英文讀經｜《六祖大師法寶壇經》行由品第一（4）

眾得處分，退而遞相謂曰：

The assembly received his

instructions and withdrew,

saying to one another,

我等眾人，不須澄心用意作偈，

"We followers don't need to

clear our minds and labor our wits

to compose a verse

將呈和尚，

to show the High Master.

有何所益？

What's the use?

神秀上座，現為教授師，

Shenxiu is our 

senior instructor-certainly，

必是他得。

he will get it.

我輩謾作偈頌，枉用心力。

It would be not only an affront

to him, but a waste of effort

for us to compose a verse."

餘人聞語，

Others hearing this,

總皆息心。咸言：

all put their minds to rest, saying,

我等已後依止秀師，

"From now on, we will

rely on Master Shenxiu.

何煩作偈？

Why worry ourselves

composing verses?"

神秀思惟：

Shenxiu then thought,

諸人不呈偈者，

"The others are not submitting verses

為我與他為教授師。

because I am their senior teacher.

我須作偈，將呈和尚，

I must compose a verse

to submit to the High Master

—若不呈偈，

if I don't present a verse,

和尚如何知我心中見解深淺？

how will the Master know

the depth or shallowness

of my insight and understanding?

我呈偈意，求法即善，

If my intention in submitting

a verse is to seek for the Dharma,

that is good.

覓祖即惡，

But if I covet the title of Patriarch,

that is bad.

却同凡心，奪其聖位奚別？

How would that be any different

from an ordinary person

presuming to be a sage?!

若不呈偈，

But, if I don't submit a verse,

終不得法。

I will never get the Dharma.

大難，大難。

What a problem! What a problem!"

五祖堂前，

In front of the Fifth Patriarch's hall

有步廊三間，

there was a corridor three rooms long,

擬請供奉盧珍，畫楞伽經變相，

whose wall was to be frescoed

by the Court Artist, Lu Zhen,

with stories from 

The Lankavatara Sutra

及五祖血脈圖，

and a diagram of

the lineage-succession

of the five patriarchs,

流傳供養。

so that they might

be venerated by future generations.

神秀作偈成已，數度欲呈，

After composing his verse,

Shenxiu made several attempts

to submit it.

行至堂前，

But whenever

he reached the front hall,

心中恍惚，

his mind was dazed

遍身汗流，擬呈不得。

and he broke out in a sweat.

前後經四日，一十三度呈偈不得。

He made thirteen attempts

over the course of four days,

all unsuccessful.

秀乃思惟：

Then he thought,

不如向廊下書著，

"It would be better

to just write it on the wall

從他和尚看見，

so that

the High Master might see it.

忽若道好，

If he says it's good,

即出禮拜，云是秀作。

I will come forward, bow to him,

and say, 'Xiu did it!

若道不堪，

If instead he finds it unacceptable,

枉向山中數年，

then it means I will

have spent my yearson 

this mountain in vain,

受人禮拜，

receiving veneration from others.

更修何道？

Where would I go from there?"