金光明最勝王經 白話全本

〔Preface title〕 Preface to the Sacred Teaching of the Tripiṭaka at the Dragon-Rising of the Great Tang. Composed by Zhongzong Xiaohuangdi.

〔1 · Heaven and earth disclose their forms〕 (0403a03) We have heard that what stretches blue and boundless above is heaven: it arrays the stars and constellations, making the signs in the sky visible. What spreads vast and measureless below is earth: it sets rivers and mountains in place, giving itself form. Look up at the patterns of heaven, and they are indeed like this; look down and follow the contours of the land, and they are just the same.

〔2 · The Dharma beyond speech still uses speech to save the world〕 (0403a03) The wondrous purport of the Dharma is subtle and profound, beyond every path that names and words can travel. Suchness is lucid and still; even the distinctions of nature and appearance fall entirely away. Yet to awaken those whose hearts are deaf to the Dharma, one must still rely on the peal of Dharma thunder. To encourage and guide bewildered people, one must still await the foremost awakened guide to show the way. We therefore know that using provisional names does not damage the abiding truth, and that eloquent exposition serves precisely to articulate what cannot be spoken. Beyond every image is an image for which he alone is called the Honored One of the Three Realms. As the teacher above all heavenly beings, he manifests the holiness of one who possesses the six supernormal powers. The Dharma King appears so that beings may behold great benefit; his teaching is nurtured through the ages of seventy-two rulers. The Brahmā kings and Indra uphold it as the time requires, and its reach encompasses eighteen thousand years. Under the Zhou, the stars displayed an extraordinary radiance that accorded with the signs of the Buddha’s birth. Under the Han, the sun shed an auspicious light that fulfilled Emperor Ming’s numinous dream (the tradition that Han Mingdi dreamed of a golden figure whose head shone with light and then sent envoys westward to seek the Dharma). Thus the Buddha’s majesty can resound through kalpas as countless as grains of sand, while his transforming teaching covers worlds as numerous as dust. The white curl between his brows (a luminous mark of the Buddha described in the scriptures) emits its radiance and dispels darkness; his golden mouth proclaims the Dharma far and wide and clears every obstruction. What need is there for weapons to defeat the bandits of affliction? Only the power of wisdom is needed to destroy the army of birth and death. He opens the realm of perfect illumination, vast enough to receive beings without limit. He opens the gate of constancy and bliss, embracing every sentient life. Even if waves of desire rise as though they would float the sky itself, once the winds of circumstance fall still, those waves become clear in an instant. Even if the dust of emotion swells as though to cover the sun, once the rain of Dharma moistens it, the whole expanse immediately opens and clears.

〔3 · Refuge, dedication, and beings in the six destinies〕 (0403a03) To take refuge in the Three Jewels dispels calamity and brings blessings. To dedicate wholesome roots to beings and awakening removes danger and brings peace. How lofty is this wondrous efficacy, and how vast—beyond the power of any name to exhaust! Yet beings born from womb, egg, moisture, or transformation (the “four modes of birth,” the Buddhist classification of how beings come into existence) still swarm restlessly, unaware of impermanence. Beings in the six destinies—gods, humans, asuras, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell beings—wander on, all bound by the knots of conditioned existence. How could they know that flowers seen in empty space by diseased eyes have no reality, or that the moon reflected in water has no lasting substance? They chase about within form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—the five aggregates that make up embodied experience—and migrate through the Desire, Form, and Formless Realms. To gather in all these different classes of beings, one must ultimately await the Dharma gate suited to each.

〔4 · The white horse comes from the west, and the Dharma is transmitted through the dynasties〕 (0403a03) From the time the white horse came east from the west (the “white horse from the west” tradition, in which scriptures and images were carried back to China on white horses after Han Mingdi sent envoys in search of the Dharma), the profound teaching spread eastward. The World-Honored One taught according to the different kinds and capacities of beings, and beings in turn dispelled delusion according to their own dispositions. Maming (an ancient Indian Buddhist poet and treatise master celebrated for literary brilliance) excelled in writings precious as jade; Longshu (an ancient Indian Mahāyāna treatise master honored in Chinese Buddhism as a patriarch of the Middle Way) sent his renown soaring through jeweled verses. The Dharma thus reached distant Zhendan (China) and spread far across Yanfu (the continent inhabited by humankind in Buddhist cosmology). The “half-word” and “full-word” teachings were distinguished (old doctrinal classifications comparing provisional or incomplete teaching with teaching of complete purport), while the Lesser and Great Vehicles advanced side by side. Fotucheng and Daoan—the eminent “Cheng and An,” who successively supported Buddhist teaching and translation—followed one another in the translation hall. Zhi Daolin, also called Zhidun, and Huiyuan—the lofty “Lin and Yuan” of the Eastern Jin—left parallel tracks in monasteries and Dharma assemblies. In this way, the subtle teaching became a model whose fine reputation has sounded through a thousand generations. Its most profound principles became enduring norms, spreading through the ten directions and bearing luxuriant fruit.

〔5 · The Northern Zhou suppression and the Sui restorations〕 (0403a03) Before long, the Hou Zhou (Northern Zhou) held the mandate and fiercely fanned a wind hostile to the Dharma. The result was the Northern Zhou destruction of Buddhism (the suppression under Zhou Wudi, Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou, in which monasteries were abolished and monastics were ordered back into lay life). Every zhaoti, an old name for a Buddhist monastery, was destroyed or abandoned, and monastics throughout the realm were merged into the registered common population. Alas! Meditation dwellings fell silent and empty, retaining only the places where practitioners had once sat in contemplation. Gardens of wisdom became desolate, with no trace left of walking meditation, the measured pacing used to collect the mind. In the Kaihuang era (581–600 CE) of Sui Wendi, monasteries and Buddhist institutions began to be rebuilt. Soon, however, the Daye era (605–618 CE) of Sui Yangdi brought another collapse and fragmentation. Ghosts cried, spirits groaned, mountains roared, and seas boiled. Once the people had fallen into misery as if into mud and fire, how could monasteries remain? The true Dharma sank from view and wrong views multiplied. People lost the path of awakening and circled helplessly in the region of suffering and its arising. Worldly convention obscured the true purport, binding them within the coverings and entanglements of affliction.

〔6 · The Great Tang revives Buddhism〕 (0403a03) When our Great Tang came to possess all under heaven, it rose above Chao and Sui—Youchao and Suiren, the legendary sage rulers who taught people to build shelters and make fire—and looked down upon Yi and Xuan, here pairing Fuxi with Xuanyuan Huangdi. Three sage rulers at the beginning of the Tang successively renewed the light, and the myriad states were united. Imperial authority reached every bounded region, while beneficence spread without limit. It covered the earth’s network and restored simplicity; it extended through the supports of heaven, and distant lands offered allegiance. The sun of the Buddha was hung aloft once more, and the splendor of the Brahmā heaven was restored. The dragon palace that preserves Buddhist scriptures seemed secure upon all eight of its pillars; Jiuling, Vulture Peak where the Buddha preached, seemed to vie in height with five great summits. So grand a propagation of the Buddhist teaching truly belongs to this imperial house.

〔7 · Yijing’s family background〕 (0403a03) The scripture-translating Tripiṭaka Master Yijing of Dafuxian Monastery was a native of Fanyang, and his lay surname was Zhang. His family descended from men who had served as chancellors to the state of Han for five generations, and from a lineage that had held the highest “Three Terraces” offices under the Jin. The vermilion and purple robes of high officials shone together, and the marten tails and cicada ornaments on their crowns added color to one another (Zhuzǐ and Diaochan were emblems of eminent office). His great ancestor served as governor of Dongqi Commandery. His humane influence spread afar, and timely sweet rain seemed to follow his carriage (Gan yu sui che, “sweet rain follows the carriage,” praises a local governor whose beneficial rule brings timely rain). He advanced moral transformation through six principles of government, and his administration operated through the ten divisions under his charge. Yijing’s grandfather and father both grew weary of worldly honor. They lived freely on a secluded hill and wandered at ease along the “three paths” (the paths at a recluse’s dwelling, hence a figure for retirement). They nurtured harmony and embodied simplicity, steadied their aspirations, and kept their spirits tranquil. They gathered fine numinous mushrooms on Dongshan and cupped clear water from a southern stream. One could say that they sought seclusion on Danqiao (a remote, lofty mountain of the immortals) and rested beneath white clouds. Even the crane in the deep marsh ceased its cry (Gaohe adapts the old image of a crane heard beyond its hidden marsh, here intensifying the depth of their retreat), and the white colt in the field seemed to have its very shadow tethered (Changju evokes a young horse held from roaming). Both images portray a life withdrawn deep in the mountains.

〔8 · A youthful vow fulfilled at thirty-seven〕 (0403a03) From childhood, Master Yijing was endowed with clear understanding and showed remarkable intelligence early. He had barely passed the age at which the ten-year-old Kong Rong visited Li Ying and answered him with precocious wit (the Bian Li allusion, marking extraordinary intelligence in youth) when his heart delighted in leaving home. He had only just passed the age at which the fifteen-year-old Guo Liang went to study in Luoyang (the You Luo allusion recorded in the Book of the Later Han) when he aspired to seek the western lands. His studies encompassed the Classics and histories, and his learning penetrated past and present. He grasped the profound pivot of the sūtra, vinaya, and treatise collections, the Three Baskets, and understood the deep purport of the One Vehicle, in which buddhahood is the single ultimate path. Thereafter he lived quietly and cultivated stillness, brought thought to rest, and settled into meditation. Entrusting himself to forests and mountains, he remained far from the burdens of dust and society. Only at the age of thirty-seven did he finally fulfill the cherished intention he had long carried.

〔9 · Departure in Xianheng 2 and more than twenty years of pilgrimage〕 (0403a03) In Xianheng 2 (671 CE), Yijing reached Guangfu, the Tang administrative region around Guangzhou. When he first sought companions and made a pact to depart, the group numbered ten. By the time the oars struck and the ship set sail, he alone remained to embark. He crossed the southern sea and traveled into the distance, setting his course for the western regions and pressing on through a long journey. He passed a thousand layers of rocky peaks and traversed ten thousand li of waves. Gradually he reached Tianzhu (India), and next came to Wangcheng (the region of Wangshecheng, an important royal city in the Buddha’s time). Lingfeng, Vulture Peak where the Buddha taught the Lotus Sūtra, still stood. The sacred traces of the place where the Tathāgata attained awakening also remained. In Feishecheng (a major ancient city visited by the Buddha), traces of the offering of jeweled canopies had not disappeared. In Gihuguan, the Garden of the Solitary Benefactor (the monastery for which the elder known as the Solitary Benefactor covered the ground with gold so that it could be purchased and offered to the Buddha), the gold-covered ground could still be seen. The three jeweled stairways by which the Buddha was said to descend from Daolitian, the Heaven of the Thirty-Three—made of gold, silver, and crystal—stood plainly before his eyes. Though far from home, he personally viewed the eight great sacred stupas commemorating eight major events in the Buddha’s life. He passed through more than thirty countries and spent more than twenty years in all. Beneath the Puti tree, the tree at the Buddha’s place of awakening, he repeatedly handled its branches and lingered. Beside Anouchi, also called Anouda Pond in Buddhist sacred geography, he several times washed his cap strings and contemplated their clear reflection. The master made compassion his dwelling and patience his robe (a Lotus Sūtra image for the conduct of one who teaches the Dharma). Keeping a long fast, he sustained himself with one meal a day. Sitting for extended practice, he never tired through the six periods of day and night.

〔10 · He translates on his own authority and returns with Sanskrit manuscripts〕 (0403a03) Translators in earlier times invariably had one person first recite or set out the Sanskrit text and then relied on others to produce the Chinese translation. To select Chinese words and phrases, they depended on learned men of letters; to weigh and determine the meaning, they separately received instruction from Buddhist monks. This master is not like that. He knows the languages of the Five Tianzhu regions and also understands the profound teaching of the two truths—the conventional truth and the ultimate truth. Translating the meaning and composing the Chinese text are all his own work. Identifying the terms and settling the doctrinal principles likewise require no search for help from anyone else. He surpasses Moteng, the scripture translator who came to China under the Han, and outstrips Luoshi, the renowned translator under Hou Qin (the Later Qin). He brings with him nearly four hundred Sanskrit works (the source’s jin has its older sense, “near” or “nearly,” rather than a restrictive sense), together comprising five hundred thousand verses; one picture of the true likeness at the Jingangzuo, the Diamond Seat where the Buddha awakened; and three hundred relic grains. He does not reach the capital until the summer, in the fifth lunar month of Zhengsheng 1 (695 CE).

〔11 · Empress Wu receives him, and two translation assemblies begin〕 (0403a03) Zetian Dasheng Huangdi (Empress Wu, Wu Zetian) arose at the destined time with imperial authority, received the mandate of heaven, and grasped the ordering principles of the state. She made the continuation and flourishing of the Dharma her task and broad deliverance her intention. She therefore ordered the full ranks of officials to go out in welcome and assembled the fourfold Buddhist community—monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. Rainbow-colored banners brushed the sun, and music like the cry of phoenixes seemed to halt the clouds. Fragrance as light as the celestial “six-zhu” robe spread through the air (six zhu is the legendary weight of an extraordinarily light heavenly garment), while flowers of five colors floated down. The receiving crowds moved in stately order with ringing splendor, brilliant and magnificent. They welcomed Yijing at Shangdong Gate and lodged him at Shouji Monastery. Together with the Tripiṭaka master from Yutian (Khotan), the monk Fuli, abbot of Dafuxian Monastery, and Fazang, abbot of Western Chongfu Monastery, among others, he translated the Avataṃsaka Sūtra. Later, at Dafuxian Monastery, he worked with the Tianzhu Tripiṭaka master Baosimoduo; Huibiao, abbot of Shouji Monastery; and the monks Shengzhuang and Cixun, among others, to translate the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya. Every one of these eminent monks collected his thoughts through the four meditative absorptions and inwardly accorded with the six perfections—giving, ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom. They hung the mirror of Dharma high upon the mind’s terrace and made the jewel of precepts shine over the sea of their nature. They rose distinguished in the forest of words, joining the tree of awakening in shared fragrance. Their torches of wisdom cast light and joined their reflection to the lucid disk of the moon. They were like gold pure even before refining and jade precious even before carving; such praise truly belonged to them. They were indeed the ridgepoles of Buddhist monasteries and the dragons and elephants of the Dharma gate, figures of extraordinary strength among practitioners.

〔12 · More than two hundred fascicles completed, and the imperial preface composed〕 (0403a03) More than two hundred fascicles of various scriptures and vinaya texts had already been translated. Once their fair copies were complete, they were soon presented together to the palace. The remaining vinaya texts and treatises still awaited later translation and exposition. The teaching of the five divisions of disciplinary offenses was fully explained, and the causes behind the eight rules were thoroughly clarified. Even when beaten because a pearl had disappeared, a monk would still protect the goose that had swallowed it (the “goose and pearl” story: rather than reveal that the goose swallowed the pearl and cause it to be killed, a monk who kept the precepts endured accusation); not even the life of a tiny insect would be harmed. A flotation bladder used to cross the sea had to remain entirely unpunctured (the flotation-bladder image compares the precepts to a float whose smallest leak can endanger one’s life). A bowl filled with oil was to be carried without spilling a drop or overturning (the oil-bowl image compares careful protection of the precepts to walking with a brimful bowl of oil). These translations honored the ordering framework of the sacred teaching and opened the ears and eyes of every living being. Reverently, I pray that they may above increase the merit of the departed sage emperors and long strengthen the foundation represented by the seven ancestral temples; and that below, extending even to my own humble person, they may continually support the mandate lofty as the nine heavens. May they move all living beings into a realm of longevity and well-being, return shallow customs to their source in simplicity, bring abundant harvests and harmonious seasons, make distant lands secure, and keep nearby regions reverently ordered. Yet I bear responsibility for the myriad affairs of government, and the business of the four seas is pressing. I have therefore relied on the spare moments of the yinye, the second watch of night, approximately 9:00–11:00 p.m., to praise Yijing’s virtue, which fills the heavens. Conscious of my own empty learning, I have knocked at the gate of still and subtle truth and have simply inscribed this preface.

A vernacular rendering of Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle one, “Introduction,” Chapter 1.

The Time, Place, and Assembly of Great Bhikṣus

Thus have I heard directly:

At one time, the Bhagavān was dwelling at the summit of Vulture Peak in Rājagṛha, within the most purified and exceedingly profound dharma-realm. This is the sphere of the buddhas and the dwelling place of the Tathāgata.

Together with the Buddha were ninety-eight thousand great bhikṣus. They were all arhats, well disciplined like great elephant kings. Every outflow had been eliminated, and they had no further afflictions. Their minds were well liberated, and their wisdom was well liberated. What had to be done was complete; every heavy burden had been laid down; they had attained their own benefit; every fetter that perpetuates existence had been exhausted; and they had attained great mastery. They abided in pure discipline, applied skillful means well, adorned themselves with wisdom, realized the eight liberations, and had reached the farther shore.

Those named among them were Venerable Ājñāta Kauṇḍinya, Venerable Aśvajit, Venerable Vāṣpa, Venerable Mahānāma, Venerable Bhadrika, Mahākāśyapa, Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa, Gayā-Kāśyapa, Nadī-Kāśyapa, Śāriputra, and Mahāmaudgalyāyana. Of those named, Ānanda alone still remained at the stage of training.

In the afternoon, these great śrāvakas each emerged from samādhi and went to the Buddha. They bowed their heads at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times to the right, then withdrew and sat to one side.

The Assembly of Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas

There were also hundreds of thousands of millions of bodhisattva mahāsattvas assembled together. They possessed great majestic virtue like great dragon kings. Their renown was heard everywhere, and they were known by the multitude. Their giving and discipline were pure, and they constantly delighted in upholding them. They had diligently cultivated patience over measureless eons without growing weary, passed beyond every meditative absorption, kept mindfulness clearly present, and opened the gate of wisdom. They skillfully cultivated every means and freely exercised subtle spiritual powers. They had attained dhāraṇī, and their eloquence was inexhaustible. They had severed every affliction, and all accumulation and defilement had disappeared. Before long they would attain all-aspect knowledge.

They could subdue the armies of Māra, sound the Dharma drum, overcome the various non-Buddhist paths, and cause their followers to give rise to purified minds. They could turn the wondrous wheel of Dharma and liberate humans and devas. They had adorned the buddha-lands of the ten directions, and no sentient being in any of the six courses failed to receive benefit. They had attained great wisdom, fully possessed great patience, abided in a mind of great compassion, and possessed great, indestructible strength. They had long served the buddhas without entering parinirvāṇa, and had aroused vast vows that would not cease until the end of the future. In the presence of the buddhas, they had deeply planted pure causes; with respect to the dharmas of past, present, and future, they had awakened to the patience of non-arising; and they had passed beyond the spheres practiced by the two vehicles of śrāvakas and solitary realizers.

With great skillfulness, they taught and transformed the world. They could expound every teaching of the Great Teacher. They had fully understood secret Dharma and profound emptiness and no longer had any doubt.

The names of these bodhisattvas were: Unobstructed Turning of the Dharma Wheel, Constantly Arousing the Mind to Turn the Dharma Wheel, Constant Vigor, Never Resting, Maitreya, Mañjuśrī, Avalokiteśvara, Sovereign King of Mastery in Dhāraṇī, King Adorned with Great Eloquence, King Mount Sumeru, King Profound Ocean, Jeweled Banner, Great Jeweled Banner, Kṣitigarbha, Ākāśagarbha, Sovereign Jeweled Hand, Vajrapāṇi, Power of Joy, Great Dharma Power, Great Adorning Light, Adornment of Great Golden Light, Pure Discipline, Constant Samādhi, Supremely Purified Wisdom, Firm Vigor, Mind Like Empty Space, Unbroken Great Vow, Bestowing Medicine, Healing the Illnesses of Affliction, King of Physicians, Lofty King of Joy, Attaining the Highest Prediction, Great Cloud Pure Light, Great Cloud Upholding Dharma, Great Cloud Renown Joy and Delight, Great Cloud Manifesting Boundless Renown, Great Cloud Lion’s Roar, Great Cloud Bull-King’s Roar, Great Cloud Auspiciousness, Great Cloud Jeweled Virtue, Great Cloud Sun Treasury, Great Cloud Moon Treasury, Great Cloud Starlight, Great Cloud Firelight, Great Cloud Lightning, Great Cloud Thunder Voice, Great Cloud Wisdom-Rain Filling Everywhere, Great Cloud King of Purified Rain, Great Cloud King of Flowering Trees, Great Cloud Blue-Lotus Fragrance, Great Cloud Cool Body of Precious Sandalwood Fragrance, Great Cloud Dispelling Darkness, and Great Cloud Breaking Cataracts.

This measureless assembly of great bodhisattvas likewise emerged from samādhi in the afternoon and went to the Buddha. They bowed their heads at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times to the right, then withdrew and sat to one side.

The Licchavi Youths and the Assembly of Devas

There were also 580 million Licchavi youths. Those named as leaders were the youths Lion Light, Lion Wisdom, Dharma-Given, Indra-Given, Great Light, Great Fierce, Buddha-Protected, Dharma-Protected, Saṅgha-Protected, Vajra-Protected, Space-Protected, Roar of Space, Jewel Treasury, and Auspicious Wondrous Treasury. They all abided in unsurpassed awakening and possessed profound trust and joy in the Great Vehicle. In the afternoon, each went to the Buddha, bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times to the right, then withdrew and sat to one side.

There were also forty-two thousand devas. Those named as leaders were Joyful Vision, Joyful Delight, Sunlight, Moon-Crest, Bright Wisdom, Pure Wisdom of Space, Removing Affliction, and Auspiciousness. They had all made great vows to protect and uphold the Great Vehicle, perpetuating and flourishing the True Dharma so that it would never be cut off. In the afternoon, each went to the Buddha, bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times to the right, then withdrew and sat to one side.

Dragon Kings, Yakṣas, and the Remaining Assemblies

There were also twenty-eight thousand dragon kings. Those named as leaders were the dragon kings Lotus, Elāpattra, Great Power, Great Roar, Small Wave, Bearer of Swift Waters, Golden Face, and Wish-Fulfilling. They constantly delighted in receiving and upholding the Dharma of the Great Vehicle, aroused profound trust, and praised and protected it. In the afternoon, each went to the Buddha, bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times to the right, then withdrew and sat to one side.

There were also thirty-six thousand yakṣas, led by the Heavenly King Vaiśravaṇa. The yakṣas named were Ambā, Bearing Ambā, Lotus-Light Treasury, Lotus-Faced, Frowning Brow, Manifesting Great Terror, Earth-Shaking, and Devouring. All these yakṣas delighted in the True Dharma of the Tathāgata and protected it with profound intent, never growing weary or lax. In the afternoon, each went to the Buddha, bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times to the right, then withdrew and sat to one side.

There were also forty-nine thousand garuḍa kings, led by King Fragrant-Elephant Power. In addition, there were gandharvas, asuras, kinnaras, and mahoragas; all the seers of mountains, forests, rivers, and seas; the assemblies of kings from the great realms, queens and consorts of the inner palaces, men and women of pure trust, and the multitudes of humans and devas. They all gathered like clouds at the Dharma assembly, wishing to protect the unsurpassed Great Vehicle and to read, recite, receive, uphold, copy, and circulate this sūtra. In the afternoon, each likewise went to the Buddha, bowed his or her head at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times to the right, then withdrew and sat to one side.

In this way, the śrāvakas, bodhisattvas, human and celestial multitudes, and the eight classes of dragons and spirits had all assembled. Each joined palms in utmost sincerity and reverence, looked up at the World-Honored One’s countenance without ever turning their gaze away, and earnestly wished and delighted to hear the excellent, wondrous Dharma.

The Buddha Emerges from Samādhi and Recites Twenty-Four Verses

At that time, the Bhagavān emerged from samādhi in the afternoon, observed the assembly, and proclaimed the following twenty-four verses:

Verse 1

The wondrous Dharma of Golden Light is the supreme king among all sūtras. Its meaning is exceedingly profound and difficult to hear; it is the sphere practiced by the buddhas.

Verse 2

I shall proclaim this sūtra to the assembled multitude. The four buddhas of the east, south, west, and north will also protect it together through their awe-inspiring spiritual power.

Verse 3

The four buddhas of the four directions are Venerable Akṣobhya in the east, Buddha Jeweled Appearance in the south, Buddha Amitāyus in the west, and Buddha Sound of the Heavenly Drum in the north.

Verse 4

I shall further proclaim the wondrous Dharma. Its auspicious Dharma of repentance is supreme among all forms of repentance; it can extinguish every offense and purely remove every kind of evil karma.

Verse 5

This wondrous Dharma can also dispel many sufferings and afflictions and constantly bestow measureless happiness. It is the basis of all-knowing knowledge and is adorned with every virtue.

Verse 6

Some beings have incomplete bodies and faculties, and their lives are about to diminish. Various inauspicious signs appear before them, and the deities that formerly protected them all depart.

Verse 7

Close friends harbor anger, and relatives all scatter and separate. People become estranged and discordant with one another, and precious possessions are dispersed and lost.

Verse 8

Inauspicious stars bring strange changes, or harmful sorcery invades. Sorrows may multiply, while many sufferings press upon them—

Verse 9

They see evil dreams in their sleep and thereby give rise to affliction. Those who encounter such things should bathe and cleanse their bodies and put on fresh, clean garments.

Verse 10

They should understand that this wondrous king of sūtras is profound and praised by the buddhas. At the same time, they should concentrate single-mindedly without distraction, reading, reciting, hearing, receiving, and upholding it.

Verse 11

Through the power of this sūtra, they can remain far from unexpected calamities. Every other suffering and hardship will likewise be completely eliminated.

Verse 12

The Four Heavenly Kings who protect the world will come with their ministers and retinues. Measureless yakṣas will also single-mindedly protect the person who upholds the sūtra.

Verse 13

There will also be the goddess Great Eloquence, the deity of the Nairañjanā River, the mother-deity Hārītī, and the earth deities Firm and Steadfast.

Verse 14

Lord Brahmā, Śakra the lord of devas, the dragon kings and kinnaras, the garuḍa kings, and the hosts of asuras will likewise be among the protectors.

Verse 15

All these deities will come with their retinues to protect the person who upholds the sūtra, never leaving by day or night.

Verse 16

I shall teach this sūtra, revealing the profound sphere practiced by the buddhas. This is the secret teaching of the buddhas, difficult to encounter even in ten million eons.

Verse 17

If people hear this sūtra and can proclaim it to others, rejoice in their hearts, or establish offerings to the sūtra—

Verse 18

Such people will, for measureless eons, constantly receive the reverence of devas, humans, dragons, and spirits.

Verse 19

The resulting accumulation of merit is measureless, exceeding the sands of the Ganges. Those who read and recite this sūtra will obtain such virtue.

Verse 20

The World-Honored Buddhas of the ten directions and bodhisattvas of profound and extensive practice will also protect those who uphold this sūtra and free them from every suffering and hardship.

Verse 21

Those who make offerings to this sūtra should first bathe and cleanse their bodies as stated before, offer food, drink, incense, and flowers, and constantly arouse compassionate intent.

Verse 22

Those who wish to hear this sūtra should make their minds pure and undefiled. Constantly giving rise to joyful thoughts can increase every virtue.

Verse 23

Those who hear this sūtra with a mind of reverence can be well born in the human course and remain far from every suffering and hardship.

Verse 24

Such a person’s roots of goodness have already matured and are praised by the buddhas; for that reason, the person can hear this sūtra and its Dharma of repentance.

Base text: Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle one, “The Lifespan of the Tathāgata,” Chapter 2. This vernacular rendering follows the source sentence by sentence, transmitting without adding.

Wonderful Banner Reflects Alone: Why Is the Tathāgata’s Lifespan So Short?

At that time, in the great city of Rājagṛha, there was a bodhisattva mahāsattva named Wonderful Banner. In the past, before limitless koṭis and nayutas of hundreds of thousands of buddhas, he had attended upon them, made offerings, and planted many roots of goodness. At this time, Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner was alone in a quiet place and reflected: “Through what causes and conditions is the lifespan of Śākyamuni Tathāgata so short, only eighty years?” He further thought: “According to what the Buddha has taught, two causes and conditions bring about a long lifespan. What are the two? First, not harming living beings; second, giving food and drink to others. Yet throughout limitless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of incalculable great eons, Śākyamuni Tathāgata did not harm living beings, practiced the ten wholesome ways, and constantly gave food and drink to all hungry beings. He even gave the blood, flesh, bones, and marrow of his own body to satisfy them—to say nothing of other food and drink.”

The Chamber Becomes Pure and Adorned, and Four Tathāgatas Suddenly Appear

While that bodhisattva was thinking of the World-Honored One in this way, through the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power his chamber suddenly became vast, spacious, adorned, and pure. Indranīla, beryl, and many other jewels, interwoven with ornaments of various colors, made it resemble a buddha’s pure land. A subtle fragrance surpassing every heavenly scent spread richly and filled the room. On each of the chamber’s four sides stood a sublime lion throne made of four kinds of jewel and spread with heavenly jeweled cloth. Upon each throne there also appeared, of itself, a wondrous lotus adorned with many jewels and equal in size to a Tathāgata. On the lotuses were four tathāgatas: in the east, Tathāgata Akṣobhya; in the south, Tathāgata Jeweled Appearance; in the west, Tathāgata Amitāyus; and in the north, Tathāgata Sound of the Heavenly Drum. Each sat cross-legged upon his throne and emitted a great radiance that shone throughout the great city of Rājagṛha, this trichiliocosm, and the buddha lands in the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Many kinds of heavenly flowers rained down, and many kinds of heavenly music sounded. At that time, through the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, all beings in this Jambudvīpa and throughout the trichiliocosm experienced exquisite, wondrous happiness and lacked nothing. Those whose faculties were incomplete became complete: the blind could see, the deaf could hear, the mute could speak, the foolish gained wisdom, the distracted recovered their right minds, the unclothed obtained clothing, the despised received respect, and those whose bodies were defiled became clean. Every worldly benefit and every unprecedented event appeared.

At that time, when Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner saw the four tathāgatas and these rare events, he leapt for joy, single-mindedly joined his palms, and gazed upon the buddhas’ excellent marks. He also contemplated the limitless qualities of Śākyamuni Tathāgata, but with respect to the lifespan alone he gave rise to doubt: “Why, though the Tathāgata’s qualities are limitless, is his lifespan so short—only eighty years?”

The Four Buddhas Admonish Him: None Can Reckon the Buddha’s Lifespan, and the Assembly Gathers

At that time, the four buddhas told Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner: “Good man, you should not now speculate about the length of the Tathāgata’s lifespan. Why? Good man, among gods, Brahmās, māras, ascetics, brahmins, humans, and nonhumans, we have never seen anyone able to reckon the measure of a buddha’s lifespan or know its limit, with the sole exception of one possessing unsurpassed complete awakening.” The four tathāgatas then wished to declare the full measure of Śākyamuni Buddha’s lifespan. Through the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, the gods of the desire and form realms, together with dragons, spirits, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, and limitless hundreds of thousands of koṭis and nayutas of bodhisattva mahāsattvas, all came together and entered Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner’s pure and wondrous chamber.

The Four Buddhas Speak in Verse: None Can Reckon Śākyamuni’s Lifespan

At that time, wishing to reveal to the assembly the full measure of Śākyamuni Tathāgata’s lifespan, the four buddhas spoke these verses:

“The drops contained in all the waters of the great oceans may yet be counted; but no one can count the measure of Śākyamuni Buddha’s lifespan.”

“All Mount Sumerus may be crushed into particles as small as mustard seeds, and even their number may be counted; but no one can count the measure of Śākyamuni Buddha’s lifespan.”

“The motes of dust in the soil of the entire earth may yet be counted; but no one can count the measure of Śākyamuni Buddha’s lifespan.”

“Even if one were to measure empty space, one might exhaust its furthest limit; but no one can fathom and know the measure of Śākyamuni Buddha’s lifespan.”

“Even if someone were to remain in the world for a hundred million eons, exhausting every power of mind in ceaseless calculation, that person still could not know the World-Honored One’s lifespan.”

“Not harming the lives of sentient beings and giving them food and drink: through these two causes, a long lifespan is attained.”

“Therefore the lifespan of the World-Honored One, the Greatly Awakened One, is difficult to reckon; just as the number of eons has no limit, so too is his lifespan.”

“Wonderful Banner, you should know this and should not give rise to doubt: the lifespan of the Supremely Honored One is limitless, and no one can reckon it.”

The Four Buddhas Explain: A Short Lifespan Is Manifested as a Skillful Means in the Evil Age of Five Degenerations

At that time, after Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner heard the four tathāgatas say that the measure of Śākyamuni Buddha’s lifespan had no limit, he addressed them: “World-Honored Ones, why does the Tathāgata manifest such a short lifespan?”

The four World-Honored Ones told Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner: “Good man, Śākyamuni Buddha appears in the evil age of five degenerations, when human life lasts only one hundred years and sentient beings are base in disposition, meager in roots of goodness, and without faithful understanding. These beings hold many kinds of views: views of self, person, sentient being, lifespan, nurture, self and what belongs to self, annihilation, permanence, and others. To benefit such ordinary beings and the various non-Buddhist practitioners, to cause them to give rise to right view and swiftly accomplish unsurpassed awakening, Śākyamuni Tathāgata therefore manifests such a short lifespan. Good man, moreover, that Tathāgata wishes sentient beings, after seeing his nirvāṇa, to give rise to the perception that he is difficult to encounter, to perceptions of sorrow and suffering, and quickly to receive, retain, read, master through recitation, and explain to others the scriptures taught by the Buddha, the World-Honored One, without disparaging them. Therefore the Tathāgata manifests such a short lifespan. Why? If those beings saw that the Tathāgata did not enter parinirvāṇa, they would not give rise to reverence or to the perception that he is difficult to encounter, nor would they receive, retain, read, master through recitation, or explain to others the profound scriptures spoken by the Tathāgata. Why is this? Because seeing the Buddha constantly, they would not honor him. Good man, suppose a person sees that his parents possess abundant wealth and overflowing stores of jewels. He does not regard these riches as rare or difficult to obtain. Why? Because he regards his parents’ property as ‘always there.’ Good man, sentient beings are the same. If they saw that the Tathāgata did not enter nirvāṇa, they would not regard him as rare or difficult to encounter. Why? Because they would see him constantly. Good man, suppose, again, that a person’s parents are poor and lack resources. When this poor person enters the home of a king or great minister and sees the storehouses filled with all kinds of precious treasures, he regards them as rare and difficult to obtain. Seeking wealth, he then applies himself broadly, urges himself on with diligence, and never grows lax. Why? In order to leave poverty and experience happiness. Good man, sentient beings are the same. If they see that the Tathāgata enters nirvāṇa, they give rise to the perception that he is difficult to encounter, together with perceptions of sorrow and suffering, and they think: ‘In the course of limitless eons, buddhas and tathāgatas appear in the world just as the udumbara flower appears only once at its appointed time.’ Those sentient beings then regard the Tathāgata as rare and difficult to encounter. When they meet him, they give rise to reverence and faith; when they hear the True Dharma proclaimed, they regard it as ‘a true word’; they receive and retain all the scriptures and do not disparage them. Good man, for these causes and conditions, that Buddha, the World-Honored One, does not remain in the world for long but swiftly enters nirvāṇa. Good man, through skillful means such as these, the tathāgatas bring sentient beings to accomplishment.” When the four buddhas finished speaking these words, they suddenly disappeared.

All Proceed to Vulture Peak, and the Four Buddhas Request the Teaching of This Sūtra

At that time, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Wonderful Banner, together with limitless hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas and limitless koṭis and nayutas of hundreds of thousands of sentient beings, went to Vulture Peak, where Śākyamuni Tathāgata, the Completely Awakened One, was staying. They bowed their heads at the Buddha’s feet and withdrew to stand to one side. Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner then reported the preceding events to the World-Honored One exactly as they had occurred.

The four tathāgatas also came to Vulture Peak and arrived where Śākyamuni Buddha was staying. Each sat in his original direction and told his attendant bodhisattva: “Good man, you may now go to Śākyamuni Buddha on my behalf and greet him: ‘Do you have little illness and little distress? Is your daily life light, vigorous, and at ease? Do you proceed in happiness?’ Then say: ‘Excellent! Excellent, Śākyamuni Tathāgata! You may now expound the profound essentials of the Sūtra of Golden Light, for the benefit of all sentient beings, to remove famine and enable sentient beings to attain happiness. I shall rejoice in accord.’”

Those attendants each went to where Śākyamuni Buddha was staying, bowed their heads at the Buddha’s feet, withdrew to one side, and together addressed him: “Those Teachers of Gods and Humans send you limitless greetings: ‘Do you have little illness and little distress? Is your daily life light, vigorous, and at ease? Do you proceed in happiness?’ They also say: ‘Excellent! Excellent, Śākyamuni Tathāgata! You may now expound the profound essentials of the Sūtra of Golden Light, for the benefit of all sentient beings, to remove famine and enable sentient beings to attain happiness.’”

Śākyamuni Tathāgata, Worthy One, Completely Awakened One, then told the attendant bodhisattvas: “Excellent! Excellent! Those four tathāgatas are able, for the benefit and happiness of sentient beings, to request that I proclaim the True Dharma.”

The World-Honored One Speaks in Verse: He Manifests Parinirvāṇa to Bring Sentient Beings to Accomplishment

At that time, the World-Honored One spoke these verses:

“I constantly abide on Vulture Peak, proclaiming the treasure within this sūtra; only to bring sentient beings to accomplishment do I manifest parinirvāṇa.”

“Ordinary beings give rise to wrong views and do not believe the Dharma I teach; only to bring them to accomplishment do I manifest parinirvāṇa.”

A Brahmin Requests a Mustard Seed’s Measure of Relics

At that time, within the great assembly was a brahmin of the Kauṇḍinya clan named Bestowal-of-Prediction Dharma Master. Together with a limitless assembly of hundreds of thousands of brahmins, he made offerings to the Buddha. On hearing the World-Honored One speak of entering parinirvāṇa, tears streamed down his face. He approached, bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, and said: “World-Honored One, if the Tathāgata truly has great loving-kindness and compassion for sentient beings, if he pities and benefits them and brings them happiness like a parent, if none can equal him, if he can serve as a refuge for the world like the pure full moon, if with great wisdom he can illuminate the world like the rising sun, and if he universally regards sentient beings with impartial affection just as he regards Rāhula—then may the World-Honored One grant me a wish!”

The World-Honored One remained silent. Through the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, there was in the assembly a Licchavi youth named Pleasing to All Sentient Beings. He said to the brahmin Kauṇḍinya: “Great brahmin, what wish do you now seek from the Buddha? I can fulfill it for you.”

The brahmin said: “Youth, wishing to honor the unsurpassed World-Honored One, I now ask the Tathāgata for relics no larger than a mustard seed. Why? I once heard it said: ‘If a good man or good woman obtains relics of the Buddha no larger than a mustard seed and reverently makes offerings to them, that person will be reborn among the Thirty-Three Gods and become Śakra.’”

The youth told the brahmin: “If you wish to be reborn among the Thirty-Three Gods and experience excellent reward, you should listen wholeheartedly to this Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King. Among all sūtras, this one is supreme, difficult to understand and difficult to enter; neither śrāvakas nor solitary realizers can comprehend it. This sūtra can produce limitless and boundless meritorious rewards and even accomplish unsurpassed awakening. I will now explain the matter briefly for you.”

The brahmin said: “Excellent, youth! This Golden Light is profound and supreme, difficult to understand and difficult to enter. Even śrāvakas and solitary realizers cannot comprehend it—to say nothing of provincial people such as us, shallow in wisdom. How could we understand and penetrate it? Therefore, I now seek only relics of the Buddha no larger than a mustard seed, to carry back to my home, place in a jeweled casket, and honor with reverent offerings. After death I would become Śakra and constantly experience happiness. Why can you not now request this one wish for me from the One Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct?” Having spoken these words, he fell silent.

The Youth Speaks in Verse: The World-Honored One’s Relics Can Never Be Obtained

At that time, the youth spoke these verses to the brahmin:

“In the swift-flowing waters of the Ganges a white lotus may grow; a yellow bird may turn white in form, and a black bird may turn red.”

“A jambū tree may bear the fruit of a palmyra, and from the branches of a kharjūra tree may grow the leaves of a mango.”

“Rare events such as these might yet admit of change; but the World-Honored One’s relics can never be obtained.”

“If one could weave turtle hair into a sublime robe and wear it against the cold—only then should one come seeking the Buddha’s relics.”

“If the legs of gnats could build a tower, firm and unmoving—only then should one come seeking the Buddha’s relics.”

“If white teeth could grow in a leech’s mouth, long and sharp as a knife blade—only then should one come seeking the Buddha’s relics.”

“If a rabbit’s horn could be made into a stairway to heaven, by which one might climb to a heavenly palace—only then should one come seeking the Buddha’s relics.”

“If a mouse could climb that stairway and remove the asuras who eclipse the moon in the sky—only then should one come seeking the Buddha’s relics.”

“If a fly, drunk on wine, could travel through villages and cities and build spacious houses—only then should one come seeking the Buddha’s relics.”

“If a donkey’s lips became red as a bimba fruit and it excelled at song and dance—only then should one come seeking the Buddha’s relics.”

“If a crow and an owl could dwell and travel together, each complying with the other—only then should one come seeking the Buddha’s relics.”

“If leaves of the pāla tree could be made into a canopy that shields against heavy rain—only then should one come seeking the Buddha’s relics.”

“If a great ship, filled with many kinds of precious treasure, could travel over dry land—only then should one come seeking the Buddha’s relics.”

“If a wren could carry Mount Gandhamādana in its beak and travel wherever it wished—only then should one come seeking the Buddha’s relics.”

The Brahmin Replies in Verse: The Dharma-Body Permanently Abides, and Bones Are Left through Skillful Means

At that time, after hearing these verses, the brahmin Bestowal-of-Prediction Dharma Master replied in gāthā to the youth Pleasing to All Sentient Beings:

“Excellent, great youth! You are an auspicious one within this assembly; your mind is complete in skillful means, and you have received the Buddha’s unsurpassed prediction.”

“The Tathāgata has great awesome virtue and can rescue and protect the world. Good sir, please listen wholeheartedly; I will now explain in order.”

“The realm of the buddhas is difficult to conceive, and none in the world can equal it; the nature of the dharma-body permanently abides, and its cultivation has no difference.”

“The substance of all buddhas is entirely the same, and the Dharma they teach is likewise so; the buddhas have no agent and are originally unborn.”

“The World-Honored One has an adamantine body and manifests an emanation body only as a skillful means; therefore there are no relics of the Buddha, not even the measure of a mustard seed.”

“The Buddha is not a body of flesh and blood; how could there be relics? He leaves bodily bones only as a skillful means, in order to benefit sentient beings.”

“The dharma-body is perfect awakening; the dharma-realm is the Tathāgata. This is the Buddha’s true body, and the Dharma he teaches is likewise such.”

Thirty-Two Thousand Gods Hear the Dharma and Arouse the Aspiration

At that time, the thirty-two thousand gods in the assembly heard the teaching that the Tathāgata’s lifespan is long. All aroused the mind of awakening—unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening—leapt for joy, attained what they had never known before, and spoke these verses with one voice:

“The Buddha does not enter parinirvāṇa, and the True Dharma does not perish; only to benefit sentient beings does he manifest cessation.”

“The World-Honored One is inconceivable; his wondrous substance has no differentiated characteristic. Only to benefit sentient beings does he display many adornments.”

Wonderful Banner Asks: The Doubt Raised by Scriptural Teachings of Nirvāṇa and Relics

At that time, after Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner had personally heard, before the Buddha, the four tathāgatas, the two great beings, and the gods, the teaching concerning the measure of Śākyamuni Tathāgata’s lifespan, he rose from his seat, respectfully joined his palms, and addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, if the truth is that all buddhas and tathāgatas do not enter parinirvāṇa and have no relics, why do the scriptures speak of nirvāṇa and of the Buddha’s relics, so that humans and gods may reverently make offerings? Bodily bones of past buddhas are still found throughout the world, and humans and gods gain boundless merit by honoring them. Yet now it is said that there are none, causing doubt to arise. May the World-Honored One have pity on us and explain this fully!”

The Buddha Teaches the Hidden Intention: Three Sets of Ten Dharmas Explain the True Principle of Nirvāṇa

At that time, the Buddha told Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner and the whole assembly: “You should know that speaking of ‘parinirvāṇa and relics’ is a teaching with hidden intention. Listen single-mindedly and closely to this meaning. Good man, a bodhisattva mahāsattva should understand as follows: there are ten dharmas through which one can understand the true principle of the Tathāgata, Worthy One, Completely Awakened One, and in relation to which ultimate great parinirvāṇa is taught. What are the ten? First, all buddhas and tathāgatas have ultimately severed the afflictive and cognitive obstructions; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Second, all buddhas and tathāgatas understand well the lack of intrinsic nature in sentient beings and the lack of intrinsic nature in dharmas; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Third, they can transform the bodily basis and the dharma-basis; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Fourth, the conditions for teaching sentient beings naturally come to rest; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Fifth, they realize the impartial dharma-body, whose real characteristic is without difference; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Sixth, they understand that birth and death and nirvāṇa have no dual nature; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Seventh, they penetrate the foundation of all dharmas and realize purity; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Eighth, they cultivate well the non-arising and non-ceasing of all dharmas; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Ninth, suchness, the dharma-realm, and the limit of reality are equal, and they attain right wisdom; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Tenth, they realize that the nature of all dharmas and the nature of nirvāṇa are without difference; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. These are the ten dharmas in relation to which nirvāṇa is taught.

