金光明最勝王經 十方菩薩讚歎品第二十七

This apparatus takes as its base Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle ten, Chapter 27, The Bodhisattvas of the Ten Directions Offer Praise. It reads this text alongside the first section of the single Praise of the Buddha chapter in Dharmakṣema’s Sūtra of Golden Light and Baogui’s composite Sūtra of Golden Light, and records interpretations transmitted by Huizhao, Zhiyi, Zhili, and Jizang. The divisions into chapters, scenes, verse forms, and ancient readings in the three translations are identified by their respective works, without judging which is superior.

I. Doctrinal-Outline Placement

1. Chapter Body, Boundaries, and Scriptural Sequence

The title in Yijing’s recension extends across two lines, 0454b26–b27. The chapter body does not begin at the end of the title line but at 「爾時，釋迦牟尼如來說是經時」—“At that time, when the Tathāgata Śākyamuni was expounding this sūtra” 〔T16n0665 0454b28〕, and it ends with 「諸罪，生無量福」—“every offense, and produce measureless merit” 〔T16n0665 0454c27〕. At 0454c28 the title of Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner Offers Praise, Chapter 28, has already begun. The chapter body contains 407 Han characters and visibly consists of one gathering of bodhisattvas, a group of eleven stanzas, and the World-Honored One’s commendation and confirmation. It is brief but complete in sequence, so this edition establishes no additional materialized subsections.

The sūtra first narrates the arrival of the bodhisattvas of the ten directions: 「於十方世界有無量百千萬億諸菩薩眾，各從本土詣鷲峯山，至世尊所，五輪著地，禮世尊已，一心合掌，異口同音而讚歎曰」—“In worlds throughout the ten directions, measureless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of bodhisattvas each left their own land and came to Vulture Peak. Arriving before the World-Honored One, they placed the five parts of their bodies on the ground and bowed to him; then, concentrating their minds and joining their palms, with different mouths but one voice they praised him, saying” 〔T16n0665 0454b28〕. The eleven stanzas begin with 「佛身微妙真金色」—“The Buddha’s body is subtle and wondrous, the color of true gold” 〔T16n0665 0454c03〕 and end with 「皆願速證菩提果」—“May all swiftly realize the fruit of awakening” 〔T16n0665 0454c24〕. The World-Honored One finally confirms them: 「善哉！善哉！汝等善能如是讚佛功德，利益有情，廣興佛事，能滅諸罪，生無量福。」—“Excellent, excellent! You are well able to praise the Buddha’s qualities in this way, benefit sentient beings, extensively advance the work of the Buddha, extinguish every offense, and produce measureless merit” 〔T16n0665 0454c25〕.

2. Huizhao’s Three Approaches and Outline of the Complete Chapter

The principal commentary on this chapter in Huizhao’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King begins with the title 「十方菩薩讚歎品第二十七」—“The Bodhisattvas of the Ten Directions Offer Praise, Chapter Twenty-Seven” 〔T39n1788 0336c22〕 and ends at 「無染心故讚，稱理益物故印。」—“They are praised because their minds are undefiled; they are confirmed because, in accord with principle, they benefit beings” 〔T39n1788 0338a18〕. At 0338a19 Chapter 28 has already begun. The passage occurs in fascicle six, whose attribution reads 「翻經沙門慧沼撰」—“Composed by the scripture-translating śramaṇa Huizhao” 〔T39n1788 0318a22〕; it is not a repeated title in an opening table of contents.

Huizhao first establishes three approaches. On the reason for arrival he says, 「流通有三，謂學行、讚重、付屬三別，令其後代依法修行。獲益既多，故申慶讚，故前品後有此品生。」—“Circulation has three parts: learning and practice, praise and honoring, and entrustment. These three distinctions enable later generations to practice in accordance with the Dharma. Since the benefits obtained are many, celebratory praise is expressed; therefore this chapter arises after the preceding one” 〔T39n1788 0336c23〕. On the name he says, 「讚者稱也，歎者吟也，即稱揚吟詠。」—“To praise is to extol; to laud is to chant—thus, extolling and chanting” 〔T39n1788 0336c26〕. His resolution of difficulty compares the division into chapters and the direction from which the assembly comes in the new and old recensions; these points are treated below under alternate translations.

His general textual outline reads, 「文段分三：初菩薩雲集、次正申禮讚、後如來歎印。」—“The text is divided into three: first, the bodhisattvas gather like clouds; next, they properly express worship and praise; last, the Tathāgata commends and confirms them” 〔T39n1788 0337a20〕. He further analyzes the eleven stanzas: 「初十頌讚三身、後一頌結略發願。讚三身中，初八頌讚化身恩德、次一頌讚報身智德、後一頌讚法身斷德。」—“The first ten stanzas praise the three bodies, and the last stanza concludes the summary and makes a vow. Within the praise of the three bodies, the first eight stanzas praise the gracious qualities of the emanation body, the next praises the wisdom-qualities of the reward body, and the final one praises the severance-qualities of the dharma-body” 〔T39n1788 0337b06〕. These are readings established by the commentator and are not converted into headings claimed by the sūtra itself.

