高峰妙禪師，他在西天目山的懸崖，的倒掛蓮花上打坐。為什麼在那危險的地方打坐呢？因為他在打坐的時候，常常入夢鄉，而障礙修行，所以發願，到懸崖處打坐。如果睡覺時，便墜入山澗中，那就粉身碎骨。也就是提高警覺，不要貪睡。經過一天的時間，沒有睡覺。為什麼？不敢睡。因為如果睡著了便身墜山澗中，性命就完了。為了生存，於是得忍著不睡。可是忍到第八天，實在受不了，乃在坐禪中睡著了。身體向前一傾，果然從倒掛蓮華上落到萬丈山澗中，他心中在想，這回可完了，絕對沒有生存得希望。於是將身心放下，死就死吧！不管它，睡個長覺吧！
高峰妙禪師的身體，下落到一半的時候，韋陀菩薩前來護法，在虛空中將他托住，送到上面來。他覺得自己的身體，飄飄向上升起，最後落到安全的地方。他乃向空中詢問：「哪位山神來護法我？」韋陀菩薩答：「護法韋陀」。他聽到韋陀之言，乃生起驕傲心。在心裡想：「我能感應韋陀菩薩來護法，大概世界上向我這樣精進的人，一定很少吧！」於是乃向韋陀菩薩問：「韋陀菩薩！在這世界上，向我這樣勇猛精進的修行人，能有多少？」韋陀菩薩說：「向你這樣的修行人，有牛毛之多。你生出貢高我慢的心，我在八萬大劫中，再不護你的法！」說完之後轉身而去。
高峰妙禪師在此時，生起慚愧心，痛哭流涕。乃想；韋陀菩薩不護我法，我也要參禪打坐，修行道業。因之，打起精神，開始坐禪。做了不久，忍不住睏，又睡著了。於是又墜落山澗中。他想：這回一定沒有希望，性命也完了。正在千鈞一髮之際，又有護法善神將他托住，送到山上。他又向虛空中問：「是那位護法？」韋陀菩薩說：「護法韋陀。」高峰妙禪師一聽，發起脾氣地說：「老韋！你說在八萬大劫中不護我的法，為何你現在又救我？你豈不是犯了大妄語戒嗎？」韋陀菩薩說：「因為你一哭，生懺悔心，非常虔誠，而且認真，所以超過八萬大劫的時間。既然超過時間，我就應該來護你的法。」由此可證，一念的懺悔，可以超過八萬大劫。
待續
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① Dhyana Master Gao Fengmiao was a cultivator who sat on the inverted lotus precipice of Xitian Mu and meditated. Why did choose such a dangerous ledge? Were he to doze off, he would fall thousands of feet into the valley and be smashed to pieces.
② Because he had a tendency to doze off during meditation, he vowed to go to that dangerous place. “Let’s see me fall asleep now!” he said, positioning himself near the edge. He sat there for about seven days without falling asleep; he didn’t dare! After all, his life was at stake. Therefore, no matter what, he simply would not fall asleep.
③ However, on the eighth day, he could no longer control himself. While sitting in meditation, he dozed off.
④ As soon as he fell asleep, he slumped forward and tumbled right off the edge. Waking, he thought, “It’s all over. I’m certainly not going to come out of this alive.” Just then he put down his body and mind. “If I must die, then I will die. I’m not going to pay any attention; I’ll get ready for the big sleep.”
⑤ When he had fallen halfway down the mountain, Weitou Bodhisattva manifested in empty space and dragged the Dhyana Master back up to the top of the mountain.
“Who is this protecting my Dharma?” the Master asked.
“It is I, Dharma Protector Weitou!” came the reply.
⑥ The Dhyana Master suddenly became arrogant and had the thought, “You mean I moved Weitou Bodhisattva to protect my Dharma? Probably, in this world, the number of cultivators who are as vigorous as I am is very small.” And so he asked Weitou Bodhisattva, “How many cultivators are there in the world who work as hard as I do in their cultivation?”
“About as many as the hairs on a cow,” said Weitou Bodhisattva dryly. “And since you are so arrogant, I'm not going to protect your Dharma again for eighty thousand great eons!” So saying, he disappeared.
⑦ Dhyana Master Gao Fengmiao really regretted what he had said. He cried for a long while, and then thought, “I’m going to cultivate whether Weitou Bodhisattva protects me or not!” Then with great determination, he took his seat on the ledge once again and commenced to meditate.
A little while later, sure enough, he fell asleep and dropped over the edge again, plummeting down the mountain. “This time, I’ve really had it,” he thought. “It’s all over now!” Suddenly, he was caught in midair and hauled back up to the top again. “Now, who saved me this time?” he asked.
“It is I, Dharma Protector Weitou,” came the reply.
This irritated Dhyana Master Miao. “Old Brother Wei, didn’t you say that you weren’t going to protect my Dharma for eighty thousand great eons? Why did you save me again? Doesn’t that make you a liar?”
Weitou Bodhisattva replied, “Your tears and shame were very genuine; they canceled out eighty thousand great eons worth of time. Therefore I was obliged to come to your aid.”
This story proves that one thought can transcend eighty thousand great eons.
To be continue
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