金光明最勝王經 如意寶珠品

Placement of the Whole Chapter This chapter begins with the Buddha’s proclamation of the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel dhāraṇī. It first names the four kings of radiant lightning in the four directions and states the benefits of hearing and writing their names. The Buddha, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, Vajrapāṇi Bodhisattva, Lord of Secrets, King Brahmā, Lord Śakra, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the five dragon kings then each proclaim a spell. The chapter ends with the Buddha’s confirmation and the assembly’s faithful acceptance. Neither the chapter lists nor the chapter bodies of T663 and T664 contain a corresponding recension of this chapter. Huizhao has a line-by-line commentary; the presence or absence of relevant material in the works of Zhiyi, Zhili, and Jizang is recorded according to each work’s textual layer. The two explanations of the title, the general and particular names of the spells, the ancient master’s internal alternatives, and the two sets of transmitted sound-texts are each kept in their own place and recorded without adjudicating.

Doctrinal-Outline Placement

The translator attribution in fascicle seven of Yijing’s recension reads 「大唐三藏沙門義淨奉　制譯」—“Imperially commissioned translation by the Tripiṭaka śramaṇa Yijing of the Great Tang” (T16n0665 0432c15, its seventh occurrence in this scripture). The chapter title is 「金光明最勝王經如意寶珠品第十四」—“The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel, Chapter Fourteen” (T16n0665 0433b05). The body begins at 0433b06 and ends with 「聞佛語已，歡喜信受」—“after hearing the Buddha’s words, they rejoiced and accepted them in faith” (T16n0665 0434b24); 「大辯才天女品第十五之一」—“The Goddess of Great Eloquence, Chapter Fifteen, Part One” (T16n0665 0434b25) is already the next chapter title.

The scripture proceeds continuously through the actions of a single assembly. The Buddha first states the dhāraṇī’s name and function, teaches the four kings of radiant lightning, the benefits of hearing and writing their names, and then the spell. Six groups within the assembly afterward rise in sequence and proclaim spells. The Buddha addresses the whole assembly in confirmation, and the assembly rejoices and accepts his words in faith. The openings spoken by the six groups are themselves clear, so this short chapter is not divided into an overly dense series of smaller units.

Huizhao’s principal commentary begins with the title 「如意寶珠品第十四」—“The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel, Chapter Fourteen” (T39n1788 0299b19), and its body runs from 0299b20 through 0301a26; 0301a27 is already the commentary title of the next chapter. The commentary first establishes three gates—reason for arrival, explanation of the name, and resolution of difficulties—and then divides the whole chapter into four parts:

贊曰：品文分四，一佛說、二眾說、三佛印、四奉行。佛說有三：一標示許說、二大眾樂聞、三佛正為說。初中有四：一標呪名、二示功用、三告同說、四許為陳。此初二也。（T39n1788 0299c12） — “The commentary says: the chapter text is divided into four: first, the Buddha speaks; second, the assembly speaks; third, the Buddha confirms; fourth, enactment. The Buddha’s speaking has three parts: first, indication and promise to teach; second, the great assembly’s delight in hearing; third, the Buddha’s actual teaching. The first has four: first, stating the spell’s name; second, showing its function; third, declaring that it was jointly proclaimed; fourth, promising to set it forth. This passage is the first two.”

The Buddha’s actual teaching is further divided into four levels:

下佛正為說，有四：一說電王名、二聞得益、三正說呪、四誦呪法。（T39n1788 0299c28） — “Below, the Buddha’s actual teaching has four parts: first, teaching the names of the lightning kings; second, the benefit obtained from hearing; third, the formal proclamation of the spell; fourth, the method for reciting the spell.”

The assembly’s proclamations unfold in the sequence of Avalokiteśvara, Vajrapāṇi Lord of Secrets, King Brahmā, Lord Śakra, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the five dragon kings. Huizhao explicitly marks 「下眾說呪，有六：初觀音說」—“below, the assembly’s proclamation of spells has six parts; first, Avalokiteśvara’s proclamation” (T39n1788 0300b06), followed in order by 「下第二」—“below is the second” (0300b22), 「下第三說」—“below is the third proclamation” (0300c06), 「下第四說」—“below is the fourth proclamation” (0300c16), 「下第五說」—“below is the fifth proclamation” (0300c26), and 「下第六說」—“below is the sixth proclamation” (0301a05). These are an ancient master’s reading guides; they are not rewritten as section headings supplied by the scripture itself.

Alternate Translations · Collation of the Three Translations

Complete Table of Nineteen Chapters in T663

The nineteen chapter titles in Dharmakṣema’s T663 are recorded below in full, according to what appears on disk:

T663 moves directly from 「金光明經四天王品第六」—“The Sūtra of Golden Light, The Four Heavenly Kings, Chapter Six” (T16n0663 0340c16) to 「金光明經大辯天神品第七」—“The Sūtra of Golden Light, The Deity of Great Eloquence, Chapter Seven” (0344c20). No title or chapter body for The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel occurs between them.

