Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. The Sūtra of Golden Light’s extended chapter on divine kingship — teaching that a king who overlooks evil triggers cosmic consequences including failed harvests, plague, and heaven’s wrath — forms the heart of this 45-minute reading by Geshe Pema Tsering. The session opens with earlier chapters: the earth goddess Drdha vows to enrich the soil six million leagues deep wherever the sūtra is expounded, and the yakṣa general Samjaya pledges to protect preachers and sharpen their eloquence. The kingship chapter then traces in verse both the divine origin of kings and the precise deterioration — agricultural, social, and celestial — that follows royal neglect. A past-life story shows the Buddha as King Susambhava offering four jewel-filled continents upon hearing the sūtra, followed by a catalogue of gods, nagas, and yakṣas who protect all who hold the text.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 05 S of GL 2002 04 27.mp3
UUID: fe4729dc-f818-48e1-a924-1ac510666215
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Sūtra of Golden Light (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2002-04-27
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 45.1 minutes
Words: ~6,176
Chapter on Drdha. Then indeed, the earth goddess Drdha spoke thus to the lord in whatever village, city, southern district, forest region, mountain cavern, or royal palace. Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of Sutras. Dear lord, now and in the future time shall go forth, I, dear lord, the earth goddess Drdha, will approach that village, city, settlement, district, forest region, mountain cavern, or royal palace. Wherever this excellence, the Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of Sutras, shall be expounded in detail in whichever region of the earth, lord, the seed of the law will have been provided for the monk who preaches the law.
Wherever the preacher of the law, having sat on that seat, shall expound me in detail this excellence. So be it, dear lord. King of Sutras, there I, dear lord, the earth goddess Drdha, will come to those regions of the earth. Having gone up to the seed of the law with my invisible body, I’ll lean with my head upon the soles of the feet of the monk who is preaching the law, and I will satisfy myself with that hearing of the law with the nectar of the law. I’ll do homage.
I’ll rejoice when I’ve satisfied satisfied myself, done homage, rejoice, I will cause to increase in respect of the savour of the earth a mass of earth six million eight hundred thousand leagues in extent as far as the foundation of the earth may be found, upon the thunder-vajra. I will fill it on each side. I will completely fill it. And above it, I will make moist with the moist saver of the earth, the circle of the earth that reaches the edges of the ocean.
And I will make this greater, stronger so that in this Jambudvipa, the various grasses, bushes, plants, and trees will grow stronger. All the trees in the garden and groves and all the various leaves, flowers, fruits, and crops will be stronger, will be more fragrant, more moist, more tasty, and more beautiful, greater. And when those beings have enjoyed those various drinks and foods, they will increase their longevity, strength, complexion and senses. And having become endowed with brilliance, power, complexion and form, they will perform the various numerous thousands of activities on the earth. They will be devoted.
They will be thorough. They will do acts that will have to be done with power. For this reason, dear lord, the whole Jambudvipa will become peaceful, will become plentiful, flourishing, delightful, and full of many people and food. And in the whole of Jambudvipa, all beings will be blessed. All many will experience a variety of pleasure.
Those beings will be endowed with brilliance, power, complexion and form. For the sake of this excellent Suvarṇaprabhāsa, King of Sutras, they will approach the presence of those monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen who hold the chief sutras, preacher of the law, upon the seats of the law, having approached with their minds pure those who beseech those preachers of the law for the good, welfare, and blessing of all beings to expand the excellence this excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa, King of Sutras. Why is that? When, dear lord, this excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa, King of Sutras, is being expanded, I, the earth goddess Drdha, together with my retinue will become stronger and more powerful. In our body, there will be produced great power, fortitude, strength.