II. Alternate Translations · Collation of the Three Translations

1. Three Sections in One Chapter and Yijing’s Three Chapters

T663 and T664 gather all three rounds of praise into a single Praise of the Buddha chapter, while Yijing’s recension divides them into Chapters 27, 28, and 29. The following table maps the division and combination, recording only the locations of the material and not judging the significance of the division.

The title of Praise of the Buddha, Chapter 18, in T663 occurs at 0356c22 and the next chapter title at 0358a02. The title of Praise of the Buddha, Chapter 23, in T664 occurs at 0399c22 and the next chapter title at 0401a03. The collation range for the present chapter therefore takes only the old recensions’ first round, the bodhisattvas’ praise; it does not mix in the later rounds by Faith-Mark and the tree deity.

2. Direction, Destination, and Manner of Worship

The three recensions differ conspicuously in their direction and destination. T665 says that the bodhisattvas 「各從本土詣鷲峯山，至世尊所」—“each left their own land, came to Vulture Peak, and arrived before the World-Honored One” 〔T16n0665 0454b29〕. T663 says they went 「從此世界至金寶蓋山王如來國土」—“from this world to the land of the Tathāgata King Golden Jeweled Canopy Mountain” 〔T16n0663 0356c23〕; T664 likewise says 「從此世界至金寶蓋山王如來國土」—“from this world to the land of the Tathāgata King Golden Jeweled Canopy Mountain” 〔T16n0664 0399c24〕. T665’s manner of worship is 「五輪著地」—“placing the five parts of the body on the ground” 〔T16n0665 0454c01〕, while the two old recensions both have 「五體投地」—“casting the five parts of the body to the ground” 〔T16n0663 0356c24〕 and 「五體投地」—“casting the five parts of the body to the ground” 〔T16n0664 0399c25〕. This layer explicitly records the differences and does not adjudicate among them.

Confronting this difference, Huizhao explicitly judges 「答舊錯今是」—“Answer: the old is mistaken and the present is correct” 〔T39n1788 0337a11〕 and also says 「新文為正」—“The new text is correct” 〔T39n1788 0337a19〕. Zhili instead says that the bodhisattvas throughout the old recension’s land 「皆讚釋迦教主也」—“all praise Śākyamuni, the teacher of the dispensation” 〔T39n1786 0155b05〕. Jizang separately judges, 「初明他方菩薩讚他方佛、第二明此土大士歎此世佛」—“First it explains bodhisattvas from other regions praising a buddha of another region; second, it explains the great being of this land praising the buddha of this world” 〔T39n1787 0173c05〕. All three ancient readings remain, as detailed under Topic IV; the present edition does not decide in their place.

3. Complete Text of the First Round in the Two Old Translations

Dharmakṣema’s recension first narrates the assembly: 「爾時無量百千萬億諸菩薩眾，從此世界至金寶蓋山王如來國土，到彼土已五體投地，為佛作禮却住一面，合掌向佛異口同音，而讚歎曰」—“At that time, measureless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of bodhisattvas went from this world to the land of the Tathāgata King Golden Jeweled Canopy Mountain. Having arrived there, they cast the five parts of their bodies to the ground and bowed to the Buddha; then they withdrew to one side, joined their palms toward him, and with different mouths but one voice praised him, saying” 〔T16n0663 0356c23–c26〕. The full praise is:

「如來之身，金色微妙，其明照耀，如金山王；身淨柔軟，如金蓮華；無量妙相，以自莊嚴；隨形之好，光飾其體；淨絜無比，如紫金山；圓足無垢，如淨滿月；其音清徹，妙如梵聲——師子吼聲、大雷震聲，六種清淨，微妙音聲；迦陵頻伽，孔雀之聲，清淨無垢，威德具足；百福相好，莊嚴其身，光明遠照，無有齊限，智慧寂滅，無諸愛習。世尊成就，無量功德，譬如大海，須彌寶山，為諸眾生，生憐愍心，於未來世，能與快樂。如來所說，第一深義，能令眾生，寂滅安隱；能與眾生，無量快樂；能演無上，甘露妙法；能開無上，甘露法門；能入一切，無患窟宅；能令眾生，悉得解脫，度於三有，無量苦海，安住正道，無諸憂苦。如來世尊，功德智慧，大慈悲力，精進方便，如是無量，不可稱計。我等今者，不能說有，諸天世人，於無量劫，盡思度量，不能得知，如來所有，功德智慧，無量大海，一滴少分。我今略讚，如來功德，百千億分，不能宣一；若我功德，得聚集者，迴與眾生，證無上道。」—“The Tathāgata’s body is subtle and wondrous in its golden color; its radiance shines like the king of golden mountains. His body is pure and soft like a golden lotus, and measureless wondrous marks adorn him. The excellent characteristics accompanying his form ornament his body with light. Pure beyond compare, he is like a purple-gold mountain; perfectly complete and stainless, like the clear full moon. His voice is clear and penetrating, wondrous like a Brahmā voice—a lion’s roar and the sound of great thunder—with six pure, wondrous qualities of sound. The songs of the kalaviṅka and peacock are pure and stainless and replete with majestic virtue; the marks and excellent characteristics produced by a hundred merits adorn his body. His light shines far without limit; his wisdom is tranquil and free from craving and habitual tendencies. The World-Honored One has accomplished measureless qualities, like the great ocean and the jeweled mountain Sumeru. He gives rise to compassion for sentient beings and can give them happiness in future lives. The supreme profound meaning taught by the Tathāgata can bring sentient beings tranquility and security; he can give them measureless happiness, expound the unsurpassed wondrous Dharma of nectar, open the unsurpassed Dharma gate of nectar, and enable all to enter a dwelling free from affliction. He can completely liberate sentient beings, carry them across the measureless ocean of suffering in the three realms of existence, settle them on the right path, and free them from grief and pain. The qualities and wisdom, great loving-compassionate power, diligence, and skillful means of the Tathāgata, the World-Honored One, are measureless and cannot be reckoned. We now cannot express them as something. Though gods and humans exhaust thought and measurement for measureless eons, they cannot know the Tathāgata’s measureless ocean of qualities and wisdom, even its small portion of a single drop. I now praise the Tathāgata’s qualities only in brief; among hundreds of thousands of koṭis of parts I cannot proclaim even one. Whatever merit I have gathered, I dedicate to sentient beings so that they realize the unsurpassed path” 〔T16n0663 0356c27–0357a24〕.

