第32章 学习是人生的需要（5）

　　光阴似箭，日月如梭，不觉江流年长一十八岁。长老就叫他削发修行，取法名为玄奘，摩顶受戒，坚心修道。一日，玄奘跪告师父，眼泪双流道：“人生于天地之间……岂有为人在世而无父母者乎？”再三哀告，求问父母姓名。长老道：“你真个要寻父母，可随我到方丈里来。”玄奘就跟到方丈，长老到重梁之上，取下一个小匣儿，打开来，取出血书一纸，汗衫一件，付与玄奘。玄奘读罢，不觉哭倒在地道：“父母之仇，不能报复，何以为人？此身若非师父捞救抚养，安有今日？容弟子去寻见母亲，然后头顶香盆，重建殿宇，报答师父之深恩也！”师父道：“你要去寻母，可带这血书与汗衫前去，只做化缘，径往江州私衙，才得你母亲相见。”玄奘照师父所说去做，见到了母亲温娇。温娇见有血书汗衫为证，母子相抱而哭。“我儿，”她说，“你火速抽身回去！刘贼若回，他必害你性命！我明日假装生病，只说先年曾许舍百双僧鞋，来你寺中还愿。那时节，我有话与你说。”玄奘依言拜别。

　　次日，小姐复拈心香礼拜，就教法名长老分表与众僧去讫。玄奘见众僧散了，法堂上更无一人，他却近前跪下。小姐叫他脱了鞋袜看时，那左脚上果然少了一个小指头。当时两个又抱住而哭，拜谢长老养育之恩。法明道：“汝念母子相会，恐奸贼知之，可速速抽身回去，庶免其祸。”小姐道：“我儿，我与你一只香环，你径到洪州西北地方，约有一千五百里之程，那里有个万花店，当时留下婆婆张氏在那里，是你父亲生身之母。我再写一封书与你，径到唐王皇城之内，金殿左边，殷开山丞相家，是你母生身之父母。你将我的书递与外公，叫外公奏上唐王，统领人马，擒杀此贼，与父报仇，那时才救得老娘的身子出来。我今不敢久停，诚恐贼汉怪我归迟。”便出寺登舟而去。

　　Time passed like an arrow， and the days and months moved as fast as a shuttle. When Jiangliu reachedthe age of eighteen the abbot told him to have his head tonsured and enter the religious life. Giving himthe Buddhist name Xuanzang he laid his hands upon his head and instructed him to observe the monasticdiscipline. Xuanzang was determined to cultivate the Way. One day， Xuanzang knelt before his teacher withtears streaming from his eyes.“All men are born between Heaven and Earth... How can there be any manalive who never had father and mother？”He begged over and over again to know his parents’ names.“If youreally wish to find out about your father and mother， come with me into my cell，”said the abbot， and theywent there together. The abbot lifted down a little box from on top of a massive beam， opened it， took out aletter written in blood and a shift， and gave them to Xuanzang， who read it and collapsed， weeping and cryingout.“How can I be a man if I don’t avenge my father and mother？ I would not be alive today， teacher， hadyou not rescued me and brought me up. Please allow me to go and see my mother， then I will put an incenseburner on my head and rebuild the temple to repay the great kindness you have shown me.”“If you wantto go and look for your mother you had better take the letter written in blood and the shift with you. If you goto the private residence of the prefect of Jiangzhou you will be able to see your mother.”Xuanzang did as histeacher had said and met his mother Wenjiao， who saw the blood letter and the shift. As soon as she saw thatthey were the real ones， she and her son embraced each other and wept. Then she said，“My child， you mustgo away as fast as you can. The evil Liu will certainly kill you if he comes back. Tomorrow I’ll pretend to be illand say that I once made a vow to donate a hundred pairs of monks’ shoes. I’ll come to your temple to fulfillthe vow， and I’ll talk to you then.”Xuanzang obediently bowed to her and left. The next day Miss Yin cameinto the temple and prayed to the Bodhisattva， offered a rich meal to the monks with a donation of money toeach of them... She then went into the Buddhahall and worshipped with great devotion. When she told him to，Abbot Faming went away to distribute the gifts to the monks. Xuanzang saw that all the other monks had goneand that there was nobody else in the Buddha-hall， so he went up to his mother and knelt down. She told himto take off his shoes and socks and saw that one toe was indeed missing from his left foot. The pair of themhugged each other and cried again， then they bowed to the abbot to thank him for his kindness in bringing theboy up.“I’m worried that the villain may get to know of your reunion”， said the abbot，“so you had bettergo back as quickly as you can to avoid trouble.”“My son.”said Miss Yin，“I shall give you a sandalwoodbracelet. You must go to a place called the Ten Thousand Flowers Inn to the northwest of Hongzhou， whichis about five hundred miles from here， where we left Madame Zhang， your paternal grandmother. I shall alsowrite you a letter that you must take to the house of the minister Yin Kaishan which lies to the left of thepalace inside the capital city of the Tang Emperor. He is my father. Give him this letter and ask him to submita memorial to the Tang Emperor asking him to send horse and foot to capture or kill that bandit. Then yourfather will be avenged and your mother will be rescued. I must stay no longer as I am afraid that evil man maybe suspicious if I am late back.”She left the temple and went back in her boat.