Brilliance, glory, fortune will enter our body. When I, dear lord, the earth goddess Drdha, have been satisfied with the the nectar juice of the law and have obtained great brilliance, fortitude, strength, and force, this Jambudvipa, with its seven thousand leagues of the great earth, will increase in the savour of this of its earth, and the great earth will become stronger. And, dear lord, all those beings who are dependent upon the earth will find increase, extension, and expansion, and they will become great. And having become great, those beings will enjoy the various enjoyments and pleasures on earth, and they will experience blessings. And may they enjoy all the various foods, drinks, nourishment, clothes, bed seats, dwellings, residences, palaces, parks, rivers, ponds, springs, lakes, pools, and tanks, these and similar variety of aids and blessings existing on the earth, manifest on the earth and dependent upon the earth.
For this reason, dear lord, all beings should show gratitude to us. Assuredly, this excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of sutras, must be listened to respectfully, be respected, honored, revered, worshipped. And when, dear lord, all those beings come out of the various residences, the various houses to approach those preachers of the law having approached, may they listen to this excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of Sutras, and moreover having listened, when they have severally entered their various residences, houses, villages, cities, or settlements, when they have gone to their own homes, may they converse thus with one another. Today we have heard the profound law. Today we have gained an inconceivable heap of merit.
By this hearing of the law, we have pleased numerous hundreds of thousands of Tathagatas. By this hearing of the law, we have today escaped from hell, having escaped from the regions of the region of animals, the world of Yama, and of ghosts. Today, by this hearing of the law, we will have gained rebirth among gods and men in future time during enormous numerous hundreds of thousands of births. And when they have returned to their various homes, may they tell other beings, even a single illustration from this excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa, King of Sutras, may they cause other beings to hear from this excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa, King of Sutras, every single chapter or a single birth story or even the name of a single bodhisattva or the name of a single Tathāgata. Even a four verse stanza, even a single verse, may they cause other beings to hear even the mere name of this excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of sutras.
Wherever, dear lord, the various beings in various regions of the earth tell one another these and similar variety of sūtra arguments or cause them to be heard or should talk about them, all those regions of the earth, dear lord, will become stronger and will become more moist. For all the beings in those regions of the earth, the various savours of the earth, all its aids, will become more abundant, will increase, will expand. All those beings will be blessed. They will have great wealth and great enjoyment that will be devoted to liberality. They will have faith in the Three Jewels.
When this had been said, the Lord spoke thus to the earth goddess Drdha. Whatever beings, earth goddess, may hear even a single verse from this excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa, King of Sutras, they will transmigrate from this world of men and will be reborn among the group of thirty three gods and among other groups of gods. Whatever beings earth goddess, adorn those places for this excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of sutras, cover them even with a single umbrella, a single flag, or a piece of cloth. Those adorn places earth goddess will become divine palaces made of the seven jewels adorned with every adornment among the group of thirty-three gods dwelling in the realm of desire. And when those beings transmigrate from this world of men, they will be reborn in those divine palaces made of the seven jewels.
They will be reborn earth goddess seven times in each divine palace made of the seven jewels. They will experience inconceivable divine blessings. When this had been said, the earth goddess Drdha spoke thus to the lord. Therefore, dear lord, I, the earth goddess Drdha, will dwell in these regions of those regions of the earth where the monk who preaches the law has sat upon the seat of the law. With invisible body, I will lean my head upon the soles of the feet of that monk who preaches the law so that this excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa, King of Sutras, may, for the welfare of those beings who have planted merit roots under thousands of Buddhas, long go forth in Jambudvipa and not disappear quickly disappear.
And may all beings hear this excellence of Anabasa, king of sutras. May they in future time, during numerous hundreds of thousands of millions of eons, experience inconceivable divine and human pleasures. May they meet Tathagatas. In future time, may they awaken to supreme and perfect enlightenment. And may all the woes of hells, animalhood, and the world of Yama be wholly cut off.
