Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 44-minute session, Geshe Pema Tsering leads the first communal reading of the Sūtra of Golden Light at an FPMT centre, responding to a request by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. He opens by reading Rinpoche’s letter, which catalogues the sūtra’s promised effects in vivid detail — declining wealth, bad dreams, spirit harm, violence afflicting entire countries — before establishing the bodhicitta motivation for group recitation. Three chapters then unfold: the introductory setting with the four directional Buddhas; a philosophically rich chapter on the immeasurability of the Buddha’s lifespan, which includes a witty exchange of impossibility verses arguing that no mustard-seed relic of the Buddha can exist because his body is pure dharma; and the Confession chapter, anchored by Ruciraketu’s dream of a golden drum whose sound suppresses all suffering across the three realms.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 01 S of GL 2002 04 12.mp3
UUID: 372e43b3-a291-4261-b7ac-0c6efda28b3b
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Sūtra of Golden Light (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2002-04-12
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 44.5 minutes
Words: ~6,619
So this is the letter which, Lama Zopa Rinpoche sent to the centres. The text, the golden light sūtra, was donated to, was offered to Rinpoche by the Master’s Programme students at, Lama Tsongkhapa Institute in Italy. And these are the notes taken from Lama Tsongkhapa Institute by Rachel. This text please find here the unbelievably precious text, the golden light sūtra, offered to you by the master’s program student, Venerable Bridget. This text is very precious.
It brings peace and happiness and is very powerful to stop violence. It gives incredible protection to the country from violence, etc. By hearing this text, one’s karmas get purified. This text increases successes and especially for leaders like king or presidents, it brings success in guiding in virtue the path to happiness. For those who have problems, if they are dying or dead, if the devas have turned against oneself and nothing is working, if merely by approaching one’s friends, loved ones, husband, wife, family members, even servants get angry with you, if one’s wealth declines, or if one has harm from black magic or spirits, bad dreams or fearful things happening, then one should wash, put on clean clothes, and with a peaceful mind listen to the transmission of this text.
Then all will be pacified. Anyone who hears creates so much merit and is highly admired by the Buddhas. The place where this is taught, that whole country benefits, the king of the country doesn’t get attacked and disease is eliminated. Everyone is happy and the country becomes harmonious. There are no quarrels, the king gives freedom and is always protected by the devas.
It is especially good to be read in places where there is a lot of fighting, like Colombia. Anyone who keeps, memorizes or contributes to this text exceeds the eight worldly dharmas and all their wishes get fulfilled. Buddha told the four guardians to make offerings and do service to this text, and always to protect the people who memorize or even just read it. The four guardians acknowledged they would protect those who read it and would help and fulfill all their wishes. As well, rains will come at the right times, and prosperity will come.
Memorizing or making offerings to this text is like making inconceivable offerings to Buddha. In anyone whose ear these holy words are spoken, enlightenment will never be reversed. The life will always be directed toward enlightenment, and one will never fall back. There is no question if you memorise the text. The devi Shrimahadevichitraprabhasa, told Buddha that she will protect the bhikṣu who recites this text and that he will receive all that is needed: property, a stable mind, and so forth.
Who even tries to read or understands this text will experience comfort and happiness of the deva and humans for one hundred billion eons, fame and perfect crops, and they will become a Buddha. The earth goddess definitely will help even if only one chapter is mentioned. Even if one verse is read and one tries to understand, she will protect those sentient beings and fulfil their wishes. Those sentient beings who hear only one verse will never go to the lower realms. The Earth Goddess told Buddha that even if a person hears only one verse, they will be born in a higher realm.
Further, the earth goddess told Buddha that the non virtuous karma of the person who hears even one verse will be eliminated and they will achieve enlightenment. Will be good to go to countries where there is much killing. Read this one hundred times or any number of times. This will be very valuable, very beneficial. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has requested all center all FPMT centers to do a reading on the sūtra.