Complete Table of Twenty-Four Chapters in T664

The twenty-four chapter titles in Baogui’s composite T664 are as follows:

After 「四天王品第十」—“The Four Heavenly Kings, Chapter Ten” (T16n0664 0382a08), T664 has 「銀主陀羅尼品第十一」—“The Silver-Lord Dhāraṇī, Chapter Eleven” (0386a08) and then immediately 「大辯天品第十二」—“The Goddess of Great Eloquence, Chapter Twelve” (0386b22). This chapter is likewise absent between them.

The composite scripture does contain one occurrence of 「譬如依如意寶珠，出無量無邊種種諸寶悉皆得現」—“just as, depending upon a wish-fulfilling jewel, measureless and boundless kinds of jewels all become manifest” (T16n0664 0364a17). That sentence is in Distinguishing the Three Bodies, Chapter Three and is simile language, not the body of the present chapter.

The Silver-Lord Chapter Is a Different Chapter

T664 bears the title 「銀主陀羅尼品第十一」—“The Silver-Lord Dhāraṇī, Chapter Eleven” (T16n0664 0386a08), but its chapter body opens:

爾時，世尊告命者奢利弗言：「奢利弗！此諸菩薩熏修諸法——所謂諸菩薩母、菩薩昔行、菩薩攝受——有法本名不染著陀羅尼。」（T16n0664 0386a09） — “At that time, the World-Honored One told the venerable Shelifu: ‘Shelifu, these bodhisattvas cultivate and perfume themselves with the teachings called the mother of bodhisattvas, the bodhisattvas’ former practices, and the bodhisattvas’ gathering-in. There is a Dharma text called the Non-Attachment Dhāraṇī.’”

The corresponding passage in T665, The Stainless Dhāraṇī, Chapter Thirteen, reads:

爾時，世尊告具壽舍利子：「今有法門，名無染著陀羅尼，是諸菩薩所修行法，過去菩薩之所受持，是菩薩母。」（T16n0665 0432c17） — “At that time, the World-Honored One told the venerable Śāriputra: ‘There is now a Dharma gate called the Stainless Dhāraṇī. It is a Dharma cultivated by bodhisattvas, upheld by bodhisattvas of the past, and is the mother of bodhisattvas.’”

Both passages address Śāriputra and speak of the Non-Attachment or Stainless Dhāraṇī and the mother of bodhisattvas. This cross-reading belongs to Chapter 13 and is not moved into the present chapter as a witness.

This section therefore records only two points: The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel has no corresponding Han chapter body in T663 or T664; and Silver-Lord is another chapter, whose body corresponds to The Stainless Dhāraṇī. The present chapter is not assigned to the four chapters listed by Paramārtha, and the absence of text in the specified Han witnesses is not turned into a conclusion about origins.

Scriptural Grounds for the Consciousness-Only Meaning (the Point of the Eye)

This section uses Huizhao’s principal commentary on this chapter as a side mirror. It illuminates the scripture’s meaning without replacing the scriptural text with the commentator’s classifications.

Two Explanations of the Title

Huizhao first explains the chapter title through an ancient transmitted sound-form and a simile:

二釋名者，梵云震多，此云如意。本音但名意，心思量義。如者義加。末尼者此云寶珠，此是喻。陀羅尼者，是法。如珠能令離諸災難，所求遂心，此呪亦爾，從喻為名。應云〈如意寶珠陀羅尼品〉，故下云如意寶珠神呪，以文略故。又釋：即此總持名為如意寶珠，法從喻名，故云有陀羅尼名如意寶珠。此名非六釋。（T39n1788 0299b24） — “Second, explanation of the name. The Indic form is transmitted as Zhenduo, rendered here as ‘wish-fulfilling.’ Its original sound names only ‘wish,’ in the sense of mental consideration; ‘fulfilling’ is added by meaning. Moni is rendered here as ‘jewel’; this is the simile. Dhāraṇī is the Dharma. Just as the jewel can cause one to escape calamities and dangers and obtain what one seeks in accord with one’s wishes, so too can this spell; it is named from the simile. It should say ‘The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Dhāraṇī Chapter.’ Thus the text below says ‘the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel spell’; the wording is abbreviated. Another explanation: this very retention is called the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel; the Dharma takes its name from the simile, and so it says that there is a dhāraṇī named Wish-Fulfilling Jewel. This name does not belong to the six types of compound explanation.”

Two explanations coexist here. In one, the jewel is the simile, the dhāraṇī is the Dharma, and the name is established from the simile. In the other, the retention itself is figuratively named the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel. Both are recorded; neither is adjudicated into the sole explanation.

