While the Patriarch Sits Facing the Rock Wall,
The Dharma Master Seeks to Repent

祖师面壁　法师求忏

He caught up with Patriarch Bodhidharma, only to find him sitting in meditation facing a rock wall. He was turned toward the wall and not speaking to anyone. Seeing the Patriarch there in meditation, the Dharma Master knelt down and did not get up, saying, "When I first saw you, I did not know that you were a patriarch, a sage. I hit you with my recitation beads, and I'm really sorry. I am truly remorseful. I know you are a person with true virtue. You are a noble one who cherishes the Way. I am now seeking the Way, the Dharma, from you."

到那儿追上达摩祖师了，达摩祖师就在那儿打坐、面壁──面壁就不和人讲话。他一看达摩祖师在打坐，就跪在那儿不起来，说：“我起先见到您，不知道您是个祖师，是个圣人，还用念珠打您，这真是很对不起，我现在很后悔。我知道您是真有道德的，是一个怀道之士，现在特来向您求道、求法。”

Patriarch Bodhidharma took one look at him and said nothing; he remained sitting in meditation. Dharma Master knelt there seeking the Dharma for nine years. Patriarch Bodhidharma meditated facing the wall for nine years, and Dharma Master Shen Guang knelt there for nine years.

达摩祖师看看他，也没说什么，还是在那儿打坐；神光法师在那儿跪着求法，一跪，就跪了九年。因为达摩祖师面壁坐了九年，他也就跪了九年。

We cultivators of the present time sit for a while and then begin to feel aches in our waist and pains in our legs, getting very uncomfortable. All of us should reflect on what it would be like to kneel for nine years. How comfortable would that be? How much fun?

我们现在修行，坐了一阵子，觉得腰也痛，腿也酸，很不舒服的。你们各位想一想，达摩祖师在那儿面壁，坐了九年；而他在那儿跪了九年，这会不会很舒服？会不会很好玩？

All of us should reflect on how those of old could kneel for nine years seeking the Dharma. We of today can't endure nine days or even nine hours without feeling it's impossibly bitter and terribly uncomfortable. Some of us also think: "In the morning I don't get breakfast, and at night there's nothing sweet to drink." All sorts of such false thoughts arise. Comparing ourselves to those of old, how do we feel?

各位再想一想，古人为法，跪了九年都还要求法，我们现在甚至连九个钟头，九天也没跪，就觉得很辛苦，很不舒服了，又想：“我早上没有东西吃啦，晚间没有蜜糖喝啦！”就打这些个妄想；这和古人比起来，自己应该做什么感想呢？

Do you feel concerned about Dharma Master Shen Guang? He knelt there for nine long years. Probably some of you are thinking, "Incredible! Kneeling for nine years like that, Dharma Master Shen Guang's legs must have really hurt. It must have been much worse than the leg pain we experience sitting in meditation. Nine years is a long time." Someone else may say, "He must have run away." Let me tell you, he did not run away! If he had run away after he had knelt for nine years, all the effort he made would have been wasted. It would not have been worth a penny. Therefore, he would rather have knelt there until he died than to have run away. "Patriarch, if you don't transmit to me the Dharma for avoiding King Yama, I will not get up under any circumstances."

你们有没有替神光法师着急？他在那儿跪了九年呢！大概有人会说：“哎呀！神光法师在那儿跪得腿很痛，比我打坐还痛呢！九年那么长的时间。”又有人说：“他一定跑了。”那么我告诉你，他不会跑的！他若跪了九年，一跑，就是前功尽弃，一分钱的价值也没有了；所以他宁可跪死在那个地方，也不走了：“您这个祖师不传给我躲阎罗的法，无论如何我也不起身！”