　　玄奘来到万花店，问那店主刘小二道：“昔年江州陈客官有一母亲住在你店中，如今好么？”刘小二道：“他原在我店中，后来昏了眼，三四年并无店租还我，如今在南门头一个破瓦窑里，每日上街叫化度日。”玄奘听罢，即时问到南门头破瓦窑，寻着婆婆并说：“我是陈光蕊的儿子。温娇小姐是我的娘。我爹爹被强盗打死了，我娘被强盗霸占为妻。我娘有书在此，又有香环一只。”那婆婆接了书并香环，放声痛哭道：“我因思量你父亲，终日悬望，不见他来，因此上哭得两眼都昏了。”玄奘便跪倒向天祷告道：“念玄奘一十八岁，父母之仇不能报复。今日领母命来寻婆婆，天若怜鉴弟子诚意，保我婆婆双眼复明！”祝罢，就将舌尖与婆婆舔眼。须臾之间，双眼舔开，仍复如初。婆婆觑了小和尚道：“你果是我的孙子！恰和我儿子光蕊形容无二！”婆婆又喜又悲。玄奘就领婆婆出了窑门，还到刘小二店内，将些房钱赁屋一间与婆婆栖身，又将盘缠与婆婆道：“我此去只月余就回。”

　　Xuanzang reached the Ten Thousand Flowers Inn and asked the inn-keeper Liu the Second，“Howis the mother of Prefect Chen of Jiangzhou who is staying in your inn？”“She used to stay here，”repliedthe inn-keeper.“She went blind， and as she didn’t pay any rent for three or four years， she now lives in aruined tile-kiln near the southern gate and begs in the streets every day to keep herself alive.”On learningthis Xuanzang asked the way to the ruined tile-kiln at the southern gate and found his grandmother， andsaid，“I’m Chen Guangrui’s son. Miss Wenjiao is my mother. My father was murdered by a brigand and mymother was forced to become his wife. I have a letter here and a sandalwood bracelet from my mother.”Hisgrandmother took the letter and the bracelet， and sobbed aloud.“I was always thinking of your father andlonging for him to come back every day，”she said，“but as he never did I wept so much that I lost thesight of both my eyes.”Xuanzang fell to his knees and prayed to Heaven.“Although I am eighteen，”hesaid，“I have been unable to avenge my parents. Today I have come on my mother’s orders and found mygrandmother； if Heaven is at all moved by my sincerity， may my granny’s eyes see again.”When he hadprayed， he licked her eyes with the tip of his tongue. The licking soon opened them， and they could see oncemore. His grandmother looked at the little monk with a mixture of joy and sadness and said，“You really aremy grandson—you’re the very image of my son Guangrui.”Xuanzang took her out of the kiln and reinstalledher in Liu the Second’s inn， where he rented a room for her， gave her some money to live on， and told her thathe would be back within a month.

