祕殿珠林續編(乾清宮),頁132&*故宮書畫錄(卷八),第四冊,頁72&*故宮書畫圖錄,第五冊,頁287-288&*觀世音,為佛教諸菩薩的首席。唐時因避太宗李世民諱,去「世」字,略稱觀音。 在《西遊記》中,觀音菩薩扮演重要的角色,具有結構上的特殊作用。從參與收伏孫悟空,到尋訪取經人,或設障礙以試禪心,或收妖魔以助西行,貫穿全書。小說中第二十四回至二十六回,孫悟空因偷吃了鎮元仙的人參果,更推倒果樹而脫身不得,卒賴觀音以淨瓶中的楊枝甘露救活了果樹,始擺脫麻煩。 &*Kuan-shih-yin (“Avalokitesvara” in Sanskrit) is the foremost bodhisattva in Buddhism. In the T'ang, the “shih” character was omitted to avoid the same one in the name of Li Shih-min (Emperor T'ai-tsung). In Journey to the West, Kuan-yin plays a key role and function in the plot. From subjugating the Monkey King to locating the monk searching for sutras, creating obstacles to test Ch'an (Zen) thought, and converting demons to help in the trip west, Kuan-yin is found throughout. In chapters 24 to 26, the Monkey King stole ginseng fruit of Chen Yüan-hsien (Guarding the First Immortal) and knocked over the tree. Unable to free himself, he depended on the elixir in Kuan-yin's bottle of purity to save the tree and get out of trouble.