“Furthermore, good man, a bodhisattva mahāsattva should understand as follows: there are another ten dharmas through which one can understand the true principle of the Tathāgata, Worthy One, Completely Awakened One, and in relation to which ultimate great parinirvāṇa is taught. What are the ten? First, all afflictions have desire as their root and arise from desire; the buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, have severed desire; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Second, because the tathāgatas have severed their various desires, they grasp no dharma whatsoever; because they grasp nothing, they neither go nor come; because they cling to nothing, this is called nirvāṇa. Third, because they neither go nor come and grasp nothing, the dharma-body neither arises nor ceases; because it neither arises nor ceases, this is called nirvāṇa. Fourth, this non-arising and non-ceasing cannot be expressed in words, and the path of language is cut off; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Fifth, there is neither self nor person, only the arising and ceasing of dharmas; because they realize transformation of the basis, this is called nirvāṇa. Sixth, afflictions and secondary afflictions are all adventitious dust, while dharma-nature is the master and neither comes nor goes; because the Buddha fully understands this, it is called nirvāṇa. Seventh, suchness is real and all else is false; the substance of real nature is precisely suchness, and the nature of suchness is precisely the Tathāgata; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Eighth, the nature of the limit of reality is without conceptual proliferation; only the Tathāgata realizes the dharma of the limit of reality, and conceptual proliferation is permanently cut off; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Ninth, non-arising is real and arising is false; the deluded drift and sink in birth and death, while the Tathāgata’s substance is real and without falsity; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Tenth, unreal dharmas arise from causes and conditions, while the real dharma does not arise from causes and conditions; the substance of the Tathāgata’s dharma-body is real; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Good man, these are the ten dharmas in relation to which nirvāṇa is taught.

“Furthermore, good man, a bodhisattva mahāsattva should understand as follows: there are yet another ten dharmas through which one can understand the true principle of the Tathāgata, Worthy One, Completely Awakened One, and in relation to which ultimate great parinirvāṇa is taught. What are the ten? First, the Tathāgata well understands giving and its result and retribution as having neither self nor what belongs to a self; wrong discrimination concerning this giving and its result and retribution is permanently extinguished; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Second, the Tathāgata well understands moral discipline and its result and retribution as having neither self nor what belongs to a self; wrong discrimination concerning this moral discipline and its result and retribution is permanently extinguished; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Third, the Tathāgata well understands patience and its result and retribution as having neither self nor what belongs to a self; wrong discrimination concerning this patience and its result and retribution is permanently extinguished; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Fourth, the Tathāgata well understands diligence and its result and retribution as having neither self nor what belongs to a self; wrong discrimination concerning this diligence and its result and retribution is permanently extinguished; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Fifth, the Tathāgata well understands meditative concentration and its result and retribution as having neither self nor what belongs to a self; wrong discrimination concerning this meditative concentration and its result and retribution is permanently extinguished; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Sixth, the Tathāgata well understands wisdom and its result and retribution as having neither self nor what belongs to a self; wrong discrimination concerning this wisdom and its result and retribution is permanently extinguished; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Seventh, all buddhas and tathāgatas well understand that every sentient and insentient thing and every dharma is without intrinsic nature; wrong discrimination is permanently extinguished; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Eighth, attachment to one’s own body gives rise to seeking, and seeking brings the experience of many kinds of suffering; all buddhas and tathāgatas have extinguished self-love and permanently ended seeking; because they have no seeking, this is called nirvāṇa. Ninth, all conditioned dharmas are numbered, while every number is removed from unconditioned dharmas; the Buddha has left the conditioned and realized the unconditioned dharma, which is without number; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Tenth, the Tathāgata knows sentient beings and dharmas to be empty in substance; apart from emptiness there is nothing whatsoever, and the nature of emptiness is the true dharma-body; therefore this is called nirvāṇa. Good man, these are the ten dharmas in relation to which nirvāṇa is taught.

“Furthermore, good man, is the fact that the Tathāgata does not enter parinirvāṇa the only rare thing? There are another ten rare dharmas that are practices of the Tathāgata. What are the ten? First, birth and death are faulty, while nirvāṇa is quiescent; because the Tathāgata realizes the equality of birth and death and nirvāṇa, he neither abides in cyclic existence nor dwells in nirvāṇa, and he does not reject or turn away from sentient beings. This is a practice of the Tathāgata. Second, the Buddha does not think of sentient beings: ‘These foolish beings act according to inverted views and are bound and oppressed by many afflictions; I will now awaken them and cause them to attain liberation.’ Nevertheless, through the power of roots of loving-kindness from the past, he accords with those sentient beings’ faculties, inclinations, and convictions, without discrimination; naturally he delivers them, revealing, teaching, benefiting, and gladdening them to the exhaustion of the future, without end. This is a practice of the Tathāgata. Third, the Buddha does not think: ‘I will now expound the twelve divisions of scripture and benefit sentient beings.’ Nevertheless, through the power of roots of loving-kindness from the past, he teaches those sentient beings extensively to the exhaustion of the future, without end. This is a practice of the Tathāgata. Fourth, the Buddha does not think: ‘I will now go to that city, town, or village, to the homes of kings and ministers, brahmins, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, and śūdras, and beg food from them.’ Nevertheless, through the power of habitual tendencies from past bodily, verbal, and mental conduct, he naturally goes there and begs for the sake of benefit. This is a practice of the Tathāgata. Fifth, the Tathāgata’s body knows no hunger or thirst, urination or defecation, weakness or fatigue. Although he goes begging, in truth he eats nothing and makes no distinction; nevertheless, in order naturally to benefit sentient beings, he manifests the act of eating. This is a practice of the Tathāgata. Sixth, the Buddha does not think: ‘These sentient beings differ as superior, middling, and inferior; I will teach them the Dharma in accordance with the character of their faculties.’ Nevertheless, the Buddha, the World-Honored One, is without discrimination and skillfully accords with their capacities and conditions in teaching them the Dharma. This is a practice of the Tathāgata. Seventh, the Buddha does not think: ‘These sentient beings do not honor me but always revile me to my face; I cannot speak with them. Those sentient beings honor me and always praise me to my face; I should speak with them.’ Nevertheless, the Tathāgata gives rise to loving-kindness and compassion toward them equally and without duality. This is a practice of the Tathāgata. Eighth, the buddhas and tathāgatas have no love or hate, pride, avarice, or any affliction; nevertheless, the Tathāgata constantly delights in quietude, praises fewness of desires, and remains far from all commotion. This is a practice of the Tathāgata. Ninth, there is no dharma the Tathāgata does not know and none he does not penetrate well; in every place mirror wisdom is present before him without discrimination. Nevertheless, when the Tathāgata sees the activities undertaken by sentient beings, he accords with their minds, skillfully guides and leads them, and enables them to emerge. This is a practice of the Tathāgata. Tenth, when the Tathāgata sees some sentient beings become rich and prosperous, he gives rise to no joy; when he sees them decline and suffer loss, he gives rise to no grief. Nevertheless, when the Tathāgata sees sentient beings cultivating right conduct, through unobstructed great loving-kindness he naturally rescues and embraces them; when he sees sentient beings cultivating wrong conduct, through unobstructed great compassion he naturally rescues and embraces them. This is a practice of the Tathāgata. Good man, understand in this way: the Tathāgata, Worthy One, Completely Awakened One, is said to possess such boundless right practices. You should know that this is the true characteristic of nirvāṇa. When he is sometimes seen to enter parinirvāṇa, it is a skillful means; when he leaves relics so that sentient beings may reverently make offerings, this too is the power of the Tathāgata’s roots of loving-kindness. Those who make offerings will in future lives remain far from the eight difficulties, encounter buddhas and spiritual friends, not lose the wholesome mind, gain boundless reward, and swiftly emerge, no longer bound by birth and death. You should diligently cultivate such wondrous practices and not be heedless.”

Wonderful Banner Praises What He Has Never Known Before; the Assembly Arouses the Aspiration, and the Four Buddhas Disappear Again

At that time, after Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner heard from the Buddha’s own mouth the teaching that he does not enter parinirvāṇa and the teaching of the profound practices, he respectfully joined his palms and said: “Only now do I know that the Tathāgata, the Great Teacher, does not enter parinirvāṇa and that he leaves relics to benefit sentient beings universally. My body and mind leap with joy, and I praise what I have never known before.” When this chapter, “The Lifespan of the Tathāgata,” was taught, limitless, numberless, and boundless sentient beings all aroused the mind of unequaled unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening. The four tathāgatas then suddenly disappeared. Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, rose from his seat, and returned to his original dwelling.

Base text: Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle two, “Distinguishing the Three Bodies,” Chapter 3. This vernacular rendering follows the source sentence by sentence, transmitting without adding.

Ākāśagarbha Asks How to Practice in Accordance with the Tathāgatas’ Profound Mystery

At that time, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Ākāśagarbha rose from his seat in the midst of the great assembly, bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, respectfully joined his palms, and bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet. He presented exquisite flowers of gold and jewels, precious banners, pennants, and canopies as offerings, and addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, how should a bodhisattva mahāsattva practice in accordance with the Dharma with respect to the Tathāgatas’ profound mystery?” The Buddha said:

“Good man, listen closely! Listen closely! Attend well and bear this in mind. I will distinguish and explain it for you.

The Three Bodies in Brief: Emanation Body, Responsive Body, and Dharma-Body

“Good man, every Tathāgata has three kinds of body. What are the three? The first is the emanation body, the second is the responsive body, and the third is the dharma-body. When these three bodies are complete, they embrace unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening. If one rightly understands them, one swiftly emerges from birth and death.

“How does a bodhisattva understand the emanation body? Good man, in the past, while cultivating on the stages of practice, the Tathāgata cultivated many kinds of Dharma for all sentient beings. He cultivated in this way until his practice was complete. Through the power of that practice, he attained great mastery; through the power of that mastery, he accords with sentient beings’ intentions, accords with sentient beings’ conduct, and accords with sentient beings’ realms, understanding and distinguishing them all. He neither awaits the time nor passes it by: the place is appropriate, the time is appropriate, the conduct is appropriate, and the teaching of the Dharma is appropriate. He manifests many kinds of body. This is called the emanation body.

“Good man, how does a bodhisattva understand the responsive body? The Tathāgatas teach ultimate truth so that bodhisattvas may penetrate it; they enable them to understand that birth and death and nirvāṇa are of one taste; they remove the fear and delight of sentient beings who cling to the view of a self in the body; and they establish a basis for limitless buddha-dharmas. Corresponding to reality, through the power of original vows grounded in suchness and the wisdom of suchness, this body appears complete with the thirty-two marks, the eighty excellent characteristics, and a circular halo around its neck and back. This is called the responsive body.

“Good man, how does a bodhisattva mahāsattva understand the dharma-body? For the sake of removing all the obstructions of affliction and the like, and for the sake of completing every wholesome quality, there are only suchness and the wisdom of suchness. This is called the dharma-body.

“The first two bodies exist by provisional designation. This third body truly exists and serves as the basis for the first two. Why is this? Apart from the suchness of dharmas and apart from non-discriminating wisdom, none of the buddhas has any other dharma. All buddhas are complete in wisdom; all their afflictions have been utterly extinguished; and they attain the purified buddha ground. Therefore, the suchness of dharmas and the wisdom of suchness embrace all buddha-dharmas.

The Suchness of Dharmas and the Wisdom of Suchness: Benefiting Self and Others, Accomplishing Activity without Discrimination

“Furthermore, good man, all buddhas bring benefit to themselves and others to ultimate completion. That which benefits oneself is the suchness of dharmas; that which benefits others is the wisdom of suchness. Because they attain mastery in the activities that benefit self and others and accomplish limitless varieties of functions, all buddha-dharmas are distinguished into immeasurably and boundlessly many kinds.

“Good man, just as, in dependence on deluded conceptual thought, one speaks of many afflictions, many kinds of karmic activity, and many kinds of result and retribution, so, in dependence on the suchness of dharmas and the wisdom of suchness, one speaks of many buddha-dharmas, many dharmas of solitary realizers, and many dharmas of śrāvakas. In dependence on the suchness of dharmas and the wisdom of suchness, all buddha-dharmas are freely accomplished. This is the first inconceivability. It is inconceivable to paint in empty space and produce implements of adornment; in the same way, to accomplish the buddha-dharmas in dependence on the suchness of dharmas and the wisdom of suchness is also inconceivable.

“Good man, the suchness of dharmas and the wisdom of suchness are both without discrimination. How, then, can activities be freely accomplished? Good man, just as the Tathāgata, after entering nirvāṇa, freely accomplishes many activities through the sovereignty of his vows, so the suchness of dharmas and the wisdom of suchness freely accomplish activity in the same way.

“Furthermore, a bodhisattva mahāsattva enters a concentration without mind and, relying on the power of a previous vow, emerges from meditative concentration and performs many activities. These two dharmas are without discrimination, yet activities are freely accomplished. Good man, the sun and moon do not discriminate; a water mirror does not discriminate; and light does not discriminate. When these three combine, an image arises. In the same way, the suchness of dharmas and the wisdom of suchness do not discriminate. Through the sovereignty of vows, when sentient beings respond, the responsive and emanation bodies appear, just as an image of the sun or moon appears through the meeting of conditions.

Images of Empty Space in Water Mirrors: The Three Bodies and the Three Kinds of Nirvāṇa

“Furthermore, good man, in limitless water mirrors, through dependence on light, the image of empty space appears in many different forms, although empty space itself is without characteristics. Good man, in the same way, the disciples who receive transformation are images of the dharma-body. Through the power of vows, many forms appear in the two bodies, but at the ground of the dharma-body there is no differentiated characteristic.

“Good man, in dependence on these two bodies, all buddhas teach nirvāṇa with remainder. In dependence on this dharma-body, they teach nirvāṇa without remainder. Why? Because every remaining dharma is ultimately exhausted. In dependence on these three bodies, all buddhas teach non-abiding nirvāṇa. Because of the two bodies, they do not abide in nirvāṇa; apart from the dharma-body there is no other buddha. Why do the two bodies not abide in nirvāṇa? The two bodies are provisionally designated and unreal: they arise and cease thought after thought, do not remain fixed, and repeatedly appear because they are not fixed. The dharma-body is not like this. Therefore, the two bodies do not abide in nirvāṇa. The dharma-body is nondual and therefore does not abide in nirvāṇa either. Thus, in dependence on the three bodies, non-abiding nirvāṇa is taught.

The Three Characteristics and Three Minds: Why Ordinary Beings Remain Far from the Three Bodies

“Good man, because of three characteristics, all ordinary beings are bound and obstructed, remain far from the three bodies, and do not reach them. What are the three? First, the characteristic of the wholly-imagined; second, the characteristic of the other-dependent; third, the characteristic of accomplishment. Because they cannot understand, extinguish, or purify these characteristics, they do not reach the three bodies. Because the buddhas can understand, extinguish, and purify these three characteristics, they are complete in the three bodies.

“Good man, because ordinary beings have not yet removed these three minds, they remain far from the three bodies and cannot reach them. What are the three? First, the mind that initiates activity; second, the mind dependent on the root; third, the root mind. Through the various paths of suppression, the mind that initiates activity is exhausted. Through the Dharma-severing path, the mind dependent on the root is exhausted. Through the supreme path, the root mind is exhausted. Because the mind that initiates activity ceases, the emanation body is manifested. Because the mind dependent on the root ceases, the responsive body is revealed. Because the root mind ceases, the dharma-body is reached. Therefore every Tathāgata is complete in the three bodies.

The Three Bodies: Same Activity, Same Intent, Same Substance—Many, One, and Neither One nor Two

“Good man, in the first body all buddhas have the same activity; in the second body all buddhas have the same intent; in the third body all buddhas have the same substance. Good man, because the first buddha-body takes many forms in accordance with the many intentions of sentient beings, it is said to be many. Because the disciples have one intent, the second buddha-body manifests one form and is therefore said to be one. The third buddha-body transcends every kind of characteristic and is not an object grasped through characteristics; it is therefore called neither one nor two. Good man, the first body is manifested in dependence on the responsive body; the second body is manifested in dependence on the dharma-body; the dharma-body truly exists and has no place on which it depends.

In What Sense the Three Bodies Are Permanent and Impermanent

“Good man, the three bodies are called permanent in one respect and impermanent in another. The emanation body constantly turns the wheel of Dharma. Everywhere, in response to conditions, its skillful means continue without interruption; therefore it is called permanent. Because it is not the basis and does not manifest the complete great function, it is called impermanent. The responsive body has continued without interruption since beginningless time; it can uphold the qualities exclusive to all buddhas; and because sentient beings are inexhaustible, its functions are also inexhaustible. Therefore it is called permanent. Because it is not the basis and does not manifest the complete function, it is called impermanent. The dharma-body is not a conditioned dharma, has no differentiated characteristic, and is the basis. Because it is like empty space, it is called permanent.

“Good man, apart from non-discriminating wisdom, there is no more excellent wisdom; apart from the suchness of dharmas, there is no more excellent object. This is the suchness of dharmas; this is the suchness of wisdom. These two kinds of suchness are neither one nor different. Therefore, the dharma-body has the purity of wisdom and the purity of extinction. Because it has these two purities, the dharma-body is complete in purity.

Four Alternatives for the Emanation and Responsive Bodies, and the Dharma-Body Revealed through Two Absences

“Furthermore, good man, when the three bodies are distinguished, there are four differences: there is an emanation body that is not a responsive body; there is a responsive body that is not an emanation body; there is a body that is both emanation and responsive; and there is a body that is neither emanation nor responsive. What is an emanation body that is not a responsive body? After the Tathāgatas have entered parinirvāṇa, through the sovereignty of their vows they benefit beings according to conditions. This is called the emanation body. What is a responsive body that is not an emanation body? It is a body before the grounds. What is both an emanation body and a responsive body? It is a body abiding in nirvāṇa with remainder. What is neither an emanation body nor a responsive body? It is the dharma-body.

“Good man, this dharma-body is revealed through two absences. What are the two absences? With respect to this dharma-body, both characteristic and the locus of characteristic are absent: it is neither existent nor nonexistent, neither one nor different, neither numbered nor unnumbered, neither bright nor dark. The wisdom of suchness likewise sees neither characteristic nor the locus of characteristic; it sees neither existent nor nonexistent, neither one nor different, neither numbered nor unnumbered, neither bright nor dark. Therefore know that the object is pure and wisdom is pure. They cannot be discriminated and there is no interval between them. Because the dharma-body is the basis of cessation and the path, the many activities of the Tathāgata can be revealed through it.

The Dharma-Body Is the Great Vehicle, the Tathāgata-Nature, and the Tathāgata-Womb

“Good man, the causes, conditions, object, and locus of this body, and the way its fruit depends on its basis, are difficult to conceive. If one understands this meaning, this body itself is the great vehicle, the Tathāgata-nature, and the Tathāgata-womb. In dependence on this body, the first mind is aroused; the minds that cultivate the grounds are manifested; the mind of the irreversible ground is manifested; and the mind of one birth remaining, the adamantine mind, and the Tathāgata mind are all manifested. Limitless wondrous dharmas of the Tathāgata are all manifested. In dependence on this dharma-body, the inconceivable great samādhi is manifested; in dependence on this dharma-body, all great wisdom is manifested. Therefore, the two bodies are manifested in dependence on samādhi and wisdom. In dependence on its own substance, this dharma-body is called permanent and called self; because of great samādhi, it is called bliss; because of great wisdom, it is called pure. Therefore, the Tathāgata permanently abides, masterful, blissful, and pure.

“In dependence on great samādhi, all meditative concentrations, including Śūraṅgama Samādhi, all establishments of mindfulness, including the great mindfulness of Dharma, great loving-kindness and great compassion, every dhāraṇī, every supernormal power, every mastery, and the equal embrace of all dharmas—buddha-dharmas such as these—all appear. In dependence on this great wisdom, the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed eloquences, the one hundred and eighty qualities exclusive to buddhas, and all rare and inconceivable dharmas are manifested. Just as limitless varieties of precious treasure all appear in dependence on a wish-fulfilling jewel, so limitless varieties of the buddhas’ wondrous dharmas can arise in dependence on the treasure of great samādhi and the treasure of great wisdom.

“Good man, this dharma-body, samādhi, and wisdom transcend every characteristic, do not cling to characteristics, cannot be discriminated, and are neither permanent nor annihilated. This is called the middle way. Although there is discrimination, their substance is without discrimination. Although there is the number three, there are not three substances. They neither increase nor decrease and are like a dream or an illusion. There is neither an object grasped nor one who grasps. The suchness of the substance of dharmas is the place of liberation, beyond the realm of the Lord of Death and across the darkness of birth and death. It cannot be cultivated or reached by sentient beings; it is the dwelling place of all buddhas and bodhisattvas.

“Good man, suppose a person wishes to obtain gold and searches everywhere until he finds gold ore. Having found the ore, he breaks it apart, selects its pure portion, and smelts it in a furnace, obtaining pure gold. He then turns it at will into rings, bracelets, and many kinds of ornament. Although it has many uses, the nature of the gold does not change.

Removing Obstructions through the Ten Grounds and the Three Purities of the Tathāgata Ground

“Furthermore, good man, suppose a good man or good woman seeks supreme liberation, cultivates worldly goodness, and comes to see the Tathāgata and the assembly of his disciples. After drawing near, that person addresses the Buddha: ‘World-Honored One, what is wholesome? What is unwholesome? What is right practice, through which pure conduct is attained?’ When the buddhas, Tathāgatas, and their assemblies of disciples see the person ask in this way, they think: ‘This good man or good woman wishes to seek purity and hear the True Dharma.’ They immediately teach so that the person may awaken.

“After hearing, that person recollects and retains the teaching with right mindfulness, arouses the mind to practice, attains the power of diligence, removes the obstruction of laziness, extinguishes every transgression, abandons disrespect toward the trainings, stills agitation and regret, and enters the first ground. Through the mind of the first ground, one removes the obstruction to benefiting sentient beings and enters the second ground. On that ground, one removes the obstruction to refraining from affliction and enters the third ground. On that ground, one removes the obstruction to the mind’s pliancy and purity and enters the fourth ground. On that ground, one removes the obstruction to skillful means and enters the fifth ground. On that ground, one removes the obstruction to seeing the ultimate and the conventional and enters the sixth ground. On that ground, one removes the obstruction to seeing the characteristics of activity and enters the seventh ground. On that ground, one removes the obstruction of not seeing the characteristic of cessation and enters the eighth ground. On that ground, one removes the obstruction of not seeing the characteristic of arising and enters the ninth ground. On that ground, one removes the obstruction to the six supernormal powers and enters the tenth ground. On that ground, one removes the cognitive obstruction and the root mind and enters the Tathāgata ground.

“The Tathāgata ground is called supremely pure because of three purities. What are the three? The first is purity from afflictions, the second is purity from suffering, and the third is purity from characteristics. True gold, for example, is melted and refined. After being fired and beaten, it is free from dust and dirt, revealing the original purity of gold’s nature. The body of gold is pure; this does not mean that there is no gold. Turbid water, for example, settles and becomes pure, free from dregs and filth, revealing the original purity of water’s nature; this does not mean that there is no water. In the same way, when the dharma-body has separated from afflictions, suffering and its arising have been removed, and no residual tendencies remain, the original purity of buddha-nature is revealed; this does not mean that there is no substance. Empty space, for example, may be covered by smoke, clouds, dust, and mist. When they are cleared away, the realm of empty space is pure; this does not mean that there is no empty space. In the same way, because every suffering of the dharma-body has been exhausted, it is called pure; this does not mean that there is no substance. Suppose, for example, that a person dreams that a great river is sweeping his body along. Moving his hands and feet, he cuts across the current and reaches the farther shore. Because his body and mind do not slacken or retreat, he awakens from the dream and no longer sees water or any distinction between this shore and the farther shore; this does not mean that there is no mind. Once the delusive thoughts of birth and death have been utterly extinguished, this awareness is pure; this does not mean that there is no awareness. In the same way, because no delusive thought ever again arises in the dharma-realm, it is called pure; this does not mean that the buddhas have no real substance.

Purifying the Three Obstructions and Truly Seeing the Buddha

“Furthermore, good man, with respect to this dharma-body, purification of the afflictive obstruction enables the responsive body to manifest; purification of the karmic obstruction enables the emanation body to manifest; purification of the wisdom obstruction enables the dharma-body to manifest. Just as lightning emerges in dependence on empty space and light in dependence on lightning, so the responsive body manifests in dependence on the dharma-body and the emanation body manifests in dependence on the responsive body. Purity of nature can manifest the dharma-body, purity of wisdom can manifest the responsive body, and purity of samādhi can manifest the emanation body. These three purities are the suchness of dharmas: undifferentiated suchness, suchness of one taste, liberated suchness, ultimate suchness. Therefore, the buddhas do not differ in substance.

“Good man, suppose a good man or good woman says, ‘The Tathāgata is my great teacher.’ If that person gives rise to such resolute faith, he or she should understand deeply that the Tathāgata’s body has no differentiation. Good man, for this reason, every incorrect way of thinking about objects is severed and removed, and one knows that dharmas have no dual characteristics and no discrimination. In the suchness cultivated by the noble ones, there are no dual characteristics. Through right practice, in this very way, every obstruction is utterly extinguished; in suchness, every obstruction is extinguished. In this very way, the suchness of dharmas and the wisdom of suchness become supremely pure, and right wisdom in the dharma-realm of suchness becomes pure. In this very way, all mastery and the complete embrace are accomplished, and every obstruction is utterly extinguished. Because all obstructions have been purified, this is called the true characteristic of suchness and right wisdom. One who sees in this way has noble vision and is said truly to see the Buddha. Why? Because that person sees the true suchness of dharmas in accord with reality. Therefore, all buddhas can universally see every Tathāgata.

“Why is this? Although śrāvakas and solitary realizers have already left the three realms and seek the real object, they cannot know or see it. If even such noble ones cannot know or see it, all ordinary beings give rise to doubt, discriminate in an inverted way, and cannot cross over. They are like a hare afloat upon the sea that certainly cannot cross. Why? Because its strength is feeble. Ordinary beings are the same: they cannot penetrate the suchness of dharmas. The Tathāgatas, however, have no discriminating mind and attain great mastery over all dharmas. Because they are complete in pure, profound wisdom, this is their own domain, not shared with others. Thus, through immeasurable, boundless asaṃkhyeya eons, the buddhas and Tathāgatas spare neither body nor life and perform difficult ascetic practices before attaining this body, which is supreme and incomparable, inconceivable, beyond the domain of words, wondrously quiescent, and free from every fear.

“Good man, those who know and see the true suchness of dharmas in this way have no birth, old age, or death; their lives are limitless; they neither sleep nor hunger nor thirst; and their minds always remain in concentration, without distraction or agitation. If one gives rise to a contentious mind toward the Tathāgata, one cannot see the Tathāgata. Everything taught by the buddhas benefits beings; no one who hears it fails to attain liberation. Fierce birds and beasts, evil people, and evil spirits do not encounter that person; because of hearing the Dharma, the resulting recompense is inexhaustible. Moreover, the Tathāgatas perform no indeterminate act; toward every object they have no mind that desires to know; toward birth and death and nirvāṇa they have no divergent conception; and every prediction made by a Tathāgata is certain. In all four modes of conduct—walking, standing, sitting, and lying down—there is nothing the buddhas and Tathāgatas do that is not embraced by wisdom. There is no dharma that is not embraced by compassion and nothing that is not for the benefit and well-being of sentient beings.

Benefits of Hearing the Sūtra and the Entrustment to Circulate It

“Good man, if a good man or good woman hears and gains confident understanding of this Sūtra of Golden Light, that person will not fall into the paths of hell beings, hungry ghosts, animals, or asuras; will always dwell among humans and gods; will not be born in a lowly station; will constantly draw near to the buddhas and Tathāgatas and hear and receive the True Dharma; and will always be born in the purified lands of the buddhas. Why? Because that person has heard this profound Dharma. That good man or good woman has already been known and given a prediction by the Tathāgata and will attain irreversibility from unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening. If a good man or good woman hears this profound and wondrous Dharma even once, know that this person will not malign the Tathāgata, slander the True Dharma, or disparage the noble assembly. Those sentient beings who have not yet planted roots of goodness will be enabled to plant them; those who have already planted roots of goodness will be enabled to increase and mature them; and all sentient beings in all worlds will be encouraged to cultivate the six perfections.”

At that time, the bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha, Brahmā, Śakra, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the other assemblies of gods rose from their seats, bared their right shoulders, respectfully joined their palms, bowed their heads at the Buddha’s feet, and addressed him: “World-Honored One, wherever this wondrous scripture, the King of Golden Light, is taught, its realm will receive four benefits. What are the four? First, the king’s armies will be powerful, there will be no enemies, illness will be absent, life will be prolonged, circumstances will be auspicious and peaceful, and the True Dharma will flourish and be made manifest. Second, the consorts and queen of the inner palace, the princes, and all the ministers will be harmonious and joyful, free from contention and from flattery and duplicity, and held dear by the king. Third, renunciants, brahmins, and the people throughout the realm will cultivate the True Dharma, remain free of illness and at ease, suffer no untimely death, and establish cultivation in every field of merit. Fourth, throughout the three periods, the four great elements will be harmonious and well-balanced; the gods will constantly increase their protection; loving-kindness and compassion will be impartial, without any intention to harm; and sentient beings will be led to take refuge in the Three Jewels and aspire to cultivate the conduct of awakening. These are the four benefits. World-Honored One, in order to propagate this sūtra, we too will always accompany those who uphold it and confer benefit wherever they dwell.”

The Buddha said, “Excellent! Excellent, good men! So it is! So it is! You should diligently circulate this wondrous king of sūtras, thereby causing the True Dharma long to abide in the world.”

Base text: Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle two, “The Dream of the Golden Drum and Repentance,” Chapter 4. This vernacular rendering follows the source sentence by sentence, transmitting without adding.

Wonderful Banner Dreams of the Golden Drum and Goes to Vulture Peak to Recount What He Heard

At that time, after the bodhisattva Wonderful Banner personally heard the wondrous Dharma before the Buddha, he leapt with joy, contemplated it single-mindedly, and returned to his dwelling. During the night, he dreamed of a great golden drum whose brilliant light shone like the disk of the sun. Within this light, he saw immeasurable buddhas of the ten directions seated on lapis-lazuli thrones beneath jeweled trees, surrounded by immeasurable hundreds of thousands in great assemblies to whom they taught the Dharma. He also saw a brahmin striking the golden drum with a mallet. It produced a great sound, and within that sound a wondrous gāthā explaining the practice of repentance was proclaimed. After Wonderful Banner heard it, he remembered and retained it all, remaining collected upon it. At daybreak, surrounded by immeasurable hundreds of thousands, he took many offerings, left Rājagṛha, and went to Vulture Peak, where he approached the World-Honored One. Having bowed at the Buddha’s feet, arranged incense and flowers, circumambulated him three times to the right, and withdrawn to sit at one side, he respectfully joined his palms, gazed up at the honored countenance, and addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, in a dream I saw a brahmin holding a mallet in his hand and striking a wondrous golden drum. It produced a great sound, and within that sound a wondrous gāthā explaining the practice of repentance was proclaimed. I remember and retain it all. I pray that the World-Honored One, moved by great compassion, will listen as I recite it.” Thereupon, before the Buddha, he spoke these verses:

“During the night just past, I dreamed of a great golden drum. Its form was exceedingly beautiful, and golden light spread all around it.”

“That light was like the blazing disk of the sun, shining everywhere. It filled the worlds of the ten directions, and within it all the buddhas could be seen.”

“Beneath jeweled trees, the buddhas each sat upon a lapis-lazuli throne. Immeasurable hundreds of thousands respectfully surrounded them.”

“A brahmin struck the golden drum with a mallet, and within its sound proclaimed this wondrous gāthā.”

The Drum of Golden Light Sends Forth a Wondrous Sound, Extinguishing Offenses and Relieving Suffering

“The drum of Golden Light sends forth a wondrous sound that pervades the trichiliocosm. It extinguishes the gravest offenses of the three evil destinies and all the ordeals of suffering among humans.”

“Through the awesome power of this golden drum’s sound, every afflictive obstruction is forever extinguished. It severs every fear and brings security, like the sovereign Honored Sage.”

“In the great ocean of birth and death, the Buddha accumulated practices and cultivated until he accomplished omniscience. He enables sentient beings to complete the factors of awakening and ultimately enter the ocean of virtues.”

“Through the wondrous sound sent forth by this golden drum, all who hear it attain a Brahmā-like voice, realize the fruit of unsurpassed awakening, and constantly turn the pure and wondrous wheel of Dharma.”

“They abide for inconceivable eons and teach the Dharma according to beings’ capacities, benefiting every living being. They sever the current of afflictions and suffering, extinguishing greed, anger, delusion, and the rest.”

“If sentient beings dwell in evil destinies, with fierce flames of great fire burning all around their bodies, hearing this wondrous drumbeat enables them to leave suffering and take refuge in the Buddha.”

“They all attain knowledge of past lives and can remember hundreds of thousands of former births. They recollect the Honored Sage with right mindfulness and come to hear the Tathāgata’s profound teaching.”

“Through hearing the golden drum’s excellent, wondrous sound, they constantly draw near to the buddhas. They can abandon every unwholesome deed and cultivate only pure and wholesome qualities.”

“Among all classes of sentient beings, gods and humans alike, those who pray with profound and utmost sincerity hear the golden drum’s wondrous sound and have every wish fulfilled.”

“Sentient beings who have fallen into the Uninterrupted Hell are burned in suffering by fierce, blazing fire. With no refuge or protection, they wander in saṃsāra; hearing the drum enables their suffering to be extinguished.”

“Whatever suffering is now endured among humans, gods, hungry ghosts, or animals, those who hear the golden drum’s wondrous resonance are released from suffering and attain liberation.”

Homage to the Supreme Ones of the Ten Directions, Who Become the Great Refuge

“To the Supreme Ones among Two-Footed Beings, ever abiding in the worlds of the ten directions: with minds of great compassion, please pity and remember me.”

“Sentient beings have no refuge and no one to protect them. For all beings such as these, please become their great refuge.”

Before the Ten-Powered Ones, I Sincerely Disclose and Repent of Every Offense

“For the offenses I committed before, all those extremely grave unwholesome deeds, now before the Ten-Powered Ones I repent of them all with utmost sincerity.”

“I did not believe in the buddhas or honor elders and parents. I did not strive to cultivate wholesome qualities and constantly committed unwholesome deeds.”

“At times I relied arrogantly on rank and honor, lineage, wealth, and position. In the prime of life, I indulged in heedlessness and constantly committed unwholesome deeds.”

“My mind constantly gave rise to wrong thoughts, and my mouth uttered harmful words. I did not see my own faults and offenses and constantly committed unwholesome deeds.”

“I constantly acted as a fool. The darkness of ignorance covered my mind, and I followed unwholesome friends, constantly committing unwholesome deeds.”

“At times through play and amusement, at times by harboring worry and distress, entangled by greed and anger, I committed unwholesome deeds.”

“Drawing near to unwholesome people, moved by stinginess and jealousy, poor and practicing flattery and deceit, I committed unwholesome deeds.”

“Although I did not delight in such many faults, because I was afraid and had no freedom to act for myself, I committed unwholesome deeds.”

“At times because my mind was agitated, at times through anger and resentment, and when afflicted by hunger and thirst, I committed unwholesome deeds.”

“Because of food and clothing, through craving for women, burned by the fire of affliction, I committed unwholesome deeds.”

“Toward the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha I did not give rise to a respectful mind. For the many offenses committed in this way, I now repent of them all.”

“Toward solitary realizers and bodhisattvas, I likewise had no respectful mind. For the many offenses committed in this way, I now repent of them all.”

“Through not-knowing, I maligned the True Dharma and was unfilial toward my parents. For the many offenses committed in this way, I now repent of them all.”

“Through folly and arrogance and through the power of greed and anger, I committed the many offenses of this kind. I now repent of them all.”

Making Offerings and Vows, I Teach Golden Light to Extinguish Unwholesome Deeds

“Throughout the worlds of the ten directions, I make offerings to countless buddhas. I vow to rescue sentient beings and free them from every suffering and ordeal.”

“May every sentient being be enabled to abide on the ten grounds. When merit and wisdom are complete, may they attain buddhahood and guide the deluded multitude.”

“For the sake of sentient beings, I practice austerities for hundreds of thousands of eons. With the power of great wisdom, may I enable them all to leave the ocean of suffering.”

“For all conscious beings, I proclaim this profound scripture—the supremely excellent Golden Light, which can extinguish every unwholesome deed.”

“If, for hundreds of thousands of eons, a person has committed extremely grave offenses, but for even a moment can disclose and repent of them, all those evils are extinguished.”

“In dependence on this Golden Light, one practices repentance in this way. Through it, every karma of suffering can swiftly be exhausted.”

“Hundreds of thousands of excellent concentrations, inconceivable dhāraṇīs, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the eight branches of the path—may I cultivate them without ever tiring.”

“I will reach the ten grounds, the place complete with precious treasures, perfect the Buddha’s virtues, and ferry beings across the current of birth and death.”

“May I become complete in the ocean of the buddhas, their profound treasury of virtues, and their wondrous, inconceivable wisdom.”

May the Buddhas of the Ten Directions Compassionately Accept My Repentance and Guard the Future

“I pray that the buddhas of the ten directions will observe, protect, and remember me and, with minds of great compassion, mercifully accept my repentance.”

“For all the unwholesome deeds I committed through many eons, through which suffering and distress arose, please take pity and cause them to be extinguished.”

“Because I have committed unwholesome deeds, my mind constantly gives rise to worry and fear. In the four modes of conduct—walking, standing, sitting, and lying down—I have never felt joy.”

“The buddhas possess great compassion and can remove sentient beings’ fears. Please accept my repentance and enable me to leave worry and suffering.”

“I have the afflictive obstruction, as well as the karma of retribution. With the pure water of great compassion, please wash them clean.”

“All the offenses I committed in the past and the unwholesome deeds I commit now, I disclose with utmost sincerity, praying that every one may be removed.”

“I will guard against future unwholesome deeds and prevent them from arising. If I should transgress, I will never dare conceal it.”

The Three Actions Produce the Ten Unwholesome Actions; I Now Repent of Them All

“Bodily action has three forms, verbal action four, and mental action another three. They bind sentient beings and have continued constantly since beginningless time.”

“Through these three modes of body, speech, and mind, the ten unwholesome actions are performed. For these many offenses, I now repent of them all.”

“For the unwholesome deeds I committed, I must personally undergo their painful retribution. Now before the buddhas, I repent of them all with utmost sincerity.”

For Every Wholesome Deed, I Now Rejoice

“In this Jambudvīpa and in worlds of other directions, for every wholesome deed there is, I now rejoice.”

“May I leave the ten unwholesome actions and practice the path of the ten wholesome actions, abide on the ten grounds, and constantly see the buddhas of the ten directions.”

“For the deeds of merit and wisdom I cultivate through body, speech, and mind, I dedicate these roots of goodness to swift attainment of unsurpassed wisdom.”

Before the Ten-Powered Ones, I Disclose the Many Difficult Conditions of Suffering

“Now personally before the Ten-Powered Ones, I disclose the many difficult conditions of suffering: the difficulty of being a foolish ordinary being deluded within the three existences, and the difficulty of constantly committing extremely grave unwholesome deeds.”

“The difficulty of accumulating craving and wrong attachment through grasping what I call mine; the difficulty of constantly giving rise to craving and revolving in birth and death; the difficulty of clinging to this world; and all the difficulties of a fool’s afflictions.”

“The difficulty of a deranged mind, scattered, agitated, and inverted; the difficulty of drawing near to harmful friends; the difficulty of greed and defilement in birth and death; and the difficulty of committing offenses through anger, delusion, darkness, and dullness.”

“The difficulty of birth in the eight adverse conditions without leisure, and the difficulty of never having accumulated virtue—for all these boundless offenses and unwholesome deeds, I now repent before the Supreme One.”

I Bow to the Omniscient Ones and Praise the Ocean of the Buddha’s Virtues

“I now take refuge in the Sugatas and bow to the unsurpassed Honored Ones whose virtues are an ocean. Like a great golden mountain illuminating the ten directions, please mercifully embrace me with compassion.”

“Your bodily color is golden light, pure and stainless; your eyes are like pure, dark-blue lapis lazuli. Honored One of auspicious majesty and renowned name, the wisdom-sun of your great compassion removes the darkness of beings.”

“The radiance of the Buddha-sun constantly shines everywhere, well purified, stainless, and free from every dust. The Sage-moon shines with perfect coolness and removes the heat of sentient beings’ afflictions.”

“The thirty-two marks adorn the whole body, and the eighty excellent characteristics are complete. Your merit is inconceivable and without equal, like sunlight streaming forth to illuminate the world.”

“Your form is pure and stainless like lapis lazuli, like the full moon in empty space. A wondrous net of crystal reflects your golden body, adorned with many kinds of light.”

“Within the torrent of suffering in birth and death, beings are swept away by the waters of aging, illness, worry, and sorrow. This ocean of suffering is hard to bear; the Buddha-sun extends its light and dries it up forever.”

“I now bow my head to the Omniscient One, the rare Honored One of the trichiliocosm, whose radiant purple-gold body is adorned by every wondrous mark and excellent characteristic.”

“The quantity of ocean water is hard to know, the dust motes of the earth cannot be counted, Mount Sumeru cannot be weighed, and empty space has no boundary.”

“The virtues of the buddhas are the same. No sentient being can know them; even contemplating them carefully for immeasurable eons, no one can reach the far shore of that ocean of virtues.”

“Even if all the mountains of this great earth were broken into dust and their particles counted, even if the drops of the ocean touched by a hair-tip could be measured, no one could count the Buddha’s virtues.”

“All sentient beings together praise the World-Honored One’s name and virtues, his pure marks and excellent characteristics and wondrous adornments. They cannot be measured or their limits known.”

“Through all my many wholesome deeds, may I swiftly become an unsurpassed Honored One, teach the True Dharma extensively for the benefit of living beings, and free them all from every suffering.”

“May I subdue Māra’s mighty armies and turn the unsurpassed wheel of the True Dharma. May I abide for inconceivable eons and satisfy sentient beings with the ambrosial taste of Dharma.”

“Like the Supreme Ones of the past, may I perfect the six perfections, extinguish greed, anger, and delusion, subdue the afflictions, and remove every suffering.”

May I Attain Knowledge of Past Lives; May All Sentient Beings Leave Suffering and Find Happiness

“May I always attain knowledge of past lives and remember hundreds of thousands of former births. May I always recollect the Honored Sage and come to hear the buddhas’ profound Dharma.”

“Through all these wholesome deeds, may I serve boundlessly many Supreme Ones, leave every unwholesome cause far behind, and constantly cultivate the true, wondrous Dharma.”

“May every sentient being in every world be freed from suffering and attain peace and happiness. For all whose faculties are incomplete, may their bodily form become complete.”

“If sentient beings encounter the suffering of illness, their bodies emaciated and without support, may all their illness and suffering be removed and their faculties, complexion, and strength become complete.”

“If people violate the king’s law and face execution, oppressed by many sufferings and overcome by distress, then, when they undergo this extreme suffering, they have no refuge and no one to protect them.”

“If they suffer beatings, blows, cangues, and fetters, the many implements of torment cutting their bodies, during immeasurable hundreds of thousands of moments of distress their bodies and minds are oppressed without an instant of ease.”

“May they all be freed from bondage and the pain of beatings and blows. May those about to be executed have their lives preserved, and may all their sufferings be forever exhausted.”

“If sentient beings are oppressed by hunger and thirst, may they obtain every excellent flavor. May the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, and the speechless speak.”

“May poor sentient beings obtain treasuries, their storehouses overflowing without lack. May they all experience supreme, wondrous happiness, and may not a single sentient being undergo distress.”

“May all humans and gods be pleasing to behold, their bearing gentle, elegant, upright, and dignified. May they all experience immeasurable happiness in this life, abundant in enjoyments and complete in merit.”

“Whenever sentient beings think of music, may many wondrous sounds appear before them. Whenever they think of water, may a cool pool appear, with golden lotuses floating upon it.”

“Whatever sentient beings think of—food, clothing, beds and bedding, gold, silver, precious jewels, wondrous lapis lazuli, necklaces and ornaments—may all be complete.”

“May sentient beings never hear harmful sounds or see conflict. May every countenance they receive be upright and dignified, and may they cherish one another with loving hearts.”

“May every pleasurable requisite that sustains life in the world be fulfilled whenever they think of it. May they never be stingy with the precious wealth they obtain, but distribute it as gifts to sentient beings.”

“May incense for burning, powdered incense, ointments, and wondrous flowers of many colors fall from the trees three times each day, bringing joy as they are used according to each being’s wish.”

“May sentient beings everywhere make offerings to all the Supreme Ones of the ten directions, to the pure and wondrous Dharma gates of the three vehicles, and to the assemblies of bodhisattvas, solitary realizers, and śrāvakas.”

“May they never dwell in a lowly station or fall among the eight difficult conditions without leisure. May they be born as honored human beings with leisure for practice and constantly draw near to and serve the buddhas of the ten directions.”

“May they always be born in wealthy and noble families, their treasure houses and storehouses full. May their appearance and renown be without equal, and their lives extend through eons.”

“May all women be transformed into men, courageous, strong, intelligent, and rich in wisdom. May all constantly practice the bodhisattva path and diligently cultivate the six perfections to reach the farther shore.”

“May they constantly see immeasurable buddhas of the ten directions seated beneath royal jeweled trees upon wondrous lapis-lazuli lion thrones, and constantly draw near, serve them, and hear them turn the wheel of Dharma.”

Extinguishing Karma, Rejoicing, Praising, and Dedicating

“Whatever karma was committed in past or present while revolving through the three existences, if it can bring about a repellent unwholesome destiny, may it be extinguished forever without remainder.”

“All sentient beings in the ocean of existence are firmly bound by the nets and snares of birth and death. With the sword of wisdom, may I sever them, free beings from suffering, and bring them swiftly to the place of awakening.”

“For every excellent cause of merit made by sentient beings in this Jambudvīpa or in worlds of other directions, I now rejoice.”

“Through the merit of this rejoicing and every wholesome deed performed by body, speech, and mind, may this excellent karma constantly increase and swiftly realize unsurpassed, great awakening.”

“Through all the praises offered to the Buddha’s virtues with a profound mind, pure and undefiled, and through the boundless merit of dedication and vows, may one transcend the offenses of sixty eons that lead to evil destinies.”

“If men or women, brahmins or members of other excellent lineages, join their palms and praise the Buddha single-mindedly, life after life they will constantly remember former existences.”

“Their faculties will be purified, their bodies complete, and every excellent virtue accomplished. Wherever they are born in the future, may humans and gods constantly look up to them.”