　　随即辞了婆婆，径往京城，寻到皇城东街殷丞相府上。丞相便教请小和尚来到厅上。

　　小和尚见了丞相与夫人，哭拜在地，就怀中取出一封书来，递与丞相。丞相拆开，从头读罢，放声痛哭道：“这和尚是我与你的外甥。女婿陈光蕊被贼谋死，我们的温娇也被贼强占为妻。”夫人听罢，亦痛哭不止。次日，丞相入朝，启奏唐王曰：“今有臣婿状元陈光蕊，带领家小江州赴任，被稍水刘洪打死，占女为妻，假冒臣婿，为官多年，事属异变。乞陛下立发人马，剿除贼寇。”唐王见奏大怒，就发御林军六万，着殷丞相督兵前去。殷丞相兵马，俱在北岸下了营寨。他们很快擒捉到仇贼。丞相令军牢押过刘洪、李彪，每人痛打一百大棍，取了供状，招了先年合谋害死陈光蕊的情由，先将李彪钉在木驴上，推去市曹，剐了千刀，枭首示众讫；把刘洪拿到洪江渡口先年打死陈光蕊处，丞相与小姐、玄奘，三人亲到江边，望空祭奠，活剜取刘洪心肝，祭了光蕊，烧了祭文一道。有巡海夜叉，将祭文呈与龙王。龙王看罢，对光蕊说：“先生，恭喜！你今日便可夫妻子母相会也。”光蕊再三拜谢。

　　龙王就令夜叉将陈光蕊身尸送出江口还魂。光蕊睁开眼，早见殷小姐与丈人殷丞相同着小和尚俱在身边啼哭。众官闻知，都来贺喜。丞相就令安排酒席，答谢所属官员，即日军马回程。来到万花店，光蕊便同玄奘到刘家店寻着婆婆，算还了小二店钱，起程回到京城。夫人不胜之喜，吩咐家僮，大排筵宴庆贺。丞相道：“今日此宴可取名为团圆会。”次日早朝，唐王登殿，殷丞相出班，将前后事情备细启奏，并荐光蕊才可大用。唐王准奏，即命升陈萼为学士之职，随朝理政。玄奘立意安禅，送在洪福寺内修行。后来殷小姐不能 贼，尽管只因遗腹在身，先前只得忍耻偷生。“今幸儿已长大，”她想道，“老父提兵报了仇，夫又复生，有何面目相见，惟有一死以报丈夫耳！”她最终从容自尽了。玄奘自到金山寺中报答法明长老。

