第八十三回 · 一點靈魂 A Single Point Of Soul — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

一點靈魂 A Single Point Of Soul

一yì點diǎn靈líng魂hún，徑jìng到dào西xī方fāng極jí樂lè世shì界jiè告gào佛fó。佛fó正zhèng與yǔ眾zhòng菩pú薩sà講jiǎng經jīng，只zhǐ聞wén得dé幢chuáng幡fān寶bǎo蓋gài有yǒu人rén叫jiào道dào：「救jiù命mìng！」一yì点diǎn灵líng魂hún，径jìng到dào西xī方fāng极jí乐lè世shì界jiè告gào佛fó。佛fó正zhèng与yǔ众zhòng菩pú萨sà讲jiǎng经jīng，只zhǐ闻wén得dé幢chuáng幡fān宝bǎo盖gài有yǒu人rén叫jiào道dào：「救jiù命mìng！」

逐句解 Line by line

一yì點diǎn靈líng魂hún，徑jìng到dào西xī方fāng極jí樂lè世shì界jiè告gào佛fó。一yì点diǎn灵líng魂hún，径jìng到dào西xī方fāng极jí乐lè世shì界jiè告gào佛fó。

A single point of his soul went straight to the Western Paradise to lay a complaint before the Buddha.

一點靈魂 is one dot of soul, and the measure word is doing all the work: what is left of him is the size of a speck. 告佛 uses the same verb Pilgrim has been using all chapter — to lay a complaint. Nezha's first act after death is to bring a case, which makes him and Pilgrim more alike than either would enjoy hearing.

佛fó正zhèng與yǔ眾zhòng菩pú薩sà講jiǎng經jīng，只zhǐ聞wén得dé幢chuáng幡fān寶bǎo蓋gài有yǒu人rén叫jiào道dào：「救jiù命mìng！」佛fó正zhèng与yǔ众zhòng菩pú萨sà讲jiǎng经jīng，只zhǐ闻wén得dé幢chuáng幡fān宝bǎo盖gài有yǒu人rén叫jiào道dào：「救jiù命mìng！」

The Buddha was in the middle of expounding the scriptures to the assembled bodhisattvas when he heard, from among the banners and jewelled canopies, somebody crying, "Save me!"

幢幡寶蓋 are the ritual banners and the jewelled parasol that hang over a Buddhist assembly — a small speck of soul is hiding up in the decorations. 得 is dé in 聞得, the ending that settles onto verbs of perceiving: heard it and took it in.

總評 Commentary

The complaint goes to the highest court available, and a speck of soul files it. The novel is running the same joke it has run all chapter — the smallest party in the room going straight to the top.

The staging is lovely and completely matter-of-fact. A sermon is in progress, and a voice comes out of the ceiling decorations asking for help.