金光明最勝王經

Chapter 3: The Distinction of the Three Bodies

At that time, the great bodhisattva Akasagarbha rose from his seat in the great assembly, draped the upper fold of his Dharma robe over his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee touching the ground, reverently joined his palms, and bowed his head at the feet of the Blessed One. He offered Him a most excellent parasol adorned with banners and exquisite flowers of gold and jewels, and said: “Blessed One, how should bodhisattva-mahasattvas correctly cultivate the profound secrets of the Blessed Ones?”

The Blessed One said: “Good man, listen carefully and reflect well upon this. The Tathagata shall analyze and explain it for you.

“Good man, the Tathagatas have three bodies: first, the transformation body; second, the response body; and third, the Dharma body. These three bodies fully encompass unsurpassed bodhi. By correctly understanding them, one swiftly transcends birth and death.

“Good man, how should a bodhisattva understand the transformation body? He should understand that, while occupying the stage of cultivation in the past, the Tathagata cultivated the wondrous Dharma for the sake of sentient beings. He cultivated until reaching the stage of perfection. Through the power of this cultivation, He attained great mastery. Having attained mastery, He thoroughly knows the inclinations of sentient beings, the actions of sentient beings, and the worlds of sentient beings. Then, neither awaiting an opportunity nor missing an opportunity, He adapts to the place, the time, the activity, and the teaching of the Dharma, manifesting bodies of every kind. This is the transformation body.

“Good man, how should a bodhisattva understand the response body? He should understand that, to enable bodhisattvas to attain penetrating comprehension, the Tathagata teaches the ultimate truth: that birth and death and nirvana are thoroughly realized as one in essence; that the fear and elation of sentient beings who cling to a self are eliminated; and that this serves as the foundation for the boundless qualities of Buddhahood. Through the power of His original vows, in true accord with the suchness-wisdom of the principle of suchness, He forms a body possessing the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty beautiful characteristics, with a circular halo behind His neck. This is the response body.

“Good man, how should a bodhisattva understand the Dharma body? He should understand that, through eliminating the afflictive hindrances and the cognitive hindrances, and through perfecting wholesome dharmas, there remains only the principle of suchness and the wisdom of suchness ⁽¹²⁾. This is the Dharma body.

“Good man, the first two bodies exist provisionally; only the third body truly exists and serves as the foundation for the first two bodies. Why is this? Apart from the principle of suchness and the wisdom of suchness, the Tathagatas possess no qualities whatsoever. Yet the Tathagatas have perfected wisdom, utterly extinguished the afflictions, and attained the supremely pure stage of Buddhahood. Therefore, the principle of suchness and the wisdom of suchness encompass all the qualities of Buddhahood.

“Good man, the Tathagatas bring ultimate benefit to both themselves and others ⁽¹³⁾. Benefit to themselves is the principle of suchness. Benefit to others is the wisdom of suchness. The principle of suchness and the wisdom of suchness enable mastery in benefiting oneself and others and accomplish boundless wondrous functions; therefore, the qualities of Buddhahood have boundlessly diverse forms.

“Good man, just as various afflictions, various karmic activities, and various karmic results are spoken of on account of deluded conception, so too, the dharmas of the Buddhas, the dharmas of the Pratyekabuddhas, and the dharmas of the Sravakas are spoken of on account of the principle of suchness and the wisdom of suchness. Through the principle of suchness and the wisdom of suchness, all Buddha-Dharmas are freely and perfectly accomplished. This is a matter of the highest order, inconceivable and beyond deliberation.

“Good man, just as drawing objects in empty space is something difficult to conceive, so too is the accomplishment of the qualities of Buddhahood through the principle of suchness and the wisdom of suchness difficult to conceive. How can the principle of suchness and the wisdom of suchness, both being free from discrimination, nevertheless freely accomplish things? This is like the Tathagata entering nirvana yet, through the mastery of the power of His vows, accomplishing all manner of things. The principle of suchness and the wisdom of suchness freely accomplishing all things is likewise so.

“Good man, a bodhisattva-mahasattva enters the samadhi of no-mind ⁽¹⁴⁾, yet through the power of prior vows, upon emerging from samadhi, he still performs all things. Likewise, although the principle of suchness and the wisdom of suchness are free from discrimination, they still freely accomplish things. The sun and moon make no distinctions, water and mirrors make no distinctions, and light makes no distinctions; yet when these three come together, images appear. Likewise, the principle of suchness and the wisdom of suchness make no distinctions, yet through the mastery of the power of vows, sentient beings perceive the response body and the transformation body.

“Good man, in a great many bodies of water and mirrors, light causes images ⁽¹⁵⁾ of all different forms to appear, yet empty space has no such forms. So too, those who receive instruction and transformation are precisely the images of the Dharma body. Through the power of vows, the other two bodies possess all manner of forms and characteristics, but the Dharma body has no differentiated forms or characteristics.

“Good man, with reference to the two bodies, the Tathagatas are said to abide in nirvana with remainder; with reference to the Dharma body, the Tathagatas are said to abide in nirvana without remainder, because everything remaining has been utterly extinguished. Moreover, with reference to the three bodies, the Tathagatas are said not to abide in nirvana. The two bodies do not abide in nirvana, while apart from the Dharma body there is no independently existing Buddha body; [therefore, the Dharma body also does not abide in nirvana].

Why do the two bodies not abide in nirvana? Because they exist provisionally, arising and ceasing with each thought, neither remaining fixed nor appearing in any fixed manner. The Dharma body is not like this.

Thus, the two bodies do not abide in nirvana; and because the Dharma body is nondual [with the two bodies], it too does not abide in nirvana. Therefore, on the basis of the three bodies, the Tathagatas are said not to abide in nirvana ⁽¹⁶⁾.

“Good man, ordinary beings are bound and obstructed by three characteristics; thus, they remain far removed from the three bodies and do not attain them. What are these three characteristics? The first is the wholly imagined; the second is the dependent; and the third is the perfected. When these three characteristics cannot be understood [where understanding is required], cannot be eliminated [where elimination is required], and cannot be purified [where purification is required], the three bodies cannot be attained. When these three characteristics can be understood, eliminated, and purified, the three bodies of the Tathagatas are perfected.

