傳法正宗記 5.39

5.39

王悟其說。即悔謝前非。遂翻然變志。從波羅提求聞法要。凡三月奉其討論。方宗勝被擯山中。乃自感曰。我八十始得正見。此二十年來修行。僅至臨難復不能護法。雖今百歲何為不若死之。遂頹然投身於高崖。俄有神人。舉一長手承之。而置於石上。其體無損。宗勝曰。我忝出家。不能抑王邪意而護持大法。死固宜然。何神祐而致此耶。幸一言以示其緣。神人乃說偈曰。

The king awakened to his words and immediately repented and apologized for his past wrongs. He thereupon radically changed his resolve and sought to hear the essentials of the Dharma from Prajñātāra, serving him in discussion for a total of three months. Meanwhile, Zongsheng, having been exiled to the mountains, was moved to reflect: "Only at eighty did I attain right view. In my practice over these past twenty years, when confronted with hardship I was still unable to protect the Dharma. Though I have now reached a hundred years of age, why would it not be better to die?" He then cast himself down from a high cliff. Suddenly a divine being raised a long hand, caught him, and placed him upon a rock, his body completely unharmed. Zongsheng said: "Unworthy to have left home, I was unable to curb the king's wrong intentions and uphold the great Dharma. Death was indeed what I deserved. What divine grace has brought about this rescue? I beg for a word to reveal the karmic reason." The divine being then spoke a verse: