金光明最勝王經 最淨地陀羅尼品
不是先替自己找一個果位，而是先發一顆能承載眾生的心。
這顆心像須彌山饒益一切，像大地持載萬物，像師子無畏，像風輪不退，像日輪破闇。它不是一個可以抓住的東西；正因無可執取，才不被『我』困住，能展開為布施、持戒、忍辱、勤策、靜慮、智慧、方便、願、力、智十度。十度不是十個口號，每一度都有五件要落實的事；腳下一步一步走，菩提心才從願望成為道路。
路向上，障也越細。初時要離我法執與生死怖畏；再往後，連愛著新得的善法、貪味清淨、厭生死而喜涅槃、刻意追求無相，都可能擋住下一步。歡喜、無垢、明、焰、難勝、現前、遠行、不動、善慧、法雲，不是貼在身上的十個名稱，而是十度漸熟、二十二無明漸解、定慧漸深的十種生命。
每一地又有一種陀羅尼護持：依功德力、善安樂住、難勝力、大利益、種種功德莊嚴、圓滿智、法勝行、無盡藏、無量門、破金剛山。真言不在這裡被拆解成意思；它所護住的，是行者離難、不退、不忘所證之地。走十地，不只有自己的力，也有諸佛所傳總持的護念。
可是路的終點並不是把自己安放在最高一地。聞經所得的十種無盡陀羅尼門，會把行者重新送回十方眾生之中：知他們的心行與言語，為他們說法，成熟他們的善根；雖不見一個實在的眾生可度，救護仍不止息。十地真正走上去時，『我的階位』反而退場，留下的是法如何住世、眾生如何得度。
所以全品最後不是收在十地彼此的差別，而是收在一味：「法界無分別，是故無異乘；為度眾生故，分別說有三。」路有十地，行有十度，護有十陀羅尼；法界本來一味，只因眾生無量，慈悲才說出無量條路。
One does not begin by seeking a fruit of attainment for oneself, but by bringing forth a mind capable of bearing all sentient beings.
This mind is like Mount Sumeru, benefiting all; like the earth, sustaining all things; like a lion, fearless; like the wind-wheel, never turning back; and like the sun, dispelling darkness. It is not something one can grasp. Precisely because nothing in it can be grasped, it is not confined by “self” and can unfold as the ten perfections: giving, ethical discipline, patience, vigorous effort, meditative concentration, wisdom, skillful means, vow, power, and knowledge. The ten perfections are not ten slogans. Each has five matters that must be put into practice; only by taking one step after another does the mind of awakening grow from an aspiration into a path.
As the path ascends, the obstructions grow subtler. At first one must leave behind attachment to self and dharmas and fear of saṃsāra’s evil destinies. Further on, even attachment to a wholesome quality newly attained, delight in purity, aversion to saṃsāra coupled with longing for nirvāṇa, or a deliberate preference for the signless can obstruct the next step. Joyful, Stainless, Luminous, Blazing, Difficult to Conquer, Face-to-Face, Far-Going, Immovable, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud are not ten labels affixed to a person. They are ten modes of life in which the ten perfections gradually mature, the twenty-two kinds of ignorance gradually come undone, and concentration and wisdom gradually deepen.
Each ground is also protected by a dhāraṇī: Reliance on the Power of Merit, Abiding Well in Peace and Ease, Difficult-to-Conquer Power, Great Benefit, Adorned with Manifold Merits, Perfect Wisdom, Practice Victorious in Dharma, Inexhaustible Treasury, Immeasurable Gateways, and Shattering the Vajra Mountain. Here the formula is not dismantled into lexical meanings. What it protects is the practitioner’s freedom from danger, non-retrogression, and unforgetting of the ground realized. To traverse the ten grounds is to rely not only on one’s own strength, but also on the protective remembrance conveyed by the buddhas’ dhāraṇīs.
Yet the end of the road is not to install oneself upon the highest ground. The ten inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī gateways gained by hearing the sūtra send the practitioner back among the sentient beings of the ten directions: to know their intentions, conduct, and speech; to teach them the Dharma; and to mature their roots of goodness. Though no substantially existent being is seen who could be saved, the work of rescue never ceases. When the ten grounds are truly ascended, “my rank” recedes; what remains is the question of how the Dharma may abide in the world and how sentient beings may be delivered.
Thus the chapter ends not with the distinctions among the ten grounds, but with their single flavor: 「法界無分別，是故無異乘；為度眾生故，分別說有三。」—“The dharma realm is without differentiation; therefore there are no distinct vehicles. For the sake of delivering sentient beings, three are taught by way of distinction.” The path has ten grounds, practice has ten perfections, and protection has ten dhāraṇīs. The dharma realm has always had one flavor; only because sentient beings are immeasurable does compassion speak immeasurable paths.
唐義淨譯《金光明最勝王經》卷四〈最淨地陀羅尼品第六〉· 大正藏 T16n0665〔起 T16 0417c23〕。段/行首〔T16 …〕＝大正藏頁·欄·行錨。
〔T16 0417c23〕爾時，師子相無礙光焰菩薩，與無量億眾，從座而起，偏袒右肩，右膝著地，合掌恭敬，頂禮佛足，以種種花香寶幢幡蓋而供養已，白佛言：「世尊！以幾因緣得菩提心？何者是菩提心？世尊！即於菩提，現在心不可得，未來心不可得，過去心不可得。離於菩提，菩提心亦不可得。菩提者，不可言說，心亦無色無相，無有事業，非可造作，眾生亦不可得，亦不可知。世尊！云何諸法甚深之義而可得知？」
〔T16 0418a04〕佛言：「善男子！如是！如是！菩提微妙，事業、造作皆不可得。若離菩提，菩提心亦不可得。菩提者，不可說，心亦不可說，無色相，無事業，一切眾生亦不可得。何以故？菩提及心，同真如故，能證所證，皆平等故，非無諸法而可了知。善男子！菩薩摩訶薩如是知者，乃得名為通達諸法，善說菩提及菩提心。菩提心者，非過去，非未來，非現在。心亦如是，眾生亦如是，於中二相，實不可得。何以故？以一切法皆無生故，菩提不可得，菩提名亦不可得，眾生、眾生名不可得，聲聞、聲聞名不可得，獨覺、獨覺名不可得，菩薩、菩薩名不可得，佛、佛名不可得，行、非行不可得，行、非行名不可得。以不可得故，於一切寂靜法中而得安住，此依一切功德善根而得生起。
「善男子！譬如寶須彌山王饒益一切，此菩提心利眾生故，是名第一布施波羅蜜因。善男子！譬如大地持眾物故，是名第二持戒波羅蜜因。譬如師子有大威力，獨步無畏，離驚恐故，是名第三忍辱波羅蜜因。譬如風輪那羅延力，勇壯速疾，心不退故，是名第四勤策波羅蜜因。譬如七寶樓觀有四階道，清涼之風來吹四門，受安隱樂，靜慮法藏求滿足故，是名第五靜慮波羅蜜因。譬如日輪光耀熾盛，此心速能破滅生死無明闇故，是名第六智慧波羅蜜因。譬如商主能令一切心願滿足，此心能度生死險道，獲功德寶故，是名第七方便勝智波羅蜜因。譬如淨月圓滿無翳，此心能於一切境界清淨具足故，是名第八願波羅蜜因。譬如轉輪聖王主兵寶臣隨意自在，此心善能莊嚴淨佛國土，無量功德廣利群生故，是名第九力波羅蜜因。譬如虛空及轉輪聖王，此心能於一切境界無有障礙，於一切處皆得自在至灌頂位故，是名第十智波羅蜜因。善男子！是名菩薩摩訶薩十種菩提心因，如是十因，汝當修學。
「善男子！依五種法，菩薩摩訶薩成就布施波羅蜜。云何為五？一者、信根；二者、慈悲；三者、無求欲心；四者、攝受一切眾生；五者、願求一切智智。善男子！是名菩薩摩訶薩成就布施波羅蜜。
「善男子！復依五法，菩薩摩訶薩成就持戒波羅蜜。云何為五？一者、三業清淨；二者、不為一切眾生作煩惱因緣；三者、閉諸惡道，開善趣門；四者、過於聲聞、獨覺之地；五者、一切功德皆悉滿足。善男子！是名菩薩摩訶薩成就持戒波羅蜜。
「善男子！復依五法，菩薩摩訶薩成就忍辱波羅蜜。云何為五？一者、能伏貪、瞋煩惱；二者、不惜身命，不求安樂止息之想；三者、思惟往業，遭苦能忍；四者、發慈悲心成就眾生諸善根故；五者、為得甚深無生法忍。善男子。是名菩薩摩訶薩成就忍辱波羅蜜。
「善男子！復依五法，菩薩摩訶薩成就勤策波羅蜜。云何為五？一者、與諸煩惱不樂共住；二者、福德未具不受安樂；三者、於諸難行苦行之事不生厭心；四者、以大慈悲攝受利益，方便成熟一切眾生；五者、願求不退轉地。善男子！是名菩薩摩訶薩成就勤策波羅蜜。
「善男子！復依五法，菩薩摩訶薩成就靜慮波羅蜜。云何為五？一者、於諸善法攝令不散故；二者、常願解脫，不著二邊故；三者、願得神通成就眾生諸善根故；四者、為淨法界，蠲除心垢故；五者、為斷眾生煩惱根本故。善男子！是名菩薩摩訶薩成就靜慮波羅蜜。
「善男子！復依五法，菩薩摩訶薩成就智慧波羅蜜。云何為五？一者、常於一切諸佛菩薩及明智者，供養親近，不生厭背；二者、諸佛如來說甚深法，心常樂聞，無有厭足；三者、真俗勝智，樂善分別；四者、見修煩惱，咸速斷除；五者、世間伎術五明之法，皆悉通達。善男子！是名菩薩摩訶薩成就智慧波羅蜜。
「善男子！復依五法，菩薩摩訶薩成就方便波羅蜜。云何為五？一者、於一切眾生意樂煩惱心行差別悉皆通達；二者、無量諸法對治之門，心皆曉了；三者、大慈悲定，出入自在；四者、於諸波羅蜜多，皆願修行，成就滿足；五者、一切佛法，皆願了達，攝受無遺。善男子！是名菩薩摩訶薩成就方便勝智波羅蜜。
「善男子！復依五法，菩薩摩訶薩成就願波羅蜜。云何為五？一者、於一切法從本以來，不生不滅，非有非無，心得安住；二者、觀一切法最妙理趣，離垢清淨，心得安住；三者、過一切想，是本真如，無作無行，不異不動心得安住；四者、為欲利益諸眾生事，於俗諦中，心得安住；五者、於奢摩他、毘鉢舍那，同時運行，心得安住。善男子！是名菩薩摩訶薩成就願波羅蜜。
〔T16 0419a05〕「善男子！復依五法，菩薩摩訶薩成就力波羅蜜。云何為五？一者、以正智力，能了一切眾生心行善惡；二者、能令一切眾生入於甚深微妙之法；三者、一切眾生輪迴生死，隨其緣業，如實了知；四者、於諸眾生，三種根性，以正智力，能分別知；五者、於諸眾生，如理為說，令種善根，成熟度脫，皆是智力故。善男子！是名菩薩摩訶薩成就力波羅蜜。
「善男子！復依五法，菩薩摩訶薩成就智波羅蜜。云何為五？一者、能於諸法，分別善惡；二者、於黑白法，遠離攝受；三者、能於生死涅槃，不厭不喜；四者、具福智行，至究竟處；五者、受勝灌頂，能得諸佛不共法等，及一切智智。善男子！是名菩薩摩訶薩成就智波羅蜜。
「善男子！何者是波羅蜜義？所謂修習勝利，是波羅蜜義；滿足無量大甚深智，是波羅蜜義；行非行法，心不執著，是波羅蜜義；生死過失，涅槃功德，正覺正觀，是波羅蜜義；愚人智人皆悉攝受，是波羅蜜義；能現種種珍妙法寶，是波羅蜜義；無礙解脫，智慧滿足，是波羅蜜義；法界、眾生界正分別知，是波羅蜜義；施等及智，能令至不退轉，是波羅蜜義；無生法忍，能令滿足，是波羅蜜義；一切眾生功德善根，能令成熟，是波羅蜜義；能於菩提成佛十力、四無所畏、不共法等，皆悉成就，是波羅蜜義；生死涅槃，了無二相，是波羅蜜義；濟度一切，是波羅蜜義；一切外道來相詰難，善能解釋，令其降伏，是波羅蜜義；能轉十二妙行法輪，是波羅蜜義；無所著、無所見、無患累，是波羅蜜多義。
「善男子！初地菩薩是相先現，三千大千世界，無量無邊種種寶藏，無不盈滿，菩薩悉見。善男子！二地菩薩是相先現，三千大千世界地平如掌，無量無邊種種妙色，清淨珍寶莊嚴之具，菩薩悉見。善男子！三地菩薩是相先現，自身勇健，甲仗莊嚴，一切怨賊，皆能摧伏，菩薩悉見。善男子！四地菩薩是相先現，四方風輪種種妙花，悉皆散灑，充布地上，菩薩悉見。善男子！五地菩薩是相先現，有妙寶女，眾寶瓔珞周遍嚴身，首冠名花以為其飾，菩薩悉見。善男子！六地菩薩是相先現，七寶花池有四階道，金沙遍布，清淨無穢，八功德水皆悉盈滿，嗢鉢羅花、拘物頭花、分陀利花隨處莊嚴，於花池所，遊戲快樂，清涼無比，菩薩悉見。善男子！七地菩薩是相先現，於菩薩前，有諸眾生應墮地獄，以菩薩力，便得不墮，無有損傷，亦無恐怖，菩薩悉見。善男子！八地菩薩是相先現，於身兩邊，有師子王以為衛護，一切眾獸悉皆怖畏，菩薩悉見。善男子！九地菩薩是相先現，轉輪聖王無量億眾圍遶供養，頂上白蓋，無量眾寶之所莊嚴，菩薩悉見。善男子！十地菩薩是相先現，如來之身，金色晃耀，無量淨光，皆悉圓滿，有無量億梵王圍遶，恭敬供養，轉於無上微妙法輪，菩薩悉見。
「善男子！云何初地名為歡喜？謂初證得出世之心，昔所未得而今始得，於大事用，如其所願，悉皆成就，生極喜樂，是故最初名為歡喜。諸微細垢，犯戒過失，皆得清淨，是故二地名為無垢。無量智慧三昧光明，不可傾動，無能摧伏，聞持陀羅尼以為根本，是故三地名為明地。以智慧火燒諸煩惱，增長光明，修行覺品，是故四地名為焰地。修行方便，勝智自在，極難得故，見修煩惱，難伏能伏，是故五地名為難勝。行法相續，了了顯現，無相思惟，皆悉現前，是故六地名為現前。無漏、無間、無相思惟，解脫三昧，遠修行故，是地清淨，無有障礙，是故七地名為遠行。無相思惟，修得自在，諸煩惱行，不能令動，是故八地名為不動。說一切法種種差別，皆得自在，無患無累，增長智慧，自在無礙，是故九地名為善慧。法身如虛空，智慧如大雲，皆能遍滿覆一切故，是故第十名為法雲。
「善男子！執著有相我法無明、怖畏生死惡趣無明，此二無明障於初地。微細學處誤犯無明、發起種種業行無明，此二無明障於二地。未得今得愛著無明、能障殊勝總持無明，此二無明障於三地。味著等至喜悅無明、微妙淨法愛樂無明，此二無明障於四地。欲背生死無明、希趣涅槃無明，此二無明障於五地。觀行流轉無明、麁相現前無明，此二無明障於六地。微細諸相現行無明、作意欣樂無相無明，此二無明障於七地。於無相觀功用無明、執相自在無明，此二無明障於八地。於所說義及名句文此二無礙未善巧無明、於詞辯才不隨意無明，此二無明障於九地。於大神通未得自在變現無明、微細祕密未能悟解事業無明，此二無明障於十地。於一切境微細所知障礙無明、極細煩惱麁重無明，此二無明障於佛地。
〔T16 0420a12〕「善男子！菩薩摩訶薩於初地中行施波羅蜜，於第二地行戒波羅蜜，於第三地行忍波羅蜜，於第四地行勤波羅蜜，於第五地行定波羅蜜，於第六地行慧波羅蜜，於第七地行方便勝智波羅蜜，於第八地行願波羅蜜，於第九地行力波羅蜜，於第十地行智波羅蜜。
「善男子！菩薩摩訶薩最初發心攝受，能生妙寶三摩地；第二發心攝受，能生可愛樂三摩地；第三發心攝受，能生難動三摩地；第四發心攝受，能生不退轉三摩地；第五發心攝受，能生寶花三摩地；第六發心攝受，能生日圓光焰三摩地；第七發心攝受，能生一切願如意成就三摩地；第八發心攝受，能生現前證住三摩地；第九發心攝受，能生智藏三摩地；第十發心攝受，能生勇進三摩地。善男子！是名菩薩摩訶薩十種發心。
「善男子！菩薩摩訶薩於此初地得陀羅尼，名依功德力。」
爾時世尊即說呪曰：
「怛姪他 晡𠷈儞 曼奴喇剃 獨虎 獨虎 獨虎 耶跋 蘇利瑜 阿婆婆薩底〔丁里反，下皆同〕 耶跋 旃達囉 調怛底 多跋達𠸪叉漫 憚茶鉢唎訶㘕 矩嚕 莎訶
「善男子！此陀羅尼是過一恒河沙數諸佛所說，為護初地菩薩摩訶薩故。若有誦持此陀羅尼呪者，得脫一切怖畏，所謂虎狼、師子、惡獸之類，一切惡鬼、人非人等，怨賊災橫及諸苦惱，解脫五障，不忘念初地。
「善男子！菩薩摩訶薩於第二地得陀羅尼，名善安樂住。
「怛姪他 嗢篅〔入聲，下同〕哩 質哩質哩 嗢篅羅篅羅〔引〕 喃繕覩繕覩嗢篅哩 虎嚕虎嚕 莎訶
「善男子！此陀羅尼是過二恒河沙數諸佛所說，為護二地菩薩摩訶薩故。若有誦持此陀羅尼呪者，脫諸怖畏惡獸、惡鬼、人非人等，怨賊災橫及諸苦惱，解脫五障，不忘念二地。
「善男子！菩薩摩訶薩於第三地得陀羅尼，名難勝力。
「怛姪他 憚宅 枳般 宅枳 羯喇 㨖高喇㨖 雞由哩 憚㨖哩 莎訶
「善男子！此陀羅尼是過三恒河沙數諸佛所說，為護三地菩薩摩訶薩故。若有誦持此陀羅尼呪者，脫諸怖畏惡獸、惡鬼、人非人等，怨賊災橫及諸苦惱，解脫五障，不忘念三地。
「善男子！菩薩摩訶薩於第四地得陀羅尼，名大利益。
「怛姪他 室唎室唎 陀弭儞陀弭儞 陀哩陀哩儞 室唎室唎儞 毘舍羅波世波始娜 畔陀弭帝 莎訶
「善男子！此陀羅尼是過四恒河沙數諸佛所說，為護四地菩薩摩訶薩故。若有誦持此陀羅尼呪者，脫諸怖畏惡獸、惡鬼、人非人等，怨賊災橫及諸苦惱，解脫五障，不忘念四地。
「善男子！菩薩摩訶薩於第五地得陀羅尼，名種種功德莊嚴。
「怛姪他 訶哩訶哩 儞遮哩遮哩儞 羯喇摩〔引〕 儞僧羯喇摩〔引〕 儞 三婆山儞瞻跋儞 悉耽婆儞謨漢儞 碎閻步陛莎訶
「善男子！此陀羅尼是過五恒河沙數諸佛所說，為護五地菩薩摩訶薩故。若有誦持此陀羅尼呪者，脫諸怖畏惡獸、惡鬼、人非人等，怨賊災橫及諸苦惱，解脫五障，不忘念五地。
「善男子！菩薩摩訶薩於第六地得陀羅尼，名圓滿智。
「怛姪他 毘徙哩毘徙哩 摩哩儞迦哩迦哩 毘度漢底 嚕嚕嚕嚕 主嚕主嚕杜嚕婆杜嚕婆 捨捨設者婆哩灑莎〔入〕 悉底薩婆薩埵喃 悉甸覩曼怛囉鉢陀儞莎訶
〔T16 0421a04〕「善男子！此陀羅尼是過六恒河沙數諸佛所說，為護六地菩薩摩訶薩故。若有誦持此陀羅尼呪者，脫諸怖畏惡獸、惡鬼、人非人等，怨賊災橫及諸苦惱，解脫五障，不忘念六地。
「善男子！菩薩摩訶薩於第七地得陀羅尼，名法勝行。
「怛姪他 勺訶〔上〕 勺訶〔引〕 嚕勺訶勺訶勺訶嚕 鞞陸枳鞞陸枳 阿蜜㗚哆唬漢儞勃哩山儞 鞞嚕勅枳婆嚕伐底 鞞提呬枳 頻陀鞞哩儞 阿蜜哩底枳 薄虎主愈薄虎主愈莎訶
「善男子！此陀羅尼是過七恒河沙數諸佛所說，為護七地菩薩摩訶薩故。若有誦持此陀羅尼呪者，脫諸怖畏惡獸、惡鬼、人非人等，怨賊災橫及諸苦惱，解脫五障，不忘念七地。
「善男子！菩薩摩訶薩於第八地得陀羅尼，名無盡藏。
「怛姪他 室唎室唎室唎儞 蜜底蜜底 羯哩羯哩醯嚕醯嚕 主嚕主嚕 畔陀弭莎訶
「善男子！此陀羅尼是過八恒河沙數諸佛所說，為護八地菩薩摩訶薩故。若有誦持此陀羅尼呪者，脫諸怖畏惡獸、惡鬼、人非人等，怨賊災橫及諸苦惱，解脫五障，不忘念八地。
「善男子！菩薩摩訶薩於第九地得陀羅尼，名無量門。
「怛姪他 訶哩旃荼哩枳 俱藍婆喇體〔天里反〕 都剌死 跋吒跋吒死室唎室唎迦室哩迦必室唎 莎〔蘇活反〕悉底 薩婆薩埵喃莎訶
「善男子！此陀羅尼是過九恒河沙數諸佛所說，為護九地菩薩摩訶薩故。若有誦持此陀羅尼呪者，脫諸怖畏惡獸、惡鬼、人非人等，怨賊災橫及諸苦惱，解脫五障，不忘念九地。
「善男子！菩薩摩訶薩於第十地得陀羅尼，名破金剛山。
「怛姪他 悉提〔去〕 蘇悉提〔去〕謨折儞木察儞毘木底菴末麗 毘末麗涅末麗 忙揭麗呬㘓若揭鞞 曷喇怛娜揭鞞 三曼多跋姪麗 薩婆頞他娑憚儞 摩捺斯莫訶摩捺斯 頞步底頞 窒步底 阿𡃤誓毘喇誓頞主底菴蜜㗚底 阿𡃤誓毘喇誓 跋㘕謎 跋囉蚶〔火含〕麼莎〔入〕 囇晡喇儞晡喇娜 曼奴喇剃莎訶
「善男子！此陀羅尼灌頂吉祥句，是過十恒河沙數諸佛所說，為護十地菩薩摩訶薩故。若有誦持此陀羅尼呪者，脫諸怖畏惡獸、惡鬼、人非人等，怨賊災橫，一切毒害，皆悉除滅，解脫五障，不忘念十地。」
爾時師子相無礙光焰菩薩，聞佛說此不可思議陀羅尼已，即從座起，偏袒右肩，右膝著地，合掌恭敬頂禮佛足，以頌讚佛：
「敬禮無譬喻，甚深無相法；
眾生失正知，唯佛能濟度。
如來明慧眼，不見一法相；
復以正法眼，普照不思議。
不生於一法，亦不滅一法；
由斯平等見，得至無上處。
不壞於生死，亦不住涅槃；
不著於二邊，是故證圓寂。
於淨不淨品，世尊知一味；
由不分別法，獲得最清淨。
世尊無邊身，不說於一字；
令諸弟子眾，法雨皆充滿。
佛觀眾生相，一切種皆無；
然於苦惱者，常興於救護。
苦樂常無常，有我無我等；
不一亦不異，不生亦不滅。
如是眾多義，隨說有差別；
譬如空谷響，唯佛能了知。
法界無分別，是故無異乘；
為度眾生故，分別說有三。」
爾時，大自在梵天王亦從座起，偏袒右肩，右膝著地，合掌恭敬頂禮佛足，而白佛言：「世尊！此《金光明最勝王經》，希有難量，初中後善，文義究竟，皆能成就一切佛法；若受持者，是人則為報諸佛恩。」
〔T16 0422a04〕佛言：「善男子！如是！如是！如汝所說。善男子！若得聽聞是經典者，皆不退於阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。何以故？善男子！是能成熟不退地菩薩殊勝善根，是第一法印，是眾經王，故應聽聞、受持、讀誦。何以故？善男子！若一切眾生未種善根，未成熟善根，未親近諸佛者，不能聽聞是微妙法。若善男子、善女人能聽受者，一切罪障皆悉除滅，得最清淨，常得見佛，不離諸佛及善知識勝行之人，恒聞妙法，住不退地，獲得如是勝陀羅尼門無盡無減；所謂海印出妙功德陀羅尼無盡無減；通達眾生意行言語陀羅尼無盡無減，日圓無垢相光陀羅尼無盡無減；滿月相光陀羅尼無盡無減；能伏諸惑演功德流陀羅尼無盡無減；破金剛山陀羅尼無盡無減；說不可說義因緣藏陀羅尼無盡無減；通達實語法則音聲陀羅尼無盡無減；虛空無垢心行印陀羅尼無盡無減；無邊佛身皆能顯現陀羅尼，無盡無減。
「善男子！如是等無盡無減諸陀羅尼門得成就故，是菩薩摩訶薩能於十方一切佛土化作佛身，演說無上種種正法，於法真如不動不住、不來不去，善能成熟一切眾生善根，亦不見一眾生可成熟者。雖說種種諸法，於言辭中不動不住、不去不來，能於生滅證無生滅。以何因緣說諸行法無有去來？由一切法體無異故。」
說是法時，三萬億菩薩摩訶薩得無生法忍，無量諸菩薩不退菩提心，無量無邊苾芻、苾芻尼得法眼淨，無量眾生發菩薩心。
爾時，世尊而說頌曰：
「勝法能逆生死流，甚深微妙難得見；
有情盲冥貪欲覆，由不見故受眾苦。」
爾時，大眾俱從座起，頂禮佛足而白佛言：「世尊！若所在處，講宣讀誦此《金光明最勝王經》，我等大眾皆悉往彼為作聽眾，是說法師令得利益，安樂無障，身意泰然。我等皆當盡心供養，亦令聽眾安隱快樂，所住國土，無諸怨賊、恐怖、厄難、飢饉之苦，人民熾盛。此說法處道場之地，一切諸天、人非人等一切眾生，不應履踐及以污穢。何以故？說法之處即是制底，當以香花、繒綵、幡蓋而為供養，我等常為守護，令離衰損。」
佛告大眾：「善男子！汝等應當精勤修習此妙經典，是則正法久住於世。」
The canonical text stands in Chinese only. This edition renders the essence, the plain reading, the exposition and the apparatus into English — never the sūtra itself. Switch to 漢讀本 or 並行雙語 above to read it.