“Good man, because ordinary beings have not yet eliminated the three minds, they remain far removed from the three bodies and cannot attain them. What are the three minds? The first is the mind that initiates activity; the second is the mind that relies upon the basis; and the third is the fundamental mind.

Through the path of temporary suppression, the mind that initiates activity is extinguished. Through the path of eradication, the mind that relies upon the basis is extinguished. Through the supreme path, the fundamental mind is extinguished.

When the mind that initiates activity is extinguished, the transformation body manifests. When the mind that relies upon the basis is extinguished, the response body is formed. When the fundamental mind is extinguished, the Dharma body is revealed.

Therefore, the Tathagatas possess all three bodies.

“Good man, in the first body, the Tathagatas are identical in their activities; in the second body, the Tathagatas are identical in their intent; and in the third body, the Tathagatas are identical in essential nature.

“Good man, because the inclinations of sentient beings are manifold, the first Buddha body manifests in manifold forms; therefore, this body is said to be many. Because the intent of the disciples has a single characteristic, the second Buddha body manifests a single characteristic; therefore, this body is said to be one. The third Buddha body transcends all forms and characteristics and does not belong to the domain of forms and characteristics; therefore, this body is said to be neither one nor different.

“Good man, the first body manifests in dependence upon the response body; the second body manifests in dependence upon the Dharma body; and the third body truly exists and requires no basis.”

Good man, the three bodies thus may be described as permanent, and they may be described as impermanent. The transformation body perpetually turns the Dharma wheel, responding to conditions everywhere through an unbroken continuity of skillful means, without ever coming to an end; therefore, it is described as permanent. Yet because it is not the fundamental basis and the fullness of its great function is not manifested, it is described as impermanent.

The response body has continued without interruption since beginningless time, encompassing all the distinctive qualities of the Tathagatas; because sentient beings are inexhaustible, its wondrous functions are also inexhaustible, and therefore it is described as permanent. Yet because it too is not the fundamental basis and the fullness of its great function is likewise not manifested, it is described as impermanent. The Dharma body is not conditioned ⁽¹⁷⁾, has no differentiated forms, and is the fundamental basis, like space; therefore, it is described as permanent.

Good man, apart from the wisdom of suchness, there is no higher wisdom; apart from the principle of suchness, there is no higher object of cognition. On the one hand is the suchness of all dharmas, and on the other is the suchness of wisdom; these two aspects of suchness are suchness itself, neither identical nor different. Therefore, the Dharma body is luminous in wisdom and luminous in cessation; through these two kinds of luminosity, the Dharma body is perfectly luminous.

Good man, when the three bodies are distinguished, there are four differences: there is a transformation body that is not a response body; there is a response body that is not a transformation body; there is a transformation body that is also a response body; and there is that which is neither a transformation body nor a response body. What is a transformation body that is not a response body? After the Tathagatas have entered nirvana, through the sovereign power of their great vows they continue to respond to conditions and benefit sentient beings.

What is a response body that is not a transformation body? It is the body seen by bodhisattvas below the ten bhumis ⁽¹⁸⁾. What is a transformation body that is also a response body?

It is the body abiding in nirvana with remainder. What is neither a transformation body nor a response body? It is precisely the Dharma body.

Good man, this Dharma body is revealed through the nonexistence of two things. What are these two things that do not exist? In the Dharma body, attachment to self and attachment to dharmas ⁽¹⁹⁾ are entirely empty.

It is neither existent nor nonexistent, neither one nor different, neither measurable nor beyond measure, neither wise nor ignorant. Thus, the wisdom of suchness does not perceive attachment to self or attachment to dharmas; it does not perceive either existence or nonexistence, and so forth, up to not perceiving either wisdom or ignorance. Therefore, you should know that the luminous object of cognition and luminous wisdom are indivisible and do not lie between [mutually opposed concepts].

Because it serves as the foundation of the truth of cessation and the truth of the path ⁽²⁰⁾, the Dharma body is fully capable of manifesting the various activities of the Tathagatas.

Good man, in this body ⁽²¹⁾, the body itself, its elements, the object of cognition, the objects acted upon, and the results all depend upon the fundamental basis [the principle of suchness] ⁽²²⁾, and it is truly difficult to conceive. If one understands this meaning, one knows that this body is the Great Vehicle, the essential nature of the Tathagata, and the tathagatagarbha ⁽²³⁾. Relying upon this body, the mind at the stage of initial aspiration and the mind at the stage of cultivation both manifest; the mind at the stage of non-retrogression also manifests; and the mind at the stage of being one birth away from Buddhahood, the mind at the vajra stage, and the mind at the stage of the Tathagata all manifest as well.

The immeasurable and boundless subtle qualities of the Tathagata also manifest. Good man, relying upon the Dharma body, great samadhi and great wisdom are accomplished; consequently, the transformation body, which relies upon great samadhi, and the response body, which relies upon great wisdom, are also accomplished. This Dharma body, by virtue of its own essence, is described as permanent and as self; by virtue of its great samadhi, it is described as bliss; and by virtue of its great wisdom, it is described as pure.

Therefore, the Tathagata is ever-abiding, sovereign, blissful, and pure ⁽²⁴⁾.

Through great samadhi, all meditative concentrations, the Surangama Samadhi and other equivalent samadhis, all foundations of mindfulness, the great foundation of mindfulness of the Dharma and other equivalent foundations of mindfulness, great loving-kindness and great compassion, all dharanis, all supernormal powers, all sovereignties, all equalities, and all such Buddha-dharmas are accomplished. Through great wisdom, the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four unobstructed eloquences, the one hundred and eighty unique qualities ⁽²⁵⁾, and all such inconceivable dharmas are accomplished.

Just as countless kinds of precious jewels arise from a wish-fulfilling jewel, so too, from the jewel of great samadhi and the jewel of great wisdom arise the countless wondrous Dharmas of the Tathagatas.

Good man, this Dharma body, together with its great samadhi and great wisdom, entirely transcends all concepts ⁽²⁶⁾, clings to no concept whatsoever, cannot be discriminated, and is neither eternalism nor annihilationism; this is called the Middle Way ⁽²⁷⁾. Although distinctions are made, its essential nature is without discrimination; although it is enumerated as three ⁽²⁸⁾, its essential nature is not three. It neither increases nor decreases and is like a dream or illusion, without a grasping subject or a grasped object.