So ends the tenth chapter, the chapter of the earth goddess Drdha in this excellent Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of sutras. Chapter eleven, chapter on Samjaya. Then indeed the great general of the Yaksas called Samjaya, together with twenty eight great Yaksha generals rose up from his seat, covered one shoulder with his robe, placed his right knee on the ground, made the gesture of reverence in the direction of the lord, and spoke thus to the lord. In whatever village, city, settlement, district, forest region, mountain cabin, or royal palace, this, dear lord, excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of sutras, shall go forth in this and in the future time, their ideal lord, great Yaksha general Samjaya, together with the twenty eight great Yaksha generals, will approach that village, city, settlement, district, forest region, mountain cavern, or royal palace. With invisible body, I will give protection to the monk who preaches the law.
I’ll give deliverance, help, defense, escape from punishment, peace, and welfare. To all those women, men, boys, and girls who hear the law, whoever should hear even one four verse stanza, even one verse from this excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of sutras, should hear even one name of a single bodhisattva from this excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of sutras, should accept it, should hear the name of a single Tathāgata. Even the name of this excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of sutras should accept it to all those I will give protection, I will give aid, defense, deliverance, escape from punishment, peace, and welfare. And to their dwellings, their houses, their villages, their cities, their settlements, their forests, their palaces, I’ll give protection. I’ll give deliverance, aid, defense, escape from punishment, peace, and welfare.
For that reason, dear lord, have I been given the name Samjaya, the great Yaksha general. By me, dear lord, are all things known. All things are fully known. All things are perceived. However many are all things, how all things are, what things exist, of what kind are all things.
All things, dear Lord, are apparent to me. Inconceivable, dear Lord, is the splendor of my knowledge, Inconceivable, the clarity of my knowledge. Inconceivable, the extent of my knowledge. Inconceivable, dear lord, is the sphere of my knowledge which operates among all things. Things.
And as, dear lord, all things are fully known by me, fully examined, fully comprehended, fully surveyed, fully perceived, for this reason, dear lord, I, Samjaya, the great general of the Yaksas, have been given the name Samjaya. I, dear lord, in order to adorn the speech of the monk who preaches the law, will contribute eloquence. I will insert strength into his jaw-bones. I will produce in his body great energy, strength, prowess. I will make inconceivable the splendor of his knowledge.
I will make him perceive his mindfulness. I will give him great zeal so that the preacher of the law may not be weary in body, that his body may have happy senses, that he may be full of joy, so that this excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa, King of Sutras, for the welfare of those beings who have planted merit roots under thousands of Buddhas, may long go forth in Jambudvipa, may not this quickly disappear so that beings may hear this excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa, King of Sutras, so that they may obtain an inconceivable quantity of knowledge. They may become wise, they may gain an unlimited mass of merit, they may in future time, during numerous hundreds of thousands of millions of eons, experience inconceivable divine and human pleasures. They may meet Tathagatas. They may, in the future time, awaken to supreme and perfect enlightenment.
And all the woes of hell animalhood and the world of Yama may be wholly cut off. So ends the eleventh chapter, the chapter on Samjaya in the excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of sutras. Twelve, chapter on instruction concerning divine kings. Homage to the lord Ratnakusuma Guna Sāgara Vaiḍūrya Kanaka Giri Suvarṇaprabhāsa, the Tathāgata, arhats, fully enlightened one. Homage to the Tathāgata Śākyamūni, whose body is adorned with numerous hundreds of thousands of millions of virtues who have made shine the lamp of this law.
Homage to the great goddess Sri, who is endowed with unlimited virtues, grain and blessings. Homage to the great goddess Sarasvatī, who is equipped with unlimited wisdom and virtues. Then indeed, at that time, at the great moment, the king Balendraketu spoke thus to his son, King Ruchiraketu, whom he had not long ago consecrated and who was established in his new royalty. There is, son, a textbook for kings called Instructions Concerning Divine Kings which formerly, when I had just been consecrated and established a new royalty, I received in the presence of my father King Balendraketu. I exercised sovereignty for twenty thousand years according to the royal textbook Instructions Concerning Divine Kings.
