金光明最勝王經 捨身品第二十六
佛帶著大眾走進一座林中，以手按地。大地開裂，一座七寶塔從地下涌出。塔門之內有寶函，寶函之內是一副潔白的骨。
佛向它行禮。
阿難陀不明白：佛超勝一切，受一切眾生恭敬，為什麼反而禮拜這副骨？佛說，祂因這副骨迅速成就無上菩提；如今禮敬，是為了報答往恩。
一副骨，怎樣成了成佛之因？
很久以前，它還是薩埵王子的身體。王子和兩位兄長走進竹林，看見一隻母虎剛生下七隻幼虎。母虎飢渴羸瘦，將要死去，也將反過來吃自己的孩子。牠所需要的不是花果，而是溫熱的血肉。
兄長說，一切最難捨的，莫過於自己的身體。薩埵沒有否認這個難。他知道人會愛戀己身，也知道這副身體被臥具、衣食、車乘和財物長久供養，最後仍會變壞，仍會拋棄自己。
如果終究要失去，能不能在失去以前，讓它成就一件真正有益的事？
薩埵看見身體不堅，如水泡；不淨，如糞穢；可畏，如賊。可是他沒有只把它厭棄。他要使這副終將散壞的身體，在生死海中成為一艘大船，幫助眾生出離。
眼前等待這副身體救濟的，就是飢餓的母虎與七子。
他讓兩位兄長先走，自己回到虎邊，發願求取無上菩提，拔濟三界苦海中的眾生。他先伏臥在母虎面前，母虎卻不能傷他；他又從高山投身，仍被接住。發現母虎太虛弱，他再找刀，找不到，便以乾竹刺頸出血，慢慢靠近。
王子沒有讓捨身停在念頭，一再尋找讓母虎真正得食的方法。當牠舔血、吃盡王子的肉，只留下骨頭，林中的一條命與七條幼小的命，越過了眼前的死門。
可是故事沒有把捨身寫成只有光明的一幕。大地震動，天花落下；其後，兩位兄長回林，昏倒在弟弟的骨上；父母又趕到林中，因悲痛倒地。王子把身體看作終將敗壞之物，父母所見的卻是不可替代的愛子。大悲所成就的救護，與眷屬所承受的失去，都沒有被省略。
他們收起散骨，建塔供養。薩埵捨身時又發下願：願自己的餘骨在未來世繼續利益眾生。於是，身體先作餓虎的食物，骨又成為後世發心的因；塔即使沉入厚地，本願仍能在因緣成熟時使它重現。
佛如今站在塔前，已不是當年會敗壞的王子身，卻仍向那副骨行禮。祂沒有因果已成而忘記最初承載願行的身體，也沒有因自己受人禮敬而停止報恩。
塔最後重新沉入地下。它沒有留在地面，大眾卻已看見舍利、聽完本生，並發起無上菩提心。那艘船沒有保住自己的形體；它完成的，正是把別的生命送過苦海，也把一個利他的願送到後來人的心中。
所以，一副終將散壞的身體，能不能成為渡人的船？
本品的回答落在那座再度隱沒的塔裡：能。不是因為它不會壞，而是因為菩薩在它必壞以前，使最難捨之物有了利益眾生的去向；肉救眼前飢餓，骨喚醒後世發心，而成佛之後，仍不忘回身向它致禮。
The Buddha enters a forest with the assembly and presses his hand upon the earth. The ground splits, and a seven-jeweled stūpa emerges from below. Inside its door is a jeweled casket; inside that casket is a set of white bones.
The Buddha bows to them.
Ānanda does not understand. The Buddha surpasses all and receives the reverence of every sentient being. Why does he in turn bow to these bones? The Buddha says that through these bones he swiftly attained unsurpassed awakening. He now venerates them to repay a former kindness.
How did a set of bones become a cause of buddhahood?
Long ago they were still the body of Prince Mahāsattva. The prince entered a bamboo grove with his two elder brothers and saw a tigress who had just given birth to seven cubs. Emaciated by hunger, she was about to die and turn upon her own young. What she needed was not flowers or fruit, but warm blood and flesh.
His elder brother said that of everything difficult to relinquish, nothing was harder than one’s own body. Mahāsattva did not deny the difficulty. He knew people cherished the body, and he knew that although this body had long been sustained by bedding, clothing, food, vehicles, and possessions, it would still decay and abandon him in the end.
If it must be lost, could it accomplish something truly beneficial before that loss?
Mahāsattva saw that the body was unsteady as a bubble, impure as filth, and frightening as a thief. Yet he did not merely despise it. He wished to make this body, bound to fall apart, into a great boat upon the sea of birth and death and help sentient beings reach release.
Waiting immediately for that body’s help were the starving tigress and her seven cubs.
He let his brothers go ahead, returned to the tigress, and vowed to seek unsurpassed awakening and rescue sentient beings from the ocean of suffering in the three realms. First he lay before her, but she could not harm him. Then he cast himself from a mountain and was caught. Seeing that she remained too weak, he searched for a knife. Finding none, he pierced his neck with dry bamboo until blood flowed and slowly drew near.
The prince did not let the gift of his body remain a thought. Again and again he searched for a way by which the tigress could actually eat. When she licked the blood and consumed all his flesh, leaving only the bones, one life in the forest and seven small lives crossed the immediate gate of death.
Yet the story does not write the sacrifice as a scene of light alone. The earth shakes and heavenly flowers fall; afterward, both elder brothers return and faint upon their brother’s bones. Their parents come to the grove and collapse in grief. The prince sees a body certain to decay; the parents see an irreplaceable beloved son. The rescue accomplished by great compassion and the loss borne by the family are both preserved.
They collect the scattered bones and build a stūpa as an offering. When Mahāsattva gave up his body, he also vowed that his remaining bones would continue to benefit sentient beings in future ages. His body first becomes food for the hungry tigress, then his bones become a cause for later generations to arouse the mind. Though the stūpa sinks into deep earth, the former vow can make it reappear when conditions mature.
The Buddha now stands before the stūpa. He is no longer the prince’s body bound to decay, yet he still bows to those bones. Because the fruit has been accomplished, he does not forget the body that first carried the vow. Because others revere him, he does not cease repaying kindness.
Finally the stūpa sinks beneath the earth again. It does not remain upon the surface, but the assembly has seen the relics, heard the birth story, and aroused the mind of awakening toward unsurpassed complete awakening. The boat does not preserve its own form. What it accomplishes is carrying other lives through the sea of suffering and carrying an altruistic vow into the hearts of those who come later.
Can a body bound to fall apart become a boat that carries others across?
The chapter’s answer lies within the stūpa that disappears again: yes. Not because the body will not decay, but because before the thing hardest to relinquish must decay, the bodhisattva gives it a direction that benefits sentient beings. Flesh rescues present hunger; bones awaken later resolve; and after becoming a buddha, he still turns back and bows.
唐義淨譯《金光明最勝王經》卷十〈捨身品第二十六〉· 大正藏 T16n0665〔起 T16 0450c22〕。段/行首〔T16 …〕＝大正藏頁·欄·行錨。
〔T16 0450c22〕爾時，世尊已為大眾說此十千天子往昔因緣，復告菩提樹神及諸大眾：「我於過去行菩薩道，非但施水及食，濟彼魚命，乃至亦捨所愛之身，如是因緣，可共觀察。」爾時，如來、應、正等覺，天上天下最勝最尊，百千光明照十方界，具一切智功德圓滿，將諸苾芻及於大眾，至般遮羅聚落，詣一林中。其地平正，無諸荊棘，名花軟草遍布其處。佛告具壽阿難陀：「汝可於此樹下為我敷座。」時阿難陀受教敷已，白言：「世尊！其座敷訖，唯聖知時。」
〔T16 0451a03〕爾時世尊，即於座上加趺而坐，端身正念，告諸苾芻：「汝等樂欲見彼往昔苦行菩薩本舍利不？」諸苾芻言：「我等樂見。」世尊即以百福莊嚴相好之手而按其地，于時大地六種震動，即便開裂，七寶制底忽然踊出，眾寶羅網莊嚴其上。大眾見已，生希有心。爾時世尊即從座起，作禮右遶，還就本座，告阿難陀：「汝可開此制底之戶。」時阿難陀即開其戶，見七寶函，奇珍間飾，白言：「世尊！有七寶函，眾寶莊挍。」佛言：「汝可開函。」時阿難陀奉教開已，見有舍利，白如珂雪拘物頭花，即白佛言：「函有舍利，色妙異常。」佛言：「阿難陀！汝可持此大士骨來。」時阿難陀即取其骨，奉授世尊。
世尊受已，告諸苾芻：「汝等應觀苦行菩薩遺身舍利。」而說頌曰：
「菩薩勝德相應慧，勇猛精勤六度圓；
常修不息為菩提，不捨堅固心無倦。
「汝等苾芻咸應禮敬菩薩本身，此之舍利乃是無量戒、定、慧香之所熏馥，最上福田，極難逢遇。」時諸苾芻及諸大眾，咸皆至心合掌，恭敬頂禮舍利，歎未曾有。
時阿難陀前禮佛足，白言：「世尊！如來大師出過一切，為諸有情之所恭敬，何因緣故，禮此身骨？」
佛告阿難陀：「我因此骨速得無上正等菩提，為報往恩，我今致禮。」復告阿難陀：「吾今為汝及諸大眾斷除疑惑，說是舍利往昔因緣，汝等善思，當一心聽。」
阿難陀曰：「我等樂聞，願為開闡。」
「阿難陀！過去世時有一國王，名曰大車，巨富多財，庫藏盈滿，軍兵武勇，眾所欽伏，常以正法施化黔黎，人民熾盛，無有怨敵。國大夫人誕生三子，顏容端正，人所樂觀，太子名曰摩訶波羅，次子名曰摩訶提婆，幼子名曰摩訶薩埵。是時大王為欲遊觀縱賞山林，其三王子亦皆隨從，為求花果，捨父周旋至大竹林，於中憩息。第一王子作如是言：『我於今日，心甚驚惶，於此林中將無猛獸損害於我？』第二王子復作是言：『我於自身初無悋惜，恐於所愛有別離苦。』第三王子白二兄曰：
「『此是神仙所居處，我無恐怖別離憂；
身心充遍生歡喜，當獲殊勝諸功德。』
「時諸王子各說本心所念之事，次復前行，見有一虎產生七子，纔經七日，諸子圍遶，飢渴所逼，身形羸瘦，將死不久。第一王子作如是言：『哀哉！此虎產來七日，七子圍遶，無暇求食，飢渴所逼，必還噉子。』薩埵王子問言：『此虎每常所食何物？』第一王子答曰：
「『虎豹豺師子，唯噉熱血肉；
更無餘飲食，可濟此虛羸。』
「第二王子聞此語已，作如是言：『此虎羸瘦，飢渴所逼，餘命無幾，我等何能為求如是難得飲食？誰復為斯自捨身命，濟其飢苦？』第一王子言：『一切難捨無過己身。』薩埵王子言：『我等今者於自己身各生愛戀，復無智慧，不能於他而興利益，然有上士懷大悲心，常為利他亡身濟物。』復作是念：『我今此身於百千生，虛棄爛壞，曾無所益，云何今日而不能捨以濟飢苦，如捐洟唾？』時諸王子作是議已，各起慈心，悽傷愍念，共觀羸虎，目不暫移，徘徊久之，俱捨而去。爾時薩埵王子便作是念：『我捨身命，今正是時。何以故？
「『我從久來持此身，臭穢膿流不可愛；
供給敷具并衣食，象馬車乘及珍財。
變壞之法體無常，恒求難滿難保守；
雖常供養懷怨害，終歸棄我不知恩。
「『復次，此身不堅，於我無益，可畏如賊，不淨如糞，我於今日，當使此身修廣大業，於生死海作大舟航，棄捨輪迴，令得出離。』復作是念：『若捨此身，則捨無量癰疽惡疾，百千怖畏。是身唯有大小便利，不堅如泡，諸蟲所集，血脈筋骨共相連持，甚可厭患。是故我今應當棄捨，以求無上究竟涅槃，永離憂患無常苦惱，生死休息，斷諸塵累，以定慧力圓滿熏修，百福莊嚴成一切智，諸佛所讚微妙法身，既證得已，施諸眾生無量法樂。』是時王子興大勇猛，發弘誓願，以大悲念增益其心，慮彼二兄情懷怖懼，共為留難，不果所祈，即便白言：『二兄前去，我且於後。』爾時王子摩訶薩埵還入林中，至其虎所，脫去衣服，置於竹上，作是誓言：
「『我為法界諸眾生，志求無上菩提處；
起大悲心不傾動，當捨凡夫所愛身。
菩提無患無熱惱，諸有智者之所樂；
〔T16 0452a01〕 三界苦海諸眾生，我今拔濟令安樂。』
「是時王子作是言已，於餓虎前委身而臥。由此菩薩慈悲威勢，虎無能為。菩薩見已，即上高山，投身于地，時諸神仙捧接王子，曾無傷損。復作是念：『虎今羸瘦，不能食我。』即起求刀，竟不能得，即以乾竹刺頸出血，漸近虎邊。是時大地六種震動，如風激水，涌沒不安，日無精明，如羅睺障，諸方闇蔽，無復光輝，天雨名華及妙香末，繽紛亂墜遍滿林中。爾時虛空有諸天眾，見是事已，生隨喜心，歎未曾有，咸共讚言：『善哉大士！』即說頌曰：
「『大士救護運悲心，等視眾生如一子；
勇猛歡喜情無悋，捨身濟苦福難思。
定至真常勝妙處，永離生死諸纏縛；
不久當獲菩提果，寂靜安樂證無生。』
「是時餓虎既見菩薩頸下血流，即便舐血噉肉皆盡，唯留餘骨。爾時第一王子見地動已，告其弟曰：
「『大地山河皆震動，諸方闇蔽日無光；
天花亂墜遍空中，定是我弟捨身相。』
「第二王子聞兄語已，說伽他曰：
「『我聞薩埵慈悲語，見彼餓虎身羸瘦；
飢苦所纏恐食子，我今疑弟捨其身。』
「時二王子生大愁苦，啼泣悲歎，即共相隨還至虎所。見弟衣服在竹枝上，骸骨及髮在處縱橫，血流成泥霑污其地。見已，悶絕不能自持，投身骨上，久乃得蘇，即起舉手哀號大哭。俱時歎曰：
「『我弟貌端嚴，父母偏愛念；
云何俱共出，捨身而不歸？
父母若問時，我等如何答？
寧可同捐命，豈復自存身。』
「時二王子悲泣懊惱，漸捨而去，時小王子所將侍從，互相謂曰：『王子何在？宜共推求。』
「爾時，國大夫人寢高樓上，便於夢中見不祥相，被割兩乳，牙齒墮落，得三鴿鶵，一為鷹奪，二被驚怖。地動之時，夫人遂覺，心大愁惱，作如是言：
「『何故今時大地動，江河林樹皆搖震；
日無精光如覆蔽，目𥌎乳動異常時。
如箭射心憂苦逼，遍身戰掉不安隱；
我之所夢不祥徵，必有非常災變事。』
「夫人兩乳忽然流出，念此必有變怪之事。時有侍女聞外人言：『求覓王子，今猶未得。』心大驚怖，即入宮中白夫人曰：『大家知不？外聞諸人散覓王子，遍求不得。』時彼夫人聞是語已，生大憂惱，悲淚盈目，至大王所，白言：『大王！我聞外人作如是語：「失我最小所愛之子。」』王聞語已，驚惶失所，悲哽而言：『苦哉！今日失我愛子。』即便抆淚慰喻夫人，告言：『賢首！汝勿憂慼，吾今共出求覓愛子。』王與大臣及諸人眾即共出城，各各分散隨處求覓。未久之頃，有一大臣前白王曰：『聞王子在，願勿憂愁，其最小者，今猶未見。』王聞是語，悲歎而言：『苦哉！苦哉！失我愛子。
「『初有子時歡喜少，後失子時憂苦多；
若使我兒重壽命，縱我身亡不為苦。』
「夫人聞已，憂惱纏懷，如被箭中，而嗟歎曰：
「『我之三子并侍從，俱往林中共遊賞；
最小愛子獨不還，定有乖離災厄事。』
「次第二臣來至王所。王問臣曰：『愛子何在？』第二大臣懊惱啼泣，喉舌乾燥，口不能言，竟無辭答。夫人問曰：
「『速報小子今何在？我身熱惱遍燒然；
悶亂荒迷失本心，勿使我胸今破裂！』
「時第二臣，即以王子捨身之事，具白王知。王及夫人聞其事已，不勝悲噎，望捨身處，驟駕前行，詣竹林所。至彼菩薩捨身之地，見其骸骨隨處交橫，俱時投地，悶絕將死，猶如猛風吹倒大樹，心迷失緒，都無所知。時大臣等，以水遍灑王及夫人，良久乃蘇，舉手而哭，諮嗟歎曰：
「『禍哉愛子端嚴相，因何死苦先來逼？
若我得在汝前亡，豈見如斯大苦事。』
「爾時夫人迷悶稍止，頭髮蓬亂，兩手椎胸，宛轉于地，如魚處陸，若牛失子，悲泣而言：
「『我子誰屠割，餘骨散于地？
失我所愛子，憂悲不自勝。
苦哉誰殺子，致斯憂惱事；
我心非金剛，云何而不破？
我夢中所見，兩乳皆被割；
牙齒悉墮落，今遭大苦痛。
又夢三鴿鶵，一被鷹擒去；
今失所愛子，惡相表非虛。』
〔T16 0453a01〕「爾時，大王及於夫人并二王子，盡哀號哭，瓔珞不御，與諸人眾共收菩薩遺身舍利，為於供養，置窣堵波中。阿難陀！汝等應知！此即是彼菩薩舍利。」復告阿難陀：「我於昔時，雖具煩惱貪瞋癡等，能於地獄、餓鬼、傍生五趣之中，隨緣救濟，令得出離。何況今時煩惱都盡，無復餘習，號天人師，具一切智，而不能為一一眾生，經於多劫在地獄中及於餘處，代受眾苦，令出生死煩惱輪迴！」
爾時世尊，欲重宣此義而說頌曰：
「我念過去世，無量無數劫；
或時作國王，或復為王子。
常行於大施，及捨所愛身；
願出離生死，至妙菩提處。
昔時有大國，國主名大車；
王子名勇猛，常施心無悋。
王子有二兄，號大渠大天；
三人同出遊，漸至山林所。
見虎飢所逼，便生如是心：
『此虎飢火燒，更無餘可食。』
大士覩如斯，恐其將食子；
捨身無所顧，救子不令傷。
大地及諸山，一時皆震動；
江海皆騰躍，驚波水逆流。
天地失光明，昬冥無所見；
林野諸禽獸，飛奔喪所依。
二兄怪不還，憂慼生悲苦；
即與諸侍從，林藪遍尋求。
兄弟共籌議，復往深山處；
四顧無所有，見虎處空林。
其母并七子，口皆有血污；
殘骨并餘髮，縱橫在地上。
復見有流血，散在樹林所；
二兄既見已，心生大恐怖。
悶絕俱躄地，荒迷不覺知；
塵土坌其身，六情皆失念。
王子諸侍從，啼泣心憂惱；
以水灑令蘇，舉手號咷哭。
菩薩捨身時，慈母在宮內；
五百諸婇女，共受於妙樂。
夫人之兩乳，忽然自流出；
遍體如針刺，苦痛不能安。
欻生失子想，憂箭苦傷心；
即白大王知，陳斯苦惱事。
悲泣不堪忍，哀聲向王說：
『大王今當知，我生大苦惱。
兩乳忽流出，禁止不隨心；
如針遍刺身，煩宛胸欲破。
我先夢惡徵，必當失愛子；
願王濟我命，知兒存與亡。
夢見三鴿鶵，小者是愛子；
忽被鷹奪去，悲愁難具陳。
我今沒憂海，趣死將不久；
恐子命不全，願為速求覓。
又聞外人語，小子求不得；
我今意不安，願王哀愍我。』
夫人白王已，舉身而躄地；
悲痛心悶絕，荒迷不覺知。
婇女見夫人，悶絕在於地；
舉聲皆大哭，憂惶失所依。
王聞如是語，懷憂不自勝；
因命諸群臣，尋求所愛子。
皆共出城外，各隨處追覓；
涕泣問諸人：『王子今何在？
今者為存亡，誰知所去處？
云何令我見，解我憂悲心？』
諸人悉共傳，咸言王子死；
聞者皆傷悼，悲歎苦難裁。
爾時大車王，悲號從座起；
即就夫人處，以水灑其身。
夫人蒙水灑，久乃得醒悟；
悲啼以問王：『我兒今在不？』
王告夫人曰：『我已使諸人，
四向求王子，尚未有消息。』
王又告夫人：『汝莫生煩惱，
且當自安慰，可共出追尋。』
王即與夫人，嚴駕而前進；
號動聲悽感，憂心若火然。
士庶百千萬，亦隨王出城；
各欲求王子，悲號聲不絕。
王求愛子故，目視於四方；
見有一人來，被髮身塗血，
遍體蒙塵土，悲哭逆前來。
王見是惡相，倍復生憂惱，
王便舉兩手，哀號不自裁。
初有一大臣，忩忙至王所，
進白大王曰：『幸願勿悲哀；
〔T16 0454a01〕 王之所愛子，今雖求未獲。
不久當來至，以釋大王憂。』
王復更前行，見次大臣至，
其臣詣王所，流淚白王言：
『二子今現在，被憂火所逼；
其第三王子，已被無常吞。
見餓虎初生，將欲食其子；
彼薩埵王子，見此起悲心，
願求無上道，當度一切眾。
繫想妙菩提，廣大深如海；
即上高山頂，投身餓虎前。
虎羸不能食，以竹自傷頸；
遂噉王子身，唯有餘骸骨。』
時王及夫人，聞已俱悶絕；
心沒於憂海，煩惱火燒然。
臣以栴檀水，灑王及夫人；
俱起大悲號，舉手椎胸臆。
第三大臣來，白王如是語：
『我見二王子，悶絕在林中。
臣以冷水灑，爾乃暫蘇息；
顧視於四方，如猛火周遍。
暫起而還伏，悲號不自勝；
舉手以哀言，稱歎弟希有。』
王聞如是說，倍增憂火煎；
夫人大號咷，高聲作是語：
『我之小子偏重愛，已為無常羅剎吞；
餘有二子今現在，復被憂火所燒逼，
我今速可之山下，安慰令其保餘命。』
即便馳駕望前路，一心詣彼捨身崖。
路逢二子行啼泣，椎胸懊惱失容儀；
父母見已抱憂悲，俱往山林捨身處。
既至菩薩捨身地，共聚悲號生大苦；
脫去瓔珞盡哀心，收取菩薩身餘骨。
與諸人眾同供養，共造七寶窣堵波；
以彼舍利置函中，整駕懷憂趣城邑。」
復告阿難陀：「往時薩埵者；
即我牟尼是，勿生於異念。
王是父淨飯，后是母摩耶；
太子謂慈氏，次曼殊室利。
虎是大世主，五兒五苾芻；
一是大目連，一是舍利弗。
我為汝等說，往昔利他緣；
如是菩薩行，成佛因當學。
菩薩捨身時，發如是弘誓；
願我身餘骨，來世益眾生。
此是捨身處，七寶窣堵波；
以經無量時，遂沈於厚地。
由昔本願力，隨緣興濟渡；
為利於人天，從地而涌出。」
爾時世尊說是往昔因緣之時，無量阿僧企耶人天大眾，皆大悲喜，歎未曾有，悉發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心。復告樹神：「我為報恩，故致禮敬。」佛攝神力，其窣堵波還沒于地。
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.