It is the Dharma essence of suchness, the abode of liberation, transcending the domain of the king of death and also transcending the darkness of birth and death. It is a place that sentient beings cannot cultivate or attain [through their own concepts], and it is the abiding place of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Good man, it is like a person who, wishing to obtain gold, searches everywhere and finds a gold mine. He then breaks up the ore, selects the finer portions, and places them in a furnace to be refined, thereby producing pure gold. Although all kinds of ornaments are fashioned from it, and although the ornaments differ, the gold itself does not change.

Therefore, good man, any good man or good woman who seeks transcendent liberation and cultivates roots of goodness within the worldly sphere ⁽²⁹⁾ will come to see the Tathagatas and their disciples, draw near to them, and ask, “O Blessed One, what is good? What is evil? What is the correct practice by which pure conduct may be attained?” When the Tathagatas and their disciples hear this question, they think, “This good man or good woman seeks purity and wishes to hear the true Dharma.” Having thought thus, they teach and awaken them.

After hearing the teaching, these people accurately retain it, arouse the resolve to practice, acquire the power of diligent effort, remove the obstruction of indolence, and extinguish all transgressions. Regarding the precepts, they free themselves from irreverence and put an end to both restlessness and regret; they thereby enter the first bhumi. Through the mind of this first bhumi, they remove the obstruction to benefiting sentient beings and thus enter the second bhumi.

In the second bhumi, they remove the obstruction to refraining from oppressing and troubling sentient beings and thus enter the third bhumi. In the third bhumi, they remove the obstruction to a gentle and luminous mind and thus enter the fourth bhumi. In the fourth bhumi, they remove the obstruction to skillful means and thus enter the fifth bhumi.

In the fifth bhumi, they remove the obstruction arising from viewing ultimate truth and conventional truth as opposed to one another and thus enter the sixth bhumi. In the sixth bhumi, they remove the obstruction arising from perceiving characteristics of conditioned activity and thus enter the seventh bhumi. In the seventh bhumi, they remove the obstruction arising from not perceiving cessation and thus enter the eighth bhumi.

In the eighth bhumi, they remove the obstruction arising from not perceiving arising and thus enter the ninth bhumi. In the ninth bhumi, they remove the obstruction to the six superknowledges and thus enter the tenth bhumi. In the tenth bhumi, they remove the obstruction arising from ignorance concerning the knowable dharmas and eliminate the fundamental mind, thereby entering the stage of the Tathagata.

Because the stage of the Tathagata is luminous through three kinds of purity, it is called supremely luminous. What are these three? First, it is luminous through the removal of afflictions.

Second, it is luminous through the removal of suffering. Third, it is luminous through the removal of habitual tendencies. Just as genuine gold flows forth when refined by fire, and after refinement no impure ore remains, this demonstrates that the gold was originally pure, not that there was no gold.

Just as dirty water becomes clear when filtered, and no sediment remains, this demonstrates that the water was originally transparent, not that there was no water. So it is also with the Dharma body: it is originally free from afflictions, and when suffering and habitual tendencies have been eliminated, no residual habits remain. This demonstrates that the essential nature of the Dharma body was originally luminous, not that there is no essential nature.

Just as space may be obscured by smoke, clouds, dust, and mist, yet when these obscurations are removed, space is luminous—not that there was no space—so too is the Dharma body. When every form of suffering has been completely removed, it is said to be luminous; this does not mean that the Dharma body has no essential nature. It is like a person who, in a dream, sees himself being swept along by the current of a great river.

Exerting both arms and legs, he swims across and reaches the opposite shore because his entire body and mind are neither indolent nor retreating. When he awakens from the dream, he no longer sees the water, this shore, or the other shore, yet this does not mean there is no mind. When the deluded conceptions of samsara have been entirely eliminated, wisdom is luminous; this does not mean there is no wisdom.

Thus, because all deluded conceptions cease to arise within the Dharma body, it is said to be luminous; this does not mean that the Tathagatas lack true substance.

Furthermore, good man, through purifying the obstruction of afflictions, the Dharma body manifests the response body; through purifying karmic obstruction, it manifests the transformation body; and through purifying the obstruction to knowledge, the Dharma body manifests itself. It is like electrical power arising by virtue of space, and light arising by virtue of electrical power. In the same way, through the Dharma body the response body is manifested, and through the response body the transformation body is manifested.

Through purity of essence, the Dharma body manifests itself; through purity of wisdom, the response body is manifested; and through purity of meditative concentration, the transformation body is manifested. These three kinds of purity are the Suchness of the Dharma nature, the Suchness of non-difference, the Suchness of a single flavor, the Suchness of liberation, and the Suchness of the ultimate. Therefore, the Tathagatas do not differ in their essential nature.

Good man, if any good man or good woman says, “The Blessed One is my supreme Teacher,” and holds this conviction with resolute faith, that person, from the depths of the mind, comprehends that the Dharma bodies of the Tathagatas are without difference. Moreover, good man, for this reason, that person entirely removes all incorrect thinking with regard to dharmas and knows that dharmas transcend the two extremes, are free from discrimination, and are the practice of the noble ones.

In whatever manner one correctly cultivates freedom from the two extremes with regard to dharmas, in that same manner one removes the obstructions. In whatever manner the obstructions are removed, in that same manner the principle of Suchness and the wisdom of Suchness become supremely luminous. In whatever manner the principle of Suchness and the wisdom of Suchness become luminous, in that same manner all forms of mastery become all-encompassing and complete, and everything is accomplished.

The removal and purification of all obstructions constitute the true character of the principle of Suchness and the wisdom of Suchness. To see in this way is the vision of a noble one, and this is called truly seeing the Tathagata. Why is this so?

Because it is seeing the principle of Suchness of all dharmas precisely as it truly is. Therefore, the Tathagatas see and know all Tathagatas. Although the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas have transcended the three realms, even when they seek it, they are unable to see and know the principle of Suchness.

If even these noble ones are unable to see and know it, how much less can ordinary beings, who are beset by doubt, discrimination, error, and confusion, transcend to it? It is like a hare attempting to swim across the great ocean: it cannot cross because its strength is far too feeble. Ordinary beings are likewise unable to penetrate the principle of Suchness of all dharmas.