　　Taking his leave of his grandmother， Xuanzang went straight on to the capital， where he found MinisterYin’s house in the Eastern Avenue of the imperial city. The minister had the young monk brought into themain hall， and when the monk saw the minister and his wife he wept and bowed to the floor before them， thentook an envelope out of his bosom and handed it to the minister. The minister opened the letter and read itthrough， then wailed aloud.“This monk is our grandson. Our son-in-law Chen Guangrui was murdered bya brigand， who forced our Wenjiao to become his wife.”His wife too began to weep bitterly when she heardthis news. The next day， the minister went to court and wrote in a memorial to the Tang Emperor：“Yoursubject’s son-in-law， the top graduate Chen Guangrui， was murdered by the boatman Liu Hong while goingwith his family to take up his office in Jiangzhou， and my daughter was forced to become his wife. This LiuHong has usurped office for many years by masquerading as my son-in-law. This constitutes treason. I begYour Majesty to dispatch horse and foot at once to destroy this rebellious brigand.”The Tang Emperor wasso angry when he read this that he ordered Minister Yin to set off at the head of sixty thousand men of theImperial Guard. Minister Yin’s army camped on the northern bank of Hongjiang. They soon captured theenemies. The minister ordered that Liu Hong and Li Biao were to be put under a close guard. They were eachgiven a hundred strokes of the heavy pole， and statements were taken from them about how and why they hadcommitted the wicked murder of Chen Guangrui. Then Li Biao was nailed on a wooden donkey and pushedto the market-place， where he was sliced into a thousand pieces， after which his head was hung up on publicdisplay. Liu Hong was taken to the Hongjiang Estuary where he had murdered Chen Guangrui. The minister，his daughter and Xuanzang went to the riverside， where they made offerings and libations to the emptinessand cut out Liu Hong’s heart and liver while he was still alive to sacrifice to Chen Guangrui. They also burnta funerary address. A patrolling yaksha demon handed the funerary address to the dragon king. When hehad read it， the dragon king said to Guangrui，“Congratulations， sir！ Today you will be reunited with yourwife， your son and your mother.”Guangrui bowed to him over and over again to express his gratitude. Thedragon king then told a yaksha to take Chen Guangrui’s body out to the estuary， where he was to return thesoul to it. Guangrui opened his eyes， and the first thing he saw was his wife， his father-in-law and the youngmonk all weeping beside him. When the other officials heard what had happened they all came to offer theircongratulations， and the minister gave a banquet to thank all his subordinates. The army set off on its returnjourney that same day. When they reached the Ten Thousand Flowers Inn， Cheng Guangrui and Xuanzangwent to the inn and found the old lady. The innkeeper’s account was presented and settled， and then theyset off for the capital. When they reached the minister’s residence， the minister’s wife was overcome withjoy and told the servants to lay on a large banquet to celebrate.“We can call today’s banquet a‘reunionbanquet’，”said the minister. When the Tang Emperor entered the throne hall early the next morning，Minister Yin stepped forward and submitted a memorial giving a detailed account of what had happened，and recommending Chen Guangrui as a man whose talents could be put to great use. The Tang Emperorapproved the memorial and ordered that Chen Guangrui should be appointed a Scholar in order to take partin administration at court. As Xuanzang had decided to follow the contemplative life he was sent to cultivatehis conduct in the Hongfu Temple. Later on Miss Yin could no longer bear the disgrace of marrying herhusband’s murderer， though she had to swallow the shame of staying alive as she had been carrying herhusband’s child.“Now， thank goodness， my son has grown up”， she said to herself，“and my father hasbrought an army to avenge my husband， who has been brought back to life， how could I have the face to seeyou？ The only way I can make up for it to my husband is to kill himself.”She finally ended her life in a quietand honorable way. Xuanzang went back to the Jinshan Temple to report to Abbot Faming.

　　唐太宗出榜招僧，修建水陆大会，超度冥府孤魂。榜行天下，着各处官员推选有道的高僧，上长安做会。那消个月之期，天下多僧俱到。次日，三位朝臣，聚众僧，在那山川坛里，逐一从头查选，内中选得一名有德行的高僧陈玄奘，他自幼为僧，出娘胎，就持斋受戒。一心不受荣华，只喜修持寂灭。千经万典，无所不通；佛号仙音，无般不会。太宗喜道：“果然举之不错，诚为有德行有禅心的和尚。朕赐你左僧纲、右僧纲、天下大阐都僧纲之职。”玄奘顿首谢恩，受了大阐官爵。唐王教他用心再拜明僧，书办旨意，前赴化生寺，择定吉日良时，开演经法。玄奘遂到化生寺里，聚集多僧，打造禅榻。装修功德，整理音乐。选得大小明僧共计一千二百名，选到本年九月初三日，黄道良辰，开启做七七四十九日水陆大会。

