[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [金光明經玄義](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1783) › 1.38 # 金光明經玄義 1.38 金光明經玄義 1.38 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.38](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1783.1.38) 第四、依經文立名者，上來舉譬多是義推，依文立名顯然可解。何者？義推疎遠，依文親近。以己情推度是故言疎，彼義例此是故言遠。用佛口說是故言親，即此經文是故言近。豈可棄親近而從疎遠耶？始從〈序品〉終乎〈讚佛品〉，品之中若不說金光明名，即說金光明事。或一品說名不說事，或一品說事不說名，或一品名事兼明，或一品名事獨說，或一品重說名重說事，故知品品不空、篇篇悉有。為此義故，依文立名也。〈序品〉云「是金光明，諸經之王」，創首標名，彌為可用。次〈壽量品〉四佛俱集王舍城，放大光明，照王舍城及此三千大千世界。發起其事。〈懺悔品〉信相夢見金鼓，其狀姝大、其明溥照。過夜至旦，向佛說之。〈讚歡品〉金龍尊王奉貢金鼓，發大誓願：「願我當來，夜則夢見、晝如實說。」〈空品〉云「故此尊經略而說之」，尊經即《金光明》也。〈四王品〉六番問答，問問之中重說其名，答答之內重明其事。又以手擎香鑪時，香烟變為香蓋，金光不但遍此大千，亦遍十方佛土（云云）。〈大辯〉、〈功德〉已下，標名舉事其例甚多。若信相所夢，是現在金光明之事。龍尊發願，是過去金光明之事。香蓋遍滿，是未來金光明之事。一部名事遍十八品。一處起烟、十方光蓋，非但現在，亘通三世。若名若事縱橫高廣、無量甚深，為若此也。而不用此標名，義推譬喻無有一文，無而疆用、有而不遵，明識者審之，無俟多云。又諸經例多，如《稻稈》、《斧柯》、《象步》、《城經》等說其事，指所說事仍即為名。又如說稻稈事、斧柯事、象步事等，即名為稻稈、斧柯、象步經事也。 > Fourth, establishing the title by relying on the sūtra text: The metaphors raised above were mostly reasoned by inference; establishing the title based on the text is clearly intelligible. Why? Inferential reasoning is distant, while relying on the text is intimate. Deducing from one's own sentiment is why it is called distant; comparing that meaning to this is why it is called remote. Spoken by the Buddha's mouth is why it is called intimate; being the very text of this sūtra is why it is called close at hand. How could one abandon the intimate and close at hand to follow the distant and remote? From the opening 'Introductory Chapter' to the end of the 'Chapter on Praising the Buddha,' if a chapter does not mention the name 'Golden Light,' it mentions the matters of Golden Light. Either a chapter mentions the name without mentioning the matters, or a chapter mentions the matters without mentioning the name, or a chapter clarifies both name and matters, or a chapter speaks solely of name or matters, or a chapter repeatedly mentions the name and repeatedly mentions the matters. Therefore we know that chapter by chapter is not empty, and section by section has it completely. For this reason, we establish the title by relying on the text. The 'Introductory Chapter' states: 'This Suvarṇaprabhāsa is the king of all sūtras'—proclaiming the title at the very outset is all the more applicable. Next, in the 'Chapter on the Lifespan,' the four buddhas gather together at Rājagṛha and emit a great radiant light, illuminating Rājagṛha and this trichiliocosm, initiating its matters. In the 'Chapter on Confession,' Ruciraketu dreams of a golden drum, exquisite and grand in shape, its light shining everywhere; when the night passes and dawn arrives, he recounts it to the Buddha. In the 'Chapter on Rejoicing,' King Suvarṇaprabhāsagarbha offers the golden drum and makes a great vow: 'May I, in future times, dream of it at night and expound it truly by day.' The 'Chapter on Emptiness' states: 'Therefore, this revered sūtra is briefly expounded'—'revered sūtra' is precisely the Suvarṇaprabhāsa. In the 'Chapter on the Four Heavenly Kings,' there are six rounds of questions and answers; in question after question the name is repeatedly stated, and in answer after answer the matter is repeatedly clarified. Moreover, when holding the censer with the hands, the incense smoke turns into an incense canopy, and the golden light not only fills this great trichiliocosm, but also pervades the buddha-lands of the ten directions (and so forth). From the 'Great Eloquence' and 'Merit' chapters downward, instances of indicating the name and raising the matters are exceedingly numerous. What Ruciraketu dreamed is the present matter of Golden Light. Suvarṇaprabhāsagarbha's vow is the past matter of Golden Light. The incense canopy pervading everywhere is the future matter of Golden Light. The name and matters of the entire work pervade the eighteen chapters. Smoke rising in one place becomes a canopy of light in the ten directions; it is not only in the present, but extends across the three times. Both name and matter are vertical and horizontal, lofty and broad, immeasurable and profoundly deep, such as this. Yet instead of using this to indicate the title, one infers metaphors through meaning without a single textual basis; employing what is non-existent by force and failing to comply with what exists—let the perceptive carefully examine this, without need for many words. Furthermore, there are many precedents in various sūtras: as the Śālistamba, Axe Handle, Elephant Step, City, and other sūtras expound their matters, pointing directly to the matters expounded to serve as the title. It is also just as expounding the matter of the rice stalk, the matter of the axe handle, the matter of the elephant's step, and so forth, is titled the sūtra matter of the Rice Stalk, Axe Handle, and Elephant Step. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.37](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1783.1.37) - [Next: 1.39](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1783.1.39) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1783.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1783~en-mt.1.38) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1783.1.38](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1783.1.38) · Pramāṇa