I do not know that I ever stood on the side of anyone unlawfully, even if only for the measure of a single moment’s thought. What then, son, is that textbook for the kings called instruction concerning divine kings? Then indeed noble king Balendraketu at that moment expounded in detail to his son King Ruchiraketu in these verses. The textbook for kings called the instruction concerning the divine kings. I will set forth the textbook for kings, which causes the welfare of all beings, disposes of all doubts, removes all evil deeds.
May all kings here severally be joyful minded. May you listen to the whole instruction concerning the divine kings with your hands in the gesture of reverence. On this lord of mountains, vajrakara, at the meeting of the divine kings, there arose a questioning of king Brahma by the world protectors. You, Brahma, are a venerable teacher among the gods. You are the lord of the gods.
Solve our problems. Remove our doubt. Why is a king, though born among men, called divine? And for what reason is a king called a divine son? If he was born here in the world of men, he should become king.
But how will God exercise kingship among men? Thus then the king Brahma interrogated by the world protectors, the venerable teacher of the gods Brahma spoke thus to the world protectors. If now I have been so interrogated by the world protectors, I will now, for the good and welfare of all beings, speak of this excellent teaching. I will speak of the origin of kings, their arising in the abode of men, and for what reason they become kings in their territories. Under the blessing of the divine kings, he will enter the womb of his mother.
Having first been blessed by the gods, he afterwards enters her womb. Although as king, he is born and dies in the world of men, yet since he comes from the gods, he is called a divine son. The thirty three divine kings have given a portion of the king to the king saying, you are our son, a lord of men magically created by all the gods for the sake of suppressing what is unlawful, a destroyer of evil deeds, he would establish beings in good activity in order to send them to the abode of the gods. Whether the lord of men is a man or a god, Gandharava, a Raksasa, a Candala. He removes evil deeds.
The king is the parent of those who do good deeds. The king has been blessed by the gods as one who exhibits their fruition and fruit. The king has been blessed by the gods as belonging to the present world to show the fruition and fruit of deeds well done and of deeds ill done. For when a king overlooks an evil deed in his territory and does not inflict appropriate punishment on the evil person, In the neglect of evil deeds, lawlessness grows greatly. Wicked acts and quarrels arise in great number in the in the realm.
The chief gods are wrathful in the dwellings of the thirty three. When a king overlooks an evil deed in his territory, his territory is smitten with dreadful most terrible acts of wickedness, and his realm is realm destroyed. On the arrival of a foreign army, his enjoyments and houses, whoever has accumulated wealth by various various evil acts, they deprive one another of them. If he does not perform the duty on account of which he has kingship, he destroys his own realm just as the lord of elephants tramples on a lotus pool. Unfavorable winds blow.
Unfavorable showers of rain will fall. Unfavorable will be planets and asterisms. Likewise, sun and moon and sun. Crop, flower, fruit, and seed will not ripen in due season. Famine will arise there where the king is neglectful.
Unhappy in mind will be the will the gods be in their dwellings when the king overlooks an evil deed in his territory. All the kings of the gods will say to one another, unlawful is this king for he supports the side of the lawless. This king will ere long anger the gods. Through the anger of the gods, his territory will perish. There will be destruction by the weapon and lawlessness in that territory.
Wicked acts, quarrels, diseases will arise. The lords of the gods will be angry. The gods will ignore him. His realm will be ruined. The king will come to grief.
He will find himself separated from his loved ones, from brother or son, separated from his beloved wife, or his daughter will die. There will be showers of meteors, likewise mock suns. Fear of foreign armies and famine will increase greatly. His beloved minister will die and also his beloved elephant. As soon as they have died, his beloved horses and female camels will likewise die.
They will carry off one another’s house, enjoyments, wealth. In every district, they will slay one another with arms. In the territories, there be disputes, quarrels, evil acts. An evil demon will enter the realm. There will be severe disease.