唐義淨譯《金光明最勝王經》卷四〈最淨地陀羅尼品第六〉白話譯。
從一個最根本的問題開始
這時，師子相無礙光焰菩薩和無量億大眾一起從座位起身，袒露右肩，右膝跪地，恭敬合掌，頂禮佛足。他以種種花、香、寶幢、幡蓋供養佛陀，然後請問：『世尊，要具備多少種因緣，才能發起菩提心？菩提心本身又是什麼？』
他接著說：如果就在菩提之中尋找，現在的心找不到，未來的心找不到，過去的心也找不到；離開菩提，菩提心同樣找不到。菩提不能用言語說明，心也沒有色彩、形相和可指認的作用，不是人為造作出來的；眾生也找不到、不可知。那麼，諸法如此深奧的義理，究竟要怎樣才能知道？
佛陀回答：『是的，正是如此。』菩提微妙，不能把它當作一件可造作的事；離開菩提，也找不到另一個菩提心。菩提不可說，心也不可說；心沒有色相，沒有一件固定的事業，一切眾生也沒有可執取的自體。為什麼？所證的菩提與能證的心同是真如；能證與所證平等，所以不能把它們執作兩個實體。然而，這不是說一切法全都沒有，而是要離開錯誤執取，如實了知諸法。
能這樣知道的菩薩，才叫通達諸法，也才能善巧說明菩提與菩提心。菩提心不屬過去、未來或現在；心如此，眾生也是如此，其中能證與所證的二相都真實不可得。因為一切法本來無生，所以菩提不可得，『菩提』這個名稱也不可得；眾生不可得，『眾生』之名也不可得；聲聞、獨覺、菩薩、佛都不可得，這些名稱也不可得；行與非行不可得，『行』『非行』的名稱也不可得。由於不再執取，菩薩便能安住於一切寂靜法中；同時仍依世俗假立的因緣，從一切功德善根生起菩提心。不可得與修善，在這裡不是互相取消的兩件事。
十種菩提心因：十個譬喻，十種方向
佛陀逐一說明十種發心之因：
一、寶須彌山王能使一切眾生得到利益；菩提心也為利益眾生而發，所以這是布施波羅蜜之因。
二、大地能承載萬物；菩提心也承載一切善行，所以這是持戒波羅蜜之因。
三、師子威力強大，能夠獨自行走而無所畏懼、遠離驚恐；菩提心也能面對怨害與苦難，所以這是忍辱波羅蜜之因。
四、風輪具有那羅延一般的力量，勇健、迅速而不退；菩提心也勇猛向前，所以這是勤策波羅蜜之因。
五、七寶樓閣有四面階道，清涼之風從四門吹入，使人安穩快樂；菩提心要從靜慮法藏中求得滿足，所以這是靜慮波羅蜜之因。
六、日輪光明熾盛；菩提心也能迅速破除生死中的無明黑暗，所以這是智慧波羅蜜之因。
七、商主能帶領人越過生死險路，使眾人的願望得到滿足、獲得功德珍寶；所以這是方便勝智波羅蜜之因。
八、清淨的滿月圓滿無翳；菩提心也要在一切境界中清淨具足，所以這是願波羅蜜之因。
九、轉輪聖王的主兵寶臣能隨意自在；菩提心也能善巧莊嚴清淨佛土，以無量功德廣大利益眾生，所以這是力波羅蜜之因。
十、虛空沒有障礙，轉輪聖王也能自在統攝；菩提心同樣要在一切境界、一切處所無礙自在，直至灌頂位，所以這是智波羅蜜之因。
這就是菩薩應當修學的十種菩提心因。
十波羅蜜各依五法成就
發心之後，必須把心落實為行。佛陀為十種波羅蜜各列五法，一共五十項。
一、布施波羅蜜的五法
一是建立堅固的信根，讓菩提心有根本依止；二是以慈悲為依止；三是布施時沒有貪求回報的欲望；四是願意攝受一切眾生，不把任何人排除在外；五是把所行布施都導向求得一切智智。具足這五法，才成就布施波羅蜜；它不只是把財物給出去，而是由信、悲、清淨、不捨眾生和求佛智共同成就。
二、持戒波羅蜜的五法
一是使身、語、意三業清淨；二是不為任何眾生造成生起煩惱的因緣；三是關閉通往惡道的門，開啟趣向善處的門；四是超越聲聞與獨覺之地；五是使一切功德全部圓滿。這五法分別包含止惡、攝善與利益有情，不能只理解為遵守規矩。
三、忍辱波羅蜜的五法
一是能降伏貪與瞋的煩惱；二是不愛惜自己的身命，也不追求安逸和停歇；三是思惟過去所造的業，遭遇痛苦時能夠忍受；四是發起慈悲心，成就眾生的種種善根；五是為了證得甚深的無生法忍。耐受怨害、安受眾苦與觀察真理各有層次，遭苦能忍不能取代無生法忍。
四、勤策波羅蜜的五法
一是不願與煩惱共同安住；二是福德還未具足時，不先貪受安樂；三是面對難行、苦行之事，不生厭倦；四是以大慈悲攝受、利益眾生，並用方便使一切眾生成熟；五是願求不退轉地。勤策不只是用力做事，而是對煩惱不妥協、對自利不搶先、對難行不退、對眾生不捨、對菩提不轉。
五、靜慮波羅蜜的五法
一是攝持一切善法，使心不散亂；二是常願解脫，不住於空、有兩邊；三是願得神通，以成就眾生的善根；四是為了清淨法界而除去心垢；五是為了斷除眾生煩惱的根本。具足這五法，才是靜慮波羅蜜；定不是退避眾生，而是攝心、離邊、淨界並成辦利他。
六、智慧波羅蜜的五法
一是常常供養、親近一切諸佛、菩薩和有智慧的人，從不厭離背棄；二是諸佛如來宣說甚深法時，心中總是樂於聽聞，永不滿足；三是樂於善巧分辨真諦與俗諦的殊勝智慧；四是迅速斷除見道與修道所斷的煩惱；五是通達世間技藝及五明之法。親近聞法、分辨真俗、斷惑和通達五明，各自都不能省略。
七、方便勝智波羅蜜的五法
一是通達一切眾生在意樂、煩惱和心行上的種種差別；二是明白無量諸法的各種對治門；三是在大慈悲定中出入自在；四是願意修習一切波羅蜜，令其成就圓滿；五是願意了達並攝受一切佛法，毫無遺漏。前三項著重拔濟眾生的方便，後兩項把所修都導向圓滿菩提。
八、願波羅蜜的五法
一是安住於一切法從本以來不生不滅、非有非無；二是觀察一切法最微妙的理趣，離垢清淨而安住；三是超越一切想，安住於心之根本真如——它不是由煩惱造作，不在三世中流轉，沒有前後差別，也不遷滅；四是為了利益眾生，在世俗諦中安住；五是使奢摩他之止與毘鉢舍那之觀同時運行。願既向於法身，也不離俗諦利生；止與觀必須一同運轉。
九、力波羅蜜的五法
一是以正智之力，明白一切眾生心行的善惡；二是能使一切眾生進入甚深微妙之法；三是如實知道一切眾生在生死中輪迴的因緣與業；四是以正智之力分別眾生的三種根性，知道根的勝劣與種種差別，不在經文以外另造三個名稱；五是依理為眾生說法，使他們種下善根、漸次成熟而得度脫。這五項都是智力的作用。
十、智波羅蜜的五法
一是能分別諸法的善與惡；二是使眾生遠離黑法、攝受白法；三是為利益有情，對生死不厭棄，對涅槃不貪喜；四是具足福德與智慧之行，直到究竟之處；五是在第十地受殊勝灌頂，證得諸佛不共法和一切智智。前面的分辨、離惡取善與不住生死涅槃成熟眾生，後面的福智究竟與灌頂成辦佛法，五項依次俱足。
波羅蜜的十七層意義
佛陀接著問：什麼叫作波羅蜜？祂逐層說明：
一、反覆修習殊勝而有利益的行法，是波羅蜜之義。
二、圓滿無量、廣大而甚深的智慧，是波羅蜜之義。
三、面對行與非行之法，心都不執著，是波羅蜜之義。
四、如實看見生死的過失與涅槃的功德，以正覺正觀加以觀察，是波羅蜜之義。
五、不捨愚人，也不捨智者，將兩者全都攝受，是波羅蜜之義。
六、能顯現種種珍貴微妙的法寶，是波羅蜜之義。
七、得到無礙解脫，智慧圓滿，是波羅蜜之義。
八、能正確分別了知法界與眾生界，是波羅蜜之義。
九、從布施直到智慧，都能令人到達不退轉，是波羅蜜之義。
十、能使無生法忍圓滿，是波羅蜜之義。
十一、能使一切眾生的功德善根成熟，是波羅蜜之義。
十二、能在菩提上成就佛的十力、四無所畏和種種不共法，是波羅蜜之義。
十三、明白生死與涅槃沒有二相，是波羅蜜之義。
十四、救濟度脫一切眾生，是波羅蜜之義。
十五、面對一切外道前來質問辯難，能善巧解釋而使其折伏，是波羅蜜之義。
十六、能轉十二種微妙行相的法輪，是波羅蜜之義。
十七、無所執著、無所見取、沒有禍患負累，是波羅蜜多之義。
所謂到彼岸，不只是一個空間譬喻；也包含所知、教法、真理、修行和果德五個面向。十度使人遠離生死五蘊，抵達這五種彼岸。
十地將現時的十種先相
佛陀又說，菩薩將入每一地時，先會見到相應的徵相：
一、初地將現時，菩薩看見三千大千世界充滿無量無邊的各種寶藏，沒有一處不盈滿。
二、二地將現時，菩薩看見三千大千世界的大地平坦如手掌，遍布無量無邊的妙色、清淨珍寶和莊嚴器具。
三、三地將現時，菩薩看見自己勇猛健壯，以甲冑兵仗莊嚴，能摧伏一切怨賊。
四、四地將現時，菩薩看見四方風輪送來種種妙花，紛紛散落，鋪滿地面。
五、五地將現時，菩薩看見一位妙寶女，以眾寶瓔珞周遍莊嚴身體，頭上戴著名花作裝飾。
六、六地將現時，菩薩看見七寶花池有四面階道，金沙遍布，清淨無穢，八功德水全部盈滿；嗢鉢羅花、拘物頭花、分陀利花處處莊嚴，在花池旁遊戲安樂，清涼無比。
七、七地將現時，菩薩看見有些眾生本應墮入地獄，卻由菩薩之力得以不墮，沒有損傷，也沒有恐怖。
八、八地將現時，菩薩看見身體兩旁各有師子王守衛保護，一切野獸都感到畏懼。
九、九地將現時，菩薩看見轉輪聖王被無量億大眾圍遶供養，頭頂白蓋，以無量珍寶莊嚴。
十、十地將現時，菩薩看見如來金色之身光明照耀，無量清淨光明全都圓滿，無量億梵王圍遶恭敬供養，佛陀正在轉無上微妙法輪。
十地為何有這十個名稱
一、初地名歡喜。菩薩第一次證得出世之心，過去未得而今始得；在自利上有全新的證得，在利他的大事用上又能如願成辦，所以生起極大喜樂。
二、二地名無垢。微細的污垢和犯戒過失都得到清淨，所以稱為無垢。
三、三地名明地。無量聞、思、修智慧與三昧光明從定而發，不可動搖，也無人能摧伏，並以聞持陀羅尼為根本，所以稱為明地。
四、四地名焰地。智慧之火燃燒煩惱，光明增長，又修習覺悟之道品，所以稱為焰地。
五、五地名難勝。真諦智與俗諦智的行相看似相違，菩薩卻能使兩者相應而同時生起；又能以自在方便，降伏難以降伏的見道、修道煩惱，所以稱為難勝，不只是泛指這一地很困難。
六、六地名現前。菩薩恆常觀察十二因緣的相續道理，智慧清楚顯現，並能引起無分別的無相思惟，使它現前，所以稱為現前。
七、七地名遠行。無漏、無間的無相思惟和解脫三昧長時相續，並超出前三地相似世間的施戒修行及四、五、六地相似二乘的道品、四諦、緣起行，所以稱為遠行；『遠』不是空間距離。
八、八地名不動。無相思惟能任運現起，修習已得自在，種種煩惱行都不能使它動搖，所以稱為不動。
九、九地名善慧。菩薩能自在說明一切法的種種差別，沒有憂患負累，智慧不斷增長，並能任運取得四無礙智而自在說法，所以稱為善慧。
十、十地名法雲。法身猶如虛空，大智慧猶如遍滿虛空的大雲，能普遍覆護一切，也能像雲降雨般宣說妙法，所以稱為法雲。
二十二種無明：十地二十項，佛地再二項
每一地都有兩種細障要斷，十地共有二十種；佛地另列兩種，共二十二種：
一、障礙初地的，是執著有相之我與法的無明，以及畏懼生死惡趣的無明。
二、障礙二地的，是對微細學處因無明而誤犯，以及發起種種業行的無明。
三、障礙三地的，是對過去未得、現在新得之勝法生起愛著，以及妨礙殊勝總持的無明。
四、障礙四地的，是貪著等至之樂、心生喜悅，以及愛樂微妙清淨法的無明。
五、障礙五地的，是想背離生死，以及只想趨入涅槃的無明；兩者都沒有如實了知生死與涅槃的真體無別。
六、障礙六地的，是觀察諸行流轉時的無明，以及粗顯法相現前的無明。
七、障礙七地的，是微細諸相仍會現行，以及刻意欣樂無相境界的無明。
八、障礙八地的，是修無相觀仍須用力加行，以及對相自在有所執取的無明。
九、障礙九地的，是對所說義理以及名、句、文這兩種無礙解尚未善巧，以及詞句辯才不能隨意自在的無明。
十、障礙十地的，是對大神通尚不能自在變現，以及對微細祕密的事業尚不能悟解的無明。
十一、障礙佛地的，是面對一切境界仍有極微細的所知障礙，以及極其細微的煩惱粗重。
二地的底本文字作『誤犯』；古疏牒文另存『護犯』，疏解又存『悞犯』。九地底本作『二無礙未善巧』，古疏牒文另作『二無量未得善巧』。這些字面各自保留，不在白話中暗中互改，也不判哪一個較優。
十地各以一度增勝，並生一種三摩地
佛陀把十地與十度依次相配：初地以布施波羅蜜增勝，二地以持戒波羅蜜增勝，三地以忍辱波羅蜜增勝，四地以勤策波羅蜜增勝，五地以靜慮波羅蜜增勝，六地以智慧波羅蜜增勝，七地以方便勝智波羅蜜增勝，八地以願波羅蜜增勝，九地以力波羅蜜增勝，十地以智波羅蜜增勝。這是說每地有一度特別顯著，不是說該地只修這一度；每一地仍具修十度。
十次發心又各生一種三摩地：第一次發心攝受，生妙寶三摩地；第二次，生可愛樂三摩地；第三次，生難動三摩地；第四次，生不退轉三摩地；第五次，生寶花三摩地；第六次，生日圓光焰三摩地；第七次，生一切願如意成就三摩地；第八次，生現前證住三摩地；第九次，生智藏三摩地；第十次，生勇進三摩地。修習十地增勝之度時，定與慧要同時修行。
十地十陀羅尼：地地得護
佛陀接著為十地各說一種陀羅尼。每一段都有地名、陀羅尼名、真言、多佛所說、所護之地、離怖畏與解脫五障、不忘該地的完整次第。十段真言都只保存古代音寫，不翻譯、不解釋字義，也不還原為另一種文字。
初地：依功德力陀羅尼
佛陀說，初地菩薩得到名為『依功德力』的陀羅尼，隨即宣說真言：
『真言音寫，不譯』
怛姪他 晡𠷈儞 曼奴喇剃 獨虎 獨虎 獨虎 耶跋 蘇利瑜 阿婆婆薩底〔丁里反，下皆同〕 耶跋 旃達囉 調怛底 多跋達𠸪叉漫 憚茶鉢唎訶㘕 矩嚕 莎訶
這段陀羅尼是過一恒河沙數諸佛所說，為了護持初地菩薩。持誦者能脫離一切怖畏，包括虎、狼、師子等惡獸，一切惡鬼、人與非人，以及怨賊、意外災難和種種苦惱；又能解脫五障，不忘失初地。
二地：善安樂住陀羅尼
二地菩薩得到名為『善安樂住』的陀羅尼：
『真言音寫，不譯』
怛姪他 嗢篅〔入聲，下同〕哩 質哩質哩 嗢篅羅篅羅〔引〕 喃繕覩繕覩嗢篅哩 虎嚕虎嚕 莎訶
這段陀羅尼是過二恒河沙數諸佛所說，為了護持二地菩薩。持誦者能脫離惡獸、惡鬼、人與非人所帶來的怖畏，以及怨賊、意外災難和種種苦惱；又能解脫五障，不忘失二地。
三地：難勝力陀羅尼
三地菩薩得到名為『難勝力』的陀羅尼：
『真言音寫，不譯』
怛姪他 憚宅 枳般 宅枳 羯喇 㨖高喇㨖 雞由哩 憚㨖哩 莎訶
這段陀羅尼是過三恒河沙數諸佛所說，為了護持三地菩薩。持誦者能脫離惡獸、惡鬼、人與非人所帶來的怖畏，以及怨賊、意外災難和種種苦惱；又能解脫五障，不忘失三地。
四地：大利益陀羅尼
四地菩薩得到名為『大利益』的陀羅尼：
『真言音寫，不譯』
怛姪他 室唎室唎 陀弭儞陀弭儞 陀哩陀哩儞 室唎室唎儞 毘舍羅波世波始娜 畔陀弭帝 莎訶
這段陀羅尼是過四恒河沙數諸佛所說，為了護持四地菩薩。持誦者能脫離惡獸、惡鬼、人與非人所帶來的怖畏，以及怨賊、意外災難和種種苦惱；又能解脫五障，不忘失四地。
五地：種種功德莊嚴陀羅尼
五地菩薩得到名為『種種功德莊嚴』的陀羅尼：
『真言音寫，不譯』
怛姪他 訶哩訶哩 儞遮哩遮哩儞 羯喇摩〔引〕 儞僧羯喇摩〔引〕 儞 三婆山儞瞻跋儞 悉耽婆儞謨漢儞 碎閻步陛莎訶
這段陀羅尼是過五恒河沙數諸佛所說，為了護持五地菩薩。持誦者能脫離惡獸、惡鬼、人與非人所帶來的怖畏，以及怨賊、意外災難和種種苦惱；又能解脫五障，不忘失五地。
六地：圓滿智陀羅尼
六地菩薩得到名為『圓滿智』的陀羅尼：
『真言音寫，不譯』
怛姪他 毘徙哩毘徙哩 摩哩儞迦哩迦哩 毘度漢底 嚕嚕嚕嚕 主嚕主嚕杜嚕婆杜嚕婆 捨捨設者婆哩灑莎〔入〕 悉底薩婆薩埵喃 悉甸覩曼怛囉鉢陀儞莎訶
這段陀羅尼是過六恒河沙數諸佛所說，為了護持六地菩薩。持誦者能脫離惡獸、惡鬼、人與非人所帶來的怖畏，以及怨賊、意外災難和種種苦惱；又能解脫五障，不忘失六地。
七地：法勝行陀羅尼
七地菩薩得到名為『法勝行』的陀羅尼：
『真言音寫，不譯』
怛姪他 勺訶〔上〕 勺訶〔引〕 嚕勺訶勺訶勺訶嚕 鞞陸枳鞞陸枳 阿蜜㗚哆唬漢儞勃哩山儞 鞞嚕勅枳婆嚕伐底 鞞提呬枳 頻陀鞞哩儞 阿蜜哩底枳 薄虎主愈薄虎主愈莎訶
這段陀羅尼是過七恒河沙數諸佛所說，為了護持七地菩薩。持誦者能脫離惡獸、惡鬼、人與非人所帶來的怖畏，以及怨賊、意外災難和種種苦惱；又能解脫五障，不忘失七地。
八地：無盡藏陀羅尼
八地菩薩得到名為『無盡藏』的陀羅尼：
『真言音寫，不譯』
怛姪他 室唎室唎室唎儞 蜜底蜜底 羯哩羯哩醯嚕醯嚕 主嚕主嚕 畔陀弭莎訶
這段陀羅尼是過八恒河沙數諸佛所說，為了護持八地菩薩。持誦者能脫離惡獸、惡鬼、人與非人所帶來的怖畏，以及怨賊、意外災難和種種苦惱；又能解脫五障，不忘失八地。
九地：無量門陀羅尼
九地菩薩得到名為『無量門』的陀羅尼：
『真言音寫，不譯』
怛姪他 訶哩旃荼哩枳 俱藍婆喇體〔天里反〕 都剌死 跋吒跋吒死室唎室唎迦室哩迦必室唎 莎〔蘇活反〕悉底 薩婆薩埵喃莎訶
這段陀羅尼是過九恒河沙數諸佛所說，為了護持九地菩薩。持誦者能脫離惡獸、惡鬼、人與非人所帶來的怖畏，以及怨賊、意外災難和種種苦惱；又能解脫五障，不忘失九地。
十地：破金剛山陀羅尼
十地菩薩得到名為『破金剛山』的陀羅尼：
『真言音寫，不譯』
怛姪他 悉提〔去〕 蘇悉提〔去〕謨折儞木察儞毘木底菴末麗 毘末麗涅末麗 忙揭麗呬㘓若揭鞞 曷喇怛娜揭鞞 三曼多跋姪麗 薩婆頞他娑憚儞 摩捺斯莫訶摩捺斯 頞步底頞 窒步底 阿𡃤誓毘喇誓頞主底菴蜜㗚底 阿𡃤誓毘喇誓 跋㘕謎 跋囉蚶〔火含〕麼莎〔入〕 囇晡喇儞晡喇娜 曼奴喇剃莎訶
這段陀羅尼是灌頂吉祥句，是過十恒河沙數諸佛所說，為了護持十地菩薩。持誦者能脫離惡獸、惡鬼、人與非人所帶來的怖畏，以及怨賊、意外災難與一切毒害；這些都得消除，又能解脫五障，不忘失十地。
師子相菩薩以十頌讚佛
師子相無礙光焰菩薩聽完這些不可思議的陀羅尼，便從座位起身，袒露右肩，右膝跪地，恭敬合掌，頂禮佛足，以十首偈頌讚歎佛陀：
一、『我敬禮那無可譬喻、甚深無相的法；眾生失去正確知見，唯有佛陀能夠救度。』
二、『如來以明澈的智慧眼，不執取任何一種法相；又以正法之眼，普遍照見不可思議的境界。』
三、『祂不見任何一法真實生起，也不見任何一法真實消滅；由於這樣平等地觀察，終於到達無上之處。』
四、『祂不破壞生死，也不住著涅槃；不執著這兩邊，所以證得圓滿寂滅。』
五、『對清淨與不清淨的一切法，世尊知道它們同是一味；由於對法不起分別執取，祂得到最究竟的清淨。』
六、『世尊之身沒有邊際，真實中不曾說出一個固定的字；卻能使所有弟子都被法雨充滿。』
七、『佛陀觀察眾生的一切相，知道任何種類的相都無自性；然而對正在受苦的人，祂總是生起救護。』
八、『苦與樂、常與無常、有我與無我，以及不一不異、不生不滅，都不能執取成對立的實體。』
九、『這許多義理隨著所說而呈現差別，就像空谷中的回響；其中真義，只有佛陀能完全了知。』
十、『法界本來沒有分別，所以究竟沒有彼此不同的乘；只是為了救度眾生，才分別宣說三乘。』
大自在梵天讚經，佛陀說聞經之益
這時，大自在梵天王也從座位起身，袒露右肩，右膝跪地，恭敬合掌，頂禮佛足。他稟告佛陀：『這部《金光明最勝王經》稀有而難以衡量，開頭、中段、結尾都善美，文字與義理都究竟，能成就一切佛法；能受持這部經，就是報答諸佛之恩。』
佛陀印可他的話，並說：能夠聽聞這部經的人，對無上正等正覺都不再退轉。因為這部經能成熟不退地菩薩的殊勝善根，是第一法印，也是眾經之王，所以應當聽聞、受持、讀誦。沒有種過善根、尚未成熟善根、也未曾親近諸佛的人，不能聽聞這樣微妙的法。
若善男子、善女人能聽聞受持，一切罪障都會消除，得到最清淨；常能見佛，不離諸佛、善知識和修殊勝行的人；恆常聽聞妙法，安住不退地，並得到以下十種無盡無減的陀羅尼門：
一、海印出妙功德陀羅尼，無盡無減。
二、通達眾生意行言語陀羅尼，無盡無減。
三、日圓無垢相光陀羅尼，無盡無減。
四、滿月相光陀羅尼，無盡無減。
五、能伏諸惑演功德流陀羅尼，無盡無減。
六、破金剛山陀羅尼，無盡無減。
七、說不可說義因緣藏陀羅尼，無盡無減。
八、通達實語法則音聲陀羅尼，無盡無減。
九、虛空無垢心行印陀羅尼，無盡無減。
十、無邊佛身皆能顯現陀羅尼，無盡無減。
由於成就這些無盡無減的陀羅尼門，菩薩能在十方一切佛土化現佛身，宣說無上種種正法；對法的真如不動不住、不來不去，卻能善巧成熟一切眾生的善根，同時不執取有一個實在的眾生可被成熟。雖然宣說種種法，在言辭中仍不動不住、不去不來；並能在生滅中證知無生無滅。之所以說一切行法沒有去來，是因為一切法的體性沒有差異。
會眾得益、佛頌與大眾護持
佛陀說完這段法時，三萬億菩薩摩訶薩證得無生法忍；無量菩薩的菩提心不再退轉；無量無邊的比丘、比丘尼得到清淨法眼；又有無量眾生發起菩薩心。
接著，佛陀以一首偈頌提醒大眾：『殊勝之法能逆轉生死洪流，甚深微妙而難以看見；眾生如在幽暗中失明，又被貪欲遮蔽，因為看不見真法，所以承受種種痛苦。』
全體大眾一同起身，頂禮佛足，發願說：無論哪一處講說、宣揚、讀誦《金光明最勝王經》，他們都要前往作聽眾，使說法師得到利益，安樂無礙，身心泰然；他們要盡心供養，也使聽眾安穩快樂，使所在國土沒有怨賊、恐怖、災難和飢饉，人民興盛。
他們又說，說法道場是一處制底，不應讓諸天、人、非人等眾生踐踏或污穢；應以香花、繒綵、幡蓋供養。他們將恆常守護，使道場、法師和聽眾遠離衰損。
最後，佛陀囑咐大眾：『你們應當精勤修習這部微妙經典；如此，正法才能長久住世。』
A vernacular rendering of Chapter 6, “The Dhāraṇī of the Most Purified Grounds,” in Yijing’s Tang translation of the fourth fascicle of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King.
Beginning with the Most Fundamental Question
At that time, Bodhisattva Lion-Form Unobstructed Blazing Light rose from his seat together with immeasurable billions in the assembly. He bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, reverently joined his palms, and bowed at the Buddha’s feet. After making offerings to the Buddha of many kinds of flowers, incense, jeweled standards, banners, and canopies, he asked, “World-Honored One, how many causal conditions are needed to bring forth the mind of awakening? And what is the mind of awakening itself?”
He continued: if one looks within awakening, the present mind cannot be found, the future mind cannot be found, and the past mind cannot be found; apart from awakening, the mind of awakening likewise cannot be found. Awakening cannot be expressed in words. Mind has no color, shape, or identifiable function and is not something fabricated; sentient beings, too, can neither be found nor known. How, then, can the profoundly subtle meaning of dharmas be known?
The Buddha replied, “It is so; it is exactly so.” Awakening is subtle and cannot be treated as something produced by activity; apart from awakening, no other mind of awakening can be found. Awakening cannot be spoken, and mind cannot be spoken. Mind has no form or appearance and no fixed activity; no sentient being possesses a self that can be grasped. Why? The awakening that is realized and the mind that realizes it are both suchness. Realizer and realized are equal, so they cannot be grasped as two entities. Yet this does not mean that all dharmas are utterly nonexistent. It means leaving mistaken grasping and knowing dharmas as they truly are.
Only a bodhisattva who knows in this way is called one who comprehends all dharmas and can skillfully explain awakening and the mind of awakening. The mind of awakening belongs neither to the past, the future, nor the present. Mind is so, and sentient beings are so; within them, the two marks of realizer and realized are genuinely unobtainable. Because all dharmas are originally unborn, awakening is unobtainable and the name “awakening” is also unobtainable. Sentient beings are unobtainable and the name “sentient being” is unobtainable. Śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and buddhas are all unobtainable, as are their names. Practice and non-practice are unobtainable, as are the names “practice” and “non-practice.” Because the bodhisattva no longer grasps, the bodhisattva can abide in all quiescent dharmas, while still bringing forth the mind of awakening from every meritorious root of goodness through conventionally established causes and conditions. Here, unobtainability and the cultivation of good do not cancel each other out.
