[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) › [金光明經文句](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1785) › 1.24 # 金光明經文句 1.24 金光明經文句 1.24 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1785.1.24) 「四方四佛護持」者，四方者，四門也。四佛者，四門果上覺智也。釋迦覺智與四佛同，諸佛果智冥於法性，法性得顯，名為法身。法身不動，名之為持。法性常故諸佛亦常，法常佛常，壽命亦常，常故無量。信相推迹惑本，四佛令其達本悟迹，名之為護。此一句種種義，法性四門、法性四德即體義，果智顯體即宗義，護念信相斷疑復是用義，而敘宗為正意。觀心解者，四方是四諦，四佛是四諦智。東是方首，如集是苦因。又東甲乙是春生，生即集諦也。從東次南，亦猶生而有長，先春次夏，故南方是苦諦也。長後秋收，又白帝屬金，金能決斷，西方即道諦也。從秋收至冬藏，眾事都息，北方如滅諦。苦集因果皆謝無用也。觀此四諦生眼智明覺，持理不失、護倒不起，故名護持也。又觀四方是四德，觀東方常為破無常、觀無常為破常、觀非常非無常破常無常，乃至觀北方無我為破我亦如是。此觀持德不失、護倒不起，故名護持也。觀東方集諦常非常非無常不動，故名阿閦。觀南方苦諦樂無去無來法性實相，實相尊貴故名寶相。觀西方道諦畢竟清淨，法性壽命與虛空等，故名無量壽。觀北方滅諦永寂為我入祕密藏，祕密藏故名微妙聲（云云）。 > "Protected and sustained by the four Buddhas of the four directions": the "four directions" are the four gates. The "four Buddhas" are the awakening wisdom on the fruit\[-level\] of the four gates. Śākyamuni's awakening wisdom is identical to that of the four Buddhas; the fruit-wisdom of all Buddhas merges with dharmatā, and when dharmatā is revealed, it is called the dharmakāya. The dharmakāya being immovable is called "sustained". Because dharmatā is permanent, all Buddhas are also permanent; the Dharma being permanent and the Buddhas being permanent, their lifespans are also permanent, and being permanent, they are immeasurable. Ruciraketu tracked the traces and was perplexed by the origin; the four Buddhas caused him to comprehend the origin and awaken to the traces, which is called "protecting". This single phrase contains various meanings: the four gates of dharmatā and the four virtues of dharmatā are the meaning of substance; the fruit-wisdom revealing the substance is the meaning of principle; protecting and being mindful of Ruciraketu to sever his doubts is further the meaning of function; yet narrating the principle is the primary intent. Interpreting through contemplation of the mind: the four directions are the four truths; the four Buddhas are the wisdom of the four truths. East is the head of the directions, just as origin is the cause of suffering. Furthermore, east, jia and yi, is spring birth; birth is precisely the truth of origin. Moving from east next to south is like birth followed by growth, first spring and then summer; hence the southern direction is the truth of suffering. After growth comes autumn harvest; furthermore, the White Emperor belongs to metal, and metal can make decisive cuts; the western direction is the truth of the path. From autumn harvest to winter storage, all affairs cease; the northern direction is like the truth of cessation. Cause and fruit of suffering and origin have both run their course and are no longer used. Contemplating these four truths gives rise to vision, wisdom, clarity, and awakening, sustaining the principle without losing it and protecting against inversions without letting them arise; hence it is called "protecting and sustaining". Furthermore, contemplating the four directions is the four virtues: contemplating the east as permanent is to break through impermanence, contemplating impermanence is to break through permanence, and contemplating neither permanence nor impermanence breaks through permanence and impermanence; up to contemplating the north as non-self to break through self is also like this. This contemplation sustains the virtues without losing them and protects against inversions without letting them arise; hence it is called "protecting and sustaining". Contemplating the eastern truth of origin as permanent, non-permanent, neither permanent nor impermanent, and immovable—hence he is named Akṣobhya. Contemplating the southern truth of suffering as bliss, without coming or going, dharmatā and true mark—the true mark being noble and honored, hence he is named Ratnaketu. Contemplating the western truth of the path as utterly pure, the lifespan of dharmatā being equal to empty space—hence he is named Amitāyus. Contemplating the northern truth of cessation as eternal stillness, serving as the self, entering the secret store—being the secret store, hence he is named Dundubhisvaranirghoṣa (and so forth). > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1785.1.23) - [Next: 1.25](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1785.1.25) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1785.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1785~en-mt.1.24) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1785.1.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1785.1.24) · Pramāṇa