The Tathagatas, however, have transcended discrimination and therefore attain great mastery over all dharmas, fully possessing luminous and profound wisdom. This is the domain of the Tathagatas and is not shared with others. Thus one should know that, throughout innumerable kalpas, the Tathagatas did not cherish their own lives but practiced difficult ascetic practices, and only then attained the supreme Dharma body, which is unequaled, inconceivable, beyond the domain of language, tranquil and wondrous, and utterly free from all fear ⁽³⁰⁾.

Thus, good man, to see and know all dharmas in accordance with suchness and principle is to have no birth, no aging, and no death; an inexhaustible lifespan; no sleep or rest; no hunger or thirst; a mind ever abiding in meditative concentration, without disturbance or agitation. If one disputes concerning the Tathagata, then one cannot behold the Tathagata. Whatever the Tathagatas say brings benefit; whoever hears it attains liberation; and because they hear the Dharma, their blessed recompense is inexhaustible, so that they never encounter ferocious birds, savage beasts, evil people, or malevolent spirits.

Yet the Tathagatas have nothing indeterminate ⁽³¹⁾; they do not give rise to a mind that wishes to know all dharmas [and yet naturally know them all]; nor do they conceive samsara and nirvana as different. Whatever the Tathagatas determine is certain. Every movement of the Tathagatas is wholly wisdom; all their deeds are wholly compassion; there is nothing that is not for the benefit, peace, and happiness of sentient beings.

Good man, any good man or good woman who hears, believes, and understands this Sutra of Golden Light will not fall into the realms of hell beings, hungry ghosts, animals, or asuras, but will always be born among humans and devas, never in lowly places; will draw near to the Tathagatas and hear and receive the true Dharma; and will always be born in the pure worlds of the Tathagatas. All these attainments arise from hearing this exceedingly profound sutra and Dharma.

Such a good man or good woman is seen and known by the Tathagata and has been given the prediction of attaining non-retrogression from unsurpassed bodhi. If this exceedingly profound sutra and Dharma merely passes through the hearing of any good man or good woman, one should know that this person will not slander the Buddha, destroy the Dharma, or despise the Sangha. Those who have not yet planted roots of goodness, they cause to plant them; those who have already planted roots of goodness, they cause to increase and mature them.

They encourage everyone in every world to practice the six paramitas.

At that time, the great bodhisattva Akasagarbha, Brahma, Sakra, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the devas immediately rose from their seats, bared their right shoulders, reverently joined their palms, bowed their heads at the feet of the Blessed One, and said: “Blessed One, wherever this wondrous Sutra of Golden Light is expounded, that country will obtain four benefits. First, the royal army will be powerful and flourishing, without enemies; the king and the people will be free from illness, live long, enjoy peace and auspiciousness, and cause the Buddha-Dharma to prosper.

Second, the royal house and its ministers will live together in harmony and delight, remaining far removed from flattery and deceit, and the king will also honor and esteem them. Third, monastics and the people of the country will truly practice the Buddha-Dharma, be free from illness and dwell in peace and happiness; no one will die an untimely death, and all fields of merit will be served. Fourth, by day and night their bodies will be balanced, at ease, and comfortable; the devas will increasingly preserve and protect them; their minds will be compassionate and impartial, without injury or harm; and everyone will take refuge in and honor the Three Jewels, and everyone will aspire to cultivate the bodhisattva practice.

Such are the four benefits. Blessed One, in order to cause this sutra and Dharma to spread widely, we too will constantly watch over those who receive and uphold it; wherever they may be, we will bring them benefit.” The Blessed One said: “Excellent, good men! You should act exactly in this way.

Strive to propagate this wondrous sutra, sovereign among sutras, and thereby cause the Buddha-Dharma to abide in the world for a long time.”

Chapter 4: The Sound of the Golden Drum (32)

At that time, the bodhisattva Ruciraketu personally heard the wondrous Dharma spoken by the Blessed One. Joyful and inspired, he contemplated it single-mindedly and returned to his former dwelling. That night, the bodhisattva dreamed of a great drum of pure gold, radiating brilliant light like the disk of the sun.

Within that light, the bodhisattva beheld the Blessed Ones throughout the ten directions, all seated upon lapis lazuli Dharma thrones beneath jeweled trees and surrounded by a great assembly of countless beings. The bodhisattva also saw a brahmin holding a drumstick and striking that golden drum, from which issued a mighty sound. That sound proclaimed wondrous verses expressing the sublime Dharma of repentance.

Having heard them, the bodhisattva Ruciraketu retained them all in his memory, fixing them in his mind as clearly as if they were before his eyes. At daybreak, the bodhisattva, together with hundreds of thousands of people bearing offerings, departed the city of Rajagriha, ascended Vulture Peak, and came to the place where the Blessed One was. The bodhisattva bowed his head at the Blessed One’s feet, arranged incense and flowers, circumambulated him three times, withdrew, and sat to one side.

Reverently joining his palms and gazing upon the honored countenance, he said: “Blessed One, last night I dreamed of a brahmin holding a drumstick in his hand and striking a most beautiful drum made of gold, from which issued a very mighty sound. That sound proclaimed wondrous verses expressing the sublime Dharma of repentance. Having heard them, I retained them all in my mind.

I respectfully beseech the Blessed One, in his great loving-kindness and great compassion, to permit me to recount them.” Before the Blessed One, the bodhisattva Ruciraketu then spoke these verses:

⁽¹⁾ Last night,

within a dream I saw

a drum made of gold,

immense and beautiful;

throughout the drum’s entire body

golden light was shining.

⁽²⁾ Like the disk of the sun,

that radiance

shone brilliantly throughout

the worlds of the ten directions,

enabling everyone to behold

all the Blessed Ones.

⁽³⁾ Beneath jeweled trees,

they all sat upon

lapis lazuli Dharma thrones,

while thousands of people,

with utmost reverence,

surrounded them.

⁽⁴⁾ A brahmin,

holding a drumstick, struck

the golden drum,

which gave forth a mighty sound;

and that very sound

issuing from the drum

proclaimed the following

wondrous verses.