So this is the first reading. And if we just just spend a few moments adjusting the motivation of our minds towards mind of enlightenment, to listen to this sūtra in order that we ourselves may quickly attain perfect enlightenment and be able to lead each and every precious mother sentient being to enlightenment. So with the mind wishing to benefit Sentient beings will listen carefully to Sūtra, and we’ll share the reading of it. Introductory chapter. Homage to all the glorious Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
Homage to the glorious blessed noble perfection of wisdom, Prajñāpāramitā. Likewise to victory over the states of existence taught by divine and human tradition, Pāla. I heard at one time how the Tathagatas on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa dwelled in the sphere of religion in the profound Buddha realm, together with the noble goddess, Bodhisattva Mukha, and with the great goddess Sarasvatī, and with the great goddess Sri, and with the great earth goddess Dṛḍhā, and with the great goddess Hārītī, with such great deities at the head and also with numerous gods, Nāgas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, Gandharvas, Ashuras, Garudas, Kiṃnaras, Mahoragas, men and non men. Then the venerable Ānanda spoke thus to the Lord, Lord, what will be for them the discipline of the law? The Lord replied, The essence of meditation and the law is pure, established according to its manifestation and not by arduous inquiry.
Among purified, pure, best bodhisattvas, I will preach the excellent Suvarṇabhāsottama, king of sutras, very profound on hearing and profound on examination. It has been blessed by the Buddhas in the four directions, by Akṣobhya in the east, in the south, by Ratnakhetu, in the west, by Amitābha, in the north, by Dundubhīśvara. I will proclaim this blessing, the excellent auspicious confession whose aim is the ruin of all evils, producing destruction of all evils, conferring every blessing, ruining every misfortune, the basis of omniscience, thoroughly adorned with every splendour. For those beings whose senses are defective, whose life is extended or failing, beset by misfortune, their faces averted from the gods, hated by dear, beloved people, oppressed in such places as households, or at variance with one another, tormented by the destruction of their property, both in grief and trouble, and in poverty, likewise in the plight of fear, in the affliction of planet and asterism, in the violent grip of demons. One who sees an evil dream full of grief and trouble should listen to this excellent sūtra when he has bathed well and is pure.
For those who hear this sūtra are the profound Buddha region, with pure minds and good intentions, adorned with clean garments, for all beings such severe misfortunes are forever extinguished by the splendour of this sūtra, for the world protectors themselves, together with their ministers and army chiefs, will provide protection for them with countless millions of yakṣas. The great goddess Sarasvatī likewise the goddess who dwells in the river Nairañjanā, Hārītī, the mother of Bhūtas, and the earth goddess Pṛthivī, the Brahma kings and the thirty three kings, the powerful rulers of the serpents, the kings of kiṃnaras, and the kings of the Asuras, likewise the kings of the Garuḍas, these having approached with the might of their armies and with their vehicles, will provide protection for them by day and by night, unwearying. I will make known this sūtra the profound Buddha region, the marvellous mystery of all the Buddhas for millions of eons. Those who hear this sūtra and who cause others to hear it, whoever rejoice in it, and those who do honour to it, will be honoured throughout numerous millions of eons by Gods, serpents, and men, by kiṃnaras, asuras, and yakṣas. The heap of merit arising from them is endless, incalculable, inconceivable for those beings who have performed merits.
They will be gladly accepted by the Buddhas in the ten directions, and likewise by the bodhisattvas whose career is profound. Having put on clean robes, wearing well perfumed clothes, having produced a mind full of love, one must do honour untiringly. One should make one’s mind self pure and expansive, purify your thoughts and hear this excellent sūtra. Those who hear this sūtra welcome among men and a well gained fruit of human existence will live a good life. Those into whose ear this instruction enters will have their roots ripened and be praised by numerous Buddhas.
So ends the first chapter, the introductory chapter, in the Suvarṇabhāsottama, King of Sutras. The second chapter on the measure of life of the Tathāgata. Moreover, at the time, at that period in the great city of Rajagriya, there dwelled the bodhisattva called Ruciraketu, a great being, who had rendered service to a previous Buddha who had planted roots and who was revered by many hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddhas. Thus, it occurred to him, what is the cause, what is the reason why the Lord Śākyamūni had such a short measure of life as eighty years? Then it occurred thus to him, it has indeed been said by the Lord, there are two causes, two reasons for long life.