Baogui’s composite recension first narrates the assembly: 「爾時，無量百千萬億諸菩薩眾，從此世界至金寶蓋山王如來國土。到彼土已，五體投地為佛作禮，却一面立，向佛合掌，異口同音而讚歎曰」—“At that time, measureless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of bodhisattvas went from this world to the land of the Tathāgata King Golden Jeweled Canopy Mountain. Having arrived there, they cast the five parts of their bodies to the ground and bowed to the Buddha; then they withdrew and stood to one side, joined their palms toward him, and with different mouths but one voice praised him, saying” 〔T16n0664 0399c24–c27〕. The full praise is:

「如來之身，金色微妙，其明照曜，如金山王；身淨柔軟，如金蓮花，無量妙相，以自莊嚴；隨形之好，光飾其體，淨潔無比，如紫金山；圓足無垢，如淨滿月；其音清徹，妙如梵聲、師子吼聲、大雷震聲、六種清淨，微妙音聲，迦陵、頻伽、孔雀之聲。清淨無垢，威德具足，百福相好，莊嚴其身。光明遠照，無有齊限，智慧寂滅，無諸愛習。世尊成就，無量功德，譬如大海、須彌寶山。為諸眾生，生憐愍心，於未來世，能與快樂。如來所說，第一深義，能令眾生，寂滅安隱；能與眾生，無量快樂；能演無上，甘露妙法；能開無上，甘露法門；能入一切，無患窟宅；能令眾生，悉得解脫，度於三有，無量苦海，安住正道，無諸憂苦。如來世尊，功德、智慧、大慈悲力、精進、方便，如是無量，不可稱計，我等今者，不能說喻。諸天世人，於無量劫，盡思度量，不能得知，如來所有，功德智慧。無量大海，一渧少分，我今略讚，如來功德，百千億分，不能宣一。若我功德，得聚集者，迴與眾生，證無上道。」—“The Tathāgata’s body is subtle and wondrous in its golden color; its radiance shines like the king of golden mountains. His body is pure and soft like a golden lotus, and measureless wondrous marks adorn him. The excellent characteristics accompanying his form ornament his body with light. Pure beyond compare, he is like a purple-gold mountain; perfectly complete and stainless, like the clear full moon. His voice is clear and penetrating, wondrous like a Brahmā voice, a lion’s roar, the sound of great thunder, and six pure, wondrous qualities of sound—the songs of jialing, pinga, and peacock. Pure and stainless, replete with majestic virtue, the marks and excellent characteristics produced by a hundred merits adorn his body. His light shines far without limit; his wisdom is tranquil and free from craving and habitual tendencies. The World-Honored One has accomplished measureless qualities, like the great ocean and the jeweled mountain Sumeru. He gives rise to compassion for sentient beings and can give them happiness in future lives. The supreme profound meaning taught by the Tathāgata can bring sentient beings tranquility and security; he can give them measureless happiness, expound the unsurpassed wondrous Dharma of nectar, open the unsurpassed Dharma gate of nectar, and enable all to enter a dwelling free from affliction. He can completely liberate sentient beings, carry them across the measureless ocean of suffering in the three realms of existence, settle them on the right path, and free them from grief and pain. The qualities, wisdom, great loving-compassionate power, diligence, and skillful means of the Tathāgata, the World-Honored One, are measureless and cannot be reckoned. We now cannot express them in simile. Though gods and humans exhaust thought and measurement for measureless eons, they cannot know the Tathāgata’s qualities and wisdom. I now praise only the small portion of one drop from that measureless ocean. I praise the Tathāgata’s qualities only in brief; among hundreds of thousands of koṭis of parts I cannot proclaim even one. Whatever merit I have gathered, I dedicate to sentient beings so that they realize the unsurpassed path” 〔T16n0664 0399c28–0400a25〕.