　　The Tang Emperor issued a notice summoning monks to come and hold a Great Mass for the rebirthof those lonely souls in the underworld. As the notice traveled throughout the empire the local officialseverywhere recommended holy and venerable monks to go to Chang’an for the service. By the end of themonth many monks had arrived in Chang’an from all over the empire. The next day the three court officialsassembled all the monks at the altar among rivers and hills， and they went through them all one by one. Fromamong them they chose a venerable and virtuous monk—Chen Xuanzang. He had been a monk from infancy，and ever since birth he had eaten vegetarian food and observed the prohibitions. He had no interest in honorand glory， and his only joy was to cultivate Nirvana. Of the thousand sutras and ten thousand holy books therewas not a single one that he did not know； he could sing every Buddhist chant and knew all the religiousmusic.“You were indeed well chosen，”said the Emperor with satisfaction.“You are indeed a monkof virtuous conduct of a mind devoted to meditation. I give you the offices of Left Controller of the Clergy，Right Controller of the Clergy， and Hierarch of the Empire.”Xuanzang kowtowed to express his thanks andaccepted the appointments. The Emperor instructed him to be sure he conscientiously continued to visitenlightened monks and gave him a decree in writing ordering him to go to the Huasheng Temple to pick apropitious day and hour on which to begin the recitations of the ures. Xuanzang went to the HuashengTemple where he assembled many monks， had meditation benches made， prepared for the mass， and chosethe music. He selected a total of twelve hundred high and humble monks of enlightenment. The third day ofthe ninth month of that year was chosen an auspicious day on which to start the seven times seven days of theGreat Land and Water Mass.

　　光阴拈指，却当七日正会，玄奘又具表，请唐王拈香。太宗即排驾，率文武多官、后妃国戚，早赴寺里。那一城人，无论大小尊卑，俱诣寺听讲。那法师在台上，念一会《受生度亡经》，谈一会《安邦天宝篆》，又宣一会《劝修功卷》。这菩萨近前来，拍着宝台厉声高叫道：“那和尚，你只会谈小乘教法，可会谈大乘么？”玄奘闻言，心中大喜，翻身跳下台来，对菩萨起手道：“老师父，弟子失瞻，多罪。见前的盖众僧人，都讲的是小乘教法，却不知大乘教法如何。”菩萨道：“你这小乘教法，度不得亡者超升，只可浑俗和光而已。

　　我有大乘佛法三藏，能超亡者升天，能度难人脱苦，能修无量寿身，能作无来无去。”唐王却认得他，道：“你是前日送袈裟的和尚？”菩萨道：“正是。”太宗正色喜问道：“你那大乘佛法，在何处？”菩萨道：“在大西天天竺国大雷音寺我佛如来处，能解百冤之结，能消无妄之灾。”太宗道：“你可记得么？”菩萨道：“我记得。”太宗大喜道：“教法师引去，请上台开讲。”那菩萨带了木叉，飞上高台，遂踏祥云，直至九霄，现出救苦原身，托了净瓶杨柳。喜的个唐王朝天礼拜，众文武跪地焚香，满寺中僧尼道俗、士人工贾，无一人不拜祷道：“南无观世音菩萨！”只见那半空中，滴溜溜落下一张简帖，上有几句颂子，写得明白：“礼上大唐君，西方有妙文。程途十万八千里，大乘进殷勤。此经回上国，能超鬼出群。若有肯去者，求正果金身。”太宗见了颂子，即命众僧：“且收胜会，待我差人取得大乘经来，再秉丹诚，重修善果。”众官无不遵依。当时在寺中问曰：“谁肯领朕旨意，上西天拜佛求经？”问不了，旁边闪过法师，帝前施礼道：“贫僧不才，愿效犬马之劳，与陛下求取真经，祈保我王江山永固。”唐王大喜，上前将御手扶起道：“法师果能尽此忠贤，朕情愿与你拜为兄弟。”唐王果是十分贤德，就去那寺里佛前，与玄奘拜了四拜，口称“御弟圣僧”。玄奘感谢不尽道：“陛下，我这一去，定要捐躯努力，直至西天。如不到西天，不得真经，即死也不敢回国，永堕沉沦地狱。”随在佛前拈香，以此为誓。次早，太宗设朝，聚集文武，大喜道：“御弟，今日是出行吉日。这是通关文牒。朕又有一个紫金钵盂，送你途中化斋而用。再选两个长行的从者，又银驵的马一匹，送为远行脚力。你可就此行程。”玄奘更乐不及待。唐王排驾，与多官同送至关外。唐王令一官执壶酌酒。太宗举爵，又问曰：“御弟雅号甚称？”玄奘道：“贫僧出家人，未敢称号。”太宗道：“当时菩萨说，西天有经三藏。御弟可指经取号，号作三藏何如？”玄奘又谢恩，接了御酒道：“陛下，酒乃僧家头一戒，贫僧自为人，不会饮酒。”太宗道：“今日之行，比他事不同。此乃素酒，只饮此一杯，以尽朕奉饯之意。”三藏不敢不受。接了酒，方待要饮，只见太宗低头，将御指拾一撮尘土，弹入酒中。三藏不解其意，太宗笑道：“御弟呵，日久年深，山遥路远，御弟可进此酒。宁恋本乡一捻土，莫爱他乡万两金。”三藏方悟捻土之意，复谢恩饮尽，辞谢出关而去。