Ten Causes of the Mind of Awakening: Ten Similes, Ten Directions
The Buddha explained the ten causes for bringing forth the mind one by one:
First, jeweled Mount Sumeru, king of mountains, benefits all sentient beings. Because the mind of awakening is brought forth to benefit sentient beings, this is the cause of the perfection of giving.
Second, the great earth bears all things. Because the mind of awakening bears every wholesome practice, this is the cause of the perfection of ethical discipline.
Third, a lion possesses great might, walks alone without fear, and is free from alarm. Because the mind of awakening can face hostility and suffering, this is the cause of the perfection of patience.
Fourth, the wind-wheel has power like Nārāyaṇa’s: strong, swift, and never retreating. Because the mind of awakening advances courageously, this is the cause of the perfection of vigorous effort.
Fifth, a pavilion of the seven jewels has stairways on four sides. Cool breezes enter through its four gates, bringing peace and ease. Because the mind of awakening seeks fulfillment from the treasury of meditative concentration, this is the cause of the perfection of meditative concentration.
Sixth, the sun shines with blazing brilliance. Because the mind of awakening can quickly dispel the darkness of ignorance within birth and death, this is the cause of the perfection of wisdom.
Seventh, a caravan leader guides people across the dangerous road of birth and death, fulfills their wishes, and enables them to obtain the jewel of merit. This is therefore the cause of the perfection of skillful and supreme knowledge.
Eighth, a pure full moon is complete and unobscured. Because the mind of awakening must be pure and complete in every domain, this is the cause of the perfection of vow.
Ninth, the wheel-turning sage king’s jeweled general acts freely as he wishes. Because the mind of awakening can skillfully adorn pure buddha lands and broadly benefit sentient beings with immeasurable merit, this is the cause of the perfection of power.
Tenth, space is unobstructed, and a wheel-turning sage king governs freely. Because the mind of awakening must likewise be unobstructed and sovereign in every domain and place, all the way to the stage of consecration, this is the cause of the perfection of knowledge.
These are the ten causes of the mind of awakening that bodhisattvas should cultivate and learn.
Each of the Ten Perfections Is Accomplished through Five Dharmas
Once the mind has been brought forth, it must be embodied in practice. The Buddha lists five dharmas for each of the ten perfections, making fifty in all.
1. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Giving
First is to establish a firm faculty of faith, giving the mind of awakening its fundamental support. Second is to rely on loving-kindness and compassion. Third is to give without craving any return. Fourth is to be willing to embrace all sentient beings, excluding no one. Fifth is to direct every act of giving toward the quest for all-knowing knowledge. Only with these five dharmas is the perfection of giving accomplished. It is not merely the transfer of possessions, but an accomplishment made jointly by faith, compassion, purity, the refusal to abandon sentient beings, and the quest for a buddha’s knowledge.
2. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Ethical Discipline
First is to purify the three activities of body, speech, and mind. Second is not to create for any sentient being a condition that gives rise to affliction. Third is to close the gates to evil destinies and open the gates toward favorable states. Fourth is to pass beyond the grounds of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. Fifth is to bring every merit to fulfillment. These five include refraining from evil, gathering wholesome dharmas, and benefiting sentient beings; they cannot be reduced to compliance with rules.
3. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Patience
First is to subdue the afflictions of greed and anger. Second is not to cherish one’s own body and life, nor to seek comfort or respite. Third is to reflect on one’s past karma and endure suffering when it comes. Fourth is to bring forth loving-kindness and compassion and mature the various roots of goodness of sentient beings. Fifth is to realize the profound patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas. Enduring hostility, calmly bearing suffering, and contemplating truth each have their own level; endurance under suffering cannot replace acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas.
4. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Vigorous Effort
First is to take no pleasure in dwelling with the afflictions. Second is not to seize pleasure for oneself before one’s merit is complete. Third is not to grow weary of difficult practices and ascetic deeds. Fourth is to embrace and benefit sentient beings through great loving-kindness and compassion, using skillful means to mature them all. Fifth is to aspire to the ground of non-retrogression. Vigorous effort is not merely exertion: it means making no compromise with affliction, not placing self-benefit first, not retreating before difficulty, not abandoning sentient beings, and not turning back from awakening.
5. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Meditative Concentration
First is to gather and hold all wholesome dharmas so that the mind does not scatter. Second is constantly to aspire to liberation without abiding in either the extreme of emptiness or the extreme of existence. Third is to aspire to supernormal powers in order to mature the roots of goodness of sentient beings. Fourth is to remove the mind’s defilements in order to purify the dharma realm. Fifth is to sever the roots of sentient beings’ afflictions. Only with these five dharmas is the perfection of meditative concentration accomplished. Concentration is not withdrawal from sentient beings; it is the gathering of mind, freedom from extremes, purification of the realm, and fulfillment of benefit for others.
6. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Wisdom
First is always to make offerings to and draw near all buddhas, bodhisattvas, and wise persons, never growing weary or turning away. Second is always to delight in hearing the profound Dharma taught by the buddhas and tathāgatas, never feeling satisfied. Third is to delight in skillfully discerning the supreme knowledge of ultimate and conventional truth. Fourth is swiftly to eliminate the afflictions abandoned on the paths of seeing and cultivation. Fifth is to master worldly arts and the five fields of knowledge. Drawing near and hearing the Dharma, discerning ultimate and conventional truth, severing affliction, and mastering the five fields of knowledge are each indispensable.
7. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Skillful and Supreme Knowledge
First is thoroughly to comprehend the many differences in sentient beings’ dispositions, afflictions, and mental conduct. Second is to understand the innumerable counteractive gateways among dharmas. Third is to enter and emerge freely from the concentration of great loving-kindness and compassion. Fourth is to aspire to cultivate and completely accomplish all perfections. Fifth is to aspire to understand and embrace every buddha-dharma without omission. The first three emphasize the skillful means that rescue sentient beings; the last two direct everything cultivated toward complete awakening.
8. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Vow
First is to abide in the fact that all dharmas have from the beginning been neither born nor destroyed, neither existent nor nonexistent. Second is to contemplate the most subtle principle of all dharmas and abide free from defilement and pure. Third is to pass beyond every conception and abide in the mind’s fundamental suchness, which is not produced by affliction, does not circulate through the three times, has no difference of before and after, and neither changes nor perishes. Fourth is to abide in conventional truth for the sake of benefiting sentient beings. Fifth is to cause the calm abiding of śamatha and the insight of vipaśyanā to operate simultaneously. Vow turns toward the dharma-body without departing from benefiting beings in conventional truth; calm and insight must function together.
9. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Power
First is, through the power of correct knowledge, to understand the wholesome and unwholesome mental conduct of all sentient beings. Second is to enable all sentient beings to enter the profound and subtle Dharma. Third is to know as it truly is the causes, conditions, and karma by which all sentient beings revolve in birth and death. Fourth is, through the power of correct knowledge, to distinguish the three kinds of faculties among sentient beings, knowing their superiority, inferiority, and manifold differences without inventing three names beyond the text. Fifth is to teach sentient beings according to principle, enabling them to plant roots of goodness, mature gradually, and attain deliverance. All five are functions of the power of knowledge.
10. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Knowledge
First is to distinguish the wholesome and unwholesome among dharmas. Second is to lead sentient beings away from dark dharmas and enable them to embrace bright dharmas. Third is, for the benefit of sentient beings, neither to reject birth and death nor delight greedily in nirvāṇa. Fourth is to complete the practices of merit and wisdom through to their ultimate point. Fifth is to receive the supreme consecration on the tenth ground and realize the buddhas’ distinctive qualities and all-knowing knowledge. Discrimination, abandoning evil and adopting good, maturing sentient beings without abiding in either birth and death or nirvāṇa, completing merit and wisdom, and accomplishing the buddha-dharmas through consecration form a complete sequence of five.
Seventeen Levels of Meaning in “Perfection”
The Buddha next asks what “perfection” means and explains it level by level:
First, repeatedly cultivating practices that are supreme and beneficial is the meaning of perfection.
Second, completing immeasurable, vast, and profound wisdom is the meaning of perfection.
Third, letting the mind grasp neither practices nor non-practices is the meaning of perfection.
Fourth, seeing the faults of birth and death and the merits of nirvāṇa as they truly are and contemplating them through right awakening and right observation is the meaning of perfection.
Fifth, abandoning neither foolish people nor wise people but embracing them both is the meaning of perfection.
Sixth, being able to reveal many precious and subtle Dharma jewels is the meaning of perfection.
Seventh, attaining unobstructed liberation and the completion of wisdom is the meaning of perfection.
Eighth, correctly distinguishing and knowing the dharma realm and the realm of sentient beings is the meaning of perfection.
Ninth, enabling people to reach non-retrogression through all the perfections from giving to knowledge is the meaning of perfection.
Tenth, bringing the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas to fulfillment is the meaning of perfection.
Eleventh, maturing the meritorious roots of goodness of all sentient beings is the meaning of perfection.
Twelfth, accomplishing in awakening a buddha’s ten powers, four fearlessnesses, and various distinctive qualities is the meaning of perfection.
Thirteenth, understanding that birth and death and nirvāṇa have no dual marks is the meaning of perfection.
Fourteenth, rescuing and delivering all sentient beings is the meaning of perfection.
Fifteenth, skillfully explaining matters when non-Buddhist teachers come to question and challenge, thereby subduing them, is the meaning of perfection.
Sixteenth, turning the Dharma wheel of twelve subtle aspects is the meaning of perfection.
Seventeenth, being without attachment, appropriative views, or the burden of affliction is the meaning of pāramitā.
“Reaching the other shore” is not merely a spatial simile. It also comprises five dimensions: what is known, teaching, principle, practice, and fruition. The ten perfections carry one away from the five aggregates of birth and death and bring one to these five other shores.
Ten Portents That Appear before the Ten Grounds
The Buddha further says that, as a bodhisattva is about to enter each ground, a corresponding portent first appears:
First, as the first ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees the trichiliocosm filled everywhere with immeasurable and boundless treasures of every kind.
Second, as the second ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees the earth throughout the trichiliocosm as level as the palm of a hand, covered with immeasurable and boundless beautiful colors, pure jewels, and ornamental objects.
Third, as the third ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees the bodhisattva’s own body as valiant and strong, adorned with armor and weapons, and able to crush every hostile enemy.
Fourth, as the fourth ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees the wind-wheels from the four directions carrying many kinds of wondrous flowers, which scatter down and cover the earth.
Fifth, as the fifth ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees a wondrous jeweled woman whose whole body is adorned with necklaces of many jewels and whose head is crowned with celebrated flowers.
Sixth, as the sixth ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees a lotus pond of the seven jewels with stairways on four sides, spread with golden sand, pure and undefiled, and completely filled with water possessing the eight qualities. Blue lotuses, white water lilies, and white lotuses adorn it everywhere; beside the pond one plays in incomparable coolness and ease.
Seventh, as the seventh ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees sentient beings who ought to fall into hell but, through the bodhisattva’s power, do not fall and are neither harmed nor afraid.
Eighth, as the eighth ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees a lion king guarding each side of the bodhisattva’s body while all wild beasts are frightened.
Ninth, as the ninth ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees a wheel-turning sage king surrounded and honored by immeasurable billions, with a white canopy above his head and immeasurable jewels adorning him.
Tenth, as the tenth ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees the Tathāgata’s golden body shining brilliantly, immeasurable pure light wholly complete, and the Buddha turning the unsurpassed and subtle Dharma wheel while immeasurable billions of Brahmā kings surround him in reverent worship.
Why the Ten Grounds Bear These Ten Names
First, the first ground is called Joyful. The bodhisattva realizes for the first time the supramundane mind, never attained before but now newly attained. There is a new realization in self-benefit, while the great work of benefiting others is accomplished according to one’s vow; therefore immense joy arises.
Second, the second ground is called Stainless. Subtle stains and faults against ethical discipline are purified; hence it is called Stainless.
Third, the third ground is called Luminous. Immeasurable wisdom born of hearing, reflection, and cultivation and the light of samādhi arise from concentration; they cannot be shaken or overcome and have the dhāraṇī of hearing and retention as their root. Hence it is called Luminous.
Fourth, the fourth ground is called Blazing. The fire of wisdom burns the afflictions, light increases, and the factors of awakening are cultivated. Hence it is called Blazing.
Fifth, the fifth ground is called Difficult to Conquer. Although the modes of the knowledge of ultimate truth and the knowledge of conventional truth appear to conflict, the bodhisattva can bring the two into correspondence and cause them to arise simultaneously. Through sovereign skillful means, the bodhisattva can also subdue the difficult-to-subdue afflictions abandoned on the paths of seeing and cultivation. Thus it is called Difficult to Conquer, not merely because this ground is generically difficult.
Sixth, the sixth ground is called Face-to-Face. The bodhisattva constantly observes the continuity of the twelve links of dependent origination; wisdom appears clearly and brings forth nondiscriminating, signless contemplation so that it is directly present. Hence it is called Face-to-Face.
Seventh, the seventh ground is called Far-Going. Undefiled, uninterrupted, signless contemplation and the samādhi of liberation continue over a long period. They transcend the practices of giving and ethical discipline in the first three grounds that resemble worldly practice, as well as the factors of the path, four truths, and dependent origination in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grounds that resemble the practice of the two vehicles. Hence it is called Far-Going; “far” does not refer to spatial distance.
Eighth, the eighth ground is called Immovable. Signless contemplation arises spontaneously, cultivation has become sovereign, and no activity of the afflictions can disturb it. Hence it is called Immovable.
Ninth, the ninth ground is called Excellent Wisdom. The bodhisattva can freely explain the many distinctions among all dharmas without affliction or burden; wisdom continually increases, and the four unobstructed knowledges arise spontaneously, enabling the bodhisattva to teach freely. Hence it is called Excellent Wisdom.
Tenth, the tenth ground is called Dharma Cloud. The dharma-body is like space, and great wisdom is like a vast cloud filling space: it universally covers and protects all, and it proclaims the subtle Dharma as a cloud pours rain. Hence it is called Dharma Cloud.
Twenty-Two Kinds of Ignorance: Twenty on the Ten Grounds and Two More on the Buddha Ground
Each ground has two subtle obstructions to be abandoned. The ten grounds account for twenty; the buddha ground adds two more, making twenty-two:
First, the first ground is obstructed by the ignorance that grasps a self and dharmas endowed with marks, and by the ignorance that fears the evil destinies of birth and death.
Second, the second ground is obstructed by ignorance that causes mistaken transgression of subtle training precepts, and by ignorance that gives rise to many kinds of karmic activity.
Third, the third ground is obstructed by attachment to an excellent dharma never previously attained but newly attained now, and by ignorance that obstructs supreme retention.
Fourth, the fourth ground is obstructed by attachment and delight in the bliss of meditative attainment, and by ignorance that loves subtle and pure dharmas.
Fifth, the fifth ground is obstructed by ignorance that wishes to turn away from birth and death and ignorance that wishes only to enter nirvāṇa. Neither knows as it truly is that the real nature of birth and death is not different from that of nirvāṇa.
Sixth, the sixth ground is obstructed by ignorance while observing the circulation of conditioned activities, and by ignorance in which coarse and manifest characteristics of dharmas appear.
Seventh, the seventh ground is obstructed by the continued activity of subtle marks, and by ignorance that deliberately delights in a signless domain.
Eighth, the eighth ground is obstructed by ignorance in which signless contemplation still requires exerted application, and by ignorance that grasps at sovereignty over marks.
Ninth, the ninth ground is obstructed by a lack of skill in the two unobstructed understandings of the meanings taught and of names, phrases, and letters, and by ignorance in which verbal eloquence does not function at will.
Tenth, the tenth ground is obstructed by the inability freely to manifest great supernormal powers, and by the inability to understand subtle and secret activities.
Eleventh, the buddha ground is obstructed by an extremely subtle cognitive obstruction with respect to every domain, and by the most subtle coarseness of the afflictions.
On the second ground, the base text reads 『誤犯』—“mistaken transgression”; the text quoted by the ancient commentary separately preserves 『護犯』—“guarding transgression,” while the commentary’s explanation preserves 『悞犯』—an alternate graph for “mistaken transgression.” On the ninth ground, the base text reads 『二無礙未善巧』—“not yet skilled in the two unobstructed understandings,” whereas the text quoted by the ancient commentary reads 『二無量未得善巧』—“not yet skilled in the two immeasurables.” Each wording is preserved in its own textual layer; the vernacular does not silently emend one into another or adjudicate which is superior.
On Each Ground One Perfection Is Ascendant, and One Samādhi Arises
The Buddha pairs the ten grounds and the ten perfections in sequence: giving is ascendant on the first ground, ethical discipline on the second, patience on the third, vigorous effort on the fourth, meditative concentration on the fifth, wisdom on the sixth, skillful and supreme knowledge on the seventh, vow on the eighth, power on the ninth, and knowledge on the tenth. This means that one perfection is especially prominent on each ground, not that only that perfection is cultivated there; all ten are still cultivated on every ground.
Each of ten arousals of the mind also produces a samādhi. The first arousal, when embraced, produces the Samādhi of Wondrous Jewel; the second, the Samādhi of Lovable Delight; the third, the Samādhi Difficult to Move; the fourth, the Samādhi of Non-Retrogression; the fifth, the Samādhi of Jeweled Flower; the sixth, the Samādhi of the Sun’s Perfect Blazing Light; the seventh, the Samādhi in Which Every Vow Is Fulfilled as Wished; the eighth, the Samādhi of Directly Realized Abiding; the ninth, the Samādhi of the Treasury of Knowledge; and the tenth, the Samādhi of Courageous Advance. In cultivating the ascendant perfection of each of the ten grounds, concentration and wisdom must be practiced together.
Ten Dhāraṇīs for the Ten Grounds: Protection on Every Ground
The Buddha next teaches one dhāraṇī for each of the ten grounds. Every passage contains the complete sequence: the name of the ground, the name of the dhāraṇī, its formula, the many buddhas who taught it, the ground it protects, freedom from fear and the five obstructions, and non-forgetting of that ground. All ten formulas preserve only their ancient sound transcriptions. They are neither translated nor interpreted word by word, nor are they reconstructed in another script.
First Ground: Dhāraṇī of Reliance on the Power of Merit
The Buddha says that a bodhisattva on the first ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Reliance on the Power of Merit,” and then proclaims its formula:
『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.”
怛姪他 晡𠷈儞 曼奴喇剃 獨虎 獨虎 獨虎 耶跋 蘇利瑜 阿婆婆薩底 耶跋 旃達囉 調怛底 多跋達𠸪叉漫 憚茶鉢唎訶㘕 矩嚕 莎訶
This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of one Ganges River to protect bodhisattvas on the first ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from every fear, including tigers, wolves, lions, and other savage beasts; all evil spirits, humans and nonhumans; hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the first ground.
Second Ground: Dhāraṇī of Abiding Well in Peace and Ease
A bodhisattva on the second ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Abiding Well in Peace and Ease”:
『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.”
怛姪他 嗢篅哩 質哩質哩 嗢篅羅篅羅 喃繕覩繕覩嗢篅哩 虎嚕虎嚕 莎訶
This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of two Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the second ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the second ground.
Third Ground: Dhāraṇī of Difficult-to-Conquer Power
A bodhisattva on the third ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Difficult-to-Conquer Power”:
『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.”
怛姪他 憚宅 枳般 宅枳 羯喇 㨖高喇㨖 雞由哩 憚㨖哩 莎訶
This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of three Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the third ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the third ground.
Fourth Ground: Dhāraṇī of Great Benefit
A bodhisattva on the fourth ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Great Benefit”:
『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.”
怛姪他 室唎室唎 陀弭儞陀弭儞 陀哩陀哩儞 室唎室唎儞 毘舍羅波世波始娜 畔陀弭帝 莎訶
This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of four Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the fourth ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the fourth ground.
Fifth Ground: Dhāraṇī Adorned with Manifold Merits
A bodhisattva on the fifth ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Adorned with Manifold Merits”:
『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.”
怛姪他 訶哩訶哩 儞遮哩遮哩儞 羯喇摩 儞僧羯喇摩 儞 三婆山儞瞻跋儞 悉耽婆儞謨漢儞 碎閻步陛莎訶
This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of five Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the fifth ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the fifth ground.
Sixth Ground: Dhāraṇī of Perfect Wisdom
A bodhisattva on the sixth ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Perfect Wisdom”:
『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.”
怛姪他 毘徙哩毘徙哩 摩哩儞迦哩迦哩 毘度漢底 嚕嚕嚕嚕 主嚕主嚕杜嚕婆杜嚕婆 捨捨設者婆哩灑莎 悉底薩婆薩埵喃 悉甸覩曼怛囉鉢陀儞莎訶
This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of six Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the sixth ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the sixth ground.
Seventh Ground: Dhāraṇī of Practice Victorious in Dharma
A bodhisattva on the seventh ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Practice Victorious in Dharma”:
『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.”
怛姪他 勺訶 勺訶 嚕勺訶勺訶勺訶嚕 鞞陸枳鞞陸枳 阿蜜㗚哆唬漢儞勃哩山儞 鞞嚕勅枳婆嚕伐底 鞞提呬枳 頻陀鞞哩儞 阿蜜哩底枳 薄虎主愈薄虎主愈莎訶
This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of seven Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the seventh ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the seventh ground.
Eighth Ground: Dhāraṇī of the Inexhaustible Treasury
A bodhisattva on the eighth ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Inexhaustible Treasury”:
『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.”
怛姪他 室唎室唎室唎儞 蜜底蜜底 羯哩羯哩醯嚕醯嚕 主嚕主嚕 畔陀弭莎訶
This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of eight Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the eighth ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the eighth ground.
Ninth Ground: Dhāraṇī of Immeasurable Gateways
A bodhisattva on the ninth ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Immeasurable Gateways”:
『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.”
怛姪他 訶哩旃荼哩枳 俱藍婆喇體 都剌死 跋吒跋吒死室唎室唎迦室哩迦必室唎 莎悉底 薩婆薩埵喃莎訶
This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of nine Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the ninth ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the ninth ground.
Tenth Ground: Dhāraṇī of Shattering the Vajra Mountain
A bodhisattva on the tenth ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Shattering the Vajra Mountain”:
『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.”
怛姪他 悉提 蘇悉提謨折儞木察儞毘木底菴末麗 毘末麗涅末麗 忙揭麗呬㘓若揭鞞 曷喇怛娜揭鞞 三曼多跋姪麗 薩婆頞他娑憚儞 摩捺斯莫訶摩捺斯 頞步底頞 窒步底 阿𡃤誓毘喇誓頞主底菴蜜㗚底 阿𡃤誓毘喇誓 跋㘕謎 跋囉蚶麼莎 囇晡喇儞晡喇娜 曼奴喇剃莎訶
This dhāraṇī is an auspicious formula of consecration. It was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of ten Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the tenth ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every poison; all are eliminated. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the tenth ground.
Bodhisattva Lion-Form Praises the Buddha in Ten Verses
After Bodhisattva Lion-Form Unobstructed Blazing Light heard these inconceivable dhāraṇīs, he rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, reverently joined his palms, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and praised the Buddha in ten verses:
First, “I bow to the incomparable, profound, and signless Dharma. Sentient beings have lost correct understanding; only the Buddha can deliver them.”
Second, “With the bright eye of wisdom, the Tathāgata grasps no mark of any dharma; with the eye of the true Dharma, he universally illuminates the inconceivable.”
Third, “He sees no dharma truly arise and no dharma truly cease. Through this vision of equality, he reaches the unsurpassed place.”
Fourth, “He neither destroys birth and death nor abides in nirvāṇa. Because he clings to neither extreme, he realizes complete quiescence.”
Fifth, “The World-Honored One knows all pure and impure dharmas to have a single flavor. By making no discriminating grasp of dharmas, he attains ultimate purity.”
Sixth, “The World-Honored One’s body has no boundary, and in reality he has never spoken one fixed word; yet he fills every disciple with the rain of Dharma.”
Seventh, “The Buddha observes all the marks of sentient beings and knows that every kind of mark lacks self-nature; yet he constantly brings forth rescue and protection for those who suffer.”
Eighth, “Suffering and pleasure, permanence and impermanence, self and no-self, neither identity nor difference, neither arising nor cessation—none can be grasped as opposing entities.”
Ninth, “These many meanings appear different according to what is said, like echoes in an empty valley. Only the Buddha can know their true meaning completely.”
Tenth, “The dharma realm is originally without differentiation, so ultimately there are no distinct vehicles. The three vehicles are taught by way of distinction only in order to deliver sentient beings.”
Great Īśvara Brahmā Praises the Sūtra, and the Buddha Explains the Benefits of Hearing It
At that time, Great Īśvara Brahmā King also rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, reverently joined his palms, and bowed at the Buddha’s feet. He addressed the Buddha: “This Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King is rare and beyond measure. It is excellent at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end; its words and meanings are consummate, and it can accomplish every buddha-dharma. To receive and retain this sūtra is to repay the kindness of the buddhas.”
The Buddha confirmed his words and said that those able to hear this sūtra will never again retreat from unsurpassed, complete awakening. This sūtra can mature the supreme roots of goodness of bodhisattvas on the ground of non-retrogression; it is the foremost Dharma seal and the king of sūtras. It should therefore be heard, received, retained, and recited. Those who have planted no roots of goodness, have not matured their roots of goodness, and have never drawn near the buddhas cannot hear such a subtle Dharma.
If good men and good women can hear, receive, and retain it, every karmic obstruction will be eliminated and they will attain the utmost purity. They will constantly see buddhas and never be separated from buddhas, spiritual friends, or people who cultivate supreme practices. They will continually hear the subtle Dharma, abide on the ground of non-retrogression, and obtain the following ten inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī gateways:
First, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī of the ocean seal from which wondrous merits emerge.
Second, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī that comprehends the intentions, conduct, and speech of sentient beings.
Third, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī of the pure-marked light of the perfect sun.
Fourth, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī of the full moon’s characteristic light.
Fifth, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī that subdues all delusions and sends forth a stream of merit.
Sixth, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī that shatters the vajra mountain.
Seventh, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī of the treasury of causes and conditions that teaches the meaning that cannot be taught.
Eighth, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī that comprehends the sounds of the rules of truthful speech.
Ninth, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī of the seal of undefiled mental conduct as vast as space.
Tenth, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī that can manifest every boundless buddha-body.
By accomplishing these inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī gateways, a bodhisattva can manifest buddha-bodies throughout all buddha lands of the ten directions and proclaim many kinds of unsurpassed true Dharma. Without moving or abiding, coming or going, with respect to the suchness of dharmas, the bodhisattva can skillfully mature the roots of goodness of all sentient beings while grasping no substantially existent sentient being who could be matured. Although teaching many dharmas, the bodhisattva neither moves nor abides, goes nor comes within verbal expression, and can realize non-arising and non-cessation amid arising and cessation. Why is it said that conditioned practices neither go nor come? Because the nature of all dharmas is without difference.
The Assembly’s Benefits, the Buddha’s Verse, and the Community’s Protection
When the Buddha finished teaching this Dharma, three trillion bodhisattva mahāsattvas attained the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas; immeasurable bodhisattvas became irreversible in the mind of awakening; immeasurable and boundless bhikṣus and bhikṣuṇīs attained the purified Dharma eye; and immeasurable sentient beings brought forth the bodhisattva mind.
The Buddha then reminded the assembly in a verse: “The supreme Dharma can reverse the current of birth and death; it is profound, subtle, and difficult to see. Sentient beings are as if blinded in darkness and covered by greed. Because they do not see the true Dharma, they undergo many sufferings.”
The entire assembly rose together, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and vowed that wherever the Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King was taught, proclaimed, or recited, they would go there as listeners. They would benefit the Dharma teacher, bringing ease without obstruction and tranquility of body and mind. They would make offerings with all their hearts, bring peace and happiness to the listeners, free the land from hostile bandits, fear, disaster, and famine, and cause its people to flourish.
They further said that a Dharma teaching site is a caitya. Gods, humans, nonhumans, and other beings should not tread upon or defile it; it should be honored with incense, flowers, silks, banners, and canopies. They would constantly guard it so that the site, Dharma teacher, and listeners remained free from decline and harm.