〔科§1〕承前入林，塔出見骨
那時，世尊已經為大眾說完十千天子過去世的因緣，又告訴菩提樹神和在場大眾：『我過去修菩薩道時，不只曾給那些魚水和食物，救活牠們的性命；我甚至也曾捨棄自己所愛的身體。這段因緣，你們可以一同觀看。』
這時，如來、應、正等覺，是天上天下最勝最尊者；百千道光明照耀十方世界，一切智與所有功德都已圓滿。祂帶著苾芻和大眾，來到般遮羅聚落，走進一座樹林。那片土地平坦端正，沒有荊棘，各種名花與柔軟的青草鋪滿地面。佛告訴具壽阿難陀：『你可在這棵樹下為我鋪設座位。』阿難陀奉教把座位鋪好，稟白說：『世尊！座位已經鋪好了，請聖者自知其時。』
世尊於是坐上座位，結跏趺坐，端正身體，安住正念，問苾芻們：『你們想不想看那位過去修苦行的菩薩本身所留的舍利？』苾芻回答：『我們想看。』
世尊便以百福莊嚴、具足相好的手按住大地。當時大地發生六種震動，地面立即裂開，一座七寶制底忽然從地下涌出，塔上以眾寶羅網莊嚴。大眾看見後，都生起從未有過的稀有心。世尊從座位起身，向塔作禮，右繞一周，又回到原來的座位，告訴阿難陀：『你可以打開這座制底的門。』
阿難陀開門後，看見一只七寶函，函上以奇珍交錯裝飾，便稟白：『世尊！裡面有一只七寶函，以眾寶莊嚴。』佛說：『你可以開函。』阿難陀奉教開函，看見舍利潔白如珂雪，又如拘物頭花，便稟白：『函中有舍利，色澤美妙異常。』佛說：『阿難陀！你可把這位大士的骨取來。』阿難陀隨即取出那副骨，恭敬奉給世尊。
世尊接過後告訴苾芻們：『你們應當觀看這位苦行菩薩遺身所成的舍利。』祂接著以一頌讚說：這位菩薩有殊勝功德，又有與功德相應的智慧；勇猛精勤，圓滿修習六度。這位菩薩為了菩提不斷修行，從不捨棄那堅固、毫不疲倦的心。
世尊又說：『你們所有苾芻都應禮敬這位菩薩過去的身骨。這些舍利，是無量戒香、定香與慧香熏習而成，是最上福田，極難遇見。』苾芻和全體大眾聽後，都以至誠心合掌，恭敬頂禮舍利，讚歎這是從未有過的事。
阿難陀上前禮佛足，稟白說：『世尊！如來大師超勝一切，受到所有有情恭敬；為什麼祂反而要禮拜這副身骨？』佛告訴阿難陀：『我因這副骨而迅速證得無上正等菩提。為了報答過去的恩德，所以我現在向它行禮。』
佛又說：『阿難陀！我現在要為你和大眾斷除疑惑，說明這些舍利過去的因緣。你們要善加思惟，一心聽聞。』阿難陀回答：『我們都樂意聽聞，願世尊為我們開示。』
〔科§2〕大車王本生：見虎、觀身與捨身
佛說：『阿難陀！過去世有一位國王，名叫大車。他極為富有，財物很多，庫藏盈滿；軍隊勇武，受到眾人欽敬服從；他常以正法教化百姓，人民繁盛，國內沒有怨敵。王后生了三個兒子，容貌端正，人人見了都歡喜。太子名叫摩訶波羅，次子名叫摩訶提婆，幼子名叫摩訶薩埵。
『有一天，大車王想遊觀山林，三位王子也都跟隨。他們為了尋找花果，離開父王四處遊賞，來到一片大竹林，在那裡休息。第一王子說：『我今天心裡非常驚惶，這片林中會不會有猛獸傷害我？』第二王子說：『我對自己的身體本來沒有什麼捨不得，只怕和所愛的人分離而受苦。』第三王子對兩位兄長說：這裡是神仙居住的地方，我沒有被傷害或離別的恐懼憂愁；我的身心充滿歡喜，預感自己將獲得殊勝功德。
『三位王子各自說出心中所想，便繼續前行。他們看見一隻母虎生了七隻幼虎，才過七天。七隻幼虎圍在母虎身旁；母虎受飢渴逼迫，身體羸弱消瘦，已活不了多久。第一王子說：『可憐啊！這隻虎生產才七天，七隻幼虎一直圍著牠，使牠沒有空閒尋找食物。牠受飢渴逼迫，恐怕一定會反過來吃自己的孩子。』
『薩埵王子問：『這種虎平常吃什麼？』第一王子回答：虎、豹、豺、獅子只吃溫熱的血肉；沒有別的飲食可以救助這隻虛弱的虎。
『第二王子聽後說：『這隻虎羸弱消瘦，又受飢渴逼迫，剩下的性命已經不多。我們怎能替牠找到這樣難得的食物？又有誰肯為了牠捨棄自己的性命，解除牠飢餓的痛苦？』第一王子說：『所有難以捨棄的東西，沒有比自己的身體更難捨。』
『薩埵王子說：『我們現在都愛戀自己的身體，又沒有智慧，不能為他人帶來利益；可是有德的上士懷著大悲心，常為利益他人而忘掉自己的身體，以自己的生命救濟眾生。』他又想：『我這副身體在百千生中，總是白白棄置、腐爛敗壞，從來沒有帶來利益；為什麼今天不能把它捨出，救濟這隻飢苦的虎，就像丟掉鼻涕唾液一樣？』
『三位王子議論完後，都生起慈心，悲傷憐憫地注視那隻羸弱的虎，眼睛片刻也不移開。他們徘徊了很久，最後一同離去。
『這時，薩埵王子心想：『我捨棄身命的時候，現在正是時機。為什麼呢？我長久以來維持這副身體，它臭穢、流膿，一點也不可愛；我供給它臥具、衣服、飲食、象馬車乘和珍寶財物。可是這是必定變壞、體性無常的東西；它的需求永遠填不滿，也很難守護。即使我常常供養它，它仍懷著怨害，最後終究拋棄我，完全不知報恩。
『他又想：『這副身體並不堅固，對我沒有利益，像賊一樣可怕，像糞穢一樣不淨。我今天要使這副身體成就廣大的事業，讓它在生死海中成為一艘大船，幫助眾生捨棄輪迴，得到出離。』
『他又想：『如果捨掉這副身體，也就捨掉無量癰疽惡疾和百千種恐怖。這身體裡只有大小便等不淨，像水泡一樣不堅固，又聚集著許多蟲；血脈、筋、骨彼此連結支撐，實在令人厭患。所以我現在應當把它捨棄，求得無上究竟涅槃，永遠離開憂患、無常、苦惱，使生死止息，斷除各種塵累；再以定力與慧力圓滿熏修，以百福莊嚴，成就一切智，證得諸佛所讚的微妙法身。證得之後，我要把無量法樂施給一切眾生。』
『王子於是生起大勇猛，發下廣大誓願，以大悲之念增強自己的心。他擔心兩位兄長害怕，一同阻止他，使願望不能實現，便對他們說：『兩位兄長先走，我暫且留在後面。』
『摩訶薩埵王子隨即回到林中，來到母虎所在之處，脫下衣服，放在竹子上，發誓說：我為法界一切眾生，立志求取無上菩提；我生起不動搖的大悲心，現在要捨棄凡夫最愛惜的身體。菩提沒有憂患，也沒有熱惱，是所有智者所愛樂的境地；三界苦海中的所有眾生，我現在都願拔濟，使他們得到安樂。
『王子說完後，便在餓虎面前伏身躺下。可是由於菩薩慈悲的威勢，母虎不能傷害他。菩薩看見後，登上高山，從山頂投身落地。當時眾神仙把王子接住，使他完全沒有受傷。他又想：『這隻虎太羸弱，仍然不能吃我。』於是起身尋找刀具，始終找不到，便用乾竹刺破頸部，使血流出，再慢慢靠近母虎。
『這時，大地發生六種震動，像風激動水面一般起伏不安；太陽失去光明，像被羅睺遮住；四方都陷入黑暗，再沒有光輝。天上降下名花和微妙香末，紛紛落下，遍滿林中。空中的天眾看見這件事，生起隨喜心，讚歎前所未有，一同稱讚：『善哉，大士！』
『天眾又以兩頌讚說：大士為救護眾生而運起悲心，把所有眾生平等看作獨子；他勇猛歡喜，心裡毫不悋惜，捨身救苦的福德難以思量。他必定到達真實常住的殊勝妙處，永遠離開生死的一切纏縛；不久便會獲得菩提果，證入寂靜安樂的無生。
『餓虎看見菩薩頸下流血，便舔食鮮血，把肉全部吃完，只留下骨頭。
『第一王子看見大地震動，對弟弟說：大地、山河都在震動，四方黑暗，太陽沒有光；天花從空中紛亂落下，這一定是弟弟捨身的徵相。
『第二王子聽後，也說一頌：我聽見薩埵所說的慈悲之語，又看見那隻餓虎身體羸弱消瘦；牠被飢苦纏逼，恐怕要吃自己的孩子，我現在懷疑弟弟已經為牠捨身。
『兩位王子生起極大愁苦，哭泣悲歎，一同返回母虎所在之處。他們看見弟弟的衣服掛在竹枝上，骸骨與頭髮四處散亂，流出的血已和泥土混在一起。兩人一見便昏倒，無法支持自己，伏在弟弟的骨上。過了很久才甦醒，起身舉手，哀號大哭，一同悲歎：弟弟容貌端正，父母特別疼愛；為什麼我們一同出門，他卻捨身不回？父母問起時，我們該怎樣回答？我們寧可一同捐棄性命，怎能只讓自己活著？
『兩位王子哭泣懊惱，漸漸離去。幼王子的侍從彼此問：『王子在哪裡？我們應當一起尋找。』
『那時，王后正在高樓上睡眠。她在夢裡看見兩乳被割、牙齒脫落，又得到三隻幼鴿，其中一隻被鷹奪走，其餘兩隻受到驚嚇。大地震動時，夫人醒了，心中非常愁惱，說：為什麼此刻大地震動，江河與林木都在搖晃？太陽失去精光，像被遮住；我的眼皮跳動，乳房也有異常動靜。憂苦像箭射入心中，全身戰慄，無法安穩；我夢見的不祥徵兆，必定預示著非常的災變。
『夫人的兩乳忽然流出乳汁，她想到一定發生了變故。這時有侍女聽外面的人說：『眾人正在尋找王子，到現在還沒有找到。』侍女非常驚恐，進宮稟白夫人：『夫人可知道嗎？外面傳說眾人已分散尋找王子，到處都找不到。』
『夫人聽後，生起極大憂惱，淚水滿眼，走到大王面前說：『大王！我聽外面的人說：失去了我最年幼、最疼愛的兒子。』大王聽後驚惶失措，悲痛哽咽地說：『苦啊！我今天失去了愛子。』他一面拭淚，一面安慰夫人：『賢首！你不要憂傷，我現在和你一同出去尋找愛子。』
『大王和大臣及眾人一同出城，各自分散，四處尋找。不久，一位大臣上前稟白：『聽說王子們還在，請大王不要憂愁；只是最年幼的王子，現在仍未找到。』大王聽後悲歎：『苦啊！苦啊！我失去了愛子。初得兒子時，歡喜其實不多；後來失子時，憂苦卻如此深重。如果能使我的孩子重新得到性命，即使我死去，也不以為苦。』
『夫人聽後，被憂惱纏繞，像被箭射中，歎息說：『我的三個兒子和侍從一同去林中遊賞，只有最年幼的愛子沒有回來，一定遭逢了分離或災難。』
『接著第二位大臣來到大王面前。大王問：『我的愛子在哪裡？』大臣懊惱哭泣，喉舌乾燥，說不出話，竟然無法回答。夫人催問：『快告訴我幼子現在在哪裡！熱惱遍燒我的身體，我慌亂迷失，失去本心；不要讓我的胸膛現在就碎裂！』
『第二位大臣便把王子捨身的事完整稟告大王。大王和夫人聽後，悲噎得不能自持，立即驅車趕往捨身處，進入竹林，來到菩薩捨身之地。他們看見骸骨四處交錯散落，同時倒在地上，幾乎昏死，如同猛烈的風把大樹吹倒；心念迷亂，失去條理，什麼也不知道。
『大臣們用水遍灑大王和夫人。過了很久，兩人才甦醒，舉手哭泣，歎息說：可憐端嚴的愛子，為什麼死亡之苦先逼迫你？如果我能在你之前死去，怎會親眼看見這樣的大苦？
『夫人的昏迷稍稍平息，頭髮蓬亂，雙手捶胸，輾轉倒在地上，像魚離水落在陸地，又像母牛失去孩子。她哭著說：是誰屠割我的孩子，使剩餘的骨散在地上？失去我的愛子，我無法承受憂悲。苦啊！是誰殺了孩子，造成這件憂惱之事？我的心又不是金剛，為何竟然還不破碎？我夢裡看見兩乳都被割去，牙齒全部脫落，如今果然遭逢大痛；又夢見三隻幼鴿，其中一隻被鷹擒走，如今失去愛子，才知道凶惡的夢兆並不虛假。
『大王、夫人和兩位王子都竭盡哀痛，放聲號哭，不再佩戴瓔珞，和眾人一同收集菩薩遺身的舍利，為了供養，把它安置在窣堵波中。
『阿難陀！你們應當知道，眼前這些正是那位菩薩的舍利。我在過去雖然仍有貪、瞋、癡等煩惱，尚且能在地獄、餓鬼、傍生等五趣之中，隨緣救濟眾生，使他們得到出離。何況如今我的煩惱已經完全除盡，再沒有任何習氣，號稱天人師，具足一切智；我怎會不能為每一位眾生，在多劫之中，於地獄及其他地方代受各種痛苦，使他們出離生死與煩惱輪迴？』
〔科§3〕五十六頌重宣本事
世尊為了重新宣說以上義理，接著以五十六頌重述本生。以下依原來每一頌的次序，逐頌譯成今語：
一、佛回想自己在無量無數劫以前，有時生為國王，有時又生為王子。
二、佛常常廣行布施，也捨棄自己所愛的身體，願望是出離生死，到達微妙菩提之處。
三、從前有一個大國，國王名叫大車；他的王子名叫勇猛，心中毫不慳惜，常行布施。
四、這位王子有兩位兄長，名叫大渠、大天；三人一同出遊，漸漸走到山林之中。
五、王子看見一隻虎被飢餓逼迫，心裡便想：這隻虎正被飢火焚燒，再沒有別的食物可吃。
六、大士看見這種情形，恐怕母虎將吃掉幼虎；於是全不顧惜自己的身體，以捨身救護幼虎，不讓牠們受傷。
七、就在這時，大地和群山一同震動，江海翻騰跳蕩，驚濤涌起，水流倒轉。
八、天地失去光明，昏暗得什麼也看不見；林野裡的飛禽走獸四散奔逃，失去棲身之處。
九、兩位兄長奇怪弟弟為何還不回來，心中憂傷悲苦，立即帶著侍從，在林野各處尋找。
十、兄弟二人商議後，又走向深山；他們四面察看，沒有找到弟弟，只見母虎所在的空林。
十一、母虎和七隻幼虎口上都沾著血；殘存的骨頭和頭髮，縱橫散落在地上。
十二、他們又看見流出的血散在樹林各處；兩位兄長一見，心裡生起極大的恐怖。
十三、兩人同時昏厥倒地，迷亂得失去知覺；塵土覆滿身體，六根都不能正常感知。
十四、王子的侍從哭泣憂惱，用水灑在兩人身上，使他們甦醒；兩人醒來後舉手放聲大哭。
十五、菩薩捨身的時候，他的母親正在宮中，和五百位宮女一同享受美妙的歡樂。
十六、夫人的兩乳忽然自行流出乳汁，全身又像被針刺一般，疼痛得無法安穩。
十七、她突然生起將要失去兒子的念頭，憂愁如箭，苦苦傷心，立即稟告大王，說明這件苦惱之事。
十八、夫人悲泣得不能忍受，哀聲向大王說：大王現在應當知道，我生起了極大的苦惱。
十九、我的兩乳忽然流出乳汁，想止也止不住；全身像被針刺，煩悶痛苦，胸口幾乎要破裂。
二十、我先前夢見不祥的徵兆，必定將失去愛子；願大王救我一命，查明孩子是生是死。
二十一、我夢見三隻幼鴿，最小的一隻就是愛子；牠忽然被鷹奪走，我心裡的悲愁實在說不完。
二十二、我如今沉沒在憂愁的大海中，不久就要走向死亡；恐怕孩子性命不保，願大王趕快派人尋找。
二十三、我又聽外面的人說，遍尋也找不到幼子；我現在心神不安，願大王憐憫我。
二十四、夫人向大王說完，整個人便倒在地上；她悲痛昏厥，迷亂得失去知覺。
二十五、宮女看見夫人昏倒在地，便全都放聲大哭，憂愁驚惶，失去依靠。
二十六、大王聽見這番話，心中的憂愁無法抑制，於是命令群臣尋找他所愛的兒子。
二十七、眾人一同走出城外，各自循著不同方向追尋；他們一面流淚，一面詢問別人：王子如今在哪裡？
二十八、他現在究竟還活著，還是已經死去？誰知道他去了哪裡？怎樣才能讓我見到他，解除我心中的憂悲？
二十九、眾人彼此傳說，都說王子已經死了；聽見的人無不哀傷悲悼，痛苦得無法排解。
三十、當時大車王悲聲號哭，從座位起身，隨即來到夫人身旁，用水灑在她身上。
三十一、夫人受到水灑，過了很久才醒來；她一面悲啼，一面問大王：我的孩子現在還在嗎？
三十二、大王告訴夫人：我已經派眾人向四方尋找王子，目前還沒有消息。
三十三、大王又安慰夫人：你不要再生煩惱，暫且安定自己；我們可以一同出去追尋。
三十四、大王立即和夫人整備車駕，向前進發；悲號的聲音淒切感人，兩人的憂心像烈火燃燒。
三十五、成千上萬的百姓也跟隨大王出城；人人都想尋找王子，悲號之聲一直沒有停歇。
三十六、大王為了尋找愛子，向四方張望；他看見一個人披散著頭髮，身上沾滿鮮血，迎面走來。
三十七、那人全身蒙著塵土，一路悲哭；大王看見這種惡相，心中的憂惱更加深重。
三十八、大王舉起雙手，哀號得不能自制；這時第一位大臣匆忙趕到大王面前。
三十九、大臣上前稟白：希望大王千萬不要悲哀；大王所愛的王子，如今雖然還沒有找到——
四十、不久便會回來，解除大王的憂愁。大王又向前走，看見第二位大臣來到。
四十一、第二位大臣走到大王面前，流著淚稟告：兩位王子現在還活著，卻正受憂火逼迫。
四十二、第三位王子已被無常吞沒。他看見剛生產的餓虎快要吃掉自己的幼虎。
四十三、薩埵王子看見後生起悲心，發願求取無上道，將來救度一切眾生。
四十四、他一心繫念深廣如海的微妙菩提，隨即登上高山頂端，把身體投到餓虎面前。
四十五、母虎羸弱得不能進食，王子便用竹子刺傷自己的頸部；母虎終於吃掉王子的身體，只剩下骸骨。
四十六、大王和夫人聽完，同時昏厥；他們的心沉入憂愁之海，像被煩惱之火焚燒。
四十七、大臣用栴檀香水灑在大王和夫人身上；兩人甦醒後一同放聲悲號，舉手捶打胸口。
四十八、第三位大臣前來稟告大王：我看見兩位王子昏倒在林中。
四十九、我用冷水灑在他們身上，他們才暫時醒來；兩人向四方環顧，只覺得四周像被猛火包圍。
五十、他們暫時站起，隨即又倒下，悲號得不能自制；又舉起雙手，以哀痛的話讚歎弟弟的行為稀有難得。
五十一、大王聽見這番話，心中更受憂火煎熬；夫人放聲大哭，高聲說出下面的話。
五十二、我最偏愛疼惜的幼子，已被無常羅剎吞沒；剩下兩個孩子雖然還活著，卻又受憂火燒逼。
五十三、我現在應當趕快前往山下，安慰他們，使他們保全剩餘的性命。於是眾人驅車向前，一心趕往捨身的山崖。
五十四、路上遇見兩位王子一面行走、一面啼哭，捶胸懊惱，完全失去平日的儀容；父母看見後滿懷憂悲，一同前往山林中的捨身處。
五十五、到了菩薩捨身之地，眾人聚在一起悲號，生起極大的痛苦；他們脫下瓔珞，盡情哀悼，收取菩薩遺身的骨頭。
五十六、眾人一同供養舍利，共同建造一座七寶窣堵波，把舍利安置在寶函中；然後整備車駕，懷著憂愁返回城邑。
〔科§4〕會古今、勸學與本願涌塔
重頌結束後，世尊又以七頌說明過去人物與現在眾人的關係，並勸大眾學習菩薩行：
一、佛告訴阿難陀：過去的薩埵王子就是現在的牟尼佛，不要生起別的疑念。
二、過去的大車王就是現在的淨飯王，王后就是摩耶夫人；大王子是慈氏，第二王子是曼殊室利。
三、過去的母虎是現在的大世主，五隻幼虎是五位苾芻，另外兩隻幼虎，一位是大目連，一位是舍利弗。
四、佛為大眾說明自己往昔利益他人的因緣；這樣的菩薩行，是成佛的因，大眾應當學習。
五、菩薩捨身時曾發下弘誓：願自己遺身的骨，在未來世利益眾生。
六、這裡正是當年的捨身之處；那座七寶窣堵波經過無量時間，後來沉入深厚的土地之中。
七、如今由於過去的本願力，塔隨緣興起，發揮濟度之用；為了利益人與天眾，它才從地中涌出。
〔科§5〕大眾得益，塔還沒地
世尊說完這段過去因緣時，無量無數的人眾與天眾同時生起深切的悲心與歡喜，讚歎這是前所未有的事，並全都發起無上正等菩提心。
世尊又告訴菩提樹神：『我是為了報答過去的恩德，所以向舍利致以禮敬。』佛收攝神力，那座窣堵波便重新沉入地下。
〔Section §1〕Entering the Forest after the Previous Account; the Stūpa Emerges and the Bones Appear
At that time, after the World-Honored One had explained to the assembly the past causes and conditions of the ten thousand divine princes, he told the deity of the bodhi tree and the assembly: “When I practiced the bodhisattva path in the past, I did more than give those fish water and food and preserve their lives. I even gave up my own beloved body. All of you may now look upon those causes and conditions together.”
At that time, the Tathāgata, Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened—the most excellent and honored in heaven and on earth—radiated hundreds of thousands of beams throughout the worlds of the ten directions, complete in all-knowledge and every quality. Accompanied by bhikṣus and the great assembly, he came to the village of Pāñcāla and entered a forest. The ground was level and lovely, free of thorns, covered with renowned flowers and soft grass. The Buddha told Venerable Ānanda: “Prepare a seat for me beneath this tree.” Ānanda obeyed, arranged the seat, and reported: “World-Honored One, the seat is ready. May the Noble One know the proper time.”
The World-Honored One sat upon the seat, crossed his legs, straightened his body, established mindfulness, and asked the bhikṣus: “Would you like to see the relics left from the very body of a bodhisattva who practiced austerities in the past?” The bhikṣus answered: “We would.”
The World-Honored One pressed the earth with his hand, adorned by a hundred merits and complete in the excellent marks. The earth shook in six ways and immediately split open. A seven-jeweled caitya suddenly emerged from underground, adorned with nets of many jewels. On seeing it, the assembly gave rise to a sense of rarity they had never known. The World-Honored One rose from his seat, bowed to the caitya, circumambulated it once to the right, returned to his seat, and told Ānanda: “Open the door of this caitya.”
When Ānanda opened the door, he saw a seven-jeweled casket inlaid with rare treasures and reported: “World-Honored One, within is a seven-jeweled casket adorned with many jewels.” The Buddha said: “Open the casket.” Ānanda obeyed and saw relics white as shell and snow and like kumuda flowers. He reported: “Within the casket are relics of exceptionally lovely color.” The Buddha said: “Ānanda, bring me the bones of this great being.” Ānanda took out the bones and reverently presented them to the World-Honored One.
Receiving them, the World-Honored One told the bhikṣus: “You should look upon the relics formed from the body left by this bodhisattva who practiced austerities.” He then praised the bodhisattva in one stanza: this bodhisattva possessed excellent qualities and wisdom corresponding to those qualities, was courageous and diligent, and perfected the six perfections. Constantly practicing for awakening, the bodhisattva never abandoned that firm and tireless mind.
The World-Honored One continued: “All you bhikṣus should venerate the bones of this bodhisattva’s former body. These relics were perfumed by measureless fragrances of ethical discipline, meditative absorption, and wisdom. They are the supreme field of merit and exceedingly difficult to encounter.” On hearing this, the bhikṣus and the entire assembly joined their palms with utmost sincerity, reverently bowed their heads to the relics, and praised this unprecedented event.
Ānanda came forward, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and said: “World-Honored One, the Tathāgata, the great teacher, surpasses all and receives the reverence of every sentient being. Why does he in turn bow to these bones?” The Buddha told Ānanda: “Through these bones I swiftly realized unsurpassed complete awakening. To repay a former kindness, I now bow to them.”
The Buddha continued: “Ānanda, I will now remove the doubts of you and the assembly by explaining the past causes and conditions of these relics. Reflect well and listen single-mindedly.” Ānanda answered: “We all wish to hear. May the World-Honored One instruct us.”
〔Section §2〕The Birth Story of King Great Chariot: Seeing the Tigress, Contemplating the Body, and Giving It Up
The Buddha said: “Ānanda, in the past there was a king named Great Chariot. He was exceedingly wealthy, with abundant possessions and full treasuries. His armies were brave, and the multitude revered and obeyed him. He constantly instructed the people through the true Dharma; they flourished, and the realm had no enemies. The queen bore three sons, all handsome and pleasing to behold. The crown prince was named Mahābala, the second Mahādeva, and the youngest Mahāsattva.
“One day, King Great Chariot wished to tour the mountain forests, and all three princes accompanied him. Searching for flowers and fruit, they left their father and wandered in every direction until they reached a great bamboo grove, where they rested. The first prince said, ‘My heart is extremely frightened today. Might some fierce beast in this forest harm me?’ The second said, ‘I do not begrudge my own body, but fear the suffering of separation from those I love.’ The third told his two elder brothers: ‘This is a place where seers dwell. I have no fear of harm or sorrow over separation; my body and mind are filled with joy, and I sense that I will obtain excellent merit.’
“After each prince had spoken his thoughts, they continued forward. They saw a tigress who had given birth to seven cubs only seven days earlier. The seven surrounded her. Oppressed by hunger and thirst, weak and emaciated, she did not have long to live. The first prince said: ‘How pitiful! This tigress gave birth only seven days ago. The seven cubs constantly surround her and leave no opportunity to search for food. Oppressed by hunger and thirst, she will surely turn and eat her own young.’
“Prince Mahāsattva asked: ‘What does such a tiger ordinarily eat?’ The first prince answered: ‘Tigers, leopards, jackals, and lions eat only warm blood and flesh. No other food can save this weakened tiger.’
“The second prince said: ‘This tiger is emaciated and oppressed by hunger and thirst, and little life remains. How could we find such difficult food for her? Who would give up his own life for her and remove the pain of hunger?’ The first prince said: ‘Of all difficult things to relinquish, none is harder than one’s own body.’
“Prince Mahāsattva said: ‘We now cherish our own bodies and lack wisdom, so we cannot benefit others. Yet virtuous superior beings possess great compassion, constantly forget their bodies for the sake of others, and use their own lives to rescue sentient beings.’ He thought further: ‘Throughout hundreds of thousands of lives, this body of mine has always been discarded in vain, rotting and decaying without ever bringing benefit. Why should I not give it away today to save this hungry, suffering tiger, casting it aside like mucus or spittle?’
“After the three princes had discussed the matter, all gave rise to loving-kindness. Sadly and compassionately they gazed at the weakened tigress without moving their eyes even for a moment. They paced there for a long time, then left together.
“Prince Mahāsattva thought: ‘The time for giving up my life is now. Why? I have maintained this body for a long time, though it is foul, oozing pus, and not at all lovely. I have provided it with bedding, clothing, food, drink, elephants, horses, carts, and jewels. Yet it must decay and is impermanent by nature. Its demands can never be filled, and it is difficult to guard. Though I constantly sustain it, it harbors injury and enmity, finally abandons me, and knows no gratitude.
“‘This body is not firm and brings me no benefit. It is frightening as a thief and impure as filth. Today I will cause it to accomplish a vast work, making it a great boat upon the sea of birth and death that helps sentient beings abandon cyclic existence and attain release.
“‘If I abandon this body, I abandon measureless abscesses, malignant illnesses, and hundreds of thousands of fears. It contains only such impurities as excrement and urine, is unsteady as a bubble, and gathers many worms. Blood vessels, sinews, and bones connect and support one another; it is truly repellent. I should therefore give it up now, seek unsurpassed final nirvāṇa, forever leave sorrow, impermanence, and suffering, bring birth and death to rest, and sever every defilement. Then, perfected through the powers of concentration and wisdom, adorned with a hundred merits, I will accomplish all-knowledge and realize the wondrous dharma-body praised by the buddhas. Having realized it, I will give measureless Dharma happiness to all sentient beings.’
“The prince gave rise to great courage and a vast vow, strengthening his mind with great compassion. Fearing that his brothers would be afraid and stop him together, preventing his vow from being fulfilled, he told them: ‘Elder brothers, go ahead. I will remain behind for a little while.’
“Prince Mahāsattva returned to the grove and approached the tigress. He removed his clothes, placed them upon bamboo, and vowed: ‘For all sentient beings in the dharma-realm, I resolve to seek unsurpassed awakening. I give rise to unwavering great compassion and now relinquish the body ordinary beings prize most. I will rescue all sentient beings in the ocean of suffering of the three realms and bring them peace. Awakening has neither sorrow nor fever and is the state loved by all the wise.’