“It is not by cultivating roots of goodness before only one or ten buddhas that one now comes to hear this. Only after planting roots of goodness before hundreds of thousands of buddhas can one hear this practice of repentance.”

The World-Honored One Praises Wonderful Banner and Reveals Causes and Conditions from Past Cultivation

At that time, after hearing these words, the World-Honored One praised the bodhisattva Wonderful Banner: “Excellent! Excellent, good man! Just as you saw in your dream, the golden drum sent forth a sound that praised the Tathāgata’s true virtues and proclaimed the practice of repentance. Those who hear it obtain immense merit, benefit sentient beings extensively, and extinguish the obstructions of offense. You should now know that this excellent deed is entirely due to the causes and conditions of your praises and vows cultivated in the past, as well as the empowering protection of the buddhas. I will explain these causes and conditions to you.” When the great assembly heard this Dharma, they all rejoiced, faithfully received it, and practiced it.

Base text: Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle three, “Extinguishing Karmic Obstructions,” Chapter 5. This vernacular rendering follows the original sentence by sentence, transmitting without invention.

The World-Honored One Illuminates the Five Degenerations: Beings in Hell, Hungry Ghosts, and Animals All Receive Happiness

At that time, the World-Honored One abided in right discernment and entered a profound, wondrous meditative absorption. From the pores of his body he emitted a great light of measureless hundreds of thousands of colors. All the buddha-lands appeared within that light, beyond the reach of comparison even by the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions. The light illuminated the evil world of the five degenerations. Sentient beings who had committed the ten unwholesome actions and the five heinous offenses, maligned the Three Jewels, failed to honor their esteemed relatives, or treated teachers, elders, and brahmins with contempt—and who therefore should have fallen into hell, the realm of hungry ghosts, or the animal course—each received the light in the place where they dwelt. When they saw it, its power brought them all happiness. They became beautiful and graceful, complete in form and appearance, adorned with merit and wisdom, and able to see the buddhas. Śakra, the entire assembly of devas, the goddess of the Ganges, and all the other assemblies received this rare light. They went to the Buddha, circumambulated him three times to the right, then withdrew and sat to one side.

Śakra Asks: How Are Offenses That Are Karmic Obstructions Repented of and Extinguished?

At that time, through the Buddha’s awe-inspiring power, Śakra, lord of the devas, rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, joined his palms toward the Buddha, and said: “World-Honored One, when good men and good women aspire to unsurpassed complete awakening, practice the Great Vehicle, and embrace all sentient beings caught in wrong views and inversions, how should they repent of the offenses that are karmic obstructions which they committed in the past, so that those offenses may be extinguished?”

The Buddha Praises the Request and Encourages Practice · Repentance Six Times by Day and Night: Openly Disclosing Every Offense

The Buddha told Śakra, lord of the devas: “Excellent! Excellent, good man! You practice in this way because you wish to bring purity, liberation, and happiness to measureless, boundless sentient beings, to have compassion for the world, and to benefit everyone. Sentient beings who have committed offenses because of karmic obstructions should urge themselves on. Six times by day and night, they should bare the right shoulder, place the right knee on the ground, reverently join palms, collect the mind in single-minded attention, and say aloud: ‘I take refuge in and bow before all the buddhas now present throughout the ten directions, those who have attained unsurpassed complete awakening. They turn the wondrous wheel of Dharma, hold aloft the illuminating wheel of Dharma, rain down the great Dharma rain, beat the great Dharma drum, blow the great Dharma conch, raise the great Dharma banner, and bear the great Dharma torch. To benefit sentient beings and bring them happiness, they constantly give the Dharma, guide the deluded forward, enable them to attain the great fruit, and lead them to realize permanence and bliss. Before all these buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, I bow and take refuge with body, speech, and mind and pay reverence with utmost sincerity. With true wisdom, the true eye, true realization, and true equality, those World-Honored Ones know and see completely every sentient being’s wholesome and unwholesome karma.

“‘Since beginningless time in birth and death, I have followed evil and revolved through existence. Bound by greed, anger, and delusion, I have committed offenses that are karmic obstructions together with other sentient beings. Before I knew the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, and before I understood good and evil, I committed heinous offenses through body, speech, and mind. With an evil intent I drew blood from a buddha’s body, maligned the True Dharma, split the harmonious Saṅgha, killed an arhat, and killed my parents. Through the three actions of body, four of speech, and three of mind, I committed the ten unwholesome actions: I performed them myself, taught others to perform them, and rejoiced when I saw them performed. I groundlessly slandered good people; cheated with measures and scales; passed the false off as genuine; gave impure food to others; and harmed the parents I encountered throughout the six courses. I stole property belonging to stūpas, to the Saṅgha of the four directions, or to the resident Saṅgha and used it as I pleased. I did not delight in following the World-Honored One’s discipline and would not obey the instruction of teachers and elders. When I saw practitioners of the śrāvaka, solitary-realizer, or Great Vehicle paths, I delighted in abusing and humiliating them and caused them regret and distress. When I saw someone surpassing me, I became jealous. I was constantly stingy with both Dharma-giving and material giving. Covered by ignorance and deluded by wrong views, I failed to cultivate wholesome causes and caused evil to increase. I maligned the buddhas, called Dharma non-Dharma, and called non-Dharma Dharma. With true wisdom, the true eye, true realization, and true equality, the buddhas know and see completely all offenses such as these. I now take refuge and disclose them all before the buddhas, not daring to conceal anything. Offenses I have not committed I will never commit; offenses already committed I now repent of completely.

“‘The karmic obstructions I committed should have caused me to fall into the evil courses—to hell, the animal realm, the realm of hungry ghosts, the asura hosts, and the places of the eight difficulties. I pray that all karmic obstructions of this present life may be extinguished and that I shall not undergo their evil retributions in the future. Just as great bodhisattvas of the past, while practicing the path of awakening, repented of all their karmic obstructions, I now repent of mine. I disclose them all and do not dare conceal them. May offenses already committed be removed, and may I never again commit evil in the future. Just as great bodhisattvas of the future, while practicing the path of awakening, will repent of all their karmic obstructions, I now repent of mine. I disclose them all and do not dare conceal them. May offenses already committed be removed, and may I never again commit evil in the future. Just as great bodhisattvas now present throughout the worlds of the ten directions, while practicing the path of awakening, have repented of all their karmic obstructions, I now repent of mine. I disclose them all and do not dare conceal them. May offenses already committed be removed, and may I never again commit evil in the future.’”

Offenses Must Not Be Concealed · Like Extinguishing Fire on One’s Head: Every Aspiration for Birth Requires Repentance and Removal of Obstructions

“Good man, for this reason anyone who commits an offense must not conceal it for even a single instant, much less for an entire day and night or for a still longer time. Those who have committed an offense and seek purity should feel shame, trust that evil retribution will certainly follow in the future, give rise to great fear, and repent in this way. It is like a person whose head and clothing have caught fire. The person must act at once to extinguish it and cannot feel at ease while the fire remains. Anyone who commits an offense is the same and should repent immediately so that it may swiftly be removed. Those who aspire to birth in a wealthy and happy family with abundant treasure and also wish to arouse the intention to practice the Great Vehicle should repent and extinguish karmic obstructions. Those who aspire to birth among noble brahmins, in a kṣatriya family, or as a wheel-turning king endowed with the seven treasures should likewise repent and extinguish karmic obstructions.

“Good man, those aspiring to birth in the heavens of the Four Heavenly Kings, the Thirty-Three, Yāma, Tuṣita, Delight in Transformation, or Mastery over Others’ Transformations should repent and extinguish karmic obstructions. Those aspiring to birth in the heavens of Brahmā’s Multitude, Brahmā’s Ministers, Great Brahmā, Lesser Light, Measureless Light, Utmost Light-Purity, Lesser Purity, Measureless Purity, Pervasive Purity, Cloudless, Merit-Born, Vast Fruit, Free of Affliction, Free of Heat, Excellent Appearance, Excellent Vision, or Akaniṣṭha should repent and extinguish karmic obstructions. Those seeking the fruit of stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, or arhat should repent and extinguish karmic obstructions. Those aspiring to the three knowledges and six supernormal powers, the sovereign awakening of śrāvakas and solitary realizers, the ultimate stage, all-knowing knowledge, pure knowledge, inconceivable knowledge, unmoving knowledge, or the right and universal knowledge of complete awakening should likewise repent and extinguish karmic obstructions.

All Dharmas Are Empty and Arise from Causes and Conditions: No Self, Person, Sentient Being, or Living Being

“Why is this? Good man, all dharmas arise from causes and conditions, as the Tathāgata teaches. They arise with different characteristics and cease with different characteristics because their causes and conditions differ. Thus all past dharmas have already ceased completely, and no karmic obstruction remains. Modes of conditioned activity that had not arisen in the past now arise, while future karmic obstructions need never arise again. Why is this? Good man, all dharmas are empty. As the Tathāgata teaches, there is no self, no person, no sentient being, and no living being; there is neither arising nor ceasing, nor any mode of conditioned activity. Good man, all dharmas depend upon the basis, which also cannot be expressed. Why? Because it transcends every characteristic. When good men or good women enter this wondrous principle of suchness in this way and give rise to trust and reverence, this is called ‘there being a basis though there is no sentient being.’ Because of this principle, repentance is said to extinguish karmic obstructions.

Four Dharmas Extinguish Karmic Obstructions · The World-Honored One Speaks a Verse

“Good man, those who accomplish four dharmas can extinguish karmic obstructions and attain lasting purity. What are the four? First, they do not give rise to a distorted mind and accomplish right mindfulness. Second, they do not malign profound principle. Third, they direct the thought of all-knowing knowledge toward bodhisattvas beginning their practice. Fourth, they arouse measureless loving-kindness toward sentient beings. These are the four.”

The World-Honored One then spoke this verse:

“Guard the three actions of body, speech, and mind with concentrated attention; do not malign profound Dharma. Form the thought of all-knowing knowledge; purify karmic obstructions with a loving mind.”

Four Karmic Obstructions Difficult to Extinguish and Four Antidotes

“Good man, four karmic obstructions are difficult to extinguish. What are the four? First, committing an extremely grave evil against the bodhisattva discipline. Second, maligning Great Vehicle sūtras. Third, failing to increase one’s own roots of goodness. Fourth, clinging to the three realms of existence without a mind of release. There are also four antidotes to karmic obstructions. What are the four? First, approach all the tathāgatas throughout the worlds of the ten directions wholeheartedly and confess every offense. Second, for the sake of all sentient beings, request the buddhas to teach profound and wondrous Dharma. Third, rejoice in every sentient being’s virtue. Fourth, dedicate every virtue and root of goodness to unsurpassed complete awakening.”

The Merit of Rejoicing: Rejoicing Deeply Six Times by Day and Night Surpasses Offerings

Śakra, lord of the devas, then said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, of all the men and women in the world, some are able to practice the Great Vehicle and some are not. How can they rejoice in the virtues and roots of goodness of all sentient beings?”

The Buddha said: “Good man, even sentient beings who cannot yet practice the Great Vehicle obtain measureless merit when, six times by day and night, they bare the right shoulder, place the right knee on the ground, reverently join palms, collect the mind in single-minded attention, and practice rejoicing. They should say: ‘I now rejoice deeply in the giving, discipline, cultivation of mind, and wisdom currently practiced by all sentient beings throughout the worlds of the ten directions.’ Through the merit of rejoicing in this way, they will certainly obtain the most honored, excellent, unsurpassed, unequaled, and wondrous fruit. They should likewise rejoice in all the roots of goodness of sentient beings of the past and future. They should wholeheartedly rejoice in and praise the virtues of present bodhisattvas beginning their practice who have aroused the mind of awakening; bodhisattvas who have practiced for more than a hundred great eons, amassed great virtue, and attained the patience of non-arising; and bodhisattvas who have reached irreversibility or have only one birth remaining. They should rejoice in and praise all the virtues of bodhisattvas of the past and future in the same way. They should also rejoice in all the buddhas now present throughout the worlds of the ten directions, the Worthy Ones and Completely Awakened Ones, who attained wondrous awakening; turned the unsurpassed wheel of Dharma to liberate boundless sentient beings; practiced unobstructed Dharma-giving; beat the Dharma drum; blew the Dharma conch; raised the Dharma banner; rained down the Dharma rain; and compassionately guided all sentient beings so that they accepted the teaching, received the gift of Dharma, and gained complete and inexhaustible happiness. They should rejoice as well in the accumulated virtues and roots of goodness of bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, and solitary realizers, and wish that sentient beings who do not yet possess those qualities may become complete in them. They should wholeheartedly rejoice in and praise the virtues of all buddhas, bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, and solitary realizers of the past and future. Good man, rejoicing in this way gathers measureless virtue. Suppose that, in as many trichiliocosms as there are sands in the Ganges, every sentient being severed the afflictions and became an arhat. Suppose further that good men and good women, throughout their entire lives, constantly offered those arhats the finest clothing, food, bedding, and medicine. Such merit would not amount to one thousandth of the merit of rejoicing just described. Why? The merit of offerings is numbered and limited and does not encompass every virtue, while the merit of rejoicing is measureless and innumerable and can encompass every virtue of the three times. Therefore, anyone who wishes to increase excellent roots of goodness should cultivate the merit of rejoicing in this way. A woman who aspires to transform her woman’s body and become a man should likewise cultivate the merit of rejoicing and will certainly fulfill her wish and become a man in this very life.”

The Merit of Requesting · Five Superior Benefits of Dharma-Giving: The Dharma-Body Permanently Abides

Śakra, lord of the devas, then said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, I now understand the merit of rejoicing. I pray that you will teach us the merit of requesting, so that all bodhisattvas of the future may turn the wheel of Dharma and bodhisattvas of the present may practice correctly.”

The Buddha told Śakra: “Good men and good women aspiring to unsurpassed complete awakening should practice the paths of the śrāvaka, solitary-realizer, and Great Vehicles. Six times by day and night, in the deportment described before and with the mind collected in single-minded attention, they should say: ‘I now take refuge in all the buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, throughout the ten directions—those who have attained unsurpassed complete awakening but have not yet turned the unsurpassed wheel of Dharma and who intend to relinquish the reward body and enter nirvāṇa. I bow before them with utmost sincerity and request them to turn the great wheel of Dharma, rain down the great Dharma rain, kindle the great Dharma lamp, illuminate the purport of principle, give the unobstructed Dharma, refrain from entering parinirvāṇa, remain long in the world, and liberate all sentient beings and bring them happiness, up to the inexhaustible happiness described before. I now dedicate the virtue of this request to unsurpassed complete awakening. Just as great bodhisattvas of the past, future, and present dedicated the virtue of requesting to awakening, I likewise dedicate the virtue of my request to unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening.’ Good man, suppose someone filled a trichiliocosm with the seven treasures and offered them to a tathāgata. The merit gained by another person who requested the Tathāgata to turn the great wheel of Dharma would surpass the first. Why? The first is material giving; the second is Dharma-giving. Good man, put aside even the gift of seven treasures filling a trichiliocosm. Were someone to offer all buddhas seven treasures filling as many great trichiliocosms as there are sands in the Ganges, the merit of requesting would still surpass it, because Dharma-giving has five superior benefits. What are the five? First, Dharma-giving benefits oneself and others together; material giving does not. Second, Dharma-giving enables sentient beings to leave the three realms; the merit of material giving does not go beyond the desire realm. Third, Dharma-giving can purify the dharma-body; material giving only increases the form-body. Fourth, Dharma-giving is inexhaustible; material giving comes to an end. Fifth, Dharma-giving can sever ignorance; material giving only suppresses craving. Therefore, good man, the merit of requesting is measureless, boundless, and difficult to illustrate by simile. When I practiced the bodhisattva path in the past, I requested the buddhas to turn the great wheel of Dharma. Through those roots of goodness, all Śakras and Brahmās now request me to turn the great wheel of Dharma. Good man, the request to turn the wheel is made to liberate sentient beings and bring them happiness. While practicing for awakening in the past, I requested the tathāgatas to remain long in the world and not enter parinirvāṇa. In dependence on those roots of goodness, I obtained the ten powers, four fearlessnesses, four unobstructed eloquences, great loving-kindness, and great compassion, and realized numberless qualities exclusive to buddhas. Though I shall enter nirvāṇa without remainder, my True Dharma will long abide in the world. My dharma-body is pure beyond compare, possessing various wondrous characteristics, measureless wisdom, measureless sovereignty, and measureless virtues, inconceivable in kind. All sentient beings receive its benefit, and its qualities could not be exhausted even if described for hundreds of thousands of millions of eons. The dharma-body encompasses and contains all dharmas, while all dharmas do not encompass the dharma-body. The dharma-body permanently abides but does not fall into the view of permanence; although cessation is also spoken of, this is not the view of annihilation. It can destroy sentient beings’ various wrong views and give rise to their various true views. It can release every sentient being’s bonds, though there is no bond to be released. It can plant their roots of goodness, mature those not yet mature, and liberate those already mature. It is without construction or movement, far from clamor, quiescent and unconditioned, sovereign and blissful, beyond the three times yet able to manifest the three times. It transcends the sphere of śrāvakas and solitary realizers, is practiced by great bodhisattvas, and is identical in substance in all tathāgatas. All this comes through the power of the virtues and roots of goodness of requesting; such is the dharma-body I have now attained. Therefore, anyone aspiring to unsurpassed complete awakening gains limitless virtues and roots of goodness by explaining even a single sentence or verse from the sūtras to another person—to say nothing of requesting a tathāgata to turn the great wheel of Dharma, remain long in the world, and not enter parinirvāṇa.”

Dedicating Roots of Goodness to All-Knowing Knowledge · The Names of Twenty-One Buddhas

Śakra, lord of the devas, again said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, when good men and good women, seeking unsurpassed complete awakening, cultivate the paths of the three vehicles and thereby produce roots of goodness, how should they dedicate them to all-knowing knowledge?”

The Buddha told Śakra: “Good man, sentient beings who seek awakening, cultivate the paths of the three vehicles, and wish to dedicate all their roots of goodness should, six times by day and night, say with earnestness and utmost sincerity: ‘Since beginningless time in birth and death, I have cultivated and accomplished roots of goodness in relation to the Three Jewels—even giving a morsel of food to an animal, reconciling a dispute with kind words, receiving the three refuges and the trainings, or generating roots of goodness through repentance, requesting, and rejoicing. I now intentionally gather all of them and give them over to every sentient being without regret or stinginess. They are encompassed by roots of goodness conducive to liberation and, as the Buddha, the World-Honored One, knows and sees, are immeasurable, unobstructed, and pure. I give all these virtues and roots of goodness to every sentient being, with a mind that does not abide in characteristics and does not abandon characteristics. I likewise give all these virtues and roots of goodness to every sentient being. May they all obtain wish-fulfilling hands that sweep through empty space and bring forth treasures, fulfilling sentient beings’ wishes. May their riches and happiness be inexhaustible, their wisdom unending, and their wondrous Dharma and eloquence entirely unobstructed. May I realize unsurpassed complete awakening together with all sentient beings and attain all-knowing knowledge. May these roots of goodness give rise to measureless wholesome dharmas, which I likewise dedicate to unsurpassed awakening. Just as great bodhisattvas of the past dedicated the virtues and roots of goodness from their practice to all-aspect knowledge, and as those of the present and future do likewise, I dedicate every virtue and root of goodness I possess to unsurpassed complete awakening. May these roots of goodness enable me and all sentient beings to attain right awakening together. Like the other buddhas seated beneath the awakening tree at the place of practice—inconceivable, unobstructed, and pure, abiding in the dhāraṇī of the inexhaustible Dharma treasury and the Śūraṅgama samādhi, destroying Pāpīyān Māra’s measureless armies, and in a single instant illuminating everything that should be seen, awakened to, known, and penetrated, then in the latter part of the night attaining the deathless Dharma and realizing its meaning—may all sentient beings and I together realize such wondrous awakening. May I be like Buddha Amitāyus, Buddha Superior Light, Buddha Wondrous Light, Buddha Akṣobhya, Buddha Virtue-Good Light, Buddha Lion Light, Buddha Hundred Lights, Buddha Net Light, Buddha Jeweled Appearance, Buddha Jewel Flame, Buddha Flame Light, Buddha Blazing Flame-Light, Buddha Auspicious Supreme King, Buddha Wondrous Sound, Buddha Wondrous Adornment, Buddha Dharma Banner, Buddha Supreme Excellent Body, Buddha Lovely Form-Body, Buddha Light Shining Everywhere, Buddha Brahmā-Purity King, and Buddha Supreme Nature. Just as these tathāgatas, Worthy Ones, and Completely Awakened Ones manifest responsive transformations in the past, future, and present, attain unsurpassed complete awakening, and turn the unsurpassed wheel of Dharma to liberate sentient beings, so may I.’ The remainder should be proclaimed extensively as above.

Upholding the Chapter on Extinguishing Karmic Obstructions · Dharma-Giving Is Supreme · Nothing Compares with Requesting

“Good man, men and women of pure trust who receive, uphold, read, recite, remember without forgetting, and explain broadly to others this Extinguishing Karmic Obstructions chapter of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King will gather measureless, boundless, great virtue. Suppose that every sentient being in a trichiliocosm simultaneously obtained a human body and then accomplished the path of a solitary realizer. Suppose that good men and good women, throughout their entire lives, honored and revered every one of those solitary realizers with the four offerings of clothing, food, bedding, and medicine; gave each of them a mass of the seven treasures equal to Mount Sumeru; and, after those solitary realizers entered nirvāṇa, built jeweled stūpas for each, twelve yojanas in both height and breadth, and constantly presented offerings of flowers, incense, jeweled banners, streamers, and canopies. Good man, what do you think? Would the merit gained by those people be great?”

Śakra replied: “It would be immense, World-Honored One.”

“Good man, suppose another person receives, upholds, reads, recites, remembers without forgetting, and explains broadly to others this Extinguishing Karmic Obstructions chapter of the wondrous Golden Light, the king of sūtras. One hundredth of that person’s merit could not be reached by the merit of the offerings just described; nor could one part in hundreds of thousands of millions, nor any measure or simile, reach it. Why? These good men and good women abide in right practice and request all the buddhas of the ten directions to turn the unsurpassed wheel of Dharma; all the buddhas rejoice in and praise them. Good man, as I have taught, among all forms of giving, Dharma-giving is supreme. Therefore, good man, offerings established before the Three Jewels cannot compare with it. Encouraging others to receive the three refuges and uphold every precept without violation, so that the three actions of body, speech, and mind do not pass in vain, cannot compare with it. Encouraging all sentient beings in all worlds, according to their strength, ability, aspirations, and delight, to arouse the mind of awakening within the three vehicles cannot compare with it. Enabling every sentient being in all worlds throughout the three times to become unobstructed and swiftly accomplish measureless virtue cannot compare with it. Enabling every sentient being in the lands of the three times to become unobstructed and attain the three awakenings cannot compare with it. Encouraging every sentient being in the lands of the three times to escape swiftly from the suffering of the four evil courses cannot compare with it. Encouraging every sentient being in the lands of the three times to extinguish extremely grave evil karma cannot compare with it. Encouraging release from every suffering and distress cannot compare with it. Freeing everyone from the pressure of fear, suffering, and distress cannot compare with it. Before the buddhas of the three times, encouraging every sentient being to rejoice in all virtue and make the vow of awakening cannot compare with it. Encouraging people to abandon evil conduct and the karma of abuse, aspiring that every virtue be accomplished, and in every life encouraging offerings, reverence, and praise to the Three Jewels and encouraging sentient beings to cultivate merit purely and fulfill awakening cannot compare with it. You should therefore know that requesting the Three Jewels of the three times throughout every world, requesting the fulfillment of the six perfections, requesting the turning of the unsurpassed wheel of Dharma, and requesting that the buddhas remain in the world for measureless eons and proclaim measureless, profound, wondrous Dharma produces profound merit beyond all comparison.”

The Devas Scatter Flowers and Uphold the Teaching · The Awe-Inspiring Power of the King of Sūtras

At that time, Śakra, the goddess of the Ganges, measureless Brahmās, and the hosts of the Four Great Kings rose from their seats, bared their right shoulders, placed their right knees on the ground, joined palms, bowed, and said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, we have all been able to hear The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King. We now receive and uphold it, read and recite it fluently, explain it broadly to others, and abide in accordance with this Dharma. Why? World-Honored One, we seek unsurpassed complete awakening and therefore accord with the many excellent characteristics of its meaning and practice in accordance with the Dharma.” Brahmā, Śakra, and the others then scattered various māndārava flowers over the Buddha at the place of teaching. The earth of the trichiliocosm shook greatly; all celestial drums and musical instruments sounded without being struck; golden light shone and filled the world; and a wondrous voice resounded. Śakra then said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, all these are the awe-inspiring power of the Sūtra of Golden Light: its compassion rescues universally, produces many benefits, increases bodhisattvas’ roots of goodness in many ways, and extinguishes karmic obstructions.”

Birth Story: Tathāgata Jewel-King Great Illuminating Light · The Prediction of the Woman Merit-Jewel Light

The Buddha said: “So it is! So it is! It is just as you have said. Why? Good man, I remember that measureless hundreds of thousands of asaṃkhyeya eons ago, a buddha named Tathāgata Jewel-King Great Illuminating Light, Worthy One, Completely Awakened One, appeared in the world and remained for sixty-eight billion eons. To liberate humans, devas, Śakras, Brahmās, ascetics, brahmins, and all other sentient beings and bring them happiness, Tathāgata Jewel-King Great Illuminating Light, on appearing in the world, liberated hundreds of thousands of billions upon billions of myriads of beings in his first Dharma assembly. They all attained the fruit of arhatship, exhausted every outflow, and freely exercised the three knowledges and six supernormal powers without obstruction. In his second assembly he liberated ninety thousand billions upon billions of myriads of beings; they all attained the fruit of arhatship, exhausted every outflow, and freely exercised the three knowledges and six supernormal powers without obstruction. In his third assembly he liberated ninety-eight thousand billions upon billions of myriads of beings; they all attained the fruit of arhatship and became complete in the qualities described above.

“Good man, at that time I had a woman’s body and was named Merit-Jewel Light. In the third assembly, I drew near the World-Honored One, received and recited this Sūtra of Golden Light, and explained it broadly to others because I sought unsurpassed complete awakening. That World-Honored One then bestowed a prediction upon me: ‘In a future age, this woman Merit-Jewel Light will become a buddha named Tathāgata Śākyamuni, Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Person, Trainer of Persons, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, World-Honored One.’ After leaving that woman’s body, I passed beyond the four evil courses, was born among humans and devas, and enjoyed the finest happiness. Through eighty-four hundred thousand births I became a wheel-turning king, until today I attained right awakening, with my name heard universally throughout the world.” The assembly suddenly saw Tathāgata Jewel-King Great Illuminating Light turning the unsurpassed wheel of Dharma and teaching the wondrous Dharma.

“Good man, east of this Sahā world, beyond buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of hundreds of thousands of Ganges Rivers, is a world named Jeweled Adornment. Tathāgata Jewel-King Great Illuminating Light is present there now, has not entered parinirvāṇa, teaches the wondrous Dharma, and transforms sentient beings extensively. The buddha you see is that very one.

“Good man, good men and good women who hear the name Tathāgata Jewel-King Great Illuminating Light attain irreversibility on the bodhisattva grounds and proceed to great nirvāṇa. A woman who hears that buddha’s name sees him come before her at the time of death; after seeing him, she will ultimately never again receive a woman’s body.

Four Benefits for Protecting the Realm · Four Benefits for Ministers · Four Superior Benefits for Ascetics

“Good man, the wondrous Golden Light sūtra produces many benefits, increases bodhisattvas’ roots of goodness in many ways, and extinguishes karmic obstructions. Good man, wherever bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, laymen, or laywomen explain this wondrous Golden Light sūtra to others, that realm obtains four beneficial roots of goodness. What are the four? First, the king has no illness and is free from calamity. Second, his lifespan is long and unobstructed. Third, he has no enemies, and his army is courageous and strong. Fourth, the realm is secure, prosperous, and happy, and the True Dharma circulates. Why? Such a king is constantly protected by Śakra, Brahmā, the Four Heavenly Kings, and hosts of yakṣas.”

The World-Honored One then asked the celestial assembly: “Good men, is this true?”

Measureless Śakras, Brahmās, Four Heavenly Kings, and hosts of yakṣas answered the World-Honored One in one voice: “So it is! So it is! If this wondrous king of sūtras is proclaimed, read, and recited in a land, we Four Kings constantly come to protect its ruler and accompany him while walking or standing. If the king faces any calamity, obstruction, or enemy, we Four Kings cause it to disappear. We also remove sorrow, illness, and epidemic, increase his lifespan, bring auspicious signs in response, fulfill his wishes, and cause him to rejoice constantly. We can also make every soldier in his realm courageous and strong.”

The Buddha said: “Excellent! Excellent, good men! It is just as you have said; you should practice in this way. Why? When these rulers act in accordance with the Dharma, all their people follow them in cultivating conduct according to the Dharma. You thereby receive superior benefits of complexion and strength, your palaces shine, and your retinues become powerful.”

Śakra, Brahmā, and the others said to the Buddha: “So it is, World-Honored One.”

The Buddha said: “Wherever this wondrous scripture is proclaimed, read, and circulated, the ministers and officials of that realm obtain four benefits. What are the four? First, they become more harmonious and close to one another and treat one another with reverence and affection. Second, they are constantly cherished by the king and respected by ascetics, brahmins, and both great and small realms. Third, they esteem Dharma above wealth and do not seek worldly advantage; their good names spread everywhere and the multitude looks up to them. Fourth, their lifespans are extended and they dwell securely and happily. These are the four benefits. In a land where this sūtra is taught, ascetics and brahmins obtain four superior benefits. What are the four? First, they never lack clothing, food, bedding, or medicine. Second, their minds become settled so that they may contemplate, read, and recite. Third, they can rely on mountains and forests and dwell there happily. Fourth, every wish in their hearts is fulfilled. These are the four superior benefits. In a land where this sūtra is taught, all the people become prosperous and happy and are free of illness and epidemics; merchants traveling back and forth obtain many treasures and goods; and all become complete in excellent merit. These are its many virtuous benefits.”

The Factors Aiding Awakening Remain in the World · Entrustment for Circulation

Brahmā, Śakra, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the entire assembly then said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, while the profound meaning of a scripture such as this remains present, one should know that the Tathāgata’s thirty-seven factors aiding awakening remain in the world and have not disappeared. When this scripture is completely extinguished, the True Dharma will also be extinguished.”

The Buddha said: “So it is! So it is, good men! Therefore, whether it is a single sentence, a verse, a chapter, or the entire Sūtra of Golden Light, you should single-mindedly read and recite it correctly, hear and retain it correctly, contemplate it correctly, and practice it correctly. Proclaim and circulate it broadly for sentient beings so that they may gain happiness throughout the long night and receive boundless benefit.”

After the great assembly heard the Buddha’s teaching, all received excellent benefit and joyfully upheld it.

A vernacular rendering of Chapter 6, “The Dhāraṇī of the Most Purified Grounds,” in Yijing’s Tang translation of the fourth fascicle of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King.

Beginning with the Most Fundamental Question

At that time, Bodhisattva Lion-Form Unobstructed Blazing Light rose from his seat together with immeasurable billions in the assembly. He bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, reverently joined his palms, and bowed at the Buddha’s feet. After making offerings to the Buddha of many kinds of flowers, incense, jeweled standards, banners, and canopies, he asked, “World-Honored One, how many causal conditions are needed to bring forth the mind of awakening? And what is the mind of awakening itself?”

He continued: if one looks within awakening, the present mind cannot be found, the future mind cannot be found, and the past mind cannot be found; apart from awakening, the mind of awakening likewise cannot be found. Awakening cannot be expressed in words. Mind has no color, shape, or identifiable function and is not something fabricated; sentient beings, too, can neither be found nor known. How, then, can the profoundly subtle meaning of dharmas be known?

The Buddha replied, “It is so; it is exactly so.” Awakening is subtle and cannot be treated as something produced by activity; apart from awakening, no other mind of awakening can be found. Awakening cannot be spoken, and mind cannot be spoken. Mind has no form or appearance and no fixed activity; no sentient being possesses a self that can be grasped. Why? The awakening that is realized and the mind that realizes it are both suchness. Realizer and realized are equal, so they cannot be grasped as two entities. Yet this does not mean that all dharmas are utterly nonexistent. It means leaving mistaken grasping and knowing dharmas as they truly are.

Only a bodhisattva who knows in this way is called one who comprehends all dharmas and can skillfully explain awakening and the mind of awakening. The mind of awakening belongs neither to the past, the future, nor the present. Mind is so, and sentient beings are so; within them, the two marks of realizer and realized are genuinely unobtainable. Because all dharmas are originally unborn, awakening is unobtainable and the name “awakening” is also unobtainable. Sentient beings are unobtainable and the name “sentient being” is unobtainable. Śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and buddhas are all unobtainable, as are their names. Practice and non-practice are unobtainable, as are the names “practice” and “non-practice.” Because the bodhisattva no longer grasps, the bodhisattva can abide in all quiescent dharmas, while still bringing forth the mind of awakening from every meritorious root of goodness through conventionally established causes and conditions. Here, unobtainability and the cultivation of good do not cancel each other out.

Ten Causes of the Mind of Awakening: Ten Similes, Ten Directions

The Buddha explained the ten causes for bringing forth the mind one by one:

First, jeweled Mount Sumeru, king of mountains, benefits all sentient beings. Because the mind of awakening is brought forth to benefit sentient beings, this is the cause of the perfection of giving.

Second, the great earth bears all things. Because the mind of awakening bears every wholesome practice, this is the cause of the perfection of ethical discipline.

Third, a lion possesses great might, walks alone without fear, and is free from alarm. Because the mind of awakening can face hostility and suffering, this is the cause of the perfection of patience.

Fourth, the wind-wheel has power like Nārāyaṇa’s: strong, swift, and never retreating. Because the mind of awakening advances courageously, this is the cause of the perfection of vigorous effort.

Fifth, a pavilion of the seven jewels has stairways on four sides. Cool breezes enter through its four gates, bringing peace and ease. Because the mind of awakening seeks fulfillment from the treasury of meditative concentration, this is the cause of the perfection of meditative concentration.

Sixth, the sun shines with blazing brilliance. Because the mind of awakening can quickly dispel the darkness of ignorance within birth and death, this is the cause of the perfection of wisdom.

Seventh, a caravan leader guides people across the dangerous road of birth and death, fulfills their wishes, and enables them to obtain the jewel of merit. This is therefore the cause of the perfection of skillful and supreme knowledge.

Eighth, a pure full moon is complete and unobscured. Because the mind of awakening must be pure and complete in every domain, this is the cause of the perfection of vow.

Ninth, the wheel-turning sage king’s jeweled general acts freely as he wishes. Because the mind of awakening can skillfully adorn pure buddha lands and broadly benefit sentient beings with immeasurable merit, this is the cause of the perfection of power.

Tenth, space is unobstructed, and a wheel-turning sage king governs freely. Because the mind of awakening must likewise be unobstructed and sovereign in every domain and place, all the way to the stage of consecration, this is the cause of the perfection of knowledge.

These are the ten causes of the mind of awakening that bodhisattvas should cultivate and learn.

Each of the Ten Perfections Is Accomplished through Five Dharmas

Once the mind has been brought forth, it must be embodied in practice. The Buddha lists five dharmas for each of the ten perfections, making fifty in all.

1. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Giving

First is to establish a firm faculty of faith, giving the mind of awakening its fundamental support. Second is to rely on loving-kindness and compassion. Third is to give without craving any return. Fourth is to be willing to embrace all sentient beings, excluding no one. Fifth is to direct every act of giving toward the quest for all-knowing knowledge. Only with these five dharmas is the perfection of giving accomplished. It is not merely the transfer of possessions, but an accomplishment made jointly by faith, compassion, purity, the refusal to abandon sentient beings, and the quest for a buddha’s knowledge.

2. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Ethical Discipline

First is to purify the three activities of body, speech, and mind. Second is not to create for any sentient being a condition that gives rise to affliction. Third is to close the gates to evil destinies and open the gates toward favorable states. Fourth is to pass beyond the grounds of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. Fifth is to bring every merit to fulfillment. These five include refraining from evil, gathering wholesome dharmas, and benefiting sentient beings; they cannot be reduced to compliance with rules.

3. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Patience

First is to subdue the afflictions of greed and anger. Second is not to cherish one’s own body and life, nor to seek comfort or respite. Third is to reflect on one’s past karma and endure suffering when it comes. Fourth is to bring forth loving-kindness and compassion and mature the various roots of goodness of sentient beings. Fifth is to realize the profound patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas. Enduring hostility, calmly bearing suffering, and contemplating truth each have their own level; endurance under suffering cannot replace acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas.

4. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Vigorous Effort

First is to take no pleasure in dwelling with the afflictions. Second is not to seize pleasure for oneself before one’s merit is complete. Third is not to grow weary of difficult practices and ascetic deeds. Fourth is to embrace and benefit sentient beings through great loving-kindness and compassion, using skillful means to mature them all. Fifth is to aspire to the ground of non-retrogression. Vigorous effort is not merely exertion: it means making no compromise with affliction, not placing self-benefit first, not retreating before difficulty, not abandoning sentient beings, and not turning back from awakening.

5. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Meditative Concentration

First is to gather and hold all wholesome dharmas so that the mind does not scatter. Second is constantly to aspire to liberation without abiding in either the extreme of emptiness or the extreme of existence. Third is to aspire to supernormal powers in order to mature the roots of goodness of sentient beings. Fourth is to remove the mind’s defilements in order to purify the dharma realm. Fifth is to sever the roots of sentient beings’ afflictions. Only with these five dharmas is the perfection of meditative concentration accomplished. Concentration is not withdrawal from sentient beings; it is the gathering of mind, freedom from extremes, purification of the realm, and fulfillment of benefit for others.

6. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Wisdom

First is always to make offerings to and draw near all buddhas, bodhisattvas, and wise persons, never growing weary or turning away. Second is always to delight in hearing the profound Dharma taught by the buddhas and tathāgatas, never feeling satisfied. Third is to delight in skillfully discerning the supreme knowledge of ultimate and conventional truth. Fourth is swiftly to eliminate the afflictions abandoned on the paths of seeing and cultivation. Fifth is to master worldly arts and the five fields of knowledge. Drawing near and hearing the Dharma, discerning ultimate and conventional truth, severing affliction, and mastering the five fields of knowledge are each indispensable.

7. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Skillful and Supreme Knowledge

First is thoroughly to comprehend the many differences in sentient beings’ dispositions, afflictions, and mental conduct. Second is to understand the innumerable counteractive gateways among dharmas. Third is to enter and emerge freely from the concentration of great loving-kindness and compassion. Fourth is to aspire to cultivate and completely accomplish all perfections. Fifth is to aspire to understand and embrace every buddha-dharma without omission. The first three emphasize the skillful means that rescue sentient beings; the last two direct everything cultivated toward complete awakening.

8. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Vow

First is to abide in the fact that all dharmas have from the beginning been neither born nor destroyed, neither existent nor nonexistent. Second is to contemplate the most subtle principle of all dharmas and abide free from defilement and pure. Third is to pass beyond every conception and abide in the mind’s fundamental suchness, which is not produced by affliction, does not circulate through the three times, has no difference of before and after, and neither changes nor perishes. Fourth is to abide in conventional truth for the sake of benefiting sentient beings. Fifth is to cause the calm abiding of śamatha and the insight of vipaśyanā to operate simultaneously. Vow turns toward the dharma-body without departing from benefiting beings in conventional truth; calm and insight must function together.

9. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Power

First is, through the power of correct knowledge, to understand the wholesome and unwholesome mental conduct of all sentient beings. Second is to enable all sentient beings to enter the profound and subtle Dharma. Third is to know as it truly is the causes, conditions, and karma by which all sentient beings revolve in birth and death. Fourth is, through the power of correct knowledge, to distinguish the three kinds of faculties among sentient beings, knowing their superiority, inferiority, and manifold differences without inventing three names beyond the text. Fifth is to teach sentient beings according to principle, enabling them to plant roots of goodness, mature gradually, and attain deliverance. All five are functions of the power of knowledge.

10. The Five Dharmas of the Perfection of Knowledge

First is to distinguish the wholesome and unwholesome among dharmas. Second is to lead sentient beings away from dark dharmas and enable them to embrace bright dharmas. Third is, for the benefit of sentient beings, neither to reject birth and death nor delight greedily in nirvāṇa. Fourth is to complete the practices of merit and wisdom through to their ultimate point. Fifth is to receive the supreme consecration on the tenth ground and realize the buddhas’ distinctive qualities and all-knowing knowledge. Discrimination, abandoning evil and adopting good, maturing sentient beings without abiding in either birth and death or nirvāṇa, completing merit and wisdom, and accomplishing the buddha-dharmas through consecration form a complete sequence of five.

Seventeen Levels of Meaning in “Perfection”

The Buddha next asks what “perfection” means and explains it level by level:

First, repeatedly cultivating practices that are supreme and beneficial is the meaning of perfection.

Second, completing immeasurable, vast, and profound wisdom is the meaning of perfection.

Third, letting the mind grasp neither practices nor non-practices is the meaning of perfection.

Fourth, seeing the faults of birth and death and the merits of nirvāṇa as they truly are and contemplating them through right awakening and right observation is the meaning of perfection.

Fifth, abandoning neither foolish people nor wise people but embracing them both is the meaning of perfection.

Sixth, being able to reveal many precious and subtle Dharma jewels is the meaning of perfection.

Seventh, attaining unobstructed liberation and the completion of wisdom is the meaning of perfection.

Eighth, correctly distinguishing and knowing the dharma realm and the realm of sentient beings is the meaning of perfection.

Ninth, enabling people to reach non-retrogression through all the perfections from giving to knowledge is the meaning of perfection.

Tenth, bringing the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas to fulfillment is the meaning of perfection.

Eleventh, maturing the meritorious roots of goodness of all sentient beings is the meaning of perfection.

Twelfth, accomplishing in awakening a buddha’s ten powers, four fearlessnesses, and various distinctive qualities is the meaning of perfection.

Thirteenth, understanding that birth and death and nirvāṇa have no dual marks is the meaning of perfection.

Fourteenth, rescuing and delivering all sentient beings is the meaning of perfection.

Fifteenth, skillfully explaining matters when non-Buddhist teachers come to question and challenge, thereby subduing them, is the meaning of perfection.

Sixteenth, turning the Dharma wheel of twelve subtle aspects is the meaning of perfection.

Seventeenth, being without attachment, appropriative views, or the burden of affliction is the meaning of pāramitā.

“Reaching the other shore” is not merely a spatial simile. It also comprises five dimensions: what is known, teaching, principle, practice, and fruition. The ten perfections carry one away from the five aggregates of birth and death and bring one to these five other shores.

Ten Portents That Appear before the Ten Grounds

The Buddha further says that, as a bodhisattva is about to enter each ground, a corresponding portent first appears:

First, as the first ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees the trichiliocosm filled everywhere with immeasurable and boundless treasures of every kind.

Second, as the second ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees the earth throughout the trichiliocosm as level as the palm of a hand, covered with immeasurable and boundless beautiful colors, pure jewels, and ornamental objects.

Third, as the third ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees the bodhisattva’s own body as valiant and strong, adorned with armor and weapons, and able to crush every hostile enemy.

Fourth, as the fourth ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees the wind-wheels from the four directions carrying many kinds of wondrous flowers, which scatter down and cover the earth.

Fifth, as the fifth ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees a wondrous jeweled woman whose whole body is adorned with necklaces of many jewels and whose head is crowned with celebrated flowers.

Sixth, as the sixth ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees a lotus pond of the seven jewels with stairways on four sides, spread with golden sand, pure and undefiled, and completely filled with water possessing the eight qualities. Blue lotuses, white water lilies, and white lotuses adorn it everywhere; beside the pond one plays in incomparable coolness and ease.

Seventh, as the seventh ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees sentient beings who ought to fall into hell but, through the bodhisattva’s power, do not fall and are neither harmed nor afraid.

Eighth, as the eighth ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees a lion king guarding each side of the bodhisattva’s body while all wild beasts are frightened.

Ninth, as the ninth ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees a wheel-turning sage king surrounded and honored by immeasurable billions, with a white canopy above his head and immeasurable jewels adorning him.

Tenth, as the tenth ground is about to appear, the bodhisattva sees the Tathāgata’s golden body shining brilliantly, immeasurable pure light wholly complete, and the Buddha turning the unsurpassed and subtle Dharma wheel while immeasurable billions of Brahmā kings surround him in reverent worship.

Why the Ten Grounds Bear These Ten Names

First, the first ground is called Joyful. The bodhisattva realizes for the first time the supramundane mind, never attained before but now newly attained. There is a new realization in self-benefit, while the great work of benefiting others is accomplished according to one’s vow; therefore immense joy arises.

Second, the second ground is called Stainless. Subtle stains and faults against ethical discipline are purified; hence it is called Stainless.

Third, the third ground is called Luminous. Immeasurable wisdom born of hearing, reflection, and cultivation and the light of samādhi arise from concentration; they cannot be shaken or overcome and have the dhāraṇī of hearing and retention as their root. Hence it is called Luminous.

Fourth, the fourth ground is called Blazing. The fire of wisdom burns the afflictions, light increases, and the factors of awakening are cultivated. Hence it is called Blazing.

Fifth, the fifth ground is called Difficult to Conquer. Although the modes of the knowledge of ultimate truth and the knowledge of conventional truth appear to conflict, the bodhisattva can bring the two into correspondence and cause them to arise simultaneously. Through sovereign skillful means, the bodhisattva can also subdue the difficult-to-subdue afflictions abandoned on the paths of seeing and cultivation. Thus it is called Difficult to Conquer, not merely because this ground is generically difficult.

Sixth, the sixth ground is called Face-to-Face. The bodhisattva constantly observes the continuity of the twelve links of dependent origination; wisdom appears clearly and brings forth nondiscriminating, signless contemplation so that it is directly present. Hence it is called Face-to-Face.