Two Explanations of the Particular Spell-Names and the Chapter Title’s General Scope

The formula proclaimed by Vajrapāṇi Lord of Secrets is called Invincible; King Brahmā’s is called Brahmā’s Cure; Lord Śakra’s is called Bazheluoshenni; and the Four Heavenly Kings’ is called Giving Fearlessness to All Beings. Huizhao accordingly asks:

三釋難者，問：執金剛主所說神呪名曰無勝，餘說亦別，云何但云如意寶珠品？答：有二解。一云：品名從初，不可具辨。二云：初二得其總名，餘者從其別稱，據實總得名如意珠。問：四持之內是何總持？答：是呪陀羅尼。問：〈四天王品〉中四王所說亦名如意寶，初中此何別？答：同名義別，如文可知。（T39n1788 0299c02） — “Third, resolution of difficulties. Question: the spell proclaimed by Vajrapāṇi is named Invincible, and those proclaimed by the others also have different names. Why is the chapter called only the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Chapter? Answer: there are two explanations. One says the chapter name follows the first formula and cannot state every name. The second says that the first two receive the general name, while the others follow their particular designations; in fact, all can generally be named the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel. Question: among the four kinds of retention, what kind of retention is this? Answer: it is spell-formula dhāraṇī. Question: the formula proclaimed by the four kings in the Four Heavenly Kings Chapter is also called the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel. How does that differ from this first formula? Answer: the name is the same but the meaning differs, as can be known from the text.”

The explanation that the chapter name follows the first formula and the explanation that a general name embraces the particular names remain side by side. Among the four retentions, Huizhao classifies it only as spell-formula dhāraṇī. The shared name found here and in The Four Heavenly Kings Protect the Realm is recorded as the same in name and different in meaning; the spells in the two chapters are not conflated.

The Four Lightning Kings, Hearing Their Names, and Writing Their Names

The scripture separately lists the four kings of radiant lightning: Ajieduo in the east, Shedilu in the south, Zhuduoguang in the west, and Suduomoni in the north. Hearing their names while knowing their directions, and writing the names of the four kings at one’s dwelling, are two distinct actions. Hearing and knowing free the person from fearful events and extinguish unexpected calamity; writing the names protects the dwelling from fear of thunder and lightning, calamity, obstructing distress, and untimely accidental death. Person and dwelling, hearing and writing, and their respective benefits therefore remain distinct.

Huizhao also explains thunder, lightning, and lightning king through scripture and treatise cited by an ancient master. He first judges this to be the first of the four layers in the Buddha’s actual teaching: clouds strike one another and emit sound, called thunder; they emit light, called lightning; the deity who governs lightning is called a king. The cited Abhidharmakośa Treatise reads 「如雲聲是」—“it is like the sound of clouds” (T39n1788 0300a01). He then cites the Sūtra on the Arising of the World:

東方無厚閉電共於西方墮光明電相觸相著相揩相打，以如是故，於虛空雲際之中出生光明，名曰閉電。東方閉電名無厚，南曰順流，西曰墮光明，北曰百千樹電光。（T39n1788 0300a02） — “The lightning Wuhou in the east and the lightning Falling Radiance in the west touch, adhere, rub, and strike one another. For this reason light arises amid the clouds in empty space and is called lightning. The eastern lightning is named Wuhou, the southern is called Following the Current, the western is called Falling Radiance, and the northern is called the Lightning Light of a Hundred Thousand Trees.”

Because these four cited names differ from those in the present scripture, Huizhao preserves 「或神有多，或翻譯別」—“perhaps there are many deities, or perhaps the translations differ” (T39n1788 0300a07) as two possibilities; both remain recorded. The four names from the Sūtra on the Arising of the World serve only as Huizhao’s cited side illumination and do not alter the four names in this scripture. Ajieduo is explained only by the ancient master as “come.” Suduomoni is understood only according to 「蘇多〔此云如〕末尼〔如前〕」—“Suduo [here rendered ‘such’], moni [as above]” (T39n1788 0300a08), where “as above” refers back to the earlier explanation of moni as jewel; no further word-form is supplied.

Concerning the relation among hearing the names, writing the names, and upholding the spell, Huizhao first distinguishes the benefit of hearing the names from that of writing them. He cites 「若於住處」—“if at one’s dwelling” (T39n1788 0300a14) for the latter and then preserves two levels of answer:

問：聞電王名已離恐怖，何假說呪方離怖耶？答：由持呪力，能令彼王守護離怖。又復初神護離怖，後呪護離怖。然呪護勝，經品得名。（T39n1788 0300a14–a17） — “Question: after hearing the names of the lightning kings one is already free from fear, so why is proclaiming the spell also required before one is free from fear? Answer: through the power of upholding the spell, those kings can be made to protect one and free one from fear. Again, first the deities protect one and free one from fear; afterward the spell protects one and frees one from fear. Yet protection by the spell is superior, and the scriptural chapter receives its name from it.”

“Through the power of upholding the spell the kings protect” and “first protection by the deities, afterward protection by the spell” both belong to the commentator’s resolution of a difficulty. “Protection by the spell is superior” is likewise the ancient master’s judgment and is not written backward as the scripture’s own adjudication.