What are the two? Refraining from killing living beings and giving away food. Now for many incalculable hundreds of thousands of millions of eons, the lord Śākyamūni refrained from killing living beings. He not only adhered to the course of action consisting in the ten meritorious paths, but he also gave up to beings’ food and internal and external objects, until finally hungry beings were satisfied by the flesh, blood, bones, and marrow of his own body. How much more by other food?
Now while this good man was thinking this and similar thoughts of mindfulness and concentration on the Buddha, his house became vast and extensive, made of beryl, adorned with numerous divine jewels, a transformation due to the Tathāgata, filled with perfumes surpassing those of the gods. And in that house, in the four directions, there appeared four seats made of divine jewels. And on those seats, mats made of divine jewels and fine cotton cloth appeared spread out. And on those mats appeared divine lotuses adorned with numerous jewels. Transformations due to the Tathāgata.
And on those lotuses there appeared four Lord Buddhas. In the east appeared the Tathāgata Akṣobhya. In the south appeared the Tathāgata Ratnaketu. In the west appeared the Tathāgata Amitayas. In the north appeared the Tathāgata Dundubhīśvara.
And those Lord Buddhas appeared in their seats at that time. Then not only the great city of Rajagriya was filled with a great light, but also the triple thousand great thousand world sphere. And world spheres equaled to the grains of sand in the Ganges river in all ten directions became filled with light, and divine flowers rained down, and divine musical instruments resounded. And all the beings in this triple thousand great thousand sphere by the Buddha’s power became possessed of divine happiness. Beings whose senses were incomplete became possessed of all their senses.
And beings blind from birth see forms with the eye, and deaf beings hear sounds with the ear, and unconscious beings regain their mindfulness, and beings whose minds were distraught were no longer distraught in mind. And naked beings became clothed in robes, and hungry beings became full bellied, and thirsty beings became thirstless, and afflicted beings became diseaseless, and beings whose bodily organs were defective became possessed of complete organs. On a large scale in the world there was an appearance of miraculous things. Then when the bodhisattva Ruciraketu saw those Lord Buddhas, he became amazed. How was that possible?
Pleased, joyful, delighted, rejoicing, full of joy and gladness, he paid homage to where those Lord Buddhas were and recollecting those Lord Buddhas according to their forms, recollecting the virtues of Lord Śākyamūni, he began to be puzzled concerning the measure of life of the Lord Śākyamūni. He was revolving this reflection. How is this possible? Why is it that the Lord Śākyamūni had such a brief measure of life as eighty years? Then indeed those Lord Buddhas, mindful and aware of this thought, spoke thus to the bodhisattva Ruciraketu, think not so, noble son, that the measure of life of the Lord Śākyamūni was so brief.
Why is that? We do not see anyone in the world of gods, maras, Brahmas, among a race of ascetics and Brahmans, gods, men and asuras who would be able to understand to the furthest end the limit of the measure of life of the Tathāgata, the Lord Śākyamūni, apart from Tathagatas, arhats, those fully enlightened. And as soon as those Lord Buddhas had uttered this explanation of the measure of life of the Tathāgata, then by the power of the Buddha the gods residing in the realms of desire and of form, including nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras and mahoragas assembled and numerous hundreds of thousands of millions of bodhisattvas came together in the house of the bodhisattva Ruciraketu. Then the Tathagatas proclaimed in verses to the entire assemblies this explanation of the measure of life of the Lord Śākyamūni. The drops in all the oceans of water can be counted, but no one can count the life of Śākyamūni.
As far as the Sumeru mountains are concerned, all the atoms can be counted, but no one can count the life of Śākyamūni. However many atoms there are on earth, it is possible to count them all, but not to count the life of the Buddha. If anyone should wish to measure the sky, it is possible, but no one can count the life of Śākyamūni. That there be so many eons and hundreds of millions of eons, so many perfect Buddhas, yet the count of his life is not attained. Because there are two causes for it and likewise two reasons, refraining from evil injury and giving much food, therefore the count of the life of that great souled one is not obtained in so many eons, likewise in so many innumerable eons.