Seventh, the seventh ground is called Far-Going. Undefiled, uninterrupted, signless contemplation and the samādhi of liberation continue over a long period. They transcend the practices of giving and ethical discipline in the first three grounds that resemble worldly practice, as well as the factors of the path, four truths, and dependent origination in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grounds that resemble the practice of the two vehicles. Hence it is called Far-Going; “far” does not refer to spatial distance.

Eighth, the eighth ground is called Immovable. Signless contemplation arises spontaneously, cultivation has become sovereign, and no activity of the afflictions can disturb it. Hence it is called Immovable.

Ninth, the ninth ground is called Excellent Wisdom. The bodhisattva can freely explain the many distinctions among all dharmas without affliction or burden; wisdom continually increases, and the four unobstructed knowledges arise spontaneously, enabling the bodhisattva to teach freely. Hence it is called Excellent Wisdom.

Tenth, the tenth ground is called Dharma Cloud. The dharma-body is like space, and great wisdom is like a vast cloud filling space: it universally covers and protects all, and it proclaims the subtle Dharma as a cloud pours rain. Hence it is called Dharma Cloud.

Twenty-Two Kinds of Ignorance: Twenty on the Ten Grounds and Two More on the Buddha Ground

Each ground has two subtle obstructions to be abandoned. The ten grounds account for twenty; the buddha ground adds two more, making twenty-two:

First, the first ground is obstructed by the ignorance that grasps a self and dharmas endowed with marks, and by the ignorance that fears the evil destinies of birth and death.

Second, the second ground is obstructed by ignorance that causes mistaken transgression of subtle training precepts, and by ignorance that gives rise to many kinds of karmic activity.

Third, the third ground is obstructed by attachment to an excellent dharma never previously attained but newly attained now, and by ignorance that obstructs supreme retention.

Fourth, the fourth ground is obstructed by attachment and delight in the bliss of meditative attainment, and by ignorance that loves subtle and pure dharmas.

Fifth, the fifth ground is obstructed by ignorance that wishes to turn away from birth and death and ignorance that wishes only to enter nirvāṇa. Neither knows as it truly is that the real nature of birth and death is not different from that of nirvāṇa.

Sixth, the sixth ground is obstructed by ignorance while observing the circulation of conditioned activities, and by ignorance in which coarse and manifest characteristics of dharmas appear.

Seventh, the seventh ground is obstructed by the continued activity of subtle marks, and by ignorance that deliberately delights in a signless domain.

Eighth, the eighth ground is obstructed by ignorance in which signless contemplation still requires exerted application, and by ignorance that grasps at sovereignty over marks.

Ninth, the ninth ground is obstructed by a lack of skill in the two unobstructed understandings of the meanings taught and of names, phrases, and letters, and by ignorance in which verbal eloquence does not function at will.

Tenth, the tenth ground is obstructed by the inability freely to manifest great supernormal powers, and by the inability to understand subtle and secret activities.

Eleventh, the buddha ground is obstructed by an extremely subtle cognitive obstruction with respect to every domain, and by the most subtle coarseness of the afflictions.

On the second ground, the base text reads 『誤犯』—“mistaken transgression”; the text quoted by the ancient commentary separately preserves 『護犯』—“guarding transgression,” while the commentary’s explanation preserves 『悞犯』—an alternate graph for “mistaken transgression.” On the ninth ground, the base text reads 『二無礙未善巧』—“not yet skilled in the two unobstructed understandings,” whereas the text quoted by the ancient commentary reads 『二無量未得善巧』—“not yet skilled in the two immeasurables.” Each wording is preserved in its own textual layer; the vernacular does not silently emend one into another or adjudicate which is superior.

On Each Ground One Perfection Is Ascendant, and One Samādhi Arises

The Buddha pairs the ten grounds and the ten perfections in sequence: giving is ascendant on the first ground, ethical discipline on the second, patience on the third, vigorous effort on the fourth, meditative concentration on the fifth, wisdom on the sixth, skillful and supreme knowledge on the seventh, vow on the eighth, power on the ninth, and knowledge on the tenth. This means that one perfection is especially prominent on each ground, not that only that perfection is cultivated there; all ten are still cultivated on every ground.

Each of ten arousals of the mind also produces a samādhi. The first arousal, when embraced, produces the Samādhi of Wondrous Jewel; the second, the Samādhi of Lovable Delight; the third, the Samādhi Difficult to Move; the fourth, the Samādhi of Non-Retrogression; the fifth, the Samādhi of Jeweled Flower; the sixth, the Samādhi of the Sun’s Perfect Blazing Light; the seventh, the Samādhi in Which Every Vow Is Fulfilled as Wished; the eighth, the Samādhi of Directly Realized Abiding; the ninth, the Samādhi of the Treasury of Knowledge; and the tenth, the Samādhi of Courageous Advance. In cultivating the ascendant perfection of each of the ten grounds, concentration and wisdom must be practiced together.

Ten Dhāraṇīs for the Ten Grounds: Protection on Every Ground

The Buddha next teaches one dhāraṇī for each of the ten grounds. Every passage contains the complete sequence: the name of the ground, the name of the dhāraṇī, its formula, the many buddhas who taught it, the ground it protects, freedom from fear and the five obstructions, and non-forgetting of that ground. All ten formulas preserve only their ancient sound transcriptions. They are neither translated nor interpreted word by word, nor are they reconstructed in another script.

First Ground: Dhāraṇī of Reliance on the Power of Merit

The Buddha says that a bodhisattva on the first ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Reliance on the Power of Merit,” and then proclaims its formula:

『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.” 怛姪他　晡𠷈儞　曼奴喇剃　獨虎　獨虎　獨虎　耶跋　蘇利瑜　阿婆婆薩底　耶跋　旃達囉　調怛底　多跋達𠸪叉漫　憚茶鉢唎訶㘕　矩嚕　莎訶

This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of one Ganges River to protect bodhisattvas on the first ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from every fear, including tigers, wolves, lions, and other savage beasts; all evil spirits, humans and nonhumans; hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the first ground.

Second Ground: Dhāraṇī of Abiding Well in Peace and Ease

A bodhisattva on the second ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Abiding Well in Peace and Ease”:

『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.” 怛姪他　嗢篅哩　質哩質哩　嗢篅羅篅羅　喃繕覩繕覩嗢篅哩　虎嚕虎嚕　莎訶

This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of two Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the second ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the second ground.

Third Ground: Dhāraṇī of Difficult-to-Conquer Power

A bodhisattva on the third ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Difficult-to-Conquer Power”:

『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.” 怛姪他　憚宅　枳般　宅枳　羯喇　㨖高喇㨖　雞由哩　憚㨖哩　莎訶

This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of three Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the third ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the third ground.

Fourth Ground: Dhāraṇī of Great Benefit

A bodhisattva on the fourth ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Great Benefit”:

『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.” 怛姪他　室唎室唎　陀弭儞陀弭儞　陀哩陀哩儞　室唎室唎儞　毘舍羅波世波始娜　畔陀弭帝　莎訶

This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of four Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the fourth ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the fourth ground.

Fifth Ground: Dhāraṇī Adorned with Manifold Merits

A bodhisattva on the fifth ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Adorned with Manifold Merits”:

『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.” 怛姪他　訶哩訶哩　儞遮哩遮哩儞　羯喇摩　儞僧羯喇摩　儞　三婆山儞瞻跋儞　悉耽婆儞謨漢儞　碎閻步陛莎訶

This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of five Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the fifth ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the fifth ground.

Sixth Ground: Dhāraṇī of Perfect Wisdom

A bodhisattva on the sixth ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Perfect Wisdom”:

『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.” 怛姪他　毘徙哩毘徙哩　摩哩儞迦哩迦哩　毘度漢底　嚕嚕嚕嚕　主嚕主嚕杜嚕婆杜嚕婆　捨捨設者婆哩灑莎　悉底薩婆薩埵喃　悉甸覩曼怛囉鉢陀儞莎訶

This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of six Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the sixth ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the sixth ground.

Seventh Ground: Dhāraṇī of Practice Victorious in Dharma

A bodhisattva on the seventh ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Practice Victorious in Dharma”:

『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.” 怛姪他　勺訶　勺訶　嚕勺訶勺訶勺訶嚕　鞞陸枳鞞陸枳　阿蜜㗚哆唬漢儞勃哩山儞　鞞嚕勅枳婆嚕伐底　鞞提呬枳　頻陀鞞哩儞　阿蜜哩底枳　薄虎主愈薄虎主愈莎訶

This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of seven Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the seventh ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the seventh ground.

Eighth Ground: Dhāraṇī of the Inexhaustible Treasury

A bodhisattva on the eighth ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Inexhaustible Treasury”:

『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.” 怛姪他　室唎室唎室唎儞　蜜底蜜底　羯哩羯哩醯嚕醯嚕　主嚕主嚕　畔陀弭莎訶

This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of eight Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the eighth ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the eighth ground.

Ninth Ground: Dhāraṇī of Immeasurable Gateways

A bodhisattva on the ninth ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Immeasurable Gateways”:

『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.” 怛姪他　訶哩旃荼哩枳　俱藍婆喇體　都剌死　跋吒跋吒死室唎室唎迦室哩迦必室唎　莎悉底　薩婆薩埵喃莎訶

This dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of nine Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the ninth ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every distress. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the ninth ground.

Tenth Ground: Dhāraṇī of Shattering the Vajra Mountain

A bodhisattva on the tenth ground obtains the dhāraṇī named “Shattering the Vajra Mountain”:

『真言音寫，不譯』—“Sound transcription of the formula; not translated.” 怛姪他　悉提　蘇悉提謨折儞木察儞毘木底菴末麗　毘末麗涅末麗　忙揭麗呬㘓若揭鞞　曷喇怛娜揭鞞　三曼多跋姪麗　薩婆頞他娑憚儞　摩捺斯莫訶摩捺斯　頞步底頞　窒步底　阿𡃤誓毘喇誓頞主底菴蜜㗚底　阿𡃤誓毘喇誓　跋㘕謎　跋囉蚶麼莎　囇晡喇儞晡喇娜　曼奴喇剃莎訶

This dhāraṇī is an auspicious formula of consecration. It was spoken by buddhas more numerous than the sands of ten Ganges Rivers to protect bodhisattvas on the tenth ground. One who recites and retains it is freed from fears caused by savage beasts, evil spirits, humans and nonhumans, as well as hostile bandits, unforeseen calamities, and every poison; all are eliminated. The practitioner is also freed from the five obstructions and does not forget the tenth ground.

Bodhisattva Lion-Form Praises the Buddha in Ten Verses

After Bodhisattva Lion-Form Unobstructed Blazing Light heard these inconceivable dhāraṇīs, he rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, reverently joined his palms, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and praised the Buddha in ten verses:

First, “I bow to the incomparable, profound, and signless Dharma. Sentient beings have lost correct understanding; only the Buddha can deliver them.”

Second, “With the bright eye of wisdom, the Tathāgata grasps no mark of any dharma; with the eye of the true Dharma, he universally illuminates the inconceivable.”

Third, “He sees no dharma truly arise and no dharma truly cease. Through this vision of equality, he reaches the unsurpassed place.”

Fourth, “He neither destroys birth and death nor abides in nirvāṇa. Because he clings to neither extreme, he realizes complete quiescence.”

Fifth, “The World-Honored One knows all pure and impure dharmas to have a single flavor. By making no discriminating grasp of dharmas, he attains ultimate purity.”

Sixth, “The World-Honored One’s body has no boundary, and in reality he has never spoken one fixed word; yet he fills every disciple with the rain of Dharma.”

Seventh, “The Buddha observes all the marks of sentient beings and knows that every kind of mark lacks self-nature; yet he constantly brings forth rescue and protection for those who suffer.”

Eighth, “Suffering and pleasure, permanence and impermanence, self and no-self, neither identity nor difference, neither arising nor cessation—none can be grasped as opposing entities.”

Ninth, “These many meanings appear different according to what is said, like echoes in an empty valley. Only the Buddha can know their true meaning completely.”

Tenth, “The dharma realm is originally without differentiation, so ultimately there are no distinct vehicles. The three vehicles are taught by way of distinction only in order to deliver sentient beings.”

Great Īśvara Brahmā Praises the Sūtra, and the Buddha Explains the Benefits of Hearing It

At that time, Great Īśvara Brahmā King also rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, reverently joined his palms, and bowed at the Buddha’s feet. He addressed the Buddha: “This Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King is rare and beyond measure. It is excellent at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end; its words and meanings are consummate, and it can accomplish every buddha-dharma. To receive and retain this sūtra is to repay the kindness of the buddhas.”

The Buddha confirmed his words and said that those able to hear this sūtra will never again retreat from unsurpassed, complete awakening. This sūtra can mature the supreme roots of goodness of bodhisattvas on the ground of non-retrogression; it is the foremost Dharma seal and the king of sūtras. It should therefore be heard, received, retained, and recited. Those who have planted no roots of goodness, have not matured their roots of goodness, and have never drawn near the buddhas cannot hear such a subtle Dharma.

If good men and good women can hear, receive, and retain it, every karmic obstruction will be eliminated and they will attain the utmost purity. They will constantly see buddhas and never be separated from buddhas, spiritual friends, or people who cultivate supreme practices. They will continually hear the subtle Dharma, abide on the ground of non-retrogression, and obtain the following ten inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī gateways:

First, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī of the ocean seal from which wondrous merits emerge.

Second, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī that comprehends the intentions, conduct, and speech of sentient beings.

Third, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī of the pure-marked light of the perfect sun.

Fourth, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī of the full moon’s characteristic light.

Fifth, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī that subdues all delusions and sends forth a stream of merit.

Sixth, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī that shatters the vajra mountain.

Seventh, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī of the treasury of causes and conditions that teaches the meaning that cannot be taught.

Eighth, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī that comprehends the sounds of the rules of truthful speech.

Ninth, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī of the seal of undefiled mental conduct as vast as space.

Tenth, the inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī that can manifest every boundless buddha-body.

By accomplishing these inexhaustible and undiminishing dhāraṇī gateways, a bodhisattva can manifest buddha-bodies throughout all buddha lands of the ten directions and proclaim many kinds of unsurpassed true Dharma. Without moving or abiding, coming or going, with respect to the suchness of dharmas, the bodhisattva can skillfully mature the roots of goodness of all sentient beings while grasping no substantially existent sentient being who could be matured. Although teaching many dharmas, the bodhisattva neither moves nor abides, goes nor comes within verbal expression, and can realize non-arising and non-cessation amid arising and cessation. Why is it said that conditioned practices neither go nor come? Because the nature of all dharmas is without difference.

The Assembly’s Benefits, the Buddha’s Verse, and the Community’s Protection

When the Buddha finished teaching this Dharma, three trillion bodhisattva mahāsattvas attained the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas; immeasurable bodhisattvas became irreversible in the mind of awakening; immeasurable and boundless bhikṣus and bhikṣuṇīs attained the purified Dharma eye; and immeasurable sentient beings brought forth the bodhisattva mind.

The Buddha then reminded the assembly in a verse: “The supreme Dharma can reverse the current of birth and death; it is profound, subtle, and difficult to see. Sentient beings are as if blinded in darkness and covered by greed. Because they do not see the true Dharma, they undergo many sufferings.”

The entire assembly rose together, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and vowed that wherever the Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King was taught, proclaimed, or recited, they would go there as listeners. They would benefit the Dharma teacher, bringing ease without obstruction and tranquility of body and mind. They would make offerings with all their hearts, bring peace and happiness to the listeners, free the land from hostile bandits, fear, disaster, and famine, and cause its people to flourish.

They further said that a Dharma teaching site is a caitya. Gods, humans, nonhumans, and other beings should not tread upon or defile it; it should be honored with incense, flowers, silks, banners, and canopies. They would constantly guard it so that the site, Dharma teacher, and listeners remained free from decline and harm.

Finally, the Buddha instructed the assembly: “You should diligently cultivate this subtle scripture. In this way the true Dharma will long remain in the world.”

Base text: Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle five, “Praise through the Lotus Simile,” Chapter 7. This vernacular rendering follows the original passage by passage and stanza by stanza, transmitting without invention.

The Buddha Explains the Causes and Conditions of Wonderful Banner’s Dream of the Drum

At that time, the Buddha addressed the good goddess who was the deity of the bodhi tree. During the night, Wonderful Banner had dreamed of a wondrous golden drum producing a great sound. Within that sound the Buddha’s qualities were praised and the practice of repentance was proclaimed. The Buddha would now explain the causes and conditions of this event in detail to the deity of the bodhi tree and the assembly, and he instructed them to listen carefully, contemplate it attentively, and not let it be forgotten.

In the distant past there was a king named Golden Dragon. He constantly used the lotus as a simile in praising the buddhas who abide throughout the ten directions and the past, present, and future. The Buddha then recited for the assembly the praise that King Golden Dragon had offered at that time.

The First Fifteen Stanzas: Praising the Buddha’s Form, Marks, and Light

One. “To the buddhas of the past, future, and present who abide in the worlds of the ten directions, I now bow my head in homage with sincere and undivided body and mind, single-mindedly praising all the Supreme Ones.”

Two. “The unsurpassed and pure Muni, the World-Honored One, emits bodily light that shines like gold. His voice is supreme among all voices, pure like the sound of Great Brahmā and deep and far-reaching like reverberating thunder.”

Three. “The luster of his hair resembles the king of black bees. Its dark-blue strands are soft and gracefully curved, forming right-turning whorls. His teeth are white as shell and snow, evenly arranged and close together, level and radiant.”

Four. “His eyes are pure, undefiled, wondrous, and dignified, like the broad leaves of a blue lotus. His tongue is wide and long, yet exceedingly soft, like a red lotus rising from the water.”

Five. “Between his brows the white tuft constantly emits light. It curls gracefully to the right and has the color of transparent crystal. His brows are fine and long like a new crescent moon; their luminous color may also be compared to the king of bees.”

Six. “The bridge of his nose is high and straight like an ingot of gold, pure, wondrous, lustrous, and without defect. When he smells any of the world’s exquisite fragrances, he knows exactly where it is. The first half praises the nose’s form and color; the second praises the faculty’s function.”

Seven. “The World-Honored One’s body is the supreme color of gold. Every hair growing from every pore and the appearance of every hair-tip are equally majestic. The hairs are dark blue, soft, and curled to the right; their wondrous radiance admits of no adequate simile.”

Eight. “At his birth, his body already possessed a wondrous light that universally illuminated every world throughout the ten directions. That light could extinguish the suffering of beings in the three realms of existence and enable them all to receive peace and happiness.”

Nine. “Whether beings dwell in hell, among animals, or in the realm of hungry ghosts, or among asuras, devas, and humans, he removes all their sufferings and enables them constantly to enjoy natural peace and happiness.”

Ten. “The color and light of his body constantly shine everywhere, wondrous and incomparable like molten gold. His face is perfectly round and bright like the full moon on the fifteenth day, and his lips are a beautiful red like the color of the bimba fruit.”

Eleven. “His bearing as he walks is steady and powerful like a lion. His bodily light shines brightly like the newly risen morning sun. His arms are slender and long, and when he stands his hands reach below his knees, hanging like branches of the śāla tree.”

Twelve. “The circular halo extending a fathom around his body shines without limit, blazing like hundreds of thousands of suns. Its light reaches every buddha-land and, in accord with beings’ conditions, awakens the deluded wherever they may be.”

Thirteen. “His pure net of light is beyond compare, and its streaming radiance fills hundreds of thousands of worlds. It universally illuminates the ten directions without obstruction and removes every darkness.”

Fourteen. “The compassionate light of the Well-Gone One can bestow happiness. Its wondrous color shines through everything like a golden mountain. Its rays stream into hundreds of thousands of lands, and all beings who encounter them attain liberation.”

Fifteen. “The Buddha’s body is accomplished through measureless merit and adorned by every quality. Transcending the three realms, he alone is honored as supreme; he is most excellent in the world, with none his equal.”

Five Stanzas Praise the Buddha’s Name-Body: Neither Language nor Number Can Exhaust It

Sixteen. “The buddhas of the past are as numerous as all the motes of dust on the earth. The buddhas of the future and present who abide throughout the ten directions are likewise as numerous as the earth’s motes of dust.”

Seventeen. “With utmost sincerity of body, speech, and mind, I bow to and take refuge in the buddhas of the three times. I praise their ocean of boundless qualities and make offerings of every kind of incense and flower.”

Eighteen. “Even if a thousand tongues grew within my mouth and I praised the Tathāgata through measureless eons, the World-Honored One’s inconceivable, supremely excellent, and profound qualities would still be impossible to describe completely.”

Nineteen. “Even if I had hundreds of thousands of tongues and praised only one quality of a single buddha, even a tiny part of it would remain difficult to know—to say nothing of the boundless qualities of all buddhas.”

Twenty. “Even if the earth, all the heavens, and everything up to the Peak of Existence were transformed into ocean water, one could still dip a hair-tip into it and count the drops. Yet even one of the Buddha’s qualities would remain exceedingly difficult to measure.”

One Stanza of Dedication: Giving the Merit of Praise to Sentient Beings

Twenty-one. “With utmost sincerity of body, speech, and mind, I revere and praise the buddhas’ boundless qualities. The excellent fruit of merit gained thereby is inconceivable; I give it all to sentient beings so that they may swiftly become buddhas.”

Fourteen Stanzas of Vows: From the Dream-Drum and Repentance to the Six Perfections, Benefiting Beings, and a Pure Land

Twenty-two. “After King Golden Dragon had praised the Tathāgata, his profound aspiration grew still stronger than before, and he made this vast vow: In future lives, may I continually take birth throughout measureless, numberless eons.”

Twenty-three. “In my dreams may I constantly see the great golden drum and hear its sound clearly proclaim repentance. May I use the lotus as a simile in praising the Buddha’s qualities, realize non-arising, and accomplish right awakening.”

Twenty-four. “The appearance of buddhas in the world is exceedingly rare; even in hundreds of thousands of eons they are very difficult to encounter. At night may I constantly hear the wondrous drum in dreams, and by day may I practice repentance truthfully as appropriate.”

Twenty-five. “I shall cultivate the six perfections to completion, rescue sentient beings, and bring them out of the ocean of suffering. I shall then attain unsurpassed right awakening and a buddha-land of inconceivable purity.”

Twenty-six. “May I offer the wondrous golden drum to the Tathāgata and praise the buddhas’ true qualities. Through this may I see Śākyamuni Buddha and receive his prediction that I will succeed to buddhahood as the supreme one among humans.”

Twenty-seven. “Golden Dragon and Golden Light are my two sons; in the past they have also been my spiritual friends. May they be born into my family life after life and receive predictions of unsurpassed awakening together with me.”

Twenty-eight. “When sentient beings have no one to rescue or protect them and undergo many sufferings while circling through the long night, may I become their refuge in future lives and enable them always to find peace and happiness.”

Twenty-nine. “May every suffering within the three realms of existence be extinguished, and may beings each attain a place of happiness that accords with their wishes. In future lives may they cultivate awakening and attain buddhahood just as practitioners of the past did.”

Thirty. “May the merit gained through this Golden Light repentance forever drain the ocean of suffering and remove offenses. May karmic obstructions and afflictive obstructions disappear entirely and enable me swiftly to obtain the fruit of purity.”

Thirty-one. “The ocean of merit and wisdom is vast and boundless, pure and undefiled, its depth impossible to fathom. May I attain this ocean of qualities and swiftly accomplish supreme great awakening.”

Thirty-two. “Through the power of Golden Light repentance, may I obtain the pure light formed by merit. Once I have attained that pure and wondrous light, may I constantly illuminate every sentient being with the light of wisdom.”

Thirty-three. “May the light of my body equal that of the buddhas, and may my merit and wisdom likewise be complete. May I alone be honored as supreme throughout every world, endowed with sovereign power beyond compare.”

Thirty-four. “May I cross beyond the ocean of suffering that is contaminated birth and death and constantly roam the ocean of bliss that is unconditioned quiescence. May my present ocean of merit always be full, and may my future ocean of wisdom become perfectly complete.”

Thirty-five. “May my land transcend the three realms and possess measureless, boundless, excellent qualities. May all beings connected with me be born there together and swiftly accomplish pure wisdom.”

Two Stanzas Join Past and Present and Promise Predictions: King Golden Dragon Is Wonderful Banner

Thirty-six. “Wonderful Banner, you should know that the king named Golden Dragon in the past, who made all these vows, was your former body.”

Thirty-seven. “At that time he had two sons named Golden Dragon and Golden Light. They are now Silver Mark and Silver Light, and I shall bestow my prediction upon them.”

Final Stanza: The Assembly Arouses the Mind and Undertakes the Practice

Thirty-eight. “When the assembly heard the Buddha explain this past event, all aroused the mind of awakening and made this shared vow: In the present and the future, we shall constantly rely upon this practice of repentance.”

A vernacular rendering of Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle five, “The Golden-Victory Dhāraṇī,” Chapter 8. The transcribed sounds of the dhāraṇī are preserved in the original characters of the base text, without translation or analysis.

Those Who Wish Personally to See the Buddhas Should Uphold the Golden-Victory Dhāraṇī

At that time, in the midst of the great assembly, the World-Honored One again told the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Good Abiding: “Good man, there is a dhāraṇī called Golden Victory. If a good man or good woman wishes personally to see the buddhas of the past, future, and present and respectfully make offerings to them, that person should uphold this dhāraṇī.”

Why? Because the sūtra calls this dhāraṇī the mother of the buddhas of the past, present, and future. Therefore know that one who can uphold it is complete in great merit. That person planted many roots of goodness in the presence of limitless buddhas in the past and for that reason can uphold it now. The person maintains pure ethical discipline, without damage or deficiency in its practice and without obstruction, and will certainly enter the profound Dharma-gate.

First Recite the Names and Venerate with Utmost Sincerity; Then Recite and Uphold

The World-Honored One next explained how to uphold the dhāraṇī: first recite the names of the buddhas and bodhisattvas and venerate them with utmost sincerity; only then recite and uphold the dhāraṇī.

Begin with general veneration: “I venerate all buddhas of the ten directions. I venerate all great bodhisattva-mahāsattvas. I venerate śrāvakas, solitary realizers, and all noble ones.”

Then venerate each in turn: Buddha Śākyamuni; Buddha Immovable in the east; Buddha Jeweled Banner in the south; Buddha Amitābha in the west; Buddha King of the Sound of the Heavenly Drum in the north; Buddha Vast Assemblage of Virtues above; Buddha Luminous Virtue below; Buddha Treasure Treasury; Buddha Universal Light; Buddha Universal Radiance; Buddha King of Accumulated Fragrance; Buddha Lotus Supreme; Buddha Equal Vision; Buddha Jeweled Topknot; Buddha Supreme Jewel; Buddha Jeweled Light; Buddha Stainless Light; Buddha Eloquence Adornment Reflection; Buddha King of the Characteristic Called Pure Moonlight; Buddha Flower-Adornment Light; Buddha King of Light; Buddha King of the Name Excellent Light and Stainlessness; Buddha King of Fearless Mastery in Observation; Buddha Fearless Renown; and Buddha Supreme King.

Then venerate each in turn: the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Kṣitigarbha, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Ākāśagarbha, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Mañjuśrī, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Vajrapāṇi, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Samantabhadra, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Akṣayamati, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Mahāsthāmaprāpta, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Maitreya, and the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Good Wisdom.

After completing the recitation of names and veneration, recite and uphold the dhāraṇī:

Transcribed sounds of the formula; untranslated.
南謨喝𡃤怛娜怛喇夜也　怛姪他　君睇　君睇　矩折囇　矩折囇　壹窒哩　蜜窒哩　莎訶

Merit, Prediction, and Protection Gained through Upholding It

The Buddha again told the bodhisattva Good Abiding: this dhāraṇī is the mother of the buddhas of the three times. If a good man or good woman upholds this formula, that person produces an immeasurable and boundless accumulation of merit. This is equivalent to making offerings to, venerating, honoring, and praising innumerable buddhas. All those buddhas will bestow upon that person a prediction of unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening.

Good Abiding, if someone can uphold this formula, whether that person wishes to obtain clothing, food and drink, wealth and jewels, extensive learning, intelligence, freedom from illness, or long life, that person will gain abundant merit. Whatever is sought or wished for will be fulfilled to satisfaction without exception.

Until realizing unsurpassed awakening, the practitioner will constantly dwell together with Bodhisattva Golden-City Mountain, Bodhisattva Maitreya, Bodhisattva Great Ocean, Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, Bodhisattva Great Bingjialuo, and others, and will be gathered in, guarded, and upheld by the bodhisattvas. The names of the six bodhisattvas are each preserved as given in the sūtra and are not abbreviated into a generic designation.

The Preliminary 10,008 Recitations and the Fifteen-Day Practice

The Buddha next told the bodhisattva Good Abiding that one who upholds this formula should practice according to the following method.

First, recite this dhāraṇī a full 10,008 times as the preliminary means before entering the place of practice.

Next, adorn and arrange the place of practice in a darkened room. Beginning on the first day of the dark fortnight, bathe and purify oneself, put on fresh and clean clothing, burn incense, scatter flowers, and make offerings of various articles and foods.

After entering the place of practice, first recite the names and venerate the buddhas and bodhisattvas as explained above. With utmost sincerity and earnestness, repent the offenses one committed in the past, place the right knee on the ground, and recite the preceding dhāraṇī a full 1,008 times. After finishing, sit upright and recollect one’s wish with a concentrated mind.

Each day before sunrise, eat within the place of practice what the sūtra calls “pure black food.” Eat only one meal a day. Do not leave the place of practice until the fifteenth day.

This practice makes the practitioner’s merit and power inconceivable, and every wish will be completely fulfilled. If the wish has not yet been realized, enter the place of practice again and practice according to the same method. Even after the wish has been realized, constantly uphold the dhāraṇī and never forget it.

The chapter begins with the wish to see the buddhas and ends with constant, unforgetting upholding. Recitation of names, veneration, recitation and upholding, offerings, repentance, aspiration, and observance of the appointed period follow one another item by item. The transcription of the dhāraṇī’s sounds stands within this sequence and is preserved in the original characters of the ancient translation without added translation or interpretation.

Base text: Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle five, “Reaffirming Emptiness,” Chapter 9. This vernacular rendering follows the original passage by passage and stanza by stanza. All thirty-three stanzas are presented separately; it transmits without adding.

After Teaching the Golden-Victory Dhāraṇī, the Buddha Again Clarifies Emptiness for the Assembly

At that time, after the World-Honored One had spoken the dhāraṇī of the preceding chapter, he wished to benefit the great bodhisattvas and the human and divine assembly and enable them to understand the profound and true ultimate meaning. He therefore again clarified emptiness and spoke the following stanzas.

The First Three Stanzas: Why Emptiness Is Taught Briefly and Taught Again Here

One. “In other profound sūtras I have already explained extensively the subtle meaning of true emptiness. Now, within this king of sūtras, I again explain briefly the inconceivable Dharma of emptiness.”

Two. “When faced with Dharma that is vast and profound, sentient beings who lack wisdom cannot understand it. I therefore expound it again here so that they may awaken to the Dharma of emptiness.”

Three. “Out of great compassion and pity for all sentient beings, I use skillful means to establish superior causes and conditions. I now teach within this great assembly so that they may understand the meaning of emptiness.”

Twelve Stanzas: Body, Six Faculties, Six Objects, Mind-Consciousness, and the Four Great Elements

Four. “Know that this body is false and unreal like a mass of foam and is called an empty aggregate. The six faculties dwell within it like thieves, yet they do not know one another. The six objects are likewise thieves, each assigned to and dependent upon a faculty; they too do not know one another.”

Five. “The eye faculty constantly looks upon forms, and the ear faculty continually hears sounds. The nose faculty always smells odors, and the tongue faculty frequently tastes fine flavors.”

Six. “The body faculty receives light, soft, and delicate contacts, while the mind faculty cognizes dharmas without satiety. These six faculties each arise through the conditions of the great elements that constitute them, the consciousness that arises in dependence upon the faculty, and other supporting factors. Each produces discrimination within its own sphere.”

Seven. “Consciousness is like an illusion and is not real, yet it depends upon the faculties and delusively craves and seeks. Just as a person runs through an empty aggregate, so the six consciousnesses depend upon the six faculties.”

Eight. “Mind races everywhere in pursuit and turns wherever it finds itself. Entrusting itself to the faculties and taking objects as conditions, it distinguishes all kinds of things. It constantly clings to forms, sounds, odors, tastes, and contacts, and conceptualizes dharmas without a moment’s pause.”

Nine. “Mind-consciousness follows conditions and ranges throughout the six faculties like a bird flying unobstructed through the sky. Only by relying upon these faculties as its supports can it distinguish external objects.”

Ten. “This body itself has no awareness and no agent. Its substance is unstable and is formed in dependence upon many conditions. It arises from delusive discrimination like a mechanical wooden figure set in motion by karmic power.”

Eleven. “Earth, water, fire, and wind together constitute this body, bringing different results according to various conditions. Although the four great elements dwell together in one place, they harm and oppose one another like four venomous snakes sharing a single box.”

Twelve. “The natures of these four great snakes differ. Although they dwell together in one place, some rise and others sink. Moving upward and downward, they pervade the whole body, but all of them finally come to cessation.”

Thirteen. “Among these four venomous snakes, the earth-snake and water-snake mostly sink, while the wind-snake and fire-snake are light in nature and rise. Because the four great elements conflict with one another, all kinds of illness arise from them.”

Fourteen. “Mind-consciousness depends upon this body and produces all kinds of good and bad karma. It will be born among humans, devas, or the three evil destinies and receive a responsive body-form corresponding to its own karmic power.”

Fifteen. “After this body suffers illness and dies, excrement and urine all flow out. Pus, decay, worms, and maggots leave nothing delightful. At last it is discarded in a corpse grove like a piece of rotten wood.”

Five Stanzas: From Attachment to Self toward Contemplation of Impermanence, Ignorance, and the Twelve Links

Sixteen. “You should contemplate all dharmas in this way. Why still cling to the real existence of a self and sentient beings? All dharmas are entirely impermanent and arise through the conditioned power of ignorance.”

Seventeen. “The great elements that constitute the body are all false. They were not originally real and self-existent, nor do they arise spontaneously of themselves. The natures of the great elements are therefore said to be empty. Know them to be floating and insubstantial like bubbles, not truly existent.”

Eighteen. “The self-nature of ignorance is originally absent, yet through the power of many conditions it exists in conjunction. Because right wisdom is lost at all times, I call it ignorance.”

Nineteen. “Formations are the condition for consciousness, and consciousness is the condition for name-and-form. The six bases, contact, and feeling then arise in sequence. Craving is the condition for clinging, clinging the condition for existence, and existence the condition for birth. Aging and death follow birth, while sorrow, lamentation, suffering, and distress constantly accompany them.”

Twenty. “All kinds of suffering and bad karma constantly bind, press, and torment beings, and the cycle of birth and death has no moment of rest. Yet these were originally not truly existent: their substance is empty, and discrimination arises only through improper reasoning.”

Eight Stanzas: Severing Afflictions, Nectar, Dharma Activity, and the Perfections

Twenty-one. “I have severed all afflictions and constantly bring right wisdom into present operation. I know the dwelling made of the five aggregates to be entirely empty and quiescent and seek realization of the true place of awakening.”

Twenty-two. “I open the gate of the great city of nectar and reveal the subtle vessel that receives it. Having attained the true taste of nectar, I constantly give that nectar to all sentient beings.”

Twenty-three. “I sound the most excellent great Dharma-drum and blow the most excellent great Dharma-conch. I light the most excellent great bright lamp and send down the most excellent great Dharma-rain.”

Twenty-four. “I subdue every enemy and bond made of afflictions and establish the unsurpassed great Dharma-banner. I rescue beings lost in the great ocean of birth and death and close the roads to the three evil destinies.”

Twenty-five. “The blazing fire of afflictions burns sentient beings. No one rescues or protects them, and they have nowhere to depend. With cooling nectar I bring them satisfaction, removing all the feverish torment in body and mind.”

Twenty-six. “For this reason, throughout immeasurable eons I reverently honor all tathāgatas, steadfastly maintain the precepts, advance toward awakening, and seek realization of the blissful place of the dharma-body.”

Twenty-seven. “When someone comes to ask, I give my eyes, ears, hands, and feet, even wife, children, and servants, without stinginess in my heart. Treasures, the seven precious things, and objects of adornment are all supplied according to the petitioner’s need.”

Twenty-eight. “I cultivate throughout the various perfections, including patience. When the ten grounds are complete, I accomplish right awakening. I therefore possess all-knowing knowledge, which no sentient being can measure.”

The Final Five Stanzas: Measuring a Single Thought of the Buddha’s Wisdom against Particles throughout the Ten Directions

Twenty-nine. “Suppose one were to take all the vegetation growing from the earth in one trichiliocosm—all groves, every kind of tree, rice, hemp, bamboo, reeds, and branches.”

Thirty. “Suppose all this vegetation were cut down and each piece pulverized into minute particles. Those particles would accumulate everywhere in numbers difficult to know, filling even the whole realm of empty space.”

Thirty-one. “Then suppose all the earth in every trichiliocosm throughout all lands in the ten directions were likewise pulverized into minute particles. The number of these particles could not be counted.”

Thirty-two. “Suppose the wisdom of all sentient beings were gathered together and given to one person, and suppose that people possessing such boundless wisdom were themselves immeasurable in number. They might perhaps know the number of those particles.”

Thirty-three. “Yet even if these wise people together attempted to measure the wisdom in a single thought of the Muni, they could not calculate even its smallest part throughout many koṭis of eons.”

The Assembly Hears the Dharma, Vows to Cultivate, and Upholds It

At that time, after the assembly heard the Buddha teach this profound emptiness, immeasurable sentient beings understood that the natures of the four great elements and five aggregates are entirely empty and quiescent and that the six faculties and six objects delusively produce binding. They vowed to leave the cycle of rebirth, correctly cultivated the path of release, rejoiced deeply at heart, and received, upheld, and practiced what the Buddha had taught.

Base text: Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle five, “Fulfilling Vows through Emptiness,” Chapter 10. This vernacular rendering follows the source paragraph by paragraph; the opening three stanzas are presented separately, reporting without invention.

The Goddess Asks How to Practice the Profound Principle

At that time, the goddess Radiant Wish-Fulfilling Jewel heard the profound Dharma within the assembly and leapt with joy. She rose from her seat, bared her right shoulder, placed her right knee upon the ground, reverently joined her palms, and addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, I pray that you explain to us how one should practice according to the profound principle.” She then asked in verse.

First stanza: “I now question the Buddha, whose radiance illuminates the world and who is most honored among humans and gods: what is the true path practiced by bodhisattvas? In your compassion, please allow my question.”

Second stanza: The Buddha answered, “Good goddess, if you have any doubt in your mind, ask as you wish, and I will explain it distinctly for you.”

Third stanza: The goddess asked, “How should a bodhisattva practice the true practice of awakening so as to dwell neither in birth and death nor in nirvāṇa, while benefiting self and others?”

Practicing Equality in Reliance upon the Dharma-Realm

The Buddha told the good goddess: “One should rely upon the dharma-realm, practice the Dharma of awakening, and cultivate the practice of equality. What does it mean to practice the Dharma of awakening in reliance upon the dharma-realm and cultivate the practice of equality? It means that the five aggregates can disclose the dharma-realm and that the dharma-realm does not depart from the five aggregates. The five aggregates themselves cannot be fixed in speech, and what is called ‘not the five aggregates’ likewise cannot be fixed in speech.

“Why? If the dharma-realm is directly determined to be the five aggregates, one falls into the view of annihilation. If a dharma-realm is established apart from the five aggregates, one falls into the view of permanence. One should leave both opposing characteristics and cling to neither side. The dharma-realm is not an object visible to ordinary perception and surpasses what deluded discrimination sees. It has no name that can be fixed and no form that can be fixed. This is called explaining the dharma-realm.

“Good goddess, why is it said that the five aggregates can disclose the dharma-realm? Such five aggregates are not born from causes and conditions. Why? If one says they are born from causes and conditions, is an already-born dharma born again, or can a not-yet-born dharma be born? If it has already been born, what need is there for causes and conditions? If it is not yet born, that nonexistent dharma cannot be found; how could it be taken as a ready-made thing that comes to birth?

“Why is this said? Dharmas not yet arisen are precisely nonexistence. They have no name or form that can be fixed, cannot be reached by measurement or simile, and are not born from causes and conditions.

The Drumbeat Empty in the Three Times: Neither Arising nor Ceasing, Neither One nor Different

The Buddha continued: “Good goddess, consider the sound of a drum. It is produced in reliance upon wood and hide and also upon such conditions as a drumstick and hand. This drum sound is empty in the past, empty in the future, and empty in the present.

“Why? The drum sound is not born from the wood alone, the hide alone, the drumstick alone, or the hand alone. Throughout past, present, and future, no independent sound can be found arising. It is therefore said not to arise. Since an arising by intrinsic nature cannot be found, a ceasing by intrinsic nature cannot be found. Since ceasing cannot be found, it cannot be said to come from somewhere. Since it comes from nowhere, there is nowhere it goes. Since it neither comes nor goes, it cannot be grasped as permanent or annihilated. Since it is neither permanent nor annihilated, it cannot be grasped as completely one or completely different.

“Why can it not be called completely one? If the five aggregates and the dharma-realm were one fixed entity, they would not differ in any way. Ordinary beings seeing the five aggregates should then already see ultimate truth and obtain the unsurpassed happiness of nirvāṇa. This is not so; therefore they cannot be called one.

“Why can they not be called completely different? If one insists that the two differ from each other, every characteristic of the practices of buddhas and bodhisattvas would become an object of attachment. They would remain bound by afflictions, not yet liberated, and unable to realize anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi, unsurpassed complete awakening. Yet all noble ones see the same true nature in practice and nonpractice. Therefore the two cannot be called different.

“It can therefore be known that the five aggregates cannot be grasped as truly existent or as entirely nonexistent. One cannot say that an intrinsic nature is born from causes and conditions, nor can one deny that it appears in dependence upon causes and conditions. This is known by noble ones, cannot be reached by other discriminating objects, and cannot be exhausted in speech. It has no name or characteristic that can be fixed, no independent cause or condition, and no simile that can fix it. From beginning to end it is quiescent and originally empty in itself. Therefore it is said that the five aggregates can disclose the dharma-realm.

“Good goddess, when good men and good women seek unsurpassed complete awakening, their practice differs from both ultimate and conventional and is difficult to conceive. Within the objects seen by ordinary and noble beings, its essence cannot be grasped as one or different. They neither abandon the conventional nor depart from the real; relying upon the dharma-realm, they practice the practice of awakening.”

The Goddess Receives the Teaching, and Brahmā Asks How She Is Masterful

When the World-Honored One had spoken these words, the good goddess leapt with joy. She immediately rose from her seat, bared her right shoulder, placed her right knee upon the ground, reverently joined her palms, bowed single-mindedly to the Buddha, and said: “World-Honored One, I shall now train in the true practice of awakening you have explained.”

At that time, Great Brahmā, lord of the Sahā world, asked the good goddess Radiant Wish-Fulfilling Jewel before the assembly: “This practice of awakening is extremely difficult. How can you now attain mastery within it?”

The good goddess answered: “Great Brahmā, the Dharma taught by the Buddha is indeed extremely profound. Ordinary worldlings cannot understand its meaning. It is the sphere of noble ones, subtle and difficult to know.

“If I now truly dwell happily in accordance with this Dharma, and if what I say is true speech, then I make this vow: may all the measureless, innumerable, and boundless sentient beings of the evil age of five turbidities obtain golden bodies, possess the thirty-two marks of a great person, be neither male nor female, sit upon jeweled lotuses, and experience measureless happiness. May wondrous flowers rain from heaven, heavenly music sound naturally without being struck, and every offering be complete.”

When the good goddess had spoken, all the beings of the evil age of five turbidities became golden, possessed the marks of a great person, were neither male nor female, sat upon jeweled lotuses, and experienced measureless happiness as though dwelling in the palace of the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Creations. No evil destinies existed there. Jeweled trees stood in ordered rows, and seven-jeweled lotuses filled the world. The seven jewels and supreme heavenly flowers rained down, while heavenly song, dance, and music arose together. The good goddess Radiant Wish-Fulfilling Jewel immediately transformed her female body and appeared in the body of a Brahmā god.

Moon in Water, Dream, Mirage, and Valley Echo

Great Brahmā again asked Bodhisattva Radiant Wish-Fulfilling Jewel: “Worthy one, how do you practice the practice of awakening?”

The bodhisattva answered: “Brahmā, if the moon reflected in water can practice the practice of awakening, then I practice it. If a scene in a dream can practice it, then I practice it. If a mirage can practice it, then I practice it. If an echo in a mountain valley can practice it, then I practice it.”

On hearing this, Great Brahmā asked: “Worthy one, upon what principle do you base these words?”

The bodhisattva answered: “Brahmā, no dharma possesses a reality that can be fixed. Everything is accomplished through causes and conditions.”

Brahmā asked in return: “If this is so, all ordinary beings are also formed through causes and conditions. Should they not all attain unsurpassed complete awakening?”

The bodhisattva answered: “Worthy one, why do you speak this way? Are foolish and wise persons two fixed and different entities? Are awakening and nonawakening, liberation and nonliberation, each fixed and different entities? Brahmā, all these dharmas are equal in the dharma-realm and have no fixed difference. The suchness of this dharma-realm cannot be grasped as one or different, nor is there a middle position between one and different that can be grasped. The dharma-realm neither increases nor decreases.”

The Magician’s Simile: Provisional Names Disclose Events without Being Grasped as Real

The bodhisattva continued: “Brahmā, consider a magician and his student, both skilled in illusion. At the crossing of four roads, they gather sand, earth, grasses, trees, and leaves and perform many illusions. People see herds of elephants and horses, chariots and troops, heaps of the seven jewels, and many kinds of storehouses.

“Some sentient beings are foolish and without wisdom. Unable to reflect carefully and ignorant of the basis of these illusions, they think when they see and hear them: ‘The elephants, horses, and other things I see and hear truly exist, and every other account is false.’ Later they no longer examine or reflect.

“Wise people are not like this. They understand the basis of illusion and think when they see and hear: ‘The elephants, horses, and other things I see do not truly exist in themselves. They are merely scenes produced by illusion that deceive the human eye. People falsely call them elephants, horses, or storehouses, but there are only names and no fixed entities corresponding to those names. Although I see and hear them, I do not grasp them as truly existent.’ Continuing to reflect later, they know that the appearances are illusory and false.

