下为分句对译

This reply was pleasing to the king and he spoke about it in detail to the Bon, telling them  to prepare themselves. They assured him that if it came to a debate, their   nine scholars would win, and their nine wizards, so they said, would also   be triumphant.  

国王对此回答甚感欢喜，详细跟苯教徒们说了此事，并告诉他们要好好准备。苯教徒向国王保证，他们的九大学者必会臝得辩论，苯教的九大巫师也会获得胜利，至少他们是这样说的。

And so, on the   fifteenth day of the new year, ahigh throne was set up for the king at Samye   in the middle of the great plain of Yombok.

因此，就在新年的正月十五，于桑耶的雍博大平原中央树立起一座高高的王座，

On the   right-hand side the translators and panditas took their seats, with the   Buddhist scriptures piled up like a wall. To the left sat the Bon with their scriptures arranged in similar fashion.

译师和大学者们带着堆积如墙的经典从右方入座，苯教徒也同样堆着他们的经典坐在左方，

In front were   the ranks of minister sand courtiers. And pressing all around was a great   multitude of people, the red and the black, the religious and the lay, from all four provinces of Tibet.

王座前方则是一排排的大臣和朝臣，四周挤满了来自藏地所有四省的百姓们红的和黑的—出家众和在家众都有。

The king was the   first to raise his voice. "People of Tibet who live beneath my   sway!" he cried. "Gods and men, Buddhists and Bon, ministers of   state, queens, and all my court,hear your king!

国王首先发言。「受我统治的藏地人民们！」他高声说道，「神明与百姓、佛教徒与苯教徒、国家的大臣、王妃们以及朝廷全众，听听你们的王所要说的话！

The kings of old   nurtured Dharma and the Bonpo teaching with an equal hand. And so it is that,  since the Bon have grown and spread beyond their measure, I have tried to set a   balance between the two traditions, after the manner of Songtsen Gampo, my forefather.  

Nurture:发展，孕育(计划、想法等);培养(人等) If you nurture plans, ideas, or people, you   encourage them or help them to develop.

从前的国王们平等扶持佛教与苯教的教法，后来苯教的发展传布较快，朕曾试图追随先祖松赞干布想平衡双方，.

But a deadly   enmity now lies between the Dharma and the Bon, such that one must be adopted and the other cast aside. The king and ministers are thus assailed by doubt.

但是两者如今势同水火，以致只有一方能采纳而另一方需驱离。疑忌已对朕和大臣们造成了威胁。

The differences between the two teachings will now be made plain, and we will take to ourselves the one that gains our confidence. Anyone who rejects this   decision will be destroyed by the power of the law.

现在，这两种教导的差别之处将会明白揭露。臝得我们信念的那一方将获采纳，律法的力量将会灭除任何反对此决定者；

The tradition that is proved to be untrue will be banished to the outer marches of the  kingdom, and in the whole of this Tibetan realm its name shall be utterly   blotted out.

blot out:覆盖，遮住; 毁灭

证明为不实的教法则要流放到王国的边境外，连名字都会在整个藏地全然消去。

This is our doom and law! The vanquished shall accept defeat, and to the winners we will grant   the honor of victory. And all shall follow them."

这是我们的判决和法律！败阵者理当接受失败，得胜者则由我们赐予胜利的荣耀，并且所有人都要追随之。」

Nine times this   edict was proclaimed, and when the ministers announced it from the   law-scrolls, all submitted to it. At that moment, the Great Guru of Orgyen appeared seated in the air at about the height of a palm tree.

Edict[ˈiˌdɪkt]：法令; 告示

当大臣们从律法文卷中宣读这份敕令并昭告九次后，所有人都表示服从。那时，伟大的鄢金上师腾空端坐在棕榈树般的高空中。

"Kye！"he exclaimed. "Good it is to distinguish the tenets of the Dharma from those of Bon!   Hold a preliminary trial of wits, for this is the first stage of every debate.   Then lay the ground with an explanation of your own tradition, a joy indeed for   every lineage!

Trial:预赛;选拔赛;测试赛

「嗟！」他叹道，「对佛法和苯教的教条做出区分，此行属佳！应当举办一场斗智的预赛，因为这是所有辩论的第一阶段。接着对各自的传统加以闉明解说作为基础，这对每个传承都确然是件乐事！

Finally, present your arguments, making clear your premises and conclusions, dividing truth   from falsehood. Thus the difference between the doctrines will be revealed.

最后，提出你的论述，清楚说出前提和结论，区分眞伪。如此，教义的不同处得以显露。

Conclude by giving evidence of your accomplishment,for this will show your strength and will inspire the king and ministers with confidence."

用展现成就实证作为结束，以便显示力量，并且启发王臣的信心。」

So saying, he assumed the form of Buddha Shakyamuni, so that the king, his ministers, and all the Bon were overwhelmed with its splendor.

上师于话语间显现释迦牟尼佛的身相，使得王、臣及苯教徒们都对其光彩庄严惊叹不已。

An emanation of his speech appeared as Padmasambhava himself, the master of the assembled panditas, thus giving even greater courage to the scholars and translators.

上师之语的化身现出学者之首、经教莲师的身相，于是译师学者们更是感到勇气大增。

The emanation of   his mind arose in the form of Dorje Drolo, demoralizing those whose opinions were perverse, and displaying incompatible miraculous appearances, such that even the Bon praised him with unfeigned devotion.

Demoralize [dɪˈmɒrəlaɪz]:使士气低落;使失去信心;使泄气

Perverse:执拗的；任性的；不通情理的

上师之意生起怖畏金刚的身相，使得执持异端邪说之人士气大挫，怖畏金刚上师更展现了无与伦比的神幻显现，连苯教徒也生起眞诚的信心讃颂上师。

To be continued

英文整理 | Matata

排版 | 潇洒