　　Time passed in the snap of a finger， and it was time for the special assembly on the seventh day， soXuanzang wrote a memorial inviting the Tang Emperor to come and burn incense. Taizong therefore led alarge number of civil and military officials and his empresses， consorts and their families to the monasteryin a procession of carriages to the temple early that morning. Everyone in the city， whether young or old，humble or mighty， went to the temple to hear the preaching. On his dais the Master of the Law read throughthe Sutra to Give Life and Deliver the Dead， discussed the Heavenly Charm to Protect the Country andpreached on the Exhortation to Cultivate Merit. The Bodhisattva went up to the dais， hit it， and shouted outat the top of her voice，“Why are you only talking about the doctrine of the Little Vehicle， monk？ Can youpreach about the Great Vehicle？”On hearing these questions a delighted Xuanzang leapt down from thepreaching dais， bowed to the Bodhisattva， and said，“Venerable teacher， your disciple has sinned grievouslyin failing to recognize you. We monks who stand before you only preach the law of the Little Vehicle， and weknow nothing of the doctrine of the Great Vehicle.”“The doctrine of the Little Vehicle of yours will neverbring the dead to rebirth； it’s only good enough for a vulgar sort of enlightenment. Now I have the Three Storesof the Buddha’s Law of the Great Vehicle that will raise the dead up to Heaven， deliver sufferers from theirtorments， and free souls from the eternal coming and going.”Recognizing them， the Emperor asked，“Areyou not the monk who gave us the cassock？”“That’s right，”replied the Bodhisattva. Showing no signsof anger， Taizong earnestly asked where the Buddha’s Law of the Great Vehicle was.“It is in the ThunderMonastery in the land of India in the West， where our Buddha lives，”the Bodhisattva replied，“and it canuntie the knots of all injustice and save the innocent from disaster.”“Can you remember it？”the Emperorasked， and the Bodhisattva answered“Yes”. Taizong then gave orders that this Master of the Law was to betaken to the dais and invited to preach. The Bodhisattva and Moksa flew up to the dais， then soared into thesky on magic clouds. She appeared in her own form as the deliverer from suffering， holding a twig of willowin a vase. The Tang Emperor was so happy that he bowed to Heaven， while his civil and military officials allfell to their knees and burned incense. Everyone in the temple—monks， nuns， clerics， lay people， scholars，workmen and merchants—all bowed down and prayed，“Glory be to the Bodhisattva Guangyin.”All thatwas visible was a note drifting down from the sky on which could be read the following brief address in verse：

　　“Greetings to the lord of the Great Tang.