After that, the noble will become lawless. His ministers and attendants will become lawless. After that, there will be respect for the lawless person, and there will be constantly, constantly oppression of law abiding beings through honor for lawless people. And in the case of oppression of the law abiding, three things go wild there, asterisms, water, and winds. Three things perish when there is acceptance of lawless people, the savour, essence, and strength of the good law, the strength of beings and the savour of the earth, where there is honour for untruthful people and dishonour for truthful people.
There will be there three things: famine, thunderbolt, and death by plague. After that, there will be no savour or strength in fruit or crop. Many beings will become ill in those territories. Large sweet fruits in those territories will become small, bitter, and sharp. Play, laughter, and pleasure.
Things previously enjoyable will become feeble and unenjoyable, fraught with hundreds of troubles. The savour of the moist essence of crops and fruits will disappear. Thus, they will not satisfy the body, the senses, or the elements. Beings will become of bad complexion, of very little strength, and very weak. Having eaten much food, they will not attain satiety.
After that, they will get no strength, prowess, or energy. Beings in those territories will become without prowess. Beings will become disease ridden, oppressed by various illnesses. They will arise evil demons, asterisms, and various Raksasas. A king would be lawless if he stood on the side of lawlessness.
The three spheres, the circle of the whole triple world, are harmed. Numerous such evils arise in those territories when a king is partisan and overlooks an evil act. If he overlooks an evil act, a king does not exercise his kingship according to the duty for which he was consecrated by the lords of the gods. By good actions, beings are reborn as gods in the abode of the gods, but by evil action they go among ghosts, animals, or the hells. Because of the evil act, when a king overlooks an evil act in his territory, he makes burn the dwellings of the thirty three gods.
He becomes guilty towards his forefathers and the kings of the gods. That is not true sonship nor would true kingship be exercised. When his realm is being destroyed by by very terrible acts, therefore is the king appointed by the lords of the gods in the abode of men for the sake of suppressing evil acts, a promoter of good acts. The king produces fruition for beings in this life. He is called king because he acts in various ways in order to demonstrate the fruition and fruit of acts that are well done or ill done.
He has been blessed by multitudes of gods and approved by deities for the sake of himself, for the sake of others, for the sake of the law and of his territory. In order to control wicked evil people in his realms, he should give up life and sovereignty for the sake of the law and of this territory. Must not knowingly without examination overlook a lawless act. No other destruction in his territory is so terrible. When on the arising of evil, there is no suppression of the evildoer.
There arise in abundance very terrible evils in that territory. This realm is destroyed as a great pool by elephants. The lords of the gods are wrathful, and the abode of the gods is destroyed. All things become unfavorable for that territory. Therefore, he should impose restraint on evildoers in conformity with their crime.
He should protect his realm according to the law, and he should not perform a lawless act. Even giving up his life, he should not take sides. The king should be impartial towards relatives and other people. All the people in his realm, he should not take sides. The law abiding king fills the triple world with his fame and gladdens the lord lords of the gods in the dwellings of the thirty three.
In Jambudvipa, the law abiding king is thus our son. He rules his realm according to the law. He establishes people in good action, and he’s and this king, by good action, sends people here, and he makes the abode of the gods full of gods and divine sons. When he rules his realm according to the law, the kings of the gods are very joyful. The lords of the gods are pleased.
They protect this king. Asterisms and likewise moon and sun move properly. In due time, the winds blow. In due time, the god sends rain. The god provides plenty in the realm and in the abode of the gods.
The abode of the gods becomes full of immortals and immortal sons. Therefore, a king should give up his own beloved life, but should not give up the jewel of the law, about which the world may become blessed. He should keep the law abiding company of those who are fully endowed with virtues, who are always contented with their own people and continually refrain from evil. He should protect his realm according to the law. He should teach the law.
He should establish beings in good action, and he should restrain them from evil action. Plenty arises in the realm, and the king becomes famous when he imposes appropriate restraint upon evildoers. The king becomes famous and easily protects his subjects. So ends the twelfth chapter, the chapter on regal science called instruction concerning divine kings in the excellent Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of sutras. Chapter thirteen, chapter on Susambhava.