“Thus the wise understand that no dharma possesses an entity that can be fixed, yet they still accord with convention and express events according to what they see and hear. When carefully reflecting upon the true principle, they know that things are not as those attached to them imagine. Yet through provisionally established speech, they can also enable others to understand the real meaning.

Ordinary and Noble Beings Both Use Names; the Difference Is Whether They Grasp Them as Real

The bodhisattva continued: “Brahmā, foolish ordinary beings have not obtained the transmundane eye of noble wisdom and do not know that the suchness of all dharmas cannot be fixed in speech. Whether they see or hear practices or nonpractices, these foolish beings measure them through their own discrimination and immediately give rise to attachment, believing they truly exist in themselves. At the level of ultimate meaning, they therefore cannot understand that the suchness of dharmas is inexpressible.

“When noble ones see or hear practices and nonpractices, they do not give rise to attachment or treat them as truly existent, each according to the capacity of their wisdom. They understand that no truly independent practice or nonpractice exists. People only falsely imagine the characteristics of practice and nonpractice. These dharmas possess only names established conventionally and no fixed entities such as the names describe.

“Noble ones still speak in accordance with convention so that others may understand the real meaning. Brahmā, with the vision of noble wisdom they know that the suchness of dharmas cannot be spoken; practice and nonpractice are likewise. They speak many conventional names so that others may personally realize and know.”

Who Can Understand Such Profound Dharma?

Great Brahmā asked Bodhisattva Radiant Wish-Fulfilling Jewel: “How many sentient beings can understand such profound true Dharma?”

The bodhisattva answered: “Brahmā, many illusory people and their mental and associated mental dharmas can understand such profound true Dharma.”

Brahmā pressed further: “An illusory person has no entity that can be found. From where, then, do that person’s associated mental dharmas arise?”

The bodhisattva answered: “Sentient beings who know that the dharma-realm cannot be grasped as truly existent or as entirely nonexistent can understand the profound meaning.”

The Buddha Confirms Her Understanding and Bestows a Prediction

At that time, Brahmā addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, Bodhisattva Radiant Wish-Fulfilling Jewel is truly inconceivable, for she can penetrate such profound meaning.”

The Buddha answered: “So it is, so it is, Brahmā. It is just as you say. Radiant Wish-Fulfilling Jewel has already taught all of you to arouse the mind of the path and train in the Dharma of patience with regard to nonarising.”

Great Brahmā and the entire host of Brahmā gods then rose from their seats, bared their right shoulders, reverently joined their palms, bowed their heads at the feet of Bodhisattva Radiant Wish-Fulfilling Jewel, and said: “How rare, how rare! Today we have been fortunate to encounter this great being and hear the true Dharma.”

The World-Honored One told Brahmā: “In a future age Radiant Wish-Fulfilling Jewel will become a buddha named Tathāgata Jeweled-Flame Auspicious Treasury, Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Person, Trainer of Persons, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, World-Honored One.”

The Assembly Benefits, and Those Wishing to Retreat Arouse the Mind of Awakening Anew

As this chapter was taught, three thousand koṭis of bodhisattvas attained nonretrogression on the path to unsurpassed complete awakening. Eight thousand koṭis of divine sons and measureless, innumerable kings, ministers, and people became free of dust and defilement and obtained the purified Dharma eye.

At that time, five thousand koṭis of bhikṣus in the assembly were practicing the bodhisattva path but wished to lose the mind of awakening. After hearing Bodhisattva Radiant Wish-Fulfilling Jewel teach, they attained inconceivable firmness. Their supreme aspiration for great awakening, penetrating benefit for self and others, was fulfilled, and they aroused the mind of awakening anew. Each removed an outer robe and offered it to the bodhisattva, again aroused the unsurpassed mind of further progress, and made this vow: “May all our qualities and wholesome roots never retreat or be lost, but be dedicated entirely to unsurpassed complete awakening.”

The Buddha told Brahmā: “Through this quality, these bhikṣus will continue to practice as taught. After ninety great kalpas, they will attain understanding and leave birth and death.”

The World-Honored One then bestowed a prediction upon them: “Bhikṣus, after thirty asaṃkhyeya kalpas you will become buddhas. That kalpa will be called King of Difficult-to-Surpass Light and the realm Stainless Light. All of you will simultaneously realize unsurpassed complete awakening and share one buddha-name: King Adorned and Interspersed with Vows, possessing all ten epithets.”

The Merit of Upholding the Sūtra, the Warrior, and the Seven Jewels of a Wheel-Turning King

The Buddha continued: “Brahmā, this wondrous Sūtra of Golden Light possesses great majestic power when correctly heard and upheld. Suppose one person practices the six perfections for hundreds of thousands of great kalpas but lacks skillful means, while a good man or good woman copies this Sūtra of Golden Light and single-mindedly recites it once every half month. The merit accumulated by the first practice does not reach even one hundredth of the latter merit; calculation and simile cannot measure it.

“Brahmā, I therefore now instruct you to train in it, recollect and uphold it, and explain it widely for others. Why? When I formerly practiced the bodhisattva path, I was like a warrior entering battle. Without cherishing my own life, I caused this wondrous king of sūtras to circulate, upheld and recited it, and explained it to others.

“Brahmā, when a wheel-turning sage king is present in the world, the seven jewels do not disappear. When the king dies, all seven jewels naturally vanish. While the wondrous king of sūtras Golden Light still circulates in the world, all unsurpassed Dharma jewels will not disappear. Without this sūtra, the Dharma jewels disappear everywhere.

“Therefore, all of you should listen single-mindedly to this king of sūtras, uphold and recite it, explain it to others, and encourage others to copy it. Practice the perfection of diligence without cherishing body or life and without fearing exhaustion. Among all qualities, this is supreme. All my disciples should train diligently in this way.”

The Gods Vow to Protect the Dharma, and the Buddha Praises Them

At that time, Great Brahmā and measureless Brahmā gods, together with Śakra, the Four Great Heavenly Kings, and many yakṣas, rose from their seats, bared their right shoulders, placed their right knees upon the ground, reverently joined their palms, and addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, we all vow to guard and circulate this wondrous Sūtra of Golden Light. Whenever the Dharma teacher encounters difficulties, we will remove them, cause the teacher to possess every good, provide complete complexion and strength, unobstructed eloquence, and peace of body and mind, and bring happiness to everyone hearing the Dharma in the assembly.

“If the realm where this sūtra is found encounters famine, hostile bandits, or invasion by nonhuman beings, we divine hosts will protect it and cause the people there to be secure, abundant, and happy, without unexpected calamity. All this comes through the protective power of our divine hosts. If someone makes offerings to this scripture, we will reverently make offerings to that person just as we would to the Buddha, without difference.”

The Buddha told Great Brahmā, the entire host of Brahmā gods, the Four Great Heavenly Kings, and the yakṣas: “Excellent, excellent! You have heard the profound, wondrous Dharma and can arouse the resolve to protect this wondrous king of sūtras and those who uphold it. You will obtain boundless and excellent merit and swiftly realize unsurpassed complete awakening.”

Brahmā and the others heard what the Buddha had said, joyfully placed it upon the crowns of their heads, and accepted it.

Base text: Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle five, Chapter 11, “The Four Heavenly Kings Observe Gods and Humans.” This vernacular rendering follows the source passage by passage. The entire chapter is prose, and it preserves in full the classes of gods and humans named by the four kings, the benefits ascribed to the sūtra’s power, the calamities that befall a realm, the sequence by which the sūtra is propagated, and the acts of protection and support.

The Four Heavenly Kings Rise from Their Seats and Request the Dharma

At that time, the heavenly kings Vaiśravaṇa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Virūḍhaka, and Virūpākṣa all rose from their seats together. They bared their right shoulders, placed their right knees on the ground, joined their palms toward the Buddha, bowed at his feet, and addressed him:

“World-Honored One, this Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King is a scripture that all buddhas constantly recollect and observe, that all bodhisattvas revere, and that all gods and dragons constantly honor with offerings. The assemblies of gods always rejoice in it, all protectors of the world extol and praise it, and śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas alike receive and uphold it.”

The Well-Being That the King of Sūtras Can Bring

“This sūtra can brightly illuminate the palaces of the gods and give surpassing peace and happiness to all beings. It can bring to rest the sufferings in the hells and among hungry ghosts and animals, and it can extinguish every fear. All enemies will quickly withdraw. In evil times of famine it can cause grain to ripen abundantly; amid epidemics and the sufferings of other illnesses it can bring recovery; and every calamitous change and hundreds of thousands of afflictions can all be eliminated.

“World-Honored One, this Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King can in these ways bring us security, benefit, happiness, and enrichment. We only ask the World-Honored One to expound it extensively before the great assembly. When we four kings and all our retinues hear this unsurpassed Dharma flavor, like ambrosia, our strength becomes full, our majestic radiance increases, our diligence grows courageous, and our supernormal powers become doubly excellent.”

Transforming the World through Right Dharma and Observing and Protecting This Continent

“World-Honored One, we four kings cultivate right Dharma, constantly teach right Dharma, and transform the world through the Dharma. We also cause the gods, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, Garuḍas, kumbhāṇḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, and the human kings constantly to transform the world through right Dharma and to check and remove every evil. We cause all spirits who consume people’s vital essence and have no compassion to depart far away.

“World-Honored One, we four kings, together with the yakṣa generals of the twenty-eight divisions and measureless hundreds of thousands of yakṣas, possess pure divine eyes surpassing those of humans. With these eyes we observe and protect this continent of Jambudvīpa. World-Honored One, it is for this reason that we heavenly kings are called protectors of the world.”

When a Realm Is in Peril, the Four Kings Invite a Dharma Teacher to Propagate the Sūtra

“Moreover, if on this continent a king is constantly harried by hostile invaders, while his realm also suffers famine, spreading epidemics, and measureless hundreds of thousands of calamities and hardships, then, World-Honored One, we four kings will reverently honor this Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King. If a bhikṣu Dharma teacher receives, upholds, and recites this sūtra, we four kings will go together to awaken him to the need and invite him to act.

“Then, through the awakening power of our supernormal abilities, that Dharma teacher will travel to the borders of the realm and extensively proclaim and circulate the wondrous Sūtra of Golden Light. Through the sūtra’s power, the measureless hundreds of thousands of occasions of decline, distress, calamity, and hardship there will all be removed.”

When the Dharma Teacher Reaches the Realm, the Sūtra Has Reached It

“World-Honored One, if a bhikṣu Dharma teacher who upholds this sūtra arrives within a king’s realm, one should know that this sūtra has also reached that realm. World-Honored One, the king should then go in person to the Dharma teacher and listen to what he teaches. After hearing him, the king should rejoice, revere and support the Dharma teacher with offerings, protect him with a deeply earnest mind so that he is free from sorrow and distress, and enable him to teach this sūtra for the benefit of all beings.

“World-Honored One, because of this sūtra, we four kings will unite in a single purpose to protect that human king and the people of his realm, causing them to leave calamities behind and remain secure.”

Supplying the Fourfold Community That Upholds the Sūtra and Bringing Security to the Realm

“World-Honored One, if bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, or upāsikās uphold this sūtra, the king should provide and offer them whatever they need so that they lack nothing. We four kings will then cause the ruler and the people of that realm to be secure and to remain far from calamity and disaster.

“World-Honored One, if someone receives, upholds, and recites this scripture, and the king supports that sūtra-holder with offerings, reverence, honor, and praise, we will cause this king to be the foremost among all kings in the reverence and honor he receives. We will also cause all the other kings to extol and praise him together.”

The Assembly Rejoices and Upholds the Teaching

After hearing the four heavenly kings, the great assembly rejoiced and received and upheld what they had said.

A vernacular rendering of Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle six, “The Four Heavenly Kings Protect the Realm,” Chapter 12. The formulas preserve the base text’s sound transcriptions without translation or regularization.

〔Section §1〕The Buddha Praises the Four Kings and Exhorts Them to Protect Kings, Sūtra-Holders, and the True Dharma

At that time, the Buddha heard the Four Heavenly Kings reverently make offerings to the Sūtra of Golden Light and vow to protect those who upheld it. He praised them: “Excellent, excellent! In the past, you four kings reverently made offerings before measureless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of buddhas, honored and praised them, and planted many roots of goodness. You practice the true Dharma, constantly proclaim it, and instruct the world through Dharma. For a long time, you have constantly wished to benefit sentient beings, aroused great loving-kindness, and wished to give them happiness. Through these causes and conditions, you can now obtain excellent results.”

The Buddha then charged them: if a king reverently makes offerings to this supreme scripture Golden Light, the Four Kings should guard him diligently and bring him peace. The Kings, their measureless retinues, and the hundreds of thousands of yakṣas who protect this sūtra protect the true Dharma of the buddhas of the past, future, and present. When the Kings, other divine hosts, and yakṣas fight the asuras, they are constantly victorious; by protecting this sūtra, they can also remove through its power every suffering, hostile bandit, famine, illness, and epidemic. Therefore, whenever they see bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās upholding and reciting this king of sūtras, they should diligently protect them together, remove their decline and distress, and give them happiness.

This charge attends in sequence to three levels: the king who makes offerings should be secure; the Four Kings, divine hosts, retinues, and yakṣas who protect the sūtra should possess the power to remove suffering; and the four assemblies who actually uphold and recite it should be free of decline and distress and obtain happiness. Protecting the sūtra therefore means more than guarding a scroll. It includes protecting those who offer to it, those through whom it circulates, and the true Dharma of the buddhas of the three times.

〔Section §2〕The Four Kings Vow to Guard the Places of Circulation and Cause Neighboring Enemies to Withdraw

The Four Heavenly Kings immediately rose from their seats, bared their right shoulders, placed their right knees upon the ground, reverently joined their palms, and addressed the Buddha. In future ages, wherever the Supreme King of Sūtras, Golden Light circulates—realm, city, village, mountain forest, or wilderness—if the local king listens and receives with utmost sincerity, praises and makes offerings, provides for the four assemblies who uphold the sūtra, and protects them deeply from decline and distress, the Four Kings will protect that king and his people, bringing them security, freedom from grief and suffering, increased lifespan, and complete majestic virtue.

If a king sees the four assemblies who uphold the scripture and reverently protects them as parents, providing everything they need, the Four Kings will constantly protect him and cause all sentient beings to honor him. Together with measureless yakṣas and deities, they will conceal their forms wherever the king of sūtras goes, protecting it unseen so circulation meets no obstruction. They will also watch over the king and others who come to hear, remove decline, bring security, and cause hostile bandits from other lands to withdraw.

If a king is listening to the sūtra while an enemy in a neighboring realm resolves to assemble the fourfold army and destroy his land, the majestic power of the king of sūtras causes that neighboring enemy to be troubled by another enemy, while calamities and epidemics multiply within his borders. Seeing these conditions, the human king protected while listening prepares the fourfold army and advances upon the neighboring realm to punish it. At that time, the Four Kings lead measureless, boundless yakṣa retinues, each concealed and assisting him, so that the enemy naturally submits, does not dare approach even the border, and no exchange of weapons or punishment occurs.

〔Section §3〕The Buddha Confirms the Vow: Let Every Realm in Jambudvīpa Rest Securely in Its Own Land

The Buddha again praised the Four Kings for protecting the sūtra. He said that throughout hundreds of thousands of koṭis and nayutas of kalpas in the past he practiced many austerities, realized unsurpassed complete awakening and all-knowledge, and now taught this Dharma. If a king upholds and reverently offers to this sūtra, the Four Kings should remove his decline and bring him security, guard the towns and villages, cause hostile bandits to withdraw, and make every king of Jambudvīpa forever free of decline, distress, and conflict.

Jambudvīpa contains eighty-four thousand towns and villages and eighty-four thousand kings. The happiness described by the Buddha means that every king freely enjoys happiness within his own realm, possesses abundant wealth, does not plunder another, receives results according to former causes, and gives rise to no evil thought of coveting another land. Everyone develops few desires and a mind of bringing benefit and happiness, without the suffering of war or bondage. The people love one another; those above and below unite like water and milk, respect one another, rejoice in recreation, practice compassion and humility, and increase their roots of goodness.

Jambudvīpa thereby becomes secure, abundant, and happy, and its people flourish. The earth is fertile, cold and heat are balanced, and the four seasons remain orderly. The sun, moon, and stars follow their regular courses without loss; winds and rains arrive at the proper time, and calamities remain distant. Possessions and treasure abound, people are not stingy, constantly practice generosity guided by wisdom, and possess the ten wholesome actions. After death, many are born in heaven and increase the divine hosts.

If a future king listens to and receives this sūtra, reverently makes offerings, honors and praises the four assemblies who uphold it, and wishes to bring happiness and benefit to the Four Kings, their measureless retinues, and hundreds of thousands of yakṣas, he should constantly hear this wondrous king of sūtras. Hearing the true Dharma is like drinking the supreme flavor of ambrosia. It increases the Kings’ bodily and mental power and fills them with diligence, courage, merit, majesty, and radiance. When a king hears the sūtra with utmost sincerity, he makes a vast and rare offering to Śākyamuni, Worthy of Offerings and Completely Awakened. Offering to Śākyamuni is offering to hundreds of thousands of koṭis and nayutas of buddhas of the past, future, and present, thereby obtaining a measureless, inconceivable accumulation of qualities.

The Four Kings should therefore protect the king, queen, and retinue and free them from decline and distress. The deities of the palace and dwellings constantly obtain happiness and inconceivable merit. The people of the realm enjoy the many pleasures of the five desires, and every evil is removed.

The realm’s happiness begins with kings remaining in their own lands and not plundering one another, then unfolds as few desires, absence of war and bondage, harmony among the people, compassion, humility, and increasing roots of goodness. It extends to fertile soil, balanced weather, regular courses of the sun, moon, and stars, timely rain, and abundant resources. People practice wise generosity without stinginess, possess the ten wholesome actions, and are often born in heaven; wholesome human conduct in turn increases the divine hosts. Protection finally returns to the king, queen, retinue, palace deities, and all the people. None of it is taught only for the ruler.

〔Section §4〕How a Human King Arranges Body, Mind, and the Dharma Hall before Hearing

The Four Kings asked how a human king in a future age should hear the sūtra. If he wishes to protect himself, his queen, princes, palace women, cities, and palaces and bring them the foremost, inconceivable, supreme, joyful, and quiescent happiness; if he wishes his honored royal position in this life freely to flourish and continually increase; if he wishes to gather a measureless, boundless, inconceivable accumulation of merit; and if he wishes the realm to be free of enemies, distress, and calamity, he must not be heedless or distracted but hear this supreme king of sūtras reverently, sincerely, and earnestly.

Before the teaching, the finest palace chamber should be adorned. A broad, bright place beloved by the king is selected; scented water is sprinkled upon the floor, renowned flowers scattered, and an excellent lion Dharma seat set up and adorned with jewels, precious canopies, banners, and pennants. Priceless incense is burned and music played. The king bathes, anoints his body with fragrance, wears fresh, pure garments and necklaces, and sits not upon a high throne but on a small, low seat. He does not let his mind become elevated, temporarily relinquishes royal mastery, leaves pride behind, straightens his mind, attends to the sūtra, and regards the Dharma teacher as a great master.

He also pities the queen, princes, palace women, and retinue. They look upon one another joyfully, speak gently with pleasant expressions, and fill body and mind with great joy. He should think: “Today I obtain an inconceivable, excellent, and vast benefit by making a magnificent offering to this king of sūtras.” Once all arrangements are complete, when the Dharma teacher approaches he gives rise to reverent longing.

〔Section §5〕The King Personally Welcomes the Dharma Teacher, and Every Step Becomes an Offering

The Buddha explains that waiting within the palace is insufficient. The king should personally welcome the Dharma teacher. Wearing pure, fresh clothes and many necklaces, carrying a white canopy and fragrant flowers in his own hands, arranging royal guards and abundant music, he walks out of the city to meet the teacher, accomplishing the auspicious event with reverence.

Every raising and lowering of the king’s foot becomes reverent offering, service, and honor to hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis and nayutas of buddhas. Through each step he also transcends the suffering of birth and death for the same number of kalpas and will receive the excellent position of a wheel-turning king through as many future kalpas. Every step increases his present merit; he rules freely, gains inconceivable responses, and is revered by the multitude. For measureless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of future kalpas, he enjoys seven-jeweled palaces among humans and gods and is constantly born a king. His lifespan increases; his speech becomes clear and discerning; humans and gods trust him; his mind is fearless; his fame is vast; the multitude looks up to him; he enjoys excellent happiness in heaven and among humans; he possesses immense strength and majestic virtue, a wondrous and incomparably dignified body, encounters Teachers of Gods and Humans and good spiritual friends, and possesses a measureless accumulation of merit. Seeing these benefits, the king should personally welcome the Dharma teacher even if he must walk one yojana or hundreds of thousands, regarding the teacher as a buddha.

After returning to the city, the king contemplates: today Śākyamuni Tathāgata, Worthy and Completely Awakened, enters my palace, receives my offering, and teaches me Dharma. By hearing, I become nonretrogressive in unsurpassed complete awakening and encounter hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis and nayutas of buddhas. Today I offer vast, excellent, supreme objects of pleasure to the buddhas of past, future, and present. Today I forever uproot suffering in Yama’s realm, the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals and plant seeds of goodness for becoming measureless wheel-turning sage kings, Śakras, and Brahmās. I also cause measureless sentient beings to leave the suffering of birth and death, obtain the happiness of nirvāṇa, and accumulate measureless, boundless, inconceivable merit. The inner-palace retinue and people become secure; the realm becomes peaceful and free of calamity, poison, evil persons, foreign invasion, and distress.

The king should thus honor the true Dharma and make offerings to, honor, revere, and praise the bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās who uphold this sūtra. Of his roots of goodness, he should first give an excellent share of merit to the Four Kings and their retinues. Through these causes and conditions of immense merit and wholesome action, the king obtains great mastery in the present life, increases in majestic radiance, is adorned with auspicious marks, and subdues every enemy through the true Dharma.

The benefits of personally welcoming the teacher are not one general reward. The scripture distinguishes each step as offering to buddhas, transcending the suffering of birth and death, and obtaining the position of a wheel-turning king. It also speaks of present merit, mastery, response, and public reverence; future enjoyment of seven-jeweled palaces among humans and gods; and lifespan, eloquence, trust, fearlessness, reputation, happiness, strength, majestic virtue, dignity, meeting teachers and good spiritual friends, and complete merit. After returning, the king contemplates nonretrogression, offerings to buddhas of the three times, leaving four evil destinies, planting causes for royal positions, bringing beings out of suffering into nirvāṇa, and shared security for retinue, people, and realm. These cannot be compressed into “welcoming the teacher brings merit.”

〔Section §6〕Seats for the Four Kings, Fragrant Signs throughout the Worlds, and Praise by the Buddhas

The Four Kings further say that when a king reveres the true Dharma, hears the king of sūtras, and honors the four assemblies who uphold it, he should, to bring joy to the Four Kings, select a place near the Dharma seat, sprinkle scented water, scatter renowned flowers, and prepare seats for them. The Four Kings can then hear the true Dharma with the king, and he gives them a share of the merit from his roots of goodness benefiting himself.

When the invited teacher ascends the seat, the king burns many renowned incenses for the Four Kings as an offering to the scripture. In a single thought, the smoke rises into space and reaches their heavenly palaces, becoming fragrant canopies. The gods smell the wondrous fragrance, and golden light from the smoke illuminates their palaces. Smoke and light also reach the palaces of Brahmā, Śakra, the Goddess of Great Eloquence, the Great Auspicious Goddess, the earth deity Firm and Steadfast, General Right Knowing, the twenty-eight classes of yakṣas, Maheśvara, Vajrapāṇi Lord of Secrets, General Jewel-Worthy, the mother Hārītī and her five hundred attendants, the dragon king of Lake Anavatapta, and the great ocean dragon king. Each deity sees the smoke instantly become a canopy, smells its fragrance, and sees its light. Fragrance and radiance reach every divine palace.

The Buddha further says that the smoke and light reach beyond these palaces. When the king holds an incense burner and burns renowned incense before the scripture, in one thought the smoke pervades the trichiliocosm: one hundred koṭis of suns and moons, one hundred koṭis of Mount Sumerus, one hundred koṭis of four-continent worlds, and the palaces of every god, dragon, yakṣa, gandharva, asura, garuḍa, kinnara, and mahoraga. It fills empty space and becomes golden cloud-canopies illuminating the divine palaces. Every fragrant cloud and canopy throughout the trichiliocosm arises through the majestic power of the Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King.

Fragrance Pervades the Ten Directions, and the Buddhas Praise Those Who Circulate the Sūtra

When the king holds the burner in offering, the fragrances not only fill this trichiliocosm but in a single thought pervade measureless, boundless, Ganges-sand numbers of hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of buddha-realms in the ten directions. Above the buddhas, they become fragrant canopies emitting golden light. The buddhas smell the fragrance, see canopy and light, and display spiritual transformations. Observing together, they praise with one voice the Dharma teacher who circulates the scripture: widely circulating this profound, wondrous scripture accomplishes a measureless, boundless, inconceivable accumulation of merit. Merely hearing it already brings great qualities; how much more copying, upholding, reciting, expounding it for others, and practicing as taught. Sentient beings who hear the Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King become nonretrogressive in unsurpassed complete awakening.

All the tathāgatas in hundreds of thousands of koṭis and nayutas and measureless Ganges-sand buddha-lands of the ten directions then praise from their Dharma seats the Dharma teacher’s future fruit. Through diligence, that person will practice measureless hundreds of thousands of austerities, complete the provisions, surpass noble assemblies, transcend the three realms, and become most honored. Beneath the adorned king of bodhi trees, the teacher will rescue beings with affinities throughout the trichiliocosm, subdue the fearsome armies of Māra, and awaken to the most excellent, pure, profound, unsurpassed complete awakening.

The teacher will sit upon the vajra seat and turn the profound Dharma wheel of twelve wondrous practices praised by the buddhas; beat the greatest Dharma drum, blow the most wondrous Dharma conch, raise the excellent Dharma banner, ignite the brightest Dharma torch, and rain down the ambrosia of Dharma; sever measureless knots of affliction and enmity; cause measureless beings to cross the boundless frightening sea and escape the limitless wheel of birth and death; and encounter measureless buddhas.

〔Section §7〕The Gods Listen Concealed and Become Good Spiritual Friends with the King

The Four Kings say that this sūtra can accomplish such measureless qualities now and in the future. A king able to hear it has planted roots of goodness before measureless buddhas, so they will certainly watch over him. Seeing in their palaces the transformation of fragrant smoke and cloud-canopies, the Four Kings and their measureless divine retinues conceal their forms for the sake of hearing and come to the king’s pure, adorned palace and place of teaching.

The hosts from Brahmā’s palace, Śakra, the Goddesses of Great Eloquence and Great Auspiciousness, Firm and Steadfast, General Right Knowing, the twenty-eight yakṣa classes, Maheśvara, Vajrapāṇi, General Jewel-Worthy, Hārītī and her five hundred attendants, the dragon kings of Lake Anavatapta and the ocean, and measureless gods and yakṣas likewise come unseen to the high seat in the king’s excellent palace.

The Four Kings, their retinues, and the yakṣa deities become good spiritual friends with the king with one mind. The king becomes the giver of the unsurpassed Dharma gift and satisfies them with the ambrosial flavor of Dharma; they protect him in return, remove decline, bring security, and extinguish every evil calamity in palace, city, and realm. Protection is not a one-way request. The human king offers to the true Dharma and enables the gods to hear its flavor; they answer by protecting the places where it circulates.

〔Section §8〕Abandoning Dharma Brings Decline; Propagating It Benefits Humans and Gods

The Four Kings continue: if a country possesses this sūtra but its king never circulates it, abandons it in his heart, dislikes hearing it, and neither offers to, honors, nor praises it or the four assemblies who uphold it, the Four Kings, their retinues, and measureless gods cannot hear the profound wondrous Dharma. They turn from the flavor of ambrosia, lose the current of the true Dharma, and decline in radiance and power. Evil destinies increase, humans and gods diminish, beings fall into the river of birth and death, and the road to nirvāṇa recedes.

Seeing this, the Four Kings, retinues, and yakṣas leave the realm and cease to protect it. Measureless great deities who guard the land depart with them. After the good deities leave, calamities follow one another: the king loses his throne; the people lose wholesome minds and engage in bondage, killing, anger, and conflict; they slander, flatter, and falsely accuse the innocent; illnesses and epidemics spread; comets repeatedly appear; two suns arise together; solar and lunar obscurations lose their regularity; black and white rainbows show inauspicious signs; meteors fall and the earth shakes; wells emit sounds; violent rain and harmful winds come out of season; famine is frequent and crops and fruit fail to ripen; foreign enemies invade; the people undergo suffering and the land holds no place of happiness. These measureless calamities arise when the Four Kings and other protecting deities depart.

Conversely, if a king wishes to protect the realm and enjoy lasting happiness, make beings secure, subdue foreign enemies, cause the borders to flourish, circulate true teaching, and remove distress and evil ways, he must hear this wondrous king of sūtras and reverently make offerings to those who recite and uphold it. Through the wholesome roots of hearing, the Four Kings and measureless gods drink the unsurpassed ambrosial Dharma flavor and obtain victory for themselves, their retinues, and other deities. This comes from the human king’s sincere hearing.

Great Brahmā constantly teaches worldly and transmundane treatises, while Śakra and seers with five superknowledges each teach various works. Yet the wondrous scripture Golden Light, spoken by the Buddha in compassionate pity for humans and gods, surpasses their measureless teachings by hundreds of thousands of koṭis and nayutas beyond comparison. It enables kings in Jambudvīpa to transform the world through the true Dharma, bring beings happiness, protect themselves and their retinues from distress, prevent invasion, remove every evil and calamity, and end disputes under Dharma. Each king should therefore light the torch of Dharma in his realm, illuminate without bound, and benefit the gods and their retinues.

The Four Kings, measureless gods and yakṣas, and every deity of Jambudvīpa thereby drink the ambrosial Dharma flavor and become complete in majesty, power, and radiance. Sentient beings become secure, experience happiness through measureless future nayutas of kalpas, encounter buddhas, plant roots of goodness, and finally realize unsurpassed complete awakening. These benefits arise because the Tathāgata teaches this wondrous scripture with compassion surpassing Brahmā’s hosts, great wisdom surpassing Śakra’s, and austerities surpassing those of five-superknowledge seers, enabling kings and people to understand worldly procedures, governance, transformation, and exhortation and to obtain happiness through the king of sūtras’ circulation. Because these inconceivable qualities benefit all beings, it is called the supreme king of sūtras.

The scripture fully sets out two sequences. On the side of abandonment are failure to circulate, unwillingness to hear, and failure to support the four assemblies; the gods then lose the ambrosial Dharma flavor, decline in radiance and power, and depart, after which mind, society, epidemics, celestial signs, weather, crops, and foreign affairs fall into disorder. On the side of propagation, the king hears sincerely and supports sūtra-holders, enabling the Four Kings and gods to receive the Dharma flavor and increase in radiance; they then protect land and people, who enjoy lasting happiness, encounter buddhas, plant wholesome roots, and approach awakening. Each side has a complete causal sequence and cannot be reduced to calamity or abundance alone.

〔Section §9〕The Buddha Again Exhorts Protection of Listening Kings and the Four Assemblies Who Circulate the Sūtra

The Buddha again charged the Four Kings, their retinues, and measureless hundreds of thousands of koṭis and nayutas of gods: if a king hears the sūtra with utmost sincerity and makes offerings, honors, reveres, and praises it, protect him and remove his decline; this also brings the gods happiness. If the four assemblies circulate the sūtra widely, perform buddha-work among humans and gods, and benefit measureless beings, the Four Kings should constantly protect them from disturbance by other conditions, bring them quiescence and happiness of body and mind, and enable the king of sūtras to be proclaimed and circulated without interruption, benefiting beings into the future.

〔Section §10〕Vaiśravaṇa’s Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Dhāraṇī Method

Vaiśravaṇa rose from his seat and told the Buddha that he possessed a Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Dhāraṇī method. If beings gladly uphold it, its qualities are measureless. Vaiśravaṇa constantly protects them, frees them from suffering, gives happiness, and perfects their provisions of merit and wisdom. The practitioner first recites the protective formula. The sound transcription below preserves only the base text:

南謨薜室囉末拏也莫訶曷囉闍也　怛姪他　囉囉囉囉　矩怒矩怒　區怒區怒　寠怒寠怒　颯嚩颯嚩羯囉　羯囉莫訶毘羯喇麼　莫訶毘羯喇麼　莫訶曷囉社　曷𠸪叉曷𠸪叉　覩漫　薩婆薩埵難者　莎訶—the formula’s transmitted Han sound sequence.

The practitioner takes a white thread and recites seven times, tying one knot after each recitation and fastening it behind the elbow, whereupon the undertaking can be accomplished. Equal portions of six incenses—anxixiang, sandalwood, borneol, suhe, duojieluo, and xunlu—are combined. Holding an incense burner, making offerings, bathing, and putting on fresh clothes, the practitioner recites in a quiet room and invites Vaiśravaṇa to come:

南謨薜室囉末拏也—the formula’s transmitted Han sound sequence.

南謨檀那䭾也　檀泥說囉也　阿揭撦　阿鉢𡃤弭哆　檀泥說囉　鉢囉麼　迦留尼迦　薩婆薩埵　呬哆振哆　麼麼檀那末奴鉢喇拽撦　碎閻摩揭撦　莎訶—the formula’s transmitted Han sound sequence.

After reciting this seven times, the practitioner recites the root formula. First, one invokes and venerates the Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha, and King Vaiśravaṇa, who can give wealth, fulfill what beings seek, and bring happiness. After bowing, one recites the heart-formula of the wish-fulfilling maṇi jewel. When Vaiśravaṇa proclaimed it before the Buddha, he first recited:

南謨曷喇怛娜　怛喇夜野南謨薜室囉末拏也—the formula’s transmitted Han sound sequence.

He then recited:

莫訶囉闍也　怛姪他　四弭四弭　蘇母蘇母　栴茶栴茶　折囉折囉　薩囉薩囉羯囉羯囉　枳哩枳哩　矩嚕矩嚕　母嚕母嚕　主嚕主嚕　娑大也頞貪　我名某甲　昵店頞他　達達覩莎訶　南謨薜室囉末拏也莎訶檀那䭾也莎訶　曼奴喇他鉢唎脯喇迦也莎訶—the formula’s transmitted Han sound sequence.

The practitioner first recites this formula one thousand times. Then, in a clean room, the floor is smeared with gomaya and a small altar made. Food and drink are offered single-mindedly at the proper times, while wondrous incense burns continuously. By day and night the practitioner recites the heart-formula in concentration, audibly only to one’s own ears and without letting others know.

Vaiśravaṇa has a prince named Channishi, who appears as a boy and asks why his father has been summoned. The practitioner should answer that wealth is needed to make offerings to the Three Jewels and ask him to give it. Channishi returns and reports that a good person wishes sincerely to offer to the Three Jewels but lacks some wealth. Vaiśravaṇa orders him to return quickly and give the practitioner one hundred kārṣāpaṇas each day.

Seeing this sign, the practitioner knows the method has succeeded. Thereafter one sleeps alone in the clean room with incense burning and a fragrant casket beside the bed. Each morning, the desired object is found within. Whatever is received must that same day be used entirely for offerings to the Three Jewels and for giving fragrant flowers and food to the poor; none may be retained. One must arouse compassion for every sentient being and never give rise to anger, deceit, flattery, or harm. If anger arises, the spiritual efficacy is lost; the mind must constantly be guarded from anger.

Every day, the practitioner should recollect and praise Vaiśravaṇa and his male and female retinues. Through the ten wholesome actions, they assist one another, increase the gods’ merit and radiance, and direct every good toward awakening. Seeing this, the divine hosts rejoice and protect the practitioner together. The practitioner lives long through measureless years, remains forever free of hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals and without calamity, obtains the wish-fulfilling jewel and hidden treasures, possesses mastery in superknowledges, and fulfills every wish. Requests for office and honor are fulfilled, and the languages of all birds and beasts are understood.

If the practitioner wishes to see Vaiśravaṇa appear, on the eighth or fifteenth day of the month an image of the Buddha should be painted upon white cloth with pigments mixed using wood glue; the painter must keep the eight precepts. The Great Auspicious Goddess is painted to the Buddha’s left and Vaiśravaṇa to his right, together with their male and female retinues. Image and seats are arranged according to rule, flowers and colored cloth displayed, many incenses burned, and lamps kept alight day and night. Rare, supreme foods are offered with an earnest mind. The formula must never be upheld carelessly. To summon Vaiśravaṇa, recite:

南謨室利健那也　勃陀也　南謨薜室囉末拏也　藥叉囉闍也　莫訶囉闍阿地囉闍也　南麼室唎耶裔　莫訶提弊裔　怛姪他　怛囉怛囉　咄嚕咄嚕　末囉末囉　𡨧卛吐𡨧卛吐　漢娜漢娜　末尼羯諾迦　跋折囉薜琉璃也　目底迦楞訖㗚哆　設唎囉裔　蒲薩婆薩埵呬哆迦摩薜室囉末拏　室唎夜提鼻　跋𡅘婆也　醫呬醫呬磨毘藍婆　瞿㗚拏瞿㗚拏𧙕喇娑𧙕喇娑　達䭾呬麼麼　阿目迦那末寫達哩設那迦末寫達哩設南　麼麼末那　鉢喇曷囉大也　莎訶—the formula’s transmitted Han sound sequence.

Vaiśravaṇa vows that upon seeing the practitioner and such vast offerings, he gives rise to loving joy. He appears as a child, old man, or bhikṣu, holding a wish-fulfilling maṇi jewel and a golden purse, enters the ritual ground, displays reverence, invokes the Buddha’s name, and tells the practitioner that every request will be granted. Whether one wishes to dwell secluded in a forest, make a jewel, receive affection and honor, obtain gold or silver, gain efficacy in other formulas, or seek superknowledges, long life, and excellent happiness, all are fulfilled. These matters are only briefly stated; other wishes are likewise accomplished. The treasure is inexhaustible, and the qualities have no end.

Vaiśravaṇa invokes the falling of the sun and moon and movement of the earth as extreme impossibilities to declare that his true speech will never be false. The practitioner remains secure and happy as wished. When those who uphold and recite this king of sūtras recite the formula, they need not become exhausted; the method is swiftly accomplished. Vaiśravaṇa teaches it for poor, distressed, and troubled beings, bringing them great benefit, abundance, happiness, mastery, and freedom from trouble, and follows and protects them until the end of life, removing calamities.

Vaiśravaṇa also protects those who circulate the Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King and those who uphold the formula, causing light to shine within one hundred paces. His one thousand yakṣas constantly attend and protect them, obey their commands, and fulfill what they seek. He declares that his words are true and without deception and asks the Buddha to bear witness.

The full sequence therefore includes the protective formula; seven recitations over a white thread with one knot each; equal portions of six incenses; bathing, clean clothes, and a quiet-room summons; veneration of the Three Jewels and Vaiśravaṇa; one thousand initial recitations of the jewel heart-formula; a clean room with smeared floor and altar, food, and uninterrupted incense; and day-and-night recollection audible only to oneself. After receiving objects, the sequence is equally clear: offer to the Three Jewels and the poor that same day, exhaust everything, arouse compassion, guard against anger, deceit, flattery, and harm, recollect Vaiśravaṇa’s retinue every day, and assist one another through the ten wholesome actions. Both the recitation method and the method for using wealth and guarding the mind belong to the dhāraṇī method taught by the scripture.

〔Section §11〕The Buddha Praises Vaiśravaṇa

After Vaiśravaṇa explained the dhāraṇī method, the Buddha praised him for breaking open the painful net of poverty binding sentient beings and bringing them abundance and happiness, and for causing this scripture to circulate widely in the world by teaching the divine formula.

〔Section §12〕The Four Kings Praise the Buddha in Five Stanzas

The Four Heavenly Kings rose together, bared one shoulder, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, placed their right knees upon the ground, reverently joined their palms, and praised the Buddha’s qualities in five wondrous stanzas:

One. The Buddha’s face is like the pure full moon and like a thousand suns emitting light together. His pure, long, broad eyes resemble blue lotuses; his teeth are white, even, and close, like shell and snow.

Two. The Buddha’s qualities are boundless like the ocean where measureless jewels gather. The water of wisdom’s qualities is forever full, and hundreds of thousands of excellent concentrations fill it completely.

Three. The wheel-marks beneath the Buddha’s feet are adorned, with hubs, rims, and one thousand spokes even and straight. The webbing marks fill and adorn his hands and feet; like the king of geese, he possesses excellent marks.

Four. The Buddha’s body shines like a golden mountain, pure, excellent, and beyond comparison. Like wondrous Mount Sumeru, it possesses qualities; therefore the Four Kings bow to the king of Buddha-mountains.

Five. The Buddha’s marks and excellences are immeasurable as empty space and surpass the light of one thousand bright moons. Everything is like flame and illusion, inconceivable; therefore the Four Kings bow to the Buddha whose mind clings nowhere.

〔Section §13〕The Buddha Answers in Fifteen Stanzas and Exhorts the Four Kings

After their praise, the Buddha answered in fifteen gāthās and exhorted them to continue protecting the sūtra:

One. This supreme scripture Golden Light was spoken by the Buddha possessing the unsurpassed ten powers. The Four Kings should constantly protect it and arouse a courageous, nonretrogressive mind.

Two. This wondrous Dharma jewel is exceedingly profound and gives every sentient being happiness. Because beings receive happiness from it, the scripture can constantly circulate in Jambudvīpa.

Three. Throughout this trichiliocosm, every kind of being—including hungry ghosts, animals, and hell beings—can eliminate the suffering of its corresponding painful destiny.

Four. Kings dwelling in southern Jambudvīpa and all other beings constantly rejoice through the scripture’s power, receive protection, and obtain peace.

Five. Beings within the realm are freed from every illness, and thieves disappear. Because the realm propagates the scripture, it becomes secure, abundant, and free of discord and harm.

Six. Those who hear and uphold this king of sūtras may seek honor or wealth; their realms may seek abundance without rebellion or dispute. All is accomplished according to their wishes.

Seven. The king of sūtras causes hostile bandits from other lands to withdraw and one’s own borders to remain secure. Through the supreme scripture’s power, every suffering departs, without sorrow or fear.

Eight. Like a king of jeweled trees within a house producing every object of happiness, the supreme king of sūtras gives excellent qualities to the king.

Nine. Like clear, pure, cool water removing hunger, thirst, and feverish distress, the supreme king of sūtras fulfills the wishes of those who delight in merit.

Ten. Like a wondrous jeweled casket in a person’s room providing whatever is needed, the supreme king of sūtras causes merit to accord with the mind without depletion.

Eleven. The Four Kings and divine hosts should make offerings to this king of sūtras. If they uphold it according to the teaching, wisdom and majestic spiritual power become complete.

Twelve. All the buddhas of the ten directions now protect this sūtra together. Seeing someone recite and uphold it, they praise, “Excellent! This event is exceedingly rare.”

Thirteen. When someone hears this sūtra and leaps with joy in body and mind, hundreds of thousands of yakṣas constantly protect that person wherever they dwell.

Fourteen. The measureless, inconceivable gods of this world hear and receive the king of sūtras together, joyfully protecting it without retreat.

Fifteen. Those who hear and receive this sūtra are majestic, courageous, and constantly masterful. They also benefit all humans and gods, freeing them from decline and increasing their radiance.

〔Section §14〕The Four Kings Rejoice and Vow to Protect; the Assembly Benefits

On hearing the Buddha’s verses, the Four Heavenly Kings leapt with joy and told him that they had never heard such profound and wondrous Dharma. Grief and joy mingled in their hearts, tears streamed, and their whole bodies trembled as they realized an inconceivable rarity. They scattered heavenly mandārava and great mandārava flowers above the Buddha as an excellent offering.

After the offering, the Four Kings vowed again. Each had five hundred yakṣa attendants and would protect the sūtra and Dharma teachers everywhere, assisting and guarding them through the light of wisdom. If a teacher forgot words or meanings from the scripture, they would cause the teacher to remember without loss and bestow an excellent dhāraṇī gate in full. They would also cause this supreme king of sūtras to be widely proclaimed and circulated for sentient beings wherever it was found, without quickly disappearing.

As the Buddha taught this Dharma before the assembly, measureless sentient beings obtained great wisdom, intelligence, and eloquence, gathered a measureless accumulation of merit, left every distress, gave rise to joy and happiness, skillfully understood many treatises, ascended the path of release, became nonretrogressive, and swiftly realized awakening.

A vernacular rendering of Chapter 13, “The Stainless Dhāraṇī,” from fascicle seven of Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King. The transmitted Han transcription of the dhāraṇī is preserved exactly as it appears in the base text: it is neither translated nor regularized.

The Stainless Dhāraṇī Is the Dharma Gate Cultivated by Bodhisattvas and Upheld by Bodhisattvas of the Past

At that time, the World-Honored One told the Venerable Śāriputra: “There is now a Dharma gate called the Stainless Dhāraṇī. It is a practice cultivated by bodhisattvas, a teaching received and upheld by bodhisattvas of the past, and the mother of bodhisattvas.”

When the World-Honored One had spoken, the Venerable Śāriputra addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, what is the meaning expressed by ‘dhāraṇī’? World-Honored One, a dhāraṇī is neither a location nor a non-location.”

The Buddha praised Śāriputra: “Excellent, excellent! Śāriputra, within the Great Vehicle you have already been able to arouse aspiration, understand the Great Vehicle through faith, and honor the Great Vehicle. As you have said, a dhāraṇī is neither a location nor a non-location; neither a dharma nor a non-dharma; neither past, future, nor present; neither a matter nor a non-matter; neither a condition nor a non-condition; neither an activity nor a non-activity. No dharma arises, and no dharma ceases.

“Nevertheless, this explanation is made for the benefit of bodhisattvas. This dhāraṇī is established in terms of efficacy, the right path, the purport of principle, and power. It is the qualities of all buddhas, the prohibitions of all buddhas, what all buddhas train in, the hidden intention of all buddhas, and the birthplace of all buddhas. It is therefore called the most wondrous Dharma gate of the Stainless Dhāraṇī.”