Therefore, be free from doubt, have no doubt at all. As for the limit of the Buddha’s measure of life, its count is nowhere obtained. Then indeed at that time, in that assembly, the teacher and expounder called Kauṇḍinya, a Brahman, together with numerous thousands of Brahmans, did an act of homage to the Lord. And having heard the report of the Tathagatas’s great complete nirvana, he at once fell in tears and before the Lord’s feet and said to the Lord, if in fact the Lord is compassionate toward all beings, long suffering, desirous of their welfare, the parent of all beings, unequaled, moon like light dispenser, risen like the great sun of wisdom and knowledge. If you look upon all beings as if upon your son, Ruhula, grant me one boon.
The Lord remained silent. Then by the Buddha’s power in that assembly, Sarva Loka Priya Darśana by name, Licchavi prince, waxing eloquent, spoke thus to the teacher and expounder, Kauṇḍinya, why ever do you, great Brahman, beseech the Lord for one boon, I myself grant it to you. The Brahman said, for the sake of honoring the Lord, Prince, I wish to have a relic of a Lord, the size of a grain of mustard, a particle of a relic for my possession. Thus it is heard, if one has honored a relic the size of a grain of mustard, one obtains lordship over the thirty three gods. Listen, Licchavi Prince, to the excellent Suvarṇabhāsa Sūtra, which is difficult for old Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddha to perceive, difficult to understand.
He will make manifest the excellent Suvarṇabhāsa Sūtra, fully accompanied by such characteristics and virtues. Just so, oh Licchavi Prince, is the excellent Suvarṇabhāsa Sūtra. Difficult to perceive, difficult to understand, especially for us Brahmans dwelling in borderlands. The relic, the size of a grain of mustard, is to be placed in a box. I beseech you, for this boon, that beings may very quickly obtain lordship over the thirty three gods.
Why then, Licchavi Prince, should one not wish to ask for a relic of the Tathāgata the size of a grain of mustard, so that by placing it and depositing it in a box for relics, one may attain lordship over the thirty three gods for all beings. Thus, oh Licchavi prince, I have asked for this boon. Then Sarva Loka Priya Darśana, the Licchavi prince, replied in verse to the teacher and expounder Kauṇḍinya, the Brahman. When in the waters of the Ganges, lotuses grow. When crows become red, cuckoos too the colour of the conch.
When the rose apple tree produces the fruit of the jambu and the date tree, mango blossoms. Then a relic the size of a grain of mustard there will clearly be. When from tortoise hairs there should be a well made cloak removing the cold in winter, then there will be a relic. When from gnat’s legs there should be a well made tower, firm and unmoving, then there will be a relic. When that hare in all reaches sharp big white teeth, then there will be a relic.
When from hare’s horns there should be a well made ladder for the purpose of climbing up to heaven, then there will be a relic. When a mouse, having climbed up this ladder, should eat the moon and should vex Rāhu, then there will be a relic. When flies, having drunk a pot of wine, wander about the village and make their dwelling in a house, then there will be a relic. When the ass possessed of a lip red as bimba fruit should be happy and skilled in dancing and singing, then there will be a relic. When the owl and the cow, having gone to a lonely place, should enjoy themselves together in mutual harmony, then there will be a relic.
When from the leaves of the Pala Shadri there should be a very firm umbrella for protection against the rain, then there will be a relic. When oceangoing ships fitted with oars and sails should ascend the dry land and proceed, then there will be a relic. When crows should go off taking in their beak the Gandhamādana mountain, then there will be a relic. When he had heard these verses, the teacher and expounder Kauṇḍinya, the Brahmin replied to Sarva Loka Priya Darśana, the Licchavi Prince, with the verses: Bravo, bravo, best prince, Buddha son, great speaker, skilled in expedient hero, best of those who have obtained a prophecy to enlightenment. Listen to me, prince, concerning the inconceivable majesty, in due order, of the world’s protector, the savior, the Tathāgata.
Inconceivable is the Buddha sphere, and unequalled are the Tathagatas. All the Buddhas are always benevolent. All the Buddhas behave perfectly. All the Buddhas have the same appearance. This is a normal condition among Buddhas.
