原文 Original text
繁體 Traditional
Reader's edition
一萬之數 The Tally of Ten Thousand
如今鎖在櫃裡，被賊劫去，又被官軍奪來，明日見了國王，現現成成的開刀請殺，卻不湊了他一萬之數？」如今锁在柜里，被贼劫去，又被官军夺来，明日见了国王，现现成成的开刀请杀，却不凑了他一万之数？」
逐句解 Line by line
如今鎖在櫃裡，被賊劫去，又被官軍奪來，明日見了國王，現現成成的開刀請殺，卻不湊了他一萬之數？」
如今锁在柜里，被贼劫去，又被官军夺来，明日见了国王，现现成成的开刀请杀，却不凑了他一万之数？」
but now, locked in a chest, carried off by thieves and taken back again by government troops, tomorrow we shall be brought before the king ready-made, laid out for the knife — and will that not just make up his tally of ten thousand?"
現現成成 doubles both halves of ready-made, so it is entirely prepared, with nothing left to arrange — and applied to four men in a box awaiting execution it is bleakly funny. 開刀請殺 is to open with the blade, to be offered up for killing. 數 is shù, a number or a tally, and 一萬之數 brings the chapter back to the arithmetic the Bodhisattva set out in the first passage.
Tripitaka has worked out the whole shape of it, and his summary is better than anything Pilgrim has said since they entered the city. Delivered, banded, labelled, and due to be opened in front of the one man who wants exactly four famous monks.
The tally is what makes the chapter close on itself. Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-six, and four more to round it off — the old woman said it in the willow shade before anybody had done anything, and every choice since has walked them towards it.