“After speaking, the prince lay down before the hungry tigress. Because of the bodhisattva’s compassionate majesty, she could not harm him. Seeing this, he climbed a high mountain and cast his body from its peak. Seers caught him, leaving him entirely unharmed. He thought: ‘This tiger is too weak and still cannot eat me.’ He rose and searched for a knife but could find none. He pierced his neck with dry bamboo until blood flowed, then slowly approached the tigress.
“At that time, the earth shook in six ways, heaving like water stirred by wind. The sun lost its light as though covered by Rāhu. Darkness filled the four directions, and no radiance remained. Renowned flowers and wondrous fragrant powders rained from heaven and filled the forest. Seeing this, the gods in the sky gave rise to sympathetic joy, praised the unprecedented event, and proclaimed together: ‘Excellent, great being!’
“The gods praised him in two stanzas: the great being brings forth compassion to protect sentient beings and regards them all equally as an only child. Courageous and joyful, without the slightest stinginess, the merit of giving up his body to rescue suffering cannot be measured. He will certainly reach the excellent, wondrous place that is real and enduring, forever leave every bond of birth and death, soon obtain the fruit of awakening, and enter the nonarising that is quiescent and happy.
“When the hungry tigress saw blood flowing from the bodhisattva’s neck, she licked it and ate all his flesh, leaving only the bones.
“The first prince saw the earth shaking and told his brother: ‘Earth, mountains, and rivers are trembling; the four directions are dark, and the sun has no light. Heavenly flowers fall in confusion from the sky. These must be signs that our younger brother has given up his body.’
“The second prince then spoke a stanza: ‘I heard Mahāsattva’s compassionate words and saw the hungry tigress weak and emaciated, tormented by hunger and about to eat her cubs. I now suspect that our younger brother has given up his body for her.’
“The two princes gave rise to immense sorrow, wept, and returned together to the tigress. They saw their brother’s clothes hanging from a bamboo branch, his bones and hair scattered everywhere, and his blood mixed with the soil. At the sight, they fainted, unable to support themselves, and fell upon their brother’s bones. Only after a long time did they revive. Rising and raising their hands, they cried loudly and lamented together: ‘Our younger brother was handsome and especially loved by our parents. Why did he leave with us but give up his body and not return? What can we answer when our parents ask? We would rather abandon our lives together. How could we alone remain alive?’
“The two princes departed gradually, weeping in anguish. The young prince’s attendants asked one another: ‘Where is the prince? We should search together.’
“At that time the queen slept in a high tower. In a dream she saw both breasts cut off and her teeth falling out. She obtained three young doves, one of which an eagle seized, frightening the other two. When the earth shook, she awoke in great distress and said: ‘Why does the earth now shake, and why do the rivers and trees sway? The sun has lost its light as though covered. My eyelid twitches, and my breasts move strangely. Sorrow strikes my heart like an arrow; my whole body trembles, and I cannot rest. The ominous signs in my dream must foretell an extraordinary calamity.’
“Milk suddenly flowed from both her breasts, and she knew something had happened. A maid heard people outside say: ‘Everyone is searching for the prince, but he has still not been found.’ Terrified, the maid entered the palace and told the queen: ‘Lady, do you know? People outside say that everyone has scattered in search of the prince, but nowhere can he be found.’
“On hearing this, the queen gave rise to immense sorrow. Her eyes filled with tears, and she went before the king: ‘Great king, I have heard people outside say that my youngest and most beloved son is lost.’ The king was frightened and overwhelmed. Choking with grief, he said: ‘Suffering! Today I have lost my beloved son.’ Wiping his tears, he comforted the queen: ‘Excellent lady, do not grieve. I will go with you now to search for our beloved son.’
“The king, ministers, and multitude left the city together, scattered, and searched everywhere. Before long, a minister came and reported: ‘I have heard that the princes are still alive. Great king, do not grieve. Only the youngest prince has not yet been found.’ The king lamented: ‘Suffering, suffering! I have lost my beloved son. When a child is first born, the joy is not really great; when that child is lost, sorrow is immensely deep. If my child could recover his life, I would not regard even my own death as suffering.’
“The queen, wrapped in sorrow as though struck by an arrow, said: ‘My three sons went with their attendants to enjoy the forest. Only my youngest beloved son has not returned. He must have encountered separation or disaster.’
“A second minister then came before the king. The king asked: ‘Where is my beloved son?’ The minister wept in anguish. His throat and tongue dried, and he could not speak or answer. The queen pressed him: ‘Tell me quickly where my youngest son is now! Feverish distress burns throughout my body. I am disordered and lost, deprived of my very mind. Do not let my chest burst apart at this moment!’
“The second minister then reported the entire account of the prince’s sacrifice. When the king and queen heard it, they choked with grief and could not restrain themselves. They immediately drove their chariot to the place where the body had been given up, entered the bamboo grove, and reached the bodhisattva’s place of sacrifice. Seeing the bones scattered and crossed everywhere, they fell to the ground together, nearly dead in a faint, like great trees blown down by a fierce wind. Their thoughts became confused and disordered, and they knew nothing.
“The ministers sprinkled water over the king and queen. After a long time, the two revived, raised their hands, wept, and lamented: ‘Pitiful, handsome beloved son! Why did the suffering of death oppress you first? If only I could have died before you, how would I now see such great suffering?’
“When the queen’s faintness eased slightly, her hair disheveled, she struck her chest with both hands and rolled upon the ground like a fish cast from water onto land or a cow that has lost her calf. She cried: ‘Who slaughtered my child and left his bones scattered upon the ground? Having lost my beloved son, I cannot bear this sorrow. Suffering! Who killed my child and caused this grief? My heart is not vajra—why has it still not broken? In my dream both breasts were cut off and all my teeth fell out; now this great pain has indeed come. I also dreamed of three young doves and an eagle seizing one. Now that I have lost my beloved son, I know the ominous dream was not false.’
“The king, queen, and two princes exhausted their grief and wept aloud. Removing their necklaces, together with the multitude they collected the relics of the bodhisattva’s former body and placed them in a stūpa as an offering.
“Ānanda, you should know that these before you are precisely that bodhisattva’s relics. In the past, even while I still possessed afflictions such as craving, anger, and delusion, I was able to rescue sentient beings according to conditions throughout the five destinies, including hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals, and cause them to attain release. How much more now, when my afflictions have been completely extinguished and no residual habit remains, when I am called Teacher of Gods and Humans and possess all-knowledge? How could I fail, for each sentient being and over many kalpas, to undergo every suffering in hells and elsewhere in their place and cause them to leave birth and death and the cycle of afflictions?”
〔Section §3〕Fifty-Six Stanzas Retell the Former Event
To proclaim the preceding meaning again, the World-Honored One retold the birth story in fifty-six stanzas. What follows renders each in its original sequence:
1. The Buddha recalls that measureless, innumerable kalpas ago he was sometimes born a king and sometimes a prince.
2. He constantly practiced generosity widely and gave up his beloved body, aspiring to leave birth and death and reach wondrous awakening.
3. Once there was a great realm whose king was named Great Chariot. His prince was named Courageous, without stinginess in his heart and constantly practicing generosity.
4. This prince had two elder brothers named Great Channel and Great Deva. The three traveled together and gradually entered a mountain forest.
5. The prince saw a tiger oppressed by hunger and thought: this tiger is burned by the fire of hunger and has no other food to eat.
6. Seeing this, the great being feared the mother would eat her cubs. Disregarding his own body entirely, he gave it up to protect the cubs and keep them from harm.
7. At that moment the earth and mountains shook together, rivers and seas surged and leapt, waves rose in fright, and waters flowed backward.
8. Heaven and earth lost their light, becoming dark beyond sight. Birds and beasts throughout the forest fled in every direction and lost their places of rest.
9. The two elder brothers wondered why the younger had not returned. Grieving, they immediately took the attendants and searched throughout the wilderness.
10. After consulting together, the brothers entered the deep mountain again. Looking in every direction, they did not find him, only the empty grove where the tigress remained.
11. The tigress and seven cubs all had blood upon their mouths; remaining bones and hair lay scattered across the ground.
12. They also saw the spilled blood scattered throughout the forest. At the sight, the two elder brothers gave rise to immense fear.
13. Both fainted and fell at once, confused and unconscious. Dust covered their bodies, and the six faculties could not perceive normally.
14. The prince’s attendants wept in distress and sprinkled water over them until they revived. Upon waking, the brothers raised their hands and cried aloud.
15. When the bodhisattva gave up his body, his mother was in the palace enjoying wondrous pleasures with five hundred palace women.
16. Milk suddenly flowed from both her breasts, and her whole body felt pierced by needles. In such pain, she could not rest.
17. The thought suddenly arose that she would lose her son. Sorrow struck like an arrow; grieving bitterly, she immediately reported the distress to the king.
18. Weeping beyond endurance, the queen told the king: great king, know that an immense sorrow has arisen in me.
19. Milk suddenly flows from both my breasts and cannot be stopped. My whole body feels pierced by needles; distressed and anguished, my chest nearly breaks.
20. I formerly dreamed an ominous sign and will surely lose my beloved son. May the king save my life and discover whether the child is alive or dead.
21. I dreamed of three young doves; the smallest was my beloved son. An eagle suddenly seized him, and the grief in my heart cannot be expressed.
22. I now sink in a sea of sorrow and will soon approach death. I fear the child will not survive; may the king quickly send people to search.
23. I have also heard people outside say they searched everywhere without finding the youngest. My mind is now unsettled; may the king take pity on me.
24. After speaking to the king, the queen fell to the ground, fainting from grief, confused and unconscious.
25. Seeing the queen faint upon the ground, all the palace women cried aloud, distressed and frightened, deprived of support.
26. Hearing these words, the king could not restrain his sorrow and ordered the ministers to search for his beloved son.
27. The multitude left the city together, each following a different direction. Weeping, they asked others: where is the prince now?
28. Is he alive or dead? Who knows where he went? How can I see him and remove the sorrow in my heart?
29. People passed the word among themselves that the prince was dead. Everyone who heard grieved and mourned, unable to dispel the pain.
30. King Great Chariot cried in grief, rose from his seat, went to the queen, and sprinkled water upon her.
31. After being sprinkled with water, the queen revived only after a long time. Weeping, she asked the king: is my child still alive?
32. The king told the queen: I have sent everyone to search in the four directions, but there is no news yet.
33. The king comforted her: do not give rise to further distress; calm yourself for now, and we can go out together to search.
34. The king and queen immediately prepared their chariot and advanced. Their cries were piercing, while sorrow burned like fierce fire.
35. Thousands upon tens of thousands of people followed the king out of the city. Everyone wished to find the prince, and the sound of mourning never ceased.
36. Searching for his beloved son, the king looked in the four directions and saw a person approaching with loose hair and a body covered in fresh blood.
37. The person was covered in dust and wept along the road. Seeing this evil sign, the king’s distress deepened.
38. The king raised both hands and wailed without restraint. At that moment, the first minister hurried before him.
39. The minister reported: may the great king not grieve. Although the prince beloved by the king has not yet been found—
40. he will return before long and remove the king’s sorrow. The king continued forward and saw the second minister arrive.
41. The second minister came before the king and reported through tears: two princes remain alive, but the fire of sorrow oppresses them.
42. The third prince has been swallowed by impermanence. He saw a hungry tigress newly delivered and about to eat her cubs.
43. Prince Mahāsattva saw this, gave rise to compassion, and vowed to seek the unsurpassed path so as to rescue all sentient beings in the future.
44. Single-mindedly contemplating wondrous awakening, profound and vast as the sea, he climbed a mountain peak and cast his body before the hungry tigress.
45. The tigress was too weak to eat, so the prince wounded his neck with bamboo. She finally consumed his body, leaving only bones.
46. When the king and queen heard the account, both fainted. Their minds sank into an ocean of sorrow as though burned by the fire of afflictions.
47. A minister sprinkled sandalwood-scented water over the king and queen. Upon reviving, they cried aloud together, raised their hands, and beat their chests.
48. The third minister reported to the king: I saw the two princes unconscious in the forest.
49. I sprinkled cold water over them until they briefly revived. Looking in the four directions, they felt surrounded by fierce fire.
50. They briefly stood and immediately fell again, mourning without restraint. Raising their hands, in grief they praised their younger brother’s rare and difficult deed.
51. On hearing this, the king was seared still more by the fire of sorrow. The queen cried loudly and spoke these words.
52. My youngest son, whom I especially loved, has been swallowed by the rākṣasa of impermanence. Though my other two children remain alive, the fire of sorrow burns them.
53. I should hurry below the mountain and comfort them so they may preserve their remaining lives. The multitude drove forward, single-mindedly hurrying to the cliff where the body was given up.
54. On the road they met the two princes walking and weeping, beating their chests in anguish and having entirely lost their usual bearing. Their parents, filled with grief, went with them to the place in the forest where the body had been given up.
55. Reaching the bodhisattva’s place of sacrifice, everyone gathered and mourned, experiencing immense pain. They removed their necklaces, lamented fully, and gathered the bones of the bodhisattva’s former body.
56. Together they made offerings to the relics and built a seven-jeweled stūpa, placing the relics in a jeweled casket. They then prepared their chariot and returned to the city in sorrow.
〔Section §4〕Joining Past and Present, Exhorting Practice, and the Stūpa Emerging through the Former Vow
After the repeated verses, the World-Honored One used seven further stanzas to explain the relation between the past figures and those in the present and to encourage the assembly to train in the bodhisattva practice:
1. The Buddha told Ānanda: Prince Mahāsattva in the past is the present Muni Buddha. Do not give rise to any other doubt.
2. King Great Chariot was the present King Śuddhodana, and the queen was Lady Māyā. The eldest prince was Maitreya, and the second Mañjuśrī.
3. The tigress was Mahāprajāpatī. Five cubs were the five bhikṣus; of the other two, one was Mahāmaudgalyāyana and one Śāriputra.
4. The Buddha explains to the assembly the causes and conditions of his benefiting others in the past. Such bodhisattva practice is a cause of buddhahood and should be learned by the assembly.
5. When giving up his body, the bodhisattva made a vast vow that the bones of his former body would benefit sentient beings in future ages.
6. This is the very place where the body was given up. After measureless time, the seven-jeweled stūpa sank deep into the earth.
7. Now, through the power of that former vow, the stūpa arises according to conditions and performs its work of rescue. It emerges from the earth to benefit humans and gods.
〔Section §5〕The Assembly Benefits, and the Stūpa Returns beneath the Earth
When the World-Honored One finished explaining these past causes and conditions, measureless and innumerable human and divine beings gave rise simultaneously to profound grief and joy, praised the unprecedented event, and all aroused the mind of awakening toward unsurpassed complete awakening.
The World-Honored One again told the deity of the bodhi tree: “I bowed to the relics in order to repay a former kindness.” The Buddha gathered in his spiritual power, and the stūpa sank beneath the earth once more.
佛已成為一切眾生所禮敬的大師，為什麼還要向一副舊骨行禮？本品從這個顛倒尋常尊卑的動作開始，讓一座塔、一隻餓虎與一個捨身之願彼此照見。
〔科§1〕一座從地涌出的塔：為什麼佛向一副骨行禮？
故事承接十千天子往昔得救的因緣。佛先向菩提樹神與大眾說，自己過去修菩薩道，不只曾施水施食、救濟魚命，也曾捨棄所愛的身體。前一段救命以水與食物延續生命；這一段則要觀看，當眼前的眾生只能依靠另一副血肉活下來時，菩薩如何面對自己最難捨的身體。
佛沒有立刻講述往事，而是帶著苾芻和大眾到般遮羅聚落的一座林中。林地平正，沒有荊棘，名花與軟草遍布。阿難陀奉命在樹下敷座，佛端身正念而坐，先問苾芻是否願見過去苦行菩薩本身的舍利。大眾願見，佛才以手按地；大地六種震動，地面開裂，一座七寶制底忽然涌出。
塔門打開，裡面還有以眾寶莊嚴的七寶函；寶函再打開，才看見潔白如珂雪與拘物頭花的舍利。從地、塔、門、函到骨，每一重都要經過開啟。大眾先因塔現而生稀有心，後因看見舍利而恭敬頂禮；真正使這副骨成為最上福田的，不是外面的珍寶，而是它受到無量戒、定、慧香熏習。
更不尋常的是，佛從座位起身，向塔作禮，右繞後才回座；取出舍利以後，又教大眾禮敬。阿難陀因此追問：如來超過一切，為眾生所恭敬，為何反而禮拜這副身骨？佛的回答把塔內的過去與塔外的現在接在一起：祂因這副骨迅速證得無上菩提，如今為報往恩而禮敬。成佛沒有抹去成佛之因；正因果已圓滿，昔日承擔菩提之願的身骨才更不被遺忘。
佛手中的骨不是供人猜測的遺物。祂要為阿難陀和大眾斷除疑惑，親自說出舍利的往昔因緣。塔先讓大眾看見結果，本生再帶大眾回到原因：潔白舍利曾經是一副會飢、會痛、會敗壞，也被父母兄長深愛的身體。
〔科§2〕一隻餓虎面前：身體可以變成什麼？
過去有大車王，以正法教化人民，國中富盛而無怨敵。王后生有三子：摩訶波羅、摩訶提婆、摩訶薩埵。三位王子隨父遊觀山林，後來為尋花果離開父王，走進大竹林。兄弟尚未遇見餓虎，心念已各自顯露：長兄心生驚惶，次兄不惜己身卻怕與所愛分離，幼弟則沒有恐怖與離憂，反而預感將得殊勝功德。
他們看見一隻剛生下七隻幼虎七日的母虎。幼虎圍繞，母虎羸瘦，被飢渴逼到將死。長兄判斷牠會吃掉幼虎；薩埵追問牠以什麼為食，得知猛獸只能吃溫熱血肉。這使救援逼到最狹窄之處：難得的不是知道母虎需要什麼，而是誰肯把自己的性命變成牠所需的食物。
兄長說，一切難捨之物，沒有超過自己的身體。薩埵也沒有假裝自己生來就無所愛。他承認眾人愛戀己身、缺乏智慧，不能利益他人；同時想到，懷大悲的上士會為利益他人而忘身濟物。這兩面相對，使捨身不是一句輕易的豪語：正因身體最難捨，眼前的選擇才成為對貪愛與悲願的直接檢驗。
兄弟三人先一同悲憫母虎，久久注視，然後離去。薩埵的決定卻在離開後成熟。他回顧這副身體：長久供給臥具、衣食、車乘和財物，它仍然無常、難滿、難守，最後必定棄人而去；它不堅固，沒有利益，可畏如賊，不淨如糞。若只是繼續愛養，身體終究敗壞；若在此刻捨出，便能救濟飢苦，使本來徒然腐爛的身體成就廣大事業。
因此，同一副身體在他的觀察中出現兩種去向。任它敗壞，它只是血脈、筋骨、便利與群蟲暫時連結，如水泡般不能久住；用它利益眾生，它便能在生死海中成為大船，幫助眾生出離輪迴。身體沒有因為被厭離就變得毫無作用；恰恰因為看見它不能保有，薩埵才要在它散壞以前轉成救命之用。
他的願也不止於母虎吃飽。他願離開憂患、無常與苦惱，求得究竟涅槃；又要以定慧熏修、百福莊嚴，成就一切智與微妙法身；證得以後，再把無量法樂施給一切眾生。眼前救一母七子的悲心、自己求菩提的志願、將來普施法樂的方向，在一次捨身中相連，沒有互相排斥。
薩埵怕兩位兄長留難，先以方便讓他們前行，自己返回虎邊。他把衣服放在竹上，為法界眾生發願求取無上菩提，以不動的大悲心捨棄凡夫所愛之身，拔濟三界苦海中的眾生。第一次伏臥在虎前，母虎受其慈悲威勢，不能傷害他；他便登上高山投身，卻又被神仙接住。發現母虎仍弱得不能進食，他找不到刀，便用乾竹刺頸出血，再漸漸靠近。
這段反覆不讓『捨身』停在意向。躺下、投身、起身、尋刀、刺頸、近虎，每一次受阻，都使他重新尋找讓飢者真正得食的方法。他刺頸出血、身近餓虎之時，大地震動，日光隱沒，天雨名華與妙香末落滿林中，天眾讚歎；其後餓虎見血，舐血噉肉皆盡，唯留餘骨——救濟至此在母虎能活下去的層面完成，林中留下血、髮和骨。
捨身也不只改變母虎的命運。兩位兄長由異相猜到弟弟捨身，回林看見衣服、血泥和散骨，昏倒在骨上，醒後又想與弟弟同死。他們最先憂慮的不是自身去留，而是如何回答深愛幼子的父母。幼子的選擇出於大悲，父母兄長的悲戀卻沒有因此被抹去；本生把救命的勇猛與失去親人的苦都完整留在同一件事裡。
王后夢見兩乳被割、牙齒脫落，三隻幼鴿中有一隻被鷹奪走；醒後又逢地動、日暗、乳動，便知有非常災變。消息從侍女傳來，繼而由大臣逐步確認。大王與夫人出城尋子，一次次在尚未找到、兩子仍在、幼子已亡之間受煎熬。等他們趕到竹林，看見散骨，兩人同時昏倒；甦醒後，夫人捶胸輾轉，像魚離水、母牛失子。捨身者已把身體視如將棄之物，母親所見卻仍是不可替代的愛子。兩種眼光都由故事親自說出，沒有用一方取消另一方。
最後，大王、夫人、兩位王子和眾人收集舍利，置於窣堵波中供養。薩埵捨身時求的是眾生得救，眷屬收骨時做的是不讓所愛之身散失無歸；林中的骨因此成為塔中的舍利。佛隨後以自己過去尚具貪、瞋、癡而能隨緣救濟作勸：既然處在煩惱中尚能利益眾生，如今煩惱與習氣已盡，更能為每一眾生經劫代受眾苦，使其離開生死輪迴。
〔科§3〕五十六頌為何再說一次？
長行已經把見虎、觀身、捨身和眷屬悲戀完整說過，佛仍以五十六頌重宣。重頌沒有把故事壓縮成一句『捨身得福』，而是重新安排目光：先總說佛在無量劫中或為國王、或為王子，常行大施、捨所愛身；再把大車王家、三子遊林、餓虎將食幼子與薩埵無顧捨身接連說出。
頌中天地震動之後，敘事的重心很快移向留下來的人。兩位兄長重返空林，看見母虎七子口有血污，看見殘骨、餘髮與流血散落，昏厥倒地；侍從用水救醒他們。宮內的母親在歡樂之中忽然乳流、針刺，從夢兆預感愛子有難；她向大王哭訴，昏倒在地，宮女也因失去依靠而大哭。
此後的頌，一步一步追隨尋子之路。群臣出城，百姓跟隨；消息不是一次說盡，而是由不同來人把希望與死亡逐層帶到父母面前。第一位大臣請王暫勿悲哀，第二位說兩兄尚在、幼子已被無常吞沒，第三位又說兩兄在林中昏絕，醒後仍反覆倒下、讚歎弟弟稀有。父母知道幼子已死，仍要趕往山林安慰兩位存活的兒子；一家在路上相遇，再共同前往捨身之地。
五十六頌把傳報與尋覓一一展開，不把一家的哀痛略成一句背景。從夫人不祥的夢、乳流與胸痛，到大王舉手哀號、百姓悲聲不絕，再到父母與兩兄會合、收骨建塔，悲戀所占的篇幅遠多於捨身的一瞬。重宣因此讓聽者再經歷一次代價：菩薩救護飢餓眾生的願極深，與之相伴的眷屬之痛也同樣深重。
重頌最後仍回到供養。眾人脫去瓔珞，收取餘骨，共造七寶窣堵波，把舍利置於函中，才整駕回城。最初從地下涌出的塔，在這裡顯出它由何而成：它承載的不只是菩薩的勇猛，也承載一個家庭與眾人收骨、供養、懷憂而返的記憶。
〔科§4〕誰是誰：本願讓塔重現
佛在重頌之後會合古今，逐一說明過去人物如今是誰：薩埵王子是牟尼佛，大車王是淨飯王，王后是摩耶夫人；長兄是慈氏，次兄是曼殊室利；母虎是大世主，五隻幼虎是五位苾芻，另外兩隻是大目連與舍利弗。餓者、施者與悲戀的眷屬，往昔身分被逐一會到今名。
會合不是把過去的身分抹掉，而是揭明那一次相遇所延續的關係。當年的母虎與幼虎靠王子血肉活命；當年的王子成佛以後，又在大眾中說出這段利他的因緣。昔日捨身者如今成為說法者；當年受濟者，經亦一一會其今名。同一因緣從維持一期生命走向成佛之因。
佛接著直接勸大眾學習這樣的菩薩行。勸學並不離開塔另說抽象道理，而是揭示薩埵捨身時的弘誓：願自己的餘骨在未來世利益眾生。七寶窣堵波曾經沉入厚地，現在由昔日本願力隨緣興起，為利益人天而從地下涌出。王子活著時以血肉救虎，死後又以餘骨與塔利益後世；願使一副身體的作用越過死亡，也越過塔沉沒地下的無量時間。
本願並沒有讓塔永遠顯現。它在因緣成熟時涌出，使大眾看見舍利、聽聞本生、發起菩提心；隨後佛收攝神力，塔又沉回地下。塔不必永遠占據地面，願也沒有因塔再度隱沒而消失。
〔科§5〕悲喜同時：聽完本生以後
世尊說完往昔因緣，無量無數的人眾與天眾皆大悲喜，讚歎未曾有，全部發起無上菩提心。大悲與歡喜不是前後替換的兩種情緒：大眾為薩埵一家所受的苦而悲，也為菩薩勇猛利他、成佛之因與本願現前而喜。故事沒有要求聽者只保留讚歎，忘記血骨與親痛；也沒有讓深悲停在不能行動之處。悲喜同時，最後轉成發心。
佛又對菩提樹神重申，祂禮塔是為了報恩。開品的疑問至此得到第二次回答：如今受一切眾生禮敬的佛，仍禮敬昔日成就菩提之因。報恩不是成佛以前才需要的行為，而是成佛以後由佛親自示現。那副曾被餓虎吃盡血肉的骨，既見證最難捨之施，也見證果不忘因。
塔最後還沒於地，大眾卻已經不同。塔涌出以前，他們不知道地下藏著什麼；塔沉沒以後，他們已看見舍利、聽完本生、知道古今會合，也已發起菩提心。可見塔真正留下的，不是地面上的形體，而是把一段久遠捨身之因交到今日眾生心中。從施水施食到捨身救虎，從散骨入塔到塔因願涌出，本品把利他之行推到最難捨處，也把最難捨的身轉成通往菩提、繼續利益眾生的因。
以唯識之眼
上來只順著本經自說的因緣、人物與發願展開。以下借慧沼《金光明最勝王經疏》作一面唯識之鏡：鏡非經，疏家的科判、補足與解難，不回填成本經親說。
慧沼把全品大分為述昔捨身、會於今古、勸勵修學、眾聞得益四段〔T39n1788 0331b19〕，又把長行開作十段，將五十六頌判為二頌總標修行、五十四頌別說捨身〔T39n1788 0336a15〕。這套科判能顯出長行與重頌的繁簡互見，卻是疏家整理；本品前五節只作今本閱讀導航，不說成佛陀自立的科名。
對薩埵觀身，慧沼以四念住照讀：臭穢、不淨如糞照不淨，體性變壞與不堅如泡照無常，恒求難滿、可畏如賊照苦，終歸棄我、於我無益照無我〔T39n1788 0333b09；0333c01〕。他又把王子的志願分作厭離有為、求取菩提、饒益有情三向；把能捨的條件照成大智、大悲與無貪三者相應〔T39n1788 0333a08–20〕。這是疏家把原文中的觀身、求果與利他顯出次第，不是王子另宣一套名目。
七寶塔與白舍利，疏中另有一重表釋：塔藏地下，照作因中法身舍利受障覆蔽，由佛方便方得顯現；寶函照如來藏具性功德；舍利潔白，照理性清淨而不受染〔T39n1788 0332a12〕。戒、定、慧三香則被開顯為五分法香，兼攝解脫與解脫知見。這些都是鏡中義；本經自身則只明說戒定慧香熏馥與佛報恩禮骨。
疏中遇到沒有明說之處，也保存不同解法而不裁一邊。如何知道母虎產子七日，一說段食所資只能延續七日，從飢餓狀態推知；一說當時有鬼神告知，只是結集者沒有寫出〔T39n1788 0332c22〕。王子捨身所屬劫位、化身何以仍捨自身、超劫應如何理解，慧沼也連列問答，並在利他行是否倍增處保存又釋、又解〔T39n1788 0331a25〕。疑難因而保持原貌。
長行與重頌不盡相同之處，慧沼以文辭互相影略來說明：長行較詳寫父母到林收骨，頌中則增顯遣臣追尋、三臣傳報與兩兄反覆昏倒；有處長行具而頌略，有處頌具而長行略〔T39n1788 0334c26；0336a15〕。這面鏡讓同一悲戀因緣在長行與重頌之間互相補顯。
品末大眾得益，疏家又把結尾分成牒前所說、明得益眾、答問總結三層；塔最後還沒於地，則照作事情已經完成〔T39n1788 0336c15〕。這一讀法把涌塔、見骨、聞因、發心與塔沒連成一次完整示現；大眾何以悲喜、佛為何禮敬，本經自有明說的發心與報恩。
智顗《金光明經文句》、知禮《金光明經文句記》與吉藏《金光明經疏》都在逐文層讀此品；智顗《金光明經玄義》及知禮《金光明經玄義拾遺記》則屬玄義層。兩條傳承各屬其書、各居其層。向前承接施水施食，向後由捨身、舍利與本願勸學，本品的承衍正落在佛自己的話：如是利他之行是成佛之因，應當學習。
The Buddha has become the great teacher revered by all sentient beings. Why, then, does he still bow to a set of old bones? This chapter begins with an act that reverses ordinary rank and lets a stūpa, a hungry tigress, and a vow to give up the body illuminate one another.