　　In the West are miraculous ures.

　　Although the road is sixty thousand miles long，The Great Vehicle will offer its help.

　　When these ures are brought back to your countryThey will save devils and deliver the masses.

　　If anyone is willing to go for them，His reward will be a golden body.”

　　When he had read these lines Taizong issued an order to the assembly of monks：“Suspend this serviceuntil we have sent someone to fetch the ures of the Great Vehicle， and then you shall once more strivesincerely to achieve good retribution.”The monks all obeyed his instructions. The Emperor then askedthose present in the monastery，“Who is willing to accept our commission to go to the Western Heaven tovisit the Buddha and fetch the ures？”Before he had finished his question， the Master of the Law cameforward， bowed low in greeting， and said，“Although I am lacking in ability， I would like to offer my humbleefforts to fetch the true ures for Your Majesty and thus ensure the eternal security of your empire.”TheTang Emperor said delightedly，“if you are prepared to exert your loyalty and wisdom to the full， I shallmake you my own sworn brother.”The Tang Emperor was indeed a man of wisdom and virtue and went toa place before the Buddha in the monastery where he bowed to Xuanzang four times， calling him“youngerbrother”and“holy monk”. Xuanzang thanked him effusively.“Your Majesty，”he said，“on thisjourney I shall give my all and go straight to the Western Heaven. If I fail to reach there or to obtain the trueures， then I shall not return to this country even in death， and shall fall for eternity into Hell.”Heburned incense in front of the Buddha to mark this vow. At court the next morning Taizong assembled his civiland military officials， and said gladly，“Brother， today is a lucky one for starting on a journey， and here is thepass that will let you through the checkpoints. I am also giving you a golden bowl with which you may beg forfood on your journey， in addition to choosing two experienced travelers to accompany you and presenting youwith a horse to carry you on your long journey. You may now set out.”Xuanzang was now more eager thanever to be off. Taizong and a host of officials went by carriage to accompany him to the checkpoint. The TangEmperor told an official to pour out some wine. Raising his cup he asked，“Brother， what is your courtesyname？”Today’s journey is exceptional，”Taizong replied，“and besides， this is a nonalcoholicwine， so you should drink this cup and let us feel that we have seen you off properly.”Unable to refuse anylonger， Sanzang took the wine， and was on the point of drinking it when he saw Taizang bend down， take apinch of dust in his fingers， and flick it into his cup. Seeing Sanzang’s incomprehension， Taizong laughed andsaid，“Dear brother， the days and years will be long， the mountains will be high， and the road will lead you faraway，”said Taizang，“so you should drink this wine to show that you have more love for a pinch of dust fromhome than for the thousands of ounces of foreign gold.”Only then did Sanzang understand the significanceof the pinch of dust， and thanking the