When I became a chakravartin king, then I gave up the earth with its oceans. I presented the four continents full of jewels to the former Buddhas, and there is no loved pleasing object which I did not formally give up. For the sake of my search for the one who has the law as his body, I gave up my dear life during numerous aeons as I did during inconceivable previous aeons in the order of the Buddha Prabhashikhin. When that Buddha had attained complete nirvana, there arose a king called Susambhava. This chakravarta, lord of the four continents, rules the earth as far as the ocean.
And then the king was asleep in the Jinarajaghosha Palace. Hearing in his dream the virtues of the Buddha, he saw Ratnakaya, a preacher of the law, shining in the midst of the sun, expounding this king of sutras. And the king woke from his sleep. His whole body was full of happiness. Going joyfully out of his palace, he approached the excellent assembly of the disciples.
He did homage to the Buddha’s disciples. He asked after Ratnakaya, the preacher of the law he asked after Ratnakaya, the preacher of the law, where in this noble assembly is the monk called Ratnakaya who is endowed with virtues. Then Ratnakaya was elsewhere, sitting in a cave reflecting on this king of sutras studying and seated comfortably. Then they showed the king, the monk Ratnakaya, the preacher of the good law, sitting elsewhere in a cave, refulgent with brilliance, splendor, glory. Here, this Ratnakaya, the preacher of the law, maintained the profound sphere of activity of the Buddha.
He continually proclaimed the king of sutras called excellent Suvarṇaprabhāsa, worshiping the feet of Ratnakaya, king Susambhava, said this, expound to me, you whose face resembles the full moon, the excellent Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of sutras. And Ratnakaya accepted the request of king Susambhava. In the whole triple thousand world sphere, all the gods rejoiced in a pure place superb excellent, with jewel like water sprinkled with drops of fragrant water. He strewed the earth with flowers, and then the king placed a seat there. And the king adorned that seat with umbrellas, banners, and numerous thousands of silk cloths.
And the king bestrewed that seat with various excellent sandal powders. Gods, Nagas, Suras, Kim Naras, Yakshas, Yaksa kings, and Maharagas bestrewed that seat with divine showers of flowers. Inconceivable, thousands of millions of gods who came desirous of the law bestrewed Ratnakaya as he came out with flowers, from the stupa. And Ratnakaya, the preacher of the law, having bathed his body well, having put on pure clothing, approached that seat, placed his hands in the gesture of reverence, and did homage. The kings of the gods, the gods, and the goddesses rained down mandarava flowers.
Inconceivable, hundreds of thousands of musical instruments resounded in the sky. The monk, Ratnakaya, the preacher of the good law, ascended the seat of the law and sat down mindful of inconceivable thousands of millions of Buddhas in the ten directions, producing compassion for all beings and desirous of affecting a merciful mind. He then expounded the sūtra to king Susambhava. The king, having stood with his hands in a gesture of reverence, rejoiced with one accord. His eyes shed tears at the force of the good law.
His body became full of joy. For the sake of worshiping this sūtra, king Susambhava then took hold of the Chintamani, king of jewels, and made a resolve on account of the welfare of beings. May there now rain down here in Jambudvipa, ornaments made of seven jewels. And may the beings here in Jambudvipa be blessed and have great riches. Then they rained down on the four continents the seven jewels, bracelets and necklaces excellent, earrings likewise, food, drinks, and clothing.
And when king Sushambhava saw the rain of jewels in Jambudvipa, he presented four continents filled with jewels to the order of Ratnakaya. And I, the Tathagatas Śākyamūni, was the king called Susambhava. I then gave up the earth, the four continents full of jewels, and the Tathāgata who acts as fire was the monk, Ratnakaya, the preacher of the good law, who then preached this sūtra to king Susambhava. Because I heard this sūtra then and rejoiced with one accord through that good act of mine, And through my rejoicing at the hearing of the sūtra, I obtained a body that has the color of gold and that has the marks of a hundred merits, always of pleasing appearance, delightful to the eyes, beautiful for people to behold, causing pleasure to thousands of millions of gods. For ninety nine billion eons, I was a chakravartin king.