〔Section §1〕A Stūpa Emerging from the Earth: Why Does the Buddha Bow to Bones?
The story follows the account of the ten thousand divine princes’ rescue in a former life. The Buddha first tells the deity of the bodhi tree and the assembly that while practicing the bodhisattva path, he not only gave water and food to save the fish but also gave up his beloved body. The preceding rescue prolonged life with water and food. The present account asks what a bodhisattva does when the beings before him can survive only through another body’s blood and flesh.
The Buddha does not immediately narrate the past. He leads the bhikṣus and assembly to a forest near the village of Pāñcāla. The ground is level and free of thorns, covered with flowers and soft grass. Ānanda prepares a seat beneath a tree, and the Buddha sits upright in mindfulness. Only after asking whether the bhikṣus wish to see the relics of the bodhisattva’s former body and receiving their assent does he press the earth. It shakes in six ways and opens, and a seven-jeweled caitya suddenly emerges.
The door opens to reveal a seven-jeweled casket adorned with many treasures. Only after the casket is opened do the relics appear, white as shell and snow and like kumuda flowers. Earth, stūpa, door, casket, bones: each layer must be opened. First the assembly gives rise to wonder when the stūpa appears; then they bow upon seeing the relics. What makes the bones a supreme field of merit is not the surrounding treasure but their perfuming by measureless fragrances of ethical discipline, concentration, and wisdom.
More unusual still, the Buddha rises, bows to the stūpa, circumambulates it, and only then returns to his seat. After the relics are removed, he asks the assembly to venerate them. Ānanda therefore asks why the Tathāgata, who surpasses all and is revered by sentient beings, bows to these bones. The Buddha’s answer joins the past within the stūpa to the present outside it: through these bones he swiftly realized unsurpassed awakening, and he now bows to repay the former kindness. Buddhahood does not erase its cause. Precisely because the fruit is complete, the bones that carried the vow toward awakening are not forgotten.
The bones in the Buddha’s hand are not relics left for speculation. He personally explains their past causes and conditions to remove the doubts of Ānanda and the assembly. The stūpa first lets the assembly see the result; the birth story then returns them to the cause. The white relics were once a body that hungered, hurt, decayed, and was deeply loved by parents and brothers.
〔Section §2〕Before a Hungry Tigress: What Can a Body Become?
In the past, King Great Chariot instructed his flourishing realm through the true Dharma and had no enemies. His queen bore three sons: Mahābala, Mahādeva, and Mahāsattva. When the princes followed their father into the mountains and later entered a bamboo grove searching for flowers and fruit, their thoughts appeared before they encountered the tigress. The eldest was afraid of fierce beasts, the second did not begrudge his body but feared separation from loved ones, and the youngest had neither fear nor sorrow but sensed that he would obtain excellent merit.
They saw a tigress seven days after giving birth to seven cubs. Surrounded by them, she was emaciated and near death from hunger and thirst. The eldest judged that she would eat her cubs. Mahāsattva asked what she ate and learned that fierce beasts lived only on warm blood and flesh. Rescue was thereby forced into its narrowest point. The difficulty was not knowing what she needed, but finding someone willing to turn a life into that food.
His brother said that nothing was harder to relinquish than one’s own body. Mahāsattva did not pretend to have been born without attachment. He acknowledged that people loved their bodies and lacked wisdom, while superior beings of great compassion forgot their bodies for others. The two sides confront each other, preventing the gift from becoming an easy boast. Precisely because the body is hardest to relinquish, the choice directly tests attachment and compassionate resolve.
The brothers first gaze compassionately at the tigress, then leave. Mahāsattva’s decision matures after their departure. He reviews the body: long provided with bedding, clothing, food, vehicles, and possessions, it remains impermanent, insatiable, difficult to guard, and bound to abandon him. It is unsteady, unbeneficial, frightening as a thief, and impure as filth. If merely sustained, it must decay; if given now, it can save the hungry and cause a body otherwise rotting in vain to accomplish a vast work.
The same body thus has two possible directions in his contemplation. Left to decay, it is only excrement, worms, vessels, sinews, and bones temporarily connected, as unsteady as a bubble. Used to benefit sentient beings, it can become a great boat on the ocean of birth and death, helping them leave cyclic existence. Seeing that the body cannot be kept does not render it useless. It moves Mahāsattva to turn it into rescue before it falls apart.
Nor does his vow stop with feeding the tigress. He aspires to leave sorrow, impermanence, and suffering and seek final nirvāṇa; to be perfected through concentration and wisdom, adorned by a hundred merits, accomplish all-knowledge, and realize the wondrous dharma-body; and after realization, to give measureless Dharma happiness to all beings. Compassion for the mother and seven cubs, his aspiration for awakening, and the future gift of Dharma happiness meet within one sacrifice without excluding one another.
Mahāsattva fears that his brothers will obstruct him and sends them ahead, then returns. He places his clothes on bamboo and vows to seek unsurpassed awakening for all beings in the dharma-realm, give up the body ordinary beings love, and rescue those in the sea of suffering of the three realms. When he first lies before the tigress, she cannot harm him because of his compassionate majesty. He casts himself from the mountain but is caught by seers. Seeing she remains too weak, he fails to find a knife, pierces his neck with dry bamboo, and approaches her.
The sequence refuses to let 『捨身』—“giving up the body”—remain an intention. Lying down, casting himself, rising, searching for a knife, piercing his neck, approaching the tigress: every obstruction makes him search again for a way by which the hungry animal can actually eat. When she licks the blood and consumes the flesh, leaving only bones, the rescue is completed at the level of preserving her life. Blood, hair, and bones remain in the grove.
The sacrifice changes more than the tigress’s fate. Reading the signs, the elder brothers return, see the clothes, bloodied soil, and scattered bones, and faint upon them. After reviving, they wish to die with their brother and wonder how to answer their parents. The youngest prince acts from great compassion, but the grief of parents and brothers is not erased. The birth story preserves the courage that rescues life and the pain of losing kin within the same event.
The queen dreams of her breasts being cut off, teeth falling out, and an eagle taking one of three young doves. She wakes to the shaking earth, dark sun, and strange movement of her breasts. News arrives gradually, first through a maid and then through ministers. The king and queen leave the city, suffering in the uncertainty between not found, two sons alive, and the youngest dead. When they reach the bamboo grove and see the bones, both collapse. Upon reviving, the queen strikes her chest and rolls like a fish out of water or a cow without her calf. The giver has seen the body as something bound to be discarded; the mother still sees an irreplaceable beloved son. The story speaks both perspectives and does not use either to cancel the other.
Finally, the king, queen, princes, and multitude gather the relics and place them within a stūpa. Mahāsattva’s aim was rescue; the family’s act ensures that the loved body does not remain scattered without a resting place. The grove’s bones become the stūpa’s relics. The Buddha then exhorts the assembly by saying that, even while he still possessed craving, anger, and delusion, he could rescue beings according to conditions; now that afflictions and habits are exhausted, still more can he undergo suffering for each being and bring them out of cyclic existence.
〔Section §3〕Why Do Fifty-Six Stanzas Tell the Story Again?
Although the prose has already related seeing the tigress, contemplating the body, giving it up, and the family’s grief, the Buddha retells the story in fifty-six stanzas. The repeated verses do not compress it into 『捨身得福』—“gain merit by giving up the body.” They rearrange the gaze: first they state generally that throughout measureless kalpas the Buddha was born as king or prince, practiced vast generosity, and gave up the beloved body; then they recount Great Chariot’s family, the three princes entering the forest, the hungry tigress approaching the cubs, and Mahāsattva disregarding his body.
After heaven and earth shake, the verses quickly turn toward those left behind. The brothers return to the empty grove, see blood on the tigress and cubs, bones, hair, and blood scattered, faint, and are revived by attendants. The mother, amid palace pleasures, suddenly experiences milk flowing and needle-like pain and senses danger through her dream. She cries to the king, faints, and the palace women weep from loss of support.
The verses then follow the search step by step. Ministers leave the city and the people follow. News is not delivered all at once: different arrivals bring hope and death to the parents in stages. The first minister asks the king not to grieve; the second says two brothers live while the youngest has been swallowed by impermanence; the third reports that the brothers repeatedly fainted in the forest and praised their younger brother’s rare deed. Though the parents know the youngest is dead, they still hurry to comfort the two living sons. The family meets on the road and goes together to the place of sacrifice.
The fifty-six stanzas unfold every transmission and search without reducing a family’s grief to background. From the queen’s ominous dream, flowing milk, and chest pain to the king’s wailing, the people’s unceasing cries, the reunion with the two sons, and gathering bones for a stūpa, the family’s sorrow occupies far more space than the instant of sacrifice. The repetition therefore makes listeners undergo the cost again. The bodhisattva’s vow to rescue the starving is profound, and the accompanying suffering of his family is profound as well.
The repeated verses still conclude with offering. The multitude removes necklaces, gathers the bones, builds a seven-jeweled stūpa, and places the relics in a casket before returning in sorrow. The stūpa that emerges from underground at the chapter’s beginning here reveals how it was made. It carries not only the bodhisattva’s courage, but also the family’s and multitude’s memory of gathering, honoring, and returning in grief.
〔Section §4〕Who Was Who? The Former Vow Makes the Stūpa Reappear
After the repeated verses, the Buddha joins past and present by identifying each figure. Mahāsattva is the Muni Buddha; Great Chariot is Śuddhodana and the queen Māyā; the elder brothers are Maitreya and Mañjuśrī; the tigress is Mahāprajāpatī; five cubs are the five bhikṣus, and the others Mahāmaudgalyāyana and Śāriputra. Hungry beings, giver, and grieving family each receive their present names.
Joining the identities does not erase the former ones, but reveals the continuity of relations from that encounter. The tigress and cubs lived through the prince’s flesh. The prince later became a buddha and told this account before the assembly. The giver is now the teacher, while each recipient is also identified. A causal meeting concerned first with preserving one life reaches toward a cause of buddhahood.
The Buddha directly encourages the assembly to learn such bodhisattva practice. The exhortation does not leave the stūpa behind for an abstraction, but discloses Mahāsattva’s vow that his remaining bones benefit beings in future ages. The seven-jeweled stūpa sank into deep earth, then arose through the power of the former vow to benefit humans and gods. While alive, the prince rescued the tigers with blood and flesh; after death, bones and stūpa benefit later beings. The vow carries the body’s use beyond death and beyond the measureless time the stūpa remains underground.
The former vow does not make the stūpa permanently visible. It emerges when conditions mature, lets the assembly see the relics, hear the story, and arouse the mind, then sinks again when the Buddha gathers in his power. The stūpa need not occupy the surface forever, and the vow does not disappear when it is hidden again.
〔Section §5〕Grief and Joy Together: after Hearing the Birth Story
When the World-Honored One finishes, measureless humans and gods are deeply grieved and joyful, praise the unprecedented event, and all arouse the mind of unsurpassed awakening. Grief and joy are not emotions that replace one another. The assembly grieves for the suffering of Mahāsattva’s family and rejoices in the bodhisattva’s courageous benefit, the cause of buddhahood, and the former vow’s appearance. The story does not ask listeners to retain praise and forget blood, bones, and familial pain; nor does it leave deep grief unable to act. Grief and joy together become the arousal of the mind.
The Buddha again tells the deity of the bodhi tree that he bows to repay kindness. The opening question receives a second answer: the Buddha now revered by all still reveres the former cause of awakening. Repaying kindness is not needed only before buddhahood; the Buddha himself displays it after the fruit. The bones once stripped of flesh by the tigress witness both the gift hardest to make and the fruit that does not forget its cause.
The stūpa finally returns beneath the earth, but the assembly is changed. Before it emerged, they did not know what the ground held. After it sinks, they have seen the relics, heard the birth story, learned the joining of identities, and aroused the mind of awakening. What the stūpa truly leaves is not a form upon the ground but the transmission of an ancient cause of sacrifice into present minds. From water and food to giving the body, from scattered bones to a stūpa arising through a vow, the chapter pushes altruistic action to the point hardest to relinquish and turns the hardest body to relinquish into a cause that leads toward awakening and continues to benefit beings.
Through the Eye of Consciousness-Only
Everything above follows only the causes, persons, and vows stated by this sūtra. What follows borrows Huizhao’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King as a consciousness-only mirror. The mirror is not the scripture; the commentator’s divisions, supplements, and resolutions of difficulty are not inserted back as the scripture’s own words.
Huizhao divides the chapter into four major parts: recounting the former sacrifice, joining past and present, exhorting cultivation, and the assembly benefiting 〔T39n1788 0331b19〕. He divides the prose into ten parts and the fifty-six stanzas into two generally announcing the practice and fifty-four specifically recounting the sacrifice 〔T39n1788 0336a15〕. This structure reveals how prose and verse show different degrees of detail, but belongs to the commentator. The five sections above are only guides for reading the present text, not sections declared by the Buddha.
Huizhao reads Mahāsattva’s contemplation of the body through the four establishments of mindfulness: foul and impure as filth illuminate impurity; decaying by nature and unstable as a bubble illuminate impermanence; insatiable and frightening as a thief illuminate suffering; finally abandoning the self and bringing no benefit illuminate nonself 〔T39n1788 0333b09; 0333c01〕. He also divides the prince’s aspiration into disgust with conditioned existence, seeking awakening, and benefiting beings, and reads the capacity to give as the correspondence of great wisdom, great compassion, and nongreed 〔T39n1788 0333a08–20〕. These are the commentator’s sequence within the original contemplation, aspiration, and altruism, not a new list proclaimed by the prince.
The commentary gives a further symbolic reading of the seven-jeweled stūpa and white relics. The stūpa hidden underground represents the dharma-body relic obscured during the causal stage and disclosed through the Buddha’s skillful means. The jeweled casket represents the tathāgata-womb possessing qualities by nature; the white relics represent purity in principle unstained by defilement 〔T39n1788 0332a12〕. The three fragrances of discipline, concentration, and wisdom are expanded into the fivefold Dharma fragrance by including liberation and knowledge and vision of liberation. These belong to the mirror; the scripture itself speaks only of the three fragrances perfuming the relics and the Buddha bowing in gratitude.
Where the scripture does not explain, the commentary preserves different accounts without deciding one. How was it known that the tigress had given birth seven days earlier? One explanation infers it from the claim that food sustains life only seven days; another says spirits disclosed it, though the compiler did not record this 〔T39n1788 0332c22〕. Huizhao also presents successive questions about the kalpa and stage of the sacrifice, how an emanation body can give itself, and how transcendence of kalpas should be understood, preserving further explanations concerning the multiplication of altruistic practice 〔T39n1788 0331a25〕. The difficulties remain visible.
Huizhao explains differences between prose and repeated verse as mutual abbreviation. The prose describes the parents arriving and collecting bones in greater detail; the verses add ministers searching, three ministers reporting, and the brothers repeatedly fainting. Some matters are full in prose and brief in verse; others full in verse and brief in prose 〔T39n1788 0334c26; 0336a15〕. The mirror lets the same causes and conditions of grief supplement one another across prose and verse.
For the assembly’s final benefit, the commentary distinguishes restating what was taught, identifying those who benefit, and answering the question in conclusion. It reads the stūpa’s final return beneath the earth as indicating that the event is complete 〔T39n1788 0336c15〕. This interpretation joins emergence, seeing the bones, hearing the causes, arousing the mind, and disappearance into one complete manifestation. The scripture itself states why the assembly grieves and rejoices and why the Buddha bows: arousal of the mind and gratitude.
Zhiyi’s Words and Phrases of the Sūtra of Golden Light, Zhili’s Record of the Words and Phrases, and Jizang’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light all read this chapter at the line-by-line level; Zhiyi’s Profound Meaning and Zhili’s Supplementary Record to the Profound Meaning belong to the doctrinal level. Each transmission remains within its work and layer. Looking backward, the chapter continues from giving water and food; looking forward, it exhorts practice through the sacrifice, relics, and former vow. Its carrying forward rests in the Buddha’s own words: such altruistic practice is a cause of buddhahood and should be learned.