Finally, the Buddha instructed the assembly: “You should diligently cultivate this subtle scripture. In this way the true Dharma will long remain in the world.”
十地常被讀成一張階位表：初地叫歡喜，二地叫無垢，一路背到十地法雲，彷彿知道名稱就知道了路。這一品卻把表格拆開，讓人看見十地怎樣從一念菩提心長出來：先問心是什麼，再說十種發心之因；由十度五十法落實為行，由二十二無明辨出地地所斷，由三摩地攝心，由陀羅尼護地，末後還要回到眾生中說法、護法。路不是從一個名位跳到下一個名位，而是從不執取的心，長成不捨眾生的行。
這也使全品一開頭的難題格外尖銳：如果菩提心不可得，誰在發心？如果十地不可執，路又怎麼走？以下順著經文次第，看佛陀如何把『空而能行、無得而能證』鋪成一條完整的菩薩道；末後再借唯識之眼，看這條路上的心識紋理。
問菩提心：以何因緣，何者是心
師子相無礙光焰菩薩不是坐著發問。他先起座、袒肩、右膝著地、合掌禮佛，又以花香幢幡供養，才問出全品的兩個總問：「世尊！以幾因緣得菩提心？何者是菩提心？」第一問問的是因：靠什麼發起？第二問問的是體：所謂菩提心，究竟是什麼？
他隨即把問題推到無可落手之處。現在心、未來心、過去心都不可得；就在菩提中找不到心，離開菩提也找不到另一個菩提心。菩提不可言說，心無色無相，眾生也不可得。若菩提、心與修行的眾生都找不到一個實體，甚深法義還能怎樣知道？這不是抽象辯論，而是菩薩道的第一道關：發心時若抓住一個『我正在求一個實有菩提』，那個抓取已經使能證與所證分裂；若聽見不可得便什麼也不做，又把空義墮成斷滅。
師子相把疑問鋪在三個時態與幾重關係上：現在、未來、過去的心皆不可得；即於菩提，心不可得；離於菩提，也找不到另一個菩提心。菩提不可言說，心無色無相、無有事業、非可造作，眾生亦不可得。他沒有停在『不可得』三字，而是追問：既然如此，諸法甚深之義如何可知？後面的十因、十度、十地、三摩地與陀羅尼，都從這個問口展開。
菩提不可得，卻不是什麼都沒有
佛陀先兩次印可菩薩所問：菩提微妙，事業與造作皆不可得；離菩提時，菩提心亦不可得；菩提、心與眾生都不可說成一個色相或事業。接著卻落下一句全品的定盤星：「非無諸法而可了知。」知道這一點，才名為通達諸法，能善說菩提及菩提心。經文所列的不可得，並沒有停在否定；它緊接著轉向可知、通達與善說。
經文把菩提與心並列為同真如，也把能證與所證並列為皆平等；隨後再說心與眾生、菩提與菩提名、眾生與眾生名，乃至聲聞、獨覺、菩薩、佛、行與非行及其名稱，二相實不可得。由不可得而安住一切寂靜法，菩提心又依一切功德善根生起。這是經文自己排出的次序：同真如、皆平等、二相不可得、安住寂靜，然後依善根生心。
這個轉折決定了後面整品的讀法。十度不是用來造出一個實有的我，十地也不是給我收藏的十張證書；正因為沒有一個固定的我可得，布施才不被我所攔截，持戒才不只護住自我形象，忍辱才不替自我受傷添柴。空義不是十度以前的一章理論，而是每一度能成為波羅蜜的心。
十個譬喻，把發心推向十度
佛陀沒有先給菩提心下定義，而是給出十幅會動的圖像。寶須彌山王饒益一切，是布施之因；大地承載萬物，是持戒之因；師子獨步無畏，是忍辱之因；風輪具那羅延之力，勇壯迅疾而不退，是勤策之因；七寶樓觀四門受清涼風，令人安穩，是靜慮之因。
接著，日輪盛明破除生死無明闇，是智慧之因；商主帶人越過險道、取得功德寶、滿足眾願，是方便勝智之因；淨月圓滿無翳，是願之因；轉輪王主兵寶臣自在，能莊嚴佛土、廣利群生，是力之因；虛空無礙與轉輪王自在，能在一切處直至灌頂位，是智之因。
十譬不是十種裝飾。它們依次把菩提心的功能說出來：要能給予、承載、無畏、不退、安住、破闇、度險、清淨、成辦、無礙。換句話說，問『什麼是菩提心』，經先以『這顆心能做什麼』來回答。心的體不可執，心的行卻有十個清楚方向。
十度各有五法：把大願拆成五十件事
十種發心若只停在譬喻，仍可能成為動人的想像。佛陀因此把每一度拆成五法，一共五十項，讓菩提心有可實行的筋骨。
布施要有信根、慈悲、無求欲、攝受一切眾生、願求一切智智。給出去只是其中一面；以何心給、是否求報、是否不捨任何眾生、是否迴向佛智，才使布施越過彼岸。持戒要使三業清淨，不為眾生作煩惱因，閉惡道而開善趣，超過聲聞獨覺之地，令功德滿足。戒因而同時止惡、攝善、利他，不只是守住一條界線。
忍辱要伏貪瞋、不惜身命與安樂、思惟往業而遭苦能忍、以慈悲成熟眾生善根、求甚深無生法忍。受得住傷害、受得住艱苦、看得進無生之理，三層都在。勤策要不與煩惱共住，福德未具不先受樂，難行苦行不厭，以大悲方便成熟眾生，願求不退轉地。真正的精進不是忙，而是不肯把心交回煩惱，也不因自己的疲累放棄眾生。
靜慮要攝善不散，常願解脫而不住空有兩邊，願得神通成就眾生，淨法界而除心垢，斷眾生煩惱根本。定不是封閉；心越不散，越能承擔利他。智慧要親近供養諸佛菩薩及智者，樂聞甚深法而不厭足，善分別真俗勝智，速斷見修煩惱，通達世間技藝與五明。它既照真理，也知道如何在世間工作。
方便勝智先通達眾生的意樂、煩惱、心行差別，再通達無量對治門，又能自在出入大慈悲定；然後願修圓滿一切度，了達攝受一切佛法。先知人與病，再知藥與用藥之時，最後把所有行門導回菩提。願波羅蜜則安住諸法不生不滅、非有非無，安住離垢清淨理趣，安住過一切想的本真如，又為利生安住俗諦，並使止與觀同時運行。願不是離世遠眺，而是在真如與俗諦之間不偏一邊。
力波羅蜜以正智知眾生心行善惡，使眾生入甚深法，如實知輪迴的緣業，分別根性勝劣與種種性，再如理說法，使眾生種善根、成熟、度脫。智波羅蜜則分別善惡，令眾生遠離黑法、攝受白法，為利有情而不厭生死、不喜涅槃，令福智行至究竟，最後受勝灌頂而得諸佛不共法與一切智智。
五十法讀完，十度不再是十個宏大的名詞。經文每一度都先問云何為五，逐項列明，再以成就此度收束；從布施的信根、慈悲、無求、攝受眾生、求一切智智，到智度的分別善惡、黑白取捨、不厭生死不喜涅槃、福智究竟與勝灌頂，十地之行先在這五十件事中取得筋骨。
十七個彼岸：不只自己抵達
佛陀接著不問『十度是哪十個』，而問『波羅蜜究竟是什麼意思』。經先連說四義：修習須有殊勝利益；無量甚深智須得圓滿；行與非行之法不為心所執著；生死的過失與涅槃的功德，都要正覺正觀。前兩義說修習與智慧的成滿，後兩義說面對行法與生死涅槃時，心如何不著而能正觀。
第五至第十一義把視野推到眾生與法界：愚人、智人皆須攝受；珍妙法寶須能顯現；解脫無礙而智慧滿足；法界與眾生界須正確分別了知；施等諸度及智要使人至不退轉；無生法忍要得滿足；一切眾生的功德善根要能成熟。彼岸因此不只是一人的所得，也包含使法可見、使眾生不退、使善根成熟。
第十二至第十七義再把終點說足：成就佛的十力、四無所畏與不共法；了知生死涅槃無二相；濟度一切；善解外道詰難而令折伏；轉十二妙行法輪；最後無所著、無所見、無患累。從成佛功德、無二正見與普遍濟度，直到答難、轉法輪與離著，十七義依次收束在能證、能說、能度而不取著。
這十七義把『到彼岸』從逃離生死的單線想像中解開。若只想離苦，不肯攝受愚人；只求寂靜，不肯面對詰難、轉法輪；只求自己的無生忍，不成熟眾生善根，都還沒有走完這個詞的廣度。
十地先相：十幅依次出現的圖景
經文進入十地，先不講名義，而講十種先現之相。初地見世界寶藏盈滿，二地見大地平掌、珍寶莊嚴，三地見自身勇健、披甲摧敵，四地見風輪散花遍地，五地見妙寶女以瓔珞名花嚴身。從盈滿、平正、勇健到花雨莊嚴，前五地把功德成熟顯成可見的世界。
六地見七寶花池、四階、金沙、八功德水和三種蓮花，清涼遊戲；七地見應墮地獄的眾生因菩薩力免墮、無傷無怖；八地見身旁兩頭師子王護衛，眾獸畏伏；九地見轉輪王為億眾圍遶、白蓋寶飾；十地見金色如來光明圓滿，梵眾供養而轉法輪。後五地的圖像由清涼定境轉為救苦、護持、王威，終於佛身說法。
每一相都以『菩薩悉見』收束，而且一地一圖，沒有把十相合成一個混雜的神異場面。它們又排在十地名義之前：經先讓人看見寶藏、平地、勇健、花雨、寶女、蓮池、救苦、師子、輪王與金色如來，然後才逐一解說歡喜、無垢、明、焰、難勝、現前、遠行、不動、善慧與法雲。先相先現，地名後釋，兩組十項在經中前後相承。
歡喜到法雲：十個地名各說一種成熟
初地名歡喜，經由三層說明：初證出世之心，昔未得而今始得；於大事用，如其所願悉皆成就；由此生極喜樂。二地名無垢，因諸微細垢與犯戒過失皆得清淨。三地名明地，因無量智慧三昧光明不可傾動、無能摧伏，又以聞持陀羅尼為根本。
四地名焰地，以智慧火燒煩惱、增長光明、修行覺品。五地名難勝，經說修行方便與勝智自在極難得，又能降伏難伏的見修煩惱。六地名現前，因行法相續、了了顯現，無相思惟皆悉現前。三個地名的解說都貼著經句前進：火能燒惑，難伏能伏，所行與所觀清楚現前。
七地名遠行，因無漏、無間、無相思惟與解脫三昧能遠修行，地得清淨而無障礙。八地名不動，因無相思惟修得自在，諸煩惱行不能令動。九地名善慧，因說一切法的種種差別皆得自在，無患無累，智慧增長而自在無礙。十地名法雲，因法身如虛空、智慧如大雲，都能遍滿覆一切。從歡喜到法雲，經逐地用所得之心、清淨、智慧、伏惑、說法與遍覆來解開地名。
二十二無明：路向上，障也越來越細
本品最不容含混的一段，是地地二無明。初地受我法有相執與畏懼生死惡趣所障；二地受微細學處誤犯與發起種種業行所障；三地受未得今得愛著無明與能障殊勝總持無明所障；四地受味著等至喜悅與愛樂微妙淨法所障；五地受背棄生死與欣求涅槃所障。
六地受觀行流轉與麁相現前所障；七地受微細相現行與刻意欣樂無相所障；八地受無相觀仍須功用與執相自在所障；九地受義及名句文二無礙尚未善巧、詞辯不隨意所障；十地受大神通變現不自在、微細祕密事業未悟所障。到了佛地，還列一切境上的微細所知障礙與極細煩惱麁重。
這張表最震動人的地方，是所謂障不全是顯眼惡行。三地的兩項並列得很清楚：一是未得今得愛著無明，一是能障殊勝總持無明；四地又列味著等至喜悅與愛樂微妙淨法；五地列背生死與趣涅槃；七、八地更列對無相的欣樂與功用。經文一路從我法有相與生死怖畏，寫到說法、神通與祕密事業未得自在。路越往上，所列障礙越接近修行人所珍愛的境界與能力；讀這一表，兩項兩項分辨，正是不讓相近之義彼此混成。
二地經字有誤、護、悞三種傳存，九地又有無礙、無量異文。此處各還其文本，不用一字消滅另一字。傳法的誠實也屬修行：不知道的地方承認並存，不以整齊冒充確定。
一地一度、十心十定：兩組依次配列
經將初地至十地依次配施、戒、忍、勤、定、慧、方便勝智、願、力、智，又將十次發心依次配妙寶、可愛樂、難動、不退轉、寶花、日圓光焰、一切願如意成就、現前證住、智藏、勇進十種三摩地。
第一組以地為次，一句配一度：初地行施，二地行戒，三地行忍，四地行勤，五地行定，六地行慧，七地行方便勝智，八地行願，九地行力，十地行智。經在這裡完成的是十組明白的配列；一地、一度、一次向前，不添問答，也不把這張表改作別的次序。
第二組改以十次發心攝受為次：最初發心能生妙寶三摩地，第二至第十發心依次能生可愛樂、難動、不退轉、寶花、日圓光焰、一切願如意成就、現前證住、智藏與勇進三摩地。經的主語始終是發心攝受，動詞始終是能生，末後總結為十種發心。前一組連地與度，後一組連發心與定；兩張表並列，關係各自清楚。
十地十陀羅尼：不解音節，先看它護住什麼
十地之後，佛陀不是再加一張名目表，而是逐地說陀羅尼。初地得依功德力，二地得善安樂住，三地得難勝力，四地得大利益，五地得種種功德莊嚴，六地得圓滿智，七地得法勝行，八地得無盡藏，九地得無量門，十地得破金剛山。
每一段都有同一骨架：先標所護之名，再說真言；再說這是真正由一至十恒河沙數諸佛所說，為護相應的一地至十地；最後說持誦者離惡獸、鬼神、人非人、怨賊、災橫、苦惱等難，解脫五障，不忘該地。十地的修行不是只有『我努力向上』，也包含承受諸佛所傳總持的護念，使所證不失、不退。
真言是音寫，經沒有逐音翻譯，唯傳其聲。可釋的是它在經中的位置：陀羅尼在這裡是護地之法；它護的既有外在怖畏，也有不忘地、不退轉。若越過這個經文功能去猜每個音節，反而離開了本品自己所說。
到這裡，發心、十度、十地、三摩地與陀羅尼護地，終於扣成一條完整的路。
十頌回望全品：無分別，卻常救護
師子相菩薩聞陀羅尼後，以十頌讚佛。前半先禮甚深無相法與能度眾生的佛，接著說如來明慧眼不見一法相，卻以正法眼普照不可思議；不見一法生，也不見一法滅，由平等見至無上處。這正回應品首：菩提心不可得，不是失去智慧，而是智慧不再把法相實體化。
中段說佛不壞生死、不住涅槃，不著二邊而證圓寂；於淨不淨知其一味，由不分別得最清淨。佛的無邊身不說一字，卻使弟子法雨充滿；佛觀眾生一切相皆無，卻對苦惱者常興救護。『不見眾生』與『救度眾生』不是矛盾：不把眾生固定成一個可執取的相，才不會用自己的想像取代他們的苦。
後段把苦樂、常無常、有我無我、不一不異、不生不滅一一鬆開；種種義隨說有別，如空谷響。最末收在「法界無分別，是故無異乘；為度眾生故，分別說有三。」法界一味，教說有三；不是法界被切成三塊，而是眾生根機不同，佛陀以差別語引回無分別。
梵天問後：持經不是收藏，而是讓法繼續發生
大自在梵天王讚這部經初中後善、文義究竟，能成一切佛法；受持即是報佛恩。佛陀印可後，把聞經說得極重：能聞者不退菩提；這部經是第一法印、眾經之王。沒有種善根、沒有成熟善根、沒有親近諸佛者，不能聞此微妙法；能聽受者則滅罪障、得清淨、常見佛、近善知識、恆聞妙法、住不退地。
聞經又得十種無盡無減陀羅尼門：海印出妙功德，通達眾生意行言語，日圓無垢相光，滿月相光，能伏諸惑演功德流，破金剛山，說不可說義因緣藏，通達實語法則音聲，虛空無垢心行印，無邊佛身皆能顯現。前面的十陀羅尼護住地地，這十門則把所護之行向十方打開：知眾生、說法、伏惑、顯身，都無盡無減。
成就這些門，菩薩能在十方佛土化作佛身、演說正法，成熟一切眾生善根，卻不見一眾生可成熟；能說種種法，卻於言辭不動不住、不去不來；能在生滅中證無生滅。這又回到品首同一答案：不可得不是無所作，無來去不是無說法。
法會中，菩薩得無生法忍或菩提心不退，苾芻、苾芻尼得法眼淨，無量眾生發菩薩心。大眾更發願，凡有講宣讀誦此經之處，便去作聽眾、供養法師、安樂聽眾、護國土、淨道場。最後佛陀勅令精勤修習，使正法久住。全品由一人問『何者是菩提心』開始，至整個大眾共同護持說法之處結束：菩提心真正長成時，已不再只是心裡的一個念頭，而是一個讓法住世的共同世界。
以唯識之眼，再看幾處
上來是〈最淨地陀羅尼品〉自身的次第。這一系譯註另以慈恩慧沼《金光明最勝王經疏》作一面旁照的鏡子——鏡非經，唯識不是本品的源頭；它不替經文發言，只讓同一條十地之路上，心識如何轉、障如何細、行如何得護，看得更分明。
其一，智顗《玄義》引文以『無發是發菩提心，一發一切發』提挈發心：不把發心鎖在一己，才能說遍攝一切。這是天台鏡語，不是本品問答的原句。慧沼則把菩提配為所證、菩提心配為能證；兩者同真如而平等。他又以名言施設與假立解不可得，說先除的是計執之病，不是說一切法全無。由這一讀，十地成為能證之心逐地離障的轉依之路；所證真如不另換一個。
其二，慧沼逐一解十地名：初地的初得出世心配自利，大事用成辦配利他；三地的無量智慧配聞、思、修三慧；五地是相違的真俗二智俱起；六地以十二因緣相續引無分別智；七地遠出相似世間與二乘之行；八地無相觀任運；九地任運得四無礙而說法自在；十地則如雲下法雨。這些配屬把經的地名解成智行次第，卻都屬慧沼之鏡；經文自身仍只說初得、大事用、無量智慧、勝智、行法相續、遠修行、修得自在、說法自在與大雲遍覆。
其三，經每一度列五法，慧沼以七最勝照讀布施五法：信根讀為菩提心體，慈悲為依止最勝，無求欲為清淨勝，攝受眾生為意樂勝，求一切智智為迴向勝。他又說地地配一度只是依增勝而說，每一地仍具修十度；另把彼岸分為所知、教、理、行、果五種，依次說知盡空有境、解盡五明教、達盡真俗理、修盡福慧行、證得菩提果。這是解經十七義的鏡架，不是用五項換掉十七項。智顗《文句》也稱十度為「十地之脚足」，並說其餘功德非為不修。三種說法共同讓五十法、十七義與十地配度互相照亮，但本品的列數與次序仍各守原文。
其四，慧沼把初地至佛地的二十二無明總攝為十一障：總說是障，逐項細說是愚。到三地，他把未得今得解作無漏勝定與勝修慧，因而歸入闇鈍障；後面又依次標出欣厭、麁細相現行、無相中作加行、利他中不欲行與於諸法不得自在。這張圖追問的不只是哪一惑未斷，也問智慧能否無功用觀無相、是否願意利他、能否自在說法與成辦佛事。
其五，十種三摩地在慧沼筆下是定慧雙修：由定起施名妙寶，由定起戒名可愛樂，由定發忍名難動，由定發勤名不退；後面定能發智慧、方便、無相證智、四辯與神通事業。十陀羅尼則明判為呪總持，每段都有能護名、神呪、多佛所說、護益；護益又有離難與不退兩面；十名又依十度而得——施得依功德力、戒得善安樂住，餘準此配。至於聞經後十種無盡無減門，疏中並存地地皆通得十門、十地依次各得一門兩讀，不替古文裁成一說。
末後把三家旁照並排。智顗《文句》除以不動地配力、善慧地配願，與本品八地配願、九地配力異序，也在釋舊本瑞相時說：「經家不定判位，秖可從容，不得剋斷也。」前者保存地度異序，後者不許據相剋斷果位。知禮從識位說十地中六、七二識已轉成智，又以賴耶三分為境而即境成觀；吉藏則以十波羅蜜為因足、建立佛果。慧沼逐文、智顗異序與戒語、知禮識位、吉藏因足，各存其本；鏡有多面，經文仍居中央。
借這面唯識之鏡回望，全品的線索就更清楚：不可得，除的是能所執；五十法，轉的是心行；二十二無明，辨的是所知障漸細；十種定，令度有攝持；十陀羅尼，令地得護；十種無盡門，令所證向眾生展開。它最後承衍的不是一張完成的階位表，而是一條不斷轉依、不失大悲的路——法界本無分別，正因要度眾生，菩薩才學會把無分別之智說成無盡法門。
The ten grounds are often read as a table of ranks: the first is called Joyful, the second Stainless, and one memorizes the sequence all the way to the tenth, Dharma Cloud, as though knowing the names meant knowing the path. This chapter dismantles the table and shows how the ten grounds grow from a single thought of the mind of awakening. It first asks what that mind is and then gives ten causes for arousing it. The ten perfections and their fifty dharmas embody it as practice; the twenty-two kinds of ignorance distinguish what must be abandoned on each ground; samādhi gathers the mind; and dhāraṇī protects the grounds. At the end, one must still return among sentient beings to teach and protect the Dharma. The path is not a leap from one titled rank to another. It is the growth of a mind that grasps nothing into a practice that abandons no sentient being.
This makes the difficulty at the chapter’s opening especially sharp. If the mind of awakening is unobtainable, who brings it forth? If the ten grounds cannot be grasped, how can the path be traveled? Following the sūtra’s sequence, we will see how the Buddha lays out “practice amid emptiness and realization without attainment” as a complete bodhisattva path. At the end, through the lens of consciousness-only, we will look more closely at the patterns of mind and consciousness along that road.
Asking about the Mind of Awakening: Through What Causes, and What Is This Mind?
Bodhisattva Lion-Form Unobstructed Blazing Light does not ask his question while seated. He first rises, bares his shoulder, places his right knee on the ground, joins his palms, bows to the Buddha, and presents flowers, incense, standards, and banners. Only then does he ask the chapter’s two governing questions: 「世尊！以幾因緣得菩提心？何者是菩提心？」—“World-Honored One, through how many causal conditions does one obtain the mind of awakening? What is the mind of awakening?” The first asks about its causes: what brings it forth? The second asks about its nature: what, ultimately, is this mind of awakening?
He immediately pushes the question beyond every point of purchase. Present mind, future mind, and past mind are all unobtainable. No mind can be found within awakening, yet apart from awakening no other mind of awakening can be found. Awakening cannot be expressed; mind has no color or form; sentient beings are also unobtainable. If awakening, mind, and the sentient being who practices can nowhere be found as entities, how can the profound meaning of the Dharma still be known? This is not an abstract debate but the bodhisattva path’s first gate. If, when arousing the mind, one grasps “I am seeking a substantially existent awakening,” that grasp has already split realizer from realized. Yet if one hears “unobtainable” and therefore does nothing, one has made emptiness collapse into annihilation.
Lion-Form spreads the question across three times and several relations. Present, future, and past mind are all unobtainable. Within awakening, mind cannot be obtained; apart from awakening, no other mind of awakening can be found. Awakening cannot be expressed, mind has no color or form, activity, or fabrication, and sentient beings are also unobtainable. He does not stop at the word “unobtainable” but asks: if this is so, how can the profound meaning of the dharmas be known? The ten causes, ten perfections, ten grounds, samādhis, and dhāraṇīs that follow all unfold from that opening.
Awakening Is Unobtainable, but This Does Not Mean That Nothing Exists
The Buddha twice confirms the bodhisattva’s question. Awakening is subtle, and activity and fabrication are unobtainable. Apart from awakening, the mind of awakening is also unobtainable; awakening, mind, and sentient beings cannot be made into a color, form, or activity. Then comes the chapter’s fixed compass: 「非無諸法而可了知。」—“It is not that there are no dharmas that can be known.” Knowing this is what allows one to be called a person who comprehends the dharmas and skillfully teaches awakening and the mind of awakening. The sūtra’s sequence of unobtainability does not stop with negation; it immediately turns toward knowing, comprehension, and teaching.
The sūtra places awakening and mind side by side as sharing one suchness, and realizer and realized side by side as equal. It then says that mind and sentient beings, awakening and the name “awakening,” sentient beings and the name “sentient being,” and likewise śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, buddhas, practice and non-practice together with their names cannot be obtained as two marks. Through unobtainability one abides in all quiescent dharmas, and the mind of awakening then arises in dependence on every meritorious root of goodness. This is the sūtra’s own order: shared suchness, equality, the unobtainability of dual marks, abiding in quiescence, and then the arising of mind through roots of goodness.
This turn governs how the rest of the chapter must be read. The ten perfections do not fabricate a substantially existent self, and the ten grounds are not ten certificates for that self to collect. Precisely because no fixed self can be obtained, giving is not intercepted by “mine,” ethical discipline does not merely defend a self-image, and patience does not feed the fire of an injured ego. Emptiness is not a theoretical chapter placed before the ten perfections; it is the mind through which each practice becomes a perfection.
Ten Similes Direct the Arousal of the Mind toward the Ten Perfections
The Buddha does not begin by defining the mind of awakening. Instead, he gives ten images in motion. Jeweled Mount Sumeru, king of mountains, benefits all and is the cause of giving. The earth bears all things and is the cause of ethical discipline. A lion walks alone without fear and is the cause of patience. The wind-wheel has Nārāyaṇa’s strength, courageous and swift without retreat, and is the cause of vigorous effort. The four gates of a seven-jeweled pavilion receive cool breezes and bring peace and ease; this is the cause of meditative concentration.
Then the brilliant sun destroys the darkness of ignorance in birth and death and is the cause of wisdom. A caravan leader takes people over a dangerous road, obtains the jewel of merit, and fulfills their wishes; this is the cause of skillful and supreme knowledge. A pure moon, full and unobscured, is the cause of vow. The wheel-turning king’s jeweled general is sovereign, able to adorn buddha lands and broadly benefit living beings; this is the cause of power. Unobstructed space and the sovereignty of a wheel-turning king reach everywhere through the stage of consecration; this is the cause of knowledge.
The ten similes are not ten decorations. In sequence, they disclose what the mind of awakening does: it gives, bears, stands fearless, does not retreat, abides, dispels darkness, crosses danger, purifies, accomplishes, and moves unobstructed. In other words, when asked “What is the mind of awakening?” the sūtra first answers by showing what this mind can do. Its nature cannot be grasped, but its practice has ten clear directions.
Each of the Ten Perfections Has Five Dharmas: Unfolding a Great Vow into Fifty Tasks
If the ten arousals of mind remained only as similes, they could still become moving images with no embodiment. The Buddha therefore unfolds each perfection into five dharmas, fifty in all, giving the mind of awakening sinews with which to act.
Giving requires the faculty of faith, loving-kindness and compassion, freedom from desire for reward, the embrace of all sentient beings, and the quest for all-knowing knowledge. The outward gift is only one aspect. What mind gives, whether it seeks repayment, whether it refuses to abandon any being, and whether it dedicates the act to a buddha’s knowledge are what carry giving to the other shore. Ethical discipline requires purity of the three activities, not becoming a cause of affliction for sentient beings, closing the evil destinies and opening favorable states, surpassing the grounds of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and fulfilling merit. Discipline therefore restrains evil, gathers good, and benefits others at once; it is not merely the guarding of a boundary.