None of the Attainments of Abiding in This Dharma Is Omitted

When the Buddha had finished, Śāriputra again requested the teaching: “World-Honored One, I only ask the Well-Gone One to teach me this dhāraṇī Dharma. If bodhisattvas can abide in it, first, they will no longer retreat from unsurpassed awakening; second, they will accomplish right vows; third, they will attain non-reliance; fourth, they will attain eloquence from their own nature; fifth, they will attain rare things; and sixth, they will abide on the noble path. All six arise through attaining this dhāraṇī.”

The Buddha again praised him: “Excellent, excellent! So it is, so it is! It is as you say. If a bodhisattva attains this dhāraṇī, one should know that this person does not differ from a buddha. If someone makes offerings to, honors, serves, and supplies this bodhisattva, one should know that this is the same as making offerings to a buddha.

“Śāriputra, if other people hear this dhāraṇī, receive and uphold it, recite it, and give rise to faithful understanding, they too should receive the same reverence and offerings and should be regarded as not different from a buddha. Through these causes and conditions, they will attain the unsurpassed fruit.”

The World-Honored One Proclaims the Transmitted Han Sounds of the Dhāraṇī

At that time, the World-Honored One proclaimed the dhāraṇī before the assembly. What follows preserves the base text’s Han transcription, full-width spaces, and interlinear notes exactly; it is neither translated nor regularized:

「怛姪他　刪陀喇儞　嗢多喇儞　蘇三鉢囉底瑟恥哆　蘇那麼　蘇鉢喇底瑟恥哆鼻逝也　跋羅　薩底也　鉢喇底慎若　蘇阿　嚧訶　慎若那末底　嗢波彈儞　阿伐那末底　阿毘師彈儞　阿鞞毘耶訶囉　輸婆　伐底　蘇尼室唎多〔引〕薄虎郡社〔引〕阿毘婆䭾〔引〕莎訶」—the dhāraṇī’s transmitted Han sound sequence.

Inexhaustible Right Vows, Freedom from Bodily Harm, and the Comparison of Merit

The Buddha next told Śāriputra: “These are the phrases of the Stainless Dhāraṇī. If a bodhisattva can abide well in it and uphold it correctly, one should know that throughout one eon, a hundred eons, a thousand eons, or a hundred thousand eons, the right vows made by that bodhisattva will have no end. The bodhisattva’s body will not be harmed by blades or clubs, poison, water, fire, or ferocious animals.”

The Buddha explained the reason: “Śāriputra, this Stainless Dhāraṇī is the mother of the buddhas of the past, the mother of the buddhas of the future, and the mother of the buddhas of the present.

“Śāriputra, suppose that someone filled ten asaṃkhyeyas of trichiliocosms with the seven treasures and gave those treasures to the buddhas, and also honored the buddhas for innumerable eons with the finest clothing, food and drink, and every kind of offering. Suppose another person could receive and uphold even a single phrase of this dhāraṇī. The merit generated by the latter would be twice as great as the former offering.

“Why is this? Śāriputra, it is because this profound Dharma gate of the Stainless Dhāraṇī is the mother of all buddhas.”

When the World-Honored One had taught this Dharma gate, the Venerable Śāriputra and the whole assembly heard it, greatly rejoiced, and all vowed to receive and uphold it.

A vernacular rendering of Chapter 14, “The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel,” from fascicle seven of Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King. Every dhāraṇī and recitation formula preserves the base text’s original graphs, spaces, and sound notes; none is translated or regularized.

The Buddha Proclaims the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Dhāraṇī

At that time, the World-Honored One told Ānanda before the great assembly: “You should know that there is a dhāraṇī called the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel. It brings freedom from every calamity and can check harmful thunder and lightning. Tathāgatas, Worthy Ones, Completely and Perfectly Awakened Ones of the past proclaimed it together. Now, within this sūtra, I will also proclaim it for your whole assembly. It can bring great benefit to humans and gods; out of compassion for the world, it protects everyone and brings them peace and happiness.”

After hearing the Buddha’s words, every member of the assembly and Ānanda looked up at the World-Honored One with utmost sincerity and concentrated on receiving the divine formula.

The Four Radiant Lightning Kings: Hearing Their Names, Knowing Their Directions, and Writing Their Names

The Buddha told the assembly to listen carefully. In the east is a radiant lightning king named Ajieduo. In the south is a radiant lightning king named Shedilu. In the west is a radiant lightning king named Zhuduoguang. In the north is a radiant lightning king named Suduomoni.

If a good man or good woman hears the names of these four lightning kings and knows each one’s direction, that person will leave every fearful matter behind and every unexpected calamity will be extinguished.

If someone writes the names of the lightning kings of the four directions at home, that dwelling will be free from fear of thunder and lightning, from calamity, and from every obstructing affliction. Untimely accidental death will also remain far away.

The Divine Formula Proclaimed by the World-Honored One

The World-Honored One then proclaimed the divine formula. The following sound transcription and recitation words preserve the base text:

「怛姪他　儞弭　儞弭　儞弭　尼民達哩　窒哩盧迦　盧羯儞　窒哩輸攞波儞　曷𠸪叉　曷𠸪叉—the transmitted Han sound sequence.

「我某甲及此住處，一切恐怖所有苦惱雷電霹靂，乃至抂死，悉皆遠離，莎訶。」—“May I, the named practitioner, and this dwelling be entirely free from every fear and suffering, thunder and lightning, and even untimely accidental death. Svāhā.”

The Divine Formula Proclaimed by Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara

At that time, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara rose from his seat within the assembly, bared his right shoulder, reverently joined his palms, and addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, before the Buddha I will now also briefly proclaim a divine formula of the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel. It can bring great benefit to humans and gods; out of compassion for the world, it protects everyone and brings them peace and happiness. It has great power and can fulfill what is sought.” He then proclaimed the divine formula:

「怛姪他　喝帝　毘喝帝　儞喝帝　鉢喇窒體雞　鉢喇底〔丁履反〕蜜窒囇　戍提　目羝毘末麗　鉢喇婆莎〔蘇活反〕囇　安茶〔入聲〕囇般茶囇稅〔平聲〕帝　般茶囉婆死儞　喝囇羯茶〔引〕囇　劫畢麗　氷揭羅惡綺　達地目企　曷𠸪叉　曷𠸪叉—the transmitted Han sound sequence.

「我某甲及此住處，一切恐怖所有苦惱，乃至抂死，悉皆遠離，願我莫見罪惡之事，常蒙聖觀自在菩薩大悲威光之所護念，莎訶。」—“May I, the named practitioner, and this dwelling be entirely free from every fear and suffering and even untimely accidental death. May I see no evil event and always receive the protection of the noble bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara’s majestic light of great compassion. Svāhā.”

The Invincible Protection Proclaimed by Bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi, Lord of Secrets

At that time, Bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi, Lord of Secrets, also rose from his seat, reverently joined his palms, and addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, I will now also proclaim a dhāraṇī formula called Invincible. It brings great benefit to humans and gods; out of compassion for the world, it protects everyone. It has great power and can fulfill wishes.” He then proclaimed the divine formula:

「怛姪他　母儞母儞　母尼囇　末底末底　蘇末底　莫訶末底　呵呵呵　磨婆　以那悉底帝〔引〕　波跛　跋折攞波儞　惡甜〔火含反〕姪㗚茶〔上〕莎訶—the transmitted Han sound sequence.

Vajrapāṇi, Lord of Secrets, continued by saying that his divine formula was named Invincible Protection. If a man or woman receives and upholds it with one-pointed mind, writes it, recites it, and recollects it without forgetting, Vajrapāṇi will constantly protect that person by day and night and will bring freedom from every fear and even untimely accidental death. The words on upholding preserve the base text as follows:

「世尊！我此神呪名曰無勝擁護，若有男女一心受持，書寫讀誦，憶念不忘，我於晝夜，常護是人，於一切恐怖乃至抂死，悉皆遠離。」—“World-Honored One, this divine formula of mine is called Invincible Protection. If a man or woman receives and upholds it single-mindedly, writes and recites it, and recollects it without forgetting, I will constantly protect that person by day and night, bringing complete freedom from every fear and even untimely accidental death.”

The Divine Formula Brahmā’s Cure Proclaimed by King Brahmā

At that time, King Brahmā, lord of the Sahā world, rose from his seat, reverently joined his palms, and addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, I too possess a wondrous dhāraṇī Dharma gate that can bring great benefit to humans and gods; out of compassion for the world, it protects everyone. It has great power and can fulfill wishes.” He then proclaimed the divine formula:

「怛姪他　醯哩　弭哩　地哩　莎訶　跋囉甜魔布囇　跋囉甜麼末泥　跋囉甜麼揭鞞　補澁跛僧悉怛囇　莎訶—the transmitted Han sound sequence.

King Brahmā continued by saying that his divine formula was named Brahmā’s Cure. It could protect everyone who upheld it, bringing freedom from sorrow and distress, every unwholesome deed, and even untimely accidental death. The words on upholding preserve the base text as follows:

「世尊！我此神呪名曰梵治，悉能擁護持是呪者，令離憂惱及諸罪業，乃至抂死，悉皆遠離。」—“World-Honored One, this divine formula of mine is called Brahmā’s Cure. It can protect all who uphold the formula, bringing them complete freedom from sorrow and distress, every unwholesome deed, and even untimely accidental death.”

The Great Illumination Formula Proclaimed by Lord Śakra

At that time, Lord Śakra rose from his seat, reverently joined his palms, and addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, I too possess a dhāraṇī called Bazheluoshenni. It is a great illumination formula that can remove every fear and peril and bring freedom from untimely accidental death. It removes suffering, gives happiness, and benefits humans and gods.” He then proclaimed the divine formula. The scripture adds no separate passage on the benefits of recitation in this section:

「怛姪他　毘儞　婆喇儞　畔陀麼彈滯磨膩儞㨖　爾瞿哩　健陀哩　旃茶哩　摩登耆〔上〕卜羯死　薩囉跋𡃤鞞〔去〕　呬娜末低　答麼　嗢多喇儞　莫呼喇儞　達喇儞　計斫羯囉婆抧　捨伐哩　奢伐哩　莎訶」—the transmitted Han sound sequence.

The Divine Formula Giving Fearlessness to All Beings Proclaimed by the Four Heavenly Kings

At that time, the heavenly kings Vaiśravaṇa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Virūḍhaka, and Virūpākṣa all rose from their seats together, reverently joined their palms, and addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, we too possess a divine formula called Giving Fearlessness to All Beings. Amid every suffering and distress we constantly protect sentient beings, bringing them peace and happiness, increasing their lifespans, and freeing them from every illness and pain and even from untimely accidental death.” They then proclaimed the divine formula. The scripture adds no separate passage on the benefits of recitation in this section:

「怛姪他補澁閉　蘇補澁閉　度麼鉢唎呵囇　阿囄耶鉢喇設悉帝　扇帝涅　目帝　忙揭例窣覩帝　悉哆鼻帝　莎訶」—the transmitted Han sound sequence.

The Five Dragon Kings Present the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Dhāraṇī

At that time, five great dragon kings were also present in the assembly: the dragon kings Manasi, Lightning Radiance, Lake Without Heat, Lightning Tongue, and Wondrous Light. They rose from their seats together, reverently joined their palms, and addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, we too possess a Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Dhāraṇī. It can check harmful lightning and remove every fear; it can bring great benefit to humans and gods; out of compassion for the world, it protects everyone. It has great power and can fulfill wishes, bring freedom from untimely accidental death, stop every poison, and eliminate every harmful work of sorcery, incantation, and inauspicious event.”

The five dragon kings continued: “We now present this divine formula to the World-Honored One and only ask that, out of compassion and loving concern for us, he accept it. May this divine formula enable us to leave the dragon destiny, forever abandon stinginess and craving, and sever the seeds of stinginess and craving. Why? Because stinginess and craving cause us to undergo every suffering within birth and death.” They then proclaimed the divine formula:

「怛姪他　阿折囇　阿末囇　阿蜜㗚諦　惡叉裔　阿弊裔　奔尼鉢唎耶栗諦　薩婆波跛　鉢喇苫摩尼裔　莎訶　阿離裔般豆　蘇波尼裔莎訶—the transmitted Han sound sequence.

The five dragon kings further said that if a good man or woman orally proclaimed this illuminating dhāraṇī formula, or copied the sūtra scroll, received and upheld it, recited it, revered it, and honored it with offerings, thunder and lightning, every fear, suffering, distress, and untimely accidental death would remain far away. Poison, sorcery, spells of oppression, tigers, wolves, lions, venomous snakes, and even mosquitoes and horseflies would be unable to harm that person. The words on the benefits of upholding preserve the base text as follows:

「世尊！若有善男子、善女人，口中說此陀羅尼明呪，或書經卷，受持讀誦、恭敬供養者，終無雷電霹靂，及諸恐怖苦惱憂患，乃至抂死，悉皆遠離；所有毒藥蠱魅厭禱，害人虎狼師子毒蛇之類，乃至蚊虻悉不為害。」—“World-Honored One, if a good man or good woman orally proclaims this illuminating dhāraṇī formula, or copies the sūtra scroll, receives and upholds it, recites it, reveres it, and honors it with offerings, that person will never encounter thunder and lightning; every fear, suffering, distress, and even untimely accidental death will remain far away. Poison, sorcery, spells of oppression, tigers, wolves, lions, venomous snakes, and even mosquitoes and horseflies will be unable to cause harm.”

The Buddha Confirms the Teaching, and the Assembly Accepts It in Faith

At that time, the World-Honored One addressed the whole assembly: “Excellent, excellent! These divine formulas all possess great power and can bring complete fulfillment to whatever sentient beings seek, conferring great benefit—except upon those without utmost sincerity. Do not doubt this.”

After hearing the Buddha’s words, the assembly rejoiced and accepted them in faith.

The chapter begins with the Buddha’s identification of the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Dhāraṇī, passes through the four lightning kings, seven groups of divine formulas, their distinct protections, and the five dragon kings’ vow to sever stinginess and craving, and finally comes to rest in utmost sincerity and faithful acceptance.

A vernacular rendering of “The Goddess of Great Eloquence,” Chapter 15, spanning fascicles seven and eight of Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King. The seven internal sections are reading-path markers only; Parts One and Two remain a single chapter.

〔Section §1〕 Benefiting Those Who Uphold and Teach and Those Who Hear and Learn

At that time, the Goddess of Great Eloquence rose from her seat within the assembly, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and addressed him: “World-Honored One, if a Dharma teacher proclaims this Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, I will increase his wisdom and give him eloquence in speech that is adorned and skillful. If he has forgotten any of the scripture’s words, sentences, or meanings, I will enable him to remember and retain them again, understand and penetrate them well, and obtain dhāraṇī-retention, comprehending without obstruction.”

The goddess continued: this Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King is taught for sentient beings who have planted roots of goodness before hundreds of thousands of buddhas and constantly receive and uphold it. She will cause the scripture to circulate widely throughout Jambudvīpa and keep it from quickly disappearing. She will also enable measureless sentient beings to hear it and obtain inconceivably swift eloquence and inexhaustible great wisdom, understand every kind of discourse and art, leave birth and death, and quickly proceed toward unsurpassed complete awakening. In the present life, their lifespans will increase and the necessities that sustain their bodies will all be made complete.

〔Section §2〕 The Procedures for Bathing, Formula, and Medicines

The Goddess of Great Eloquence continued: “World-Honored One, for Dharma teachers who uphold this scripture and other sentient beings who delight in hearing it, I will explain the method of bathing with medicines empowered by a formula.” The obstacles addressed by the method include calamities caused by malign stars, conflict among the stars governing one’s birth, the suffering of epidemics, quarrels and battle, evil dreams and spirits, sorcery and oppressive spells, and necromantic formulas that animate corpses. The scripture says that all such harmful events that create obstructions will be extinguished.

A wise person wishing to perform the bathing rite according to the scripture should obtain thirty-two aromatic medicines, omitting none. In the scriptural order they are:

One—Changpu 〔跋者〕.
Two—Niuhuang 〔瞿盧折娜〕.
Three—Muxuxiang 〔塞畢力迦〕.
Four—Shexiang 〔莫訶婆伽〕.
Five—Xionghuang 〔末㮈眵羅〕.
Six—Hehunshu 〔尸利灑〕.
Seven—Baiji 〔因達囉喝悉哆〕.
Eight—Xiongqiong 〔闍莫迦〕.
Nine—Gouqigen 〔苫弭〕.
Ten—Songzhi 〔室利薜瑟得迦〕.
Eleven—Guipi 〔咄者〕.
Twelve—Xiangfuzi 〔目窣哆〕.
Thirteen—Chenxiang 〔惡揭嚕〕.
Fourteen—Zhantan 〔栴檀娜〕.
Fifteen—Linglingxiang 〔多揭羅〕.
Sixteen—Dingzi 〔索瞿者〕.
Seventeen—Yujin 〔茶矩麼〕.
Eighteen—Polügao 〔揭羅娑〕.
Nineteen—Weixiang 〔捺剌柁〕.
Twenty—Zhuhuang 〔𩾲路戰娜〕.
Twenty-one—Xidoukou 〔蘇泣迷羅〕.
Twenty-two—Gansong 〔苦弭哆〕.
Twenty-three—Huoxiang 〔鉢怛羅〕.
Twenty-four—Maogenxiang 〔嗢尸羅〕.
Twenty-five—Chizhi 〔薩洛計〕.
Twenty-six—Aina 〔世黎也〕.
Twenty-seven—Anxixiang 〔窶具攞〕.
Twenty-eight—Jiezi 〔薩利殺跛〕.
Twenty-nine—Maqin 〔葉婆儞〕.
Thirty—Longhuaxu 〔那伽雞薩羅〕.
Thirty-one—Baijiao 〔薩折羅婆〕.
Thirty-two—Qingmu 〔矩瑟侘〕.

Take equal portions of all thirty-two on the day of the star Busha, place them together, pound and sift them, and collect the aromatic powder. Empower it 108 times with the formula below. The formula sounds are recited only according to the transmitted sound transcription; they are not translated and their graphs are not altered:

『呪音寫，不譯。』
「怛姪他　蘇訖栗帝　訖栗帝訖栗帝劫摩怛里　繕怒羯囉滯　郝羯喇滯　因達囉闍利膩　鑠羯㘓滯　鉢設姪囇　阿伐底羯細　計娜矩覩矩覩　脚迦鼻囇　劫鼻囇劫鼻囇劫毘囉末底〔丁里反〕　尸羅末底那底度囉末底哩　波伐雉畔稚囇　室囇室囇薩底悉體羝莎訶

To bathe according to the procedure, first prepare a ritual ground eight cubits long and eight cubits wide in a quiet and secure place, constantly recollecting what is sought. Smear the ground with cow dung and scatter flowers of every color all over it. Fill clean gold and silver vessels with delicious food, milk, and honey. The ritual ground has four gates, each guarded by one person according to the customary method. Station four clean and finely adorned children at the four corners, each holding a vessel of water.

Keep anxixiang burning continually within the ritual ground, and do not let the sounds of the five kinds of music cease. Hang colored silks, banners, and jeweled canopies on the four sides to adorn the space. Place within it a bright mirror, four sharp knives, and four arrows. Bury a large basin at the center and set a perforated board over it. Mix the previously prepared aromatic powder into hot water and place that water within the ritual ground. Only after everything has been arranged should the following formula be recited to establish the boundary:

『呪音寫，不譯。』
「怛姪他　頞喇計　娜也泥〔去〕　呬囇弭囇祇囇　企企囇莎訶

After the boundary has been established, enter the ritual ground. First empower clean water twenty-one times with the formula and scatter it in the four directions. Then empower the aromatic water 108 times. Set up curtains to screen the four sides and bathe the body. The transmitted sound transcription used for the water and aromatic bath is as follows:

『呪音寫，不譯。』
「怛姪他〔一〕　索揭智〔貞勵反，下同〕〔二〕　毘揭智〔三〕　毘揭荼伐底〔四〕　莎訶〔五〕

After bathing, discard the used aromatic water and the food offered at the ritual ground into a river or pond, and gather away every other item. The bather changes into clean clothing, leaves the ritual ground, and enters a clean room. The master presiding over the formula instructs that person to form a vast vow: from this time forward forever to sever every evil, constantly to cultivate every good Dharma, and to give rise to great compassion for all sentient beings. The scripture says that through these causes and conditions the person will obtain measureless merit in accordance with his or her wholesome aspirations.

The goddess explains the benefits in verse. Some sentient beings suffer from illness and remain uncured despite using many prescriptions. If they follow the bathing rite above, recite this scripture, concentrate day and night without distraction, recollect it single-mindedly, and earnestly give rise to faith, all suffering from illness will be removed. They will also leave poverty behind and have sufficient treasures. The stars in the four directions, the sun, and the moon will protect them through divine power and lengthen their lives. Auspiciousness, security, and merit will increase, while calamities and dangers will all be dispelled.

Next, recite the body-protection formula twenty-one times. What follows again transmits only the original sound transcription, without translation or regularization of its graphs:

『呪音寫，不譯。』
「怛姪他　三謎　毘三謎　莎訶　索揭滯毘揭滯　莎訶　毘揭茶〔亭耶反〕伐底　莎訶娑揭囉　三步多也莎訶　塞建陀　摩多也莎訶　尼攞建佗也　莎訶　阿鉢囉市哆　毘𠼝耶也　莎訶　呬摩槃哆　三步多也　莎訶　阿儞蜜攞　薄怛囉也　莎訶　南謨薄伽伐都　跋囉甜摩寫莎訶　南謨薩囉酸〔蘇活〕底　莫訶提鼻裔莎訶　悉甸覩漫〔此云成就我某甲〕曼怛囉鉢拖莎訶　怛喇覩仳姪哆　跋囉甜摩奴末覩　莎訶」

〔Section §3〕 The Goddess Exhorts Practice; the Buddha Praises and Commands Her

After explaining the bathing rite, ritual ground, and formulas, the Goddess of Great Eloquence again came forward and bowed at the Buddha’s feet. She said: “World-Honored One, whether a bhikṣu, bhikṣuṇī, upāsaka, or upāsikā receives and upholds, recites, writes, and circulates this wondrous king of scriptures and acts according to what it teaches, whether that person is in a city, village, open wilderness, mountain forest, or dwelling of monks or nuns, I will lead my retinue, play heavenly music, go to that place, and give protection.”

The scripture lists what she will remove one item at a time: every kind of illness and pain, strange portents appearing as meteors, epidemics, conflict, detention under royal law, evil dreams, obstructions caused by harmful spirits, sorcery, and oppressive spells. The goddess will extinguish all these obstructions and benefit the scripture’s upholders. She will also enable the four classes and all listeners swiftly to cross the great ocean of birth and death and never turn back from awakening.

After hearing this, the Buddha praised her: “Excellent, excellent! Goddess, you can bring peace, happiness, and benefit to measureless and boundless sentient beings. The fruits obtained from your proclamation of these divine formulas, aromatic water, and ritual-ground procedures are inconceivable. You should protect this supreme king of scriptures, keep it from disappearing, and cause it always to circulate.” The Goddess of Great Eloquence bowed at the Buddha’s feet and returned to her original seat.

〔Section §4〕 Kauṇḍinya Praises and Invites; the Goddess’s Formula and Practice

At that time, the brahmin Dharma Master Predictions Kauṇḍinya, empowered by the Buddha, praised and invited the Goddess of Eloquence before the assembly. He praised her as intelligent, courageous, and diligent, worthy of offerings from humans and gods. Her fame fills the world and she can fulfill the aspirations of all sentient beings. She relies upon an excellent dwelling atop a high mountain, thatches grass to make a hut, and habitually knots soft grass into clothing. Wherever she dwells, she commonly stands with one foot raised. The assembled gods all come together to praise and invite her with one mind. Kauṇḍinya prays that the goddess of wisdom and eloquence will give subtle words to every sentient being.

The Goddess of Eloquence accepts the invitation and proclaims the following formula. Its sound transcription and every original interlinear note are copied in full:

『呪音寫，不譯。』
「怛姪他慕囇只囇　阿伐帝〔貞勵〕阿伐吒伐底〔丁里，下同〕馨遇㘑名具㘑　名具羅伐底　鴦具師　末唎只三末底　毘三末底惡近〔入〕　唎莫近唎怛囉只　怛囉者伐　底質質哩室里蜜里　末難地　曇〔去〕末唎只　八囉拏畢唎裔　盧迦逝瑟跇〔丑世反〕　盧迦失囇瑟耻　盧迦畢唎裔　悉馱跋唎帝　毘麼目企〔輕利反〕輸只折唎　阿鉢唎底喝帝　阿鉢喇底喝哆勃地　南母只　南母只　莫訶提鼻鉢喇底近〔入〕唎昬〔火恨〕拏〔上〕南摩塞迦囉　我某甲勃地　達哩奢呬　勃地　阿鉢喇底喝哆　婆〔上〕跋覩　帀婆謎毘輸姪覩　舍悉怛囉輸路迦　曼怛囉畢得迦　迦婢耶地數　怛姪他　莫訶鉢喇婆鼻　呬里蜜里呬里蜜里　毘折喇覩謎勃地　我某甲勃地輸提　薄伽伐點　提毘焰　薩羅酸〔蘇活〕點〔丁焰反〕羯囉〔魯家〕滯雞由囇雞由囉末底　呬里蜜里呬里蜜里　阿婆訶耶弭　莫訶提鼻勃陀薩帝娜　達摩薩帝娜　僧伽薩帝娜因達囉薩帝娜　跋嘍拏薩帝娜　裔盧雞薩底婆地娜　羝釤〔引〕薩帝娜　薩底伐者泥娜阿婆訶耶弭　莫訶提鼻　呬哩蜜哩呬哩蜜哩　毘折喇覩　我某甲勃地　南謨薄伽伐底〔丁利反〕莫訶提鼻　薩囉酸底　悉甸覩　曼怛囉鉢陀彌　莎訶」

After proclaiming the formula, the goddess praises Kauṇḍinya for seeking subtle eloquence, many jewels, supernormal powers, and wisdom on behalf of sentient beings, thereby broadly benefiting them all and swiftly realizing awakening. She instructs him to receive, uphold, and cultivate according to the following procedure.

First, master this dhāraṇī thoroughly, without error or omission. Pay homage to the Three Jewels and the assembled gods and request their empowering protection, so that wholesome aspirations may be fulfilled as one wishes. In order, pay homage to the buddhas, the jewel of Dharma, bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, and the assembly of śrāvakas; then bow to Brahmā, Śakra, the four heavenly kings who guard the world, and all who constantly cultivate pure conduct, always with sincerity, earnestness, and reverence.

Second, choose a quiet wilderness place and loudly recite the preceding formula-praise procedure. Before an image of the Buddha and the gods and dragons, make offerings according to the articles one possesses. Give rise to kindness, compassion, and pity for all sentient beings. Recollect the subtle marks and excellent characteristics of the World-Honored One’s purple-gold body and focus right mindfulness without distraction. Recollect how he protects sentient beings and proclaims the teaching, enabling each to cultivate concentration according to their capacities. Carefully reflect upon the scripture’s words and meanings, then cultivate in reliance upon emptiness.

Third, sit steadily before the image of the World-Honored One with one-pointed right mindfulness, and one will obtain the samādhi of wondrous wisdom and the most excellent dhāraṇī. Recollect how the Tathāgata’s golden mouth proclaims the right Dharma and his wondrous voice disciplines humans and gods. His tongue displays rare characteristics according to conditions: broad and long, it can cover the trichiliocosm. With utmost sincerity recollect the wondrous voices of the buddhas, without fear. The buddhas all obtained this inconceivable tongue by forming vast vows. They proclaim that all dharmas have no substance that can be grasped and are unattached like empty space. The practitioner should recollect and reflect upon the voices and tongues of the buddhas and pray that what is sought will be completely fulfilled.

Fourth, if you see someone honoring the Goddess of Eloquence, or a disciple following a teacher’s instruction, transmit this secret Dharma for that person to cultivate. If the person honors, receives, and upholds it, fulfillment will follow the wholesome aspiration. One who seeks supreme wisdom should receive and uphold this Dharma single-mindedly, increasing merit, wisdom, and every quality; accomplishment is certain, so do not doubt. One who seeks wealth obtains abundant possessions, one who seeks reputation obtains renown, and one who seeks release obtains liberation. Measureless and boundless qualities are accomplished according to the wholesome aspirations formed in the mind. One who acts according to the teaching in this way will certainly succeed; do not doubt.

Fifth, in a separate clean place, put on clean clothing and establish a ritual ground according to the available space. Fill four clean vessels with delicious food and make timely offerings of incense and flowers. Hang colored silks, banners, and jeweled canopies; adorn the whole place with fragrant paste and aromatic powder; and make offerings to the Buddha and the Goddess of Eloquence. If one seeks to see the goddess’s body, that aspiration can also be fulfilled.

Sixth, recite the preceding formula before the great goddess for twenty-one days. If the goddess still has not appeared, concentrate still more deeply and continue for another nine days. If she has not appeared by the latter part of the night, seek another place of still greater purity and excellence, draw an image of the Goddess of Eloquence according to the procedure, and continue making offerings and reciting without letting the mind abandon the practice. Remain diligent by day and night. Benefit for oneself and others will then be inexhaustible, and the fruit obtained should also be given to every sentient being; each wholesome aspiration will be accomplished. If the aim is still not fulfilled, invoke earnestly for three months, six months, nine months, or as long as one year, never letting the mind shift. The scripture says that in the end even the divine eye and knowledge of others’ minds can be obtained.

〔Section §5〕 Praise According to Conventional Truth and Formula-Praise

After hearing these words, Kauṇḍinya rejoiced and exulted, praising them as unprecedented. He told the assembled humans and gods to listen single-mindedly, for he would now praise the supremely subtle Goddess of Eloquence according to conventional truth.

He first pays homage to the goddess called Naluoyan and praises her sovereignty in the world, explaining that these praises follow what ancient seers taught. She brings auspiciousness to fulfillment and security to the mind, possessing intelligence, modesty, and renown. Like a mother, she gives birth to and nurtures the world; courageous, she constantly practices great diligence. Wherever armies meet in battle, she is always victorious. She nurtures and disciplines sentient beings with a compassionate and patient heart. She also appears as Yama’s elder sister and habitually wears blue wild-silkworm cloth.

She can display beautiful or ugly features, and even her eyes can frighten those who see them. She has measureless excellent practices transcending the world, and all who take refuge in her are gathered in. She may dwell on steep cliffs, in deep pits and caves, beside rivers, or among great trees and forests. Even people living wild in the mountains constantly honor her. People make banners from peacock feathers, while she always guards the world. Lions, tigers, and wolves surround her; cattle, sheep, chickens, and other creatures remain beside her. A great bell is shaken and sounds, and the assembly on Mount Pinduo can hear it.

At times she holds a trident, her hair arranged in a round topknot, while sun and moon banners are always held to either side. On the ninth and eleventh days of the dark fortnight, people should make offerings to her. At times she appears as the great goddess Posu. Seeing sentient beings in conflict, she constantly holds pity in her heart. Among all sentient beings she observes, the goddess is supreme and none surpasses her. As an expedient, she manifests as the joyful cowherd girl and is always victorious when fighting the assembly of gods. She can remain in the world for a long time, both gentle and patient and fiercely violent in appearance.

She understands the four sciences of the great brahmins and also comprehends transformations, formula methods, and related arts. Sovereign among divine seers, she can be seed and can be earth. Whenever goddesses gather, she arrives at the proper time, like the sea’s tides never missing their time. Among assemblies of dragons and yakṣas she is foremost and can discipline them. Among women her pure conduct is most immaculate, and her words are like those of the world’s sovereign. In a royal palace she is like an unstained lotus; at a river crossing she is like a bridge and raft on which one can pass.

Her face is like the full moon. Complete in great learning, she can serve as everyone’s support. Her eloquence rises above others like a mountain peak; those who recollect her obtain a refuge like an island. Asuras and the assembled gods together proclaim her qualities, and even thousand-eyed Śakra regards her with earnestness. Whatever sentient beings seek, she enables them swiftly to accomplish. She also makes them intelligent and eloquent, complete in great learning and retention, foremost upon the earth. Throughout worlds in the ten directions she is like a great lamp, constantly shining everywhere. Spirits, ghosts, birds, and beasts can likewise fulfill what they seek.

Among women she is like a mountain peak and, like the ancient seers, has long remained in the world. She is also like the maiden goddess, constantly free from desire, speaking truthfully like the great sovereign of the world. She universally sees every different class throughout the world, including the palaces of the gods of the desire realm. The goddess alone is honored as supreme; no sentient being can be seen to surpass her. When beings encounter terror in battle, fall into a fire pit, meet danger at a river crossing or from thieves, she can remove their fear. If they are bound in fetters under royal law or enemies plot to kill them, single-mindedness without wavering ensures release from sorrow. She protects good people and evil people alike, compassionate and merciful, constantly present. Kauṇḍinya therefore bows and takes refuge in the great goddess with utmost sincerity.

Kauṇḍinya then praises the goddess with stanzas that are simultaneously formula and praise. Layer by layer they honor her as the world’s honored one and supreme among mothers; her eyes like blue lotus leaves; the light of her merit and wisdom like a priceless maṇi jewel; her true qualities like a pure lotus; a lion among beasts; her eight arms holding bow, arrow, sword, lance, axe, long pestle, iron wheel, and noose; her face like the full moon; and her unobstructed, harmonious words. They also say that the wholesome aspirations of sentient beings may be fulfilled as recollected and that Śakra and the gods honor and praise her. According to the scripture’s interlinear note, one who upholds the formula must first recite the complete formula-praise. The entire passage is therefore preserved in its original graphs:

『呪頌原字，不改。』
「敬禮敬禮世間尊，於諸母中最為勝；三種世間咸供養，面貌容儀人樂觀。種種妙德以嚴身，目如脩廣青蓮葉；福智光明名稱滿，譬如無價末尼珠。我今讚歎最勝者，悉能成辦所求心；真實功德妙吉祥，譬如蓮花極清淨。身色端嚴皆樂見，眾相希有不思議；能放無垢智光明，於諸念中為最勝。猶如師子獸中上，常以八臂自莊嚴；各持弓箭刀矟斧，長杵鐵輪并羂索。端正樂見如滿月，言詞無滯出和音；若有眾生心願求，善事隨念令圓滿。帝釋諸天咸供養，皆共稱讚可歸依；眾德能生不思議，一切時中起恭敬。「莎訶〔此上呪頌是呪亦是讚，若持呪時必先誦之〕—the transmitted mantra-praise and its interlinear note, retained verbatim.

To invoke the Goddess of Eloquence, follow the words of this formula-praise and recite them with sincerity in the purity of early morning. The scripture says the matter sought can then be fulfilled according to one’s intent. The Buddha therefore praised Kauṇḍinya: “Excellent, excellent! You can benefit sentient beings in this way, give them peace and happiness, praise the goddess, and request her protection. The merit obtained is boundless.”

Fascicle boundary: “The Goddess of Great Eloquence, Chapter Fifteen, Part Two”

〔Section §6〕 Part Two: True Speech and Invoking Empowerment from Every Class

After delivering the preceding praise and formula-praise procedure, Kauṇḍinya told the assembly: “If you wish to invoke the Goddess of Great Eloquence’s compassionate protection so that in this life you obtain unobstructed eloquence, intelligence and great wisdom, skillful words, broad and extraordinary talent, and the effortless accomplishment of debate and literary ornament without doubt or obstruction, you should invoke her in this way with utmost sincerity and earnestness.”

The passage first preserves the transmitted words of homage and true-speech vow without translating the sound transcription separately:

『請召原字；音寫不譯。』
「南謨佛陀也！南謨達摩也！南謨僧伽也！南謨諸菩薩眾、獨覺、聲聞一切賢聖！過去現在十方諸佛，悉皆已習真實之語，能隨順說當機實語，無虛誑語，已於無量俱胝大劫常說實語，有實語者悉皆隨喜；以不妄語故，出廣長舌能覆於面，覆贍部洲及四天下，能覆一千、二千、三千世界，普覆十方世界，圓滿周遍，不可思議，能除一切煩惱炎熱。敬禮敬禮一切諸佛如是舌相，願我某甲皆得成就微妙辯才，至心歸命。—the transmitted invocation and true-speech vow, retained verbatim.

In vernacular terms, the invoker first pays homage to the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, then to bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, śrāvakas, and every noble one. The buddhas of past and present throughout the ten directions have cultivated true speech. They speak appropriate truth according to sentient beings’ capacities and are free from falsehood. Throughout measureless koṭis of great eons, they have constantly spoken truth and rejoiced in all who speak truth. Because the buddhas do not speak falsely, they display broad and long tongues that can cover their faces, Jambudvīpa and the four continents, one, two, and three thousand worlds, and all worlds throughout the ten directions—completely pervasive, inconceivable, and able to remove the burning heat of every affliction. The invoker repeatedly bows to these tongues of the buddhas, takes refuge with utmost sincerity, and vows to accomplish wondrous eloquence as well.

Next, homage is paid and wondrous eloquence is invoked one class at a time: the buddhas, great bodhisattvas, noble pratyekabuddhas, the four approaches and four fruits, speech concerning the four noble truths, right conduct and right view, sages in Brahmā’s assembly, the Great Goddess Wuma, the god Sijiantuo, King Manasi, the intelligent goddess of night, the four great heavenly kings, the divine prince Shanzhu, Vajrapāṇi Lord of Secrets, the god Feishuinü, the Goddess Pimo, the deity Shishu, the Goddess Shili, Shiliduomo, the words of Xili, the mothers and great mothers, Mother Helidi, yakṣa deities, and kings throughout the ten directions. May the excellent wholesome deeds of these noble ones, gods, and spirits assist the invoker and enable him or her to obtain inexhaustible wondrous eloquence.

Homage is then paid one by one to ten qualities: those free from deception, those liberated, those free from desire, those who have relinquished the hindrances, those whose minds are pure, those possessing light, those who speak truthfully, those without residual dust, those abiding in ultimate meaning, and leaders of the assembly. Homage is again paid to the Goddess of Eloquence, asking her to make one’s words unobstructed.

The prayer next asks: may everything sought be swiftly accomplished; may the body be free from illness and constantly secure, and may life be lengthened; may one understand every science and formula, diligently cultivate the path of awakening, broadly benefit sentient beings, and quickly accomplish what is sought in the mind. The invoker declares that this speech is true and not deceptive and asks the Goddess of Great Eloquence to bring it to fulfillment. May the goddess come, make the words unobstructed, swiftly enter one’s body and mouth, and make wisdom sharp and eloquence complete. May the tongue faculty obtain the Tathāgata’s eloquence, using the power of speech to discipline sentient beings; may every statement accomplish its purpose, cause listeners to become respectful, and keep what is done from being fruitless.

The vow then invokes the goddess through her own true speech: if the eloquence sought is not accomplished, the goddess’s true words would become false. Even someone who has committed an immediate offense can still be disciplined by the Buddha’s words; arhats also speak words of gratitude. Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana are foremost among the World-Honored One’s śrāvakas. May all these true statements accomplish what is sought. The invoker summons every śrāvaka of the Buddha, asking them to come quickly and accomplish the aspiration, so that the true words expressing what is sought do not become false.

Those invoked begin with the Heaven of the Ultimate Form and the Pure Abodes, including Great Brahmā, Brahmā’s ministers, all assemblies of Brahmā kings, the lords of the Sahā world throughout the trichiliocosm, and their retinues. May all who are summoned compassionately descend and gather the invoker in with pity. Next come the gods of Mastery over Others’ Creations, Delight in Creation, the Tuṣita assembly together with Maitreya who will become the next buddha, the Yāma gods, the gods of the Thirty-Three, the assembly of the four great kings, and every god. The deities of earth, water, fire, and wind are also invoked, together with those dwelling on Mount Sumeru, the deities of the seven seas and mountains and their retinues, Mancai, Wuding, the sun and moon, and every star. May these gods bring security to the world. The scripture also says that they do not delight in creating harmful karma.

Homage is then paid to Hārītī and her youngest and most beloved child. Assemblies of gods, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas are invoked. Relying upon the World-Honored One’s power, the practitioner calls to each assembly, asking them to bring forth compassion and grant unobstructed eloquence. Among all humans and gods, whoever knows the thoughts of others is likewise asked to lend divine power and give wondrous eloquence. The request extends even to every kind of living being throughout empty space and the Dharma realm: may all grant wondrous eloquence.

This long passage does not collapse the names into a generic collective. It forms vows by class and invokes assistance layer by layer: first the true speech and tongues of the buddhas as the root, then noble ones, gods, spirits, the eight classes, humans and gods, and living beings throughout the Dharma realm together. What is sought throughout is unobstructed speech, accomplishment of wholesome aspirations, diligent cultivation of awakening, and broad benefit for sentient beings.

〔Section §7〕 The Goddess Confirms and Exhorts; the Buddha Praises

After hearing the invocation, the Goddess of Eloquence praised Kauṇḍinya: “Excellent, great being! If a man or woman receives and upholds these formulas and formula-praise according to the procedures explained above, pays homage to the Three Jewels, and abides in right mindfulness with sincere devotion, what is sought will not be fruitless. If that person further receives, upholds, and recites this wondrous Sūtra of Golden Light, every wholesome aspiration will be realized and swiftly accomplished; those without utmost sincerity are excluded.” Kauṇḍinya felt deep joy, reverently joined his palms, and accepted her words.

The Buddha finally praised the Goddess of Great Eloquence: “Excellent, excellent! Good Goddess, you can cause this wondrous king of scriptures to circulate and protect all who uphold it. You can benefit every sentient being and bring them peace and happiness. By proclaiming this Dharma and giving inconceivable eloquence, you obtain measureless merit. All who have aroused the mind of awakening can swiftly proceed toward awakening.”

At that time, the Goddess of Great Auspiciousness rose from her seat, approached the Buddha, bowed at his feet, respectfully joined her palms, and addressed him:

“World-Honored One! If I see a bhikṣu, bhikṣuṇī, upāsaka, or upāsikā—that is, a male renunciant, female renunciant, male lay follower, or female lay follower—who upholds and recites this Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King and explains it to others, I will single-mindedly and respectfully make offerings to these Dharma teachers. I will cause them to be fully provided, without deficiency, with the four things—food and drink, clothing, bedding, and medicine—and with every other support for life they require.

“I will enable them, by day and by night, to examine and reflect upon all the phrases and meanings in this king of sūtras and to abide at ease in body and mind. I will also cause this scripture to circulate widely throughout Jambudvīpa, so that sentient beings who have planted roots of goodness in the presence of limitless hundreds of thousands of buddhas may constantly have the opportunity to hear it and so that it does not quickly disappear.

“For limitless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of eons, they will also enjoy the many excellent pleasures of humans and gods. Harvests will always be abundant, famine will be forever removed, and all sentient beings will long experience well-being. They will also encounter the buddhas, the World-Honored Ones; swiftly realize the fruit of unsurpassed great awakening in a future life; and forever eliminate the many sufferings of cyclic existence in the three evil destinies.

“World-Honored One! I recollect that in the past there was a Tathāgata named Lapis-Lazuli Golden Mountain Jeweled Flower Shining Light Ocean of Auspicious Qualities, Worthy of Offerings and Perfectly Awakened, complete in the ten epithets. I planted many roots of goodness in his presence. Because that Tathāgata compassionately cared for me and protected and kept me in mind through his majestic spiritual power, today, whatever place I think of, whatever direction I look toward, and whatever country I personally reach, I can bring many kinds of happiness to limitless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of sentient beings. I can also provide in abundance the clothing, food and drink, supports for life, and jewels they require: gold, silver, beryl, giant-clam shell, agate, coral, amber, pearl, and the rest.

“If someone recites this Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King with utmost sincerity, burns many fine incenses and presents many wondrous flowers every day to make offerings on my behalf to that Tathāgata Lapis-Lazuli Golden Mountain Jeweled Flower Shining Light Ocean of Auspicious Qualities, Worthy of Offerings and Perfectly Awakened; recites my name during the three periods of every day and separately makes offerings to me of incense, flowers, and many fine foods; and constantly hears and receives this wondrous king of sūtras, that person will obtain the benefits described above.”

The Goddess of Great Auspiciousness then spoke in verse:

“Precisely because they can uphold this sūtra in this way, they and their retinues are free from every kind of decline;

The clothing and food they require never run short, and their majestic radiance and lifespan are long and difficult to exhaust.

The fertility of the earth constantly increases, and the gods send down rain according to the seasons;

The assemblies of gods thereby rejoice, as does the deity of gardens, grain, and fruit spoken of in the sūtra.

Groves and fruit trees flourish together, and every crop in the fields ripens to completion;

Those who seek precious wealth have their wishes fulfilled, and whatever they hold in mind is accomplished as they desire.”

The Buddha told the Goddess of Great Auspiciousness:

“Excellent! Excellent! You can recollect in this way the causes you planted in the past, know kindness and repay it by means of offerings, benefit and bring well-being to limitless and boundless sentient beings, and cause this sūtra to circulate in the world. The merit you gain will be inexhaustible.”

A vernacular rendering of Chapter 17, “The Goddess of Great Auspiciousness Increases Wealth,” from fascicle eight of Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King. The names of buddhas and bodhisattvas and the transmitted Han transcription of the dhāraṇī are preserved exactly as they appear in the base text; the dhāraṇī is neither translated nor regularized.

The Goddess’s Dwelling in the City Possessor of Wealth and the Garden Wondrous-Flower Merit Radiance

At that time, the Goddess of Great Auspiciousness again addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, in the north, the city of the heavenly king Vaiśravaṇa is named Possessor of Wealth. Not far from the city is a garden called Wondrous-Flower Merit Radiance, within which stands a splendid palace made of the seven treasures. World-Honored One, I always dwell there.”

She continued: “If someone wishes the five grains to increase day after day and the storehouses to overflow, that person should arouse a mind of reverence and faith. First, clean and prepare a chamber, coating its floor with goma. Paint an image of me and adorn it all around with various jeweled ornaments. Bathe, put on clean clothing, anoint the body with fine fragrances, and then enter the purified chamber.