This Lord Tathāgata is not created and has not arisen. His body that is as hard as the thunderbolt manifests his transformed body. And hence there is nothing called a relic of the great sage, even the size of a grain of mustard. How will there be a relic in a body without bone or blood? The depositing of a relic is by an account of the welfare of beings.
For the one who has the law as his body is the one fully enlightened. The sphere of the law is the Tathāgata. Such is the Lord’s body. Such the exposition of the Lord. This I heard and knew.
For the boon was asked by me and the conversation was instigated by me for the sake of elucidating the truth. Then indeed thirty two thousand gods, having heard this profound explanation of the Tathāgata’s measure of life, all raised their resolves to supreme and perfect enlightenment. The thoughts of their minds gladdened. With the sound of a united voice, they spoke the verse. The Buddha does not enter complete nirvana, and the law does not disappear.
For the ripening of beings does he teach complete nirvana. The Lord Buddha is inconceivable that Tathāgata has an eternal body. He shows various manifestations by reason of the welfare of beings. Then indeed the bodhisattva Ruciraketu, having heard this explanation of the measure of life of the Lord Śākyamūni in the presence of those Lord Buddhas and of those two good men, was pleased, joyful, delighted, rejoicing, full of joy and gladness, and became filled with noble bliss. While this explanation of the measure of life of the Tathāgata was being given, the resolve of innumerable, incalculable beings was raised to perfect enlightenment, and those Tathagatas disappeared.
So ends the second chapter, the chapter on the measure of life of the Tathāgata in the excellent Suvarṇabhāsottama, king of sutras. Chapter three, Chapter one Confession. Then indeed the bodhisattva Ruciraketu slept. In the middle of his sleep he saw a golden drum made of gold shining everywhere just like the orb of the sun. He knew all the directions he saw innumerable incalculable Buddhas sitting on jewelled seats at the foot of jewel trees surrounded and honoured in an assembly of numerous hundreds of thousands preaching the law.
And there he saw a man in the form of a Brahmin beating that drum. There, from the sound of the drum, he heard these and similar confessional verses coming forth. Then indeed the Bodhisattva Ruciraketu, as soon as he awoke, recollected these verses of confession the law. Having recollected them at the end of that night, he departed from the great city of Rājagṛha with numerous thousands of beings. He came to the mount Gṛdhrakūṭa where the Lord was, and having approached and worshipped the feet of the Lord with his head, he thrice walked round the Lord towards the right and sat down on one side.
Sitting on one side, the bodhisattva Ruciraketu made the respectful gesture with his hands towards the Lord, and uttered those confessional verses that he had heard in the middle of his sleep from the sound of the drum. One night when I was not tired, I fell asleep and saw a gleaming drum with golden light everywhere, shining like the sun, it beamed everywhere. It glowed in the ten directions. I saw Buddhas everywhere. They were sitting on jeweled trees and on jewelled seats, at the head of an assembly of numerous hundreds of thousands.
I saw one in the form of a Brahmin beating the drum, and while it was being struck by him these verses came forth. By the excellent drum of golden light, let the woes in the triple thousand world be suppressed, the woes in the evil states, the woes in the world of yama, and the woes of poverty here in the threefold world. And by this resounding of the sound of the drum, may all the troubles in the world be suppressed. May beings be without fear, free of fear, just as great sages are without fear, fearless. Just as the great sages who know all in the cycle of existence are endowed with all noble virtues, so may men be oceans of virtues endowed with the virtues of meditation and the seven members of enlightenment.
And by this resounding of the sound of the drum, may all beings possess the voice of Brahma. May they touch the best enlightenment of Buddhahood. May they turn the pure wheel of the law. May they remain living for inconceivable eons. May they preach the law for the welfare of the world.
May they destroy impurities, annihilate woes, suppress passion, likewise hatred and folly. May those beings who dwell in an evil state, their limbs alight with blazing fire, hear the sound of the drum. May they take up the refrain. Homage be to the Buddha. May all beings be mindful of their former births during hundreds of births, thousands of millions of births, continually mindful of the great sages, let them hear their word, for it is noble.