Patience requires subduing greed and anger, not cherishing body, life, or comfort, reflecting on past karma and enduring suffering, using compassion to mature sentient beings’ roots of goodness, and seeking the profound patient acceptance of non-arising. Bearing injury, bearing hardship, and seeing into non-arising are all present as distinct levels. Vigorous effort means not dwelling gladly with affliction, not taking pleasure before merit is complete, not tiring of difficult and austere practice, maturing beings through great compassion and skillful means, and seeking non-retrogression. True effort is not busyness. It refuses to hand the mind back to affliction and refuses to abandon sentient beings because one is tired.
Meditative concentration gathers wholesome dharmas without scattering, constantly seeks liberation without abiding in either existence or emptiness, seeks supernormal powers to mature sentient beings, removes the mind’s stains in order to purify the dharma realm, and severs the roots of sentient beings’ afflictions. Concentration is not enclosure; the less scattered the mind becomes, the more fully it can bear benefit for others. Wisdom draws near and makes offerings to buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the wise; delights insatiably in hearing profound Dharma; skillfully distinguishes the supreme knowledge of conventional and ultimate truth; swiftly severs afflictions abandoned by seeing and cultivation; and masters worldly arts and the five fields of knowledge. It illuminates truth and also knows how to work within the world.
Skillful and supreme knowledge first comprehends differences in sentient beings’ dispositions, afflictions, and mental conduct; then comprehends immeasurable counteractive gates; and enters and emerges freely from the concentration of great compassion. It next vows to cultivate and perfect every perfection and to understand and embrace every buddha-dharma. One first knows the person and the illness, then the medicine and the time to apply it, and finally directs every gate of practice back toward awakening. The perfection of vow abides in the unborn and unceasing, neither existent nor nonexistent character of dharmas; in their undefiled and pure subtle principle; and in fundamental suchness beyond all conception. For the benefit of beings, it also abides in conventional truth and brings calm abiding and insight into simultaneous operation. Vow does not gaze at the world from afar; it inclines toward neither suchness nor conventional truth at the expense of the other.
The perfection of power uses correct knowledge to know the good and evil in sentient beings’ mental conduct, bring them into profound Dharma, know the conditions and karma of their wandering, distinguish superior, inferior, and varied faculties, and then teach according to principle so that their roots of goodness are planted, matured, and delivered. The perfection of knowledge distinguishes wholesome and unwholesome, leads beings away from dark dharmas and into bright ones, neither rejects birth and death nor delights in nirvāṇa while working for their benefit, completes merit and wisdom, and finally receives supreme consecration and attains the buddhas’ distinctive qualities and all-knowing knowledge.
After these fifty dharmas, the ten perfections are no longer ten grand abstractions. For each perfection, the sūtra first asks which five dharmas are required, lists them one by one, and closes by saying that this is the accomplishment of that perfection. The sequence extends from the faculty of faith, compassion, freedom from seeking, embracing sentient beings, and seeking all-knowing knowledge in giving, through distinguishing good and evil, handling dark and bright dharmas, neither rejecting birth and death nor delighting in nirvāṇa, bringing merit and wisdom to completion, and receiving supreme consecration in knowledge. The practices of the ten grounds first acquire sinews in these fifty tasks.
Seventeen Other Shores: Not Merely One’s Own Arrival
The Buddha next asks not “Which ten are the perfections?” but “What does perfection mean?” The sūtra begins with four meanings: cultivation must bring supreme benefit; immeasurable and profound knowledge must be fulfilled; the mind must not grasp either practice or non-practice; and the faults of birth and death and the merits of nirvāṇa must be rightly awakened to and contemplated. The first two concern the fulfillment of cultivation and knowledge, while the latter two concern how the mind can contemplate practices, birth and death, and nirvāṇa correctly without attachment.
The fifth through eleventh meanings extend the view to sentient beings and the dharma realm. Fool and sage alike must be embraced; precious and subtle Dharma jewels must be revealed; liberation must be unobstructed and wisdom fulfilled; the dharma realm and the realm of sentient beings must be correctly distinguished and known; giving and the other perfections together with knowledge must bring beings to non-retrogression; acceptance of non-arising must be fulfilled; and the meritorious roots of goodness of all sentient beings must be matured. The other shore is therefore not one person’s attainment alone. It also makes Dharma visible, beings non-retrogressive, and roots of goodness mature.
The twelfth through seventeenth meanings complete the destination: accomplishing a buddha’s ten powers, four fearlessnesses, and distinctive qualities; knowing birth and death and nirvāṇa as having no dual marks; rescuing all; skillfully answering and subduing non-Buddhist challengers; turning the Dharma wheel in twelve subtle aspects; and finally remaining without attachment, appropriative view, or burdensome affliction. From the qualities of buddhahood, nondual vision, and universal rescue through answering challenges, turning the Dharma wheel, and freedom from attachment, the seventeen meanings culminate in realization, teaching, and deliverance without appropriation.
These seventeen meanings free “reaching the other shore” from a one-way image of escaping birth and death. If one seeks only to leave suffering and refuses to embrace fools; seeks only peace and refuses to face challenges or turn the Dharma wheel; or seeks only one’s own acceptance of non-arising and does not mature sentient beings’ roots of goodness, one has not traversed the breadth of this term.
Portents of the Ten Grounds: Ten Images Appearing in Sequence
When the sūtra enters the ten grounds, it first presents not their names and meanings but ten portents. On the first ground, the world is seen filled with treasure. On the second, the earth is level as a palm and adorned with jewels. On the third, one sees oneself strong and armored, crushing enemies. On the fourth, wind-wheels scatter flowers across the earth. On the fifth, a wondrous jeweled woman adorns herself with necklaces and celebrated flowers. From fullness and levelness through courage and flower-rain adornment, the first five grounds render maturing merit as a visible world.
On the sixth ground, one sees a seven-jeweled lotus pond with four stairways, golden sand, water of eight qualities, and three kinds of lotus, and plays there in cool ease. On the seventh, beings destined for hell escape falling through the bodhisattva’s power, unharmed and unafraid. On the eighth, two lion kings guard one’s sides and all beasts submit in fear. On the ninth, a wheel-turning king is surrounded by billions, with a white canopy and jeweled ornaments. On the tenth, a golden Tathāgata radiates complete light, receives offerings from Brahmā assemblies, and turns the Dharma wheel. The images of the last five grounds move from a cool contemplative domain to rescue, protection, royal authority, and finally a buddha-body teaching the Dharma.
Every portent closes with the words “the bodhisattva sees it,” and each ground receives one image rather than all ten being folded into a single spectacle. They also appear before the explanations of the ground-names. The sūtra first shows treasure, level earth, courage, flower-rain, a jeweled woman, a lotus pond, rescue from suffering, lions, a wheel-turning king, and a golden Tathāgata; only afterward does it explain Joyful, Stainless, Luminous, Blazing, Difficult to Conquer, Face-to-Face, Far-Going, Immovable, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud one by one. The portents appear first and the names are explained afterward: two sets of ten linked in sequence within the sūtra.
From Joyful to Dharma Cloud: Each Ground-Name Speaks of a Kind of Maturity
The sūtra explains the first ground, Joyful, in three movements: the supramundane mind is first realized, what was never attained before is now attained; great functions are accomplished according to one’s wish; and extreme joy and happiness arise. The second is Stainless because subtle stains and faults against discipline are purified. The third is Luminous because immeasurable wisdom and the light of samādhi cannot be moved or overcome and have the dhāraṇī of hearing and retention as their root.
The fourth is Blazing because the fire of wisdom burns afflictions, increases light, and cultivates the factors of awakening. For the fifth, Difficult to Conquer, the sūtra says that mastery in the supreme knowledge of skillful practice is exceedingly difficult to attain and that afflictions abandoned through seeing and cultivation, though difficult to subdue, are subdued. The sixth is Face-to-Face because the continuity of practiced dharmas, clear manifestation, and signless contemplation all come directly to presence. Each explanation keeps to the sūtra’s sequence: fire burns affliction, what is difficult to subdue is subdued, and practice and contemplation become clearly present.
The seventh is Far-Going because undefiled, uninterrupted, and signless contemplation together with the samādhi of liberation are cultivated far; the ground is pure and unobstructed. The eighth is Immovable because signless contemplation has been cultivated to mastery and afflictive activities cannot disturb it. The ninth is Excellent Wisdom because teaching the manifold distinctions of all dharmas becomes free, without trouble or burden, while wisdom increases in unobstructed mastery. The tenth is Dharma Cloud because the dharma-body is like space and wisdom like a great cloud, both pervading and covering all. From Joyful through Dharma Cloud, the sūtra unfolds each name through attained mind, purification, wisdom, subduing affliction, teaching Dharma, and universal covering.
Twenty-Two Kinds of Ignorance: The Higher the Path, the Subtler the Obstruction
The section least open to vagueness in this chapter is the pair of ignorances assigned to every ground. The first ground is obstructed by grasping a self and dharmas endowed with marks and by fear of the evil destinies of birth and death. The second is obstructed by mistaken transgression of subtle training and by the arousal of manifold karmic activity. The third is obstructed by ignorance of attachment to what was formerly unattained and is now attained, and by ignorance that obstructs supreme retention. The fourth is obstructed by savoring the delight of meditative attainment and loving subtle, pure dharmas. The fifth is obstructed by rejection of birth and death and longing for nirvāṇa.
The sixth is obstructed by observing the circulation of conditioned activity and by the presence of coarse marks. The seventh is obstructed by the activity of subtle marks and by deliberate delight in the signless. The eighth is obstructed by the effort still required in signless contemplation and by grasping sovereignty over marks. The ninth is obstructed by a lack of skill in the two unobstructed understandings of meaning and of names, phrases, and letters, and by verbal eloquence that does not operate at will. The tenth is obstructed by the inability freely to manifest great supernormal powers and by failure to understand subtle, secret activities. On the buddha ground the list still includes a subtle cognitive obstruction in relation to every domain and the extremely subtle coarseness of affliction.
The most arresting feature of this map is that “obstruction” does not always mean conspicuous wrongdoing. The two items for the third ground are kept distinct: ignorance of attachment to what was formerly unattained and is now attained, and ignorance obstructing supreme retention. The fourth then lists savoring the delight of meditative attainment and loving subtle, pure dharmas; the fifth, rejection of birth and death and longing for nirvāṇa; and the seventh and eighth, delight and exertion in relation to signlessness. The sūtra’s list moves from grasping self and dharmas with marks and fearing birth and death to a lack of mastery in teaching, supernormal powers, and subtle, secret activity. As the road ascends, the listed obstructions draw nearer to capacities and domains that practitioners may cherish. Reading them two by two prevents neighboring meanings from being fused.
The second-ground wording survives in three forms: mistaken, guarded, and a graphic variant of mistaken transgression. On the ninth ground, unobstructed and immeasurable also survive as variants. Each is returned to its own textual witness; no character is used to erase another. Honesty in transmitting the Dharma is itself practice: where certainty is unavailable, coexistence is acknowledged rather than neatness being made to impersonate certainty.
One Perfection per Ground, Ten Minds and Ten Samādhis: Two Ordered Pairings
The sūtra pairs the first through tenth grounds in sequence with giving, discipline, patience, vigorous effort, concentration, wisdom, skillful and supreme knowledge, vow, power, and knowledge. It also pairs the ten arousals of mind with ten samādhis in sequence: Wondrous Jewel, Lovable Delight, Difficult to Move, Non-Retrogression, Jeweled Flower, Perfect Blazing Light of the Sun, Fulfillment of Every Vow as Wished, Directly Realized Abiding, Treasury of Knowledge, and Courageous Advance.
The first set proceeds by ground, pairing each sentence with one perfection: giving on the first ground, discipline on the second, patience on the third, vigorous effort on the fourth, concentration on the fifth, wisdom on the sixth, skillful and supreme knowledge on the seventh, vow on the eighth, power on the ninth, and knowledge on the tenth. What the sūtra completes here is ten explicit pairings, one ground and one perfection at a time. It adds no question-and-answer and does not rearrange the table into another sequence.
The second set instead proceeds through the ten arousals embraced by mind. The first arousal produces the Wondrous Jewel samādhi, and the second through tenth produce, in sequence, Lovable Delight, Difficult to Move, Non-Retrogression, Jeweled Flower, Perfect Blazing Light of the Sun, Fulfillment of Every Vow as Wished, Directly Realized Abiding, Treasury of Knowledge, and Courageous Advance. The grammatical subject throughout is the arousal embraced by mind, and the verb throughout is “produces”; at the end, the sūtra gathers the set as ten arousals of mind. The first table links grounds and perfections, the second arousals and concentrations. Placed side by side, each relation remains clear.
Ten Dhāraṇīs for the Ten Grounds: Before Explaining Syllables, See What They Protect
After the ten grounds, the Buddha does not add another chart of names but teaches a dhāraṇī ground by ground. The first receives Reliance on the Power of Merit; the second, Abiding Well in Peace and Ease; the third, Difficult-to-Conquer Power; the fourth, Great Benefit; the fifth, Adorned with Manifold Merits; the sixth, Perfect Wisdom; the seventh, Practice Victorious in Dharma; the eighth, Inexhaustible Treasury; the ninth, Immeasurable Gateways; and the tenth, Shattering the Vajra Mountain.
Every passage has the same skeleton. It first gives the protective name and then the formula. Next it says that buddhas more numerous than the sands of one through ten Ganges Rivers truly spoke it to protect the corresponding first through tenth ground. Finally, it says that reciters are freed from the dangers posed by savage beasts, spirits, humans and nonhumans, hostile bandits, calamities, and distress; they are freed from the five obstructions and do not forget that ground. Practice of the ten grounds is not only “my effort to climb.” It also means receiving the protective remembrance of the dhāraṇī transmitted by the buddhas, so that realization is neither lost nor abandoned.
The formulas are sound transcriptions. The sūtra does not translate syllable by syllable; it transmits their sound. What can be explained is their position within the sūtra: here dhāraṇī is a method of protecting a ground. It protects against external fear and also against forgetting the ground or retreating. To speculate about every syllable beyond this scriptural function would move away from what the chapter itself says.
At this point, arousal of the mind, the ten perfections, the ten grounds, samādhi, and the dhāraṇīs that protect the grounds finally join into a complete path.
Ten Verses Look Back over the Chapter: Without Differentiation, Yet Constantly Rescuing
After hearing the dhāraṇīs, Bodhisattva Lion-Form praises the Buddha in ten verses. The first half bows to the profound, signless Dharma and the Buddha who can deliver sentient beings. It then says that the Tathāgata’s bright eye of wisdom sees no mark of any dharma, yet the eye of the true Dharma universally illuminates the inconceivable. He sees no dharma arise and no dharma cease, and through equal vision reaches the unsurpassed place. This answers the chapter’s opening: the mind of awakening is unobtainable not because wisdom has been lost, but because wisdom no longer makes the marks of dharmas into entities.
The middle says that the Buddha neither destroys birth and death nor abides in nirvāṇa, and by clinging to neither extreme realizes complete quiescence. He knows purity and impurity as one flavor and attains supreme purity through nondiscrimination. The Buddha’s boundless body speaks not one word, yet fills disciples with the rain of Dharma. The Buddha sees all marks of sentient beings as empty, yet constantly rescues those in distress. “Not seeing sentient beings” and “delivering sentient beings” do not conflict. Not fixing beings into graspable marks is precisely what prevents one’s imagination from replacing their suffering.
The latter portion loosens suffering and pleasure, permanence and impermanence, self and no-self, identity and difference, arising and cessation one by one. Manifold meanings differ according to what is said, like an echo in an empty valley. The last verse gathers everything in the words 「法界無分別，是故無異乘；為度眾生故，分別說有三。」—“The dharma realm is without differentiation; therefore there are no distinct vehicles. For the sake of delivering sentient beings, three are taught by way of distinction.” The dharma realm has one flavor, while teachings speak of three. The realm is not cut into three pieces; because sentient beings’ faculties differ, the Buddha uses differentiated words to lead them back to nondifferentiation.
After Brahmā’s Question: Retaining the Sūtra Is Not Collecting It, but Letting the Dharma Continue to Happen
Great Īśvara Brahmā King praises the sūtra as excellent at the beginning, middle, and end, consummate in words and meaning, and able to accomplish all buddha-dharmas; receiving and retaining it repays the buddhas’ kindness. After confirming this, the Buddha gives hearing the sūtra tremendous weight. Those who hear it do not retreat from awakening. It is the foremost Dharma seal and the king of sūtras. Those who have neither planted nor matured roots of goodness and have not drawn near the buddhas cannot hear this subtle Dharma; those able to hear and receive it eliminate karmic obstructions, attain purity, constantly see buddhas, draw near spiritual friends, continually hear the subtle Dharma, and abide on the ground of non-retrogression.
Hearing the sūtra also yields ten inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī gateways: the Ocean Seal from Which Wondrous Merits Emerge; Comprehension of the Intentions, Conduct, and Speech of Sentient Beings; Pure-Marked Light of the Perfect Sun; the Full Moon’s Characteristic Light; Subduing All Delusions and Sending Forth a Stream of Merit; Shattering the Vajra Mountain; the Treasury of Causes and Conditions that Teaches the Meaning that Cannot Be Taught; Comprehension of the Sounds of the Rules of Truthful Speech; the Seal of Undefiled Mental Conduct as Vast as Space; and Manifestation of Every Boundless Buddha-Body. The earlier ten dhāraṇīs protect each ground; these ten gateways open protected practice toward the ten directions. Knowing sentient beings, teaching the Dharma, subduing delusion, and manifesting bodies are all inexhaustible and undiminishing.
Having accomplished these gateways, a bodhisattva can manifest buddha-bodies in the buddha lands of the ten directions, proclaim the true Dharma, and mature every sentient being’s roots of goodness while seeing no sentient being who could be matured. The bodhisattva can teach many dharmas while neither moving nor abiding, coming nor going within words, and can realize non-arising and non-cessation amid arising and cessation. This returns to the chapter’s opening answer: unobtainability does not mean inactivity; absence of coming and going does not mean absence of Dharma teaching.
At the Dharma assembly, bodhisattvas attain acceptance of non-arising or non-retrogression in the mind of awakening; bhikṣus and bhikṣuṇīs attain the purified Dharma eye; and immeasurable beings arouse the bodhisattva mind. The assembly vows that wherever this sūtra is taught, proclaimed, or recited, they will go as listeners, honor the Dharma teacher, bring ease to the listeners, protect the land, and purify the place of teaching. Finally, the Buddha commands diligent cultivation so that the true Dharma may long remain. The chapter begins with one person asking, “What is the mind of awakening?” and ends with the entire assembly protecting the teaching together. When the mind of awakening truly matures, it is no longer merely a thought within one mind; it becomes a shared world in which the Dharma can remain.
Looking Again through the Lens of Consciousness-Only
The foregoing follows the sequence of “The Dhāraṇī of the Most Purified Grounds” itself. This translation and commentary series also uses Ci’en Huizhao’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King as an oblique mirror. A mirror is not the sūtra, and consciousness-only is not this chapter’s source. It does not speak in the sūtra’s place; it simply makes more visible, along the same road of the ten grounds, how mind and consciousness are transformed, how obstructions grow subtle, and how practice is protected.
First, a passage cited in Zhiyi’s Profound Meaning gathers arousal of the mind in the words 『無發是發菩提心，一發一切發』—“not arousing is the arousal of the mind of awakening; when one arousal occurs, all is aroused.” It refuses to confine arousal within oneself alone. This is Tiantai mirror-language, not a line from this chapter’s question and answer. Huizhao, in turn, assigns awakening to what is realized and the mind of awakening to what realizes; because both are the same suchness, they are equal. He also interprets unobtainability through nominal designation and provisional establishment: what is first removed is the illness of conceptual grasping, not the existence of all dharmas. On this reading, the ten grounds become a path on which the realizing mind progressively leaves obstruction through transformation of the basis, while the suchness realized is not exchanged for another.
Second, Huizhao interprets the ground-names one by one. On the first, first attaining the supramundane mind is self-benefit and accomplishing great function is benefit for others. On the third, immeasurable wisdom is the three wisdoms of hearing, reflection, and cultivation. On the fifth, the apparently opposed knowledges of conventional and ultimate truth arise together; on the sixth, contemplation of the continuity of the twelve links brings forth nondiscriminating knowledge; on the seventh, practice passes beyond modes resembling worldly and two-vehicle paths; on the eighth, signless contemplation is spontaneous; on the ninth, the four unobstructed understandings arise spontaneously and teaching becomes free; and on the tenth, Dharma descends like rain from a cloud. These assignments make the ground-names a sequence of knowledge and practice, but they all belong to Huizhao’s mirror. The sūtra itself speaks only of first attainment, great function, immeasurable wisdom, supreme knowledge, continuity of practiced dharmas, cultivation far, mastery in cultivation, mastery in teaching, and a great cloud covering all.
Third, when the sūtra gives five dharmas for each perfection, Huizhao reads the five dharmas of giving through the seven excellences: the faculty of faith as the essence of the mind of awakening, compassion as excellence of support, freedom from seeking as excellence of purity, embracing sentient beings as excellence of intention, and seeking all-knowing knowledge as excellence of dedication. He also says that pairing one perfection with each ground is stated only in terms of ascendance and that every ground still cultivates all ten. Elsewhere he divides the “other shore” into five—what is known, teaching, principle, practice, and fruition—and explains these as exhausting empty and existent objects in knowledge, the five fields in teaching, conventional and ultimate truth in principle, merit and wisdom in practice, and the fruit of awakening in realization. This is a mirror-frame for interpreting the sūtra’s seventeen meanings, not a replacement of seventeen items with five. Zhiyi’s Words and Phrases likewise calls the ten perfections 「十地之脚足」—“the feet of the ten grounds”—and says that the other merits are not left uncultivated. Together these readings illuminate the fifty dharmas, seventeen meanings, and ground-perfection pairings while leaving the sūtra’s own numbers and sequence intact.
Fourth, Huizhao gathers the twenty-two kinds of ignorance from the first ground through the buddha ground under eleven obstructions: spoken generally they are obstructions; distinguished item by item they are delusions. On the third ground, he explains “formerly unattained and now attained” as undefiled supreme concentration and supreme cultivated wisdom and therefore places it under the obstruction of dullness. Later he identifies attraction and aversion, the activity of coarse and subtle marks, applied effort within signlessness, unwillingness to benefit others, and lack of mastery over dharmas. This map asks not only which affliction remains, but whether wisdom can contemplate signlessness without effort, whether one is willing to benefit others, and whether one can freely teach and accomplish buddha-activity.
Fifth, in Huizhao’s account the ten samādhis are the joint cultivation of concentration and wisdom. Giving arising from concentration is called Wondrous Jewel; discipline arising from concentration, Lovable Delight; patience, Difficult to Move; and vigorous effort, Non-Retrogression. Later, concentration can produce wisdom, skillful means, the knowledge realizing signlessness, the four kinds of eloquence, and supernormal activity. The ten dhāraṇīs are explicitly classified as mantra-retentions. Each passage has a protective name, a sacred formula, the many buddhas who spoke it, and its benefits. Those benefits have two aspects: freedom from danger and non-retrogression. The ten names are also derived from the ten perfections—giving obtains Reliance on the Power of Merit, discipline obtains Abiding Well in Peace and Ease, and the remainder follow in the same way. As for the ten inexhaustible and undiminishing gateways gained after hearing the sūtra, the commentary preserves two readings: every ground may obtain all ten gateways, or the ten grounds may obtain one each in sequence. It does not adjudicate the old wording into a single reading.
Finally, place the three oblique mirrors side by side. Zhiyi’s Words and Phrases not only pairs the Immovable Ground with power and the Excellent Wisdom Ground with vow, reversing this chapter’s eighth-ground vow and ninth-ground power; when explaining portents in the older recension, it also cautions: 「經家不定判位，秖可從容，不得剋斷也。」—“The scriptural author does not definitively assign a stage; one may proceed with latitude and must not impose a rigid determination.” The first preserves a different ground-perfection sequence; the second forbids rigidly assigning attainment from a portent. Zhili explains that on the ten grounds the sixth and seventh consciousnesses have already been transformed into knowledge and takes the three aspects of the store consciousness as the object, turning the object itself into contemplation. Jizang reads the ten perfections as causal feet that establish buddhahood. Huizhao’s line-by-line commentary, Zhiyi’s different sequence and caution, Zhili’s positions of consciousness, and Jizang’s causal feet each remain in their own place. The mirror has many faces; the sūtra remains at the center.
Looking back through this consciousness-only mirror clarifies the chapter’s thread. Unobtainability removes grasping at realizer and realized. The fifty dharmas transform mental conduct. The twenty-two kinds of ignorance distinguish the increasing subtlety of the cognitive obstruction. The ten concentrations sustain the perfections. The ten dhāraṇīs protect the grounds. The ten inexhaustible gateways open realization toward sentient beings. The chapter’s final carrying forward is not a completed chart of ranks, but a road of continual transformation of the basis that never loses great compassion. The dharma realm is originally without differentiation; precisely because sentient beings must be delivered, bodhisattvas learn to express nondiscriminating knowledge as inexhaustible Dharma gateways.