⁽⁵⁾ The radiant golden drum

gave forth a wondrous sound

that resounded throughout

the entire great trichiliocosm,

eradicating the gravest offenses

within the three evil destinies,

together with all the suffering and distress

among humankind.

⁽⁶⁾ The awe-inspiring power of the sound

of this golden drum

utterly eradicates

all afflictive hindrances,

dispels fear,

and brings peace and happiness,

just like the sovereign

Sage Muni himself.

⁽⁷⁾ Within the very midst

of the ocean of birth and death,

the Blessed One cultivated the path

and attained all-knowing wisdom,

enabling sentient beings

to perfect all factors of awakening

and ultimately return to

the ocean of merit.

⁽⁸⁾ The golden drum gives forth

a wondrous sound;

those who hear it will all attain

the profound Brahma voice,

and thereafter realize

unsurpassed bodhi,

constantly turning the Dharma wheel,

pure and wondrous.

⁽⁹⁾ They will also attain a lifespan

beyond conception,

expound the Dharma according to what is fitting

to benefit sentient beings,

cut off the current

of every kind of suffering and affliction,

and eradicate as well

all defilements.

⁽¹⁰⁾ Those who dwell within

most dreadful destinies,

with raging flames

enveloping their entire bodies,

upon hearing the wondrous sound

of this golden drum,

will immediately escape suffering

and take refuge in the Buddha.

⁽¹¹⁾ They will then attain

knowledge of former lives,

remembering the past

for hundreds of thousands of lifetimes;

thus they will also recollect

the Great Muni

and hear his

profound sutras and Dharma.

⁽¹²⁾ Through hearing the wondrous sound

issuing from the golden drum,

they will always draw near

to all the Blessed Ones;

they will also always abandon

every evil deed

and purely cultivate

all kinds of wholesome dharmas.

⁽¹³⁾ Whatever all sentient beings—

humans and devas—

earnestly and sincerely

pray and aspire for,

upon hearing the wondrous sound

issuing from the golden drum,

all those prayers and aspirations

will be fulfilled.

⁽¹⁴⁾ Those who have fallen into

the Avici hell,

where raging flames flare up

and burn their bodies,

and those who abide in places

where no one can rescue or protect them,

upon hearing the sound of the golden drum,

will be freed from all suffering.

⁽¹⁵⁾ Devas, humans,

and beings of other kinds,

whoever are presently undergoing

so many sufferings and tribulations,

but upon hearing the wondrous sound

issuing from the golden drum,

their suffering also comes to an end

and they attain liberation.

⁽¹⁶⁾ I pray that all

the Two-Footed Honored Ones

now dwelling throughout

the worlds of the ten directions,

with hearts of great compassion,

will be mindful of me.

⁽¹⁷⁾ For all those

who have nowhere to take refuge

and no one to protect them,

I vow to become

a great refuge

for those beings.

⁽¹⁸⁾ However many transgressions

I committed in the past,

including among them

extremely grave evil karma,

today, before

the Possessors of the Ten Powers,

I wholeheartedly and sincerely

repent of them all.

⁽¹⁹⁾ I did not have faith in

the Blessed Ones,

nor did I honor

my parents, elders, and teachers;

I did not diligently cultivate

all manner of wholesome karma,

and thus I constantly created

so much evil karma.

⁽²⁰⁾ I was conceited about

my honor and high standing,

lineage and social rank,

wealth and position;

I was conceited about my youth and strength,

arrogant, extravagant, and unrestrained,

and thus I constantly created

so much evil karma.

⁽²¹⁾ My mind continually

gave rise to wrong thoughts;

my mouth uttered malicious words,

and I did not perceive my faults,

and thus I constantly created

so much evil karma.

⁽²²⁾ I continually

engaged in the deeds of ordinary beings,

obscured by the darkness of ignorance

and following unwholesome friends,

and thus I constantly created

so much evil karma.

⁽²³⁾ Whether through indulgence in pleasures

or through dejection,

with craving and anger

knotted within my heart,

I constantly created

so much evil karma.

⁽²⁴⁾ Associating closely with evil people,

being miserly and envious,

impoverished and distressed,

flattering and deceitful,

I constantly created

so much evil karma.

⁽²⁵⁾ There were also times

when I took no pleasure in evil,

but because of fear

or because I was commanded,

I constantly created

so much evil karma.

⁽²⁶⁾ Whether through restlessness,

through hatred,

or through the torment

and affliction of hunger and thirst,

I constantly created

so much evil karma.

⁽²⁷⁾ For the sake of food and clothing,

because of lust for women,

and because the fires of affliction

scorched and consumed me,

I constantly created

so much evil karma.

⁽²⁸⁾ Failing to honor and revere

the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha,

I created

the evil karma described above;

today I repent

of it all.

⁽²⁹⁾ Failing also to honor

pratyekabuddhas and bodhisattvas,

I created

the evil karma described above;

today I repent

of it all.

⁽³⁰⁾ Slandering the Buddha-Dharma

and being unfilial toward my parents,

I created

the evil karma described above;

today I repent

of it all.

⁽³¹⁾ Being foolish and arrogant,

greedy and angry,

I created

the evil karma described above;

today I repent

of it all.

⁽³²⁾ Throughout all worlds,

I make immeasurable offerings

to the Blessed Ones;

I vow to rescue

all sentient beings

and free them from suffering and tribulation.

⁽³³⁾ I pray that sentient beings

may abide in the ten bhumis,

perfect merit and wisdom,

and, having attained Buddhahood,

guide all those

who are deluded and ignorant.

⁽³⁴⁾ For the sake of sentient beings,

I shall practice austerities

for hundreds of thousands of kalpas,

and with the power of great wisdom

cause them

to cross beyond the ocean of suffering.

⁽³⁵⁾ For the sake of sentient beings,

I shall expound the scripture of

Golden Light,

this supreme sutra

whose power can eliminate

all manner of evil karma.

⁽³⁶⁾ Those who, throughout

hundreds of thousands of kalpas,

have committed many transgressions

of utmost gravity

can also eliminate them

if they openly confess them.

⁽³⁷⁾ If, in accordance with the scripture of

Golden Light,

one repents as described above,

then all the evil karma

that has caused suffering

will swiftly be utterly extinguished.

