逢君只說受生因，便作如來會上人。一念靜觀塵世佛，十方同看降威神。欲知今日真明主，須問當年嫡母身。別有世間曾未見，一行一步一花新。
逢君只说受生因，便作如来会上人。一念静观尘世佛，十方同看降威神。欲知今日真明主，须问当年嫡母身。别有世间曾未见，一行一步一花新。
Meeting you, he speaks only of the causes of birth,and becomes one of the Buddha’s assembly.With one still thought he contemplates the Buddha in the dusty world;the ten directions alike behold divine might descend.To know today’s true and enlightened ruler,ask the mother who bore him in years gone by.There is something else this world has never seen:at every step along the way, a fresh flower blooms.
卻說那烏雞國王太子自別大聖，不多時，回至城中。果然不奔朝門，不敢報傳宣詔，徑至後宰門首，見幾個太監在那裡把守。見太子來，不敢阻滯，讓他進去了。好太子，夾一夾馬，撞入裡面，忽至錦香亭下。只見那正宮娘娘坐在錦香亭上，兩邊有數十個嬪妃掌扇，那娘娘倚雕欄兒流淚哩。你道他流淚怎的？原來他四更時也做了一夢，記得一半，含糊了一半，沉沉思想。
却说那乌鸡国王太子自别大圣，不多时，回至城中。果然不奔朝门，不敢报传宣诏，径至后宰门首，见几个太监在那里把守。见太子来，不敢阻滞，让他进去了。好太子，夹一夹马，撞入里面，忽至锦香亭下。只见那正宫娘娘坐在锦香亭上，两边有数十个嫔妃掌扇，那娘娘倚雕栏儿流泪哩。你道他流泪怎的？原来他四更时也做了一梦，记得一半，含糊了一半，沉沉思想。
Now, after taking leave of the Great Sage, the crown prince of the kingdom of Wuji soon returned to the city. Just as instructed, he did not go to the court gate or dare have his arrival announced. He went straight to the Rear Palace Gate, where several eunuchs stood guard. Seeing the prince, they dared not hinder him and let him through. Splendid prince! He squeezed his horse with his legs and rushed inside, coming suddenly to the Brocade Fragrance Pavilion. There sat the queen, with scores of consorts holding fans on either side. She was leaning against the carved railing, weeping. And why, you may ask, was she weeping? She too had dreamed at the fourth watch. Half she remembered, half was blurred, and she sat deep in thought.
這太子下馬，跪於亭下，叫：「母親。」那娘娘強整歡容，叫聲：「孩兒，喜呀！喜呀！這二三年在前殿與你父王開講，不得相見，我甚思量。今日如何得暇來看我一面？誠萬千之喜！誠萬千之喜！孩兒，你怎麼聲音悲慘？你父王年紀高邁，有一日龍歸碧海，鳳返丹霄，你就傳了帝位，還有甚麼不悅？」太子叩頭道：「母親，我問你：即位登龍是那個？稱孤道寡果何人？」娘娘聞言道：「這孩兒發風了？做皇帝的是你父王，你問怎的？」太子叩頭道：「萬望母親赦子無罪，敢問；不赦，不敢問。」娘娘道：「子母家有何罪？赦你，赦你，快快說來。」太子道：「母親，我問你三年前夫妻宮裡之事，與後三年恩愛同否如何？」娘娘見說，魂飄魄散，急下亭抱起，緊摟在懷，眼中滴淚道：「孩兒，我與你久不相見，怎麼今日來宮問此？」太子發怒道：「母親有話早說；不說時，且誤了大事。」娘娘才喝退左右，淚眼低聲道：「這樁事，孩兒不問，我到九泉之下，也不得明白。既問時，聽我說：
三載之前溫又暖，三年之後冷如冰。 枕邊切切將言問，他說老邁身衰事不興。
太子聞言，撒手脫身，攀鞍上馬。那娘娘一把扯住道：「孩兒，你有甚事，話不終就走？」太子跪在面前道：「母親，不敢說。今日早朝，蒙欽差架鷹逐犬，出城打獵。偶遇東土駕下來的個取經聖僧，有大徒弟乃孫行者，極善降妖。原來我父王死在御花園八角琉璃井內，這全真假變父王，侵了龍位。今夜三更，父王託夢，請他到城捉怪。孩兒不敢盡信，特來問母。母親才說出這等言語，必然是個妖精。」那娘娘道：「兒啊，外人之言，你怎麼就信為實？」太子道：「兒還不敢認實，父王遺下表記與他了。」娘娘問是何物，太子袖中取出那金廂白玉珪，遞與娘娘。那娘娘認得是當時國王之寶，止不住淚如泉湧。叫聲：「主公，你怎麼死去三年，不來見我，卻先見聖僧，後見太子？」太子道：「母親，這話是怎的說？」娘娘道：「兒啊，我四更時分，也做了一夢，夢見你父王水淋淋的站在我跟前，親說他死了，鬼魂兒拜請了唐僧，降假皇帝，救他前身。記便記得是這等言語，只是一半兒不得分明。正在這裡狐疑，怎知今日你又來說這話，又將寶貝拿出。我且收下，你且去請那聖僧急急為之。果然掃蕩妖氛，辨明邪正，庶報你父王養育之恩也。」
这太子下马，跪于亭下，叫：「母亲。」那娘娘强整欢容，叫声：「孩儿，喜呀！喜呀！这二三年在前殿与你父王开讲，不得相见，我甚思量。今日如何得暇来看我一面？诚万千之喜！诚万千之喜！孩儿，你怎么声音悲惨？你父王年纪高迈，有一日龙归碧海，凤返丹霄，你就传了帝位，还有甚么不悦？」太子叩头道：「母亲，我问你：即位登龙是那个？称孤道寡果何人？」娘娘闻言道：「这孩儿发风了？做皇帝的是你父王，你问怎的？」太子叩头道：「万望母亲赦子无罪，敢问；不赦，不敢问。」娘娘道：「子母家有何罪？赦你，赦你，快快说来。」太子道：「母亲，我问你三年前夫妻宫里之事，与后三年恩爱同否如何？」娘娘见说，魂飘魄散，急下亭抱起，紧搂在怀，眼中滴泪道：「孩儿，我与你久不相见，怎么今日来宫问此？」太子发怒道：「母亲有话早说；不说时，且误了大事。」娘娘才喝退左右，泪眼低声道：「这桩事，孩儿不问，我到九泉之下，也不得明白。既问时，听我说：
三载之前温又暖，三年之后冷如冰。 枕边切切将言问，他说老迈身衰事不兴。
太子闻言，撒手脱身，攀鞍上马。那娘娘一把扯住道：「孩儿，你有甚事，话不终就走？」太子跪在面前道：「母亲，不敢说。今日早朝，蒙钦差架鹰逐犬，出城打猎。偶遇东土驾下来的个取经圣僧，有大徒弟乃孙行者，极善降妖。原来我父王死在御花园八角琉璃井内，这全真假变父王，侵了龙位。今夜三更，父王托梦，请他到城捉怪。孩儿不敢尽信，特来问母。母亲才说出这等言语，必然是个妖精。」那娘娘道：「儿啊，外人之言，你怎么就信为实？」太子道：「儿还不敢认实，父王遗下表记与他了。」娘娘问是何物，太子袖中取出那金厢白玉珪，递与娘娘。那娘娘认得是当时国王之宝，止不住泪如泉涌。叫声：「主公，你怎么死去三年，不来见我，却先见圣僧，后见太子？」太子道：「母亲，这话是怎的说？」娘娘道：「儿啊，我四更时分，也做了一梦，梦见你父王水淋淋的站在我跟前，亲说他死了，鬼魂儿拜请了唐僧，降假皇帝，救他前身。记便记得是这等言语，只是一半儿不得分明。正在这里狐疑，怎知今日你又来说这话，又将宝贝拿出。我且收下，你且去请那圣僧急急为之。果然扫荡妖氛，辨明邪正，庶报你父王养育之恩也。」