考據Apparatus
全品定位 本品由菩提心之因與體起問，依次展開十度、十地、二十二無明、十種三摩地與十地陀羅尼，末以十頌、梵天勸持及會眾護法收束。全品的行文不是把空義與修行拆成兩路，而是由『不可得而非無法』立心，由十度入地，由斷障得護，終於無分別法界中為眾生分別說法。
一、科判定位
義淨本品題在 T16n0665 0417c22，品身自 0417c23 起，至 0422b20 說法畢；0422b21–0422b26 為卷縫、卷題與譯人題記，0422b27 已入〈蓮華喻讚品第七〉。
慧沼先以來意、釋名、解妨三門總攝：
- 來意以發心、修行為軸：「修善之中，發心、修行。發心即發菩提心，謂要依止大菩提心行諸善行，方能得果。所修行者即是十度，由斯十度能得諸地、能破慳等十度障等，得五分法身，成二勝果。」（T39n1788 0252a25）
- 釋名以離障為淨：「淨謂清淨，離二障故。」（T39n1788 0252b03）又辨題名所攝：「若取十度等，但名最淨地；若取陀羅尼，名最淨地陀羅尼。」（T39n1788 0252b12）
- 解妨正答本品十度各列五法之異：「諸餘經論說其十度，初六各三、後四各二。何故此經十波羅蜜皆有五種？答：一一行中各有多門，諸聖教中影略而說，故不一準。」（T39n1788 0252b15）
全品大科，慧沼判為「此品之內，大文分四：一無礙光請、二如來為答、三大梵讚揚、四時眾獲益。」（T39n1788 0252b20）其中師子相無礙光焰菩薩的請問有二：先問菩提心之因，次問菩提心之體；如來答因又分發心、修行、證地、得護四層：「答第一問。分文為四：一發心；二修行；三證地；四得護，即得陀羅尼而為衛護。」（T39n1788 0253c07）
若依經文自身次第，可細分為十五段：一、起座供養，問菩提心因與體；二、答菩提、心、眾生及名言不可得，而非無諸法；三、十種菩提心因；四、十度各五法；五、波羅蜜十七義；六、十地先相；七、十地名義；八、十地二十無明及佛地二無明；九、十地配十度；十、十發心生十種三摩地；十一、十地十陀羅尼、十真言與護地；十二、師子相十頌；十三、大自在梵天讚經及如來印可；十四、聞經所得十種無盡無減陀羅尼門；十五、會眾得益、護持誓願與如來勅修。
全品問答的樞紐，一端是「世尊！以幾因緣得菩提心？何者是菩提心？」（T16n0665 0417c26），另一端是「菩提及心，同真如故，能證所證，皆平等故，非無諸法而可了知。」（T16n0665 0418a07）後文十度、十地及陀羅尼，皆在這個『不可得而可修可證』的張力中展開。
二、異譯·對勘（四層見證·真諦補品第三·讖本無）
四層見證
第一層，現存 T663 的品目共十九品，末題為「金光明經囑累品第十九」（T16n0663 0358a02），沒有本品題名。
第二層，T663 的相鄰品序由「金光明經懺悔品第三」（T16n0663 0336b10）直接接「金光明經讚歎品第四」（T16n0663 0339a07），中間沒有〈陀羅尼最淨地〉或〈最淨地陀羅尼〉。
第三層，於 T663 全文逐字查詢『最淨地』『陀羅尼最淨地』『歡喜地』『依功德力』『破金剛山』『師子相無礙光』，均無命中。此層只與品目、相鄰品序合用，不以零命中單獨作全稱證明。
第四層，寶貴序明列三本及真諦四補品：「而《金光明》見有三本：初在涼世有曇無讖譯，為四卷，止十八品；其次，周世闍那崛多譯，為五卷，成二十品；後逮梁世，真諦三藏於建康譯〈三身分別〉、〈業障滅〉、〈陀羅尼最淨地〉、〈依空滿願〉等四品，足前出沒為二十二品。」（T16n0664 0359b20）其中〈陀羅尼最淨地〉題名首字在 0359b23，本品即序中真諦補品第三。
現存 T663 品目為十九，寶貴序追述曇無讖初譯則說止十八品；一為現存文本結構，一為古序陳述，兩層並錄，不互改。四層見證所支持的是：現存讖本沒有本品，而寶貴序將本品列入真諦四補品；不由此另判補品的義理地位。
品界與題名
義淨本題為「最淨地陀羅尼品第六」（T16n0665 0417c22），品身 0417c23–0422b26；真諦補品題為「陀羅尼最淨地品第六」（T16n0664 0372c06），品身 0372c07–0377b05。T664 0377b07–0378a24 另立障名重錄及真言音注，不併入本品品身。
問答與菩提心語
| 對勘點 | 義淨本 | 真諦補品 |
|---|---|---|
| 問句 | 「世尊！以幾因緣得菩提心？何者是菩提心？」（T16n0665 0417c26） | 「以幾因緣得菩提心？何者是菩提心？」（T16n0664 0372c10） |
| 菩提與心 | 「菩提及心，同真如故，能證所證，皆平等故，非無諸法而可了知。」（T16n0665 0418a07） | 「何以故？如意，心亦如是；如心，菩提亦如是；如心、如菩提，眾生亦如是；如眾生，一切三世法亦如是。」（T16n0664 0372c18） |
| 善根生心 | 「此依一切功德善根而得生起。」（T16n0665 0418a18） | 「依一切功德善根而得發出，是名初發菩提心。」（T16n0664 0372c29） |
| 初度之因 | 「譬如寶須彌山王饒益一切，此菩提心利眾生故，是名第一布施波羅蜜因。」（T16n0665 0418a20） | 「譬如寶須彌山王，是名檀波羅蜜因。」（T16n0664 0373a01） |
前六度譯名，義淨本依次作布施、持戒、忍辱、勤策、靜慮、智慧；真諦補品依次作檀、尸、羼提、毘梨耶、禪、般若。後四度兩本同列方便勝智、願、力、智。此處保存各自漢譯傳承，不另作梵語還原。
五法的代表性逐字差異如下：
| 度 | 義淨本 | 真諦補品 |
|---|---|---|
| 戒第三法 | 「閉諸惡道，開善趣門」（T16n0665 0418b20） | 「斷諸惡道、開善道門」（T16n0664 0373a28） |
| 忍第三、第四法 | 「思惟往業，遭苦能忍；四者、發慈悲心成就眾生諸善根故」（T16n0665 0418b25） | 「思惟往業，四者、為欲成熟一切眾生功德善根發慈悲心」（T16n0664 0373b05） |
| 靜慮第二法 | 「常願解脫，不著二邊故」（T16n0665 0418c08） | 「解脫生死，二處不著」（T16n0664 0373b17） |
| 智慧第四法 | 「見修煩惱，咸速斷除」（T16n0665 0418c16） | 「見思煩惱如是勝智能分別斷」（T16n0664 0373b25） |
| 願第三法 | 「過一切想，是本真如，無作無行，不異不動心得安住」（T16n0665 0419a01） | 「過一切相，心如如，無作、無行，不異、不動，安心於如」（T16n0664 0373c09） |
| 力第四法 | 「於諸眾生，三種根性，以正智力，能分別知」（T16n0665 0419a10） | 「於一切眾生三聚智力能分別知」（T16n0664 0373c18） |
| 智第五法 | 「受勝灌頂，能得諸佛不共法等，及一切智智」（T16n0665 0419a17） | 「一切諸佛不共法等及一切智智具足灌頂智能」（T16n0664 0373c27） |
十地名義與二十二無明
兩本同列歡喜、無垢、明、焰、難勝、現前、遠行、不動、善慧、法雲十地，而句法有增省。例如義淨本作「見修煩惱，難伏能伏」（T16n0665 0419c12），真諦補品作「見思煩惱不可伏故」（T16n0664 0374b24）；義淨本作「無相思惟，皆悉現前」（T16n0665 0419c14），真諦補品作「無相、多思惟現前故」（T16n0664 0374b25）。
兩本從初地至佛地各列二無明，全數並錄如下；各行只傳文本，不以一方校正另一方：
| 所障地 | 義淨本 | 真諦補品 |
|---|---|---|
| 初地 | 「執著有相我法無明、怖畏生死惡趣無明，此二無明障於初地。」（T16n0665 0419c23） | 「初地欲行有相道是無明障礙、生死怖畏是無明，依二種麁心是初地障。」（T16n0664 0374c06） |
| 二地 | 「微細學處誤犯無明、發起種種業行無明，此二無明障於二地。」（T16n0665 0419c24） | 「微細罪過因無明、種種業行相因無明，依二種麁心是二地障。」（T16n0664 0374c08） |
| 三地 | 「未得今得愛著無明、能障殊勝總持無明，此二無明障於三地。」（T16n0665 0419c26） | 「昔所未得勝利，得故動涌，因無明；不具聞持陀羅尼，因無明。依二種麁心是三地障。」（T16n0664 0374c10） |
| 四地 | 「味著等至喜悅無明、微妙淨法愛樂無明，此二無明障於四地。」（T16n0665 0419c27） | 「味禪定樂生愛著心，因無明；微妙淨法愛，因無明。依二種麁心是四地障。」（T16n0664 0374c12） |
| 五地 | 「欲背生死無明、希趣涅槃無明，此二無明障於五地。」（T16n0665 0419c29） | 「一意欲入涅槃思惟、一意欲入生死思惟。是涅槃思惟、是生死思惟，無明為因；生死涅槃不平等思惟，無明為因。依二種麁心是五地障。」（T16n0664 0374c14） |
| 六地 | 「觀行流轉無明、麁相現前無明，此二無明障於六地。」（T16n0665 0420a01） | 「行法相續，了了顯現，無明為因；法相數數，行至於心，無明為因。依二種麁心是六地障。」（T16n0664 0374c18） |
| 七地 | 「微細諸相現行無明、作意欣樂無相無明，此二無明障於七地。」（T16n0665 0420a02） | 「微細諸相，或現、不現，無明；一味熟思惟欲斷未得方便，無明。依二種麁心是七地障。」（T16n0664 0374c20） |
| 八地 | 「於無相觀功用無明、執相自在無明，此二無明障於八地。」（T16n0665 0420a03） | 「於無相法多用功力，無明；執相自在，難可得度，無明。依二種麁心是八地障。」（T16n0664 0374c22） |
| 九地 | 「於所說義及名句文此二無礙未善巧無明、於詞辯才不隨意無明，此二無明障於九地。」（T16n0665 0420a05） | 「說法無量、名味句無量、智慧分別無量，未能攝持，無明；四無礙辯未得自在，無明。依二種麁心是九地障。」（T16n0664 0374c24） |
| 十地 | 「於大神通未得自在變現無明、微細祕密未能悟解事業無明，此二無明障於十地。」（T16n0665 0420a07） | 「最大神通未得如意，無明；微妙祕密之藏修行未足，無明。依二種麁心是十地障。」（T16n0664 0374c27） |
| 佛／如來地 | 「於一切境微細所知障礙無明、極細煩惱麁重無明，此二無明障於佛地。」（T16n0665 0420a09） | 「一切境界微細智礙，無明為因；未來是礙不更生，未得不更生智，無明為因。是如來地障。」（T16n0664 0374c29） |
十地配度與三摩地
十地配度的次第在兩本相同；真諦補品連文為：「於初菩薩地行向檀波羅蜜、於二地行向尸波羅蜜、於三地行向羼提波羅蜜、四地行向毘梨耶波羅蜜、五地行向禪那波羅蜜、六地行向般若波羅蜜、七地行向方便勝智波羅蜜、八地行向願波羅蜜、九地行向力波羅蜜、十地行向智波羅蜜。」（T16n0664 0375a02）
十種三摩地的譯語如下：
| 地 | 義淨本 | 真諦補品 |
|---|---|---|
| 初地 | 妙寶三摩地（T16n0665 0420a19） | 妙寶起三摩提（T16n0664 0375a12） |
| 二地 | 可愛樂三摩地（T16n0665 0420a20） | 可愛住三摩提（T16n0664 0375a14） |
| 三地 | 難動三摩地（T16n0665 0420a20） | 難動三摩提（T16n0664 0375a15） |
| 四地 | 不退轉三摩地（T16n0665 0420a21） | 不退轉三昧（T16n0664 0375a16） |
| 五地 | 寶花三摩地（T16n0665 0420a22） | 寶華三昧（T16n0664 0375a17） |
| 六地 | 日圓光焰三摩地（T16n0665 0420a23） | 日圓光焰三昧（T16n0664 0375a18） |
| 七地 | 一切願如意成就三摩地（T16n0665 0420a24） | 一切願如意成就三昧（T16n0664 0375a19） |
| 八地 | 現前證住三摩地（T16n0665 0420a25） | 現在佛現前證住三昧（T16n0664 0375a21） |
| 九地 | 智藏三摩地（T16n0665 0420a26） | 智藏三昧（T16n0664 0375a22） |
| 十地 | 勇進三摩地（T16n0665 0420a26） | 首楞嚴摩伽三昧（T16n0664 0375a23） |
十陀羅尼名與十真言音寫
陀羅尼名的異同為：初地兩本皆依功德力；二地皆善安樂住；三地為難勝力／難勝大力；四地為大利益／大利益難壞；五地皆種種功德莊嚴；六地為圓滿智／圓智等；七地皆法勝行；八地皆無盡藏；九地皆無量門；十地為破金剛山／破壞堅固金剛山。
十段真言皆屬音寫。以下各傳逐字並列，不互校、不翻譯、不釋義，也不據後世校本還原梵文。
初地
- 義淨本：「怛姪他 晡𠷈儞 曼奴喇剃 獨虎 獨虎 獨虎 耶跋 蘇利瑜 阿婆婆薩底 耶跋 旃達囉 調怛底 多跋達𠸪叉漫 憚茶鉢唎訶㘕 矩嚕 莎訶」（T16n0665 0420b01）
- 真諦補品：「怛姪他富樓尼那羅弟頭吼頭吼頭吼那跋修履愈烏婆娑底那跋旃杜魯弟愈多底多跋鐸洛衫但地波履訶嵐苟留鎖訶」（T16n0664 0375a28）
二地
- 義淨本：「怛姪他 嗢篅哩 質哩質哩 嗢篅羅篅羅 喃繕覩繕覩嗢篅哩 虎嚕虎嚕 莎訶」（T16n0665 0420b12）
- 真諦補品：「怛姪他欝坐離脂履脂履欝竪羅竪羅南禪斗禪斗欝坐離吼柳吼柳鎖訶」（T16n0664 0375b11）
三地
- 義淨本：「怛姪他 憚宅 枳般 宅枳 羯喇 㨖高喇㨖 雞由哩 憚㨖哩 莎訶」（T16n0665 0420b22）
- 真諦補品：「怛姪他但杝枳般杝枳柯羅智高懶智枳由離但底離鎖訶」（T16n0664 0375b20）
四地
- 義淨本：「怛姪他 室唎室唎 陀弭儞陀弭儞 陀哩陀哩儞 室唎室唎儞 毘舍羅波世波始娜 畔陀弭帝 莎訶」（T16n0665 0420c01）
- 真諦補品：「怛姪他尸履尸履陀彌尼陀彌尼陀履陀履尼尸履尸履尼毘捨羅婆細波豕那盤陀訶寐底鎖訶」（T16n0664 0375b29）
五地
- 義淨本：「怛姪他 訶哩訶哩 儞遮哩遮哩儞 羯喇摩 儞僧羯喇摩 儞 三婆山儞瞻跋儞 悉耽婆儞謨漢儞 碎閻步陛莎訶」（T16n0665 0420c11）
- 真諦補品：「怛姪他訶里訶里尼遮履遮履尼柯羅摩尼僧柯羅摩尼三婆訶沙尼剡婆訶尼悉耽婆訶尼謨訶尼莎琰部吼陛鎖訶」（T16n0664 0375c10）
六地
- 義淨本：「怛姪他 毘徙哩毘徙哩 摩哩儞迦哩迦哩 毘度漢底 嚕嚕嚕嚕 主嚕主嚕杜嚕婆杜嚕婆 捨捨設者婆哩灑莎 悉底薩婆薩埵喃 悉甸覩曼怛囉鉢陀儞莎訶」（T16n0665 0420c21）
- 真諦補品：「怛姪他毘頭離毘頭離摩履尼柯履柯履苾頭誘訶底留留留留周柳周柳杜魯婆杜魯婆捨捨捨者婆栗沙薩活私底薩婆薩埵南悉遲遐斗曼多羅波杝鎖訶」（T16n0664 0375c20）
七地
- 義淨本：「怛姪他 勺訶 勺訶 嚕勺訶勺訶勺訶嚕 鞞陸枳鞞陸枳 阿蜜㗚哆唬漢儞勃哩山儞 鞞嚕勅枳婆嚕伐底 鞞提呬枳 頻陀鞞哩儞 阿蜜哩底枳 薄虎主愈薄虎主愈莎訶」（T16n0665 0421a11）
- 真諦補品：「怛姪他闍訶闍訶漏闍訶闍訶闍訶漏鞞柳枳鞞柳枳阿蜜多羅伽訶尼婆力灑尼鞞柳恥枳婆柳婆底鞞提喜枳頻陀鞞履尼蜜栗怛底枳蒲呼箒酉蒲呼箒酉鎖訶」（T16n0664 0376a03）
八地
- 義淨本：「怛姪他 室唎室唎室唎儞 蜜底蜜底 羯哩羯哩醯嚕醯嚕 主嚕主嚕 畔陀弭莎訶」（T16n0665 0421a23）
- 真諦補品：「怛姪他矢履矢履尸履寐底寐底柯履柯履訶履訶履醯柳醯柳周柳周柳盤陀訶寐鎖訶」（T16n0664 0376a14）
九地
- 義淨本：「怛姪他 訶哩旃荼哩枳 俱藍婆喇體 都剌死 跋吒跋吒死室唎室唎迦室哩迦必室唎 莎悉底 薩婆薩埵喃莎訶」（T16n0665 0421b04）
- 真諦補品：「怛姪他訶履旃地履枳俱嵐婆羅梯斗羅死拔吒拔吒死矢履矢履柯尸履柯比尸履薩活私底薩婆薩埵南鎖訶」（T16n0664 0376a24）
十地
- 義淨本：「怛姪他 悉提 蘇悉提謨折儞木察儞毘木底菴末麗 毘末麗涅末麗 忙揭麗呬㘓若揭鞞 曷喇怛娜揭鞞 三曼多跋姪麗 薩婆頞他娑憚儞 摩捺斯莫訶摩捺斯 頞步底頞 窒步底 阿𡃤誓毘喇誓頞主底菴蜜㗚底 阿𡃤誓毘喇誓 跋㘕謎 跋囉蚶麼莎 囇晡喇儞晡喇娜 曼奴喇剃莎訶」（T16n0665 0421b15）
- 真諦補品：「怛姪他悉提醯修悉提醯姥者禰姥差禰毘目底阿摩詈毘摩詈涅摩詈瞢伽詈喜懶若竭剌陛醯何剌那竭剌陛醯婆曼多跋渴弟詈薩婆賴他娑陀呵禰摩那死摩訶摩那死頞部吼底頞哲部吼底婆羅弟毘羅是頞周底阿美里底阿羅是毘羅是婆藍訶米婆藍摩須詈富樓禰富樓那摩怒羅體鎖訶」（T16n0664 0376b05）
護地句式亦各有傳承。義淨本初地作「此陀羅尼是過一恒河沙數諸佛所說，為護初地菩薩摩訶薩故。」（T16n0665 0420b05）；真諦補品作「是陀羅尼名過一恒河沙數諸佛為救護。初地菩薩誦持此陀羅尼呪」（T16n0664 0375b05）。二者並列，不拼成一式。
偈讚與勅修
| 對勘點 | 義淨本 | 真諦補品 |
|---|---|---|
| 偈首 | 「敬禮無譬喻，甚深無相法；眾生失正知，唯佛能濟度。」（T16n0665 0421c02） | 「敬禮無譬喻，說深無相義，眾生失於見，世尊能濟度。」（T16n0664 0376b25） |
| 偈末 | 「法界無分別，是故無異乘；為度眾生故，分別說有三。」（T16n0665 0421c20） | 「法界無分別，是故無異乘；為度眾生故，分別說三乘。」（T16n0664 0376c14） |
| 勅修 | 「汝等應當精勤修習此妙經典，是則正法久住於世。」（T16n0665 0422b19） | 「汝等應當精勤修行如此經典，則法久住於世。」（T16n0664 0377b04） |
三、唯識義之經據（眼）
本目以慧沼《金光明最勝王經疏》為鏡；鏡照經義，不以疏說替代經文。
一、由發心到得護。 慧沼把如來答因分作發心、修行、證地、得護，正顯本品不是靜態地位表，而是一條由心而行、由行而證、由證而護的次第。品題之『淨』，在其讀法中即離煩惱障、所知障。
二、十度五法與七最勝。 經每一度列五法；疏不以別處常見的三分或二分刪改本經，而以『一一行有多門，聖教影略而說』解其不同。就布施五法，疏將信根指為菩提心體，又以七最勝框架照讀：慈悲攝依止最勝，無求欲心為清淨勝，攝受一切為意樂勝，願求種智為迴向勝：「又信根即菩提心體。七最勝中，依止最勝，即攝慈悲；無求欲心，清淨勝；攝受一切，意樂勝；願求種智，迴向勝。」（T39n1788 0255c09）此處是以七最勝照見五法的行相，不把五法改造成七項。
三、地障的總別。 經列初地至佛地二十二無明；疏將之總攝為十一障：「此經約二十二無明辨障差別，亦即攝十一障，總即名障，別即名愚。」（T39n1788 0264b14）其所標依次有異生性障、邪行障、闇鈍障、微細煩惱現行障、欣厭之失、麁相現行障、細相現行障、無相中作加行障、利他中不欲行障、於諸法中不得自在障及佛地第十一障。這是所知障漸細的分判；經文二十二項仍須逐項保存。
四、十地與十度相攝。 經文地地配一度，疏加一重限語：「據實如是。言於十地各行一者，約增而說。」（T39n1788 0264b26）又引「一一地中具修十種，不應定說此地修此。」（T39n1788 0264b27）故表中的一地一度是增勝門，不是說其餘九度在該地不修。
五、定慧雙行。 十發心各生一三摩地，疏以「此意十地各行一度，如何修習？謂要定慧兩法雙修」（T39n1788 0264c09）為總綱，逐一以定能起施、戒、忍、精進、智慧、方便、願、四辯與神通事業，解十種三摩地之名。
六、陀羅尼是呪總持與護地。 疏判十地各段皆具能護名、正說神呪、多佛所說、護益四層；總持類別則明言：「四總持中，是呪總持。由行施得，名為功德。餘名準行，例此可知。歎勝中有二：初歎、次所護地。護益有二：一無難、二不退。」（T39n1788 0266a02）故本品的陀羅尼，一面與地地增勝之度相連，一面以離難、不退為護益；真言音節本身不在疏中拆字釋義。
七、聞經十門。 品末十種無盡無減陀羅尼門，疏並存兩讀：「或通十地一一皆得，或隨十地如次得一。」（T39n1788 0267c19）一讀是每一地皆通得十門，一讀是十地依次各得一門；兩讀同見於疏，本文不代作裁斷。
四、諸家異釋（古德·標宗·誌錄不判）
慈恩·慧沼《金光明最勝王經疏》T39n1788（唯一逐文全疏）
慧沼自品題、問答、十度、十地、地障、三摩地、十陀羅尼，直疏至流通，是所列古德中唯一逐文解本品者。其主線是發心、修行、證地、得護；其地障讀法又以二十二無明攝十一障，以十地配度為增勝說，以陀羅尼為呪總持及護地。
天台·智顗（旁證·無本品逐文疏）
《金光明經玄義》於菩提心有圓融之讀：「無發是發菩提心。又若一發一切發，是發菩提心。又若非一非一切、而一而一切，是發菩提心。」（T39n1783 0005b22）這是《玄義》料簡菩提心，不是本品問答句解。
《金光明經文句》以十相表十地，並申誡「經家不定判位，秖可從容，不得剋斷也。」（T39n1785 0056a17）又說「又十度是十地之脚足，於餘功德非為不修，隨力隨分，正以檀為初地之足。檀足若滿得入初地，乃至智度足滿得入十地，故十度為十地脚足也。」（T39n1785 0063a05）此亦為舊本旁證，非義淨品六逐文疏。
宋山家·知禮（旁證·識位說）
知禮於十地識位說：「第八屬菩薩者，以十地位，六七二識已轉成智。正以賴耶三分為境。雖是境界，而即用此便為觀智」（T39n1784 0022c14）此段是《玄義拾遺記》的識智配釋，不是本品二十二無明、十度或陀羅尼的句解。
三論·吉藏《金光明經疏》T39n1787（旁證·所疏舊本）
吉藏以十波羅蜜為十地因足：「此波羅蜜涉十種法界，名為脚足。亦可以十波羅蜜為因足，建立佛果故名脚足。」（T39n1787 0164a08）這是其所疏舊本的十地旁證，非本品逐文疏。
八九地配度異序（誌·不判）
義淨本明列「於第八地行願波羅蜜，於第九地行力波羅蜜」（T16n0665 0420a16）；智顗《文句》則說「作樂表不動者，其地對力，力能利安一切如妓悅物，故以作妓表之。受樂表善慧者，其地對願，願滿則心喜，故以受樂表之。」（T39n1785 0056b04）一方以八地配願、九地配力，一方以八地配力、九地配願。兩個古代文本的次序並錄，不互改、不判優劣。
五、術語
菩提心。 本品先問其因，再問其體。經說菩提、心、眾生、乃至種種名言不可得，卻緊接十因、五十法與十地修證，故『不可得』不是取消修行。慧沼以「但除其病，不無法故。」（T39n1788 0253a12）點明所破是執取之病，不是把法撥成全無。
十種菩提心因。 十譬依次配布施、持戒、忍辱、勤策、靜慮、智慧、方便勝智、願、力、智；每一譬既標一度，也說明菩提心如何利益眾生、持載善法、無畏不退、破闇度險、淨境莊嚴而至灌頂。
十度五法。 每度各具五法，共五十項。經的列法不可壓成『修十度』一語；慧沼所說七最勝，是照讀行相的框架，也不取代經中五十項。
波羅蜜十七義。 經以修習勝利、深智滿足、不執行非行、正觀生死涅槃、攝受愚智、現法寶、無礙解脫、分別法界眾生界、至不退、滿無生忍、成熟善根、成佛十力等、了生死涅槃無二、濟度一切、降伏外難、轉妙法輪、無著無見無患累十七層解波羅蜜義，從自修一路開至成佛利生。
地。 十地不是十個孤立名位；每地在本品都有先相、名義、二無明、增勝之度、三摩地及陀羅尼護持。『最淨』因而同時含離障、修行與得護。
二無明。 初地至十地共二十項，另加佛地二項。慧沼以總名障、別名愚收攝為十一障。二地字面有誤、護、悞三存：義淨本「微細學處誤犯無明」（T16n0665 0419c24），慧沼所牒經文「微細學處護犯無明」（T39n1788 0263a09），疏解又作「性悞有所犯，初地未斷，入二地斷。」（T39n1788 0263a12）三字各還其本，不默改、不定是非。
九地亦有無礙、無量異存：義淨本「於所說義及名句文此二無礙未善巧無明」（T16n0665 0420a05），慧沼所牒作「於所說義及名句文此二無量未得善巧無明」（T39n1788 0264a17），疏解則說「所說義，義無礙解。及名句文，法無礙解。於此二中未得自在，云未得善巧。」（T39n1788 0264a19）底本、牒文、疏解並錄不判。
三摩地。 十發心各生一種三摩地，既是地地修習的定門，也由疏家連到十度增勝之行；不得只視為十個名稱。
陀羅尼。 本品地地所得為呪總持，段式包含名、真言、多佛所說、護益；聞經後又得十種無盡無減陀羅尼門。前者著重地地得護，後者著重聞經、說法、成熟眾生而無盡無減，兩組不可混為同一張表。
六、譬喻·修辭
十種發心譬喻。 寶須彌山王饒益一切，表布施；大地持眾物，表持戒；師子威力獨步無畏，表忍辱；風輪與那羅延力勇壯速疾，表勤策；七寶樓觀四門受清涼風，表靜慮；日輪熾盛破無明闇，表智慧；商主越險得寶、滿足眾願，表方便勝智；淨月圓滿無翳，表願；轉輪王主兵寶臣自在莊嚴國土，表力；虛空與轉輪王無礙自在、至灌頂位，表智。十譬把抽象的十度化成持載、破闇、度險、滿願與自在的動勢。
十地先相。 初地見寶藏盈滿；二地見大地平坦、珍寶莊嚴；三地見自身勇健、甲仗莊嚴、摧伏怨賊；四地見四方風輪散花遍地；五地見妙寶女瓔珞嚴身；六地見七寶花池、四階、金沙、八功德水與三種蓮花；七地見將墮地獄者因菩薩力得免；八地見兩旁師子衛護；九地見轉輪王為億眾圍遶、白蓋莊嚴；十地見金色如來放淨光、梵眾圍遶而轉法輪。這一組先相由財寶、地平、降敵漸轉為救苦、衛護、王威與佛身說法。
法雲。 十地名義以法身如虛空、智慧如大雲，能遍滿覆護一切而名法雲。慧沼又開覆與雨兩層：「於第十地，所得法身如大虛空。以大智慧如雲遍空，即智充滿法身。又猶如雲，法即如雲，能覆一切故。復說妙法如雲下雨，即法之雲。」（T39n1788 0262a09）
空谷響。 師子相第九頌以空谷回響譬喻隨說差別：聲有差別而響無自體；末頌遂收於法界本無分別，為度眾生而分別說三。
七、互讀·承衍
由不可得到十度。 本品說能證所證平等、菩提心不可得，旋即說十因、五十法。互讀之要不在把一方削弱，而在看見不執著正是修十度的心地；若無功德善根，菩提心也不生起。
由十度到十地。 十種發心譬喻先標方向，五十法展開行相，十七義再顯波羅蜜由自利到利他的廣度；十地則把每一度安在先相、名義、除障、定與護持之中。慧沼以地地皆具十度而各有增勝，保存了表格與整體修行的兩面。
八九地異序。 義淨本八地願、九地力；智顗《文句》八地力、九地願。兩序各還其古本，並錄不判，不以一處回改另一處。
二無明異存。 二地誤／護／悞、九地無礙／無量，均明誌文本層次；不將疏牒文暗改成義淨底本，也不以疏解倒裁經字。
由十地陀羅尼到聞經十門。 地地十陀羅尼以護難、不退為重；品末十種無盡無減陀羅尼門，則承聞經、住不退地而開出說法、顯身、成熟眾生之用。慧沼對後一組並存『地地通得十門』與『十地次第各得一門』兩讀，仍不代判。
由無分別到分別說。 師子相十頌從無相、不生滅、不住二邊，說到佛雖不說一字而法雨充滿、雖不見眾生相而常興救護；梵天問答再把這一義承衍為聞經、持經、說經、護法及正法久住。無分別不是停語不行，而是不住言辭去來，仍為眾生說種種法。
八、校本定位
- 本譯注正文以義淨譯 T16n0665〈最淨地陀羅尼品第六〉為底本，品題 0417c22，品身 0417c23–0422b26；下一品題 0422b27 為訖界。
- 真諦補品收入 T16n0664，題作〈陀羅尼最淨地品第六〉，品題 0372c06，品身 0372c07–0377b05。0377b07–0378a24 為另立的障名重錄及真言音注，不作本品正文。
- T663 現存文本為十九品且無本品；寶貴序追述曇無讖初譯止十八品。二者分屬現存結構與古序陳述，並錄不互改。
- 寶貴序於 0359b20–0359b24 列真諦四補品，本品題〈陀羅尼最淨地〉起於 0359b23。此為版本見證，不由此另判補品義理地位。
- 十段真言依各本原字保存；義淨本的全形空白、重複音節、異體字與擴展漢字不整飭，真諦本亦不以義淨本回校。兩傳只並錄，不合成一個音寫文本，不作翻譯或梵語還原。
- 二地誤／護／悞、九地無礙／無量及八九地配度異序，均屬應明誌之異存；本層任務是傳錄，不是裁定。
全品由問心、修度、證地、斷障、得護，承衍至聞經說法與大眾護持；校本上的異題、異句、異序與異存，也各守其文本位置。如此方不以整齊犧牲傳承，不以異同代替義理。
Position of the chapter. The chapter opens by asking about the causes and nature of the mind of awakening, then unfolds the ten perfections, the ten grounds, twenty-two kinds of ignorance, ten samādhis, and the dhāraṇīs of the ten grounds. It closes with ten verses, Brahmā’s exhortation to retain the sūtra, and the assembly’s protection of the Dharma. Its movement does not separate emptiness from practice into two roads. It establishes the mind through “unobtainability without the nonexistence of dharmas,” enters the grounds through the ten perfections, obtains protection by abandoning obstructions, and finally teaches differentiated dharmas for sentient beings within the nondifferentiated dharma realm.