考據Apparatus
本品承〈長者子流水品〉十千魚因緣，由佛自說過去不但施水施食，也曾捨所愛身；繼而示現七寶制底與舍利，開演薩埵王子捨身救虎本生，重宣五十六頌，會合古今，勸眾學行。底本為義淨譯本；曇無讖本與寶貴合本俱有同題品，而開品緣起、長行與重頌的分合、人物會合及若干原字各異。本編只作對位並錄，不判三本高下。義疏之鏡取慧沼《金光明最勝王經疏》；智顗《文句》、知禮《文句記》、吉藏《疏》列逐文層，智顗《玄義》與知禮《玄義拾遺記》另標玄義層，分書不混。
一、科判定位
| 系統 | 本品之位 |
|---|---|
| 義淨譯本 | 卷十〈捨身品第二十六〉，品題〔T16n0665 0450c21〕，品身〔0450c22–0454b25〕；上承十千天子因緣，下接〈十方菩薩讚歎品第二十七〉。 |
| 慧沼《疏》 | 疏卷六本品正疏〔T39n1788 0331a12–0336c21〕。品題以來意、釋名、釋妨難三門開章；依文分為述昔捨身、會於今古、勸勵修學、眾聞得益四大段。 |
| 智顗《文句》 | 讖本逐文層，品題〔T39n1785 0082b06〕，正文〔0082b07–0082c12〕。 |
| 知禮《文句記》 | 釋《文句》的逐文記層，科題作「六、釋〈捨身品〉」〔T39n1786 0153c13〕，本品記文至〔0154c16〕。 |
| 吉藏《疏》 | 讖本逐文層，本品段〔T39n1787 0173a18–0173c01〕。 |
慧沼先明本品來意：舉薩埵為利他捨命，勸聞法者不可只知成佛之果而不肯修學；又以難施能施，破除聞少行便生的輕慢。疏文說：「故舉薩埵為利於他當捨身命，何不為自修行此經？故說捨身。」〔T39n1788 0331a16〕又說：「又恐聞說少行成佛，情生輕慢，故舉捨身，勸眾依學。」〔T39n1788 0331a19〕
釋名則以悲智、利他與難施能行合說：「為求大覺，悲智常修，遇苦良田誓捐身命不保尊位，俯救倒懸，難施能行，標為品號，云〈捨身品〉。」〔T39n1788 0331a23〕
依文大科為四。疏先說：「就此品文，大分為四」〔T39n1788 0331b19〕，以下依『復告阿難陀』『我為汝等說』『爾時世尊』三處，分出會於今古、勸勵修學、眾聞得益；第一段為述昔捨身。其中本生長行分十段，後有五十六頌；慧沼說：「下說頌有五十六頌，分二：初二頌總標修行、後五十四頌別頌捨身。」〔T39n1788 0336a15〕
本編據品長與上述大界，設五個讀者導航：承前、詣林、塔出與舍利問答；本生長行；五十六重頌；會古今、勸學與本願涌塔；大眾得益、答禮與塔沒。這五節不是經文自題，亦不取代慧沼科判。
二、異譯對勘
（一）三本品身與開品緣起
| 本 | 品題 | 品身 | 開品方式 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 曇無讖譯本 | 「金光明經捨身品第十七」〔T16n0663 0353c21〕 | 0353c22–0356c21 | 樹神啟請佛少說往昔苦行因緣。 |
| 寶貴合本 | 「捨身品第二十二」〔T16n0664 0396c26〕 | 0396c27–0399c21 | 同以樹神啟請開品，佛現神足，令塔於講堂眾會涌出。 |
| 義淨譯本 | 「捨身品第二十六」〔T16n0665 0450c21〕 | 0450c22–0454b25 | 承前品十千天子因緣，由佛主動告樹神與大眾，隨即至般遮羅聚落林中。 |
二舊本的啟請作：「惟願世尊，少說往昔苦行因緣」〔T16n0663 0353c24〕；寶貴合本相應作：「惟願世尊少說往昔苦行因緣」〔T16n0664 0396c29〕。義淨本先說：「復告菩提樹神及諸大眾」〔T16n0665 0450c23〕，佛告眾之語則為：「我於過去行菩薩道，非但施水及食，濟彼魚命，乃至亦捨所愛之身，如是因緣，可共觀察。」〔T16n0665 0450c23〕三本皆有同題本生，開品敘事卻不相同；此處只錄結構，不以後一譯本之詞搜前二本，也不據此推增刪來源。
（二）十三個敘事單元的完整對位
| 次 | 敘事單元 | 曇無讖譯本 | 寶貴合本 | 義淨譯本 | 分合說明 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | 開品因緣 | 0353c22–0353c25 | 0396c27–0397a01 | 0450c22–0450c25 | 二舊本由樹神啟請；義淨本承前品，由佛主動告眾。 |
| 二 | 現塔、禮塔、舍利 | 0353c26–0354a17 | 0397a02–0397a23 | 0450c26–0451a27 | 義淨本先詣林、敷座、按地；二舊本於講堂眾會現塔。 |
| 三 | 引入本生、王家、遊林 | 0354a18–0354b01 | 0397a24–0397b05 | 0451a27–0451b15 | 義淨本先有阿難樂聞，二舊本直接標往昔國王。 |
| 四 | 見虎、問食、議捨 | 0354b02–0354b17 | 0397b06–0397b21 | 0451b15–0451c05 | 同一敘事單元，發言者異存另列。 |
| 五 | 觀身與求涅槃 | 0354b17–0354c04 | 0397b21–0397c08 | 0451c06–0451c22 | 義淨本夾四組二行頌式；二舊本以長行相續。 |
| 六 | 遣兄、發願、投身 | 0354c04–0354c17 | 0397c08–0397c21 | 0451c22–0452a07 | 義淨本明錄神仙捧接後再刺頸；二舊本的次序另列。 |
| 七 | 瑞應、天讚、虎食 | 0354c17–0354c25 | 0397c20–0397c29 | 0452a07–0452a18 | 三本俱有，行文與字形各守本字。 |
| 八 | 二兄尋弟與悲號 | 0354c25–0355a15 | 0397c27–0398a17 | 0452a18–0452b06 | 二舊本先各偈後長行；義淨本亦以頌、長行交錯。 |
| 九 | 王妃夢兆、侍從、王聞 | 0355a16–0355b02 | 0398a18–0398b03 | 0452b07–0453a03 | 義淨本長行敘至父母到現場並收骨；二舊本此處長行只至王聞初報。 |
| 十 | 佛重宣本事 | 0355b02–0356c04 | 0398b03–0399c06 | 0453a10–0454b06 | 二舊本把父母後續尋覓多置長偈；義淨本先詳長行，後以五十六頌重宣。 |
| 十一 | 會古今 | 0356c04–0356c11 | 0399c06–0399c13 | 0454b07–0454b12 | 人物會合有異，逐項另列。 |
| 十二 | 收骨立塔與本願 | 0356c12–0356c18 | 0399c14–0399c18 | 0453a01–0453a03、0454b15–0454b20 | 義淨本先於長行記置塔，末段再頌本願與塔涌；二舊本在會古今後連敘。 |
| 十三 | 眾益、結問、塔沒 | 0356c19–0356c21 | 0399c18–0399c21 | 0454b21–0454b25 | 義淨本明錄大眾悲喜及佛答報恩；三本皆以塔沒收束。 |
（三）異譯名對與古今會合
| 名目 | 曇無讖譯本 | 寶貴合本 | 義淨譯本 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 往昔國王 | 「有王名曰摩訶羅陀」〔T16n0663 0354a19〕 | 「有王名曰摩訶羅陀」〔T16n0664 0397a25〕 | 「有一國王，名曰大車」〔T16n0665 0451b01〕 |
| 長子 | 「摩訶波那羅」〔T16n0663 0354a22〕 | 「摩訶波那羅」〔T16n0664 0397a28〕 | 「摩訶波羅」〔T16n0665 0451b05〕 |
| 次子 | 「摩訶提婆」〔T16n0663 0354a22〕 | 「摩訶提婆」〔T16n0664 0397a28〕 | 「摩訶提婆」〔T16n0665 0451b06〕 |
| 幼子 | 「摩訶薩埵」〔T16n0663 0354a23〕 | 「摩訶薩埵」〔T16n0664 0397a29〕 | 「摩訶薩埵」〔T16n0665 0451b06〕 |
| 今父 | 「輸頭檀」〔T16n0663 0356c07〕 | 「輸頭檀」〔T16n0664 0399c09〕 | 「父淨飯」〔T16n0665 0454b09〕 |
| 今母 | 「摩耶」〔T16n0663 0356c08〕 | 「摩耶」〔T16n0664 0399c10〕 | 「母摩耶」〔T16n0665 0454b09〕 |
| 今長兄 | 「彌勒」〔T16n0663 0356c09〕 | 「彌勒」〔T16n0664 0399c11〕 | 「慈氏」〔T16n0665 0454b10〕 |
| 今次兄 | 「調達」〔T16n0663 0356c09〕 | 「調達」〔T16n0664 0399c11〕 | 「曼殊室利」〔T16n0665 0454b10〕 |
| 今虎 | 「瞿夷」〔T16n0663 0356c10〕 | 「瞿夷」〔T16n0664 0399c12〕 | 「大世主」〔T16n0665 0454b11〕 |
| 今七子 | 「五比丘，及舍利弗，目犍連」〔T16n0663 0356c11〕 | 「五比丘、及舍利弗、目揵連」〔T16n0664 0399c13〕 | 「五兒五苾芻；一是大目連，一是舍利弗」〔T16n0665 0454b11〕 |
（四）十一項結構性異存
| 次 | 異存點 | 曇無讖譯本 | 寶貴合本 | 義淨譯本 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | 開品主動者／請者 | 「惟願世尊，少說往昔苦行因緣」〔T16n0663 0353c24〕 | 「惟願世尊少說往昔苦行因緣」〔T16n0664 0396c29〕 | 「復告菩提樹神及諸大眾」〔T16n0665 0450c23〕 |
| 二 | 塔現場所與動作 | 「有七寶塔從地涌出」〔T16n0663 0353c27〕 | 「神足力故，令此大地六種震動」〔T16n0664 0397a02〕 | 「百福莊嚴相好之手而按其地」〔T16n0665 0451a06〕 |
| 三 | 舍利色相 | 「見其舍利色妙紅白」〔T16n0663 0354a10〕 | 「見其舍利色妙紅白」〔T16n0664 0397a16〕 | 「舍利，白如珂雪拘物頭花」〔T16n0665 0451a13〕 |
| 四 | 問佛禮骨者 | 「道場菩提樹神白佛言」〔T16n0663 0354a01〕 | 「道場菩提樹神白佛言」〔T16n0664 0397a06〕 | 「時阿難陀前禮佛足」〔T16n0665 0451a23〕 |
| 五 | 遊林同行者 | 「是三王子，於諸園林」〔T16n0663 0354a23〕 | 「是三王子於諸園林遊戲觀看」〔T16n0664 0397a29〕 | 「是時大王為欲遊觀縱賞山林」〔T16n0665 0451b06〕 |
| 六 | 『我等今者』發言者 | 「第二王子言」〔T16n0663 0354b12〕 | 「第三王子言」〔T16n0664 0397b17〕 | 「薩埵王子言」〔T16n0665 0451b27〕 |
| 七 | 投身與竹刺次序 | 「即以乾竹刺頸出血，於高山上」〔T16n0663 0354c16〕 | 「即以乾竹刺頸出血，於高山上投身虎」〔T16n0664 0397c19〕 | 「上高山，投身于地，時諸神仙捧接王子」〔T16n0665 0452a04〕 |
| 八 | 長行轉重頌位置 | 0355b02 | 0398b03 | 0453a10 |
| 九 | 今次兄會合 | 「第二王子，今調達是」〔T16n0663 0356c09〕 | 「第二王子，今調達是」〔T16n0664 0399c11〕 | 「次曼殊室利」〔T16n0665 0454b10〕 |
| 十 | 虎與七子會合 | 「爾時虎者，今瞿夷是」〔T16n0663 0356c10〕 | 「爾時虎者，今瞿夷是」〔T16n0664 0399c12〕 | 「虎是大世主，五兒五苾芻」〔T16n0665 0454b11〕 |
| 十一 | 眾益措辭 | 「無量阿僧祇諸天及人」〔T16n0663 0356c19〕 | 「無量阿僧祇天及人」〔T16n0664 0399c18〕 | 「無量阿僧企耶人天大眾，皆大悲喜」〔T16n0665 0454b21〕 |
（五）曇無讖譯本與寶貴合本的四十九組可枚舉原字異存
下表只計兩個近同文品身的漢字順序對齊：曇無讖譯本三千五百七十八字，寶貴合本三千五百七十九字，共四十九組非等同操作。『空位』只是對位記號，不是經字；本表不把標點另立校勘單元，也不將義淨本的大幅重譯強制拆成單字增刪。
| 次 | 形態 | 曇無讖原字 | 曇無讖逐字上下文 | 錨 | 寶貴原字 | 寶貴逐字上下文 | 錨 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | 替換 | 涌 | 「於大講堂眾會之中，有七寶塔從地涌出，」 | 0353c27 | 踊 | 「堂眾會之中有七寶塔從地踊出，眾寶羅網」 | 0397a03 |
| 二 | 替換 | 是 | 「生希有心。爾時世尊，即從座起禮拜是塔，」 | 0353c29 | 此 | 「爾時，世尊即從座起，禮拜此塔，恭敬圍遶還」 | 0397a05 |
| 三 | 替換 | 繞 | 「恭敬圍繞還就本座。爾時道場菩提樹神白」 | 0354a01 | 遶 | 「爾時，世尊即從座起，禮拜此塔，恭敬圍遶還」 | 0397a05 |
| 四 | 替換 | 熏 | 「無量六波羅蜜功德所熏」 | 0354a08 | 薰 | 「無量六波羅蜜功德所薰」 | 0397a13 |
| 五 | 替換 | 座 | 「即從座起，合掌敬禮大士舍利」 | 0354a17 | 坐 | 「即從坐起，合掌恭敬頂禮菩薩大士舍利」 | 0397a22 |
| 六 | 增入 | 空位 | 「歡喜即從座起，合掌敬禮大士舍利。爾時」 | 0354a17 | 恭 | 「起，合掌恭敬頂禮菩薩大士舍利。」 | 0397a23 |
| 七 | 增入 | 空位 | 「歡喜即從座起，合掌敬禮大士舍利。爾時」 | 0354a17 | 頂 | 「起，合掌恭敬頂禮菩薩大士舍利。」 | 0397a23 |
| 八 | 增入 | 空位 | 「歡喜即從座起，合掌敬禮大士舍利。爾時」 | 0354a17 | 菩薩 | 「起，合掌恭敬頂禮菩薩大士舍利。」 | 0397a23 |
| 九 | 替換 | 大 | 「子端正微妙，形色殊特，威德第一：第一大」 | 0354a21 | 太 | 「正微妙，形色殊特，威德第一：第一太子名」 | 0397a27 |
| 十 | 刪去 | 曰 | 「子名曰摩訶波那羅，次子名曰摩訶提婆，」 | 0354a22 | 空位 | 「摩訶波那羅、次子名曰摩訶提婆、小子名曰」 | 0397a28 |
| 十一 | 替換 | 繞 | 「繞周匝飢餓窮悴，身體羸瘦命將欲絕。第一」 | 0354b03 | 遶 | 「而有七子圍遶周匝，飢餓窮悴，身體羸損，命」 | 0397b08 |
| 十二 | 替換 | 瘦 | 「繞周匝飢餓窮悴，身體羸瘦命將欲絕。第一」 | 0354b03 | 損 | 「而有七子圍遶周匝，飢餓窮悴，身體羸損，命」 | 0397b08 |
| 十三 | 增入 | 空位 | 「繞周匝飢餓窮悴，身體羸瘦命將欲絕。第一」 | 0354b03 | 欲 | 「欲將絕。第一王子見是虎已，作如是言：『怪」 | 0397b09 |
| 十四 | 刪去 | 欲 | 「繞周匝飢餓窮悴，身體羸瘦命將欲絕。第一」 | 0354b03 | 空位 | 「欲將絕。第一王子見是虎已，作如是言：『怪」 | 0397b09 |
| 十五 | 替換 | 繞 | 「七日，七子圍繞不得求食，若為飢逼必還」 | 0354b05 | 遶 | 「哉，此虎產來七日，七子圍遶不得求食。若為」 | 0397b10 |
| 十六 | 替換 | 二 | 「身。』第二王子言：『我等今者以貪惜故，於此」 | 0354b12 | 三 | 「第三王子言：『我等今者以貪惜故，於此身命」 | 0397b17 |
| 十七 | 替換 | 即 | 「即捨無量癰疽瘭疾百千怖畏。是身唯有」 | 0354b25 | 則 | 「捨此身則捨無量癰疽瘭疾、百千怖畏，是身」 | 0397b29 |
| 十八 | 替換 | 可惡荕 | 「諸蟲戶；是身可惡荕纏血塗，皮骨髓腦共」 | 0354b27 | 不淨筋 | 「淨，多諸蟲戶；是身不淨，筋纏血塗，皮、骨、髓、腦」 | 0397c02 |
| 十九 | 替換 | 熏 | 「大悲熏修其心，慮其二兄心懷怖懅，或恐」 | 0354c05 | 薰 | 「時，王子勇猛堪任作是大願，以上大悲薰修」 | 0397c08 |
| 二十 | 刪去 | 欲 | 「度三有諸眾生故，欲滅生死怖畏熱惱」 | 0354c11 | 空位 | 「提智所讚故、欲度三有諸眾生故、滅生死怖」 | 0397c14 |
| 二十一 | 替換 | 畏 | 「度三有諸眾生故，欲滅生死怖畏熱惱」 | 0354c11 | 眾惱 | 「眾惱熱故。』是時王子作是誓已，即自放身臥」 | 0397c15 |
| 二十二 | 刪去 | 惱 | 「度三有諸眾生故，欲滅生死怖畏熱惱」 | 0354c11 | 空位 | 「眾惱熱故。』是時王子作是誓已，即自放身臥」 | 0397c15 |
| 二十三 | 替換 | 刁 | 「得我身血肉食。』即起求刁，周遍求之了不」 | 0354c15 | 刀 | 「得我身血肉食。』即起求刀，周遍求之了不能」 | 0397c18 |
| 二十四 | 增入 | 空位 | 「汝今真是行大悲者，為眾生故能捨難捨，」 | 0354c21 | 難捨 | 「者，為眾生故難捨能捨，於諸學人第一勇」 | 0397c24 |
| 二十五 | 刪去 | 捨難 | 「汝今真是行大悲者，為眾生故能捨難捨，」 | 0354c21 | 空位 | 「者，為眾生故難捨能捨，於諸學人第一勇」 | 0397c24 |
| 二十六 | 替換 | 涼 | 「常樂住處，不久當證無惱無熱清涼涅槃。』」 | 0354c23 | 淨 | 「無惱無熱清淨涅槃。』是虎爾時見血流出污」 | 0397c26 |
| 二十七 | 替換 | 繞 | 「『彼虎產來，已經七日，七子圍繞，」 | 0355a02 | 遶 | 「『彼虎產來，已經七日，七子圍遶，」 | 0398a04 |
| 二十八 | 替換 | 帔 | 「共相將還至虎所，見弟所著帔服衣裳，皆」 | 0355a07 | 被 | 「共相將還至虎所，見弟所著被服、衣裳皆悉」 | 0398a09 |
| 二十九 | 替換 | 蘇 | 「骨上良久乃蘇，即起舉首號天而哭：『我」 | 0355a10 | 悟 | 「良久乃悟，即起舉手呼天而哭：『我弟幼稚，」 | 0398a12 |
| 三十 | 替換 | 首號 | 「骨上良久乃蘇，即起舉首號天而哭：『我」 | 0355a10 | 手呼 | 「良久乃悟，即起舉手呼天而哭：『我弟幼稚，」 | 0398a12 |
| 三十一 | 替換 | 說 | 「忽捨身以飼餓虎。我今還宮，父母說問」 | 0355a12 | 設 | 「飼餓虎？我今還宮，父母設問當云何答？我寧」 | 0398a14 |
| 三十二 | 刪去 | 眠 | 「者我天為何所在？』爾時王妃於睡眠中，夢」 | 0355a17 | 空位 | 「王妃於睡中夢，夢乳被割、牙齒墮落、得三鴿」 | 0398a19 |
| 三十三 | 增入 | 空位 | 「者我天為何所在？』爾時王妃於睡眠中，夢」 | 0355a17 | 夢 | 「王妃於睡中夢，夢乳被割、牙齒墮落、得三鴿」 | 0398a19 |
| 三十四 | 替換 | 生 | 「時王妃，大地動時即便驚寤，心生愁怖而」 | 0355a19 | 大 | 「寤，心大愁怖而說偈言：」 | 0398a21 |
| 三十五 | 替換 | 瞤 | 「我心憂苦，目睫瞤動，如我今者，」 | 0355a23 | 𥌎 | 「我心憂苦，目睫𥌎動，如我今者，」 | 0398a24 |
| 三十六 | 替換 | 飢 | 「至一空山，見新產虎，飢窮無食。」 | 0355b11 | 餓 | 「至一空山，見新產虎，餓窮無食。」 | 0398b12 |
| 三十七 | 替換 | 肢 | 「王妃是時，兩乳汁出，一切肢節，」 | 0355c01 | 支 | 「王妃是時，兩乳汁出，一切支節，」 | 0398c02 |
| 三十八 | 替換 | 似 | 「痛如針刺，心生愁惱，似喪愛子。」 | 0355c02 | 以 | 「痛如針刺，心生愁惱，以喪愛子。」 | 0398c03 |
| 三十九 | 替換 | 座 | 「爾時大王，即從座起，以水灑妃，」 | 0355c25 | 坐 | 「爾時大王，即從坐起，以水灑妃，」 | 0398c26 |
| 四十 | 替換 | 直 | 「我所見夢，已為得報，直我無情，」 | 0356a08 | 值 | 「我所見夢，已為得報，值我無情，」 | 0399a09 |
| 四十一 | 替換 | 首 | 「倍生懊惱，舉首號叫，仰天而哭。」 | 0356a25 | 手 | 「倍生懊惱。舉手號叫，仰天而哭，」 | 0399a27 |
| 四十二 | 增入 | 空位 | 「投身虎前」 | 0356b06 | 餓 | 「即上高處，投身餓虎」 | 0399b08 |
| 四十三 | 刪去 | 前 | 「即上高處，投身虎前」 | 0356b06 | 空位 | 「虎飢所逼，便起噉食。一切血肉，」 | 0399b09 |
| 四十四 | 替換 | 首 | 「良久乃蘇，復起舉首，號天而哭。」 | 0356b12 | 手 | 「良久乃蘇，復起舉手，號天而哭。」 | 0399b14 |
| 四十五 | 替換 | 首 | 「尋復躄地，舉首悲哀，號天而哭，」 | 0356b18 | 手 | 「尋復躄地，舉手悲哀，號天而哭，」 | 0399b20 |
| 四十六 | 替換 | 悶 | 「以離愛子，其心迷悶，氣力惙然，」 | 0356b20 | 沒 | 「以離愛子，其心迷沒，氣力惙然，」 | 0399b22 |
| 四十七 | 替換 | 者 | 「憂惱涕泣，並復思惟：『是最小者，」 | 0356b21 | 子 | 「憂惱涕泣，並復思惟：『是最小子，」 | 0399b23 |
| 四十八 | 替換 | 犍 | 「今五比丘，及舍利弗，目犍連是。」 | 0356c11 | 揵 | 「今五比丘、及舍利弗、目揵連是。」 | 0399c13 |
| 四十九 | 刪去 | 諸 | 「說是經時，無量阿僧祇諸天及人，發阿耨」 | 0356c19 | 空位 | 「量阿僧祇天及人發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」 | 0399c19 |
三、唯識義之經據〔眼〕
本品的經文先把捨身安在三個明文方向：求無上菩提、拔濟三界苦海眾生、願身餘骨來世利益眾生。慧沼的疏以悲智、四念住、菩提與涅槃、饒益有情及法身等門逐層判釋；以下均屬疏家之鏡，不冒作經文自說。
（一）觀身與三個歸向
慧沼判第一組觀身：「初二句思不淨、次三句思無常、次二句思有苦。」〔T39n1788 0333b12〕又把『終歸棄我』判為無我，並於次段分作厭離有為、求菩提、饒益有情三向。第二組觀身則說：「癰疽等，無樂也；唯有大小便利等，不淨也；不堅如泡，無常也；諸虫所集等，無我也。」〔T39n1788 0333c05〕
對『以求無上究竟涅槃』以下，疏先說：「此中初明涅槃。」〔T39n1788 0333c11〕再把『以定慧力』以下判為菩提，把『既證得已』以下判為饒益有情。經文的願行不是只止於棄身，也明說證得法身後施眾生無量法樂。
（二）誓願與悲智
慧沼把薩埵所說八句分為總別：「初二句總、後六句別。別中，初二句厭離有為心、次二句求菩提心、後二句饒益有情心。」〔T39n1788 0333c29〕其前又以三項判『上士』：「一有大智，即有上士是。二有大悲，懷大悲心等是。三忘身濟物，即無貪，能厭離有為。」〔T39n1788 0333a20〕
（三）瑞應、得果與無生
天眾讚頌八句，慧沼先分悲平等、布施與當得果，再說：「後兩句別讚菩提、涅槃，寂靜即涅槃。或能所寂，俱名寂靜。無生者，涅槃也。」〔T39n1788 0334a20〕此處『或』是疏內並存之解，照錄不擇。
（四）塔、舍利與法香
慧沼於七寶函與白舍利處，以如來藏、理性清淨作判釋；這些不是經直說。對經只列戒、定、慧三香，疏說：「五分法香，舉三例二」〔T39n1788 0332b07〕，並續列解脫與解脫智見。故經文列舉仍守三項，五分之會通只置於疏家鏡中。
（五）五十六頌與長行
慧沼指出重頌不是逐段完整重出：五十六頌先以二頌總標修行，後五十四頌別頌捨身；長行十段中，略不頌思應捨命、虎遂能食、結示利生三段。疏文說：「前長行有十段，今頌大段略不頌第四思應捨命、第七虎遂能食、第十結示利生」〔T39n1788 0336a16〕。這一判釋只用來辨明長行與重頌的分合，不把科名寫成經自有標題。
（六）慧沼同疏內部問答與異解全錄
本品正疏中可枚舉的問答、兩解、又釋與或釋如下。各說並存，不擇一說為定。
- 關於捨身在三祇中的時位，慧沼先明正文未見：「答：未見正文。傳云：於第三僧祇中捨」〔T39n1788 0331a26〕，隨後補說：「準此應可通後二僧祇。」〔0331a28〕
- 對第三僧祇受變易而仍有餘骸之難，答作：「答：是化身也。」〔T39n1788 0331b01〕對何不另化肉食虎之難，答作：「答：化自身施，益物多故。」〔0331b02〕對舊本所說飼虎超十一劫之難，又答：「答：亦是化也。」〔0331b04〕
- 對釋迦與慈氏超劫前後之難，第一解以所化眾生根熟前後會通：「為所化生根熟前後，故二菩薩說有超劫。」〔T39n1788 0331b07〕又釋以自利與利他分別：「又釋：倍增進者，望於以前及自利行，於他利行未必倍增」〔0331b09〕，再有合解：「又解：合前二義故得說超。」〔0331b11〕
- 對第九地利他障已斷而百劫中仍說超九劫之難，答作：「答：為生所宜，故無有過。」〔T39n1788 0331b14〕
- 對捨身何以不直接成壽量果，而用苦行勸勉持經之難，疏以妙幢所疑只在壽命、未問長壽之因作答，結句為：「不疑壽長修何行得，故不須成。」〔T39n1788 0331b17〕
- 對現塔何以先按地，疏問：「何不直爾令塔涌現，手按方昇？」〔T39n1788 0332a15〕答：「若不手按直令塔現，大眾不知佛之神力。」〔0332a16〕
- 對捨身塔何以沒地不隱空，疏問：「捨身之塔何不隱空而沒於地？」〔T39n1788 0332a22〕答：「欲顯因中法身舍利，由障所覆不得顯現」〔0332a23〕，並以佛方便、按地方昇續成其解。
- 對大王既遊林而後文仍在宮中之難，疏依舊譯與敘事省略會通，結作：「據實子隨從，王在前還，故聞捨身在宮無爽。」〔T39n1788 0332c11〕
- 對如何知道虎產七日，慧沼明標兩解。第一：「一云：段食所資唯至七日，過此便死。」〔T39n1788 0332c24〕第二：「一云：于時應有鬼神噵之，但經家不出。」〔0332c25〕後說以天神報願、樹神告魚數為比。兩解都只是疏家解難，並非經中新添情節。
- 對天眾頌中的寂靜，疏先作：「寂靜即涅槃。」〔T39n1788 0334a20〕又保留另一讀法：「或能所寂，俱名寂靜。」〔0334a21〕並結：「無生者，涅槃也。」〔0334a21〕
四、諸家異釋（古德·標宗·誌錄不判）
（一）慈恩·慧沼《金光明最勝王經疏》
慧沼為本編義疏鏡的骨幹。其本品正疏在卷六〔T39n1788 0331a12–0336c21〕，依次處理來意、釋名、妨難、四大文、現塔十八段、本生長行十段、五十六重頌、會古今、勸學與得益。經文與牒經仍各歸各書：凡標慧沼者只繫疏卷，不把疏內牒文冒作義淨本經文。
（二）天台·智顗《金光明經文句》逐文層
智顗先問何以從諸多可捨之物中獨以身立品名：「捨義甚多，財位、壽命，獨以身當名耶？」〔T39n1785 0082b07〕其答以虎正須身肉、施者正捨身為要。全品大分：「文為四：一問、二答、三眾得益、四結成。」〔0082b09〕正明本生又判：「正捨身。文為二：一長行、二偈頌。」〔0082b17〕
智顗對虎產七日保留四解：一是「見虎子頭上有七點，知已七日」〔T39n1785 0082b26〕；二是「又云：七日眼開」〔0082b27〕；三是「又七日不食必死」〔0082b28〕；四是「或云：鬼神示悟，如樹神數魚」〔0082b29〕。四解並錄，不升格為經文情節。
（三）宋山家·知禮《金光明經文句記》逐文記層
這一部書釋智顗《文句》，不是《玄義拾遺記》。本品科題確作：「六、釋〈捨身品〉，二：初、釋題」〔T39n1786 0153c13〕。知禮以下列逐文節點記本品，所引均繫本書本品段：
| 節點 | 知禮逐字 | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 題義 | 「受者須身，虎飢所逼正須身肉，壽命財位非彼所求。」〔T39n1786 0153c15〕 | — |
| 事理相資 | 「事行理觀合一而修助道，正修相資而進」 | 0153c20 |
| 談本勸行 | 「然佛談本事令人効行」 | 0153c25 |
| 收題 | 「願聞佛說，隨力奉行。」 | 0154a05 |
| 發問之機 | 「初、問。小人即國，病者小蟲、一萬枯魚。」 | 0154a06 |
| 感深契極 | 「感深契極者，以不二解導難行行，此感至深。」 | 0154a09 |
| 十段科列 | 「十段悉如科列。」 | 0154a12 |
| 述觀解 | 「觀有二種：一助觀、二正觀。」 | 0154a20 |
| 三觀關係 | 「說乃前後，修必一心。」 | 0154a25 |
| 誓願 | 「六句不出四弘」 | 0154a27 |
| 發心 | 「此依界外滅諦為首，驗發圓心也。」 | 0154a29 |
| 六種震動 | 「謂動、起、涌三種是形，震、吼、擊三種是聲。」 | 0154b02 |
| 悲戀 | 「四、捨身後悲戀，二：初、科；二、釋，如文。」 | 0154b03–0154b04 |
| 通明昔行 | 「初、通明昔行。」 | 0154b05 |
| 別頌長行 | 以『我念』為起點，判作「別頌長行」〔T39n1786 0154b05〕 | — |
| 私開頌段 | 「私開二」 | 0154b08 |
| 知終後悲苦 | 以『先所』為起點，判作「頌知終後悲苦」〔T39n1786 0154b15〕 | — |
| 結會 | 以『從佛』為起點，列「結會，二：初、科。二、釋，三」〔T39n1786 0154b20〕 | — |
| 結會人 | 「初、結會人。」 | 0154b20 |
| 淨飯等名 | 知禮並舉『輸頭檀』『閱頭檀』二名，說：「此云淨飯。」〔T39n1786 0154b21〕 | — |
| 塔義 | 「具云塔婆，義翻方墳、或云聚相」 | 0154c01 |
| 舍利義 | 「舍利，此云身骨。」 | 0154c10 |
| 結會誓願與眾益 | 以『經是時』為起點，判作「結會誓願」〔T39n1786 0154c11〕；以『說是』為起點，判作「大眾所益」〔T39n1786 0154c11〕。 | — |
| 音義收尾 | 對『怖懅』，知禮音作「其據切」〔T39n1786 0154c12〕；又引《廣雅》作「畏懼也。」〔T39n1786 0154c13〕 | — |
其中知禮把助觀、正觀與三觀展開，屬天台逐文記之判釋；與慧沼所判四念住、菩提、涅槃、饒益有情並列，不互相代換。
（四）三論·吉藏《金光明經疏》逐文層
吉藏開章作：「此品明釋迦苦行以成壽量之果，傍顯授記。」〔T39n1787 0173a18〕全品由現塔、舍利因緣、本生、捨身、眷屬悲苦、偈頌與結會次第分判。對虎產七日，吉藏也列四義：「何由得知產來七日者，有四義」〔0173b03〕。其四為「一虎子額上有七點」〔0173b04〕、「二見眼始開」〔0173b04〕、「三虎饑臨死，可知七日不食」〔0173b05〕、「四者鬼神語之，如樹神導十千魚」〔0173b05〕。四義並存，不判一義為定。
（五）玄義層：智顗《玄義》與知禮《玄義拾遺記》
智顗《金光明玄義》不是本品逐文疏；其宗要論辯旁引本品，句作：「復引〈捨身品〉中求常樂住處者是三無為為常」〔T39n1783 0011b25〕。此語置於玄義層，不代替《文句》的本品科段。
知禮《金光明經玄義拾遺記》全書沒有本品逐文科題，只有全經力用的玄義旁照：「救魚飼虎，皆是此經生善滅惡力用功德。」〔T39n1784 0045a01〕此書與前列《文句記》是兩部書：前者釋《玄義》，後者釋《文句》，分層標示。
（六）並錄
同一『虎產七日』，慧沼列段食七日與鬼神告知二解；智顗、吉藏各列四解。對觀身，慧沼以四念住及三個歸向判釋，知禮以助觀、正觀與空假中三觀判釋，吉藏以非常、不淨、空無我及涅槃因果分判。各家立場、科判與術語並錄不判；本編不取一家壓一家，也不把玄義層混入逐文層。
五、術語
| 漢語 | 古德所徵 | 義 |
|---|---|---|
| 般遮羅 | 慧沼先說：「言般遮羅者，此云總集」〔T39n1788 0331c09〕；又存一解：「亦謂以籠籠師子等名般遮羅」〔T39n1788 0331c10〕 | 地名；兩說都是疏家所給漢訓，不是義淨本於經中自釋。 |
| 聚落 | 慧沼：「人所聚居名為聚落。落亦庭院。」〔T39n1788 0331c11〕 | 人所聚居之處；疏又敘其地理，與經文林地描寫分層。 |
| 制底 | 慧沼：「言制底者梵語，通目佛之堂塔。」〔T39n1788 0332a18〕 | 經中七寶制底；疏家說其可通稱佛堂塔。 |
| 制多 | 慧沼：「佛堂云制多，此云靈厝」〔T39n1788 0332a19〕 | 疏家別目佛堂之名。 |
| 窣堵波 | 慧沼：「塔云窣堵波，此云高顯」〔T39n1788 0332a20〕 | 塔；經後文用於置舍利、發願與塔涌。 |
| 舍利 | 知禮：「舍利，此云身骨。」〔T39n1786 0154c10〕 | 本品先見白舍利，後敘薩埵餘骨與供養塔。 |
| 摩訶波羅 | 慧沼：「云摩訶波羅者，此云大渠。」〔T39n1788 0332b28〕 | 大車王長子；重頌稱大渠。 |
| 摩訶提婆 | 慧沼：「摩訶提婆者，此云大天。」〔T39n1788 0332b29〕 | 大車王次子；重頌稱大天。 |
| 摩訶薩埵 | 慧沼：「摩訶薩埵者，此云大勇猛」〔T39n1788 0332b29〕 | 幼子薩埵；疏以求大菩提、捐身益物釋其勇猛。 |
| 戒、定、慧香 | 慧沼：「五分法香，舉三例二」〔T39n1788 0332b07〕 | 經明列戒、定、慧三香；疏以五分法香會通，另二分不冒作經的列舉。 |
| 賢首 | 慧沼：「西國恒法，相見稱讚呼為賢首。」〔T39n1788 0335a04〕 | 大車王安慰夫人時的稱呼；只取稱謂義，不外推人物身分。 |
| 阿僧企耶 | 經：「無量阿僧企耶人天大眾」〔T16n0665 0454b21〕 | 表不可計數；得益者依經只列人天大眾。 |
本品經身沒有陀羅尼或呪段，也沒有隨文夾註；不為不存在的音寫另立條目。異體字『𥌎』見夫人偈，原字保留，不以近形字改寫。
六、譬喻·修辭
（一）身如賊、糞、泡與舟航
薩埵觀身，先說身體不堅、無益、可畏如賊、不淨如糞，接著把同一身轉成『於生死海作大舟航』。修辭的力量在轉折：不是因身潔淨可愛而用它，而是明知其無常、難保、終歸敗壞，仍使它成為濟度的工具。慧沼分別以無常、無我、無樂、不淨及饒益有情判釋，仍屬疏家鏡。
（二）如捐洟唾
薩埵追念百千生中身體虛棄爛壞，遂問今日何以不能棄身濟苦，並以洟唾為喻。慧沼說：「捨無常色獲得常色等故。」〔T39n1788 0333a27〕這一喻不是輕蔑有情身命，而是就自己所愛身破除悋著。
（三）瑞應與天地失色
大地震動、日失光明、天雨名花與妙香末，構成捨身當下的三重瑞應；其後二兄、王妃也由地動、日闇與身兆知有變故。自然景象既為天眾供養，也成為眷屬悲戀的敘事信號。
（四）憂箭、憂火、憂海
本品反覆以箭、火、海寫悲苦：夫人如箭射心，王與夫人心沒憂海，二兄與父母被憂火所逼。這些不是抽象的道理，而是讓捨身一端的大悲與失子一端的大痛同時被看見；經沒有把眷屬之悲省略成一句『皆哀』。
（五）夢兆與禽鳥
王妃夢見兩乳被割、牙齒墮落、三鴿鶵中一隻被鷹擒去；醒後又有乳流、目𥌎、身戰等徵。後文四頌逐項回收夢兆，使『失最小愛子』先以象徵逼近，再由臣報成為確知。
（六）猛風吹樹、魚在陸地
父母見骸骨後悶絕，如猛風吹倒大樹；夫人醒後宛轉于地，如魚處陸，又如牛失子。喻體皆在經文，所顯是身心失去依止的急苦，不另造經外比喻。
七、互讀·承衍
本品明文承接〈長者子流水品〉：前品說十千魚得水食與聞佛名，本品開端再說菩薩往昔不但施水施食，也捨所愛身。兩品不是兩則互不相干的故事，而以『利他緣』相承；末段佛勸：「我為汝等說，往昔利他緣；如是菩薩行，成佛因當學。」〔T16n0665 0454b13〕
慧沼把這一品安在成前諸品、勸眾學行的位置，並以悲智、四念住、菩提、涅槃、饒益有情與法身等義承接慈恩唯識教門。天台逐文層另以理觀、四弘與三觀讀其願行；三論逐文層以非常、不淨、空無我、涅槃因果分判。三條古德讀路都由同一本生發端，本編只誌其承衍，不把後來的鏡說成經的來源。
就本藏互讀而言，本品的『以定慧力圓滿熏修』『成一切智』『諸佛所讚微妙法身』，可與本藏已成編的唯識諸經論相互發明；但本品自身的教學軸仍是捨所愛身、利他、發願、成佛因當學。承衍的末端還須回到經中的勸修，不將捨身本生化約成宗派命題。
八、校本定位
| 典籍 | 本品／旁照範圍 | 層次 |
|---|---|---|
| 《金光明最勝王經》T16n0665 | 品題 0450c21；品身 0450c22–0454b25 | 本編底本 |
| 《金光明經》T16n0663 | 品題 0353c21；品身 0353c22–0356c21 | 曇無讖譯本，同題異譯校本 |
| 《合部金光明經》T16n0664 | 品題 0396c26；品身 0396c27–0399c21 | 寶貴合本，同題異譯校本 |
| 慧沼《金光明最勝王經疏》T39n1788 | 品題 0331a12；正疏 0331a13–0336c21 | 慈恩唯識鏡骨幹 |
| 智顗《金光明經文句》T39n1785 | 品題 0082b06；本品 0082b07–0082c12 | 天台逐文層 |
| 知禮《金光明經文句記》T39n1786 | 科題 0153c13；記文至 0154c16 | 天台逐文記層 |
| 吉藏《金光明經疏》T39n1787 | 0173a18–0173c01 | 三論逐文層 |
| 智顗《金光明玄義》T39n1783 | 0011a18 段，捨身旁照自 0011b25 起 | 天台玄義層，非本品逐文疏 |
| 知禮《金光明經玄義拾遺記》T39n1784 | 0044c27 段，救魚飼虎語在 0045a01 | 天台玄義記層，無本品逐文科題 |
本品底本正文四千一百六十六字，真末行為〔T16n0665 0454b25〕塔還沒地；下一品題跨〔0454b26–0454b27〕，不倒推為本品末行。慧沼正疏真末字在〔T39n1788 0336c21〕；〔0336c22〕已起下一品。卷首目次中的同名見不作正疏引用。
三譯對勘的結論限於傳本事實：三本同有〈捨身品〉，而開品緣起、敘事詳略、長行與重頌分合、人物會合及原字有異。本編不由這些差異推定文獻來源或增刪方向，也不裁定三本孰勝。