“For my sake, that person should resolve three times every day to invoke the name of that buddha and the name of this sūtra and pay reverence to them, saying, ‘Homage to the Tathāgata Lapis-Lazuli Golden Mountain Jeweled Flower Shining Light Ocean of Auspicious Qualities!’ Then, with utmost sincerity, present various kinds of incense, flowers, and sweet food and drink. Use incense, flowers, food, and drink to honor my image as well. Take further food, scatter it in the other directions, and give it to the various deities and other beings. With truthful words invite the Goddess of Great Auspiciousness and make this vow: ‘If what has been said is indeed true and not false, do not let my invitation come to nothing.’

“At that time, the Goddess of Great Auspiciousness will learn of this, give rise to compassion, and cause the wealth and grain in that person’s household to increase. The person should then recite the formula to summon me, first invoking the names of the buddhas and bodhisattvas and reverently bowing to them with one-pointed mind.”

Invoking Every Buddha and Bodhisattva by Name

The following names preserve the exact graphs and full-width spaces of the base text without alteration:

「南謨一切十方三世諸佛　南謨寶髻佛　南謨無垢光明寶幢佛　南謨金幢光佛　南謨百金光藏佛　南謨金蓋寶積佛　南謨金花光幢佛　南謨大燈光佛　南謨大寶幢佛　南謨東方不動佛　南謨南方寶幢佛　南謨西方無量壽佛　南謨北方天鼓音王佛　南謨妙幢菩薩　南謨金光菩薩　南謨金藏菩薩　南謨常啼菩薩　南謨法上菩薩　南謨善安菩薩—transmitted Han invocations of the buddhas and bodhisattvas.

After Bowing, Recite the Formula of Invitation

The Goddess of Great Auspiciousness said: “After bowing to these buddhas and bodhisattvas, the person should next recite the formula inviting me, the Goddess of Great Auspiciousness. Through the power of this formula, every matter sought will be accomplished.” She then proclaimed the dhāraṇī.

The following dhāraṇī preserves the base text’s Han transcription, full-width spaces, repeated syllables, variant and rare graphs, and interlinear notes exactly. It is neither translated nor altered:

「南謨室唎莫訶天女　怛姪他　鉢唎脯𠷈拏折囇　三曼䫂　達喇設泥〔去聲，下皆同爾〕莫訶毘訶囉揭諦　三曼哆毘曇末泥　莫訶迦哩也　鉢喇底瑟侘鉢泥　薩婆頞　他娑彈泥　蘇鉢喇底晡囇　㢌耶娜達摩多莫訶毘俱比諦　莫訶迷咄嚕　鄔波僧呬羝　莫訶頡唎使　蘇僧近〔入聲〕哩呬羝　三曼多頞他　阿奴波喇泥　莎訶—the dhāraṇī’s transmitted Han sound sequence.

Observe the Precepts for Seven Days and Nights, Purify the Body at Dawn, and Honor the Buddhas in the Late Afternoon

The Goddess of Great Auspiciousness again addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, if someone recites and upholds this divine formula in order to summon me, then when I hear the invitation I will go to that place and cause the person’s wish to be fulfilled.

“World-Honored One, these are phrases of consecration, phrases of certain accomplishment, phrases of truth, and phrases free of deception. This is impartial practice and, for all sentient beings, a right root of goodness.

“A person who receives, upholds, and recites this formula should observe the eight-precept discipline for seven days and seven nights. Each morning, first chew a tooth stick, wash the body clean, and rinse the mouth. In the late afternoon, honor all buddhas with incense and flowers and personally confess one’s offenses.

“That person should dedicate the merit and make vows for both self and all sentient beings, so that what is sought will swiftly be accomplished. Clean and prepare a chamber, or choose a secluded āraṇya. Make an altar with goma and burn sandalwood incense in offering. Place a splendid seat there, adorn it with banners and canopies, and arrange fine flowers throughout the altar. With utmost sincerity, recite and uphold the preceding formula, hoping that I will come.”

She Enters the Chamber, Speaks Truthfully in Dreams, and Fulfills What Is Sought

The Goddess of Great Auspiciousness said: “At that time, I will watch over and observe this person, enter the chamber, sit upon the seat, and receive the offering.

“From then onward, I will cause this person to see me in dreams. Whatever matter is sought, I will explain truthfully. Whether the person lives in a village, an empty marsh, or a place where the saṅgha dwells, I will bring every request to fulfillment. Gold, silver, wealth and jewels, cattle and sheep, grain and wheat, food and drink, and clothing will all be obtained as desired, bringing every kind of happiness.”

Return the Finest Share to the Three Jewels and Give Relief to the Poor Again and Again

The Goddess of Great Auspiciousness continued: “After obtaining such surpassing and wondrous results, take the finest share and offer it to the Three Jewels—the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha—and also give a share to me. Hold extensive Dharma assemblies, set out many kinds of food and drink, and arrange incense and flowers. After making the offerings, exchange the offered goods for their value and use what is obtained to make further offerings.

“I will remain here throughout my life, protect this person, and ensure that there is no lack; everything sought will accord with the person’s wishes. That person should also give relief to the poor again and again, without stinginess or hoarding everything for personal use.

“The person should constantly read this sūtra and continue making offerings without interruption. The resulting merit should be universally given to all sentient beings and dedicated to awakening, with the vow to leave birth and death and swiftly attain liberation.”

Both Self and Others Receive Benefit

At that time, the World-Honored One praised the Goddess of Great Auspiciousness: “Excellent! Goddess of Great Auspiciousness, the way you circulate this sūtra is inconceivable and benefits both yourself and others.”

A vernacular translation of Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle eight, Chapter 18, The Earth Deity Firm and Steadfast. The three formulas are preserved in the exact characters of the base text, including full-width spaces, repeated syllables, variant and rare characters, and interlinear notes. Their transcribed sounds are not translated or normalized.

The Earth Deity Listens beneath the Dharma Seat and Enriches the Earth

At that time, the earth deity Firm and Steadfast rose from her seat in the assembly, joined her palms in reverence, and addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, wherever this Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King circulates, whether in the present or the future, whether in a city or village, a royal palace or tower, or in an āraṇya, mountain marsh, empty wilderness, or forest, I will go wherever this king of sūtras circulates. I will make offerings to it, honor and protect it, and enable it to circulate.

“If in some place a high seat is prepared for a Dharma teacher so that the teacher may expound this sūtra, through my spiritual power I will conceal my own body, remain where the Dharma seat stands, and bear the teacher’s feet upon my head. After hearing the true Dharma, I will feel profound delight, partake of the flavor of the Dharma, increase in majestic radiance, and experience measureless joy.

“Having personally obtained this benefit, I will also cause the earth’s flavor to increase all the way down for 168,000 yojanas, as far as the boundary of the vajra wheel. The flavor of the earth throughout that depth will increase. All the land within the four seas will likewise become richer and thicker, and its fields and soil more fertile than usual. Throughout Jambudvīpa, rivers and streams, ponds and marshes, every tree and medicinal plant, every grove, all flowers, fruits, roots, stalks, branches, leaves, shoots, and crops will become lovely in form and delightful to behold. Complete in color and fragrance, they will all be fit for use.

“After sentient beings consume this excellent food and drink, their lives will lengthen, their complexions and strength will increase, their faculties will be at ease, and their radiance will grow. They will be free from every pain, distress, and affliction; their minds and wisdom will be vigorous, and there will be no undertaking beyond their ability. Whatever people require upon the earth, hundreds of thousands of kinds of work will all be completely provided for.

“World-Honored One, because of these causes and conditions, all Jambudvīpa will be secure, abundant, and happy. Its people will flourish, without decline, loss, or distress, and all sentient beings will enjoy happiness. Having obtained such happiness of body and mind, they will love and revere this king of sūtras all the more. Wherever the scripture is found, they will gladly receive and uphold it, make offerings, honor, revere, and praise it. They will also go to the seat of a great Dharma teacher and, for the sake of sentient beings, invite the teacher to expound this supreme king of sūtras.

“Why is this? World-Honored One, because someone expounds this sūtra, my entire retinue and I receive benefit. Our radiance, strength, courage, majestic power, and handsome appearance all surpass the ordinary. After I, the earth deity Firm and Steadfast, partake of the flavor of the Dharma, I make the whole land of Jambudvīpa—seven thousand yojanas across in both directions—fertile. All the other benefits are as described above, and all sentient beings obtain happiness.”

After Listening, Carry Even One Sentence Home

The earth deity Firm and Steadfast continued: “Therefore, World-Honored One, to repay my kindness, those sentient beings should think, ‘I will certainly hear and receive this sūtra, honor it and make offerings, revere and praise it.’ After giving rise to this thought, they leave the cities, villages, houses, or open spaces where they live, go to the Dharma assembly, bow their heads at the teacher’s feet, and hear and receive this sūtra.

“After hearing it, they each return to their former place, rejoice in their hearts, and say together, ‘We have now been able to hear the profound, unsurpassed, wondrous Dharma and have thereby gathered in an inconceivable accumulation of qualities. Through the power of this king of sūtras, we will encounter measureless and boundless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of buddhas and attend upon them and make offerings. We will forever leave the places of extreme suffering in the three evil destinies; through hundreds of thousands of future lives, we will constantly be born in the heavens and will also enjoy every kind of excellent happiness among human beings.’

“After these people return to their own places, they will also explain this king of sūtras to others. What they teach may be one simile, one chapter, one account of causes and conditions from a former life, the name of one Tathāgata, the name of one bodhisattva, one four-line stanza, or even only a single sentence. They will tell sentient beings about this scripture, even if they speak only the opening title of the sūtra.

“World-Honored One, wherever these sentient beings dwell, the land there will become fertile and substantial, surpassing other places. Everything produced by that land will grow, flourish, and spread widely, bringing happiness to sentient beings. They will possess abundant wealth and precious things, delight in giving, maintain constant firmness of mind, and deeply trust the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha.”

Hearing One Sentence, Offering One Canopy or One Banner

After the earth deity Firm and Steadfast had spoken, the World-Honored One told her: “If sentient beings hear this Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, even if they hear only one sentence, after death they will be born in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three and other heavenly realms.

“If sentient beings adorn a house as an offering to this king of sūtras—even if they only set up a single canopy or hang a single silk banner—then, because of these causes and conditions, they can be reborn as they wish in the six heavens above. They will use wondrous palaces of the seven treasures as they wish; each person will naturally be entertained by seven thousand goddesses and will constantly enjoy inconceivable, excellent happiness by day and night.”

Protecting the Preacher and Keeping Listeners from Passing through the Three Evil Destinies

After the World-Honored One had spoken, the earth deity Firm and Steadfast again addressed him: “World-Honored One, because of these causes and conditions, whenever any member of the fourfold assembly ascends the Dharma seat and expounds this teaching, I will protect that person day and night. I will conceal my form, remain where the Dharma seat stands, and bear that person’s feet upon my head.

“World-Honored One, this scripture circulates in Jambudvīpa without being extinguished for the sake of those sentient beings who have planted roots of goodness before hundreds of thousands of buddhas. Through measureless hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of future eons, sentient beings who hear this sūtra will constantly enjoy excellent happiness among gods and humans, encounter the buddhas, swiftly accomplish unsurpassed complete and perfect awakening, and no longer pass through the suffering of birth and death in the three evil destinies.”

The Place of Practice for Seeing Her True Body and the Three Formulas

At that time, the earth deity Firm and Steadfast again addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, I have a heart-formula that can benefit humans and gods and bring happiness to all sentient beings. If men, women, or members of the fourfold assembly wish to see my true body directly, they should receive and uphold this dhāraṇī with utmost sincerity; whatever they seek will be fulfilled. Their requests may include resources and wealth, precious things, hidden treasure, spiritual powers, fine medicines that extend life, cures for every illness, subjugation of enemies, and mastery over different doctrines.

“The practitioner should establish a place of practice in a clean room, bathe, put on fresh and clean clothes, and sit on a grass seat. Before a revered image containing relics, or at a reliquary shrine containing relics, the practitioner should burn incense, scatter flowers, and set out offerings of food and drink. When the eighth day of the bright fortnight coincides with the Busha constellation, the following formula of invitation may be recited.”

The first formula below is transmitted exactly as it appears in the base text:

Transcribed sounds of the formula; untranslated.
「怛姪他只哩只哩　主嚕主嚕　句嚕句嚕　拘柱拘柱　覩柱覩柱　縛訶〔上〕　縛訶　伐捨伐捨　莎訶

The earth deity Firm and Steadfast said: “World-Honored One, if any member of the fourfold assembly recites this spiritual formula 108 times to invite me, I will go to that person’s location and accept the invitation.

“If a sentient being wishes to see me manifest a body and converse with me, that person should likewise establish the place of practice according to the preceding method and then recite the following spiritual formula.”

The second formula below is transmitted exactly as it appears in the base text:

Transcribed sounds of the formula; untranslated.
「怛姪他　頞折泥〔去〕頡力剎泥室尼達哩訶訶呬呬區嚕　伐囇　莎訶

The earth deity Firm and Steadfast said: “World-Honored One, one who upholds this formula should recite it 108 times and also recite the preceding formula. I will certainly manifest, bring every wish to fulfillment, and never let it come to nothing. Before reciting this formula, the practitioner should first recite the following formula for bodily protection.”

The third formula below is transmitted exactly as it appears in the base text:

Transcribed sounds of the formula; untranslated.
「怛姪他儞室里末捨羯㨖　捺㨖矩㨖　勃地〔上〕　勃地囇　婢㨖婢㨖　矩句㨖　佉婆〔上〕只里　莎訶

The earth deity Firm and Steadfast further said: “World-Honored One, when reciting this formula, take a five-colored cord, recite the formula twenty-one times, tie twenty-one knots, and fasten the cord behind the left elbow. It will then protect the body, and there will be no fear.

“If someone recites and upholds this formula with utmost sincerity, whatever that person seeks will certainly be fulfilled. I do not speak false words. I make the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha the pledge that attests the truth of this matter.”

The True Speech Protects the King of Sūtras and Its Preachers

At that time, the World-Honored One told the earth deity Firm and Steadfast: “Excellent, excellent! You are able to use this spiritual formula of true speech to protect this king of sūtras and those who preach it. Because of these causes and conditions, you will obtain measureless merit.”

A vernacular translation of Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle eight, Chapter 19, The Yakṣa General Sengshen’erye. The dhāraṇī is preserved in the exact characters of the base text, including full-width spaces, repeated syllables, variant characters, and interlinear notes. Its transcribed sounds are not translated or normalized.

Invisible Protection of Preachers and Listeners

At that time, the yakṣa general Sengshen’erye and the yakṣa deities of the twenty-eight divisions rose from their seats in the assembly. They bared their right shoulders, placed their right knees on the ground, joined their palms, and addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One, wherever this Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King is proclaimed and circulated, whether in the present or the future—whether in a city or village, a mountain marsh or empty forest, a royal palace, or a monastic residence—I, the yakṣa general Sengshen’erye, will go there together with the yakṣa deities of the twenty-eight divisions. Each of us will conceal our form and protect the Dharma teacher wherever the teacher may be, so that the teacher remains free from decline and distress and constantly enjoys peace and happiness.

“Those who listen to the Dharma—whether men or women, boys or girls—may receive and uphold even one four-line stanza from this sūtra, or uphold only a single sentence, or remember the opening title of this king of sūtras, or the name of one Tathāgata or one bodhisattva in it. If they give rise to the resolve to invoke that name and make offerings with reverence, I will rescue, protect, and embrace them, so that they meet with no disaster or sudden calamity, leave suffering behind, and obtain happiness.”

Why He Is Named Right Understanding

The yakṣa general Sengshen’erye continued:

“World-Honored One, why am I named Right Understanding? The Buddha has personally verified the causes and conditions for this name. I know all dharmas and understand all dharmas. I understand all dharmas according to all that exists and according to how it is, and I understand the differences among the kinds and essential natures of dharmas.

“World-Honored One, I am able to understand dharmas in this way. I possess inconceivable wisdom-light, an inconceivable wisdom-torch, inconceivable wisdom-practice, and an inconceivable wisdom-accumulation; I can also penetrate the inconceivable sphere of wisdom.

“World-Honored One, with regard to all dharmas, I can rightly know, rightly understand, rightly awaken, and rightly observe. World-Honored One, because of these causes and conditions, I, the yakṣa general, am named Right Understanding.”

Giving Strength to the Preacher and Benefit to the Listener

“Because of this meaning, I can make the Dharma teacher’s speech lucid, eloquent, and fully adorned. I can also cause vital energy to enter through the teacher’s pores, filling the body with strength and making its majestic spiritual power courageous and vigorous, so that inconceivable wisdom-light is fully accomplished. The teacher will obtain right recollection without retreating or yielding; the body will be strengthened without declining, the faculties will be at ease, and joy will constantly arise.

“For this reason, this sūtra will be widely proclaimed and circulated throughout Jambudvīpa for those sentient beings who have planted roots of goodness and cultivated meritorious deeds in the presence of hundreds of thousands of buddhas; it will not swiftly disappear. After hearing this sūtra, those sentient beings will obtain inconceivable great wisdom-light and a measureless accumulation of merit and wisdom. In future lives, throughout measureless koṭis of nayutas of eons, they will experience inconceivable, excellent happiness among humans and gods. They will constantly encounter the buddhas, swiftly realize unsurpassed complete and perfect awakening, and never again pass through the realm of Yama or the extreme suffering of the three evil destinies.”

Right Understanding Personally Recites the Dhāraṇī

At that time, the yakṣa general Right Understanding again addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One, I possess a dhāraṇī. I will now personally recite it before the Buddha in order to benefit and have compassion for all sentient beings.” He then recited the spiritual formula:

「南謨佛陀〔引〕也　南謨達摩〔引〕也　南謨僧伽〔引〕也　南謨跋囉蚶〔火含反〕摩也　南謨因達囉也　南謨折咄喃　莫喝囉闍喃　怛姪他　呬哩呬哩　弭哩弭哩　瞿哩　莫訶瞿哩　健陀哩　莫訶健陀哩　達羅弭雉　莫訶達羅弭雉　單茶曲勸〔駈問反〕第〔去〕訶訶訶訶訶　呬呬呬呬呬　呼呼呼呼呼　漢魯曇謎瞿曇謎　者者者者　只只只只主主主主栴茶攝〔之涉反〕　鉢攞　尸揭囉〔上〕尸揭囉　嗢底瑟咤呬　薄伽梵　僧慎爾耶　莎訶 — Transcribed sounds of the formula; untranslated.

What Upholders Obtain and How to Perform the Formula Rite

“If someone is able to receive and uphold this luminous formula, I will provide that person with the pleasant supports of life: food and drink, clothing, flowers, fruit, and rare things. Whether that person seeks men or women, boys or girls, gold, silver, jewels, or ornaments, I will provide them all, so that nothing wished for is lacking.

“This luminous formula possesses great power. When the formula is recited, I will swiftly come to that place, remove every obstruction, and bring the practitioner’s wishes to fulfillment.

“When upholding this formula, one should know its method. First paint an image of the yakṣa Sengshen’erye, four or five feet high, holding the implement written 鉾鑹 in his hand. Before the image, make a square altar and place upon it four full jars of honey-water or sugar-water, together with paste incense, powdered incense, burning incense, and flower garlands. Before the altar, make a fire pit in the ground and place charcoal within it. Burn the mustard seed designated by the transmitted Han sound-form 蘇摩 in the pit while reciting the preceding formula 108 times, making one offering to the fire with each recitation.

“Continue until I, the yakṣa general, come in person and manifest my body. I will ask the practitioner two things: ‘What do you require? What does your mind seek?’ The practitioner should state the matter in reply, and I will then bring everything requested to fulfillment exactly as spoken.

“The practitioner may require gold, silver, or hidden treasure; may wish to become an immortal and travel through the sky; may seek the divine eye or knowledge of another’s thoughts; may wish to act freely toward all sentient beings; or may wish to cut off afflictions and swiftly obtain liberation. All these will be accomplished.”

The Buddha Praises This Protection of the Dharma

At that time, the World-Honored One told the yakṣa general Right Understanding:

“Excellent, excellent! You are able to benefit all sentient beings in this way, speak this spiritual formula, and protect the true Dharma. The merit and benefit are boundless.”

The Earth Goddess Firm and Steadfast Requests the Teaching

At that time, the earth goddess named Firm and Steadfast rose from her seat in the assembly, bowed her head at the Buddha’s feet, joined her palms reverently, and addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One, if those who serve as human kings in the various realms lack the true Dharma, they cannot govern their countries, support sentient beings in peace, or long remain in their honored and excellent positions. I only pray that the World-Honored One will compassionately explain for me the essentials of governing a realm within the Right Treatise on Royal Dharma. After hearing it, human kings will be able to practice according to what is taught and instruct the world through the true Dharma. In this way their honored positions will remain secure for a long time, while all the people of their realms will receive benefit.”

The Buddha Recounts a Treatise Transmitted from Father to Son

The World-Honored One then addressed the earth deity Firm and Steadfast before the assembly:

“Listen carefully. In the past there was a king named Power-Honored Banner. He had a son named Wonderful Banner. Not long after Wonderful Banner had received the consecrated position, his royal father told him:

“‘There is a Right Treatise on Royal Dharma called The Teaching of the Lord of Gods. When I formerly received consecration and became ruler of the realm, my father, King Wisdom-Power Honored Banner, explained this Right Treatise on Royal Dharma to me. In accord with this treatise, I governed the realm well for twenty thousand years and never once recalled even a single thought of acting contrary to Dharma. You should do the same today and must not govern the realm through what is contrary to Dharma. What is the Right Treatise on Royal Dharma? Listen carefully now, and I will explain it to you.’”

King Power-Honored Banner then proclaimed the right treatise to his son in wondrous gāthās:

Seventy-Three Stanzas in Contemporary Language

1. I will explain the treatise on royal Dharma so that sentient beings may obtain benefit and happiness, so that the doubts of the world may be cut off, and so that its many faults may be extinguished.

2. All lords among the gods and kings among human beings should give rise to joy, join their palms, and listen as I speak.

3. In the past, a multitude of gods gathered upon Vajra Mountain. The Four Heavenly Kings rose from their seats and questioned Great Brahmā.

4. They said: “Lord Brahmā is the most honored and excellent, possessing great mastery among all gods. Please take pity on us and remove our many doubts.

5. “Why can a person living in the human world be called a god? Through what causes and conditions can he be called a son of the gods?

6. “Why, though born among human beings, can he alone become their ruler? Why, while dwelling in heaven, can one become a king of gods?”

7. After the Four Heavenly Kings who protect the world had questioned Brahmā in this way, the lord of the Brahmā gods explained it to them.

8. Brahmā said: “Protectors of the world, you should know that you have asked me about the way of governing a realm for the benefit of sentient beings. I will now explain it; listen well.

9. “Through the power of past wholesome actions, one born in heaven may become a king there. If born among human beings and governing a realm, one becomes a human ruler.

10. “The gods first protect him together, and only then does he enter his mother’s womb. Once he has entered the womb, the gods continue to guard him.

11. “Although born in the human world, he is called a god because of his exalted position. Because the gods protect him, he is also called a son of the gods.

12. “The lord of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three apportions power to assist the human king, and all the gods support his power of mastery.

13. “The human king must eliminate every act contrary to Dharma so that evil actions no longer arise. He must also teach sentient beings to cultivate good so that they may be born in heaven.

14. “Human beings, the hosts of suras, gandharvas, rākṣasas, and caṇḍālas each contribute half their power.

15. “Parents too contribute half their power, causing people to abandon evil and cultivate good. The gods protect them together and show people the good results obtained by cultivating goodness.

16. “When people perform evil deeds, the gods cease protecting them in this very life, thereby revealing the bad results obtained from doing evil.

17. “When the people of a realm perform evil deeds and the king permits them without restraint, this does not accord with right principle. They should be disciplined and expelled according to Dharma.

18. “If evil conduct is seen but not stopped, what is contrary to Dharma will flourish, and deception within the realm will increase day by day.

19. “When the king sees the people of the realm doing evil and does not stop them, the gods of the Thirty-Three all give rise to anger.

20. “The government is therefore damaged, while flattery, crookedness, and deceit circulate through the world. Foreign enemies seize the opportunity to invade and destroy the realm.

21. “People’s homes, means of living, and accumulated wealth are scattered and lost. Every kind of crooked deceit arises in succession, and people plunder one another.

22. “A king obtains his position through the true Dharma but does not practice it; the people of the realm are scattered like a lotus pond trampled by an elephant.

23. “Harmful winds arise without regularity, and violent rains fall out of season. Strange stars repeatedly display portents, and eclipses deprive the sun and moon of light.

24. “The five grains, flowers, and fruits cannot ripen, and famine afflicts the realm. This comes from the king’s abandonment of the true Dharma.

25. “When a king abandons the true Dharma and instructs his people through evil ways, the gods see this from their own palaces and become distressed.

26. “Those kings of the gods say together: ‘This king acts contrary to Dharma and draws near to evil companions.

27. “‘His royal position will not long remain secure, and all the gods are angered.’ Because the gods harbor anger, that realm will be destroyed.

28. “The king teaches people through what is contrary to Dharma and causes it to spread throughout the realm. Conflict and deceit increase, epidemics arise, and the multitude suffers.

29. “The lord of the gods no longer protects him, and all the other gods abandon him. The realm approaches destruction, and the king himself encounters painful adversity.

30. “His parents, wife, brothers, and sisters all suffer separation from what they love, and he himself eventually dies.

31. “Strange meteors fall, and two suns appear at once. Enemies and bandits come from other lands, and the people undergo death and disorder.

32. “Important ministers upon whom the country depends die violent deaths without cause, while the elephants and horses beloved by the king are scattered and lost.

33. “Weapons of war appear everywhere, and many die contrary to Dharma. Evil ghosts enter the borders, and epidemics spread in every place.

34. “The most powerful ministers and all the counselors of the realm harbor flattery and deceit in their hearts and act contrary to Dharma.

35. “When the king sees those who act contrary to Dharma, he instead loves and honors them; when he sees those who practice wholesome Dharma, he subjects them to painful punishment.

36. “Because he loves and honors evil persons and punishes the good, the courses of the stars and the coming of winds and rains all fall out of season.

37. “Three faults then arise: the true Dharma begins to disappear, sentient beings lose their radiance, and the fertility of the earth sinks and declines.

38. “Because evil persons are honored and good persons slighted, three further faults arise: frost and hail fall out of season, while famine and epidemic suffering spread.

39. “The flavors of grain and all fruits diminish, and sentient beings within that realm suffer many illnesses.

40. “The trees of the realm that once bore sweet and delicious fruit all decline, leaving only bitter and astringent fruit without flavor.

41. “Lovely parks that were once delightful places of recreation suddenly wither and decay, and everyone who sees them becomes distressed.

42. “The fine flavors of rice, wheat, and the various fruits gradually disappear. If food brings no joy when eaten, how can it nourish the body’s great elements?

43. “The radiance of sentient beings declines, and all their strength grows feeble. Even if they eat much, they cannot become full.

44. “All kinds of beings within that realm possess little strength and no vigor; they are unable to bear the work they undertake.

45. “The people suffer many illnesses, with many pains oppressing their bodies. Spirits circulate everywhere, and afflictions from rākṣasas arise in every place.

46. “When a king acts contrary to Dharma and draws near to evil persons, he causes the three kinds of world to decline.

47. “Such measureless and boundless faults appear throughout the realm because evil persons are seen, yet their evil deeds are left aside without discipline or expulsion.

48. “A king becomes king only through the gods’ protection, yet he does not guard his borders through the true Dharma.

49. “Those who perform wholesome deeds will be born in heaven; those who perform evil deeds will fall into the three evil paths after death.

50. “When the king sees the people of his realm committing faults and indulges them, the gods of the Thirty-Three all give rise to burning distress.

51. “Such a person neither follows the gods’ teaching nor obeys the instruction of his parents. He acts contrary to Dharma, is unworthy to be called a king, and is not a filial son.

52. “If one sees within one’s own realm a person acting contrary to Dharma, that person should be punished according to Dharma and must not be abandoned without inquiry.

53. “Because a king can eliminate evil ways and cultivate roots of goodness, the multitude of gods all protect that king.

54. “The king certainly experiences manifest results in this very life. By accepting and rejecting in accord with good and evil actions, he guides sentient beings.

55. “The king shows sentient beings good and bad results and therefore becomes their human ruler. The gods protect him together, and all sentient beings rejoice.

56. “A king who governs through the true Dharma benefits himself and others. When he sees flattering and deceitful persons, he should deal with them according to Dharma.

57. “Even when faced with losing the throne or conditions threatening his life, he must never act through evil ways and must not see evil conduct and leave it unattended.

58. “Among all harms, none is graver than losing the royal position. These harms are all caused by flattering and deceitful persons, who should therefore be punished.

59. “If crooked and deceitful persons are present, the king will lose his throne. They damage the royal government as an elephant damages a flower garden.

60. “All the lords of the gods become angry, as do the asuras, because although that person is a human king, he does not govern the realm through the true Dharma.

61. “The king should therefore punish evil persons according to Dharma, instruct sentient beings through wholesome Dharma, and never follow what is contrary to Dharma.

62. “He should rather give up his own body and life than follow friends who act contrary to Dharma. When rewarding or punishing those near to him and those not near, he should regard everyone equally.

63. “When a king practices the true Dharma, there are no partial factions within the realm. The name of this Dharma king is heard throughout the three realms.

64. “The gods of the Thirty-Three say joyfully: ‘That king in Jambudvīpa who practices the Dharma is my child.

65. “‘He instructs sentient beings through wholesome Dharma, governs the realm through the true Dharma, and encourages people to practice it, causing them to be born in my heavenly palace.’

66. “The gods, their divine sons, and the hosts of suras constantly give rise to joy because the king teaches through the true Dharma.

67. “The multitude of gods all rejoice and protect the human king together. The stars move according to their stations, while the sun and moon never depart from their regular courses.

68. “Gentle winds always accord with the seasons, and sweet rains fall at the proper times. Crops and fruits all ripen well, and no one among the people suffers famine.

69. “All the gods fill their heavenly palaces. Therefore, human king, even at the cost of your body and life, you must propagate the true Dharma.

70. “You should honor the jewel of the true Dharma, through which sentient beings obtain happiness. You should constantly draw near to the true Dharma and adorn yourself with its qualities.

71. “Your retinue will constantly rejoice and be able to remain far from evil conduct. The king instructs sentient beings through the true Dharma and causes them always to dwell securely.

72. “Cause all the people to practice the ten wholesome actions. The entire realm will then remain abundant and happy, and the land will dwell in peace.

73. “The king instructs his people through the true Dharma and skillfully disciplines their evil conduct. He constantly obtains a good name and brings happiness to sentient beings.”

The Assembly Accepts the Teaching in Faith

At that time, all the human kings upon the earth and the entire assembly heard the Buddha explain this essential ancient teaching for human kings governing their realms. They gained an experience they had never known before, rejoiced greatly, and accepted the teaching in faith and practice.

After the Buddha had finished expounding the Right Treatise on Royal Dharma to the great assembly, he again told them: “You should listen carefully! I will now tell you about causes and conditions from my past, when I practiced and upheld the true Dharma.” At that time, the Buddha spoke in verse:

First, in a past life I was once a wheel-turning king. I gave away this great earth together with the great ocean; I filled the four continents with precious treasures and offered them all to the tathāgatas.

Second, throughout measureless eons in the past, I sought the pure and true dharma-body. I gave away everything I cherished, without stinginess even toward my own body and life.

Third, again, in an inconceivably distant eon in the past, there was a Completely Awakened Buddha named Jeweled Topknot. After that Tathāgata entered nirvāṇa, a king named Good-Born appeared in the world.

Fourth, Good-Born became a wheel-turning king and transformed the four continents; all the lands as far as the edge of the sea submitted to him. At that time there was a city named Wondrous Sound, and the wheel-turning king lived there.

Fifth, one night in a dream he heard someone teach the Buddha’s merit and wisdom, and he also saw a Dharma master named Jewel-Accumulation. Majestic upon his seat like the orb of the sun, the Dharma master was expounding the wondrous scripture of Golden Light.

Sixth, at that time the king awoke from his dream, and great joy filled his entire body. At daybreak, he left the royal palace and went to the place where the bhikṣu saṅgha was staying.

Seventh, after reverently making offerings to the noble assembly, he asked the whole gathering: “Is there a Dharma master named Jewel-Accumulation, accomplished in qualities and able to transform sentient beings?”

Eighth, at that time the great Dharma master Jewel-Accumulation was staying in a room. With right mindfulness he was reciting and upholding this wondrous scripture, sitting upright and unmoving, at ease in body and mind.

Ninth, a bhikṣu guided the king to the place where Jewel-Accumulation was staying. The king saw the Dharma master seated upright inside the room, his whole body pervaded by light and wondrous marks.

Tenth, the bhikṣu told the king: “This is Jewel-Accumulation. He is able to uphold the profound sphere of the Buddha’s practice: the wondrous Sūtra of Golden Light, foremost among all sūtras, the king of sūtras.”

Eleventh, the king immediately bowed to Jewel-Accumulation and reverently joined his palms to make his request: “May you, Dharma master, whose majestic face is like the full moon, expound for me the wondrous Dharma of Golden Light.”

Twelfth, Dharma Master Jewel-Accumulation accepted the king’s request and agreed to expound the Sūtra of Golden Light for him. The assemblies of devas throughout the trichiliocosm all rejoiced because of this.

Thirteenth, the king chose a vast, pure place and adorned it with wondrous precious treasures. With the finest fragrant water he sprinkled away the floating dust, and he scattered many kinds of flowers everywhere.

Fourteenth, in that excellent place he spread out a high seat and adorned it with hanging colored silks, banners, and canopies. He also arranged many kinds of powdered and paste incense, filling the entire place with rich fragrance.

Fifteenth, devas, dragons, asuras, kinnaras, mahoragas, and yakṣas all came there. The devas rained down māndārava flowers and together made offerings to the high Dharma seat.

Sixteenth, tens of millions of koṭis of devas also came together to the assembly, delighting in hearing the true Dharma. As soon as Dharma Master Jewel-Accumulation rose from his former seat, they all offered him heavenly flowers.

Seventeenth, at that time the great Dharma master Jewel-Accumulation bathed and purified himself, then put on fresh, clean clothes. He went before the Dharma seat amid the assembly, joined his palms, and reverently bowed to it.

Eighteenth, the lord of the devas, the hosts of devas, and the celestial maidens all scattered māndārava flowers together. Hundreds of thousands of kinds of inconceivable heavenly music sent forth wondrous sounds in empty space.

Nineteenth, at that time the great Dharma master Jewel-Accumulation ascended the high seat and sat cross-legged. He recollected hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of greatly compassionate World-Honored Ones in all the buddha lands of the ten directions.

Twentieth, he also kept all suffering sentient beings universally in mind and gave rise to equal loving-kindness and compassion toward them. Then, for King Good-Born, the patron who had requested the Dharma, he expounded the wondrous Sūtra of Golden Light.

Twenty-first, after the king was able to hear this true Dharma, he joined his palms, concentrated his mind, and cried out in rejoicing. Because the Dharma he heard was so rare, tears streamed down his face, while great joy filled his body and mind.

Twenty-second, at that time King Good-Born, ruler of the realm, wished to make offerings to this sūtra. Holding a wish-fulfilling maṇi jewel in his hand, he made a vow for all sentient beings.

Twenty-third, he vowed: “May the seven treasures and jeweled ornaments rain down everywhere throughout this Jambudvīpa. May all who lack wealth and resources obtain whatever they need according to their wishes and live in peace and happiness.”

Twenty-fourth, the seven treasures immediately rained down everywhere, filling all four continents in abundance. According to their needs, sentient beings could adorn their bodies with jeweled ornaments, and none lacked clothing, food, or drink.

Twenty-fifth, at that time King Good-Born, ruler of the realm, saw precious treasures raining throughout the four continents. He took those treasures and offered them to Buddha Jeweled Topknot and to the bhikṣu saṅgha that maintained the teaching left by that buddha.

Twenty-sixth, you should know that King Good-Born of the past was I, Śākyamuni, in my present life. In that former life I gave away the great earth and also every kind of precious treasure that filled the four continents.

Twenty-seventh, the great Dharma master Jewel-Accumulation, who in the past expounded the wondrous Dharma for Good-Born, opened and taught the king of sūtras at that time and has now become Buddha Immovable in the east.

Twenty-eighth, I once heard this king of sūtras, joined my palms, spoke one word of rejoicing, and gave the seven treasures. Through these qualities, I obtained this supreme vajra body.

Twenty-ninth, this body possesses golden light and the adornment produced by a hundred merits; all who see it rejoice. There is no sentient being who does not cherish it, and koṭis of devas likewise rejoice in and revere it.

Thirtieth, throughout ninety-nine koṭi eons in the past, I was a wheel-turning king. Throughout measureless hundreds of thousands of eons, I also became the human ruler of many small realms.

Thirty-first, throughout measureless eons I was also Śakra and, again, a Great Brahmā King. I made offerings to buddhas, World-Honored Ones endowed with the ten powers and great loving-kindness, in numbers impossible to exhaust.

Thirty-second, in the past I heard the sūtra and rejoiced in its goodness; the accumulation of merit that I gathered is impossible to measure. Through that merit I realized awakening and obtained the true, wondrous wisdom of the dharma-body.

At that time, after the great assembly heard the Buddha recount these causes and conditions, they praised them as unprecedented. Everyone vowed to receive and uphold the Sūtra of Golden Light, circulating it without interruption so that its transmission would never cease.

The Buddha exhorts people to listen to and expound this king of sūtras with utmost sincerity. Gods, yakṣas, dragons, and the deities of the earth then arouse the resolve to protect and uphold it.

The Buddha’s Charge

At that time, the World-Honored One addressed the Great Auspicious Goddess:

“If a good man or good woman of pure faith wishes to present inconceivable, vast, and wondrous offerings to the buddhas of the past, future, and present, and also wishes to understand the profound sphere of practice of those buddhas, that person should make a firm resolve. Wherever this king of sūtras is found—in a city, village, mountain forest, or marsh—one should expound it widely for sentient beings and cause it to circulate, with an utterly sincere and concentrated mind. Those who come to hear the Dharma should remove distracting thoughts, gather in the faculty of hearing, and listen single-mindedly.”

The World-Honored One then spoke the following seventy-nine stanzas for the Great Auspicious Goddess and the assembly:

Seventy-Nine Stanzas

1. If one wishes to present inconceivable offerings to the buddhas and wishes to understand the profound sphere of the tathāgatas,

2. then whenever one sees someone expounding this supreme Golden Light, one should personally go to that place and approach the Dharma teacher.

3. This sūtra is inconceivable. It produces many kinds of qualities and frees all sentient beings from the boundless ocean of great suffering.

4. I observe that this king of sūtras is excellent at its beginning, middle, and end. Its depth cannot be fathomed, and no simile is sufficient to compare with it.

5. Even the sands of the Ganges, the motes of the earth, the waters of the ocean, empty space, mountains, and rocks cannot represent even a small part of it.

6. Those who wish to enter the profound dharma-realm should first hear this sūtra. It is a caitya of dharma-nature, standing profoundly and securely.

7. Within this caitya one can see me, the Muni World-Honored One, expounding this scripture in a pleasing and wondrous voice.

8. Through hearing this sūtra, throughout an inconceivable number of koṭis of kalpas one will be born among humans and gods and constantly enjoy excellent, wondrous happiness.

9. A person who hears this sūtra should give rise to this thought: “I have obtained an inconceivable, measureless, and boundless accumulation of qualities.”

10. Even if a place one hundred yojanas across were entirely filled with blazing fire, one should pass straight through it without shrinking from hardship in order to hear this king of sūtras.

11. Upon reaching the place of the scripture and hearing such a sūtra, one can extinguish harmful actions and dispel every evil dream.

12. Harmful stars, strange calamities, sorcery, and evil spirits—all such evils depart when this sūtra is heard.

13. One should adorn a splendid high seat and make it pure and lovely as a lotus. The Dharma teacher sits upon it like a great dragon at rest.

14. Once seated, the teacher expounds this profound scripture and teaches others to copy, recite, and uphold it, while explaining its meaning.

15. After the teacher leaves the Dharma seat and travels elsewhere, more than one kind of spiritual manifestation may still appear upon that high seat.

16. Sometimes the teacher’s image is seen still sitting there; sometimes the World-Honored One and bodhisattvas appear.

17. Sometimes Samantabhadra Bodhisattva is seen, sometimes Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, and sometimes Venerable Maitreya seated upon the high seat.

18. At other times rare and wondrous scenes and forms of gods appear. Their countenances and bearing are visible only briefly, then vanish again.

19. Many auspicious conditions are thereby fulfilled, every undertaking accords with one’s wish, and all qualities are perfected. Thus the World-Honored One has taught.

20. This person gains the finest reputation and extinguishes many afflictions. Invading enemies from other realms are removed, and victory is constantly obtained in battle.

21. Every evil dream disappears, every poison is dispelled, and transgressions committed through body, speech, and mind are extinguished through the sūtra’s power.

22. This person’s reputation fills all Jambudvīpa, and every mutual enmity is abandoned.

23. Even when hostile enemies approach, they withdraw upon hearing this reputation. Without weapons being raised, both armies give rise to joy.

24. Great Brahmā, Lord Śakra, the Four Heavenly Kings who protect the world, the Vajra Yakṣa, and General Right Knowing;

25. the dragon kings of Lake Anavatapta and Sāgara, the musical deities called kinnaras, the lord of the suras, and the lord of garuḍas;

26. the Goddess of Great Eloquence and the Great Auspicious Goddess—these leading gods each bring their divine hosts.

27. They have always made offerings to the buddhas, know the Dharma jewel to be inconceivable, constantly give rise to joy, and revere this sūtra.

28. These divine hosts deliberate together, observe everywhere those who cultivate merit, and say to one another:

29. “Look upon this sentient being. This person truly possesses great merit and, through roots of goodness and the power of diligence, will in the future be born in our heavens.

30. “With a reverent heart, this person has come here to hear the profound scripture. This person offers to the caitya of Dharma precisely out of respect for the true Dharma.

31. “This person takes pity on sentient beings and brings them vast benefit. Before this profound scripture, this person can become a vessel able to receive the Dharma jewel.

32. “One who enters this Dharma gate can enter dharma-nature. This Golden Light should be heard and upheld with an utterly sincere mind.

33. “This person formerly made offerings to measureless hundreds of thousands of buddhas. Through those very roots of goodness, this sūtra can be heard today.”

34. These lords of the gods, the Goddess of Great Eloquence, the Great Auspicious Goddess, and the retinues of the Four Heavenly Kings,

35. together with countless bold yakṣas who possess spiritual powers, constantly come from the four directions to protect this person.

36. The gods of the sun and moon, Śakra, the deities of wind, water, and fire, Weishuinu Great-Shoulder, Yama, the Goddess of Eloquence, and the others—

37. all these protectors of the world are bold and possess majestic spiritual power. By day and night, without departing, they protect those who uphold this sūtra.

38. The mighty yakṣa kings, Nārāyaṇa the Masterful, and the twenty-eight yakṣas headed by Right Knowing,

39. as well as the other hundreds of thousands of yakṣas, all possess great spiritual power. Whenever this person is in a frightening place, they constantly come to protect them.

40. The Vajra Yakṣa King with five hundred attendants, together with the multitude of great bodhisattvas, constantly comes to protect this person.

41. The yakṣa kings Treasure-King, Full and Worthy, Wilderness, Kumbhīra, Binduluo, and Yellow—

42. each of these yakṣa kings has five hundred attendants. When they see someone hearing this sūtra, all come together to protect that person.

43. Colorful-Army Gandharva, Reed-King, Ever-Victorious, Jewel-Neck, Blue-Neck, and King Bolisha;

44. Great Most-Victorious, Great Black, Subanna Jishe, Banzhijia Goat-Foot, and Great Bhaga;

45. Small Channel, Dharma-Protector, Monkey-King, Needle-Hair, Sun-Friend, and Jewel-Hair all come to protect.

46. Great Channel, Nuojuluo, Sandalwood, Most-Victorious in Desire, Sheluo, Snow-Mountain, and Mount Suoduo—

47. they all possess great spiritual powers, are bold and mighty, and come together to protect whoever upholds this sūtra.

48. Anavatapta, Sāgara, Muzhenlinluoye, Nanda, and Lesser Nanda—

49. among hundreds of thousands of dragons they possess spiritual power and majestic virtue. Together they guard those who uphold the sūtra, never leaving them by day or night.

50. Bozhi, Rāhula, Vemacitra, Muzhi, Shanboluo, Great-Shoulder, and Joy,

51. together with the other sura kings and countless divine hosts, are powerful and bold and come together to guard this person.

52. The mother goddess Hārītī and five hundred yakṣas constantly come to protect this person, whether sleeping or awake.

53. Caṇḍa, Caṇḍālī, the yakṣa woman Zhanzhi, and Kundi Juzhachi, who consume the vital energies of sentient beings—

54. these divine hosts all possess mighty spiritual powers. Without leaving by day or night, they constantly guard those who uphold the sūtra.

55. Measureless goddesses headed by the Goddess of Eloquence and the retinues headed by the Goddess of Auspiciousness,

56. together with the earth goddess, fruit deities, garden deities, tree deities, river deities, and the deities of caityas—

57. all these gods give rise to great joy and come to protect those who read and recite this sūtra.

58. When they see someone upholding this sūtra, they increase that person’s lifespan, complexion, and bodily strength and adorn them with majestic radiance, merit, and wondrous marks.

59. Even if the stars display calamities and bring the person hardship, or the person sees ominous signs in dreams, the gods cause them all to disappear.

60. This earth goddess is firm and mighty. Through the power of this sūtra, the Dharma flavor of the earth is always abundant.

61. Even if the earth’s fertile flavors flow downward for one hundred yojanas, the earth goddess causes them to rise again and nourish the land.

62. This great earth is 6.8 billion yojanas thick, reaching the boundary of vajra. Throughout that depth, the earth goddess causes the earth’s flavors to rise.

63. The vast accumulation of qualities obtained by hearing this king of sūtras also enables all the divine hosts to receive benefit.

64. It increases the gods’ majestic power and bodily radiance, causes them constantly to possess joy and happiness, and frees them from signs of decline.

65. Within this southern continent, forest deities, fruit deities, and crop deities constantly give rise to joy through the power of this sūtra.