1. Doctrinal-Outline Placement
The title of the chapter in Yijing’s translation is at T16n0665 0417c22. The body begins at 0417c23, and the teaching ends at 0422b20; 0422b21–0422b26 contain the fascicle seam, fascicle title, and translator’s colophon, while 0422b27 has already entered Chapter 7, “Praise through the Lotus Simile.”
Huizhao first gathers the chapter under three gates: the reason for its appearance, explanation of its title, and resolution of a difficulty:
- The reason for its appearance centers on arousing the mind and cultivating practice: 「修善之中，發心、修行。發心即發菩提心，謂要依止大菩提心行諸善行，方能得果。所修行者即是十度，由斯十度能得諸地、能破慳等十度障等，得五分法身，成二勝果。」—“Within the cultivation of good are arousing the mind and cultivating practice. Arousing the mind means bringing forth the mind of awakening: one must rely upon the great mind of awakening and perform wholesome practices before the fruit can be attained. What is cultivated is precisely the ten perfections. Through these ten perfections one can attain the grounds, destroy stinginess and the other obstructions to the ten perfections, attain the five-part dharma-body, and accomplish the two supreme fruits.” (T39n1788 0252a25)
- The title explains purity as freedom from obstruction: 「淨謂清淨，離二障故。」—“Pure means purified, because the two obstructions have been left behind.” (T39n1788 0252b03) Huizhao then distinguishes what the title includes: 「若取十度等，但名最淨地；若取陀羅尼，名最淨地陀羅尼。」—“If the ten perfections and so forth are taken, it is called only ‘The Most Purified Grounds’; if the dhāraṇī is taken, it is called ‘The Dhāraṇī of the Most Purified Grounds.’” (T39n1788 0252b12)
- The resolution of a difficulty directly answers why this chapter gives five dharmas for every perfection: 「諸餘經論說其十度，初六各三、後四各二。何故此經十波羅蜜皆有五種？答：一一行中各有多門，諸聖教中影略而說，故不一準。」—“Other sūtras and treatises explain the ten perfections with three for each of the first six and two for each of the latter four. Why does this sūtra give five kinds for every one of the ten perfections? Answer: each practice has many gateways. The sacred teachings present them with mutual fullness and abbreviation, so there is no single fixed standard.” (T39n1788 0252b15)
For the chapter’s major outline, Huizhao judges: 「此品之內，大文分四：一無礙光請、二如來為答、三大梵讚揚、四時眾獲益。」—“Within this chapter the major text divides into four: first, Unobstructed Light requests; second, the Tathāgata answers; third, Great Brahmā praises; fourth, the assembly at that time receives benefit.” (T39n1788 0252b20) Bodhisattva Lion-Form Unobstructed Blazing Light’s request has two parts: he first asks for the causes of the mind of awakening, then for its nature. The Tathāgata’s answer concerning the causes is further divided into arousing the mind, cultivating practice, realizing the grounds, and obtaining protection: 「答第一問。分文為四：一發心；二修行；三證地；四得護，即得陀羅尼而為衛護。」—“In answering the first question, the text divides into four: first, arousing the mind; second, cultivating practice; third, realizing the grounds; fourth, obtaining protection—that is, obtaining dhāraṇī as protective guard.” (T39n1788 0253c07)
Following the sūtra’s own sequence, the chapter may be divided more finely into fifteen sections: 1. rising from the seat, making offerings, and asking about the causes and nature of the mind of awakening; 2. answering that awakening, mind, sentient beings, and verbal designations are unobtainable, yet dharmas are not nonexistent; 3. the ten causes of the mind of awakening; 4. five dharmas for each of the ten perfections; 5. seventeen meanings of perfection; 6. the prior portents of the ten grounds; 7. the meanings of the ten ground-names; 8. twenty kinds of ignorance on the ten grounds and two on the buddha ground; 9. pairing the ten grounds with the ten perfections; 10. the ten arousals of mind producing ten samādhis; 11. the ten dhāraṇīs of the ten grounds, their ten formulas, and protection of the grounds; 12. Lion-Form’s ten verses; 13. Great Īśvara Brahmā’s praise of the sūtra and the Tathāgata’s confirmation; 14. the ten inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī gateways gained by hearing the sūtra; and 15. the assembly’s benefits, vows of protection, and the Tathāgata’s injunction to cultivate.
The exchange turns on two poles. At one end is 「世尊！以幾因緣得菩提心？何者是菩提心？」—“World-Honored One, through how many causal conditions does one obtain the mind of awakening? What is the mind of awakening?” (T16n0665 0417c26). At the other is 「菩提及心，同真如故，能證所證，皆平等故，非無諸法而可了知。」—“Awakening and mind are the same suchness; realizer and realized are both equal. It is not that there are no dharmas that can be known.” (T16n0665 0418a07) The ten perfections, ten grounds, and dhāraṇīs that follow all unfold within the tension of “unobtainable, yet cultivable and realizable.”
2. Alternate Translations · Collation of the Three Translations
Four Layers of Evidence
First, the extant table of contents of T663 has nineteen chapters, ending with 「金光明經囑累品第十九」—“The Nineteenth Chapter of Entrustment in the Sūtra of Golden Light” (T16n0663 0358a02); the present chapter-title does not appear.
Second, the neighboring sequence in T663 proceeds directly from 「金光明經懺悔品第三」—“The Third Chapter, Repentance, in the Sūtra of Golden Light” (T16n0663 0336b10) to 「金光明經讚歎品第四」—“The Fourth Chapter, Praise, in the Sūtra of Golden Light” (T16n0663 0339a07), with neither “Dhāraṇī of the Most Purified Grounds” nor “The Most Purified Grounds Dhāraṇī” between them.
Third, exact-string searches of the complete T663 for 『最淨地』『陀羅尼最淨地』『歡喜地』『依功德力』『破金剛山』『師子相無礙光』—“most purified ground,” “dhāraṇī most purified ground,” “Joyful Ground,” “Reliance on the Power of Merit,” “Shattering the Vajra Mountain,” and “Lion-Form Unobstructed Light”—produce no hits. This layer is used only together with the table of contents and neighboring chapter sequence; zero hits alone do not prove a universal negative.
Fourth, Baogui’s preface explicitly lists three recensions and Paramārtha’s four supplementary chapters: 「而《金光明》見有三本：初在涼世有曇無讖譯，為四卷，止十八品；其次，周世闍那崛多譯，為五卷，成二十品；後逮梁世，真諦三藏於建康譯〈三身分別〉、〈業障滅〉、〈陀羅尼最淨地〉、〈依空滿願〉等四品，足前出沒為二十二品。」—“Three recensions of the Golden Light are extant. First, in the Liang era, Dharmakṣema translated four fascicles comprising only eighteen chapters. Next, in the Zhou era, Jñānagupta translated five fascicles comprising twenty chapters. Later, in the Liang era, the Tripiṭaka Master Paramārtha translated at Jiankang the four chapters ‘Distinguishing the Three Bodies,’ ‘Extinguishing Karmic Obstructions,’ ‘Dhāraṇī of the Most Purified Grounds,’ and ‘Fulfilling Vows through Emptiness,’ supplementing earlier omissions to make twenty-two chapters.” (T16n0664 0359b20) The first character of the title “Dhāraṇī of the Most Purified Grounds” is at 0359b23; the present chapter is thus the third of Paramārtha’s four supplements named in the preface.
The extant table of contents of T663 has nineteen chapters, while Baogui’s preface says that Dharmakṣema’s original translation stopped at eighteen. One is the structure of the extant text; the other is an ancient preface’s report. The two layers are recorded together and neither is altered into the other. The four layers of evidence support two claims: the extant Dharmakṣema text lacks this chapter, and Baogui’s preface includes it among Paramārtha’s four supplements. No separate judgment about the supplement’s doctrinal standing is inferred from this evidence.
Chapter Boundaries and Titles
Yijing’s title is 「最淨地陀羅尼品第六」—“Chapter 6, The Dhāraṇī of the Most Purified Grounds” (T16n0665 0417c22), and its chapter body is 0417c23–0422b26. Paramārtha’s supplement is titled 「陀羅尼最淨地品第六」—“Chapter 6, The Most Purified Grounds Dhāraṇī” (T16n0664 0372c06), with its chapter body at 0372c07–0377b05. T664 0377b07–0378a24 separately presents a repeated list of obstruction-names and phonetic notes on the formulas; it is not included in the chapter body.
The Questions and Language concerning the Mind of Awakening
| Point of collation | Yijing | Paramārtha supplement |
|---|---|---|
| Question | 「世尊！以幾因緣得菩提心？何者是菩提心？」—“World-Honored One, through how many causal conditions does one obtain the mind of awakening? What is the mind of awakening?” (T16n0665 0417c26) | 「以幾因緣得菩提心？何者是菩提心？」—“Through how many causal conditions does one obtain the mind of awakening? What is the mind of awakening?” (T16n0664 0372c10) |
| Awakening and mind | 「菩提及心，同真如故，能證所證，皆平等故，非無諸法而可了知。」—“Awakening and mind are the same suchness; realizer and realized are both equal. It is not that there are no dharmas that can be known.” (T16n0665 0418a07) | 「何以故？如意，心亦如是；如心，菩提亦如是；如心、如菩提，眾生亦如是；如眾生，一切三世法亦如是。」—“Why? As intention is, mind is likewise; as mind is, awakening is likewise; as mind and awakening are, sentient beings are likewise; as sentient beings are, all dharmas of the three times are likewise.” (T16n0664 0372c18) |
| The mind arises from roots of goodness | 「此依一切功德善根而得生起。」—“This arises in dependence on every meritorious root of goodness.” (T16n0665 0418a18) | 「依一切功德善根而得發出，是名初發菩提心。」—“It is brought forth in dependence on every meritorious root of goodness; this is called first bringing forth the mind of awakening.” (T16n0664 0372c29) |
| Cause of the first perfection | 「譬如寶須彌山王饒益一切，此菩提心利眾生故，是名第一布施波羅蜜因。」—“Like jeweled Mount Sumeru, king of mountains, benefiting all, this mind of awakening benefits sentient beings; therefore it is called the first cause, the perfection of giving.” (T16n0665 0418a20) | 「譬如寶須彌山王，是名檀波羅蜜因。」—“Like jeweled Mount Sumeru, king of mountains; this is called the cause of dāna-pāramitā.” (T16n0664 0373a01) |
For the first six perfections, Yijing’s terminology is, in sequence, giving, ethical discipline, patience, vigorous effort, meditative concentration, and wisdom; Paramārtha’s supplement gives dāna, śīla, kṣānti, vīrya, dhyāna, and prajñā. Both list skillful and supreme knowledge, vow, power, and knowledge as the latter four. Each lineage of Chinese translation is preserved here without a separate Sanskrit reconstruction.
Representative verbatim differences among the five dharmas follow:
| Perfection | Yijing | Paramārtha supplement |
|---|---|---|
| Discipline, third dharma | 「閉諸惡道，開善趣門」—“Close the evil destinies and open the gates of favorable states.” (T16n0665 0418b20) | 「斷諸惡道、開善道門」—“Cut off the evil destinies and open the gates of wholesome paths.” (T16n0664 0373a28) |
| Patience, third and fourth dharmas | 「思惟往業，遭苦能忍；四者、發慈悲心成就眾生諸善根故」—“Reflect on past karma and endure when suffering is encountered; fourth, bring forth loving-kindness and compassion in order to mature sentient beings’ roots of goodness.” (T16n0665 0418b25) | 「思惟往業，四者、為欲成熟一切眾生功德善根發慈悲心」—“Reflect on past karma; fourth, bring forth loving-kindness and compassion in order to mature the meritorious roots of goodness of all sentient beings.” (T16n0664 0373b05) |
| Concentration, second dharma | 「常願解脫，不著二邊故」—“Constantly aspire to liberation, because one does not attach to the two extremes.” (T16n0665 0418c08) | 「解脫生死，二處不著」—“Be liberated from birth and death and attach to neither of the two places.” (T16n0664 0373b17) |
| Wisdom, fourth dharma | 「見修煩惱，咸速斷除」—“Swiftly sever all afflictions of seeing and cultivation.” (T16n0665 0418c16) | 「見思煩惱如是勝智能分別斷」—“Such supreme knowledge can distinguish and sever the afflictions of seeing and thought.” (T16n0664 0373b25) |
| Vow, third dharma | 「過一切想，是本真如，無作無行，不異不動心得安住」—“Pass beyond every conception; in this fundamental suchness, without fabrication or activity, neither different nor moving, the mind attains abiding.” (T16n0665 0419a01) | 「過一切相，心如如，無作、無行，不異、不動，安心於如」—“Pass beyond every mark; the mind is suchness, without fabrication or activity, neither different nor moving; settle the mind in suchness.” (T16n0664 0373c09) |
| Power, fourth dharma | 「於諸眾生，三種根性，以正智力，能分別知」—“Through the power of correct knowledge, distinguish and know the three kinds of faculties among sentient beings.” (T16n0665 0419a10) | 「於一切眾生三聚智力能分別知」—“Through the power of knowledge, distinguish and know the three groups among all sentient beings.” (T16n0664 0373c18) |
| Knowledge, fifth dharma | 「受勝灌頂，能得諸佛不共法等，及一切智智」—“Receive the supreme consecration and attain the buddhas’ distinctive qualities and all-knowing knowledge.” (T16n0665 0419a17) | 「一切諸佛不共法等及一切智智具足灌頂智能」—“The consecrating knowledge can fully possess all buddhas’ distinctive qualities and all-knowing knowledge.” (T16n0664 0373c27) |
Meanings of the Ten Grounds and the Twenty-Two Kinds of Ignorance
Both texts list the grounds as Joyful, Stainless, Luminous, Blazing, Difficult to Conquer, Face-to-Face, Far-Going, Immovable, Excellent Wisdom, and Dharma Cloud, but their syntax contains additions and omissions. For example, Yijing reads 「見修煩惱，難伏能伏」—“The afflictions of seeing and cultivation are difficult to subdue, yet are subdued” (T16n0665 0419c12), while Paramārtha’s supplement reads 「見思煩惱不可伏故」—“Because the afflictions of seeing and thought cannot be subdued” (T16n0664 0374b24). Yijing reads 「無相思惟，皆悉現前」—“Signless contemplation is wholly present” (T16n0665 0419c14), while Paramārtha’s supplement reads 「無相、多思惟現前故」—“Because signlessness and much contemplation are present” (T16n0664 0374b25).
Both texts list two kinds of ignorance for every ground from the first through the buddha ground. All are recorded below; each row transmits its text without using one side to correct the other:
| Obstructed ground | Yijing | Paramārtha supplement |
|---|---|---|
| First ground | 「執著有相我法無明、怖畏生死惡趣無明，此二無明障於初地。」—“Ignorance that grasps a self and dharmas endowed with marks, and ignorance that fears the evil destinies of birth and death: these two kinds of ignorance obstruct the first ground.” (T16n0665 0419c23) | 「初地欲行有相道是無明障礙、生死怖畏是無明，依二種麁心是初地障。」—“On the first ground, wishing to practice a path with marks is an obstruction of ignorance; fear of birth and death is ignorance. These two coarse minds are the obstructions of the first ground.” (T16n0664 0374c06) |
| Second ground | 「微細學處誤犯無明、發起種種業行無明，此二無明障於二地。」—“Ignorance that mistakenly transgresses subtle training and ignorance that gives rise to manifold karmic activities: these two kinds of ignorance obstruct the second ground.” (T16n0665 0419c24) | 「微細罪過因無明、種種業行相因無明，依二種麁心是二地障。」—“Subtle faults are caused by ignorance, and the marks of manifold karmic activities are caused by ignorance. These two coarse minds are the obstructions of the second ground.” (T16n0664 0374c08) |
| Third ground | 「未得今得愛著無明、能障殊勝總持無明，此二無明障於三地。」—“Ignorance that attaches to what was not attained before but is attained now, and ignorance that can obstruct supreme retention: these two kinds of ignorance obstruct the third ground.” (T16n0665 0419c26) | 「昔所未得勝利，得故動涌，因無明；不具聞持陀羅尼，因無明。依二種麁心是三地障。」—“An excellent benefit never attained before now stirs one because it has been attained: this is caused by ignorance. Not fully possessing the dhāraṇī of hearing and retention is caused by ignorance. These two coarse minds are the obstructions of the third ground.” (T16n0664 0374c10) |
| Fourth ground | 「味著等至喜悅無明、微妙淨法愛樂無明，此二無明障於四地。」—“Ignorance that savors and delights in meditative attainment, and ignorance that loves subtle, pure dharmas: these two kinds of ignorance obstruct the fourth ground.” (T16n0665 0419c27) | 「味禪定樂生愛著心，因無明；微妙淨法愛，因無明。依二種麁心是四地障。」—“Savoring the pleasure of meditative concentration produces an attached mind because of ignorance; love of subtle, pure dharmas is caused by ignorance. These two coarse minds are the obstructions of the fourth ground.” (T16n0664 0374c12) |
| Fifth ground | 「欲背生死無明、希趣涅槃無明，此二無明障於五地。」—“Ignorance that wishes to turn away from birth and death and ignorance that longs to approach nirvāṇa: these two kinds of ignorance obstruct the fifth ground.” (T16n0665 0419c29) | 「一意欲入涅槃思惟、一意欲入生死思惟。是涅槃思惟、是生死思惟，無明為因；生死涅槃不平等思惟，無明為因。依二種麁心是五地障。」—“One intention wishes to enter contemplation of nirvāṇa; one intention wishes to enter contemplation of birth and death. Contemplation of nirvāṇa and contemplation of birth and death are caused by ignorance; unequal contemplation of birth and death and nirvāṇa is caused by ignorance. These two coarse minds are the obstructions of the fifth ground.” (T16n0664 0374c14) |
| Sixth ground | 「觀行流轉無明、麁相現前無明，此二無明障於六地。」—“Ignorance while observing the circulation of conditioned activity and ignorance in which coarse marks appear: these two kinds of ignorance obstruct the sixth ground.” (T16n0665 0420a01) | 「行法相續，了了顯現，無明為因；法相數數，行至於心，無明為因。依二種麁心是六地障。」—“The continuity of conditioned dharmas appears with complete clarity because of ignorance; the marks of dharmas repeatedly proceed into the mind because of ignorance. These two coarse minds are the obstructions of the sixth ground.” (T16n0664 0374c18) |
| Seventh ground | 「微細諸相現行無明、作意欣樂無相無明，此二無明障於七地。」—“Ignorance in which subtle marks become active, and ignorance that deliberately delights in signlessness: these two kinds of ignorance obstruct the seventh ground.” (T16n0665 0420a02) | 「微細諸相，或現、不現，無明；一味熟思惟欲斷未得方便，無明。依二種麁心是七地障。」—“Ignorance in which subtle marks sometimes appear and sometimes do not; ignorance in which one wishes to sever single-flavored mature contemplation but has not attained skillful means. These two coarse minds are the obstructions of the seventh ground.” (T16n0664 0374c20) |
| Eighth ground | 「於無相觀功用無明、執相自在無明，此二無明障於八地。」—“Ignorance involving effort in signless contemplation, and ignorance that grasps sovereignty over marks: these two kinds of ignorance obstruct the eighth ground.” (T16n0665 0420a03) | 「於無相法多用功力，無明；執相自在，難可得度，無明。依二種麁心是八地障。」—“Ignorance that applies much effort to signless dharmas; ignorance that grasps sovereignty over marks and is difficult to cross. These two coarse minds are the obstructions of the eighth ground.” (T16n0664 0374c22) |
| Ninth ground | 「於所說義及名句文此二無礙未善巧無明、於詞辯才不隨意無明，此二無明障於九地。」—“Ignorance that is not yet skillful in the two unobstructed understandings of the meanings taught and of names, phrases, and letters, and ignorance in which verbal eloquence does not function at will: these two kinds of ignorance obstruct the ninth ground.” (T16n0665 0420a05) | 「說法無量、名味句無量、智慧分別無量，未能攝持，無明；四無礙辯未得自在，無明。依二種麁心是九地障。」—“Ignorance that cannot yet gather and retain immeasurable Dharma teaching, immeasurable names, expressions, and phrases, and immeasurable discriminations of wisdom; ignorance that has not attained mastery of the four unobstructed eloquences. These two coarse minds are the obstructions of the ninth ground.” (T16n0664 0374c24) |
| Tenth ground | 「於大神通未得自在變現無明、微細祕密未能悟解事業無明，此二無明障於十地。」—“Ignorance in which mastery of manifesting great supernormal powers has not been attained, and ignorance in which subtle, secret activities cannot be understood: these two kinds of ignorance obstruct the tenth ground.” (T16n0665 0420a07) | 「最大神通未得如意，無明；微妙祕密之藏修行未足，無明。依二種麁心是十地障。」—“Ignorance in which the greatest supernormal powers do not operate as wished; ignorance in which cultivation of the subtle and secret treasury is incomplete. These two coarse minds are the obstructions of the tenth ground.” (T16n0664 0374c27) |
| Buddha/Tathāgata ground | 「於一切境微細所知障礙無明、極細煩惱麁重無明，此二無明障於佛地。」—“Ignorance that is a subtle cognitive obstruction in relation to every domain, and ignorance that is the extremely subtle coarseness of affliction: these two kinds of ignorance obstruct the buddha ground.” (T16n0665 0420a09) | 「一切境界微細智礙，無明為因；未來是礙不更生，未得不更生智，無明為因。是如來地障。」—“The subtle obstruction to knowledge in every domain is caused by ignorance; not yet attaining the knowledge that a future obstruction will never arise again is caused by ignorance. These are the obstructions of the Tathāgata ground.” (T16n0664 0374c29) |
Pairing the Ten Grounds with the Perfections and Samādhis
The order in which the ten grounds are paired with the perfections is the same in both texts. Paramārtha’s supplement gives the continuous passage: 「於初菩薩地行向檀波羅蜜、於二地行向尸波羅蜜、於三地行向羼提波羅蜜、四地行向毘梨耶波羅蜜、五地行向禪那波羅蜜、六地行向般若波羅蜜、七地行向方便勝智波羅蜜、八地行向願波羅蜜、九地行向力波羅蜜、十地行向智波羅蜜。」—“On the first bodhisattva ground, practice turns toward the perfection of giving; on the second, toward ethical discipline; on the third, toward patience; on the fourth, toward vigor; on the fifth, toward meditation; on the sixth, toward wisdom; on the seventh, toward skillful and supreme knowledge; on the eighth, toward vow; on the ninth, toward power; and on the tenth, toward knowledge.” (T16n0664 0375a02)
The translated terms for the ten samādhis are as follows:
| Ground | Yijing | Paramārtha supplement |
|---|---|---|
| First | Samādhi of Wondrous Jewel (T16n0665 0420a19) | Samādhi Producing a Wondrous Jewel (T16n0664 0375a12) |
| Second | Samādhi of Lovable Delight (T16n0665 0420a20) | Samādhi of Lovable Abiding (T16n0664 0375a14) |
| Third | Samādhi Difficult to Move (T16n0665 0420a20) | Samādhi Difficult to Move (T16n0664 0375a15) |
| Fourth | Samādhi of Non-Retrogression (T16n0665 0420a21) | Samādhi of Non-Retrogression (T16n0664 0375a16) |
| Fifth | Samādhi of Jeweled Flower (T16n0665 0420a22) | Samādhi of Jeweled Blossom (T16n0664 0375a17) |
| Sixth | Samādhi of the Sun’s Perfect Blazing Light (T16n0665 0420a23) | Samādhi of the Sun’s Perfect Blazing Light (T16n0664 0375a18) |
| Seventh | Samādhi in Which Every Vow Is Fulfilled as Wished (T16n0665 0420a24) | Samādhi in Which Every Vow Is Fulfilled as Wished (T16n0664 0375a19) |
| Eighth | Samādhi of Directly Realized Abiding (T16n0665 0420a25) | Samādhi in Which the Present Buddha Is Directly Realized and Abides Before One (T16n0664 0375a21) |
| Ninth | Samādhi of the Treasury of Knowledge (T16n0665 0420a26) | Samādhi of the Treasury of Knowledge (T16n0664 0375a22) |
| Tenth | Samādhi of Courageous Advance (T16n0665 0420a26) | Śūraṅgama-mārga Samādhi (T16n0664 0375a23) |
Names of the Ten Dhāraṇīs and Sound Transcriptions of the Ten Formulas
The dhāraṇī names agree and differ as follows. On the first ground both read Reliance on the Power of Merit; on the second, Abiding Well in Peace and Ease; on the third, Difficult-to-Conquer Power / Great Difficult-to-Conquer Power; on the fourth, Great Benefit / Great Benefit Difficult to Destroy; on the fifth, both read Adorned with Manifold Merits; on the sixth, Perfect Wisdom / Perfect Wisdom and So Forth; on the seventh, both read Practice Victorious in Dharma; on the eighth, Inexhaustible Treasury; on the ninth, Immeasurable Gateways; and on the tenth, Shattering the Vajra Mountain / Shattering the Solid Vajra Mountain.
All ten formulas are sound transcriptions. Each transmission is reproduced verbatim below in parallel. They are not collated into one another, translated, interpreted lexically, or reconstructed into Sanskrit from a later edition.