For numerous hundreds of thousands of eons, I experienced lesser kingship. For inconceivable aeons, I was Sakra, likewise Brahma, whose mind is tranquil. Immeasurable are the Buddhas I have pleased whose measure can never be found. So is the mass of my many merits without measure since I heard this sūtra and rejoiced in it. As according to my desire, I have obtained enlightenment and have acquired the body of the good law.
So ends the thirteenth chapter on the chapter, the chapter on Susambhava in the excellent Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of sutras. Chapter fourteen, chapter on the refuge of Sri. Great goddess Sri, whatever faithful noble son or noble daughter should have the desire to do homage that is inconceivable, great, vast, extensive, with all appurtenances to past, future, and present lord Buddhas should be desirous of knowing the profound Buddha sphere of past, future, and present lord Buddhas. He assuredly, in that region, monastery, or forest region in which this excellent Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of sutras, is expounded in detail, must listen to this excellent Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of sutras, with concentrated mind and attentive ear. Then indeed the lord, illuminating this meaning in greater detail, at that time spoke these verses.
Whoever should desire to do inconceivable honor to all the Buddhas and to know the profound sphere of all the Buddhas, he should approach that place, monastery, cell where this excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa is preached. This sūtra is an inconceivable endless ocean of virtues and rescues all beings from numerous oceans of woes. I behold the beginning of the sūtra at the middle and the end. It is the king of sutras extremely profound, and nothing is profound to compare with it. Neither the dust in the Ganges nor on the earth nor in the ocean nor that found in the sky can provide comparison.
Then he must enter by entry into the sphere of the law where there is the stupa whose nature is the law, profound, well established. And in the midst of this stupa, he will see the Buddha Śākyamūni expounding this sūtra in a pleasant voice. However, many millions of aeons, inconceivable, incalculable periods, he experiences divine and human pleasures. One who hears this sūtra will know that an inconceivable mass of merit has been thus acquired by him. One who is capable of hearing this sūtra would traverse a hundred leagues fully covered with holes of fire.
He would endure great pain. As soon as he has entered his monastery or cell, ills depart from him, every evil dream and sign. As soon as he has entered it, all oppressions caused by planets and asterisms, dreaded evil demons, turn away from him. He should make there such a seat resembling a lotus as the naga kings revealed to him in his dream. Having sat on that seat, he will expound this sūtra.
He must read what is written and likewise understand it. Getting down from the seat, he will go to another place. There on that seat, miracles will be seen. And at times, the form of the law will be seen there. At times, the form of the Buddha and at times, Bodhisattva.
Sometimes, the forms of Samantabhādra or Mañjuśrī. Sometimes, forms of Maitreya are seen on that seat. Sometimes, merely a glow. Sometimes, the appearance of gods is glimpsed for a moment and then disappears. The Buddha’s order is everywhere, producing success renowned, endowed with glory and blessing.
It is a sign and apparition of the Buddha, causing victory, fortune, and fame, turning back opponents, completely defeating hordes of foreign enemies, overthrowing enemies in battle, removing all evil dreams, destroying all evils, removing all evils, bringing victory in battle. He will fill the whole of this Jambudvipa with his fame, and all his enemies will be soundly defeated. His enemies will always be suppressed, and he will turn away from all evil. Having conquered the vanguard free of enemies, he rejoices. King Brahma, and Sakra, the lord of the thirty gods.