And by this resounding of the noise of the drum may they always obtain a meeting with the Buddhas. May they avoid evil action. May they practice meritorious acts of good. Those men, asuras, all beings who have desires and wishes, may I fulfil them all by this resounding of the noise of the drum. For those beings who have taken birth in a fierce hell, their limbs alight with blazing fire, and without protection and oppressed with grief, wander about there will be quenching of their fires.
Those beings whose woes are fierce and terrible in hells among ghosts or in the world of men, by this resounding of the noise of the drum, may all their woes be suppressed. And may I be for those who are without deliverance, without rescue, without refuge, the deliverer, the refuge, the excellent protector. May the Buddhas whose minds are full of mercy and compassion watch over me, those best of the two footed who dwell in the world in its ten directions. And whatever evil, cruel act was done by me previously, I will confess it all before the Buddhas. Whatever evil I have done by not attending to my parents, by neglecting the Buddhas, by neglecting the good, whatever evil I have done by being drunk with the intoxication of authority, or the intoxication of high birth or by being drunk with the intoxication of tender age.
Whatever evil I have done bad thought, bad word, by an act badly done or by not perceiving a mishap, whatever I have done by the application of foolish reasoning, by a mind dark with ignorance, under the influence of an evil friend or by a mind distracted by impurities, under the compulsion of sport or enjoyment, or through the influence of anxiety or anger, or through the fault of unsatisfied wealth, whatever evil I have done by my associations with ignoble people, by reason of envy and greed, or by the fault of guile or wretchedness, whatever evil I have done through failure to gain the mastery over my desires by reason of fear at the time of approaching troubles, whatever evil I have done through the influence of the flighty mind, or through the influence of passion and anger, or through being oppressed by hunger and thirst, whatever evil I have done for the sake of drink and food, for the sake of clothing, for a reason involving women, through the various afflictions of impurities, whatever evil of body, tongue and mind, bad action accumulated in threefold manner I have done together with similar things, I confess it all.
Whatever disrespect I may have shown to Buddhas doctrines likewise to Shravakas, I confess it all. Whatever disrespect I may have shown to Pratyekabuddha or towards bodhisattvas, I confess it all. If I have shown disrespect to those who preach the good law or towards other meritorious beings, I confess it all. If I have unawares continually rejected the good law or shown disrespect towards my parents, I confess it all. Whatever evil I have done through stupidity or from folly or through being full of pride and arrogance, through passion, hatred or delusion, I confess it all.
I will worship the Buddhas in the ten directions in the world. I will deliver the beings in the ten directions from all woe. I would establish in the tenth stage all the inconceivably many beings, and when I have placed them in the tenth stage, may they all become Tathagatas. May I follow my career for millions of eons for the sake of every single being until I am able to deliver every one from the ocean of woe. May I expound to those beings this profound confession: The excellence of Suvarṇabhāsa by name causes the destruction of all acts.
By proclaiming at once, all the cruel evil one has done in the thousands of aeons proceeds to destruction. Having expounded this confession, the splendid excellent Suvarṇabhāsa, by which is quickly obtained the destruction of obstruction due to past acts, may I stand in the tenth stage and in the choice mind made of ten jewels. May I shine with the Buddha qualities. May I make beings cross over from the ocean of existence and may I feel the flood of the Buddha sea, the deep ocean of virtues, omniscience with inconceivable Buddha qualities. May I become an excellent Buddha with hundreds of thousands of meditations and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings, with inconceivable magic formulas, with the senses, the ten powers and the seven members of enlightenment.
May the Buddhas watch over me with minds attentive. May they forgive my sin with minds given over to compassion. On account of evil done by me previously, even in hundreds of eons, I have a troubled mind oppressed with wretchedness, trouble and fear. With an unhappy mind, I continually fear evil acts. Wherever I go, there is no enjoyment for me anywhere.
The Buddhas are compassionate, they remove the fear of all beings. May they forgive me my sin and may they deliver me from fear. May the Tathagatas take away from me the defilements of impurities and acts, and may the Buddhas bathe me with the surging waters of compassion. I confess all the evil previously done by me and I confess all my present evil. For the future I undertake to refrain from all acts evilly done.