First ground
- Yijing: 「怛姪他 晡𠷈儞 曼奴喇剃 獨虎 獨虎 獨虎 耶跋 蘇利瑜 阿婆婆薩底 耶跋 旃達囉 調怛底 多跋達𠸪叉漫 憚茶鉢唎訶㘕 矩嚕 莎訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0665 0420b01)
- Paramārtha supplement: 「怛姪他富樓尼那羅弟頭吼頭吼頭吼那跋修履愈烏婆娑底那跋旃杜魯弟愈多底多跋鐸洛衫但地波履訶嵐苟留鎖訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0664 0375a28)
Second ground
- Yijing: 「怛姪他 嗢篅哩 質哩質哩 嗢篅羅篅羅 喃繕覩繕覩嗢篅哩 虎嚕虎嚕 莎訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0665 0420b12)
- Paramārtha supplement: 「怛姪他欝坐離脂履脂履欝竪羅竪羅南禪斗禪斗欝坐離吼柳吼柳鎖訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0664 0375b11)
Third ground
- Yijing: 「怛姪他 憚宅 枳般 宅枳 羯喇 㨖高喇㨖 雞由哩 憚㨖哩 莎訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0665 0420b22)
- Paramārtha supplement: 「怛姪他但杝枳般杝枳柯羅智高懶智枳由離但底離鎖訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0664 0375b20)
Fourth ground
- Yijing: 「怛姪他 室唎室唎 陀弭儞陀弭儞 陀哩陀哩儞 室唎室唎儞 毘舍羅波世波始娜 畔陀弭帝 莎訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0665 0420c01)
- Paramārtha supplement: 「怛姪他尸履尸履陀彌尼陀彌尼陀履陀履尼尸履尸履尼毘捨羅婆細波豕那盤陀訶寐底鎖訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0664 0375b29)
Fifth ground
- Yijing: 「怛姪他 訶哩訶哩 儞遮哩遮哩儞 羯喇摩 儞僧羯喇摩 儞 三婆山儞瞻跋儞 悉耽婆儞謨漢儞 碎閻步陛莎訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0665 0420c11)
- Paramārtha supplement: 「怛姪他訶里訶里尼遮履遮履尼柯羅摩尼僧柯羅摩尼三婆訶沙尼剡婆訶尼悉耽婆訶尼謨訶尼莎琰部吼陛鎖訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0664 0375c10)
Sixth ground
- Yijing: 「怛姪他 毘徙哩毘徙哩 摩哩儞迦哩迦哩 毘度漢底 嚕嚕嚕嚕 主嚕主嚕杜嚕婆杜嚕婆 捨捨設者婆哩灑莎 悉底薩婆薩埵喃 悉甸覩曼怛囉鉢陀儞莎訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0665 0420c21)
- Paramārtha supplement: 「怛姪他毘頭離毘頭離摩履尼柯履柯履苾頭誘訶底留留留留周柳周柳杜魯婆杜魯婆捨捨捨者婆栗沙薩活私底薩婆薩埵南悉遲遐斗曼多羅波杝鎖訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0664 0375c20)
Seventh ground
- Yijing: 「怛姪他 勺訶 勺訶 嚕勺訶勺訶勺訶嚕 鞞陸枳鞞陸枳 阿蜜㗚哆唬漢儞勃哩山儞 鞞嚕勅枳婆嚕伐底 鞞提呬枳 頻陀鞞哩儞 阿蜜哩底枳 薄虎主愈薄虎主愈莎訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0665 0421a11)
- Paramārtha supplement: 「怛姪他闍訶闍訶漏闍訶闍訶闍訶漏鞞柳枳鞞柳枳阿蜜多羅伽訶尼婆力灑尼鞞柳恥枳婆柳婆底鞞提喜枳頻陀鞞履尼蜜栗怛底枳蒲呼箒酉蒲呼箒酉鎖訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0664 0376a03)
Eighth ground
- Yijing: 「怛姪他 室唎室唎室唎儞 蜜底蜜底 羯哩羯哩醯嚕醯嚕 主嚕主嚕 畔陀弭莎訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0665 0421a23)
- Paramārtha supplement: 「怛姪他矢履矢履尸履寐底寐底柯履柯履訶履訶履醯柳醯柳周柳周柳盤陀訶寐鎖訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0664 0376a14)
Ninth ground
- Yijing: 「怛姪他 訶哩旃荼哩枳 俱藍婆喇體 都剌死 跋吒跋吒死室唎室唎迦室哩迦必室唎 莎悉底 薩婆薩埵喃莎訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0665 0421b04)
- Paramārtha supplement: 「怛姪他訶履旃地履枳俱嵐婆羅梯斗羅死拔吒拔吒死矢履矢履柯尸履柯比尸履薩活私底薩婆薩埵南鎖訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0664 0376a24)
Tenth ground
- Yijing: 「怛姪他 悉提 蘇悉提謨折儞木察儞毘木底菴末麗 毘末麗涅末麗 忙揭麗呬㘓若揭鞞 曷喇怛娜揭鞞 三曼多跋姪麗 薩婆頞他娑憚儞 摩捺斯莫訶摩捺斯 頞步底頞 窒步底 阿𡃤誓毘喇誓頞主底菴蜜㗚底 阿𡃤誓毘喇誓 跋㘕謎 跋囉蚶麼莎 囇晡喇儞晡喇娜 曼奴喇剃莎訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0665 0421b15)
- Paramārtha supplement: 「怛姪他悉提醯修悉提醯姥者禰姥差禰毘目底阿摩詈毘摩詈涅摩詈瞢伽詈喜懶若竭剌陛醯何剌那竭剌陛醯婆曼多跋渴弟詈薩婆賴他娑陀呵禰摩那死摩訶摩那死頞部吼底頞哲部吼底婆羅弟毘羅是頞周底阿美里底阿羅是毘羅是婆藍訶米婆藍摩須詈富樓禰富樓那摩怒羅體鎖訶」—sound transcription, not translated. (T16n0664 0376b05)
The formula for protecting a ground also has distinct recensional phrasing. Yijing’s first-ground passage reads 「此陀羅尼是過一恒河沙數諸佛所說，為護初地菩薩摩訶薩故。」—“This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of one Ganges River in order to protect bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the first ground.” (T16n0665 0420b05) Paramārtha’s supplement reads 「是陀羅尼名過一恒河沙數諸佛為救護。初地菩薩誦持此陀羅尼呪」—“This dhāraṇī is named for the rescue and protection of buddhas more numerous than the sands of one Ganges River. A bodhisattva of the first ground recites and retains this dhāraṇī formula.” (T16n0664 0375b05) The two are placed side by side, not spliced into a single form.
Verses of Praise and the Injunction to Cultivate
| Point of collation | Yijing | Paramārtha supplement |
|---|---|---|
| Opening verse | 「敬禮無譬喻，甚深無相法；眾生失正知，唯佛能濟度。」—“I bow to the incomparable, profound, signless Dharma. Sentient beings have lost correct knowledge; only the Buddha can deliver them.” (T16n0665 0421c02) | 「敬禮無譬喻，說深無相義，眾生失於見，世尊能濟度。」—“I bow to the incomparable one who teaches the profound, signless meaning. Sentient beings have lost right vision; the World-Honored One can deliver them.” (T16n0664 0376b25) |
| Closing verse | 「法界無分別，是故無異乘；為度眾生故，分別說有三。」—“The dharma realm is without differentiation; therefore there are no distinct vehicles. For the sake of delivering sentient beings, three are taught by way of distinction.” (T16n0665 0421c20) | 「法界無分別，是故無異乘；為度眾生故，分別說三乘。」—“The dharma realm is without differentiation; therefore there are no distinct vehicles. For the sake of delivering sentient beings, the three vehicles are taught by way of distinction.” (T16n0664 0376c14) |
| Injunction to cultivate | 「汝等應當精勤修習此妙經典，是則正法久住於世。」—“You should diligently cultivate this subtle scripture; then the true Dharma will long remain in the world.” (T16n0665 0422b19) | 「汝等應當精勤修行如此經典，則法久住於世。」—“You should diligently cultivate and practice this scripture; then the Dharma will long remain in the world.” (T16n0664 0377b04) |
3. Scriptural Grounds for the Consciousness-Only Meaning (the Point of the Eye)
This section takes Huizhao’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King as its mirror. The mirror illuminates the sūtra’s meaning; the commentary does not replace the scripture.
1. From arousing the mind to obtaining protection. Huizhao divides the Tathāgata’s answer concerning causes into arousing the mind, cultivating practice, realizing the grounds, and obtaining protection. This makes clear that the chapter is not a static table of ranks but a sequence proceeding from mind to practice, practice to realization, and realization to protection. In his reading, “purified” in the title means freedom from the afflictive and cognitive obstructions.
2. The five dharmas of the ten perfections and the seven excellences. The sūtra gives five dharmas for every perfection. The commentary does not emend this scripture by imposing the threefold or twofold schemes common elsewhere; it explains the difference by saying that every practice has many gates and that sacred teachings give mutually fuller and briefer accounts. For the five dharmas of giving, the commentary identifies the faculty of faith as the essence of the mind of awakening and reads them through the framework of seven excellences: loving-kindness and compassion comprise excellence of support; freedom from desire is excellence of purity; embracing all is excellence of intention; and seeking omniscient knowledge is excellence of dedication. 「又信根即菩提心體。七最勝中，依止最勝，即攝慈悲；無求欲心，清淨勝；攝受一切，意樂勝；願求種智，迴向勝。」—“Moreover, the faculty of faith is precisely the essence of the mind of awakening. Among the seven excellences, excellence of support includes loving-kindness and compassion; freedom from desire is excellence of purity; embracing all is excellence of intention; and seeking omniscient knowledge is excellence of dedication.” (T39n1788 0255c09) Here the seven excellences illuminate the modes of the five dharmas; they do not transform five items into seven.
3. General and specific accounts of the obstructions to the grounds. The sūtra lists twenty-two kinds of ignorance from the first ground through the buddha ground; the commentary gathers them under eleven obstructions: 「此經約二十二無明辨障差別，亦即攝十一障，總即名障，別即名愚。」—“This sūtra distinguishes the differences among obstructions in terms of twenty-two kinds of ignorance, which also comprise eleven obstructions. In general they are called obstructions; specifically they are called delusions.” (T39n1788 0264b14) In sequence it identifies the obstruction of the nature of an ordinary being, wrong conduct, dullness, the activity of subtle afflictions, the fault of attraction and aversion, the activity of coarse marks, the activity of subtle marks, applied effort within signlessness, unwillingness to benefit others, lack of mastery over dharmas, and the eleventh obstruction on the buddha ground. This is a distinction of the cognitive obstruction as it grows progressively subtler; every one of the sūtra’s twenty-two items must still be preserved.
4. The mutual inclusion of the ten grounds and ten perfections. The sūtra pairs one perfection with every ground, but the commentary adds a limiting phrase: 「據實如是。言於十地各行一者，約增而說。」—“In reality it is so. To say that one is practiced on each of the ten grounds is to speak in terms of ascendance.” (T39n1788 0264b26) It further cites 「一一地中具修十種，不應定說此地修此。」—“On every ground all ten are fully cultivated; one should not definitively say that this alone is cultivated on this ground.” (T39n1788 0264b27) Thus one ground paired with one perfection in the table is a gate of ascendance, not a claim that the other nine are absent there.
5. Concentration and wisdom practiced together. Each of the ten arousals of mind produces a samādhi. The commentary takes 「此意十地各行一度，如何修習？謂要定慧兩法雙修」—“The meaning is that one perfection is practiced on each of the ten grounds. How is it cultivated? Concentration and wisdom must be practiced together.” (T39n1788 0264c09) as its governing principle. It then explains the ten samādhi names one by one through concentration’s ability to produce giving, discipline, patience, vigor, wisdom, skillful means, vow, the four eloquences, and supernormal activity.
6. Dhāraṇī as mantra-retention and protection of the grounds. The commentary judges that each ground’s passage has four levels: the protective name, the actual sacred formula, the many buddhas who spoke it, and its benefit of protection. It explicitly identifies the kind of retention: 「四總持中，是呪總持。由行施得，名為功德。餘名準行，例此可知。歎勝中有二：初歎、次所護地。護益有二：一無難、二不退。」—“Among the four retentions, this is mantra-retention. Because it is attained through practicing giving, it is called merit. The remaining names follow their practices and can be known by analogy. The praise of excellence has two parts: first the praise, then the ground protected. The benefit of protection has two parts: first, freedom from difficulty; second, non-retrogression.” (T39n1788 0266a02) The chapter’s dhāraṇīs are therefore connected on one side with the perfection ascendant on every ground, and on the other with freedom from danger and non-retrogression as protective benefits. The commentary does not parse the formula syllables into lexical meanings.
7. The ten gateways gained by hearing the sūtra. For the ten inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī gateways at the chapter’s end, the commentary preserves two readings: 「或通十地一一皆得，或隨十地如次得一。」—“Either all are common to the ten grounds and each ground obtains them all, or, following the ten grounds in sequence, each obtains one.” (T39n1788 0267c19) On one reading every ground obtains all ten gateways; on the other the ten grounds obtain one each in sequence. Both readings appear in the commentary, and this apparatus does not adjudicate between them.
4. Explanations of Various Masters
Ci’en · Huizhao’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, T39n1788 (the Sole Complete Line-by-Line Commentary)
From the chapter-title through its questions and answers, ten perfections, ten grounds, ground-obstructions, samādhis, ten dhāraṇīs, and circulation, Huizhao is the only ancient master listed here who comments on this chapter line by line. His main sequence is arousing the mind, cultivating practice, realizing the grounds, and obtaining protection. He also gathers the twenty-two kinds of ignorance under eleven obstructions, reads the pairing of grounds and perfections as ascendance, and identifies dhāraṇī as mantra-retention and protection of the grounds.
Tiantai · Zhiyi (Collateral Evidence, Not a Line-by-Line Commentary on This Chapter)
The Profound Meaning of the Sūtra of Golden Light gives an interfused reading of the mind of awakening: 「無發是發菩提心。又若一發一切發，是發菩提心。又若非一非一切、而一而一切，是發菩提心。」—“Not arousing is arousing the mind of awakening. Again, if one arousal is the arousal of all, this is arousing the mind of awakening. Again, if it is neither one nor all, yet one and all, this is arousing the mind of awakening.” (T39n1783 0005b22) This is the Profound Meaning’s analysis of the mind of awakening, not a sentence-by-sentence explanation of the present chapter’s exchange.
The Words and Phrases of the Sūtra of Golden Light uses ten marks to represent the ten grounds and cautions: 「經家不定判位，秖可從容，不得剋斷也。」—“The scriptural author does not definitively assign a stage; one may proceed with latitude and must not impose a rigid determination.” (T39n1785 0056a17) It further says: 「又十度是十地之脚足，於餘功德非為不修，隨力隨分，正以檀為初地之足。檀足若滿得入初地，乃至智度足滿得入十地，故十度為十地脚足也。」—“The ten perfections are also the feet of the ten grounds. This does not mean that other merits are not cultivated; they are cultivated according to one’s strength and share. Giving is properly the foot of the first ground. When the foot of giving is complete, one enters the first ground; when the foot of the perfection of knowledge is complete, one enters the tenth. Therefore the ten perfections are the feet of the ten grounds.” (T39n1785 0063a05) This too is collateral evidence from the older recension, not a line-by-line commentary on Yijing’s Chapter 6.
Song Tiantai · Zhili (Collateral Evidence concerning the Positions of Consciousness)
Zhili says of the position of consciousness on the ten grounds: 「第八屬菩薩者，以十地位，六七二識已轉成智。正以賴耶三分為境。雖是境界，而即用此便為觀智」—“The eighth belongs to the bodhisattva because, at the position of the ten grounds, the sixth and seventh consciousnesses have already been transformed into knowledge. The three aspects of the store consciousness are directly taken as the object. Although they are an object-domain, this very object is used as contemplative knowledge.” (T39n1784 0022c14) This passage from the Supplementary Record to the Profound Meaning explains the correspondence of consciousness and knowledge; it is not a sentence-by-sentence explanation of the chapter’s twenty-two kinds of ignorance, ten perfections, or dhāraṇīs.
Sanlun · Jizang’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light, T39n1787 (Collateral Evidence from the Older Recension He Commented upon)
Jizang takes the ten perfections as the causal feet of the ten grounds: 「此波羅蜜涉十種法界，名為脚足。亦可以十波羅蜜為因足，建立佛果故名脚足。」—“This perfection traverses the ten kinds of dharma realm and is called the feet. The ten perfections may also be taken as causal feet: because they establish the fruit of buddhahood, they are called feet.” (T39n1787 0164a08) This is collateral evidence concerning the ten grounds in the older recension he commented upon, not a line-by-line commentary on the present chapter.
Different Orders for Pairing the Eighth and Ninth Grounds with Perfections (Noted without Adjudicating)
Yijing explicitly lists 「於第八地行願波羅蜜，於第九地行力波羅蜜」—“On the eighth ground, practice the perfection of vow; on the ninth, practice the perfection of power.” (T16n0665 0420a16) Zhiyi’s Words and Phrases, however, says: 「作樂表不動者，其地對力，力能利安一切如妓悅物，故以作妓表之。受樂表善慧者，其地對願，願滿則心喜，故以受樂表之。」—“Making music represents the Immovable Ground because that ground corresponds to power: power can benefit and bring ease to all, as performers delight things, so it is represented by making music. Receiving pleasure represents the Excellent Wisdom Ground because that ground corresponds to vow: when vows are fulfilled, the mind rejoices, so it is represented by receiving pleasure.” (T39n1785 0056b04) One pairs the eighth ground with vow and the ninth with power; the other pairs the eighth with power and the ninth with vow. The orders of the two ancient texts are recorded together without adjudicating, and neither is altered into the other.
5. Terminology
Mind of awakening. The chapter first asks for its causes and then for its nature. The sūtra says that awakening, mind, sentient beings, and many verbal designations are unobtainable, yet immediately follows with ten causes, fifty dharmas, and the cultivation and realization of the ten grounds. “Unobtainable” therefore does not cancel practice. Huizhao’s 「但除其病，不無法故。」—“It only removes the illness; dharmas are not nonexistent.” (T39n1788 0253a12) makes clear that what is refuted is the illness of grasping, not the existence of dharmas altogether.
Ten causes of the mind of awakening. The ten similes are paired in sequence with giving, ethical discipline, patience, vigorous effort, meditative concentration, wisdom, skillful and supreme knowledge, vow, power, and knowledge. Each simile both indicates a perfection and shows how the mind of awakening benefits sentient beings, bears wholesome dharmas, remains fearless and non-retrogressive, dispels darkness, crosses danger, purifies domains, adorns them, and reaches consecration.
Five dharmas of the ten perfections. Every perfection has five dharmas, making fifty in all. The sūtra’s list cannot be compressed into the phrase “cultivate the ten perfections.” Huizhao’s seven excellences form a framework for illuminating modes of practice; they do not replace the sūtra’s fifty items.
Seventeen meanings of perfection. The sūtra explains perfection in seventeen levels: cultivating supreme benefit; completing profound knowledge; not grasping practice or non-practice; correctly contemplating birth and death and nirvāṇa; embracing fool and sage; revealing Dharma jewels; attaining unobstructed liberation; distinguishing the dharma realm and realm of sentient beings; reaching non-retrogression; completing acceptance of non-arising; maturing roots of goodness; accomplishing a buddha’s ten powers and other qualities; knowing birth and death and nirvāṇa as nondual; delivering all; subduing external challenges; turning the subtle Dharma wheel; and remaining without attachment, view, or burdensome affliction. The sequence opens from self-cultivation through buddhahood and benefit for beings.
Ground. The ten grounds are not ten isolated ranks. In this chapter every ground has a prior portent, a name and meaning, two kinds of ignorance, an ascendant perfection, a samādhi, and dhāraṇī protection. “Most purified” thus includes freedom from obstruction, cultivation, and protection.
Two kinds of ignorance. The first through tenth grounds have twenty items, with two more added for the buddha ground. Huizhao gathers them under eleven obstructions, calling them obstructions in general and delusions specifically. Three forms survive in relation to the second ground: mistaken, guarded, and a graphic variant of mistaken transgression. Yijing reads 「微細學處誤犯無明」—“ignorance that mistakenly transgresses subtle training” (T16n0665 0419c24); the scriptural text quoted by Huizhao reads 「微細學處護犯無明」—“ignorance that guards transgression in subtle training” (T39n1788 0263a09); and his explanation reads 「性悞有所犯，初地未斷，入二地斷。」—“By nature one mistakenly commits a transgression; it is not severed on the first ground and is severed upon entering the second.” (T39n1788 0263a12) Each graph is returned to its own witness, without silent emendation or a ruling on right and wrong.
The ninth ground likewise preserves “unobstructed” and “immeasurable” variants. Yijing reads 「於所說義及名句文此二無礙未善巧無明」—“ignorance that is not yet skillful in the two unobstructed understandings of the meanings taught and of names, phrases, and letters” (T16n0665 0420a05). Huizhao’s quotation reads 「於所說義及名句文此二無量未得善巧無明」—“ignorance that has not attained skill in these two immeasurables, the meanings taught and names, phrases, and letters” (T39n1788 0264a17), while his explanation says 「所說義，義無礙解。及名句文，法無礙解。於此二中未得自在，云未得善巧。」—“The meanings taught are unobstructed understanding of meaning; names, phrases, and letters are unobstructed understanding of Dharma. Not yet attaining mastery of these two is called not yet attaining skill.” (T39n1788 0264a19) Base text, quoted text, and commentary are recorded without adjudicating.
Samādhi. Each of the ten arousals of mind produces a samādhi. These are gates of concentration for cultivating every ground and are also connected by the commentator with the practice ascendant among the ten perfections; they must not be treated as merely ten names.
Dhāraṇī. What is obtained on each ground in this chapter is mantra-retention, and each passage contains a name, formula, the many buddhas who spoke it, and its protective benefit. Hearing the sūtra later yields ten inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī gateways. The first set emphasizes protection on every ground; the second emphasizes hearing and teaching the sūtra and maturing sentient beings inexhaustibly and undiminishingly. The two groups must not be collapsed into one table.
6. Similes · Rhetoric
Ten similes for arousing the mind. Jeweled Mount Sumeru, king of mountains, benefits all and represents giving. The earth bears all things and represents discipline. A lion’s might and fearless solitary stride represent patience. The wind-wheel and Nārāyaṇa’s courageous, swift power represent vigorous effort. Cool breezes enter the four gates of a seven-jeweled pavilion and represent meditative concentration. The blazing sun destroys the darkness of ignorance and represents wisdom. A caravan leader crosses danger, obtains jewels, and fulfills all wishes, representing skillful and supreme knowledge. The pure, full, unobscured moon represents vow. The wheel-turning king’s sovereign jeweled general adorns the realm and represents power. Unobstructed space and the wheel-turning king’s sovereignty through the stage of consecration represent knowledge. The ten similes turn the abstract ten perfections into movements of bearing, dispelling darkness, crossing danger, fulfilling vows, and acting freely.
Prior portents of the ten grounds. On the first ground treasure fills the world; on the second the earth is level and adorned with jewels; on the third one sees oneself courageous, armed, and crushing hostile enemies; on the fourth the wind-wheels of the four directions scatter flowers across the earth; on the fifth a wondrous jeweled woman adorns herself with necklaces; on the sixth one sees a seven-jeweled lotus pond, four stairways, golden sand, water with eight qualities, and three kinds of lotus; on the seventh beings about to fall into hell escape through the bodhisattva’s power; on the eighth lions guard both sides; on the ninth a wheel-turning king is surrounded by billions and adorned with a white canopy; and on the tenth the golden Tathāgata emits pure light, is surrounded by Brahmā assemblies, and turns the Dharma wheel. The series moves from treasure, level earth, and the defeat of enemies toward rescue, protection, royal authority, and the teaching of Dharma by a buddha-body.
Dharma Cloud. The tenth ground is called Dharma Cloud because the dharma-body is like space and wisdom like a great cloud able to fill space, cover it, and protect all. Huizhao unfolds the two levels of covering and raining: 「於第十地，所得法身如大虛空。以大智慧如雲遍空，即智充滿法身。又猶如雲，法即如雲，能覆一切故。復說妙法如雲下雨，即法之雲。」—“On the tenth ground the dharma-body attained is like vast space. Great wisdom pervades space like a cloud; thus knowledge fills the dharma-body. Again, Dharma is like a cloud because it can cover all. Further, subtle Dharma is taught like a cloud raining down; thus it is a cloud of Dharma.” (T39n1788 0262a09)
Echo in an empty valley. Lion-Form’s ninth verse uses the echo in an empty valley as a simile for distinctions according to what is said: sounds differ, while the echo has no self-nature. The final verse therefore gathers the chapter in the dharma realm’s original nondifferentiation and the differentiated teaching of three for the sake of delivering sentient beings.
7. Cross-Reading · Carrying Forward
From unobtainability to the ten perfections. The chapter says that realizer and realized are equal and that the mind of awakening is unobtainable, then immediately teaches ten causes and fifty dharmas. Cross-reading does not weaken either side; it shows that nonattachment is precisely the mental ground for cultivating the ten perfections. Without meritorious roots of goodness, the mind of awakening does not arise.
From the ten perfections to the ten grounds. The ten similes for arousing the mind first mark directions; the fifty dharmas unfold modes of practice; and the seventeen meanings disclose the breadth of perfection from self-benefit to benefit for others. The ten grounds then place every perfection within prior portents, names and meanings, elimination of obstructions, concentration, and protection. By saying that every ground fully cultivates all ten perfections while one is ascendant, Huizhao preserves both the table and integral practice.
Different orders for the eighth and ninth grounds. Yijing pairs the eighth ground with vow and the ninth with power; Zhiyi’s Words and Phrases pairs the eighth with power and the ninth with vow. Each order is returned to its ancient text and recorded without adjudicating; neither location is used to emend the other.
Variant forms of the two kinds of ignorance. Mistaken / guarded / graphic-variant transgression on the second ground, and unobstructed / immeasurable on the ninth, are all clearly identified at their textual layers. The commentary’s quoted wording is not silently altered into Yijing’s base text, nor is the sūtra’s graph judged retroactively from the commentary’s explanation.
From the dhāraṇīs of the ten grounds to the ten gateways gained by hearing the sūtra. The ten dhāraṇīs ground by ground emphasize protection from danger and non-retrogression. The ten inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī gateways at the chapter’s end carry forward hearing the sūtra and abiding on the ground of non-retrogression into teaching the Dharma, manifesting bodies, and maturing sentient beings. Huizhao preserves both readings of this latter set—“every ground obtains all ten gateways” and “the ten grounds obtain one gateway each in sequence”—and still does not decide between them.
From nondifferentiation to differentiated teaching. Lion-Form’s ten verses proceed from signlessness, non-arising and non-cessation, and non-abiding in either extreme to the Buddha’s filling all with Dharma rain without speaking one word and constantly rescuing the distressed without seeing marks of sentient beings. Brahmā’s exchange then carries this meaning forward into hearing, retaining, and teaching the sūtra, protecting the Dharma, and enabling the true Dharma to remain. Nondifferentiation does not mean ceasing to speak or act. Without abiding in the coming and going of words, one still teaches many dharmas for sentient beings.
8. Placement of the Editions
- The main text of this translation and commentary uses Yijing’s T16n0665, “Chapter 6, The Dhāraṇī of the Most Purified Grounds,” as its base. The chapter-title is at 0417c22 and the chapter body at 0417c23–0422b26; the next chapter-title at 0422b27 marks the boundary.
- Paramārtha’s supplement is included in T16n0664 under the title “Chapter 6, The Most Purified Grounds Dhāraṇī.” Its title is at 0372c06 and body at 0372c07–0377b05. The separately arranged repetition of obstruction-names and phonetic notes on the formulas at 0377b07–0378a24 is not treated as part of this chapter’s body.
- The extant T663 has nineteen chapters and lacks the present chapter; Baogui’s preface reports that Dharmakṣema’s original translation stopped at eighteen. These belong respectively to the extant textual structure and an ancient preface’s report, and are recorded together without alteration.
- Baogui’s preface lists Paramārtha’s four supplementary chapters at 0359b20–0359b24, with the title “Dhāraṇī of the Most Purified Grounds” beginning at 0359b23. This is recensional evidence; no separate judgment concerning the supplement’s doctrinal standing follows from it.
- The ten formula passages preserve the original graphs of each text. Yijing’s full-width spaces, repeated syllables, variant graphs, and CJK extension characters are not regularized, nor is Paramārtha’s text back-corrected from Yijing’s. The two transmissions are recorded in parallel, not combined into one sound transcription, translated, or reconstructed into Sanskrit.
- Mistaken / guarded / graphic-variant transgression on the second ground, unobstructed / immeasurable on the ninth, and the different orders for pairing the eighth and ninth grounds with perfections are all variants that must be explicitly identified. The task of this layer is transmission, not determination.
The chapter proceeds from asking about mind through cultivating the perfections, realizing the grounds, abandoning obstructions, and obtaining protection, carrying forward into hearing and teaching the sūtra and the assembly’s protection. Variant titles, phrases, sequences, and readings in the editions likewise remain in their own textual locations. Only in this way does neatness not sacrifice transmission, and difference not replace doctrinal meaning.