⁽³⁸⁾ The hundreds and thousands

of sublime samadhis,

together with inconceivable

dharanis,

the five faculties, the five powers,

the seven factors of awakening,

the Noble Eightfold Path,

and the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment—

I vow constantly

to cultivate them without weariness.

⁽³⁹⁾ And I shall attain

the ten bodhisattva bhumis,

where all manner

of precious qualities abound;

I shall perfect all

the qualities of a Buddha

and rescue sentient beings,

carrying them beyond the stream of birth and death.

⁽⁴⁰⁾ The vast ocean

of the fruit of Buddhahood,

the treasury

of profound merit,

and the wondrous, inconceivable

wisdom—

I vow to accomplish them

in their entirety.

⁽⁴¹⁾ I pray that the Blessed Ones

of the ten directions

will watch over and remain mindful of me,

and, with hearts of great compassion,

mercifully accept

my repentance.

⁽⁴²⁾ Throughout many kalpas

I created evil karma,

and because of that evil karma

suffering arose;

may the Buddhas compassionately

eliminate it for me.

⁽⁴³⁾ Because I created evil karma,

I am constantly fearful;

in all my movements—

walking, standing, lying down, or sitting—

I have never experienced

even the slightest joy.

⁽⁴⁴⁾ Greatly compassionate Blessed One,

who removes all the fears

of sentient beings,

I pray that you accept

my repentance

and free me from fear.

⁽⁴⁵⁾ I am burdened with

the hindrance of afflictions, the hindrance of karma,

and the hindrance of retribution;

I pray that the Blessed One

will cleanse them completely

with the water of great compassion.

⁽⁴⁶⁾ The evil karma of the past

and the evil karma of the present

that I have created,

I now sincerely

confess in full

and pray that it all be extinguished.

⁽⁴⁷⁾ As for all evil karma

in the future,

I shall guard against it

and prevent it from arising;

should I violate

this vow,

I shall never dare

to conceal it.

⁽⁴⁸⁾ The body has three karmas,

speech has four karmas,

and mind has three karmas;

these have bound sentient beings

continuously and without interruption

since beginningless time.

⁽⁴⁹⁾ Through body, speech, and mind,

the ten evil deeds are committed;

such transgressions

take many forms.

Today I repent

of them all.

⁽⁵⁰⁾ For the evil karma I have committed,

I myself must undergo

the painful evil retribution

[if I do not repent];

today, before

the Blessed Ones,

I sincerely repent

of it all.

⁽⁵¹⁾ Whatever wholesome karma

there may be

on the continent of Jambudvipa

and throughout all worlds,

today I rejoice

in it all.

⁽⁵⁰⁾ May I abandon the ten evil deeds,

may I cultivate the ten wholesome deeds,

abide in the ten bhumis,

and always behold the Blessed Ones.

⁽⁵³⁾ Whatever deeds of

merit and wisdom

I have cultivated through

body, speech, and mind,

I dedicate

all such wholesome karma

to swiftly attaining

unsurpassed wisdom.

⁽⁵⁴⁾ Now, in person,

before the Blessed Ones,

I sincerely disclose

my many grievous tribulations:

the tribulation of ignorance

and delusion within the three realms;

the tribulation of constantly committing

extremely grave evil karma;

⁽⁵⁵⁾ the tribulation of accumulating

craving and wrong views;

the tribulation of the continual flow

of craving and attachment;

the tribulation of clinging to

the realm of existence;

the tribulation consisting entirely of

the afflictions of ordinary beings;

⁽⁵⁶⁾ the tribulation of wild abandon,

restlessness, and confusion;

the tribulation of closely associating

with unwholesome friends;

the tribulation of craving and defilement

within samsara;

the tribulation of acting wickedly

through anger, delusion, and stupidity;

⁽⁵⁷⁾ the tribulation of being born in

the eight inopportune states ⁽³³⁾ ;

the tribulation of never having

accumulated merit;

now, before

the Supremely Victorious Ones,

I repent of these countless

grievous tribulations.

⁽⁵⁸⁾ Now I take refuge

in the Sugatas

and reverently bow to those

whose ocean of virtues is unsurpassed;

You, the great golden mountain

whose radiance shines everywhere,

I pray that you compassionately

bestow your protection upon me.

⁽⁵⁹⁾ The Buddha’s body blazes with

golden light;

the Buddha’s eyes resemble

deep-blue vaidurya;

O Auspicious One,

uniquely exalted in majestic virtue,

with the sun

of your great compassion,

you dispel the darkness

of all sentient beings.

⁽⁶⁰⁾ The Buddha is like the sun,

shining brightly everywhere,

its light unclouded,

its radiance free from dust and defilement;

the Buddha is like the moon,

shining with cool light,

whose radiance dispels the burning heat

of all afflictions.

⁽⁶¹⁾ The thirty-two excellent marks

majestically adorn his entire body;

the eighty minor characteristics

perfect his whole person.

His merit is supreme,

inconceivable and ineffable,

like the great sun

illuminating the world.

⁽⁶²⁾ His form-body resembles

transparent vaidurya

and also the full moon

suspended in the open sky.

His golden body seems covered

by a crystal net,

resplendent with

multicolored rays of light.

⁽⁶³⁾ In the torrent of

the suffering of birth and death,

old age, sickness, and sorrow

sweeping sentient beings away;

such a sea of suffering

is difficult to endure,

yet the sun of the Buddha

shines and dries it up.

⁽⁶⁴⁾ I bow before the One

of omniscient wisdom,

the rarest One

in the great trichiliocosm,

whose purple-gold body

shines resplendently,

whose person is adorned

with every excellence.

⁽⁶⁵⁾ You are like the great ocean,

vast and difficult to fathom;

You are like the great earth,

whose minute dust motes are hard to count;

You are like a lofty mountain,

whose weight is hard to measure;

You are like space,

whose bounds are hard to reach.

⁽⁶⁶⁾ Such are the Buddha's virtues,

which sentient beings cannot know;

the more they ponder and examine them

through countless kalpas,

the less can they discern

the shore of the ocean of the Buddha's virtues.

⁽⁶⁷⁾ Though one ground the great earth to dust

and calculated every atom,

and calculated every drop of water

in the entire ocean,

still the number of the Buddha's virtues

could never be known.

