金光明經玄義 1.9

1.9

Concerning “general and specific”: the teaching has general and specific, and based on the teaching practice is clarified. Practice has general and specific, and through practice principle is revealed. Principle has general and specific. Setting aside practice and principle for now, I shall clarify only the general and specific of the teaching. Principle has no names or characters; names and characters name the principle. It is like empty space having no feet or inches; feet and inches are measured against empty space. The *Devendrarāja-prajñāpāramitā* says: “Dhāraṇī is without letters; letters reveal dhāraṇī.” If viewed from the letters that are able to reveal it, this name is general. If viewed from the reason why they are able to reveal it, this name is specific. What is the general? Whatever is spoken by the sage—a sūtra, a time, a place, a division, a verse, a phrase, a single word—all are letters; from these letters, they are generally referred to as “sūtra.” What is the specific? The specific has four aspects: first, causing conventional truth not to be disordered, pleasing the heart and delighting the ear; second, according with what is suitable for transformation, developing past roots of goodness; third, countering karmic hindrances, causing evil to be eradicated and sins eliminated; fourth, pointing out the principle, bringing about swift and wondrous awakening. Delighting, suiting, countering, and awakening—each has its own reason, and their purports are different, which is termed “specific.” It is like mixing salt and plum to produce various flavors, or crisscrossing warp and weft to produce various embroideries. Following the specific reason, there are the three characters “Suvarṇaprabhāsa” (Gold-Light-Brilliance), which mark the present teaching as distinct from other teachings. Following the general words, there is the single character “sūtra,” which is the general designation for all sūtras. In the present sūtra, the general and specific are designated together, and hence it is called the *Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra*.