portrait-fù follows.

Round and full, dazzling-bright — abiding from all antiquity: how could a man learn it?

圓陀陀，光灼灼 — "perfectly round, blazing with light" — are stock alchemical descriptors of the realized inner elixir / the true nature, the 摩尼珠 named below. 亙古 (gèn gǔ), "through all antiquity." The fù shifts from describing a fighter to describing a metaphysical essence.

入rù火huǒ不bù能néng焚fén，入rù水shuǐ何hé曾céng溺nì？入rù火huǒ不bù能néng焚fén，入rù水shuǐ何hé曾céng溺nì？

Enter fire, it cannot burn; enter water, when was it ever drowned?

Indestructibility in fire and water is the canonical sign of the realized nature (and of the elixir). The monkey, fresh from surviving Laozi's brazier, literally embodies the claim — the fù reads his invulnerability as spiritual attainment.

A single luminous maṇi-pearl: sword and halberd, saber and spear cannot wound it.

摩尼珠 (mó ní zhū) — the maṇi-jewel, the wish-fulfilling pearl, a Buddhist figure for the pure mind-nature. 一顆: yì (before kē, 1st tone). 傷不著: resultative 著 = zháo ("cannot wound it").

也yě能néng善shàn，也yě能néng惡è，眼yǎn前qián善shàn惡è憑píng他tā作zuò。也yě能néng善shàn，也yě能néng恶è，眼yǎn前qián善shàn恶è凭píng他tā作zuò。

It can be good, it can be evil; good and evil before us, it works as it will.

Here the fù turns morally double: the same numinous essence can incline to good or evil. This is the crux of the 心猿 allegory — mind is neutral potency, salvation or ruin depending on its direction, precisely the choice the pilgrimage will impose.

In its good, it becomes Buddha or immortal; in its evil, it takes on fur and grows horns.

善時…惡處: 處 = chù ("in the case of evil"). 披毛帶角, "wearing fur and bearing horns" — the Buddhist idiom for rebirth as a beast. The couplet states the soteriology bluntly: the same mind ascends to Buddhahood or descends to the animal, by its own bent.

With boundless transformations he troubles the Heavenly Palace; the Thunder Generals and divine troops cannot catch him.

The fù closes by returning from metaphysics to the scene: this unbounded, morally-double essence is, right now, wrecking Heaven and uncatchable. 雷將: 將 = jiàng (general, rank). The very next passage will have Heaven concede that force has failed and send for the Buddha.

總評 Commentary

Heaven escalates once more: thirty-six Thunder Generals ring the monkey in the 垓心, the center of an encircling host. He answers with his signature battle-form — three heads, six arms, three cudgels — whirling "like a spinning-wheel" so that none can approach. The prose carries a classic weapon-catalogue (鞭簡撾鎚、鉞斧金瓜、旄鐮月鏟), the stock furniture of a martial fù, which is why this passage too is classified 含詞賦.

The appended portrait-fù (圓陀陀，光灼灼…) makes a striking move: it stops describing a combatant and starts describing a metaphysical essence. "Round and full, dazzling-bright," surviving fire and water, a single luminous 摩尼珠 (maṇi-pearl) that no weapon can wound — this is the vocabulary of the realized mind-nature in both Daoist and Chan registers. The monkey's literal invulnerability, just proven in the furnace, is reread as spiritual indestructibility.

But the fù's center of gravity is its moral doubleness: 也能善，也能惡 — the same essence can become Buddha or beast, ascend or grow horns, entirely by its own inclination. This is the inner-alchemical and Chan reading of the 心猿 at its clearest: mind as neutral, boundless potency whose direction is everything. The poem thus diagnoses why mere force keeps failing — you cannot beat a potency into goodness — and prepares the chapter's real solution, the Buddha's transforming wisdom rather than Heaven's weapons.