The Ancient Master’s Navigation through the Six Proclamations by the Assembly

Huizhao divides Avalokiteśvara’s passage into the ritual posture of requesting, the request to teach, statement of benefits, formal proclamation, and method of reciting the spell. In the scripture, Avalokiteśvara rises, bares his right shoulder, and joins his palms before requesting to speak. His recitation concerns the named practitioner and dwelling, freedom from fear, suffering, and accidental death, not seeing evil events, and constant protection by the majestic light of great compassion. Huizhao also transmits an ancient sound-form and name-explanation:

下眾說呪，有六：初觀音說。文有三：初請說、次正說、後誦呪法。初請中有三：一請儀、二請說、三述益。梵云阿縛盧枳帝濕筏邏耶。阿縛盧枳帝此云觀，餘云自在。以天眼耳及他心通恒觀世間，隨皆能救，云觀自在。云觀世音，從一說也，其名不具，非正翻也。配文可知。（T39n1788 0300b06） — “Below, the assembly’s proclamation of spells has six parts; first, Avalokiteśvara’s proclamation. The passage has three: first, requesting to teach; next, the formal proclamation; last, the method of reciting the spell. The request has three: first, the posture of requesting; second, the request to teach; third, the statement of benefits. The Indic form is transmitted as Afouluozhidishifaluoye. Afouluozhidi is rendered here as ‘observe,’ and the remainder as ‘mastery.’ With the divine eye and ear and knowledge of others’ minds, he constantly observes the world and can save beings in every case; hence ‘Observing with Mastery.’ ‘Observer of the World’s Sounds’ follows one aspect; the name is incomplete and is not a direct translation. The correspondence to the text can be known.”

The Vajrapāṇi Lord of Secrets passage separately preserves an “it is said” account and a scriptural witness. In the scripture he rises and joins his palms, names the formula Invincible before proclaiming it, and afterward calls it Invincible Protection. A man or woman must receive and uphold it with one-pointed mind, write and recite it, and recollect it without forgetting; Vajrapāṇi then promises constant protection by day and night and freedom from fear and untimely accidental death:

下第二，文亦有三：初請說、次正說、後誦持益。配文可知。言執金剛祕密主者，有云：觀音異形稱為祕密，常執金剛杵守護三寶，依自并所持為名。依《密迹金剛力士經》說，此執金剛及梵王，各是賢劫千佛之一佛也。廣如彼說。（T39n1788 0300b22） — “Below is the second. Its passage also has three: first, the request to teach; next, the formal proclamation; last, the benefits of reciting and upholding it. The correspondence to the text can be known. Concerning Vajrapāṇi Lord of Secrets, it is said that he is a different form of Avalokiteśvara and is called Secret because he constantly holds a vajra pestle and guards the Three Jewels; his name is based on himself together with what he holds. According to the Sūtra of the Vajra-Wielding Esoteric-Trace Strongman, this Vajrapāṇi and King Brahmā are each one of the thousand buddhas of the Auspicious Eon. The fuller account is as stated there.”

The “it is said” account and the statement of the Sūtra of the Vajra-Wielding Esoteric-Trace Strongman are recorded side by side and are not fused into a single ruling on identity. King Brahmā, lord of the Sahā world, rises and joins his palms; after proclaiming his formula, he separately names it Brahmā’s Cure and promises its upholders freedom from sorrow and distress, unwholesome deeds, and untimely accidental death. Huizhao says only 「下第三說，文段同前」—“below is the third proclamation; the divisions of the passage are as before” (T39n1788 0300c06); no meaning is supplied for the name Brahmā’s Cure. Lord Śakra likewise rises and joins his palms, but places all stated benefits before his formula: Bazheluoshenni is a great illumination formula that removes fear and peril and untimely accidental death, removes suffering, gives happiness, and benefits humans and gods. No separate benefit passage follows it. Concerning Lord Śakra’s name, Huizhao says:

下第四說，文亦同前。言帝釋天主者，帝即是主，釋者是能，此云能帝，是總言也。後云天主者，能作天主。（T39n1788 0300c16） — “Below is the fourth proclamation, and its passage is also as before. Regarding Lord Śakra: ‘lord’ is precisely master, while ‘Śakra’ is ability; here it is rendered ‘Able Lord’ as the general expression. The subsequent words ‘lord of the gods’ mean that he is able to serve as lord of the gods.”

No ancient contextual semantic explanation is given for Bazheluoshenni, so the lack is preserved. The four heavenly kings—Vaiśravaṇa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Virūḍhaka, and Virūpākṣa—rise together and join their palms. Before the formula they name it Giving Fearlessness to All Beings and promise constant protection amid suffering, peace and happiness, increased lifespan, freedom from illness and pain, and freedom from untimely accidental death. Huizhao explicitly records: 「下第五說，文段有二，略無誦益。初段中，初列名、次請儀、後述益。指文可知。」—“below is the fifth proclamation; the passage has two parts and, in abbreviation, lacks a section on the benefits of recitation. In the first part, first the names are listed, next comes the posture of requesting, and last the benefits are stated. The text can be known directly” (T39n1788 0300c26). No separate recitation-benefit passage is therefore supplied to the scripture. The dragon kings Manasi, Lightning Radiance, Lake Without Heat, Lightning Tongue, and Wondrous Light also rise together and join their palms. They present their formula to the Buddha and ask his compassionate acceptance so that they may leave the dragon destiny, forever abandon stinginess and craving, and sever its seeds; their stated cause is that stinginess and craving make them undergo suffering in birth and death. Huizhao judges their passage as 「下第六說，文三如前」—“below is the sixth proclamation; its three parts are as before” (T39n1788 0301a05). He further divides the vow into statement, question, explanation, and conclusion, with 「我等願斷」—“we vow to sever” (T39n1788 0301a21) marking the opening of the conclusion. After the formula, the scripture separately requires oral proclamation of the illuminating dhāraṇī or copying the sūtra scroll, together with receiving and upholding, recitation, reverence, and offerings. It then promises freedom from thunder and lightning, fear, suffering, distress, accidental death, poison, sorcery, and oppressive spells, while tigers, wolves, lions, venomous snakes, mosquitoes, and horseflies cannot harm the upholder. These post-formula rites and benefits are not transferred to another speaker.

