三寶感應要略錄 1.91

1.91

熒陽高苟年已五十。為人殺被收。鎖項他牢分必受死。同牢人云。努力共誦觀世音。苟云。我罪甚重耳。受死何由可免。同禁勸之。因如始發心。誓當捨惡行善。專念觀音。不蕳造次。若得免脫。願起五層佛圖。捨身作奴。供養眾僧。旬日用心。鉗鎖自解。監司驚怪。語高苟云。若佛神憐汝。暫應不死。臨刑之日。舉刀未下刀。刀折刃斷。奏得原免矣。

Gao Gou of Xingyang was already fifty years old. He was arrested for murder, his neck fettered in another prison, destined to receive death. His fellow prisoners said: "Strive to recite Guanyin together!" Gou said: "My crimes are extremely heavy; how can I be spared from receiving death?" His fellow prisoners urged him on, whereupon he aroused his aspiration for the first time, vowing to abandon evil and practice good, and to concentrate single-mindedly on Guanyin without distraction at any moment. If he were spared, he vowed to erect a five-story pagoda and give himself as a servant to make offerings to the saṅgha. Concentrating his mind for ten days, the fetters and shackles unlocked of themselves. The supervising officials were astonished and said to Gao Gou: "If the divine Buddha pities you, you should temporarily not die." On the day of execution, the sword was raised, but before it came down, the sword snapped and the blade broke. A memorial was submitted, and he received a pardon.