This chapter carries forward the causes and conditions of the ten thousand fish in the Merchant’s Son Flowing Water chapter. The Buddha himself explains that in the past he not only gave water and food but also gave up the body he loved. He then manifests a seven-jeweled caitya and relics, unfolds the birth story in which Prince Mahāsattva gives up his body to rescue a tigress, retells it in fifty-six stanzas, and follows those with seven identity-and-vow stanzas that join past and present and exhort the assembly to practice and learn. Yijing’s recension is the base text. Both Dharmakṣema’s recension and the Baogui composite recension contain a chapter with the same title, while their opening circumstances, division of prose and repeated verse, identifications of the figures, and certain original characters differ. This apparatus aligns and records them together, without judging the three recensions as higher or lower. Its expository mirror is Huizhao’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King. Zhiyi’s Textual Commentary, Zhili’s Record of the Textual Commentary, and Jizang’s Commentary are placed on the line-by-line level; Zhiyi’s Profound Meaning and Zhili’s Record of Gleanings from the Profound Meaning are separately marked as belonging to the level of profound meaning, so distinct works are not conflated.
I. Doctrinal-Outline Placement
| System | Placement of this chapter |
|---|---|
| Yijing’s recension | Fascicle ten, Giving Up the Body, Chapter Twenty-Six: chapter title 〔T16n0665 0450c21〕 and chapter body 〔0450c22–0454b25〕. It follows the causes and conditions of the ten thousand divine princes and precedes The Bodhisattvas of the Ten Directions Offer Praise, Chapter Twenty-Seven. |
| Huizhao’s Commentary | The direct commentary on this chapter in fascicle six 〔T39n1788 0331a12–0336c21〕. From the chapter title onward, it opens through three gates: reason for arrival, explanation of the name, and resolution of difficulties. It divides the text into four major parts: recounting the former giving up of the body, joining past and present, exhorting and encouraging practice and learning, and the benefits received by the assembly upon hearing. |
| Zhiyi’s Textual Commentary | The line-by-line level for Dharmakṣema’s recension: chapter title 〔T39n1785 0082b06〕 and direct text 〔0082b07–0082c12〕. |
| Zhili’s Record of the Textual Commentary | The line-by-line record explaining the Textual Commentary. Its outline title is 「六、釋〈捨身品〉」—“Sixth, explaining the Giving Up the Body chapter” 〔T39n1786 0153c13〕, and its record for this chapter extends through 〔0154c16〕. |
| Jizang’s Commentary | The line-by-line level for Dharmakṣema’s recension, in the passage 〔T39n1787 0173a18–0173c01〕. |
Huizhao first explains why this chapter arrives: it presents Mahāsattva giving up his life to benefit others and exhorts those who hear the Dharma not merely to know the fruit of buddhahood while refusing to practice and learn. It also uses one who could give what is difficult to give to dispel the contempt that might arise upon hearing that only a little practice brings attainment. The commentary says, 「故舉薩埵為利於他當捨身命，何不為自修行此經？故說捨身。」—“Therefore Mahāsattva is presented as one who should give up body and life to benefit others: why should one not practice this scripture for oneself? Thus the giving up of the body is explained” 〔T39n1788 0331a16〕. It also says, 「又恐聞說少行成佛，情生輕慢，故舉捨身，勸眾依學。」—“Again, for fear that hearing a little practice spoken of as leading to buddhahood might give rise to contempt, the giving up of the body is presented to exhort the assembly to rely upon and learn it” 〔T39n1788 0331a19〕.
The explanation of the name combines compassion and wisdom, benefiting others, and the ability to perform a difficult gift: 「為求大覺，悲智常修，遇苦良田誓捐身命不保尊位，俯救倒懸，難施能行，標為品號，云〈捨身品〉。」—“Seeking great awakening, he constantly cultivated compassion and wisdom. Encountering the excellent field of suffering, he vowed to cast away body and life, did not preserve his honored station, bent down to rescue those hanging upside down, and could perform the gift difficult to give. This is marked as the chapter’s title and called the Giving Up the Body chapter” 〔T39n1788 0331a23〕.
The major textual outline has four parts. The commentary first says, 「就此品文，大分為四」—“The text of this chapter is broadly divided into four” 〔T39n1788 0331b19〕. It then uses the three places 『復告阿難陀』, 『我為汝等說』, and 『爾時世尊』—“again he told Ānanda,” “I explain for you,” and “at that time the World-Honored One”—to distinguish joining past and present, exhorting and encouraging practice and learning, and the benefits received by the assembly upon hearing. The first part recounts the former giving up of the body. Within it, the prose birth story has ten parts, followed by fifty-six stanzas. Huizhao says, 「下說頌有五十六頌，分二：初二頌總標修行、後五十四頌別頌捨身。」—“The stanzas explained below number fifty-six and are divided in two: the first two generally mark practice; the following fifty-four separately recount giving up the body” 〔T39n1788 0336a15〕.
On the basis of the chapter’s length and these major boundaries, this apparatus provides five navigational sections for readers: carrying forward what precedes, going to the grove, the stūpa’s appearance, and the questions and answers concerning the relics; the prose birth story; the fifty-six repeated stanzas; the joining of past and present, exhortation to learn, and the stūpa’s arising through the former vow; and the benefit received by the assembly, the reply concerning reverence, and the stūpa’s disappearance. These five sections are not headings in the scripture and do not replace Huizhao’s outline.
II. Alternate Translations · Collation of the Three Translations
The Chapter Bodies and Opening Circumstances in the Three Recensions
| Recension | Chapter title | Chapter body | Manner of opening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dharmakṣema’s recension | 「金光明經捨身品第十七」—“The Sūtra of Golden Light, Giving Up the Body, Chapter Seventeen” 〔T16n0663 0353c21〕 | 0353c22–0356c21 | The tree deity entreats the Buddha to explain briefly the causes and conditions of former ascetic practices. |
| Baogui composite recension | 「捨身品第二十二」—“Giving Up the Body, Chapter Twenty-Two” 〔T16n0664 0396c26〕 | 0396c27–0399c21 | It likewise opens with the tree deity’s entreaty. The Buddha manifests spiritual power, causing a stūpa to arise amid the assembly in the lecture hall. |
| Yijing’s recension | 「捨身品第二十六」—“Giving Up the Body, Chapter Twenty-Six” 〔T16n0665 0450c21〕 | 0450c22–0454b25 | Carrying forward the causes and conditions of the ten thousand divine princes from the preceding chapter, the Buddha spontaneously addresses the tree deity and the assembly, then immediately goes to the grove by the village of Pañcāla. |
The entreaty in the two older recensions reads, 「惟願世尊，少說往昔苦行因緣」—“We only pray that the World-Honored One briefly explain the causes and conditions of former ascetic practices” 〔T16n0663 0353c24〕; the corresponding wording in the Baogui composite recension is 「惟願世尊少說往昔苦行因緣」—“We only pray that the World-Honored One briefly explain the causes and conditions of former ascetic practices” 〔T16n0664 0396c29〕. Yijing’s recension first says, 「復告菩提樹神及諸大眾」—“He again told the deity of the bodhi tree and the great assembly” 〔T16n0665 0450c23〕, and the Buddha’s words to the assembly are, 「我於過去行菩薩道，非但施水及食，濟彼魚命，乃至亦捨所愛之身，如是因緣，可共觀察。」—“In the past, while practicing the bodhisattva path, I not only gave water and food to rescue those fish but even gave up the body I loved. You may all contemplate causes and conditions such as these” 〔T16n0665 0450c23〕. All three contain the same-titled birth story, yet their opening narratives differ. This records structure only; it neither searches the two earlier recensions through the wording of a later translation nor infers a source or direction of addition and omission.
Complete Alignment of Thirteen Narrative Units
| No. | Narrative unit | Dharmakṣema’s recension | Baogui composite recension | Yijing’s recension | Explanation of division and combination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One | Opening circumstances | 0353c22–0353c25 | 0396c27–0397a01 | 0450c22–0450c25 | In the two older recensions, the tree deity makes an entreaty; Yijing’s recension carries forward the preceding chapter and has the Buddha spontaneously address the assembly. |
| Two | Manifesting the stūpa, revering the stūpa, and the relics | 0353c26–0354a17 | 0397a02–0397a23 | 0450c26–0451a27 | Yijing’s recension first goes to the grove, spreads a seat, and presses the ground; in the two older recensions, the stūpa manifests amid the assembly in the lecture hall. |
| Three | Introducing the birth story, the royal family, and the excursion to the grove | 0354a18–0354b01 | 0397a24–0397b05 | 0451a27–0451b15 | Yijing’s recension first records Ānanda’s delight in hearing; the two older recensions directly introduce the former king. |
| Four | Seeing the tigress, asking about her food, and discussing the gift | 0354b02–0354b17 | 0397b06–0397b21 | 0451b15–0451c05 | This is the same narrative unit; differences in the identified speaker are listed separately. |
| Five | Contemplating the body and seeking nirvāṇa | 0354b17–0354c04 | 0397b21–0397c08 | 0451c06–0451c22 | Yijing’s recension inserts four pairs of verse-like lines; the two older recensions proceed continuously in prose. |
| Six | Sending away the brothers, making the vow, and casting away the body | 0354c04–0354c17 | 0397c08–0397c21 | 0451c22–0452a07 | Yijing’s recension explicitly records that seers catch him before he again pierces his neck; the sequence in the two older recensions is listed separately. |
| Seven | Auspicious responses, heavenly praise, and the tigress eating | 0354c17–0354c25 | 0397c20–0397c29 | 0452a07–0452a18 | All three contain these events, while the wording and character forms of each recension are preserved. |
| Eight | The two brothers search for the youngest and lament | 0354c25–0355a15 | 0397c27–0398a17 | 0452a18–0452b06 | The two older recensions first give each stanza and then prose; Yijing’s recension likewise interweaves stanza and prose. |
| Nine | The queen’s dream portents, the attendant, and the king hearing | 0355a16–0355b02 | 0398a18–0398b03 | 0452b07–0453a03 | Yijing’s prose continues through the parents’ arrival at the site and their gathering of the bones; here the prose of the two older recensions extends only through the king’s hearing of the initial report. |
| Ten | The Buddha retells the former event | 0355b02–0356c04 | 0398b03–0399c06 | 0453a10–0454b06 | The two older recensions place much of the parents’ subsequent search in long verse; Yijing first gives it fully in prose and then retells it in fifty-six stanzas. |
| Eleven | Joining past and present | 0356c04–0356c11 | 0399c06–0399c13 | 0454b07–0454b12 | The identifications of the figures differ and are listed item by item below. |
| Twelve | Gathering the bones, establishing the stūpa, and the former vow | 0356c12–0356c18 | 0399c14–0399c18 | 0453a01–0453a03、0454b15–0454b20 | Yijing’s recension first records establishing the stūpa in prose, then concludes with the former vow and the stūpa’s arising in verse; the two older recensions narrate these continuously after joining past and present. |
| Thirteen | Benefits to the assembly, concluding question, and disappearance of the stūpa | 0356c19–0356c21 | 0399c18–0399c21 | 0454b21–0454b25 | Yijing’s recension explicitly records the assembly’s grief and joy and the Buddha’s reply concerning repayment of kindness; all three conclude with the stūpa’s disappearance. |
Corresponding Names across the Translations and the Joining of Past and Present
| Referent | Dharmakṣema’s recension | Baogui composite recension | Yijing’s recension |
|---|---|---|---|
| Former king | 「有王名曰摩訶羅陀」—“There was a king named Mahāratha” 〔T16n0663 0354a19〕 | 「有王名曰摩訶羅陀」—“There was a king named Mahāratha” 〔T16n0664 0397a25〕 | 「有一國王，名曰大車」—“There was a king named Great Chariot” 〔T16n0665 0451b01〕 |
| Eldest son | 「摩訶波那羅」—“Mahāpanāra” 〔T16n0663 0354a22〕 | 「摩訶波那羅」—“Mahāpanāra” 〔T16n0664 0397a28〕 | 「摩訶波羅」—“Mahābala” 〔T16n0665 0451b05〕 |
| Second son | 「摩訶提婆」—“Mahādeva” 〔T16n0663 0354a22〕 | 「摩訶提婆」—“Mahādeva” 〔T16n0664 0397a28〕 | 「摩訶提婆」—“Mahādeva” 〔T16n0665 0451b06〕 |
| Youngest son | 「摩訶薩埵」—“Mahāsattva” 〔T16n0663 0354a23〕 | 「摩訶薩埵」—“Mahāsattva” 〔T16n0664 0397a29〕 | 「摩訶薩埵」—“Mahāsattva” 〔T16n0665 0451b06〕 |
| Present father | 「輸頭檀」—“Śuddhodana” 〔T16n0663 0356c07〕 | 「輸頭檀」—“Śuddhodana” 〔T16n0664 0399c09〕 | 「父淨飯」—“the father was Śuddhodana” 〔T16n0665 0454b09〕 |
| Present mother | 「摩耶」—“Māyā” 〔T16n0663 0356c08〕 | 「摩耶」—“Māyā” 〔T16n0664 0399c10〕 | 「母摩耶」—“the mother was Māyā” 〔T16n0665 0454b09〕 |
| Present eldest brother | 「彌勒」—“Maitreya” 〔T16n0663 0356c09〕 | 「彌勒」—“Maitreya” 〔T16n0664 0399c11〕 | 「慈氏」—“Maitreya” 〔T16n0665 0454b10〕 |
| Present second brother | 「調達」—“Devadatta” 〔T16n0663 0356c09〕 | 「調達」—“Devadatta” 〔T16n0664 0399c11〕 | 「曼殊室利」—“Mañjuśrī” 〔T16n0665 0454b10〕 |
| Present tigress | 「瞿夷」—“Gopī” 〔T16n0663 0356c10〕 | 「瞿夷」—“Gopī” 〔T16n0664 0399c12〕 | 「大世主」—“Mahāprajāpatī” 〔T16n0665 0454b11〕 |
| Present seven cubs | 「五比丘，及舍利弗，目犍連」—“the five bhikṣus, Śāriputra, and Maudgalyāyana” 〔T16n0663 0356c11〕 | 「五比丘、及舍利弗、目揵連」—“the five bhikṣus, Śāriputra, and Maudgalyāyana” 〔T16n0664 0399c13〕 | 「五兒五苾芻；一是大目連，一是舍利弗」—“Five cubs were the five bhikṣus; one was Mahāmaudgalyāyana, and one was Śāriputra” 〔T16n0665 0454b11〕 |
Eleven Structural Variants
| No. | Point of variation | Dharmakṣema’s recension | Baogui composite recension | Yijing’s recension |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One | Initiator or petitioner at the opening | 「惟願世尊，少說往昔苦行因緣」—“We only pray that the World-Honored One briefly explain the causes and conditions of former ascetic practices” 〔T16n0663 0353c24〕 | 「惟願世尊少說往昔苦行因緣」—“We only pray that the World-Honored One briefly explain the causes and conditions of former ascetic practices” 〔T16n0664 0396c29〕 | 「復告菩提樹神及諸大眾」—“He again told the deity of the bodhi tree and the great assembly” 〔T16n0665 0450c23〕 |
| Two | Place and action of the stūpa’s manifestation | 「有七寶塔從地涌出」—“A seven-jeweled stūpa arose from the ground” 〔T16n0663 0353c27〕 | 「神足力故，令此大地六種震動」—“Through the power of spiritual attainment, he caused this great earth to quake in six ways” 〔T16n0664 0397a02〕 | 「百福莊嚴相好之手而按其地」—“He pressed that ground with his hand, adorned by the excellent marks of a hundred merits” 〔T16n0665 0451a06〕 |
| Three | Appearance of the relics | 「見其舍利色妙紅白」—“They saw that the relics were wondrously red and white in color” 〔T16n0663 0354a10〕 | 「見其舍利色妙紅白」—“They saw that the relics were wondrously red and white in color” 〔T16n0664 0397a16〕 | 「舍利，白如珂雪拘物頭花」—“The relics were white like conch, snow, and kumuda flowers” 〔T16n0665 0451a13〕 |
| Four | Person who asks why the Buddha reveres the bones | 「道場菩提樹神白佛言」—“The bodhi-tree deity of the place of awakening addressed the Buddha” 〔T16n0663 0354a01〕 | 「道場菩提樹神白佛言」—“The bodhi-tree deity of the place of awakening addressed the Buddha” 〔T16n0664 0397a06〕 | 「時阿難陀前禮佛足」—“Then Ānanda came forward and bowed at the Buddha’s feet” 〔T16n0665 0451a23〕 |
| Five | Companions on the forest excursion | 「是三王子，於諸園林」—“The three princes were in the gardens and groves” 〔T16n0663 0354a23〕 | 「是三王子於諸園林遊戲觀看」—“The three princes roamed and observed throughout the gardens and groves” 〔T16n0664 0397a29〕 | 「是時大王為欲遊觀縱賞山林」—“At that time the great king wished to tour and enjoy the mountain forests” 〔T16n0665 0451b06〕 |
| Six | Speaker of 『我等今者』—“we now” | 「第二王子言」—“The second prince said” 〔T16n0663 0354b12〕 | 「第三王子言」—“The third prince said” 〔T16n0664 0397b17〕 | 「薩埵王子言」—“Prince Mahāsattva said” 〔T16n0665 0451b27〕 |
| Seven | Sequence of casting away the body and piercing it with bamboo | 「即以乾竹刺頸出血，於高山上」—“He immediately pierced his neck with dry bamboo so that blood flowed, upon the high mountain” 〔T16n0663 0354c16〕 | 「即以乾竹刺頸出血，於高山上投身虎」—“He immediately pierced his neck with dry bamboo so that blood flowed and cast his body to the tigress from the high mountain” 〔T16n0664 0397c19〕 | 「上高山，投身于地，時諸神仙捧接王子」—“He climbed the high mountain and cast his body to the ground; then the seers caught the prince” 〔T16n0665 0452a04〕 |
| Eight | Point of transition from prose to repeated verse | 0355b02 | 0398b03 | 0453a10 |
| Nine | Identification of the present second brother | 「第二王子，今調達是」—“The second prince is the present Devadatta” 〔T16n0663 0356c09〕 | 「第二王子，今調達是」—“The second prince is the present Devadatta” 〔T16n0664 0399c11〕 | 「次曼殊室利」—“The second was Mañjuśrī” 〔T16n0665 0454b10〕 |
| Ten | Identification of the tigress and seven cubs | 「爾時虎者，今瞿夷是」—“The tigress at that time is the present Gopī” 〔T16n0663 0356c10〕 | 「爾時虎者，今瞿夷是」—“The tigress at that time is the present Gopī” 〔T16n0664 0399c12〕 | 「虎是大世主，五兒五苾芻」—“The tigress was Mahāprajāpatī, and five cubs were the five bhikṣus” 〔T16n0665 0454b11〕 |
| Eleven | Wording of the benefit to the assembly | 「無量阿僧祇諸天及人」—“Measureless asaṃkhyeyas of gods and humans” 〔T16n0663 0356c19〕 | 「無量阿僧祇天及人」—“Measureless asaṃkhyeyas of gods and humans” 〔T16n0664 0399c18〕 | 「無量阿僧企耶人天大眾，皆大悲喜」—“A measureless asaṃkhyeya great assembly of humans and gods were all deeply grieved and joyful” 〔T16n0665 0454b21〕 |
Forty-Nine Enumerable Original-Character Variants between Dharmakṣema’s Recension and the Baogui Composite Recension
The following table counts only the aligned Han-character sequences in the two nearly identical chapter bodies: 3,578 characters in Dharmakṣema’s recension and 3,579 in the Baogui composite recension, with forty-nine nonequivalent operations in all. 『空位』—“Empty position”—is only an alignment marker and not a scriptural character. The table does not establish punctuation as a separate collation unit, nor does it forcibly break Yijing’s extensive retranslation into single-character additions and omissions.