The prince dismounted, knelt below the pavilion and called, “Mother!” The queen forced a cheerful look onto her face. “My child! What joy, what joy! For these two or three years you have been studying with your father in the front hall, and we have been unable to see each other. How I have missed you! How have you found time today to come and see me? A thousand joys, ten thousand joys! But, my child, why does your voice sound so sorrowful? Your father is advanced in years. One day, when the dragon returns to the blue sea and the phoenix to the crimson sky, you will inherit the throne. What can you have to be unhappy about?” The prince kowtowed. “Mother, let me ask you: who is it that has mounted the dragon throne? Who is it that calls himself sovereign?” Hearing this, the queen said, “Has this child lost his wits? The emperor is your father. Why ask?” The prince kowtowed again. “I beg Mother to pardon her son before he asks. Without your pardon, I dare not.” The queen said, “What offence can there be between mother and son? I pardon you, I pardon you. Tell me at once.” The prince said, “Mother, I ask about what passed between husband and wife in your chambers three years ago. Has your intimacy been the same in these last three years, or how has it changed?” At these words the queen nearly lost her soul with fright. She hurried down from the pavilion, raised him and clasped him tight in her arms. Tears fell from her eyes. “My child, we have not seen each other for so long. Why do you come to the palace today to ask this?” The prince said angrily, “If Mother has something to say, say it quickly. If you do not, a great matter will go wrong.” Only then did the queen dismiss the attendants. With tearful eyes she whispered, “My child, if you had not asked, I could have gone to the Nine Springs without ever understanding this. Since you ask, listen:
Before those three years, warm and tender;in the three years since, cold as ice.Beside the pillow I questioned him in whispers;he said age had weakened him, and he could no longer rise to the occasion.”
At this the prince pulled free, caught hold of his saddle and mounted. The queen seized him. “My child, what is the matter? Why leave before we have finished speaking?” The prince knelt before her. “Mother, I dare not tell you. At this morning’s audience I was ordered to take hawks and hounds out of the city to hunt. By chance I met a holy monk sent by the sovereign of the Eastern Land to fetch the scriptures. His eldest disciple, Pilgrim Sun, is wonderfully skilled at subduing demons. It seems my father died in the Octagonal Glazed-Tile Well in the imperial garden. This Complete Perfection Daoist has changed into my father’s likeness and usurped the dragon throne. At the third watch last night, Father appeared to the monk in a dream and asked him to come to the city and seize the monster. I did not dare believe it all, so I came expressly to ask Mother. Now you have said these things, it must be a demon.” The queen said, “My son, how can you take a stranger’s words as truth?” The prince said, “I still did not dare be certain. But Father left a token with him.” The queen asked what it was. From his sleeve the prince took the gold-inlaid white jade tablet and handed it to her. The queen recognized the treasure the king had possessed, and could not stop her tears pouring like a spring. “My lord! You have been dead for three years. Why did you not come to see me, but visit the holy monk first and the prince afterward?” The prince said, “Mother, what do you mean?” The queen said, “My son, I too had a dream at the fourth watch. I dreamed your father stood before me, dripping wet. He told me himself that he was dead, and that his ghost had begged the Tang Monk to subdue the false emperor and save his former body. Those are the words I remember, though half of them were unclear. I was sitting here in doubt when you came today to tell me this same story and produce the treasure. I shall keep it for now. Go and ask the holy monk to act at once. If he truly sweeps away the demon’s foul presence and distinguishes the false from the true, you may repay your father’s loving care in raising you.”