Each passage retains the punctuation of its own witness; punctuation is not supplied from one to the other.

4. Stanza-by-Stanza Correspondence between Eleven Seven-Character Stanzas and the Four-Character Passage

T665 arranges the praise in eleven seven-character stanzas. The two old recensions present consecutive four-character lines whose stanza boundaries do not neatly coincide with the seven-character recension. The following table maps comparable content stanza by stanza. Ranges in the old recensions overlap because of their original phrasing; characters are not moved to manufacture a neat alignment.

5. Verbatim Correspondence of Key Terms

6. Complete Table of Character-Level Variants between T663 and T664

After punctuation is removed, the first round in each old recension contains 374 Han characters. There are six adjacent positions of non-punctuation character variation. The first could be divided into three minimal insertion and deletion operations, but it remains one row here because it occupies a single point in the sequence.

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

1. Commentarial Levels of Worship, Praise, and the Eleven Stanzas

The chapter itself directly says that the bodhisattvas place the five parts of their bodies on the ground, bow to the Buddha, join their palms, and praise with one voice. Huizhao further judges, 「初身禮、後語讚」—“First, bodily worship; later, verbal praise” 〔T39n1788 0337a27〕, and says, 「能發身語即是意業。三業禮讚，表敬深也。」—“What can initiate body and speech is precisely mental activity. Worship and praise through the three activities express profound reverence” 〔T39n1788 0337a27〕. He explains concentrated mind, joined palms, different mouths, and one voice respectively: 「於境專念云一心，尊重情深故合掌，身殊故異口，齊讚故同音。」—“Focused recollection of the object is called concentrated mind; because the feeling of reverence is profound, they join their palms; because their bodies differ, their mouths differ; because they praise in unison, their voice is one” 〔T39n1788 0337b01〕. These are the three activities and four word-explanations supplied by the commentator, not claims made by the sūtra itself.

In Huizhao’s reading of the eleven stanzas, the first eight concern the gracious qualities of the emanation body, the ninth the wisdom-qualities of the reward body, the tenth the severance-qualities of the dharma-body, and the eleventh the concluding summary and vow. The first eight are further divided into manifestation, teaching, merit and wisdom, and benefit for beings: 「初二頌讚現身、次一頌讚說法、次一頌讚福智、次四頌讚利生」—“The first two stanzas praise visible manifestation, the next praises teaching the Dharma, the next praises merit and wisdom, and the next four praise benefit for beings” 〔T39n1788 0337b09〕. This correlation with the three bodies serves only as the consciousness-only mirror of the present edition.

2. Three Transmitted Sets of the Eight Wondrous Qualities of Voice

Huizhao explicitly says, 「八種微妙聲者，三經不同」—“As for the eight wondrous qualities of voice, three sūtras differ” 〔T39n1788 0337b14〕, and lists all three sets:

• From the Fanmo Simile Sūtra: 「一最妙聲、二易了、三深遠、四濡軟、五不妄、六不誤、七尊慧、八調和。」—“First, supremely wondrous; second, easily understood; third, deep and far-reaching; fourth, gentle and soft; fifth, not false; sixth, not mistaken; seventh, venerable and wise; eighth, harmonious” 〔T39n1788 0337b15〕.
• From the Intermediate Existence Sūtra: 「一非男、二非女、三非長、四非短、五非貴、六非賤、七非苦、八非樂。」—“First, neither male; second, nor female; third, neither long; fourth, nor short; fifth, neither noble; sixth, nor lowly; seventh, neither suffering; eighth, nor happiness” 〔T39n1788 0337b17〕.
• From the Ten Abodes Sūtra on Severing the Bonds: 「一不男、二不女、三不強、四不軟、五不清、六不濁、七不雄、八不雌。」—“First, not male; second, not female; third, not strong; fourth, not soft; fifth, not clear; sixth, not turbid; seventh, not masculine; eighth, not feminine” 〔T39n1788 0337b19〕.

At the end of the discussion the commentary records, 「初二經小乘，《十住斷結》大乘，見聞異故。」—“The first two sūtras belong to the Lesser Vehicle, while the Ten Abodes on Severing the Bonds belongs to the Great Vehicle, because what is seen and heard differs” 〔T39n1788 0337b21〕. It also explains, 「迦陵頻迦等者，妙音鳥也。」—“The jialingpinga and the like are birds of wondrous voice” 〔T39n1788 0337b22〕. All three sets remain in this apparatus; none replaces the sūtra’s simple statement “eight wondrous qualities.”