| No. | Form | Dharmakṣema original | Dharmakṣema verbatim context | Anchor | Baogui original | Baogui verbatim context | Anchor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One | Substitution | 涌—“arise” | 「於大講堂眾會之中，有七寶塔從地涌出，」—“Amid the assembly in the great lecture hall, a seven-jeweled stūpa arose from the ground” | 0353c27 | 踊—“spring up” | 「堂眾會之中有七寶塔從地踊出，眾寶羅網」—“Amid the assembly in the hall, a seven-jeweled stūpa sprang from the ground, with nets of many jewels” | 0397a03 |
| Two | Substitution | 是—“that” | 「生希有心。爾時世尊，即從座起禮拜是塔，」—“They conceived a thought of rarity. Then the World-Honored One rose from his seat and bowed to that stūpa” | 0353c29 | 此—“this” | 「爾時，世尊即從座起，禮拜此塔，恭敬圍遶還」—“Then the World-Honored One rose from his seat, bowed to this stūpa, reverently circumambulated it, and returned” | 0397a05 |
| Three | Substitution | 繞—“circumambulate” | 「恭敬圍繞還就本座。爾時道場菩提樹神白」—“He reverently circumambulated it and returned to his original seat. Then the bodhi-tree deity of the place of awakening addressed” | 0354a01 | 遶—“circumambulate” | 「爾時，世尊即從座起，禮拜此塔，恭敬圍遶還」—“Then the World-Honored One rose from his seat, bowed to this stūpa, reverently circumambulated it, and returned” | 0397a05 |
| Four | Substitution | 熏—“perfumed” | 「無量六波羅蜜功德所熏」—“perfumed by the measureless merit of the six perfections” | 0354a08 | 薰—“perfumed” | 「無量六波羅蜜功德所薰」—“perfumed by the measureless merit of the six perfections” | 0397a13 |
| Five | Substitution | 座—“seat” | 「即從座起，合掌敬禮大士舍利」—“He immediately rose from his seat, joined his palms, and reverently bowed to the great being’s relics” | 0354a17 | 坐—“seat” | 「即從坐起，合掌恭敬頂禮菩薩大士舍利」—“He immediately rose from his seat, joined his palms, and reverently bowed his head to the relics of the bodhisattva great being” | 0397a22 |
| Six | Addition | 空位—“empty position” | 「歡喜即從座起，合掌敬禮大士舍利。爾時」—“Joyfully he immediately rose from his seat, joined his palms, and reverently bowed to the great being’s relics. At that time” | 0354a17 | 恭—“reverently” | 「起，合掌恭敬頂禮菩薩大士舍利。」—“rose, joined his palms, and reverently bowed his head to the relics of the bodhisattva great being” | 0397a23 |
| Seven | Addition | 空位—“empty position” | 「歡喜即從座起，合掌敬禮大士舍利。爾時」—“Joyfully he immediately rose from his seat, joined his palms, and reverently bowed to the great being’s relics. At that time” | 0354a17 | 頂—“bow the head” | 「起，合掌恭敬頂禮菩薩大士舍利。」—“rose, joined his palms, and reverently bowed his head to the relics of the bodhisattva great being” | 0397a23 |
| Eight | Addition | 空位—“empty position” | 「歡喜即從座起，合掌敬禮大士舍利。爾時」—“Joyfully he immediately rose from his seat, joined his palms, and reverently bowed to the great being’s relics. At that time” | 0354a17 | 菩薩—“bodhisattva” | 「起，合掌恭敬頂禮菩薩大士舍利。」—“rose, joined his palms, and reverently bowed his head to the relics of the bodhisattva great being” | 0397a23 |
| Nine | Substitution | 大—“great” | 「子端正微妙，形色殊特，威德第一：第一大」—“The princes were fine and wondrous, exceptional in form and complexion, foremost in majestic virtue: the first great” | 0354a21 | 太—“crown” | 「正微妙，形色殊特，威德第一：第一太子名」—“fine and wondrous, exceptional in form and complexion, foremost in majestic virtue: the first crown prince was named” | 0397a27 |
| Ten | Omission | 曰—“called” | 「子名曰摩訶波那羅，次子名曰摩訶提婆，」—“The prince was called Mahāpanāra; the second son was called Mahādeva” | 0354a22 | 空位—“empty position” | 「摩訶波那羅、次子名曰摩訶提婆、小子名曰」—“Mahāpanāra; the second son was called Mahādeva; the youngest son was called” | 0397a28 |
| Eleven | Substitution | 繞—“surround” | 「繞周匝飢餓窮悴，身體羸瘦命將欲絕。第一」—“surrounded her all around; hungry, exhausted, and emaciated, her body was wasted and her life about to end. The first” | 0354b03 | 遶—“surround” | 「而有七子圍遶周匝，飢餓窮悴，身體羸損，命」—“while seven cubs surrounded her all around; hungry, exhausted, and emaciated, her body was wasted, and her life” | 0397b08 |
| Twelve | Substitution | 瘦—“thin” | 「繞周匝飢餓窮悴，身體羸瘦命將欲絕。第一」—“surrounded her all around; hungry, exhausted, and emaciated, her body was thin and her life about to end. The first” | 0354b03 | 損—“wasted” | 「而有七子圍遶周匝，飢餓窮悴，身體羸損，命」—“while seven cubs surrounded her all around; hungry, exhausted, and emaciated, her body was wasted, and her life” | 0397b08 |
| Thirteen | Addition | 空位—“empty position” | 「繞周匝飢餓窮悴，身體羸瘦命將欲絕。第一」—“surrounded her all around; hungry, exhausted, and emaciated, her body was thin and her life about to end. The first” | 0354b03 | 欲—“about to” | 「欲將絕。第一王子見是虎已，作如是言：『怪」—“was about to end. After the first prince saw this tigress, he spoke as follows: ‘Strange” | 0397b09 |
| Fourteen | Omission | 欲—“about to” | 「繞周匝飢餓窮悴，身體羸瘦命將欲絕。第一」—“surrounded her all around; hungry, exhausted, and emaciated, her body was thin and her life about to end. The first” | 0354b03 | 空位—“empty position” | 「欲將絕。第一王子見是虎已，作如是言：『怪」—“was about to end. After the first prince saw this tigress, he spoke as follows: ‘Strange” | 0397b09 |
| Fifteen | Substitution | 繞—“surround” | 「七日，七子圍繞不得求食，若為飢逼必還」—“seven days; the seven cubs surround her, and she cannot seek food. If pressed by hunger, she will certainly turn” | 0354b05 | 遶—“surround” | 「哉，此虎產來七日，七子圍遶不得求食。若為」—“indeed, it has been seven days since this tigress gave birth; the seven cubs surround her, and she cannot seek food. If” | 0397b10 |
| Sixteen | Substitution | 二—“second” | 「身。』第二王子言：『我等今者以貪惜故，於此」—“body.’ The second prince said, ‘We now, because of attachment and cherishing, with respect to this” | 0354b12 | 三—“third” | 「第三王子言：『我等今者以貪惜故，於此身命」—“The third prince said, ‘We now, because of attachment and cherishing, with respect to this body and life” | 0397b17 |
| Seventeen | Substitution | 即—“then” | 「即捨無量癰疽瘭疾百千怖畏。是身唯有」—“one then abandons measureless abscesses, ulcers, spreading sores, illness, and hundreds of thousands of fears. This body has only” | 0354b25 | 則—“thereby” | 「捨此身則捨無量癰疽瘭疾、百千怖畏，是身」—“by abandoning this body, one thereby abandons measureless abscesses, ulcers, spreading sores, illness, and hundreds of thousands of fears; this body” | 0397b29 |
| Eighteen | Substitution | 可惡荕—“loathsome sinews” | 「諸蟲戶；是身可惡荕纏血塗，皮骨髓腦共」—“a lodging for worms; this body is loathsome, wrapped in sinews and smeared with blood, while skin, bones, marrow, and brain together” | 0354b27 | 不淨筋—“impure sinews” | 「淨，多諸蟲戶；是身不淨，筋纏血塗，皮、骨、髓、腦」—“pure, with many lodgings for worms; this body is impure, wrapped in sinews and smeared with blood: skin, bones, marrow, and brain” | 0397c02 |
| Nineteen | Substitution | 熏—“perfumed” | 「大悲熏修其心，慮其二兄心懷怖懅，或恐」—“great compassion had perfumed and cultivated his mind. Considering that his two brothers harbored fear and perhaps would” | 0354c05 | 薰—“perfumed” | 「時，王子勇猛堪任作是大願，以上大悲薰修」—“At that time the prince, courageous and capable, made this great vow, cultivated through the preceding great compassion” | 0397c08 |
| Twenty | Omission | 欲—“wishing to” | 「度三有諸眾生故，欲滅生死怖畏熱惱」—“for the sake of ferrying sentient beings in the three realms of existence, wishing to extinguish the fear and burning affliction of birth and death” | 0354c11 | 空位—“empty position” | 「提智所讚故、欲度三有諸眾生故、滅生死怖」—“because praised by the wisdom of awakening, wishing to ferry sentient beings in the three realms of existence, extinguishing the fear of birth and death” | 0397c14 |
| Twenty-One | Substitution | 畏—“fear” | 「度三有諸眾生故，欲滅生死怖畏熱惱」—“for the sake of ferrying sentient beings in the three realms of existence, wishing to extinguish the fear and burning affliction of birth and death” | 0354c11 | 眾惱—“many afflictions” | 「眾惱熱故。』是時王子作是誓已，即自放身臥」—“because of the burning of many afflictions.’ At that time, after the prince made this vow, he immediately released his body and lay” | 0397c15 |
| Twenty-Two | Omission | 惱—“affliction” | 「度三有諸眾生故，欲滅生死怖畏熱惱」—“for the sake of ferrying sentient beings in the three realms of existence, wishing to extinguish the fear and burning affliction of birth and death” | 0354c11 | 空位—“empty position” | 「眾惱熱故。』是時王子作是誓已，即自放身臥」—“because of the burning of many afflictions.’ At that time, after the prince made this vow, he immediately released his body and lay” | 0397c15 |
| Twenty-Three | Substitution | 刁—“blade” | 「得我身血肉食。』即起求刁，周遍求之了不」—“obtain the blood and flesh of my body to eat.’ He immediately rose to seek a blade, searched everywhere, and completely failed” | 0354c15 | 刀—“knife” | 「得我身血肉食。』即起求刀，周遍求之了不能」—“obtain the blood and flesh of my body to eat.’ He immediately rose to seek a knife, searched everywhere, and entirely could not” | 0397c18 |
| Twenty-Four | Addition | 空位—“empty position” | 「汝今真是行大悲者，為眾生故能捨難捨，」—“You are now truly one who practices great compassion; for the sake of sentient beings, you can give what is difficult to give” | 0354c21 | 難捨—“what is difficult to give” | 「者，為眾生故難捨能捨，於諸學人第一勇」—“one who, for the sake of sentient beings, can give what is difficult to give, foremost in courage among all trainees” | 0397c24 |
| Twenty-Five | Omission | 捨難—“give what is difficult” | 「汝今真是行大悲者，為眾生故能捨難捨，」—“You are now truly one who practices great compassion; for the sake of sentient beings, you can give what is difficult to give” | 0354c21 | 空位—“empty position” | 「者，為眾生故難捨能捨，於諸學人第一勇」—“one who, for the sake of sentient beings, can give what is difficult to give, foremost in courage among all trainees” | 0397c24 |
| Twenty-Six | Substitution | 涼—“cool” | 「常樂住處，不久當證無惱無熱清涼涅槃。』」—“the dwelling of permanence and bliss; before long you will realize cool nirvāṇa, without distress or fever” | 0354c23 | 淨—“pure” | 「無惱無熱清淨涅槃。』是虎爾時見血流出污」—“pure nirvāṇa, without distress or fever.’ At that time the tigress saw blood flowing out and staining” | 0397c26 |
| Twenty-Seven | Substitution | 繞—“surround” | 「『彼虎產來，已經七日，七子圍繞，」—“‘It has been seven days since that tigress gave birth; the seven cubs surround her” | 0355a02 | 遶—“surround” | 「『彼虎產來，已經七日，七子圍遶，」—“‘It has been seven days since that tigress gave birth; the seven cubs surround her” | 0398a04 |
| Twenty-Eight | Substitution | 帔—“shawl” | 「共相將還至虎所，見弟所著帔服衣裳，皆」—“They led one another back to the tigress and saw the shawl, garments, and clothes their younger brother had worn, all” | 0355a07 | 被—“covering” | 「共相將還至虎所，見弟所著被服、衣裳皆悉」—“They led one another back to the tigress and saw the coverings, garments, and clothes their younger brother had worn, all of them” | 0398a09 |
| Twenty-Nine | Substitution | 蘇—“revived” | 「骨上良久乃蘇，即起舉首號天而哭：『我」—“upon the bones, and revived only after a long time. They immediately rose, raised their heads, cried out to heaven, and wept: ‘My” | 0355a10 | 悟—“regained awareness” | 「良久乃悟，即起舉手呼天而哭：『我弟幼稚，」—“They regained awareness only after a long time, immediately rose, raised their hands, called to heaven, and wept: ‘My younger brother was young” | 0398a12 |
| Thirty | Substitution | 首號—“raise the head and cry out” | 「骨上良久乃蘇，即起舉首號天而哭：『我」—“upon the bones, and revived only after a long time. They immediately rose, raised their heads, cried out to heaven, and wept: ‘My” | 0355a10 | 手呼—“raise the hand and call” | 「良久乃悟，即起舉手呼天而哭：『我弟幼稚，」—“They regained awareness only after a long time, immediately rose, raised their hands, called to heaven, and wept: ‘My younger brother was young” | 0398a12 |
| Thirty-One | Substitution | 說—“say” | 「忽捨身以飼餓虎。我今還宮，父母說問」—“suddenly gave up his body to feed the hungry tigress. Now when I return to the palace, if our parents say and ask” | 0355a12 | 設—“if” | 「飼餓虎？我今還宮，父母設問當云何答？我寧」—“feed the hungry tigress? Now when I return to the palace, if our parents ask, how shall I answer? I would rather” | 0398a14 |
| Thirty-Two | Omission | 眠—“sleep” | 「者我天為何所在？』爾時王妃於睡眠中，夢」—“where is my beloved?’ At that time, while asleep, the queen dreamed” | 0355a17 | 空位—“empty position” | 「王妃於睡中夢，夢乳被割、牙齒墮落、得三鴿」—“while asleep, the queen dreamed; she dreamed that her breasts were cut off, her teeth fell out, and she obtained three pigeon” | 0398a19 |
| Thirty-Three | Addition | 空位—“empty position” | 「者我天為何所在？』爾時王妃於睡眠中，夢」—“where is my beloved?’ At that time, while asleep, the queen dreamed” | 0355a17 | 夢—“dreamed” | 「王妃於睡中夢，夢乳被割、牙齒墮落、得三鴿」—“while asleep, the queen dreamed; she dreamed that her breasts were cut off, her teeth fell out, and she obtained three pigeon” | 0398a19 |
| Thirty-Four | Substitution | 生—“gave rise to” | 「時王妃，大地動時即便驚寤，心生愁怖而」—“Then the queen, when the great earth moved, immediately awoke in alarm, her heart giving rise to sorrow and fear, and” | 0355a19 | 大—“greatly” | 「寤，心大愁怖而說偈言：」—“awoke, her heart greatly sorrowful and afraid, and spoke a stanza” | 0398a21 |
| Thirty-Five | Substitution | 瞤—“twitch” | 「我心憂苦，目睫瞤動，如我今者，」—“My heart is distressed and anguished; my eyelids twitch, as now I” | 0355a23 | 𥌎—“twitch” | 「我心憂苦，目睫𥌎動，如我今者，」—“My heart is distressed and anguished; my eyelids twitch, as now I” | 0398a24 |
| Thirty-Six | Substitution | 飢—“hungry” | 「至一空山，見新產虎，飢窮無食。」—“They reached an empty mountain and saw a tigress newly delivered, hungry, exhausted, and without food” | 0355b11 | 餓—“starving” | 「至一空山，見新產虎，餓窮無食。」—“They reached an empty mountain and saw a tigress newly delivered, starving, exhausted, and without food” | 0398b12 |
| Thirty-Seven | Substitution | 肢—“limb” | 「王妃是時，兩乳汁出，一切肢節，」—“At that time milk flowed from the queen’s two breasts, and all the joints of her limbs” | 0355c01 | 支—“limb” | 「王妃是時，兩乳汁出，一切支節，」—“At that time milk flowed from the queen’s two breasts, and all the joints of her limbs” | 0398c02 |
| Thirty-Eight | Substitution | 似—“as though” | 「痛如針刺，心生愁惱，似喪愛子。」—“ached as though pierced by needles; sorrow and distress arose in her heart, as though she had lost a beloved son” | 0355c02 | 以—“having” | 「痛如針刺，心生愁惱，以喪愛子。」—“ached as though pierced by needles; sorrow and distress arose in her heart, having lost a beloved son” | 0398c03 |
| Thirty-Nine | Substitution | 座—“seat” | 「爾時大王，即從座起，以水灑妃，」—“Then the great king immediately rose from his seat and sprinkled water upon the queen” | 0355c25 | 坐—“seat” | 「爾時大王，即從坐起，以水灑妃，」—“Then the great king immediately rose from his seat and sprinkled water upon the queen” | 0398c26 |
| Forty | Substitution | 直—“truly” | 「我所見夢，已為得報，直我無情，」—“The dream I saw has already received its confirmation; truly I am unfeeling” | 0356a08 | 值—“it befell” | 「我所見夢，已為得報，值我無情，」—“The dream I saw has already received its confirmation; it befell me, the unfeeling one” | 0399a09 |
| Forty-One | Substitution | 首—“head” | 「倍生懊惱，舉首號叫，仰天而哭。」—“Their remorse doubled; they raised their heads and cried out, looked up to heaven, and wept” | 0356a25 | 手—“hand” | 「倍生懊惱。舉手號叫，仰天而哭，」—“Their remorse doubled. They raised their hands and cried out, looked up to heaven, and wept” | 0399a27 |
| Forty-Two | Addition | 空位—“empty position” | 「投身虎前」—“cast his body before the tigress” | 0356b06 | 餓—“hungry” | 「即上高處，投身餓虎」—“immediately ascended a high place and cast his body to the hungry tigress” | 0399b08 |
| Forty-Three | Omission | 前—“before” | 「即上高處，投身虎前」—“He immediately ascended a high place and cast his body before the tigress” | 0356b06 | 空位—“empty position” | 「虎飢所逼，便起噉食。一切血肉，」—“Pressed by hunger, the tigress rose and ate. All the blood and flesh” | 0399b09 |
| Forty-Four | Substitution | 首—“head” | 「良久乃蘇，復起舉首，號天而哭。」—“Only after a long time did they revive; they rose again, raised their heads, cried to heaven, and wept” | 0356b12 | 手—“hand” | 「良久乃蘇，復起舉手，號天而哭。」—“Only after a long time did they revive; they rose again, raised their hands, cried to heaven, and wept” | 0399b14 |
| Forty-Five | Substitution | 首—“head” | 「尋復躄地，舉首悲哀，號天而哭，」—“Soon they again fell to the ground, raised their heads in grief, cried to heaven, and wept” | 0356b18 | 手—“hand” | 「尋復躄地，舉手悲哀，號天而哭，」—“Soon they again fell to the ground, raised their hands in grief, cried to heaven, and wept” | 0399b20 |
| Forty-Six | Substitution | 悶—“dazed” | 「以離愛子，其心迷悶，氣力惙然，」—“Because they had parted from their beloved son, their minds were dazed and their strength exhausted” | 0356b20 | 沒—“submerged” | 「以離愛子，其心迷沒，氣力惙然，」—“Because they had parted from their beloved son, their minds were submerged and their strength exhausted” | 0399b22 |
| Forty-Seven | Substitution | 者—“one” | 「憂惱涕泣，並復思惟：『是最小者，」—“grieving, distressed, and weeping, they further reflected together: ‘This youngest one” | 0356b21 | 子—“son” | 「憂惱涕泣，並復思惟：『是最小子，」—“grieving, distressed, and weeping, they further reflected together: ‘This youngest son” | 0399b23 |
| Forty-Eight | Substitution | 犍—“jian” | 「今五比丘，及舍利弗，目犍連是。」—“are now the five bhikṣus, Śāriputra, and Maudgalyāyana” | 0356c11 | 揵—“jian” | 「今五比丘、及舍利弗、目揵連是。」—“are now the five bhikṣus, Śāriputra, and Maudgalyāyana” | 0399c13 |
| Forty-Nine | Omission | 諸—“all” | 「說是經時，無量阿僧祇諸天及人，發阿耨」—“When this scripture was explained, measureless asaṃkhyeyas of all gods and humans aroused unsurpassed” | 0356c19 | 空位—“empty position” | 「量阿僧祇天及人發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」—“measureless asaṃkhyeyas of gods and humans aroused unsurpassed complete awakening” | 0399c19 |
III. Scriptural Grounds for the Consciousness-Only Meaning (the Point of the Eye)
The scripture of this chapter first places giving up the body in three explicit directions: seeking unsurpassed awakening, rescuing sentient beings from the ocean of suffering of the three realms, and vowing that the bones remaining from the body benefit sentient beings in future ages. Huizhao’s commentary interprets it in successive layers through such gates as compassion and wisdom, the four establishments of mindfulness, awakening and nirvāṇa, benefiting sentient beings, and the dharma-body. Everything below belongs to the commentator’s mirror and is not presented as the scripture’s own statement.
Contemplation of the Body and Three Directions
Huizhao classifies the first set of contemplations on the body: 「初二句思不淨、次三句思無常、次二句思有苦。」—“The first two lines contemplate impurity, the next three contemplate impermanence, and the next two contemplate suffering” 〔T39n1788 0333b12〕. He further classifies 『終歸棄我』—“in the end it will abandon me”—as nonself, then divides the next passage into three directions: revulsion from the conditioned, seeking awakening, and benefiting sentient beings. Of the second set of contemplations on the body he says, 「癰疽等，無樂也；唯有大小便利等，不淨也；不堅如泡，無常也；諸虫所集等，無我也。」—“Abscesses, ulcers, and the like mean there is no pleasure; only greater and lesser excretions and the like means impurity; unstable as a bubble means impermanence; gathered by many worms and the like means nonself” 〔T39n1788 0333c05〕.
Concerning the passage beginning 『以求無上究竟涅槃』—“in order to seek unsurpassed, ultimate nirvāṇa”—the commentary first says, 「此中初明涅槃。」—“Here the beginning clarifies nirvāṇa” 〔T39n1788 0333c11〕. It then classifies the passage beginning 『以定慧力』—“through the power of concentration and wisdom”—as awakening, and the passage beginning 『既證得已』—“once this has been realized”—as benefiting sentient beings. The scripture’s vow and practice do not end merely with abandoning the body; they also explicitly state that, after realizing the dharma-body, he will give sentient beings measureless Dharma-bliss.
Vow, Compassion, and Wisdom
Huizhao divides Mahāsattva’s eight lines into general and specific: 「初二句總、後六句別。別中，初二句厭離有為心、次二句求菩提心、後二句饒益有情心。」—“The first two lines are general and the following six specific. Among the specific, the first two lines are the mind revulsed by the conditioned, the next two the mind of awakening that seeks awakening, and the last two the mind benefiting sentient beings” 〔T39n1788 0333c29〕. Earlier he also classifies the 『上士』—“superior being”—through three items: 「一有大智，即有上士是。二有大悲，懷大悲心等是。三忘身濟物，即無貪，能厭離有為。」—“First, possessing great wisdom, which is the ‘superior being’; second, possessing great compassion, which is ‘harboring a mind of great compassion’ and the like; third, forgetting the body to rescue beings, which is nongreed and the ability to become revulsed by the conditioned” 〔T39n1788 0333a20〕.
Auspicious Responses, Attainment of the Fruit, and Nonarising
In the heavenly assembly’s eight lines of praise, Huizhao first distinguishes equality in compassion, generosity, and the fruit to be attained. He then says, 「後兩句別讚菩提、涅槃，寂靜即涅槃。或能所寂，俱名寂靜。無生者，涅槃也。」—“The final two lines separately praise awakening and nirvāṇa. Quiescence is nirvāṇa. Or both what quiesces and what is quiesced are called quiescence. Nonarising is nirvāṇa” 〔T39n1788 0334a20〕. Here 『或』—“or”—preserves a coexisting explanation within the commentary; it is recorded without choosing one.
Stūpa, Relics, and the Fragrance of Dharma
At the seven-jeweled casket and white relics, Huizhao interprets through the tathāgata-womb and the purity of the nature of principle; these are not direct statements of the scripture. Where the scripture lists only the three fragrances of discipline, concentration, and wisdom, the commentary says, 「五分法香，舉三例二」—“Of the five-part fragrance of Dharma, three are presented as examples for the other two” 〔T39n1788 0332b07〕, then continues by listing liberation and the knowledge and vision of liberation. The scriptural list therefore remains threefold; the harmonization with five parts is confined to the commentator’s mirror.
The Fifty-Six Stanzas and the Prose
Huizhao points out that the repeated verse does not repeat every prose section in full: of the fifty-six stanzas, the first two generally mark practice and the following fifty-four separately recount giving up the body. Among the ten prose parts, the verse broadly omits the three parts of considering that one should give up one’s life, the tigress then being able to eat, and the conclusion displaying benefit to beings. The commentary says, 「前長行有十段，今頌大段略不頌第四思應捨命、第七虎遂能食、第十結示利生」—“The preceding prose has ten parts. In its major divisions, the present verse broadly does not recount the fourth, considering that one should give up one’s life; the seventh, the tigress then being able to eat; or the tenth, concluding by displaying benefit to beings” 〔T39n1788 0336a16〕. This classification is used only to clarify the divisions and combinations of prose and repeated verse; it does not rewrite the outline names as headings belonging to the scripture.
Complete Record of Huizhao’s Internal Questions, Answers, and Alternate Explanations
The enumerable questions and answers, paired explanations, further explanations, and “or” explanations in the direct commentary on this chapter follow. The explanations coexist; none is selected as definitive.