I do not conceal whatever evil I may have done. The threefold bodily act and the fourfold with the voice, as well as the act in three ways with the mind, all this I confess. What I have done with my body, what I have done with my voice, and what I have thought with my mind, the tenfold act I have done, I confess it all. May I avoid the ten evil acts. May I practice the ten good acts.
May I remain in the tenth stage. May I become an excellent Buddha. Whatever evil act I have done bringing an undesired fruit, I will confess it all in the presence of the Buddhas. Those who in Jambudvīpa, in other world spheres, do a good act, I congratulate on it all. And whatever merit has been gained by me, by body, voice or mind, through that merit root may I touch excellent enlightenment.
In the oppression of existence or through foolish thought, whatever severe evil I have done in the presence of the Buddha, I confess all this evil. And I confess that evil which has been heaped up by me in the oppression of birth, by the various oppressions of activity due to passion, in the oppression of existence, in the oppression of the world, in the oppression of the fleeting mind, in the oppression of impurities caused by the foolish and stupid, and in the oppression of the arrival of evil friends, in the oppression of fear, in the oppression of passion, in the oppression of hatred, and in the oppression of folly and darkness, darkness, in the oppression of opportunity, in the oppression of time, in the oppression of gaining merits, standing in my oppression before the Buddha, I confess all this evil. I worship the Buddhas who are like oceans of virtues, mountains gleaming with a colour of gold like Sumeru. I go for refuge to those Buddhas and with my head I bow down to all those Buddhas. Each one is gold coloured, shining like pure gold.
He has fine eyes, pure and faultless like beryl. He is a mind blazing with glory, splendour and fame. He is a Buddha son, removing the obscurity of darkness with his rays of compassion. He is very flawless, very brilliant, with very gleaming limbs. He is a fully enlightened son.
His limbs are as prominent as pure gold. He refreshes as if it were the blazing fire of those whose minds are consumed by the fire of the impurities with the sage’s meshes of moonbeams. His sense organs are beautiful with the thirty two excellent major marks, his members greatly gleaming with the very brilliant minor marks. With meshes of beams full of glory, merits, splendor and brilliance, he stands amid the darkness like the sun in the three worlds. Your members resembling the silver, crystal or copper, with various magnificent colors pure as beryl, with meshes of rays manifoldly and variously adorned.
Coppery red like the dawn, you shine great sage like the sun. For one who has fallen into the river of the cycle of existence, in the midst of the flood of disaster, afflicted with anxiety in the water of death, in the bellows of old age, dry up completely with the meshes of rays of the Buddha’s sun the ocean of woe, whose current is extremely harsh and cruel. I worship the Buddha whose members shine like gold, whose members gleam with the colour of gold, a mine of knowledge, chief in all three worlds, beautiful, whose members are adorned with very brilliant marks. Just as the water in the ocean is immeasurable, just as the earth is endless with its particles of dust, just as Meru is endless with its stones, just as the sky has an endless limit, so indeed are the Buddha’s virtues endless. Even all beings cannot know them all.
If one should weigh and ponder them for the numerous eons, one could not know the vast virtues. The earth with its rocks, mountains, and oceans, it is perhaps in eons possible to count and know, and the water in the ocean may perhaps be measured to a hair point, it is not possible to know the end of the Buddha’s virtues. May all beings be such in virtue, appearance, fame, glory, with body adorned with the beautiful major marks and decorated with the eighty minor marks, And by this good act, may I long become a Buddha in the world. May I preach the law for the welfare of the world. May I deliver beings oppressed by many woes.
May I overcome Mara with his might and with his army. May I turn the wheel of the excellent law. May I remain for inconceivable eons. May I satisfy beings with the water of nectar. May I fulfil the six unrivalled perfections just as they were fulfilled by previous Buddhas.
May I smite the impurities, may I destroy woes, may I extinguish passion, likewise hatred and folly, and may I be continually mindful of former births for hundreds of births, thousands of millions of births. May I constantly recollect the great sages. May I listen to their speech, for it is noble. And by this good act, may I always find a meeting with the Buddhas. May I utterly avoid evil action.