3. Complete Record of Explanations of the Wondrous Marks Produced by a Hundred Merits

Huizhao first cites the Great Vibhāṣā in explaining the hundred merits through one hundred thoughts. The passage uses five thoughts for each of the ten wholesome activities: 「一離殺思；二勸道思；三讚美思；四隨喜；五迴向。謂迴所修向菩提故。乃至正見亦爾，名五十思。」—“First, the thought of refraining from killing; second, the thought of encouraging the path; third, the thought of praising; fourth, rejoicing; fifth, dedication, meaning dedication of what is cultivated toward awakening. The same extends through right view, making fifty thoughts” 〔T39n1788 0337c04〕. The commentary then lists three positions introduced as “some say”:

1. 「有說：十業各起下、中、上、上勝、上極五品善思，如雜修靜慮。」—“Some say: each of the ten activities produces five grades of wholesome thought—lower, middle, upper, superior upper, and ultimate upper—as in the mixed cultivation of meditative concentration” 〔T39n1788 0337c06〕.
2. 「有說：十業各起五思，一加行淨、二根本淨、三後起淨、四非尋所害、五念攝受。」—“Some say: each of the ten activities produces five thoughts: first, purity of preparation; second, purity of the root action; third, purity of the subsequent action; fourth, unharmed by discursive thought; fifth, gathered in by recollection” 〔T39n1788 0337c07〕.
3. 「有說：緣佛一一相，起五十剎那未曾習思，相續而轉。」—“Some say: in relation to each of the Buddha’s marks, fifty moments of previously uncultivated thought arise and continue in sequence” 〔T39n1788 0337c09〕.

Huizhao records the absence of an evaluative conclusion in the cited source and makes his own assessment: 「不有評家，然準道理，初說為善。」—“There is no evaluator, but according to principle the first explanation is good” 〔T39n1788 0337c10〕. He also preserves the reasoning concerning each of the latter three explanations:

1. 「若下中上等，如雜修靜慮，應有相好勝劣不同。」—“If there are lower, middle, upper, and other grades, as in mixed cultivation of meditative concentration, the marks and excellent characteristics should differ in superiority and inferiority” 〔T39n1788 0337c11〕.
2. 「若說加行、根本、後起等五，即應方便後起同感無別。許同感者，應三時何別若勝劣異？相好亦應爾。」—“If one teaches the five of preparation, root action, subsequent action, and so forth, then preparation and subsequent action should produce the same result without distinction. If they are allowed to produce the same result, what difference would there be among the three times? If they differ in superiority and inferiority, the marks and excellent characteristics should do likewise” 〔T39n1788 0337c12〕.
3. 「若云起五十未曾習思，何因不許或有增減？」—“If one says that fifty previously uncultivated thoughts arise, for what reason could an increase or decrease not be allowed?” 〔T39n1788 0337c14〕.

He then preserves two Mahāyāna explanations transmitted later:

1. 「若依大乘，雖未見文，傳有二釋。云：如十善業互相資即為百業。」—“According to the Great Vehicle, although I have not seen the textual passage, two explanations are transmitted. One says: when the ten wholesome activities mutually support one another, they become one hundred activities” 〔T39n1788 0337c15〕.
2. 「又云：如一一業各有十種，謂一自作、二教他、三慶慰、四隨喜、五少分、六多分、七全分、八少時、九長時、十盡壽，故為百業。」—“Another says: each activity has ten forms—first, doing it oneself; second, teaching others; third, expressing glad encouragement; fourth, rejoicing; fifth, a small portion; sixth, a large portion; seventh, the whole; eighth, a short time; ninth, a long time; tenth, the end of one’s life—therefore there are one hundred activities” 〔T39n1788 0337c17〕.

The cited treatise, three “some say” positions, Huizhao’s assessment, and the two Mahāyāna explanations are all preserved. This edition does not decide on behalf of the ancient master which one is the sole meaning of this sūtra.

4. Benefiting Beings, Nectar, the Safe Path, and Commendation and Confirmation

Huizhao classifies the fifth stanza as the general praise of benefiting beings and says, 「為利生故現身說法」—“For the sake of benefiting beings, he manifests a body and teaches the Dharma” 〔T39n1788 0337c22〕. He divides the sixth through eighth stanzas into the nirvāṇa attained and the awakening attained, and explains nectar with 「所說所得皆能除苦安樂，故如甘露」—“Both what is taught and what is attained can remove suffering and bring happiness, and are therefore like nectar” 〔T39n1788 0338a01〕. Where the sūtra says “safe path,” Huizhao separately says, 「即八正道名安穩路」—“The eightfold right path is called the secure path” 〔T39n1788 0338a05〕. The sūtra’s and commentary’s different character forms for safe and secure remain with their respective works.

Huizhao classifies the ninth stanza as the wisdom-qualities of the reward body, explaining it through great compassion that constantly benefits sentient beings and does not enter nirvāṇa or cease. He classifies the tenth as the severance-qualities of the dharma-body and the eleventh as the concluding summary and vow. The World-Honored One’s commendation and confirmation is analyzed as 「無染心故讚，稱理益物故印。」—“They are commended because their minds are undefiled; they are confirmed because, in accord with principle, they benefit beings” 〔T39n1788 0338a18〕. These supplementary statements remain in the mirror placed at the end of the apparatus and exposition.