- Concerning the point within the three incalculable eons when the body was given up, Huizhao first makes clear that the direct text has not been seen: 「答：未見正文。傳云：於第三僧祇中捨」—“Answer: no direct textual statement has been seen. Tradition says that it was given up during the third incalculable eon” 〔T39n1788 0331a26〕. He then adds, 「準此應可通後二僧祇。」—“On this basis, it should be possible for it to extend through the latter two incalculable eons” 〔0331a28〕.
- To the difficulty that one who receives transformation birth in the third incalculable eon still leaves bones behind, the answer is, 「答：是化身也。」—“Answer: it was an emanation body” 〔T39n1788 0331b01〕. To the difficulty of why he did not separately emanate flesh to feed the tigress, the answer is, 「答：化自身施，益物多故。」—“Answer: because emanating his own body and giving it benefited beings more greatly” 〔0331b02〕. To the difficulty posed by the older recension’s statement that feeding the tigress surpassed eleven eons, the further answer is, 「答：亦是化也。」—“Answer: this too was an emanation” 〔0331b04〕.
- Concerning the difficulty of whether Śākyamuni or Maitreya was earlier in surpassing eons, the first explanation harmonizes it through the earlier or later maturation of the roots of sentient beings to be transformed: 「為所化生根熟前後，故二菩薩說有超劫。」—“Because the roots of the sentient beings to be transformed matured earlier or later, the two bodhisattvas are spoken of as surpassing eons” 〔T39n1788 0331b07〕. A further explanation distinguishes self-benefiting and other-benefiting practice: 「又釋：倍增進者，望於以前及自利行，於他利行未必倍增」—“A further explanation: ‘advancing twofold’ is in relation to what came before and to self-benefiting practice; other-benefiting practice does not necessarily advance twofold” 〔0331b09〕. There is also a combined explanation: 「又解：合前二義故得說超。」—“A further explanation: because the two preceding meanings are combined, surpassing can be spoken of” 〔0331b11〕.
- To the difficulty that the obstruction to benefiting others is already eliminated on the ninth ground, yet surpassing nine eons is still discussed within the hundred eons, the answer is, 「答：為生所宜，故無有過。」—“Answer: because it accords with what is suitable for sentient beings, there is no fault” 〔T39n1788 0331b14〕.
- To the difficulty of why giving up the body does not directly complete the fruit of lifespan but instead uses ascetic practice to exhort and encourage upholding the scripture, the commentary answers that Wonderful Banner’s doubt concerned lifespan alone and did not ask which practice produces longevity. Its concluding sentence is, 「不疑壽長修何行得，故不須成。」—“He did not doubt which practice brings about long life; therefore this need not be completed” 〔T39n1788 0331b17〕.
- Concerning why the ground is pressed before the stūpa appears, the commentary asks, 「何不直爾令塔涌現，手按方昇？」—“Why not simply cause the stūpa to arise and appear, instead of having it ascend only after the hand presses the ground?” 〔T39n1788 0332a15〕. It answers, 「若不手按直令塔現，大眾不知佛之神力。」—“If the stūpa appeared directly without the hand pressing, the great assembly would not know the Buddha’s spiritual power” 〔0332a16〕.
- Concerning why the stūpa of the giving up of the body sinks into the earth rather than vanishing into the sky, the commentary asks, 「捨身之塔何不隱空而沒於地？」—“Why does the stūpa of giving up the body not vanish into the sky but sink into the earth?” 〔T39n1788 0332a22〕. It answers, 「欲顯因中法身舍利，由障所覆不得顯現」—“This is to reveal that the relic of the causal dharma-body cannot appear because it is covered by obstructions” 〔0332a23〕, then completes the explanation through the Buddha’s skillful means and its ascent only after he presses the ground.
- To the difficulty that the great king had gone to tour the grove but remains in the palace later in the text, the commentary harmonizes the older translation and the narrative ellipsis, concluding, 「據實子隨從，王在前還，故聞捨身在宮無爽。」—“According to the facts, the sons followed him, while the king returned ahead of them; hence there is no discrepancy in his hearing of the giving up of the body while in the palace” 〔T39n1788 0332c11〕.
- Concerning how they knew that the tigress had given birth seven days earlier, Huizhao explicitly marks two explanations. The first is, 「一云：段食所資唯至七日，過此便死。」—“One says: sustenance from material food lasts only seven days; beyond this she would die” 〔T39n1788 0332c24〕. The second is, 「一云：于時應有鬼神噵之，但經家不出。」—“One says: at that time some spirit or ghost must have told them, but the redactor of the scripture did not present it” 〔0332c25〕. He then compares the divine being’s report of the vow and the tree deity’s statement of the number of fish. Both explanations are only the commentator’s resolutions of a difficulty, not newly added events within the scripture.
- Concerning quiescence in the heavenly assembly’s verse, the commentary first says, 「寂靜即涅槃。」—“Quiescence is nirvāṇa” 〔T39n1788 0334a20〕. It also preserves another reading: 「或能所寂，俱名寂靜。」—“Or both what quiesces and what is quiesced are called quiescence” 〔0334a21〕, and concludes, 「無生者，涅槃也。」—“Nonarising is nirvāṇa” 〔0334a21〕.
IV. Explanations of Various Masters
Faxiang · Huizhao’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King
Huizhao forms the backbone of this apparatus’s expository mirror. His direct commentary on the chapter appears in fascicle six 〔T39n1788 0331a12–0336c21〕 and treats, in sequence, the reason for arrival, explanation of the name, resolution of difficulties, four major divisions of the text, eighteen parts of the stūpa’s manifestation, ten parts of the prose birth story, the fifty-six repeated stanzas, joining past and present, exhortation to learn, and the benefits received. Scripture and quoted scriptural text still belong to their respective books: anything marked as Huizhao is tied only to the fascicle of his commentary, and text quoted there is not presented as scriptural text from Yijing’s recension.
Tiantai · Zhiyi’s Textual Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light: Line-by-Line Level
Zhiyi first asks why, among the many things that can be given up, the chapter title is established through the body alone: 「捨義甚多，財位、壽命，獨以身當名耶？」—“The meanings of giving up are numerous—wealth and position, lifespan and life. Should the body alone furnish the name?” 〔T39n1785 0082b07〕. His answer takes the tigress’s direct need for the flesh of a body and the giver’s actual giving of the body as decisive. He broadly divides the whole chapter: 「文為四：一問、二答、三眾得益、四結成。」—“The text has four parts: first, the question; second, the answer; third, the assembly receives benefit; and fourth, the concluding completion” 〔0082b09〕. When directly clarifying the birth story he further classifies it: 「正捨身。文為二：一長行、二偈頌。」—“Directly giving up the body. The text has two parts: first, prose; second, verse” 〔0082b17〕.
Zhiyi preserves four explanations of the seven days since the tigress gave birth. First, 「見虎子頭上有七點，知已七日」—“Seeing seven spots on the cubs’ heads, they knew it had been seven days” 〔T39n1785 0082b26〕. Second, 「又云：七日眼開」—“It is also said that their eyes open after seven days” 〔0082b27〕. Third, 「又七日不食必死」—“Again, after seven days without eating, she would certainly die” 〔0082b28〕. Fourth, 「或云：鬼神示悟，如樹神數魚」—“Or it is said that a spirit or ghost caused them to understand, as the tree deity numbered the fish” 〔0082b29〕. All four explanations are recorded; none is elevated into an event in the scripture.
Song Tiantai · Zhili’s Record of the Textual Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light: Line-by-Line Record Level
This work explains Zhiyi’s Textual Commentary; it is not the Record of Gleanings from the Profound Meaning. The outline title for this chapter indeed reads, 「六、釋〈捨身品〉，二：初、釋題」—“Sixth, explaining the Giving Up the Body chapter, in two: first, explaining the title” 〔T39n1786 0153c13〕. Zhili records the chapter through the following line-by-line nodes, and every quotation is tied to the passage on this chapter in that work:
| Node | Zhili’s verbatim words | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of the title | 「受者須身，虎飢所逼正須身肉，壽命財位非彼所求。」—“The recipient needed a body. Pressed by hunger, the tigress specifically needed bodily flesh; lifespan, life, wealth, and position were not what she sought” 〔T39n1786 0153c15〕 | — |
| Mutual aid of event and principle | 「事行理觀合一而修助道，正修相資而進」—“Event-based practice and contemplation of principle are united in cultivation to assist the path; primary cultivation and its aids support one another in advancing” | 0153c20 |
| Discussing the former event to exhort practice | 「然佛談本事令人効行」—“Yet the Buddha discusses the former event to cause people to emulate the practice” | 0153c25 |
| Closing the title | 「願聞佛說，隨力奉行。」—“They wish to hear the Buddha explain it and to respectfully practice according to their abilities” | 0154a05 |
| Occasion for the question | 「初、問。小人即國，病者小蟲、一萬枯魚。」—“First, the question. The inferior person is the realm; the sick are small creatures, the ten thousand dying fish” | 0154a06 |
| Profound response and ultimate accord | 「感深契極者，以不二解導難行行，此感至深。」—“‘Profound response and ultimate accord’ means guiding the practice difficult to practice through nondual understanding; this response is most profound” | 0154a09 |
| Ten-part outline | 「十段悉如科列。」—“All ten parts are as listed in the outline” | 0154a12 |
| Explanation of contemplation | 「觀有二種：一助觀、二正觀。」—“Contemplation is of two kinds: first, auxiliary contemplation; second, primary contemplation” | 0154a20 |
| Relation among the three contemplations | 「說乃前後，修必一心。」—“In explanation they are earlier and later; in cultivation they must be one mind” | 0154a25 |
| Vow | 「六句不出四弘」—“The six lines do not go beyond the four vast vows” | 0154a27 |
| Arousing the mind | 「此依界外滅諦為首，驗發圓心也。」—“This takes the truth of cessation beyond the realms as foremost, confirming the arousal of the perfect mind” | 0154a29 |
| Six kinds of quaking | 「謂動、起、涌三種是形，震、吼、擊三種是聲。」—“Movement, rising, and surging are the three forms; trembling, roaring, and striking are the three sounds” | 0154b02 |
| Grieving attachment | 「四、捨身後悲戀，二：初、科；二、釋，如文。」—“Fourth, grieving attachment after the giving up of the body, in two: first, the outline; second, the explanation, as in the text” | 0154b03–0154b04 |
| General clarification of former practice | 「初、通明昔行。」—“First, generally clarifying former practice” | 0154b05 |
| Separately recounting the prose | Taking 『我念』—“I recollect”—as its starting point, he classifies it as 「別頌長行」—“separately recounting the prose” 〔T39n1786 0154b05〕 | — |
| Privately opening divisions in the verse | 「私開二」—“Privately divided into two” | 0154b08 |
| Grief after learning of his end | Taking 『先所』—“what previously”—as its starting point, he classifies it as 「頌知終後悲苦」—“recounting the anguished grief after learning of his end” 〔T39n1786 0154b15〕 | — |
| Concluding identification | Taking 『從佛』—“from the Buddha”—as its starting point, he lists 「結會，二：初、科。二、釋，三」—“Concluding identification, in two: first, the outline; second, the explanation, in three” 〔T39n1786 0154b20〕 | — |
| Identifying the people | 「初、結會人。」—“First, identifying the people” | 0154b20 |
| Names for Śuddhodana and others | Zhili gives both names, 『輸頭檀』 and 『閱頭檀』—“Śuddhodana”—and says, 「此云淨飯。」—“This means Pure Rice” 〔T39n1786 0154b21〕 | — |
| Meaning of stūpa | 「具云塔婆，義翻方墳、或云聚相」—“In full, stūpa; translated by meaning as a square tomb, or called an accumulated form” | 0154c01 |
| Meaning of relic | 「舍利，此云身骨。」—“Relic means bodily bone” | 0154c10 |
| Concluding identification of the vow and the benefit to the assembly | Taking 『經是時』—“the scripture: at that time”—as its starting point, he classifies it as 「結會誓願」—“concluding identification of the vow” 〔T39n1786 0154c11〕; taking 『說是』—“when this was explained”—as its starting point, he classifies it as 「大眾所益」—“benefit to the great assembly” 〔T39n1786 0154c11〕. | — |
| Closing phonology and meaning | For 『怖懅』—“fear and alarm”—Zhili gives the pronunciation 「其據切」—“qiju fanqie” 〔T39n1786 0154c12〕 and also cites the Guangya: 「畏懼也。」—“It means fear” 〔T39n1786 0154c13〕 | — |
Here Zhili unfolds auxiliary contemplation, primary contemplation, and the three contemplations. These belong to the Tiantai line-by-line record’s interpretation; they are recorded beside, but do not replace, Huizhao’s classification through the four establishments of mindfulness, awakening, nirvāṇa, and benefiting sentient beings.
Sanlun · Jizang’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light: Line-by-Line Level
Jizang opens the chapter, 「此品明釋迦苦行以成壽量之果，傍顯授記。」—“This chapter clarifies Śākyamuni’s ascetic practice as completing the fruit of lifespan and secondarily reveals the bestowal of predictions” 〔T39n1787 0173a18〕. He successively divides the whole chapter through the manifestation of the stūpa, causes and conditions of the relics, the birth story, giving up the body, the family’s anguished grief, verse, and concluding identifications. Concerning the seven days since the tigress gave birth, Jizang also lists four meanings: 「何由得知產來七日者，有四義」—“How did they know it had been seven days since she gave birth? There are four meanings” 〔0173b03〕. The four are 「一虎子額上有七點」—“First, the cubs had seven spots on their foreheads” 〔0173b04〕, 「二見眼始開」—“Second, they saw that the eyes had just opened” 〔0173b04〕, 「三虎饑臨死，可知七日不食」—“Third, the tigress was starving and near death, so they could know she had not eaten for seven days” 〔0173b05〕, and 「四者鬼神語之，如樹神導十千魚」—“Fourth, a spirit or ghost told them, as the tree deity guided them concerning the ten thousand fish” 〔0173b05〕. All four meanings coexist, and none is judged definitive.
Level of Profound Meaning: Zhiyi’s Profound Meaning and Zhili’s Record of Gleanings from the Profound Meaning
Zhiyi’s Profound Meaning of the Sūtra of Golden Light is not a line-by-line commentary on this chapter. Its discussion of the essential purport cites the chapter in passing: 「復引〈捨身品〉中求常樂住處者是三無為為常」—“It further cites the seeking of a dwelling of permanence and bliss in the Giving Up the Body chapter as taking the three unconditioned dharmas as permanent” 〔T39n1783 0011b25〕. This statement is placed on the level of profound meaning and does not replace the chapter divisions in the Textual Commentary.
Zhili’s entire Record of Gleanings from the Profound Meaning of the Sūtra of Golden Light has no line-by-line outline title for this chapter. It contains only a sidelight from the level of profound meaning on the functioning of the scripture as a whole: 「救魚飼虎，皆是此經生善滅惡力用功德。」—“Rescuing the fish and feeding the tigress are both meritorious functions of this scripture that produce good and extinguish evil” 〔T39n1784 0045a01〕. This and the Record of the Textual Commentary listed above are two distinct works: the former explains the Profound Meaning, the latter the Textual Commentary, and they are marked on separate levels.
Recorded Together without Adjudicating
For the same matter of 『虎產七日』—“seven days since the tigress gave birth”—Huizhao gives two explanations—seven days of material sustenance and notification by a spirit or ghost—while Zhiyi and Jizang each give four. Concerning contemplation of the body, Huizhao interprets through the four establishments of mindfulness and three directions, Zhili through auxiliary and primary contemplation and the three contemplations of emptiness, provisionality, and the middle, and Jizang through impermanence, impurity, emptiness and nonself, and the cause and fruit of nirvāṇa. The positions, outlines, and terminology of the various masters are recorded without adjudicating; this apparatus neither uses one master to suppress another nor mixes the level of profound meaning into the line-by-line level.
V. Terminology
| Han term | Ancient master’s evidence | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
般遮羅 · Pañcāla | Huizhao first says, 「言般遮羅者，此云總集」—“As for Pañcāla, here it means total gathering” 〔T39n1788 0331c09〕; he also preserves one explanation: 「亦謂以籠籠師子等名般遮羅」—“It is also said that caging lions and the like in cages is called Pañcāla” 〔T39n1788 0331c10〕 | A place name. Both explanations are Han glosses supplied by the commentary, not self-explanations within Yijing’s scriptural text. |
聚落 · village | Huizhao: 「人所聚居名為聚落。落亦庭院。」—“A place where people gather and dwell is called a village. ‘Settlement’ also means a courtyard” 〔T39n1788 0331c11〕 | A place where people gather and dwell. The commentary further describes its geography, on a level distinct from the scripture’s description of the grove. |
制底 · caitya | Huizhao: 「言制底者梵語，通目佛之堂塔。」—“Caitya is a Sanskrit expression and generally designates halls and stūpas of the Buddha” 〔T39n1788 0332a18〕 | The seven-jeweled caitya in the scripture; the commentator says it may generally designate the Buddha’s halls and stūpas. |
制多 · caitya | Huizhao: 「佛堂云制多，此云靈厝」—“A Buddha hall is called caitya, meaning a sacred repository” 〔T39n1788 0332a19〕 | The commentator’s separate name for a Buddha hall. |
窣堵波 · stūpa | Huizhao: 「塔云窣堵波，此云高顯」—“A stūpa is called stūpa, meaning high and conspicuous” 〔T39n1788 0332a20〕 | Stūpa. Later in the scripture it is used for enshrining the relics, making the vow, and the stūpa’s arising. |
舍利 · relic | Zhili: 「舍利，此云身骨。」—“Relic means bodily bone” 〔T39n1786 0154c10〕 | The chapter first sees white relics, then relates Mahāsattva’s remaining bones and the stūpa offered to them. |
摩訶波羅 · Mahābala | Huizhao: 「云摩訶波羅者，此云大渠。」—“Mahābala means Great Channel” 〔T39n1788 0332b28〕 | The eldest son of King Great Chariot; the repeated verse calls him Great Channel. |
摩訶提婆 · Mahādeva | Huizhao: 「摩訶提婆者，此云大天。」—“Mahādeva means Great Deva” 〔T39n1788 0332b29〕 | The second son of King Great Chariot; the repeated verse calls him Great Deva. |
摩訶薩埵 · Mahāsattva | Huizhao: 「摩訶薩埵者，此云大勇猛」—“Mahāsattva means Great Courage” 〔T39n1788 0332b29〕 | The youngest son, Mahāsattva. The commentary explains his courage through seeking great awakening and casting away his body to benefit beings. |
戒、定、慧香 · fragrances of discipline, concentration, and wisdom | Huizhao: 「五分法香，舉三例二」—“Of the five-part fragrance of Dharma, three are presented as examples for the other two” 〔T39n1788 0332b07〕 | The scripture explicitly lists the three fragrances of discipline, concentration, and wisdom. The commentary harmonizes them with the five-part fragrance of Dharma; the other two parts are not presented as members of the scriptural list. |
賢首 · virtuous one | Huizhao: 「西國恒法，相見稱讚呼為賢首。」—“By the constant custom of the Western Regions, when people meet and praise one another, they address the other as ‘virtuous one’” 〔T39n1788 0335a04〕 | King Great Chariot’s form of address when comforting the queen. Only the meaning of the form of address is taken; no further identity is inferred. |
阿僧企耶 · asaṃkhyeya | The scripture says, 「無量阿僧企耶人天大眾」—“a measureless asaṃkhyeya great assembly of humans and gods” 〔T16n0665 0454b21〕 | It denotes what cannot be enumerated. According to the scripture, those receiving benefit are listed only as the great assembly of humans and gods. |
The chapter body contains no dhāraṇī or formula passage and no interlinear notes; no entry for an unattested transcription is created. The variant character 『𥌎』 appears in the queen’s stanza and is preserved in its original form rather than being replaced with a graph of similar shape.
VI. Similes · Rhetoric
The Body as Thief, Filth, Bubble, and Boat
In contemplating the body, Mahāsattva first says that it is unstable, without benefit, frightening as a thief, and impure as filth. He then turns the same body into 『於生死海作大舟航』—“a great boat upon the ocean of birth and death.” The rhetorical force lies in the turn: he uses the body not because it is pure and lovable, but because, fully knowing it to be impermanent, difficult to protect, and bound to decay, he still makes it an instrument of rescue. Huizhao’s classifications through impermanence, nonself, absence of pleasure, impurity, and benefiting sentient beings remain the commentator’s mirror.
Like Casting Away Mucus and Spittle
Mahāsattva recalls how, throughout hundreds of thousands of births, the body had been discarded in vain and left to rot. He therefore asks why today he cannot abandon the body to rescue one who suffers, using mucus and spittle as a simile. Huizhao says, 「捨無常色獲得常色等故。」—“Because by giving up impermanent form, one obtains permanent form, and so forth” 〔T39n1788 0333a27〕. This simile does not belittle the bodies and lives of sentient beings; it breaks attachment to one’s own cherished body.
Auspicious Responses and the Loss of Light in Heaven and Earth
The great earth quaking, the sun losing its light, and the heavens raining famous flowers and wondrous powdered fragrance form a threefold auspicious response at the moment the body is given up. Thereafter the two brothers and the queen also know that something has changed through the movement of the earth, the darkening sun, and bodily portents. Natural phenomena serve both as the heavenly assembly’s offering and as narrative signals of the family’s grieving attachment.
Arrow of Sorrow, Fire of Sorrow, Ocean of Sorrow
The chapter repeatedly figures grief through arrow, fire, and ocean: the queen’s heart is pierced as by an arrow; the king and queen’s minds sink into an ocean of sorrow; and the two brothers and parents are pressed by the fire of sorrow. These are not abstract teachings. They allow the great compassion of giving up the body on one side and the great pain of losing a son on the other to be seen together. The scripture does not reduce the family’s grief to the single phrase 『皆哀』—“all lamented.”
Dream Portents and Birds
The queen dreams that her two breasts are cut off, her teeth fall out, and a hawk seizes one of three pigeon chicks. After she wakes, milk flows, her eye twitches, and her body trembles. Four stanzas later retrieve each dream portent in turn, allowing the 『失最小愛子』—“loss of the youngest beloved son”—first to approach through symbols and then to become certain through the minister’s report.
Trees Struck by Fierce Wind and Fish on Dry Land
After seeing the bones, the parents lose consciousness like great trees felled by a fierce wind. After the queen revives, she writhes upon the ground like a fish on dry land and like a cow that has lost its calf. All the vehicles of these similes occur in the scripture. They reveal the acute suffering of body and mind deprived of support, without adding similes from outside the scripture.
VII. Cross-Reading · Carrying Forward
This chapter explicitly carries forward the Merchant’s Son Flowing Water chapter. The preceding chapter explains how the ten thousand fish received water and food and heard a buddha’s name; at this chapter’s opening, the Buddha says again that in the past, as a bodhisattva, he not only gave water and food but also gave up the body he loved. The two chapters are not unrelated stories; they carry forward one another through 『利他緣』—“conditions of benefiting others.” In the final passage, the Buddha exhorts, 「我為汝等說，往昔利他緣；如是菩薩行，成佛因當學。」—“I explain for you the former conditions of benefiting others. Bodhisattva practice such as this is the cause of buddhahood and should be learned” 〔T16n0665 0454b13〕.
Huizhao places this chapter where it completes the preceding chapters and exhorts the assembly to practice and learn. He carries it forward into the Faxiang consciousness-only teaching through such meanings as compassion and wisdom, the four establishments of mindfulness, awakening, nirvāṇa, benefiting sentient beings, and the dharma-body. The Tiantai line-by-line level reads its vow and practice through contemplation of principle, the four vast vows, and the three contemplations; the Sanlun line-by-line level classifies them through impermanence, impurity, emptiness and nonself, and the cause and fruit of nirvāṇa. All three ancient paths of reading begin from the same birth story. This apparatus only records how they carry it forward and does not present a later mirror as the scripture’s source.
Within this collection, the chapter’s phrases 『以定慧力圓滿熏修』—“fully cultivated through the power of concentration and wisdom,” 『成一切智』—“accomplish all-knowing knowledge,” and 『諸佛所讚微妙法身』—“the wondrous dharma-body praised by all buddhas” may illuminate and be illuminated by the consciousness-only scriptures and treatises already edited in this collection. Yet the chapter’s own pedagogical axis remains giving up the cherished body, benefiting others, making vows, and learning the cause of buddhahood. The end of the carrying forward must return to the scripture’s exhortation to practice; the birth story of giving up the body is not reduced to a sectarian proposition.
VIII. Placement of the Editions
| Text | Chapter or collateral range | Level |
|---|---|---|
| The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King T16n0665 | Chapter title 0450c21; chapter body 0450c22–0454b25 | Base text of this apparatus |
| The Sūtra of Golden Light T16n0663 | Chapter title 0353c21; chapter body 0353c22–0356c21 | Dharmakṣema’s same-titled alternate recension |
| Composite Sūtra of Golden Light T16n0664 | Chapter title 0396c26; chapter body 0396c27–0399c21 | Baogui composite same-titled alternate recension |
| Huizhao’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King T39n1788 | Chapter title 0331a12; direct commentary 0331a13–0336c21 | Backbone of the Faxiang consciousness-only mirror |
| Zhiyi’s Textual Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light T39n1785 | Chapter title 0082b06; this chapter 0082b07–0082c12 | Tiantai line-by-line level |
| Zhili’s Record of the Textual Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light T39n1786 | Outline title 0153c13; record through 0154c16 | Tiantai line-by-line record level |
| Jizang’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light T39n1787 | 0173a18–0173c01 | Sanlun line-by-line level |
| Zhiyi’s Profound Meaning of the Sūtra of Golden Light T39n1783 | Passage at 0011a18, with the sidelight on giving up the body beginning at 0011b25 | Tiantai level of profound meaning, not a line-by-line commentary on this chapter |
| Zhili’s Record of Gleanings from the Profound Meaning of the Sūtra of Golden Light T39n1784 | Passage at 0044c27, with the statement on rescuing fish and feeding the tigress at 0045a01 | Tiantai record level of profound meaning, with no line-by-line outline title for this chapter |
The base scriptural body of this chapter contains 4,166 Han characters. Its true final line is the stūpa’s return beneath the earth at 〔T16n0665 0454b25〕. The title of the next chapter spans 〔0454b26–0454b27〕 and is not retroactively treated as the final line of this chapter. The true final character of Huizhao’s direct commentary is at 〔T39n1788 0336c21〕; 〔0336c22〕 already begins the next chapter. An occurrence of the same title in the fascicle’s opening table of contents is not used as a citation to the direct commentary.
The conclusion of the three-recension collation is limited to textual facts: all three contain a Giving Up the Body chapter, while their opening circumstances, narrative fullness, division of prose and repeated verse, identifications of the figures, and original characters differ. This apparatus does not use those differences to determine a documentary source or direction of addition and omission, nor does it adjudicate which of the three recensions is superior.