⁽⁶⁸⁾ Even if all sentient beings

joined together in praise

of the qualities and renown,

the pure marks and excellences,

and the subtle majesty

of the Blessed One,

they would still be unable

to reach their limit.

⁽⁶⁹⁾ Whatever wholesome karma

I have acquired,

I vow swiftly to become

the Unsurpassed One,

to expound the Dharma abundantly

for the benefit of living beings,

and to cause them all

to be liberated from suffering.

⁽⁷⁰⁾ Having conquered Mara's armies

of immense power,

I shall set in motion the wheel

of the supreme true Dharma;

remaining in the world for

incalculable periods of time,

I shall satisfy sentient beings

with the nectar of immortality.

⁽⁷¹⁾ Just as in the past

the Supremely Victorious Ones

perfectly fulfilled

the six paramitas,

destroyed craving,

anger, and delusion,

eliminated the afflictions,

and utterly severed suffering,

⁽⁷²⁾ I vow always to attain

the knowledge of former lives,

remembering the past

for hundreds of thousands of lives;

above all, may I constantly remember

the Great Sage

and hear from Him

the exceedingly profound wondrous Dharma.

⁽⁷³⁾ May I know how to use

such wholesome roots

to serve boundlessly

all the Supremely Victorious Ones,

to depart far from every

cause of unwholesome karma,

and always cultivate

the true wondrous Dharma.

⁽⁷⁴⁾ May I cause sentient beings

in every world

to escape suffering and distress

and realize genuine peace and happiness;

and those whose faculties

are not complete,

may I cause them to obtain

fully formed bodies.

⁽⁷⁵⁾ Those who encounter

the suffering of illness,

whose bodies are weak

and who have nowhere to rely,

I shall cause to be freed

from every pain of sickness,

and to possess in full

health and excellent physical marks.

⁽⁷⁶⁾ Those who have broken the law

and are about to be executed,

tormented by suffering

and racked by fear;

when their agony

has reached such an extreme

and they know no one

to whom they may turn, I shall save them.

⁽⁷⁷⁾ Those who are beaten and tortured,

confined in cangues, fetters, and chains,

whose bodies are tormented

by every kind of instrument of punishment,

while countless

fears and anxieties

afflict their minds,

leaving them no peace or happiness;

⁽⁷⁸⁾ I shall cause them

to escape imprisonment

and all the instruments of punishment

that have brought them suffering;

those about to be executed

shall have their lives preserved,

and all their other sufferings

shall also cease forever.

⁽⁷⁹⁾ When sentient beings

are ravaged by hunger and thirst,

I shall cause them

to enjoy every delicacy;

I shall cause the blind to see,

the deaf to hear,

the lame to walk,

and the mute to speak.

⁽⁸⁰⁾ Those who are poor

shall obtain treasuries,

and their granaries and storehouses shall overflow,

lacking nothing whatsoever.

I shall cause everyone

to enjoy supreme happiness,

so that not a single being

must undergo suffering.

⁽⁸¹⁾ Everyone shall become

pleasing for all to behold,

graceful in bearing

yet dignified;

each shall obtain

peace and happiness in the present,

a life of abundance,

and complete merit and virtue.

⁽⁸²⁾ Whenever sentient beings

wish for music,

exquisite music

shall sound at once;

and whenever they think of water,

cool water shall fill the ponds,

with golden lotuses

floating upon it.

⁽⁸³⁾ Whenever sentient beings

wish for necessities,

they shall have them all:

food, clothing, seats, and beds,

abundant gold and jewels,

abundant lapis lazuli,

pearl necklaces and bracelets—

everything shall be complete.

⁽⁸⁴⁾ I shall also cause sentient beings

never to hear harsh sounds

or behold

anything displeasing;

their countenances shall all

be handsome and dignified,

and they shall treat one another

entirely with loving-kindness.

⁽⁸⁵⁾ Whatever provisions for a happy life

they desire shall be present in full;

whatever gold and jewels they obtain,

they shall never begrudge,

but shall distribute them to all

who are in need.

⁽⁸⁶⁾ Every kind of incense

and every kind of flower

shall fall from the trees

three times each day;

they shall enjoy them as they wish,

their hearts filled with joy.

⁽⁸⁷⁾ I vow that all sentient beings

shall know how to make offerings

to the Supremely Victorious Ones

throughout the worlds of the ten directions;

to make offerings to the wondrous Dharma,

perfectly complete in the three

radiant vehicles;

and to make offerings to the noble Sangha,

complete with bodhisattvas,

pratyekabuddhas, and shravakas.

⁽⁸⁸⁾ I vow that no sentient being

shall dwell in

lowly places

or amid the eight difficulties;

may they always be born as humans

capable of cultivation,

and always be able to serve

all the Blessed Ones.

⁽⁸⁹⁾ I vow that sentient beings

shall be born into wealthy and noble families,

with property and treasures

filling their storehouses and granaries;

may their appearance and renown

be beyond compare,

and may their lives extend

through many long kalpas.

⁽⁹⁰⁾ I vow that female sentient beings

shall become male,

intelligent and strong,

possessing broad wisdom and many abilities;

and may everyone follow

the bodhisattva path,

diligently cultivating

the six paramitas.

⁽⁹¹⁾ I vow that sentient beings

shall constantly behold the Buddhas,

seated upon jeweled thrones

beneath jeweled trees—

lion thrones

made of lapis lazuli—

and personally hear

the Buddhas turn the Dharma wheel.

⁽⁹²⁾ If, throughout the past and present,

while wandering in samsara

within the three realms,

I have created evil karma

capable of bringing

hateful evil retribution,

I vow that it shall be entirely extinguished,

without the slightest remainder.

⁽⁹³⁾ In the ocean of existence ⁽³⁴⁾,

countless sentient beings

are tightly bound

within the net of birth and death;

for their sake, I vow

to cut through that net

with the sword of wisdom,

causing them swiftly

to escape birth and death

and attain awakening.

⁽⁹⁴⁾ Whatever supreme merit

has been created by sentient beings

on the continent of Jambudvipa

or in other worlds,

I now vow

to rejoice in it all.

⁽⁹⁵⁾ I vow to employ

this rejoicing,

together with every wholesome deed

of body, speech, and mind,

to cause supreme karma

to increase continually

and swiftly realize

great awakening.