5. Other Statements of Division and Combination in Huizhao’s Commentary

The explanation of the name first preserves one account: 「應言觸事美德云讚，是理諭揚為歎。初人、後法。」—“One should say: extolling a person’s beautiful qualities in relation to events is praise; proclaiming a principle is laudation. The first concerns a person, the latter the Dharma” 〔T39n1788 0336c27〕. It then preserves another: 「或通人法俱稱讚歎」—“Alternatively, praise and laudation both apply to persons and Dharma” 〔T39n1788 0336c28〕. In explaining the new and old divisions into chapters, Huizhao first appeals to the Sanskrit manuscript: 「準梵本經，每一品頭書一菩薩或復點記，今依梵本，四人讚歎各別書記，故今分四。舊人以見同是讚佛，故合為品。」—“According to the Sanskrit manuscript, at the head of every chapter one bodhisattva is written or otherwise marked. The present translation follows the Sanskrit manuscript: the praises by four persons are separately written and marked, and therefore it divides them into four. The earlier translators saw that all praise the Buddha and therefore combined them as one chapter” 〔T39n1788 0337a04〕. He also preserves another explanation: 「又解：舊文脫無其記，且如讚歎。新經四人，舊經即無大辨才讚，故開合異。」—“Another explanation: the old text lost those markers. As for the praises, the new sūtra has four persons, while the old sūtra lacks the praise of Great Eloquence; therefore their divisions and combinations differ” 〔T39n1788 0337a07〕. These two “alternatively” and “another explanation” passages, together with the three transmissions of the eight voice-qualities and the several hundred-merit explanations, have all been included; no single path overrides explanations that coexist within the same commentary.

IV. Explanations of Various Masters

1. Huizhao’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King

Huizhao provides a line-by-line commentary on Yijing’s recension, extending from reason for arrival, explanation of the name, and resolution of difficulties through the gathering, worship and praise, eleven stanzas, and the World-Honored One’s confirmation. The consciousness-only point of the eye takes his correlation of the stanzas with the three bodies as its framework. His three transmissions of the eight voice-qualities, several explanations of the hundred merits, and accounts of the new and old divisions are all fully recorded under Topic III.

2. Zhiyi’s Words and Phrases on the Sūtra of Golden Light

Zhiyi comments on the old recension’s single Praise of the Buddha chapter. His general judgment says, 「此品從能所得名，能讚是三番菩薩、所讚是一佛世尊，能所合標，故言〈讚佛品〉。」—“This chapter is named from agent and object: the agents capable of praise are three rounds of bodhisattvas, and the single object praised is the Buddha, the World-Honored One. Because agent and object are jointly marked, it is called the Praise of the Buddha Chapter” 〔T39n1785 0082c14〕. He divides the sixty-five and a half lines among three rounds—the bodhisattvas, Faith-Mark, and the tree deity—and at the end adds the Buddha’s confirmation after rising from samādhi. For the first round he provides only a large-scale textual division, not a line-by-line explanation; a separate contemplation-of-mind passage unfolds the material through the three activities and three contemplations. This belongs to the Tiantai line-by-line commentary layer, and its old recension’s four-character line count is not transferred to T665’s eleven seven-character stanzas.

3. Zhili’s Record on the Words and Phrases of the Sūtra of Golden Light

Zhili’s Record on the Words and Phrases of the Sūtra of Golden Light is a line-by-line record explaining Zhiyi’s Words and Phrases and is not the same work as the Supplementary Record on the Profound Meaning of the Sūtra of Golden Light, which explains the Profound Meaning. Its chapter heading explicitly reads, 「七、〈讚佛品〉。初、解題，二：初：明讚之能所，二」—“Seven: The Praise of the Buddha Chapter. First, explaining the title, in two parts: first, clarifying the agent and object of praise; second…” 〔T39n1786 0154c16–c17〕. After the boundary between the first and second halves of fascicle six, the latter half bears the attribution 「宋四明沙門知禮述」—“Set forth by the śramaṇa Zhili of Siming in the Song” 〔T39n1786 0155a16〕 and continues the record on this chapter.

Zhili says that Zhiyi did not finely divide the three rounds of praise and therefore writes, 「二、釋義，三。然此三番菩薩讚辭，疏不分釋，達者必辭意俱明。恐新學者不曉，今粗科釋。」—“Second, interpreting the meaning, in three parts. The commentary does not separately explain the words of praise in these three rounds of bodhisattvas. Those who understand will surely comprehend both words and meaning; fearing that new students may not understand, I will now give a rough outline and explanation” 〔T39n1786 0155b18–b20〕. He opens the first round with 「初、諸菩薩讚，三：初、寄言讚」—“First, the bodhisattvas’ praise, in three parts: first, praise entrusted to words” 〔T39n1786 0155b20〕, then successively explains the ocean of major and minor marks, voice, the exalted body, wisdom and severance, the teaching, nectar, liberation, praise beyond words, and dedication. Confronting the old recension’s six voice-qualities and eight in other texts, Zhili explicitly records 「譯人增減，不須和會」—“Translators add and omit; there is no need to force a reconciliation” 〔T39n1786 0155c05〕. That refusal to force the witnesses into agreement is preserved here.