Explanations of Various Masters

Cien · Huizhao’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King

Huizhao has a principal line-by-line commentary on this chapter. Its title begins at T39n1788 0299b19 and the body runs from 0299b20 through 0301a26. Its reason for arrival, explanation of the name, resolution of difficulties, four major divisions, subdivisions of the Buddha’s proclamation, six proclamations by the assembly, the Buddha’s confirmation, and enactment are recorded throughout this apparatus. Every explicitly stated pair of explanations, alternate explanation, and possibility is presented together without adjudication.

Tiantai · Zhiyi’s Textual Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light

The recension commented upon by Zhiyi proceeds from 「釋四天王品」—“explanation of the Four Heavenly Kings Chapter” (T39n1785 0073b06). That chapter commentary ends, 「悉如文。三四王歡喜發誓，如文。」—“all is as in the text; third, the four kings rejoice and make vows, as in the text” (0076a24), and then directly opens 「釋大辯品」—“explanation of the Great Eloquence Chapter” (0076a26). No Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Chapter occurs between them. T1785 therefore has no line-by-line commentary on this chapter, and wording from another chapter is not supplied as its sentence-level explanation.

Sanlun · Jizang’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light

The final sentence of Jizang’s Four Heavenly Kings Chapter commentary uses “the quiescent Dharma” to disclose the substance of the dharma-body above (T39n1787 0168a02); the next line directly opens 「〈大辯品〉」—“the Great Eloquence Chapter” (T39n1787 0168a03). T1787 likewise contains no line-by-line commentary on this chapter.

Zhiyi’s Profound Meaning and Zhili’s Supplementary Record

Neither T1783 nor T1784 is a line-by-line commentary on this chapter, and the files on disk contain no chapter-specific side illumination. One passage in Zhiyi’s Profound Meaning states:

《陀羅尼》云「王舍城、波羅奈、祇陀林三處，與聲聞記。」（T39n1783 0011c22） — “The Dhāraṇī Sūtra says: ‘At the three places Rājagṛha, Vārāṇasī, and Jeta Grove, predictions were given to śrāvakas.’”

This cites another scripture within a discussion of doctrinal classification. Zhili’s Supplementary Record says 「二、引方等破。陀羅尼者，即《方等陀羅尼經》也。」—“second, citing the Vaipulya teaching to refute: ‘Dhāraṇī’ means the Vaipulya Dhāraṇī Sūtra” (T39n1784 0045b02), and 「陀羅尼在《法華》後。後雖不定，須攝歸前。」—“the Dhāraṇī Sūtra comes after the Lotus Sūtra; although what comes afterward is not fixed, it must be gathered back into what precedes” (T39n1784 0045c11). Both concern the position of the Vaipulya Dhāraṇī Sūtra in doctrinal classification and are not brought into this chapter.

The only usable ancient line-by-line commentary on this chapter is therefore Huizhao’s principal commentary. The presence and absence of ancient works are noted according to their actual textual layers. Missing text is not used to invent meaning, and no doctrinal school is ranked above another.

Terminology

Wish-Fulfilling Jewel. The scripture names the dhāraṇī the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel. Huizhao transmits Zhenduo as “wish-fulfilling” and moni as “jewel,” while preserving the two explanations involving simile and Dharma. The available ancient explanation reaches only the simile in which the jewel can remove danger and fulfill what one seeks; no new etymological collation is made for sound-forms the ancient master does not explain.

Dhāraṇī and retention. Asked which of the four retentions this belongs to, Huizhao answers 「是呪陀羅尼」—“it is spell-formula dhāraṇī” (T39n1788 0299c07). The transmitted sound-forms of this chapter’s spells are not divided sound by sound into semantic glosses.

The Four Kings of Radiant Lightning. The scripture gives all four directions and names: Ajieduo in the east, Shedilu in the south, Zhuduoguang in the west, and Suduomoni in the north. Huizhao explains only Ajieduo as “come,” Suduo as “such,” and moni, as above, as “jewel.” No contextual explanation is given for Shedilu or Zhuduoguang, so none is supplied here.