⁽⁹⁶⁾ Whatever supreme merit arises

from revering and praising

the virtues of the Buddhas,

with a profound mind

utterly pure

and free from the least defilement,

I dedicate it all

and make these vows;

thus, for sixty kalpas,

I shall transcend the evil destinies.

⁽⁹⁷⁾ If any good man

or good woman,

or any member of a noble lineage,

such as a brahmin,

joins their palms and wholeheartedly

praises the Buddhas,

wherever that person is born,

they shall remember their former lives,

⁽⁹⁸⁾ possess complete faculties

and a perfectly formed body,

and fulfill every

supreme virtue;

wherever they are born

in the future,

gods and humans

shall always look upon them with reverence.

⁽⁹⁹⁾ Such a person did not cultivate

wholesome roots in the presence

of merely one Buddha

or ten Buddhas

and thereby come now to hear

this Dharma of repentance;

rather, only by planting

wholesome roots in the presence

of hundreds of thousands of Buddhas

could one come to hear

such a wondrous Dharma

of repentance as this.

At that time, after hearing these verses, the Blessed One praised the bodhisattva Ruciraketu, saying: “Excellent, good man! The sound issuing from the golden drum that you saw in your dream praised the virtues of the Buddhas and the wondrous Dharma of repentance. Whoever hears such a sound also gains immense merit. That sound brings vast benefit to countless sentient beings and removes their karmic hindrances. You should know that this supreme event occurred because, through the force of past habits, you have long been accustomed to praising the Buddhas, repenting, and making vows, and also because the Buddhas empowered and sustained you with their majestic power. The Tathagata shall later explain this cause for your sake ⁽³⁵⁾.”

At that time, everyone in the great assembly who heard this Dharma discourse rejoiced, faithfully accepted it, and practiced it accordingly.

Notes:

⁽¹²⁾ Suchness: alike, alike. Its precise meaning is non-discrimination.

⁽¹³⁾ The original text reads “self and other”; more precisely, it should be translated as “subject and object.”

⁽¹⁴⁾ Samadhis in which thought and sensation have ceased, such as the samadhi of non-perception and the samadhi of cessation.

⁽¹⁵⁾ A spatial image is an image that exists in space and by virtue of space; if there were no empty space, no image could exist.

⁽¹⁶⁾ It should also say “not abiding in samsara” (Taishō 39/217).

⁽¹⁷⁾ The original text reads “conditioned dharmas”: dharmas characterized by change (that is, the conditioned).

⁽¹⁸⁾ In fact, all ten bhumis should also be mentioned, because this is the enjoyment body for others.

⁽¹⁹⁾ The original text reads “characteristics and the bases of characteristics.” Taishō 39/222 explains these as the selfhood of persons and the selfhood of dharmas. I understand it somewhat differently: “characteristics” means persons and dharmas conceived as selves, while “the bases of characteristics” means the defiled aspect of dependent arising. Therefore, “characteristics and the bases of characteristics” should properly be translated as “illusions and the bases of illusions.”

⁽²⁰⁾ Nirvana and the path leading to nirvana.

⁽²¹⁾ This body means this very body, our own body; more precisely, it is the “excellent body” (a body superior to the ordinary), the “vessel of the Way” (a vessel containing the Buddha-Dharma) mentioned in note 22. See that note as well.

⁽²²⁾ The original text reads: “this body, causes and conditions, sphere, locus, result, and reliance upon the basis.” According to Taishō 39/223, “body” (one’s own body) is the karmic recompense through which the excellent body is obtained as a vessel containing the true Dharma, and this is the ripened result. “Causes and conditions” (factors) are the excellent wholesome deeds cultivated in a previous life, and this is the dominant result.

“Sphere” (object-field) is bodhi and nirvana, the objects of the concordant result. “Locus” (object) is great bodhi, which is sought through the result of personal effort. “The result relies upon the basis” means “result”; however, when the four characters are joined as a single term, they must be translated as “basis”—namely, the result of freedom from bondage, which does not depart from the principle of suchness.

I do not agree with this punctuation, however, and therefore have punctuated and translated the passage as presented in my translation.

⁽²³⁾ The original text reads “Mahayana, Tathagata-nature, Tathagata-garbha.”

⁽²⁴⁾ Sovereignty means self. The self among the four virtues of the Buddha’s nirvana does not mean a controlling agent, which is the concept of self held by attachment to self.

⁽²⁵⁾ These are the thirty-two excellent marks, the eighty secondary marks, the eighteen distinctive qualities, the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, great compassion, the three mindful equanimities, and the thirty-two unique attainments. See Taishō 39/224–226.

⁽²⁶⁾ The original text here reads “characteristic.”

⁽²⁷⁾ Here it means being free from the two extremes.

⁽²⁸⁾ These are the Dharma-body, great samadhi, and great wisdom.

⁽²⁹⁾ The original text reads “worldly wholesome qualities”; in full, “worldly roots of virtue,” as contrasted with supramundane roots of virtue.

⁽³⁰⁾ There are five fears: fear of lacking the necessities of life, fear of death, fear of the lower realms, fear of ill repute, and fear of public assemblies.

⁽³¹⁾ It is neutral—neither wholesome nor unwholesome—scattered and uncontrolled.

⁽³²⁾ Translated in full: dreaming of a golden drum emitting sounds that proclaim the wondrous Dharma of repentance.

⁽³³⁾ The eight unfavorable states are hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals (because their suffering is too great); Uttarakuru (because its pleasure is too great); the realm of long-lived devas (because it is too secure); being deaf, blind, mute, or speech-impaired; possessing worldly knowledge and eloquence (being exceedingly clever in worldly matters); and being born before or after a Buddha (when the Buddha-Dharma is no longer present). These are called the eight difficulties, because they make it difficult to see a Buddha and hear the Dharma; they are also called states without leisure, because they allow no opportunity for spiritual cultivation.

⁽³⁴⁾ The original text reads “the ocean of existence,” referring to the three realms, which are enumerated as twenty-five states of existence. “Existence” means existence within samsara, not nirvana, contrary to non-Buddhist attachments concerning no fewer than three of those twenty-five states of existence.

⁽³⁵⁾ This is explained in Chapter 7 of Volume 5.