4. Jizang’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light

Jizang also comments on the old recension. He assigns this chapter to the circulation division and takes the first round as bodhisattvas from another region praising a buddha of another region. He divides the first round’s twenty lines into nineteen lines of praise and one of dedication, then divides the nineteen into form and voice, merit and wisdom, and combined conclusion. His six voice-qualities are: 「一大悲觀世音、二大慈濡雅音、三大梵清淨音、四大光普照音、五師子無畏音、六天人丈夫音。」—“First, the Avalokiteśvara voice of great compassion; second, the gentle, elegant voice of great loving-kindness; third, the pure voice of great Brahmā; fourth, the voice of great light universally illuminating; fifth, the fearless lion’s voice; sixth, the voice of a great man among gods and humans” 〔T39n1787 0173c13〕. This is listed alongside the three sets of eight voices recorded by Huizhao and the six voices recorded by Zhili; none deletes or alters another.

5. Profound-Meaning Layer: Zhiyi’s T1783 and Zhili’s T1784

Zhiyi’s Profound Meaning of the Sūtra of Golden Light directly cites the first round of the old recension: 「如來之身，金色微妙，其明照曜」—“The Tathāgata’s body is subtle and wondrous in golden color; its radiance shines” 〔T39n1783 0006b22〕, and explains, 「曜即是光，此是讚佛法體，非讚世金也。」—“Radiance is light; this praises the Dharma-substance of the Buddha, not worldly gold” 〔T39n1783 0006b23〕. This is collateral illumination of Dharma-substance on the profound-meaning layer, not a line-by-line commentary.

In fascicle one, Zhili’s Supplementary Record on the Profound Meaning of the Sūtra of Golden Light cites the assembly’s arrival and says that bodhisattvas of great provisional authority 「遍他方以遙禮」—“extend throughout other regions to worship from afar” 〔T39n1784 0014b14〕. Fascicle six also preserves a profound-meaning account of repentance and praise: 「讚有三種，謂讚丈六、尊特、法性。今正讚尊特，上冥法性、下現丈六。」—“Praise is of three kinds: praise of the sixteen-foot body, the exalted body, and dharma-nature. The present passage chiefly praises the exalted body, which above accords invisibly with dharma-nature and below manifests the sixteen-foot body” 〔T39n1784 0044c01〕. This is the profound-meaning layer recording the Profound Meaning; it remains separately identified from T1786, the line-by-line record on the Words and Phrases.

6. Different Readings Recorded without Adjudicating

Each of the three ancient lines of explanation is established in relation to the scripture it uses. This apparatus transmits their differences without adjudicating the relative standing of their doctrines.

V. Terminology

VI. Similes · Rhetoric

1. Body, Light, and Voice

The first two stanzas use a golden mountain, lotus flower, and full moon to describe the Buddha’s body: its golden color and universal light resemble the golden mountain, its purity and softness the lotus, and its stainless completeness the clear moon. The third stanza turns to sound, using a lion’s roar, reverberating thunder, and the jialingpinga together to convey clarity, power, and subtle wonder. By adding “responding to beings’ capacities,” the sūtra makes clear that the voice is not merely loud but can respond to those who hear.

2. Ocean, Empty Space, and Immeasurability

The fourth stanza says, 「智慧澄明如大海，功德廣大若虛空」—“His wisdom is limpid like the great ocean, and his qualities are vast like empty space” 〔T16n0665 0454c10〕. The ninth then says, 「非諸譬喻所能知」—“beyond the capacity of similes to know” 〔T16n0665 0454c19〕. Ocean and empty space make depth and breadth visible, while the denial of adequate simile draws the comparison back and prevents the Buddha’s qualities from being equated with any limited vehicle of comparison.

3. Dharma Torch, Nectar, City, and Path

The fifth stanza uses 「法炬恒然不休息」—“The Dharma torch burns constantly without ceasing” 〔T16n0665 0454c12〕 to express continuity of the Dharma’s light. The seventh names nectar four times, moving from excellent Dharma and subtle meaning to the city of nirvāṇa and unconditioned happiness. The eighth turns from the ocean of birth and death to a safe path. The ocean is the realm of suffering, the path a place of secure abiding, and the city the nirvāṇa entered. Together the images carry benefit for beings, liberation, and happiness.

4. One Drop in the Ocean of Qualities

The final three stanzas first say that the oceans of qualities and wisdom are immeasurable, then reduce the present praise to a single drop in that ocean. “One drop” does not belittle praise; limited speech discloses the boundlessness of the Buddha’s qualities. The latter half separately identifies 「斯福聚」—“this accumulation of merit” 〔T16n0665 0454c24〕 as the object of dedication: the words of praise are limited, while what is dedicated is the merit gathered through praising.

VII. Cross-Reading · Carrying Forward

1. Sequence within the Chapter

At the end of Chapter 26, the stūpa again sinks into the earth. The present chapter begins separately with “at that time” and the arrival of the bodhisattvas of the ten directions. The live text does not say that the preceding action causes the following assembly, so only sequence is recorded and no causal relation is added. Within this chapter, the order is clear: gathering, bodily worship, verbal praise, and the World-Honored One’s commendation and confirmation. After its end, the praise of Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner begins separately and is not mixed into the present chapter.