66. Crops and fruits ripen, wondrous flowers blossom everywhere, and fruits flourish and increase throughout the earth.

67. All fruit trees and the many gardens produce wondrous flowers whose fragrances are constantly rich and sweet.

68. Every grass, tree, and forest opens subtle, wondrous flowers and bears sweet, delicious fruit, filling every place.

69. Within Jambudvīpa, measureless dragon maidens give rise to great joy and enter the ponds together.

70. They plant padma and puṇḍarīka lotuses, filling the ponds with blue and white blossoms.

71. Through the power of this sūtra, empty space becomes clear and unobstructed. Clouds and mist disperse, and darkness turns to light.

72. When the sun rises, it releases a thousand pure and stainless rays. Through the power of this king of sūtras, its light circles and illuminates the four continents.

73. The majestic power of this sūtra assists the divine son of the sun, causing his palace to be made entirely of Jambū gold.

74. When the divine son of the sun first rises and sees this continent, he gives rise to joy and constantly illuminates every place with vast light.

75. In every lotus pond upon this earth, when sunlight arrives at the proper time, all the lotuses open.

76. The fields, fruits, and medicinal plants of Jambudvīpa all ripen well and fill the earth.

77. Through the power of this sūtra, wherever the sun and moon shine, the stars do not depart from the measures of their courses, and winds and rains accord with the seasons.

78. Every realm throughout Jambudvīpa becomes abundant and happy. Wherever this sūtra is found is more excellent than other places.

79. Wherever this scripture of Golden Light circulates, those able to explain and recite it obtain all the qualities described above.”

The Assembly Protects with a Single Mind

At that time, the Great Auspicious Goddess and the multitudes of gods heard what the Buddha had said and rejoiced greatly. With a single mind they protected this king of sūtras and those who upheld it, freeing them from sorrow and suffering and causing them always to dwell in happiness.

At that time, after the Tathāgata had extensively taught the Dharma before the great assembly, he was about to bestow predictions of future unsurpassed complete and perfect awakening upon Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner and his two sons, Silver Banner and Silver Light. At that time, ten thousand divine princes, led by the divine prince Supreme Light, came together from the Heaven of the Thirty-Three to the Buddha. They bowed their heads at his feet, withdrew to sit to one side, and listened to him teach the Dharma.

The Buddha then told Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner:

“In a future age, after measureless, innumerable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of nayutas of eons, you will attain unsurpassed complete and perfect awakening in the world Golden Light. You will be named Tathāgata King Golden Jeweled Mountain, Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Person, Trainer of Persons, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, World-Honored One, and will appear in the world. After this tathāgata enters parinirvāṇa, all the teachings he leaves behind will also become extinct.

“At that time, his elder son, named Silver Banner, will next succeed to the place of the Buddha in this world. The world will then be renamed Pure Banner. Silver Banner will become a buddha there named Tathāgata Light of the Golden Banner, Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Person, Trainer of Persons, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, World-Honored One. After this tathāgata enters parinirvāṇa, all the teachings he leaves behind will also become extinct.

“Next, the younger son Silver Light will succeed to the place of the Buddha and become a buddha in this same world. He will be named Tathāgata Golden Light, Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Person, Trainer of Persons, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, World-Honored One.”

When the ten thousand divine princes heard that the three great beings had received predictions, and again heard this Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, joy arose in their hearts. They became pure and stainless, like empty space. Knowing that the roots of goodness of these ten thousand divine princes had matured, the Tathāgata also bestowed upon them predictions of great awakening:

“Divine princes, in a future age, after measureless, innumerable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of nayutas of eons, you will attain unsurpassed complete and perfect awakening in the world Lofty Banner of Supreme Indra. You will belong to a single lineage and share a single name: Pure-Faced Fragrant Youboluo Mountain. You will be complete in the ten epithets. In this sequence, ten thousand buddhas will appear in the world.”

At that time, the deity of the bodhi tree addressed the Buddha:

“World-Honored One, these ten thousand divine princes came from the Heaven of the Thirty-Three to the Buddha in order to hear the Dharma. Why did the Tathāgata immediately bestow predictions that they will become buddhas?

“World-Honored One, I have never heard that these divine princes completely cultivated the six perfections or undertook difficult ascetic practices. Nor have I heard that they relinquished their hands and feet, heads, eyes, marrow, and brains; their retinues, wives and children; elephants, horses, carriages, servants, and attendants; palaces and gardens; or gold, silver, beryl, musāragalva, agate, coral, amber, jade disks, conch shells, food and drink, clothing, bedding, and medicine.

“Nor have I heard that, like the other measureless hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas, they used every kind of offering to make offerings to innumerable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of nayutas of past buddhas. Those bodhisattvas each passed through measureless, boundless eons and only then received predictions of awakening.

“World-Honored One, through what causes and conditions did these divine princes act? What excellent practices did they cultivate? What roots of goodness did they plant? They came here from heaven and heard the Dharma only briefly, yet they received predictions. Why is this? I only ask the World-Honored One to explain it to me and cut through the net of my doubt.”

The Buddha told the tree deity:

“Good goddess, it is as you have said: only through the causes and conditions of supremely wondrous roots of goodness and after diligent, arduous cultivation does one receive a prediction. In their wondrous heavenly palaces, these divine princes relinquished the pleasures of the five desires and therefore came to hear this Sūtra of Golden Light. After hearing the Dharma, they gave rise to a deeply earnest regard for this sūtra. Their minds were like pure beryl, without the least flaw or impurity. They also heard that these three great bodhisattvas had received predictions.

“Moreover, through causes and conditions consisting of right conduct cultivated for a long time in the past and the vows they made, I now bestow predictions upon them all: in a future age they will attain unsurpassed complete and perfect awakening.”

After hearing the Buddha’s explanation, the tree deity rejoiced and accepted his words in faith.

This rendering follows Yijing’s recension passage by passage. It preserves the scripture’s seasons, disease categories, medical arts, and medicine names without recasting ancient medical terminology as modern clinical judgment.

The Buddha Explains the Former Vow of the Ten Thousand Divine Princes

The Buddha told the good goddess, the deity of the bodhi tree:

“Listen carefully, listen carefully, and reflect upon this well. I will now explain to you the causes and conditions of the former vow made by the ten thousand divine princes.

“Good goddess, measureless, inconceivable asaṃkhyeya kalpas ago, a buddha named Jeweled Topknot appeared in the world. He was a Tathāgata, Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Person, Trainer of Persons, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, World-Honored One.

“Good goddess, after that World-Honored One entered parinirvāṇa and the true Dharma had disappeared, the age of the semblance Dharma arrived. At that time there was a king named Light of Divine Mastery. He constantly instructed his people through the true Dharma and cared for them as parents care for their children.

“In his realm lived a merchant named Holding Water. He understood the science of medicine and had mastered its eight arts. Whenever sentient beings suffered illness or an imbalance of the four great elements, he was able to treat them.

“Good goddess, the merchant Holding Water had only one son, named Flowing Water. His features were handsome and pleasing to everyone who saw him. Naturally intelligent, he was versed in many treatises and had mastered writing, painting, calculation, and the art of seals.

“At that time, measureless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings throughout the realm were simultaneously struck by an epidemic. Oppressed by many kinds of suffering, they no longer had even the slightest joyful thought.

“Good goddess, when the merchant’s son Flowing Water saw measureless hundreds of thousands of beings suffering from many illnesses, he gave rise to great compassion and thought:

“‘Measureless sentient beings are now oppressed by immense suffering. Although my father has mastered medical prescriptions and the eight arts and can treat every illness arising from increase or decrease among the four great elements, he is now old and declining, senile and weak. He must be supported by another and lean on a staff merely to walk forward. He can no longer travel among towns and villages to treat suffering wherever it appears.

“‘Now measureless hundreds of thousands of beings are gravely ill, and no one can save them. I should go to my father, the great physician, and ask him about the essential secrets of medical treatment. Once I have learned and understood them, I will travel to every town and village, treating the many illnesses of sentient beings and bringing them security throughout the long night of birth and death.’

“Having thought this, Flowing Water went before his father, bowed his head at his feet, joined his palms reverently, withdrew to one side, and questioned him in verse.”

Flowing Water Asks in Five Stanzas

One

Loving father, please take pity on me. Wishing to protect and rescue sentient beings, I now ask you about medical treatment. In your compassion, please explain it to me.

Two

Why does the human body decline? Why do the four great elements increase, decrease, and suffer harm? At what times do the various illnesses arise?

Three

How should one take food and drink so as to dwell at ease and keep the inner fire of the body from declining and being impaired?

Four

Sentient beings suffer four kinds of illness: wind, yellow heat, phlegm-fluid, and the combined illness. How should each be treated?

Five

When does wind illness arise? When does heat illness break out? When does phlegm-fluid become active? And when does the combined illness arise?

Holding Water Answers in Thirty-Two Stanzas

When the merchant Holding Water heard his son’s questions, he too answered in verse.

One

“I will now follow the methods of treating illness possessed by the ancient seers and explain them to you in sequence. Listen and receive them carefully, then use them to protect sentient beings.

Two

“Three months are called spring, three months summer, three months autumn, and three months winter.

Three

“This divides the year into a season of three months each. If every two months are taken as one period, the year contains six seasons.

Four

“The first two months are the flower season; the third and fourth are the hot season; the fifth and sixth are the rainy season; and the seventh and eighth are the autumn season.

Five

“The ninth and tenth months are the cold season, and the final two are the ice-and-snow season. Once these divisions are known, medicines should never be given contrary to the proper season.

Six

“People should regulate food and drink in accord with these seasons, so that what enters the belly can be digested and dispersed. Then the various illnesses will not arise.

Seven

“When the seasonal conditions change, the four great elements within the body shift with them. If medicines do not assist them at such a time, illness and suffering will certainly arise.

Eight

“A physician must understand the four seasons and know the six periods. The physician must also be versed in the body’s seven constituents so that neither food nor medicine is given in error.

Nine

“The seven constituents are the taste constituent, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow, and brain. When illness enters them, one must know whether it can or cannot be treated.

Ten

“Illness is divided into four kinds: wind illness, heat illness, phlegm-fluid illness, and the combined illness. One should know when each becomes active.

Eleven

“Phlegm-fluid becomes active in spring, wind illness arises in summer, and yellow heat increases in autumn. When winter arrives, all three illnesses arise together.

Twelve

“In spring, astringent, hot, and pungent flavors are appropriate. In summer, oily, hot, salty, and sour flavors are appropriate. In autumn, cool, sweet, and oily flavors are appropriate. In winter, sour, astringent, oily, and sweet flavors are appropriate.

Thirteen

“Throughout these four seasons, if medicines and foods accord with the corresponding flavors, the various illnesses will have no opportunity to arise.

Fourteen

“Illness arising after a meal comes from phlegm-fluid; illness while food is being digested comes from heat; and illness after digestion is complete arises from wind. Disease must be recognized according to its time.

Fifteen

“After discerning the source of the illness, medicine should be given according to the illness. Even when patients display different symptoms, the root must be treated first.

Sixteen

“For wind illness, take oily substances. For heat illness, purgation is best. Phlegm-fluid illness should be treated by emesis. The combined illness requires all three medicines.

Seventeen

“When wind, heat, and phlegm-fluid are all present, it is called the combined illness. Even when the time of onset is known, the patient’s disposition must still be observed.

Eighteen

“After observing and understanding in this way, give medicine in accord with the season. Only when neither food nor medicine is given in error can one be called a skillful physician.

Nineteen

“One should also know the eight medical arts, which together encompass all kinds of treatment. If they are thoroughly understood, one can treat the illnesses of sentient beings.

Twenty

“The eight arts treat needle punctures, wounds and bodily damage, bodily diseases, injuries caused by ghosts and spirits, harmful poisons, childhood illnesses, the prolonging of life, and the increase of strength.

Twenty-One

“First observe the patient’s physical appearance and complexion, speech, temperament, and conduct. Then ask about the patient’s dreams, thereby distinguishing the dispositions of wind, heat, and phlegm-fluid.

Twenty-Two

“A person with a thin, dry body and sparse hair, whose mind cannot settle, who speaks much and dreams of flying, has a wind disposition.

Twenty-Three

“A person whose hair turns white while still young, who sweats much and is easily angered, who is naturally intelligent and dreams of fire, has a heat disposition.

Twenty-Four

“A person whose mind is settled, whose body is even and well formed, whose reflection is careful, whose head is moist and oily, and who dreams of water and white things should be known as having a phlegm-fluid disposition.

Twenty-Five

“A combined disposition possesses these traits together, whether two kinds or all three. Whichever kind predominates should be known as that person’s principal disposition.

Twenty-Six

“Once the disposition is known, give medicine according to the illness. One must also verify that the patient displays no signs of death; only then may the person be said to be treatable.

Twenty-Seven

“When the sense faculties apprehend their objects upside down, when one behaves arrogantly toward a respected physician, and when one grows angry with family and friends, these should be known as signs of death.

Twenty-Eight

“A change in the white of the left eye, a blackened tongue, a crooked bridge of the nose, an ear rim unlike it was before, and a lower lip hanging downward—these too are signs of death.

Twenty-Nine

“The medicine helile possesses all six flavors. It removes every illness, is subject to no prohibition, and is king among medicines.

Thirty

“There are also the three fruits: helilejia, amoluojia—also called awuluojia—and bipidejia. The three pungents are ganjiang, hujiao, and bibo. All are medicines easy to obtain. Sugar, honey, clarified butter, and milk can also treat many illnesses.

Thirty-One

“Other medicines may be added according to the illness. Before practicing medicine, first give rise to loving compassion and pity; do not seek wealth or profit.

Thirty-Two

“I have now explained the most essential matters in treating illness. By using these methods to protect sentient beings, you will obtain boundless fruits.”

Flowing Water Travels Everywhere to Treat the Sick

The Buddha continued, telling the good goddess:

“At that time, the merchant’s son Flowing Water personally asked his father about the essentials of the eight arts, the increase and decrease of the four great elements, the distinctions among the seasons, and the methods of taking medicine. Having skillfully understood them all, he judged himself capable of treating the various illnesses and traveled throughout the towns and villages.

“Wherever he went, the hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of sentient beings suffering illness came to him. Flowing Water comforted them with gentle and wholesome words, saying: ‘I am a physician! I am a physician! I understand prescriptions and medicines. I will now treat your illnesses and cause them all to disappear and be cured.’

“Good goddess, when the people heard the merchant’s son comfort them gently and promise to treat their illnesses, measureless hundreds of thousands of beings suffering gravely ill heard his words. Their bodies and minds leapt with a joy they had never known before. Through these causes and conditions, all their painful illnesses disappeared. Their strength returned in full, and they became as they had been before.

“Good goddess, there were also measureless hundreds of thousands of beings whose illnesses were grave and extremely difficult to treat. Together they came to the merchant’s son and once again requested treatment. The merchant’s son gave them wondrous medicines to take. All received benefit, and their illnesses disappeared and were cured.

“Good goddess, throughout the realm this merchant’s son treated the illnesses of hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of sentient beings, causing all their illnesses to disappear and be cured.”

This rendering follows Yijing’s recension passage by passage. Every personal name, buddha-name, link in the twelvefold dependent arising, and item of offering is preserved. Both dhāraṇīs reproduce the exact graphs of the base text without semantic translation or regularization.

After Treating Illness, Flowing Water Enters the Wilderness

At that time, the Buddha told the good goddess, the deity of the bodhi tree:

“Good goddess, long ago, in the realm of King Light of Divine Mastery, the merchant’s son Flowing Water treated the many illnesses of sentient beings, restoring their health and bringing them secure happiness. Once their illnesses had been removed, the people cultivated many meritorious deeds, practiced generosity widely, and rejoiced. Together they went to Flowing Water, gave rise to reverence, and praised him:

“‘Excellent, excellent, great merchant’s son! You skillfully foster meritorious deeds and increase our security and lifespans. You truly are a powerful king of physicians and a compassionate bodhisattva. You have mastered medicine and skillfully treat the measureless illnesses of sentient beings.’

“This praise spread throughout the cities and towns.

“Good goddess, the merchant’s son’s wife was named Water-Shoulder Treasury. They had two sons: the elder was named Water-Full and the younger Water-Treasury. At that time, Flowing Water took his two sons and traveled successively through cities and villages. While crossing a deep and dangerous wilderness, they saw jackals, foxes, monkeys, eagles, vultures, and other birds and beasts that fed on flesh and blood all running and flying in the same direction.

“Flowing Water thought: ‘Why are all these birds and beasts running and flying in one direction? I should follow them for a little while and see.’

“Following after them, he saw a great pond called Wild-Born. Its water was nearly exhausted, and many fish remained within it. The sight caused him to give rise to great compassion. A tree deity then appeared with half her body visible and said:

“‘Excellent, excellent, good man! Your name Flowing Water possesses true meaning. Take pity on these fish and give them water. There are two causes for the name Flowing Water: first, being able to make water flow; second, being able to give water. You should now act in accord with your name.’

“Flowing Water asked the tree deity: ‘How many fish are there altogether?’

“The deity answered: ‘Exactly ten thousand.’”

First Shield Them from the Fierce Sun, Then Trace the Water to Its Source

The Buddha continued:

“Good goddess, when Flowing Water heard that there were ten thousand fish, his compassion deepened. The great pond was exposed to the sun and very little water remained. The ten thousand fish were about to enter the gate of death, turning and twisting in the shallows. On seeing the merchant’s son, they formed a hope, followed his movements, and stared without ever taking their eyes from him.

“When Flowing Water saw this, he ran in all four directions looking for water but found none. Then he noticed a great tree to one side. He climbed it and broke off branches and leaves to make shade for the fish.

“He continued investigating: where had the pond’s water originally come from? Searching without pause, he found a great river named Water-Born. Beside it, fishermen wishing to catch fish had diverted the current at a dangerous precipice upstream, preventing the water from passing down to the pond. The breach was extremely difficult to repair. Flowing Water thought:

“‘This cliff is deep and steep. Even a hundred thousand people working for three months could not repair it. How could I alone accomplish it?’

“Flowing Water immediately hurried back to the city. He went before the king, bowed his head at the king’s feet, withdrew to one side, joined his palms reverently, and said:

“‘I have treated many illnesses among the people of your realm and brought them security. While traveling from place to place, I reached the wilderness and saw a pond called Wild-Born. Its water is almost dry. Ten thousand fish are being scorched by the sun and will soon die. I only ask the great king compassionately to lend me twenty elephants for a short time to carry water and save the fishes’ lives, just as I once gave life to the sick.’

“The king immediately ordered a minister to provide elephants to the king of physicians without delay. After receiving the order, the minister told Flowing Water:

“‘Excellent, great being! You may now go personally to the elephant stable and select twenty elephants as you please, using them to benefit sentient beings and bring them peace and happiness.’

“Flowing Water and his two sons took twenty elephants and borrowed many leather bags from a wine shop. They went to the place where the water had been diverted, filled the bags, loaded them on the elephants, carried them to the pond, and emptied the water there. The pond immediately filled and returned to its former state.”

From the Gift of Food and a Vow to Invoking the Buddha and Teaching the Dharma

The Buddha spoke again:

“Good goddess, Flowing Water walked around all four sides of the pond to inspect it, and the fish followed him along the shore. He thought: ‘Why do these fish keep following me? They must be tormented by the fire of hunger and wish to ask me for food as well. I should give it to them now.’

“Flowing Water told his sons: ‘Choose the strongest elephant and hurry home to tell your grandfather. Collect every edible thing in the household, including the portions belonging to your grandparents, your mother and yourselves, and the servants. Bring everything here at once.’

“The two sons accepted their father’s instruction, mounted the strongest elephant, and hurried home. They went to their grandfather, explained everything that had happened, gathered every edible thing in the house, loaded it on the elephant, and rushed back to their father at the pond.

“When Flowing Water saw his sons return, he rejoiced in body and mind. He took the cakes and scattered them throughout the pond. After eating, all the fish were full. He then thought: ‘By giving food now, I have kept these fish alive. May I in future lives give the food of Dharma and sustain boundless beings.’

“He reflected further: ‘Once, in a quiet forest, I saw a bhikṣu reading a Great Vehicle sūtra and teaching the profound essentials of the twelvefold dependent arising. The sūtra also said that if a sentient being near death hears the name of Tathāgata Jeweled Topknot, that being will be born in heaven after death. I should now teach these ten thousand fish the profound twelvefold dependent arising and invoke the name of Buddha Jeweled Topknot. There are two kinds of people in Jambudvīpa: those who deeply believe in the Great Vehicle and those who disbelieve and disparage it. I should increase the faith of both.’

“Flowing Water thought again: ‘I can enter the pond and teach the fish this profound and wondrous Dharma.’

“After thinking this, he entered the water and proclaimed aloud:

“‘Homage to the past Tathāgata Jeweled Topknot, Worthy of Offerings, Completely Awakened, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed Person, Trainer of Persons, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, World-Honored One. While practicing as a bodhisattva in the past, this buddha vowed: “If any sentient being in the worlds of the ten directions hears my name near death, after death that being will be born in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.”’”

The Arising and Cessation of the Twelvefold Dependent Arising

Flowing Water next taught the fish this profound and wondrous Dharma:

“Because this exists, that exists; because this arises, that arises. That is: with ignorance as condition, formations; with formations as condition, consciousness; with consciousness as condition, name-and-form; with name-and-form as condition, the six sense fields; with the six sense fields as condition, contact; with contact as condition, feeling; with feeling as condition, craving; with craving as condition, grasping; with grasping as condition, existence; with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, old age and death; and from old age and death arise sorrow, lamentation, suffering, and distress.

“Because this ceases, that ceases. That is: with the cessation of ignorance, formations cease; with the cessation of formations, consciousness ceases; with the cessation of consciousness, name-and-form ceases; with the cessation of name-and-form, the six sense fields cease; with the cessation of the six sense fields, contact ceases; with the cessation of contact, feeling ceases; with the cessation of feeling, craving ceases; with the cessation of craving, grasping ceases; with the cessation of grasping, existence ceases; with the cessation of existence, birth ceases; with the cessation of birth, old age and death cease; with the cessation of old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, and distress cease. In this way, the entire mass of extreme suffering is extinguished.”

After teaching this Dharma, Flowing Water proclaimed to the fish the dhāraṇī corresponding to the twelvefold dependent arising. The dhāraṇī preserves the original sound transcription:

「『怛姪他　毘折儞　毘折儞　毘折儞　僧塞枳儞　僧塞枳儞　僧塞枳儞　毘爾儞　毘爾儞　毘爾儞莎訶　怛姪他　那弭儞那弭儞　那弭儞　殺雉儞　殺雉儞　殺雉儞颯鉢哩設儞　颯鉢哩設儞　颯鉢哩設儞莎訶　怛姪他　薜達儞　薜達儞　薜達儞　窒里瑟儞儞　窒里瑟儞儞　窒里瑟儞儞鄔波地儞　鄔波地儞　鄔波地儞　莎訶　怛姪他　婆毘儞婆毘儞　婆毘儞　闍底儞　闍底儞　闍底儞　闍摩儞儞　闍摩儞儞　闍摩儞儞莎訶』」

The Three Stanzas and Protective Formula of the Four Great Heavenly Kings

As the World-Honored One recounted the merchant’s son’s past causes and conditions to the assembly, the humans and gods present praised the unprecedented teaching. From their respective places, the four great heavenly kings spoke three stanzas together in one voice:

One

“Excellent, World-Honored One Śākyamuni! He teaches a wondrous illuminating Dharma-formula that produces merit, removes every evil, and corresponds to the twelve links.

Two

“We too will proclaim a dhāraṇī and protect this Dharma. If anyone gives rise to opposition and fails to follow it well—

Three

“That person’s head will split into seven pieces like the tip of a lanxiang branch. Before the Buddha, we now proclaim this dhāraṇī together:

「怛姪他　呬里謎　揭睇健　陀哩　旃荼哩地囇　騷伐囇　石呬伐囇　補囉布囇矩矩末底　崎囉末底　達地目契　窶嚕婆　母嚕婆　具荼母嚕健提　杜嚕杜嚕　毘囇　醫泥悉悉泥沓〔徒洽，下同〕婫達沓婫　鄔悉怛哩　烏率吒囉伐底　頞剌娑伐底鉢杜摩伐底　俱蘇摩伐底　莎訶」

The Ten Thousand Fish Are Born in Heaven and Return to the Human World to Repay Kindness

The Buddha told the good goddess:

“At that time, after Flowing Water and his two sons had given the fish water and food and taught the Dharma, they returned home together. Later, at a gathering with music and entertainment, Flowing Water became drunk and lay down to sleep. At that very time, the ten thousand fish died together and were born in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

“After becoming divine princes, they thought: ‘Through what causes and conditions of wholesome deeds were we born in heaven?’ They said to one another: ‘Formerly, in Jambudvīpa, we fell into the animal destiny and all took birth as fish. The merchant’s son Flowing Water gave us water and cakes, taught us the profound twelvefold dependent arising and the dhāraṇī, and invoked the name of Tathāgata Jeweled Topknot. Through these causes and conditions we were born in heaven. We should now all go to the merchant’s son and repay his kindness with offerings.’

“The ten thousand divine princes immediately disappeared from heaven and appeared at the home of the great king of physicians Flowing Water in Jambudvīpa. Flowing Water was sleeping peacefully in a high tower. They placed ten thousand pearl necklaces beside his face, ten thousand at his feet, ten thousand on his right side, and ten thousand on his left. They rained down mandārava and great mandārava flowers until they reached his knees. Light shone everywhere and many kinds of heavenly music produced wondrous sounds, awakening everyone asleep in Jambudvīpa. Flowing Water also awoke.

“After completing their offerings, the ten thousand divine princes rose into the air and departed. They rained wondrous heavenly lotuses throughout King Light of Divine Mastery’s realm, then returned to their former pond in the wilderness and rained many heavenly flowers there. When this was complete, they disappeared from the pond, returned to their heavenly palaces, and freely enjoyed the pleasures of the five desires.”

The King Investigates the Wondrous Signs

The Buddha continued:

“At dawn, King Light of Divine Mastery asked his ministers: ‘Why did such rare and auspicious signs suddenly appear last night, emitting great light?’

“A minister answered: ‘Great king, you should know that divine beings rained forty thousand pearl necklaces and heavenly mandārava flowers in the house of the merchant’s son Flowing Water, piling them as high as the knees.’

“The king ordered the minister to go to the merchant’s house and summon his son. The minister went to Flowing Water’s home, conveyed the royal command, and brought him to the palace. The king asked: ‘Why did such rare and auspicious signs appear last night?’

“Flowing Water answered: ‘According to my reflection, it must have been the fish in the pond. Just as the sūtra says, after they died they were born in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three and have now returned to repay my kindness, thus manifesting these extraordinary signs.’

“The king asked: ‘How do you know?’

“Flowing Water answered: ‘The great king may send messengers together with my two sons to the pond and verify what happened, seeing whether the ten thousand fish are dead or alive.’

“The king heard him and sent the messengers and Flowing Water’s sons to the pond. They saw many mandārava flowers piled in great heaps and all the fish dead. They hurried back and reported everything in detail. On hearing them, the king rejoiced and praised the unprecedented event.”

The Buddha Identifies Past and Present and Explains the Causes of Prediction

At that time, the Buddha again told the deity of the bodhi tree:

“Good goddess, you should now know that the merchant’s son Flowing Water in the past was I myself. The merchant Holding Water was Wonderful Banner. Of his two sons, the elder Water-Full was Silver Banner and the younger Water-Treasury was Silver Light. King Light of Divine Mastery was you, the deity of the bodhi tree. The ten thousand fish were these ten thousand divine princes.

“In the past, I rescued the fish with water and gave them food until they were full. I also taught them the profound twelvefold dependent arising and the corresponding dhāraṇī formula and invoked the name of Buddha Jeweled Topknot. Through these roots of goodness, they were born in heaven. Now they have come to me and rejoice in hearing the Dharma. I will bestow upon them predictions of unsurpassed complete and perfect awakening and state the names under which they will become buddhas.

“Good goddess, in the past I wandered through the various modes of birth and death and benefited beings extensively. Now I likewise cause measureless sentient beings successively to attain unsurpassed awakening and bestow predictions upon them. All of you should diligently seek release and never be heedless.”

After hearing this account, the assembly understood that only by rescuing and protecting all through great loving-kindness and compassion and diligently cultivating arduous practices can unsurpassed awakening be realized. They all aroused profound resolve, accepted the teaching in faith, and rejoiced.

〔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.

A vernacular translation of 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.

The Bodhisattvas of the Ten Directions Arrive Together

At that time, while the Tathāgata Śākyamuni was expounding this sūtra, measureless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of bodhisattvas in worlds throughout the ten directions 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 respectfully bowed to him. After bowing, they concentrated their minds and joined their palms. Although the bodhisattvas had different mouths, they praised the Buddha with one shared voice.

Eleven Stanzas of Praise

First Stanza

“The Buddha’s body is refined, subtle, and wondrous, displaying the color of true gold. His light shines universally like a golden mountain. His body is pure and soft like a lotus flower, and measureless wondrous colors adorn him together.”

Second Stanza

“The thirty-two great marks adorn the Buddha’s body throughout, and the eighty excellent characteristics are perfectly complete. His light is bright and manifest, beyond compare with any other light; pure and stainless, it resembles a clear full moon.”

Third Stanza

“The Buddha’s voice is clear, penetrating, and supremely wondrous, like a lion’s roar and like reverberating thunder. Its eight wondrous qualities respond to sentient beings’ capacities and surpass even the songs of kalaviṅka and other wondrous-voiced birds.”

Fourth Stanza

“Wondrous marks produced by a hundred merits adorn the Buddha’s face; his perfectly complete light is pure and without stain. His wisdom is limpid and clear like the great ocean, and his qualities are vast and boundless like empty space.”

Fifth Stanza

“The Buddha’s halo fills worlds throughout the ten directions and, in accord with causes and conditions, universally rescues all sentient beings. Afflictions, craving, defilement, and habitual tendencies are all removed, while the bright torch of the true Dharma burns constantly and never ceases.”

Sixth Stanza

“The Buddha has compassion for and benefits every sentient being, bringing them happiness now and in the future. He constantly teaches ultimate meaning, enabling sentient beings to realize the true, tranquil realm of nirvāṇa.”

Seventh Stanza

“The Buddha teaches the excellent, wondrous Dharma that is like nectar and gives sentient beings its subtle meaning, also like nectar. He leads them into the nectar-city of nirvāṇa and lets them experience the nectar-like happiness of the unconditioned.”

Eighth Stanza

“Constantly within the great ocean of birth and death, the Buddha frees all sentient beings from suffering. He enables them to abide upon a safe and secure path and constantly gives them inconceivable happiness that accords with their wishes.”

Ninth Stanza

“The Tathāgata’s ocean of qualities is extremely deep and vast, beyond the capacity of any simile to explain completely. Facing sentient beings, he constantly gives rise to great compassion and uses every skillful means with unremitting diligence, never ceasing.”

Tenth Stanza

“The Tathāgata’s ocean of wisdom has no boundary. Even if all humans and gods measured it together for tens of millions of koṭis of eons, they could not know even the smallest part.”

Eleventh Stanza

“I now praise the Buddha’s qualities only in brief; what I have said is but one drop in his boundless ocean of qualities. May I dedicate all the merit gathered through this praise to every sentient being, so that all may swiftly realize the fruit of awakening.”

The World-Honored One Confirms Their Praise

At that time, the World-Honored One told the bodhisattvas: “Excellent, excellent! You are well able to praise the Buddha’s qualities in this skillful way, benefiting sentient beings, extensively advancing the work of the Buddha, extinguishing every kind of karmic offense, and producing measureless merit.”

A vernacular translation of Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle ten, Chapter 28, Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner Offers Praise.

Wonderful Banner Rises and Praises the Buddha

At that time, Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, joined his palms, faced the Buddha, and began to praise him in verse.

Eight and a Half Stanzas, Translated One by One

First Stanza

The Sage’s marks produced by a hundred merits are perfectly complete, and immeasurable qualities adorn his body. His bodily form is vast and pure, and those who see it all feel delight; his light is as though a thousand suns were shining together.

Second Stanza

The colors of his blazing radiance are boundless, and his light burns brilliantly. His handsome and majestic appearance is like an assemblage of wondrous jewels. He is also like the rising sun illuminating empty space: red and white light appear distinctly, with gold shining between them.

Third Stanza

He is also like a golden mountain radiating light everywhere, able to illuminate hundreds of thousands of lands throughout. He can extinguish the measureless suffering of sentient beings and give them boundless, supremely wondrous happiness.

Fourth Stanza

All the marks and excellent characteristics are fully present, majestic and pure; sentient beings delight in beholding them and never tire of the sight. His hair is soft and deep blue, like black bees gathered on wondrous flowers.

Fifth Stanza

He is purified and adorned by great sympathetic joy and great equanimity, and great loving-kindness and great compassion are perfectly complete. All the wondrous marks and excellent characteristics form his adornment; they are accomplished through the factors of awakening.

Sixth Stanza

The Tathāgata can confer every kind of benefit upon sentient beings and cause them constantly to obtain vast happiness. All his wondrous qualities together adorn him, and his light shines universally across tens of millions of lands.

Seventh Stanza

The Tathāgata’s radiant marks are supremely complete, like a blazing sun illuminating the whole sky. The Buddha is replete with qualities, like Mount Sumeru; the manifestations he produces can pervade all ten directions.

Eighth Stanza

The Tathāgata’s golden mouth is wondrous, handsome, and majestic. His teeth are white, even, and closely set, like shell and snow. Nothing can compare with the Buddha’s face; the tuft of hair between his brows always curls to the right.

Final Half-Stanza

That tuft is glossy and soft, bright and pure white, like crystal; it is also like the full moon high in empty space.

The Buddha Confirms the Praise

The Buddha told Bodhisattva Wonderful Banner: “You are able to praise the Buddha in this way. The merit is inconceivable: it can benefit all beings and can enable those who do not yet understand to follow, practice, and learn.”

A vernacular translation of Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle ten, Chapter 29, The Deity of the Bodhi Tree Offers Praise.

At that time, the deity of the bodhi tree also praised the World-Honored One in verse.

Eleven Stanzas, Translated One by One

First Stanza

I pay homage to the Tathāgata’s pure wisdom—wisdom free from obstruction and perfectly complete. I pay homage to his wisdom that constantly causes sentient beings to seek the true Dharma; to his wisdom that enables them to leave what is contrary to Dharma; and to his wisdom that is always free of discrimination. Although he leads sentient beings to cultivate good and abandon evil, his activity remains pure and nondiscriminating.

Second Stanza

Rare is the World-Honored One, whose practice has no bounds. His appearance in the world is rare and difficult to encounter, like an udumbara flower. Amid the great assembly he abides majestically, like the king of mountains within the ocean. Rare is the Well-Gone One, whose light is immeasurable.

Third Stanza

Rare is the Tamer, who bears vast vows of loving-kindness and compassion. Born among the Śākyas, his radiance surpasses the sun. He can proclaim this scripture, a jewel among sūtras, out of compassion for all sentient beings and in order to benefit them.

Fourth Stanza

The Sage is serene, his faculties composed. He can enter the serene city of nirvāṇa, abide at the serene gate of meditative stability, and know that profound, serene domain.

Fifth Stanza

The World-Honored One, most honored among two-footed beings, abides in empty serenity; the bodies of his śrāvaka disciples are likewise empty. The intrinsic nature of every dharma is unobtainable, and all sentient beings too are entirely empty and serene.

Sixth Stanza

I constantly recollect the buddhas, and I constantly delight in seeing the World-Honored Ones. I always arouse a deeply earnest and reverent mind, aspiring always to encounter the Tathāgata, who shines upon the world like the sun.

Seventh Stanza

I constantly bow my head to the World-Honored One, aspiring never to relinquish this thirsting reverence in my heart. I weep and shed tears, my longing uninterrupted; may I always serve the World-Honored One and never grow weary.

Eighth Stanza

I only ask that the World-Honored One arouse compassion and always let me behold his gentle, joyful countenance. May the Buddha and the pure assembly of śrāvakas always bring universal aid to humans and gods.

Ninth Stanza

The Buddha’s body is originally pure, like empty space; it is also like an illusion, a mirage, and the moon in water. May he teach the nectar Dharma of nirvāṇa and cause the whole accumulation of qualities to arise.

Tenth Stanza

The World-Honored One’s pure domain and his true practice of loving-kindness and compassion are inconceivable. Śrāvakas and solitary realizers cannot measure them; even great sage bodhisattvas—great bodhisattvas at the stage of equal awakening—cannot fathom them.

Eleventh Stanza

I only ask that the Tathāgata take compassion on me and always let me behold his body of great compassion. May I tirelessly serve the Loving-Honored One through body, speech, and mind, swiftly leave birth and death, and return to the true limit.

The Buddha Confirms the Praise

At that time, after the World-Honored One had heard this praise, he addressed the tree deity in a Brahmā voice: “Excellent, excellent, good goddess! You are able to proclaim the wondrous marks of my true, unerring, pure dharma-body—the marks of benefiting oneself and others. Through this merit, you will swiftly realize unsurpassed awakening, and all sentient beings will undertake this cultivation together. Whoever hears it will enter the nectar gate of the unborn Dharma.”

A vernacular rendering of Yijing’s Tang translation of The Sūtra of Golden Light, the Supreme King, fascicle ten, “The Goddess of Great Eloquence Offers Praise,” Chapter 30.

The Goddess of Great Eloquence Praises the Buddha in Direct Speech

At that time, the Goddess of Great Eloquence rose from her seat, respectfully joined her palms, and praised the World-Honored One not in verse but in direct speech:

“With utmost sincerity I take refuge in and venerate the Tathāgata Śākyamuni, Worthy of Offerings, Perfectly Awakened One! Your body is the color of true gold; your throat is like a conch shell, your face like the full moon, and your eyes like blue lotuses. Your lips are beautifully red, like the hue of crystal. Your nose is high, long, and straight, like a cut ingot of gold. Your teeth are clean, even, and closely set, like Juwutou flowers. Light from your body shines everywhere, as though from a hundred thousand suns; its bright radiance shines through like Jambu gold.

“Your words contain no error. You point out the three gates of liberation for sentient beings and open the three paths to awakening. Your mind is constantly pure, and your intentions are pure in the same way. Where the Buddha abides and the objects in which he engages are likewise constantly pure. You are free from movements contrary to proper conduct; whether walking, standing, advancing, or withdrawing, you never err.

“You underwent six years of ascetic practice and turned the wheel of Dharma three times, rescuing suffering sentient beings and bringing them to the farther shore. Your bodily form is full and perfect like the Jutuo tree. Perfumed by cultivating the six perfections, you have no fault in the three activities of body, speech, and mind; you possess all-knowing knowledge, and your qualities of benefiting yourself and others are complete. All your teachings are always for sentient beings, and the words you speak never fail of their purpose. Among the Śākya clan you are like a great lion, firm and courageous, complete in the eight liberations.

“I can now praise only a small portion of the Tathāgata’s qualities, according to my own ability, just as a mosquito drinks water from the great sea. May the merit of this praise be extended widely to sentient beings, so that they may forever leave birth and death and accomplish unsurpassed awakening.”

The World-Honored One then told the Goddess of Great Eloquence: “Excellent! Excellent! For a long time you have cultivated without interruption and have become complete in great eloquence; now, in my presence, you have again set forth extensive praise. May you swiftly realize the unsurpassed Dharma-gate, become perfectly radiant in your marks and excellent characteristics, and universally benefit all sentient beings.”

At that time, the World-Honored One addressed measureless bodhisattvas and the entire assembly of humans and gods: “You should know that throughout measureless, innumerable great eons I diligently cultivated arduous practices and attained the profound Dharma, the right cause of awakening, which I have now taught you. Who among you can arouse a courageous mind and reverently guard this Dharma gate? After my nirvāṇa, who can proclaim and circulate it extensively so that the True Dharma will long remain in the world?”

Within the assembly were sixty koṭis of great bodhisattvas and sixty koṭis of gods. Speaking with different mouths but one voice, they addressed the World-Honored One: “We all possess minds of joy and delight. We will reverently protect the profound and wondrous Dharma, the right cause of awakening, that the Buddha, the World-Honored One, attained by diligently cultivating arduous practices throughout measureless great eons. We will not spare even our bodies and lives. After the Buddha’s nirvāṇa, we will extensively proclaim and circulate this Dharma gate so that the True Dharma will long remain in the world.”

The Eight Stanzas of the Great Bodhisattvas

The great bodhisattvas then spoke eight stanzas before the Buddha.

The first stanza says that the World-Honored One speaks words of truth and abides in the true Dharma; because of that truth, they vow to protect and uphold this sūtra.

The second says that they wear great compassion as armor and abide in great loving-kindness; relying on the power of loving-kindness and compassion, they vow to protect and uphold this sūtra.

The third says that the accumulation of merit is complete and the accumulation of wisdom arises; because both accumulations are complete, they vow to protect and uphold this sūtra.

The fourth says that they subdue every Māra, destroy false doctrines, and sever wrong views; because they eliminate these obstructions, they vow to protect and uphold this sūtra.

The fifth names the protectors of the world, Śakra, Brahmā, asuras, dragons, deities, yakṣas, and others; all these classes protect and uphold this sūtra.

The sixth says that all beings who long dwell upon the earth or in empty space protect and uphold this sūtra because they receive and maintain the Buddha’s teaching.

The seventh says that, corresponding with the four Brahmā-abodes, adorned by the four noble truths, and able to subdue the four Māras, they protect and uphold this sūtra.

The eighth says that even if empty space became solid matter and solid matter became empty space, no one could overturn what all buddhas protect and uphold.

The Two Stanzas of the Four Great Heavenly Kings

When the four great heavenly kings heard the Buddha teach this wondrous Dharma of protection, each rejoiced and aroused a mind to protect the True Dharma. Together and in a single voice they spoke two stanzas.

The first says that they and their male and female retinues will now single-mindedly protect this sūtra so that it circulates extensively. The second says that if an upholder of the sūtra can produce the cause of awakening, they will constantly protect and serve that person from the four directions.

The Two Stanzas of Lord Śakra

Lord Śakra reverently joined his palms and spoke two stanzas.

The first says that the buddhas realize this Dharma, appear in the world, and expound the sūtra in order to repay kindness and benefit the assembly of bodhisattvas. The second says that to repay the buddhas’ kindness, he will constantly make offerings to them, protect and uphold the sūtra, and protect those who uphold it.

The Two Stanzas of the Divine Prince of Tuṣita

The divine prince of Tuṣita reverently joined his palms and spoke two stanzas.

The first says that if someone upholds the sūtra taught by the Buddha, that person will abide in the station of awakening and be born in Tuṣita in the next life. The second says that, rejoicing in his heart, he is willing to relinquish the excellent reward of heaven, dwell in Jambudvīpa, and proclaim this scripture.

The Two Stanzas of King Brahmā

King Brahmā, lord of the Sahā world, reverently joined his palms and spoke two stanzas.

The first says that all meditative absorptions, immeasurables, vehicles, and liberations issue from this sūtra, and therefore it should be proclaimed. The second says that wherever this sūtra is taught, he will relinquish the happiness of the Brahmā heaven, go there to hear it, and constantly protect it.

The Two Stanzas of Merchant-Leader, Son of Māra

The son of Māra named Merchant-Leader reverently joined his palms and spoke two stanzas.

The first says that someone who receives and upholds this sūtra, which accords with right meaning, will not follow Māra’s conduct and can purify Māra’s evil deeds. The second says that he and his retinue will diligently guard the sūtra, arouse great vigor, and cause it to circulate extensively wherever they go.

The Two Stanzas of Māra

Māra reverently joined his palms and spoke two stanzas.

The first says that if sentient beings uphold the sūtra and can subdue their afflictions, he will protect them and bring them peace and happiness. The second says that if someone teaches this sūtra, the Māras will find no opening; through the Buddha’s awesome spiritual power, he too will protect the teacher.

The Two Stanzas of the Divine Prince Mañjuśrī

The divine prince Mañjuśrī also spoke two stanzas before the Buddha.

The first says that the wondrous awakening of the buddhas is taught within this sūtra and that upholding it is itself an offering to the Tathāgata. The second says that he will uphold this sūtra and teach it to koṭis of gods; those who listen reverently he will exhort to proceed to the place of awakening.

The Two Stanzas of Bodhisattva Maitreya

Bodhisattva Maitreya reverently joined his palms and spoke two stanzas.

The first says that whenever he sees someone abiding in awakening, he will become that person’s uninvited friend and will even relinquish body and life to protect this king of sūtras. The second says that after hearing this Dharma, he will go to Tuṣita and, through the World-Honored One’s blessing and protection, teach it extensively to humans and gods.

The Two Stanzas of Mahākāśyapa

The elder Mahākāśyapa reverently joined his palms and spoke two stanzas.

The first says that the Buddha once described him as having little wisdom within the śrāvaka vehicle, yet he now vows to protect and uphold this sūtra according to his own capacity. The second says that if someone upholds this sūtra, he will gather that person in, bestow the power of speech and eloquence, constantly accompany the upholder, and praise the goodness of that person’s deeds.

The Two Stanzas of Ānanda

The Venerable Ānanda joined his palms toward the Buddha and spoke two stanzas.

The first says that he personally heard measureless scriptures from the Buddha but had never heard such a profound and wondrous king of Dharma. The second says that now he has heard this sūtra and personally received it before the Buddha; for everyone who delights in awakening, he will extensively proclaim and circulate it.

The World-Honored One Praises Them Again and Exhorts Cultivation

The World-Honored One saw the bodhisattvas and the assembly of humans and gods each arouse the resolve to circulate and protect this scripture and to encourage bodhisattvas to benefit sentient beings extensively. He praised them repeatedly for the goodness of their acts. He said that their reverent circulation of this wondrous king of sūtras, preventing it from dispersing and becoming extinct even after his parinirvāṇa, was itself the right cause of unsurpassed awakening. The qualities they would obtain could not be exhausted even if described throughout eons as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.

The World-Honored One then named bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, and other good men and women one by one. If they honor and revere this sūtra with offerings, copy it, circulate it, and explain it for others, the qualities they obtain will likewise be inexhaustible. The assembly should therefore cultivate and train diligently.

At that time, the measureless and boundless assembly, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, heard the Buddha’s teaching, greatly rejoiced, accepted it in faith, and put it into practice.