Likewise, the world protectors, vajrapani, the lord of the Yaksas, Samjaya, the chief conqueror, Anavatapta, Lord of the Nagas, likewise Sāgara, the lords of the Kimnaras, and the lords of the Asuras, likewise the lords of the Garudas. With these placed at the head, all the gods continually honor the inconceivable stupa of the law. When they see a venerable venerable beings, they will become joyful. All the excellent lords of the gods will think thus, and all those gods will speak to one another. Look at all those beings endowed with brilliance, glory, and merits.
Because of a purified merit root, these men have come here, who have come here in order to hear this profound sūtra, venerable men with inconceivable devotion to the stupa of the law. They have compassion for the world. They are working for the welfare of beings. They are a vessel for the juice of the good law, for profound things. Those who enter by entry into the sphere of the law are those who hear the sūtra, the excellence of Suvarṇaprabhāsa.
They have worshiped hundreds of thousands of former former Buddhas, and because of this merit root, they hear the sūtra. All these kings of the gods, likewise Sarasvatī, Sri, Vaishravana. Likewise, the four kings, together with hundreds of thousands of yaksas, possessed of supernatural powers and great strength, will give them protection everywhere in the four directions. Indra, Soma, Vayu, Varuna, Gandha, Vishnu, Sarasvatī, Varaja, Prithvipati, and Rudrasena, all these world protectors of great strength and prowess will always give them protection, unwearied by day or night. And the very powerful yaksa lords, Nagaraksha and Mahesvara, and the twenty eight others headed by Samjaya, together with hundreds of thousands of yaksas, possessed of supernatural powers and great strength, will offer them protection in all their fears and terrors.
And vajrapani, lord of the yaksas, with five hundred yaksas and all the bodhisattvas, will give them protection. Manipadra, lord of the yaksas, likewise, Purnambadra, Kumbhira, and Vatavaka. Likewise, Pingala and Kapila, each yaksa lord with five hundred yaksas will give protection to those who have heard this sūtra. Suciloma, Kharadanda, Jinasabha, king of the conquerors, Manikantha, Nikantha, Vasavadatta, Mahagrasa, Mahākāla, likewise Sevamsha, Keshin, Pandaka, Shankala, Pada, likewise Mahabhaga, Pranalin, Dharmapala, Mahakaya, Vali, Suchiroma, Suryamitra. Likewise Ratnakesha, Mahapralina, Pranalin, Nakula, Kamari, Shamkhana, Kandana, Nagayana, Hemavata, likewise Satagiri, all these possessive supernatural powers, great strength and prowess will give protection to those whom this sūtra is dear to whom this sūtra is dear.
Anavatapta, Lord of the Nagas. Likewise, Sāgara. Both Muralinanda and Elapatra, Nanda and Upananda, Dhrtarashtra, with hundreds of thousands of possessed of supernatural powers and great strength will give them protection from every fear and terror.
Bali, Rāhu, Namuchi, Vimashchitta, Shambara, Prahlada, Prahlada, Karaskhanda, and likewise, other lords of the Asuras with hundreds of thousands of Asuras possessed of supernatural powers and great strength will give them protection from fear and terror that has arisen. Hārītī, mother of Yakshas, with her five hundred sons, will give them protection whether they are sleeping, sitting, or standing. Atavika, Kataputana, Yaksini, Sakuni, Kunti, and Krtyadanti, who deprive all beings of their strength. All these possessed of supernatural powers, great strength, prowess will give them protection everywhere in the four directions. Sarasvatī at the head and inconceivable gods, all the gods here with at the head likewise, and the earth goddess, the deities of fruit crop and forest, river deities, and those inhabiting parks, trees, and shrines, all these deities with minds greatly rejoicing will give protection to those to whom this sūtra is dear, and they will provide beings with long life, complexion and strength.
They will continually adorn them with glory, merits, and brilliance, and fortune. They will remove all oppressions caused by planets and asterisms. They will destroy every misfortune, wickedness, and bad dream. And the profound and very powerful earth goddess will be satisfied with the savor of the excellent Suvarṇaprabhāsa, king of sutras. Savour of the earth will increase six million eight hundred thousand leagues as far as the diamond