General and Particular Names of the Spells. The Buddha’s and Avalokiteśvara’s proclamations both bear the name Wish-Fulfilling Jewel. Vajrapāṇi Lord of Secrets first calls his formula 「陀羅尼呪，名曰無勝」—“a dhāraṇī spell named Invincible” (T16n0665 0433c14), and later calls it 「我此神呪名曰無勝擁護」—“this spell of mine is called Invincible Protection” (0433c21). King Brahmā calls his 「我此神呪名曰梵治」—“this spell of mine is called Brahmā’s Cure” (0434a10). Lord Śakra calls his 「陀羅尼，名跋折羅扇儞」—“a dhāraṇī named Bazheluoshenni” (0434a14). The Four Heavenly Kings call theirs 「神呪，名施一切眾生無畏」—“a spell named Giving Fearlessness to All Beings” (0434a25). The five dragon kings call theirs 「如意寶珠陀羅尼」—“the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel dhāraṇī” (0434b03). Each name is preserved within its own passage; no one name is used to erase all the particular designations.

The transmitted character for accidental death. T665 uses the character 『抂』 in the expression 『抂死』 throughout this chapter rather than normalizing it to 『枉死』. Huizhao’s citations mostly use 『枉死』. Each witness retains its own character.

Similes · Rhetoric

The Jewel Simile. This chapter uses the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel as the dhāraṇī’s name but does not develop a separate jewel story. Huizhao explains the simile as 『珠能離難、所求遂心』—“the jewel can remove danger and fulfill what one seeks”—and also preserves the explanation that the retention itself receives its name from the simile. The basis of comparison is the wish-fulfilling jewel; what it discloses is release from danger and fulfillment in accord with one’s wishes. The simile is not used to parse the sounds of the spell.

From the Four Directions to the Whole Assembly. The Buddha first lists the four lightning kings direction by direction and then proclaims the first formula without rising from the teacher’s seat. Avalokiteśvara, Vajrapāṇi Lord of Secrets, King Brahmā, Lord Śakra, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the five dragon kings then rise in sequence; Avalokiteśvara alone is expressly said to bare his right shoulder, while the later speakers or groups reverently join their palms. The compass’s completeness and the assembly’s succession extend protection from the four directional names to the vows of many groups. The Buddha’s formula names practitioner and dwelling; Avalokiteśvara adds protection by great-compassion radiance; Vajrapāṇi promises protection by day and night; King Brahmā removes sorrow and unwholesome deeds; Śakra removes suffering and gives happiness; the four kings give fearlessness, longer life, and freedom from illness; and the five dragons join outward protection to their own vow to leave the dragon destiny and sever the seeds of stinginess and craving. The function and rite of every group remain grounded in that group’s scriptural sentences and are not merged into a synthetic scheme absent from the scripture.

Repeated Sentences. The phrases 『於諸人天為大利益』—“of great benefit to humans and gods,” 『哀愍世間』—“out of compassion for the world,” 『擁護一切』—“protect all,” 『有大威力』—“possesses great majestic power,” and 『所求如願』—“what is sought accords with the vow” recur in the requests of several speakers. 『乃至抂死，悉皆遠離』—“even accidental death will all remain far away” also repeatedly closes different lists of calamities. Such reiteration connects the particular spell-names to their shared removal of danger, protective mindfulness, and benefit to humans and gods; no occurrence is deleted on that account.

From External Danger to the Seeds of Stinginess and Craving. The five dragon kings first list lightning, fear, poison, sorcery, and other dangers. They then present the spell, vow to leave the dragon destiny and forever abandon stinginess and craving, and explicitly say that stinginess and craving cause them to suffer within birth and death. The scripture itself places the external dangers and the speakers’ inner vow in succession. This edition transmits that sequence without constructing another causal chain.

Cross-Reading · Carrying Forward

At the opening of his commentary on The Four Heavenly Kings Protect the Realm, Huizhao gives the general heading 「此下三品明經可尊，行者得護，初一天護、後二呪護。」—“the next three chapters show that the scripture is worthy of reverence and that practitioners obtain protection: the first concerns protection by gods and the latter two protection by spells” (T39n1788 0287c23). At The Stainless Dhāraṇī, he further says 「就〈四王護國〉等三品明守護中，有三：一令守護供養、二令離染不退、三令離障如意。」—“within the three chapters beginning with The Four Kings Protect the Realm, which clarify protection, there are three: first, causing protection and offerings; second, causing freedom from defilement and nonretrogression; third, causing freedom from obstructions and fulfillment according to one’s wishes” (0296c03). His commentary on the present chapter then gathers the sequence together:

如意寶珠品，三門分別：一來意者，就流通中有其三種：第一學行流通，有五，於中第二守護流通。於中復三：第一令守護供養、第二守護令離染不退、第三此呪守護令離災難所求如意。如文具彰，故此品生。（T39n1788 0299b20） — “The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Chapter is distinguished through three gates. First, the reason for arrival: within circulation there are three kinds. The first, circulation concerned with learning and practice, has five divisions; within it this is the second, circulation through protection. Within that there are again three: first, causing protection and offerings; second, protecting so as to cause freedom from defilement and nonretrogression; third, protection by this spell, causing freedom from calamity and danger and fulfillment of what is sought in accord with one’s wishes. As the text fully discloses, this chapter therefore arises.”