2. Carrying Forward through the Three Translations’ Division and Combination

T663 and T664 gather the three rounds by the bodhisattvas, Faith-Mark, and the tree deity into a single Praise of the Buddha chapter; T665 divides them into three chapters. All three preserve the sequence of the three rounds, while transmitting distinct scenes, destinations, verse forms, and wording. Carrying forward here does not mean manufacturing a neat composite recension but preserving, section by section, stanza by stanza, and character by character, what each witness transmits.

3. Carrying Forward through Commentaries and Records

Zhiyi and Jizang explain the old recension’s four-character praise. Zhili’s Record on the Words and Phrases carries forward Zhiyi’s outline and meaning, adding a rough outline of the first round. Huizhao instead uses Yijing’s eleven seven-character stanzas for a line-by-line analysis of the three bodies, merit and wisdom, and benefit for beings. T1786 carries forward the Words and Phrases, while T1784 carries forward the Profound Meaning; their layers are distinct. The sequence of commentaries and records is thus clear, and no mirror replaces the sūtra.

VIII. Placement of the Editions

1. Base text: T16n0665, The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle ten. The fascicle title is at 0450c18, and the attribution reads 「大唐三藏沙門義淨奉　制譯」—“Imperially commissioned translation by the Tripiṭaka śramaṇa Yijing of the Great Tang” 〔T16n0665 0450c20〕. The chapter title spans 0454b26–b27, and the chapter body is 0454b28–0454c27.
2. First collated text: T16n0663, Sūtra of Golden Light, fascicle four. The fascicle attribution reads 「北涼三藏法師曇無讖譯」—“Translated by the Tripiṭaka Dharma Master Dharmakṣema of Northern Liang” 〔T16n0663 0352b14〕. The first round of Praise of the Buddha, Chapter 18, is 0356c23–0357a24.
3. Second collated text: T16n0664, composite Sūtra of Golden Light, fascicle eight. The fascicle attribution reads 「北涼天竺三藏曇無讖譯」—“Translated by the Indian Tripiṭaka Master Dharmakṣema of Northern Liang” 〔T16n0664 0396c25〕. The first round of Praise of the Buddha, Chapter 23, is 0399c24–0400a25.
4. Huizhao’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, T39n1788: principal commentary on the chapter at 0336c22–0338a18; the attribution for fascicle six occurs at 0318a22. Chapter names around 0181c, 0182c, and 0191c belong to opening tables of contents and are not the start of the principal commentary.
5. Zhiyi’s Words and Phrases on the Sūtra of Golden Light, T39n1785: line-by-line commentary on the chapter at 0082c13–0083a29. The fascicle bears 「隋天台智者大師說」—“Taught by the Great Tiantai Master Zhizhe of the Sui” 〔T39n1785 0078b04〕 and 「門人灌頂錄」—“Recorded by his disciple Guanding” 〔T39n1785 0078b05〕.
6. Zhili’s Record on the Words and Phrases of the Sūtra of Golden Light, T39n1786: the chapter heading begins at 0154c16, and the record on the first round ends with 「理含其三，在文可見」—“In principle it contains all three, as can be seen in the text” 〔0156a21〕. The latter half of the same line begins 「二、信相說」—“Second, Faith-Mark’s speech” 〔0156a21〕 and turns to Chapter 28’s second round. The first half of fascicle six bears 「宋四明沙門知禮述」—“Set forth by the śramaṇa Zhili of Siming in the Song” 〔T39n1786 0149c17〕, and the second half repeats 「宋四明沙門知禮述」—“Set forth by the śramaṇa Zhili of Siming in the Song” 〔T39n1786 0155a16〕. This work explains the Words and Phrases and belongs to the line-by-line record layer.
7. Jizang’s Commentary on the Sūtra of Golden Light, T39n1787: the chapter begins at 0173c02 and the explanation of the first round ends at 0173c24. Its fascicle bears the attribution 「沙門吉藏撰」—“Composed by the śramaṇa Jizang” 〔T39n1787 0160a27〕.
8. Zhiyi’s Profound Meaning of the Sūtra of Golden Light, T39n1783, and Zhili’s Supplementary Record on the Profound Meaning of the Sūtra of Golden Light, T39n1784: the former’s collateral illumination of this chapter is at 0006b22–b24; its fascicle bears 「隋天台智者大師說」—“Taught by the Great Tiantai Master Zhizhe of the Sui” 〔T39n1783 0001a04〕 and 「門人灌頂錄」—“Recorded by his disciple Guanding” 〔T39n1783 0001a05〕. The latter’s collateral illumination occurs at 0014b09–b23 and 0044c01–c07; fascicle one bears 「宋四明沙門知禮述」—“Set forth by the śramaṇa Zhili of Siming in the Song” 〔T39n1784 0012b05〕, and fascicle six repeats 「宋四明沙門知禮述」—“Set forth by the śramaṇa Zhili of Siming in the Song” 〔T39n1784 0041b20〕. Both belong to the profound-meaning layer and are not presented as line-by-line commentary or record.
9. The T665 chapter body contains no interlinear notes, rare-character components, or transmitted spaces, and the chapter contains no dhāraṇī transcription. The vernacular translates the eleven actual stanzas word for word and does not invent a formula section.