　　自贞观十三年九月望前三日，蒙唐王与多官送出长安关外后，三藏一二日马不停蹄，早至法门寺。师徒们行了数日，到了巩州城。早有巩州合属官吏人等，迎入城中。安歇一夜，次早出城前行。一路饥餐渴饮，夜住晓行，两三日，又至河州卫。此乃大唐的山河边界。早有镇边的总兵与本处僧道，闻得是钦差御弟法师上西方见佛，无不恭敬，接至里面供给了，着僧纲请往福原寺安歇。及鸡方鸣，随唤从者，却又惊动寺僧，整治茶汤斋供。斋罢，出离边界。原来此时秋深时节，鸡鸣得早，只好有四更天气。一行三人，连马四口，迎着清霜，看着明月，行有数十里远近，见一山岭，只得拨草寻路，说不尽崎岖难走，又恐怕错了路径。正疑思之间，忽然失足，三人连马都跌落坑坎之中。三藏心慌，从者胆战。却才悚惧，又闻得里面哮吼高呼，叫：“拿将来！拿将来！”只见狂风滚滚，拥出五六十个妖邪，将三藏、从者揪了上去。这法师战战兢兢的，偷眼观看，上面坐的那魔王（老虎精），十分凶恶。魔王喝令绑了，众妖一齐将三人用绳索绑缚。正要安排吞食，只听得外面喧哗，有人来报，“熊山君（熊罥精）与特处士（野牛精）二位来也。”那黑汉道：“此三者何来？”魔王道：“自送上门来者。”处士笑云：“可能待客否？”魔王道：“奉承！奉承！”山君道：“不可尽用，食其二，留其一可也。”魔王领诺，即呼左右，将二从者剖腹剜心，剁碎其尸，将首级与心肝奉献二客，将四肢自食，其余骨肉，分给各妖。只听得罥罥之声，真似虎啖羊羔，霎时食尽。把一个长老，几乎唬死。这才是初出长安第一场苦难。

　　After Sanzang was seen off at the checkpoint outside Chang’an by the Tang Emperor and a host ofofficials on the twelfth day of the ninth month in the thirteenth year of Zhen Guan， for two days his horse’shoofs were never still， and he soon reached the Fa Men Monastery. When the master and his attendants hadbeen traveling for several days they reached the city Gongzhou， where all the local officials were waitingto greet them and take them into the city. After a night’s rest they set out again the next morning. Theyate when they were hungry and drank when they were thirsty， traveling by day and stopping at night. Twoor three days later they reached the garrison city of Hezhou， which was on the frontier of the Great TangEmpire. The garrison commander and local Buddhist monks and priests had all heard that the Master ofthe Law， the Imperial Younger Brother， was going to the West on His Majesty’s orders to see the Buddha，so they were all very respectful. The Director of Monks took him into the city， provided him with all heneeded， and invited him spend the night in the Fuyuan Monastery. As soon as the cocks started to crow hecalled for his attendants， thus disturbing the monks， who brought him tea and food. When he had eaten hecrossed the frontier. As it was late autumn the cocks had crowed very early， and it was still only about two inthe morning. The three of them—four， including the horse—covered about a dozen miles through the frost，finding their way by the light of the moon， until they saw a large mountain in front of them. They had to pushthe undergrowth aside as they looked for their way， and the going was indescribably rough and difficult. Justwhen they were wondering whether they were lost， all three of them and the horse stumbled and fell into apit. Sanzang was thrown into a panic， and his attendants were trembling with fear， when to add their terrorthey heard roars coming from further inside and loud shouts of，“Get’em！ Get’em！”With a ferocious blastof wind a crowd of fifty or sixty fiends fell upon them and dragged them out. When the shivering and shakingMaster of the Law took a stealthy look he saw a thoroughly evil demon king (tiger spirit) sitting above them.

　　When the demon king roared out an order to tie them up the fiends bound them with rope. He was just on thepoint of devouring them when a great noise was heard outside and the arrival of Mountain Lord Bear (a bearspirit) and Hermit Ox (a wild bull spirit) was announced.“How did those three get here？”asked the darkfellow.“They delivered themselves to the front door，”the demon king replied.“Will you be serving themto your friends？”asked the Hermit with a smile.“I should be honored to，”answered the demon king.“Wewon’t need them all，”remarked the Mountain Lord.“We could eat two and keep the third.”With a“na-a-aw”of obedience the demon king told his servants to cut open the two attendants， scoop their hearts out，and chop their bodies into mince. He presented the heads， hearts， and livers to his two guests， eating thelimbs himself and dividing the rest of the flesh and bones among the fiends. All that could be heard was acrunching and a munching that sounded just like tigers devouring lambs， and in a few moments it had allbeen eaten up. Sanzang was almost dead with fright， yet this was only his first tributation， coming so soon afterleaving Chang’an.