This is Huizhao’s reading of the continuity among three chapters: Chapter 12 teaches protection and offerings, Chapter 13 teaches freedom from defilement and nonretrogression, and Chapter 14 teaches release from danger and fulfillment according to one’s wishes. The ancient master’s doctrinal outline serves as a mirror only in the apparatus and at the end of the exposition; it does not replace the content of the individual chapters themselves.

Within this chapter, the sequence moves from hearing the names of the lightning kings, knowing their directions, and writing the four names to spells proclaimed by many members of the assembly and the Buddha’s confirmation. The five dragon kings’ vow advances protection toward abandoning stinginess and craving and severing their seeds. The Buddha finally establishes utmost sincerity as the boundary and confirms that the spells can fulfill what is sought; he tells the assembly not to doubt, and they rejoice and accept his words in faith. What carrying forward preserves is not an abstract slogan, but the way name, upholding, vow, and utmost sincerity take shape in scriptural succession.

Placement of the Editions

1. This translation and commentary takes Yijing’s T16n0665 as its base text. The chapter is in fascicle seven, with the title at 0433b05, the body at 0433b06–0434b24, and the next chapter title beginning at 0434b25.
2. The complete nineteen-chapter table of T663 and twenty-four-chapter table of T664 appear in the second section. Neither recension contains a corresponding chapter body. This conclusion is limited to the specified Han translation witnesses.
3. Huizhao’s principal commentary on this chapter in T39n1788 begins with the title at 0299b19 and has its body at 0299b20–0301a26. The passages at 0181c15 and 0182a15 are synoptic tables for the commentary as a whole and are not presented as the principal commentary on this chapter.
4. The recensions commented upon by Zhiyi in T1785 and Jizang in T1787 both move directly from the Four Heavenly Kings material to the Great Eloquence material. Zhiyi’s T1783 and Zhili’s T1784 belong to the profound-meaning layer and likewise contain no chapter-specific side illumination. The presence and absence of ancient works are recorded together without using another chapter’s wording to fill the space.
5. The seven spell-texts in T665 and Huizhao’s seven citations differ in repeated syllables, graphic variants, sound-notes, spacing, and character forms. The two sets of witnesses below are each preserved in full. They are not merged into a third text, and neither reading is judged superior to the other.

Proclaimed by the World-Honored One

Yijing’s main text:

「怛姪他　儞弭　儞弭　儞弭　尼民達哩　窒哩盧迦　盧羯儞　窒哩輸攞波儞　曷𠸪叉　曷𠸪叉（T16n0665 0433b22） — Transmitted sound sequence; no semantic or unattested sound restoration is supplied.

Huizhao’s citation:

「怛姪他　儞弭儞　弭儞弭　尼民達哩　窒哩盧迦盧羯儞　窒哩輸攞波儞　曷𠸪叉曷𠸪叉　我某甲及此住處一切恐怖所有苦惱雷電霹靂乃至枉死悉皆遠離　莎訶」（T39n1788 0300a18） — Transmitted sound sequence. Its Chinese petition says: “For me, named so-and-so, and for this dwelling, may all fear, every affliction, thunder, lightning, thunderbolts, and even accidental death remain entirely far away,” followed by the transmitted closing sound-form.

Proclaimed by Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva

Yijing’s main text:

「怛姪他　喝帝　毘喝帝　儞喝帝　鉢喇窒體雞　鉢喇底〔丁履反〕蜜窒囇　戍提　目羝毘末麗　鉢喇婆莎〔蘇活反〕囇　安茶〔入聲〕囇般茶囇稅〔平聲〕帝　般茶囉婆死儞　喝囇羯茶〔引〕囇　劫畢麗　氷揭羅惡綺　達地目企　曷𠸪叉　曷𠸪叉（T16n0665 0433c03） — Transmitted sound sequence. The interlinear notes give the fanqie spellings ding-lü and su-huo, mark entering and level tones, and mark one syllable as prolonged; they do not supply a semantic restoration.

Huizhao’s citation:

「怛姪他　喝帝毘喝帝儞喝帝　鉢喇窒體雞　鉢喇底〔丁里切〕蜜窒囇　戍提目羝毘末麗　鉢喇婆莎〔蘇活切〕囇　安荼〔入聲〕囇般荼麗稅〔平聲〕帝　槃荼囉婆死儞　曷囇羯荼〔引〕囇劫畢麗　氷揭羅惡綺　達地目企　曷𠸪叉曷𠸪叉　我某甲及此住處一切恐怖所有苦惱乃至枉死悉皆遠離，願我莫見罪惡之事，常蒙聖觀自在菩薩大悲威光之所護念　莎訶」（T39n1788 0300a27） — Transmitted sound sequence. The interlinear notes give the fanqie spellings ding-li and su-huo, mark entering and level tones, and mark one syllable as prolonged. Its Chinese petition says: “For me, named so-and-so, and for this dwelling, may all fear, every affliction, and even accidental death remain entirely far away. May I not see evil matters, and may the holy Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva’s radiance of great compassion constantly protect and remember me,” followed by the transmitted closing sound-form.

