Overall Teaching

This sūtra is being preached by the Buddha for the destruction of evils and being a basis for omniscience. Those who hear it while pure in body and mind will be protected by buddhas, bodhisattvas, and divine beings. It eliminates evil and is the sphere of the Buddha’s action.

Summary

1.     The Buddha is dwelling at Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa and in the Dharmadhātu[1] with an assembly of divine beings and humans including gods and goddesses, such as Bodhisattvasamuccayā, Sarasvatī,[2] Śrī,[3] Dṛdhā, and Hārītī.[4]

2.     Ānanda asked the Buddha what the discipline (vinaya) of the Dharma is. The Buddha replies that the essence of the Dharma and meditation (samādhi) is not difficult questioning but purity (viraja). Thus, being among purified bodhisattvas, he will preach the best Sūtra of Golden Light.[5] It has these qualities:

a.     It has been blessed by buddhas of the four directions (E. Akṣobhyarāja, S. Ratnaketu (Amoghasiddhi), W. Amitābha, N. Dundubhisvara (Bhaiṣajyaguru/Medicine Buddha).

b.     Its aim is the destruction of all evils and being the basis for omniscience.

c.     For those whose senses fail, are near death, are hated by the dear, are oppressed, tormented by others or the loss of property, are in grief like poverty or fear, should listen to this sūtra:

                                               i.     One should listen after one has bathed and is wearing clean clothing.

                                             ii.     One should have a pure mind as well.

d.     The results are the extinguishing of severe misfortunes and the protection of the world-protectors and their army chiefs along with yakṣas and the great gods and goddesses.

e.     It is the Buddha-region (gocara–range or sphere of action).

3.     Those who hear it and cause others to hear it will be honoured by beings and have endless merit, accepted by buddhas and bodhisattvas of all directions.

4.     Honour it untiringly with a mind full of love and clean clothes.

[1] This indicates that on the one hand the Buddha is in a mundane world, and on the other, he is in a transcendent state of being, the Dharmadhātu.

[2] The consort of Brahmā, and a manifestation of Avalokiteśvara for the skillful means towards non-Buddhists. Accordingly, she is worshipped by Hindus as the goddess of knowledge.

[3] Meaning radiance, this is a polite term for the goddess Lakṃī, worshipped by Hindus as the goddess of wealth and prosperity.

[4] Hārītī is a demoness who ate children, but was converted by the Buddha in the Lotus Sūtra, accordingly, she now protects the Dharma and vows to protect all children.

[5] In other words, rather than pondering, the stainless (viraja) mind is the essence of the Dharma and meditation.