May I practice the good acts in minds of excellence. Everywhere in the spheres of all beings may all the woes in the world be extinguished. May those beings whose senses are defective, whose limbs are deficient, all now become complete in senses. May those lying in the ten directions who are diseased, powerless, whose body is injured and who are without protection, all be delivered quickly from their diseases and may they obtain health, strength and senses. May those beings who are in danger of being threatened or killed by kings, thieves or scoundrels, who are troubled by hundreds of different fears, May all those beings who are oppressed and suffering be delivered from these hundreds of extreme, very dreadful fears.
May those who are beaten, bound and tortured by bonds and situated in various troubles, distracted by numerous thousands of labors, who have become afflicted by various fears and cruel anxiety, may they all be delivered from their bonds. May the beaten be delivered from the beaters, May the condemned be united with life, and may all those who have come upon troubles become free from fear. May those beings who are oppressed by hunger and thirst obtain a variety of food and drink. And may the blind see various forms, the deaf hear delightful sounds, the naked obtain various garments, poor beings obtain treasures. And may all beings be blessed with abundant wealth, corn and various jewels.
Jewels. May the experience of woe harm no one. May all beings be good looking. May they have beautiful, gracious, auspicious forms and continually have a heap of numerous blessings. As soon as they think of them, may there be for them food and drink as they desire, great abundance and merits, lutes, drums, and pleasant sounding cymbals, springs, ponds, pools, and tanks.
As soon as they think of them, may there be for them lotus ponds of blue and golden lotuses, food and drink, likewise clothing, wealth to gold, ornament of gems and pearls, gold, beryl and various jewels. May there be no sounds of woe anywhere in the world. May there not be one being of opposing men, and may they all be of noble aspect, creating light for one another. Whatever success there may be in the world of men, may it arise for them at their thought. As soon as they think of them, may all their desires be fulfilled through their merit and its fruits.
May there rain down three times from the trees perfume, garlands, unguent, cloak powder, various flowers. May the beings accept them and be joyful. May they do honour inconceivable to all the Tathagatas in the ten directions, to the bodhisattvas, to the śrāvakas, to the pure, flawless, firm law. May beings avoid the low states of existence. May they avoid the eight non opportunities.
May they obtain the supreme chief opportunity. May they always obtain a meeting with Buddhas. May they always be high born and have numerous treasuries replete with abundant wealth and corn, for numerous yarns may they be thoroughly adorned with beauty, complexion, fame and glory. May all women constantly become men, strong, heroic, intelligent intelligent and learned. May they constantly proceed to enlightenment and be active in the six perfections.
May they see the Buddhas in the ten directions, comfortably seated under excellent jewel trees, sitting together on seats of precious beryl. May they hear them expounding the law, the evil act obtained by me, what I obtained previously in the oppression of existences. Whatever the evil act bringing undesired fruits, may they all without remainder be destroyed. May all beings who dwell in the bondage of existence, bound with fetters by the fetters of the cycle of existence, be delivered from their bondage by the hands of wisdom. May they be delivered from their woes.
May they become Buddhas. Whatever beings here in Jambudvīpa, and whatever also in other world spheres perform various profound merits, I congratulate them all on this merit. By this my congratulation on their merits, and by the merit obtained by me through body, voice or mind, may there be fruitful success for my resolve. May I touch supreme, flawless enlightenment. Whoever worships and praises the Buddhas continually with mind, believing pure, spotless, by means of this confession which is praised as a cause of transfer of merit, and abandons the evil states for sixty eons and whoever, men, women, Brahmins, warriors, with these celebrated verses will praise the sage, standing with hands in the gesture of reverence, will collect his births in all existences, will have his body adorned with all members and with all senses, will be endowed with various merits and with virtues, and he will be continually worshipped as a king among men.
Such will he be in each place of birth. Not under one Buddha have they performed good, nor even under two, nor four, nor five, nor ten, but they in whose ear this confession enters have performed good under thousands of Buddhas. So ends the third chapter, the chapter on confession in the excellence of Suvarṇabhāsottama, King of Sutras.