Proclaimed by Vajrapāṇi Bodhisattva, Lord of Secrets

Yijing’s main text:

「怛姪他　母儞母儞　母尼囇　末底末底　蘇末底　莫訶末底　呵呵呵　磨婆　以那悉底帝〔引〕　波跛　跋折攞波儞　惡甜〔火含反〕姪㗚茶〔上〕莎訶（T16n0665 0433c17） — Transmitted sound sequence. The interlinear notes mark one syllable as prolonged, give the fanqie spelling huo-han, and mark an upper tone; no further sound-form is restored.

Huizhao’s citation:

「怛姪他　母儞母儞　母尼麗末底末底　蘇末底莫訶末底　訶訶訶磨婆以那悉底帝〔引〕波跋　跋折攞波儞　惡蚶〔火舍切〕姪㗚荼〔上〕莎訶」（T39n1788 0300b16） — Transmitted sound sequence. The interlinear notes mark one syllable as prolonged, give the fanqie spelling huo-she, and mark an upper tone; the witness remains distinct from Yijing’s main text.

Proclaimed by King Brahmā

Yijing’s main text:

「怛姪他　醯哩　弭哩　地哩　莎訶　跋囉甜魔布囇　跋囉甜麼末泥　跋囉甜麼揭鞞　補澁跛僧悉怛囇　莎訶（T16n0665 0434a07） — Transmitted sound sequence; no semantic or unattested sound restoration is supplied.

Huizhao’s citation:

「怛姪他　醯里弭里地里莎訶　跋囉蚶魔布麗　跋囉蚶麼末尼跋囉蚶麼揭鞞　補澁跛僧悉怛囇莎訶」（T39n1788 0300c02） — Transmitted sound sequence; its graphic forms and spacing remain those of Huizhao’s witness.

Proclaimed by Lord Śakra

Yijing’s main text:

「怛姪他　毘儞　婆喇儞　畔陀麼彈滯磨膩儞㨖　爾瞿哩　健陀哩　旃茶哩　摩登耆〔上〕卜羯死　薩囉跋𡃤鞞〔去〕　呬娜末低　答麼　嗢多喇儞　莫呼喇儞　達喇儞　計斫羯囉婆抧　捨伐哩　奢伐哩　莎訶」（T16n0665 0434a17） — Transmitted sound sequence. The interlinear notes mark upper and departing tones; no semantic or unattested sound restoration is supplied.

Huizhao’s citation:

「怛姪他　毘儞婆唎儞　畔柁磨彈滯　磨膩儞㨖㨖儞瞿哩　揵陀哩栴荼哩　摩登蓍〔上〕十羯死　薩羅跋喇鞞〔去〕呬娜末住答磨嗢多喇儞　莫呼刺儞達刺儞計斫羯囉婆枳　捨伐哩奢伐哩　莎訶」（T39n1788 0300c11） — Transmitted sound sequence. Its interlinear notes likewise mark upper and departing tones, while its repetition, characters, and spacing remain distinct from Yijing’s main text.

Proclaimed by the Four Heavenly Kings

Yijing’s main text:

「怛姪他補澁閉　蘇補澁閉　度麼鉢唎呵囇　阿囄耶鉢喇設悉帝　扇帝涅　目帝　忙揭例窣覩帝　悉哆鼻帝　莎訶」（T16n0665 0434a28） — Transmitted sound sequence; no semantic or unattested sound restoration is supplied.

Huizhao’s citation:

「怛姪他　補澁閉　蘇補澁閉　度麼鉢喇訶囇　阿囄耶鉢喇設悉帝　扇帝涅目帝忙揭例窣覩帝　悉哆鼻帝　莎訶」（T39n1788 0300c23） — Transmitted sound sequence; its characters and spacing remain those of Huizhao’s witness.

Proclaimed by the Five Dragon Kings

Yijing’s main text:

「怛姪他　阿折囇　阿末囇　阿蜜㗚諦　惡叉裔　阿弊裔　奔尼鉢唎耶栗諦　薩婆波跛　鉢喇苫摩尼裔　莎訶　阿離裔般豆　蘇波尼裔莎訶（T16n0665 0434b12） — Transmitted sound sequence; no semantic or unattested sound restoration is supplied.

Huizhao’s citation:

「怛姪他　阿折囇　阿末囇阿蜜㗚帝　惡叉裔阿幣裔　奔尼鉢唎耶法帝　薩婆波跛　鉢喇苫摩尼裔　莎訶　阿離裔般豆蘇波尼裔　莎訶」（T39n1788 0301a12） — Transmitted sound sequence; its characters, word divisions, and repeated closing sound-form remain those of Huizhao’s witness.

The differences between the two witnesses are not limited to normalized characters or spacing. Each preserves different repetitions, sound-notes, and spans of cited text. Every reading is therefore transmitted from its own source: Huizhao’s citation is not used to emend T665, and T665 is not used to complete Huizhao’s citation.

The responsibility of this chapter’s apparatus is to preserve the four directions, the seven groups that proclaim spells, their distinct benefits, and the five dragon kings’ vow as transmitted by the scripture. It must also preserve the actual presence and absence of material in the specified earlier translations and ancient commentaries. In this way it transmits without deciding on the ancient masters’ behalf, and cross-reads while carrying forward.