大唐西域記 8.6

8.6

初，有婆羅門，高才博學，門人數千，傳以受業。諸學徒相從遊觀，有一書生俳佪悵望。同儔謂曰：「夫何憂乎？」曰：「盛色方剛，羈遊履影，歲月已積，藝業無成。顧此為言，憂心彌劇。」於是學徒戲言之曰：「今將子求娉婚親。」乃假立二人為男父母，二人為女父母，遂坐波吒釐樹，謂「女聲樹也。」採時果，酌清流，陳婚姻之緒，請好合之期。時假女父攀花枝以授書生曰：「斯嘉偶也，幸無辭焉。」書生之心欣然自得，日暮言歸，懷戀而止。學徒曰：「前言戲耳！幸可同歸。林中猛獸恐相殘害。」書生遂留，往來樹側。景夕之後，異光燭野，管絃清雅，帷帳陳列。俄見老翁策杖來慰，復有一嫗携引少女，並賓從盈路，袨服奏樂。翁乃指少女曰：「此君之弱室也。」酣歌樂宴，經七日焉。學徒疑為獸害，往而求之，乃見獨坐樹陰，若對上客，告與同歸，辭不從命。後自入城，拜謁親故，說其始末。聞者驚駭，與諸友人同往林中，咸見花樹是一大第，僮僕役使驅馳往來，而彼老翁從容接對，陳饌奏樂，賓主禮備。諸友還城，具告遠近。朞歲之後，生一子男。謂其妻曰：「吾今欲歸，未忍離阻；適復留止，棲寄飄露。」其妻既聞，具以白父。翁謂書生曰：「人生行樂，詎必故鄉？今將築室，宜無異志。」於是役使之徒，功成不日。香花舊城，遷都此邑。由彼子故，神為築城，自爾之後，因名波吒釐子城焉。

At the beginning there was a Brahman of high talent and singular learning. Many thousands flocked to him to receive instruction. One day all the students went out on a tour of observation; one of them betrayed a feeling of unquiet and distress. His fellow-students addressed him and said, "What troubles you, friend?" He said, "I am in my full maturity [beauty] with perfect strength, and yet I go on wandering about here like a lonely shadow till years and months have passed, and my duties (manly duties) not performed. Thinking of this, my words are sad and my heart is afflicted."

On this his companions in sport replied, "We must seek then for your good a bride and her friends." Then they supposed two persons to represent the father and mother of the bridegroom, and two persons the father and mother of the bride, and as they were sitting under a Patali (Po-ch'a-li) tree, they called it the tree of the son-in-law. Then they gathered seasonable fruits and pure water, and followed all the nuptial customs, and requested a time to be fixed. Then the father of the supposed bride, gathering a twig with flowers on it, gave it to the student and said, "This is your excellent partner; be graciously pleased to accept her." The student's heart was rejoiced as he took her to himself. And now, as the sun was setting, they proposed to return home ; but the young student, affected by love, preferred to remain. Then the other said, "All this was fun ; pray come back with us ; there are wild beasts in this forest ; we are afraid they will kill you." But the student preferred to remain walking up and down by the side of the tree.

After sunset a strange light lit up the plain, the sound of pipes and lutes with their soft music (was heard), and the ground was covered with a sumptuous carpet. Suddenly an old man of gentle mien was seen coming, supporting himself by his staff, and there was also an old mother leading a young maiden. They were accompanied by a procession along the way, dressed in holiday attire and attended with music. The old man then pointed to the maiden and said, "This is your worship's wife (lady)." Seven days then passed in carousing and music, when the companions of the student, in doubt whether he had been destroyed by wild beasts, went forth and came to the place. They found him alone in the shade of the tree, sitting as if facing a superior guest. They asked him to return with them, but he respectfully declined. After this he entered of his own accord the city, to pay respect to his relatives, and told them of this adventure from beginning to end. Having heard it with wonder, he returned with all his relatives and friends to the middle of the forest, and there they saw the flowering tree become a great mansion ; servants of all kinds were hurrying to and fro on every side, and the old man came forward and received them with politeness, and entertained them with all kinds of dainties served up amidst the sound of music.

After the usual compliments, the guests returned to the city and told to all, far and near, what had happened. After the year was accomplished the wife gave birth to a son, when the husband said to his spouse, "I wish now to return, but yet I cannot bear to be separated from you (your bridal residence); but if I rest here I fear the exposure to wind and weather." The wife having heard this, told her father. The old man then addressed the student and said, "Whilst living contented and happy why must you go back? I will build you a house; let there be no thought of desertion." On this his servants applied themselves to the work, and in less than a day it was finished. When the old capital of Kusumapura was changed, this town was chosen, and from the circumstance of the genii building the mansion of the youth the name henceforth of the country was Pâtaliputra pura (the city of the son of the Pâtali tree).